Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

　　Mr. Warmington considered himself a connoisseur of fine wines, claiming he could ------- variations in taste and quality among any range of vintages he was served.

　　(A) purvey

　　(B) discern

　　(C) efface

　　(D) mollify

　　(E) debate

　　Explanation

　　Choice (B) is correct. If this term were inserted into the sentence, the sentence would read "Mr. Warmington considered himself a connoisseur of fine wines, claiming he could discern variations in taste and quality among any range of vintages he was served." A "connoisseur" has a sophisticated ability to appreciate and assess subtleties. If Mr. Warmington considered himself a connoisseur of wine, he would claim an ability to "discern," or detect, variations in the taste and quality of different wines.