In each of the following questions, a sentence is given with two blanks, indicating that some parts are missing. Choose the option that provides the correct pair of words to fit the blanks, making the sentence grammatically correct and contextually meaningful. The theoretical physicist posited that the seemingly ________ nature of quantum entanglement could be reconciled with classical mechanics, provided that one discards the deeply ________ notion of absolute spatial locality.

Quantum entanglement is famous for behaving in ways that defy classical logic, requiring a word like "paradoxical" (seemingly absurd or self-contradictory) for the first blank. In order to reconcile this weirdness with classical physics, the physicist suggests discarding a specific notion. For a concept like "absolute spatial locality" to be a major hurdle, it must be something deeply rooted or firmly established in scientific thought. "Entrenched" (firmly established and difficult to change) fits this perfectly. • Option (a) is incorrect because "nascent" means newly born or just coming into existence; absolute spatial locality is a classical, ancient physics concept, not a new one. • Option (b) fails because if quantum entanglement were "harmonious" with classical mechanics, it would not require an active effort to be "reconciled." • Option (d) is contextually backward; quantum entanglement is famously counter-intuitive, not "intuitive." • Option (e) fails because a "superficial" notion would be easy to discard and wouldn't be described as "deeply" anything.