The critics were distressed that an essayist of such glowing ________ could descend to writing such dull, uninteresting prose.
句意： 评论家担忧的是这样一位前程似锦的散文家可能会堕落到撰写如此沉闷无聊的诗歌的境地。 promise希望。 obscurity晦涩。 ill-repute名誉败坏。shallowness肤浅。 因此， 本题的正确答案是D。