Directions: Select the option that fills in the blanks most suitably (in the same order).

The ________ freemasons retained this classification in their so-called degrees. Freemasons also start out as ________ and then rise by ________ to the status of journeyman and master.

'Freemason' is a member of an international freethinking male society having as the principles brotherliness, charity and mutual aid. As 'speculative' and 'inquisitive' both fit our prediction for first blank, thus, we are left with 2 options - (2) and (3). The operative word for second blank is 'rise'. As 'veteran' means experienced, practiced, thus 'apprentices' (any learner or beginner) replaces the second blank. Hence, (2) is the answer.