Each sentence below has one or two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Beneath the sentences are five words labeled A and E. Choose the words or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Example:

Medieval kingdoms did not become constitutional republics overnight, on the contrary, the change was_______

(A) unpopular

(B) unexpected

(C) sufficient

(D) gradual

Ancient cloth makers probably could not twist flax fibers until they had dipped the fibers into the water to make them ----. (A) ·solvent (B) supple (C) nonporous (D) immutable (E) invisible