Sentence:  Because of the authentic homogeneity of his early Nationalistic materials , and his flair for orchestrations - his brilliant Petruchka , his savage Sacre du Printemps , his incisive Les Noces - the world <WSD>kept</WSD> hoping that he could recapture the historical direction for which his native talents were predisposed . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  continue a certain state, condition, or activity