单选题 The gap between what we know and all that can be known seems not to ______, but rather to increase with every new discovery.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[解析] 动词词义辨析。空后的but一词表示转折，所以此空应填入与increase意思相反的词，选项中只有diminish(使减少；使变小)符合这个要求。故答案为C。eliminate“排除，消除”；extinguish“熄灭；压制”。