GRE Verbal : Adjectives and Adverbs in One-Blank Texts
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Verbal
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Example Questions
Example Question #832 : Text Completion
The investor remained ____________ throughout the meeting, revealing none of his thinking.
perpicacious
philanthropic
loquacious
taciturn
ebullient
taciturn
The investor revealed "none of his thinking" in the meeting, indicating he said almost nothing. The correct answer will mean extremely quiet, which is the definition of "taciturn."
Example Question #141 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Texts
Both sides agreed the controversy needed a(n) _________________ party to help resolve the conflict.
hackneyed
zealots
enthusiastic
sycophantic
disinterested
disinterested
The party described by the missing word is attempting to resolve the "controversy." The correct answer needs to reflect a person who could work with both sides. "Disinterested," meaning unbiased or neutral, is the best answer choice.
Example Question #142 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Texts
She was ________________ enough to claim that she was not at a party, but she was caught on a surveillance camera.
irreproachable
perspicacious
innocuous
venerable
mendacious
mendacious
To claim she was not where "she was caught on a surveillance camera," indicates that she was less than honest. The correct answer should mean prone to lying or deception, the definition of "mendacious."
Example Question #143 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Texts
The film's ___________________ humor was looked down on by intellectual critics.
sophomoric
perspicacious
superlative
exemplary
acerbic
sophomoric
The film is "looked down on by the intellectual critics," meaning the humor is unappealing to intellectuals. The correct answer needs to mean the opposite of "intellectual." "Sophomoric," meaning juvenile or conceited, is the best fit.
Example Question #836 : Text Completion
The _________________ city councilman was an easy target for underworld bribery.
venal
disinterested
irreproachable
mercurial
venerable
venal
The city councilman is "an easy target" for bribery. The correct answer needs to mean corruptible or able to be bribed, the definition of "venal."
Example Question #837 : Text Completion
The book was highly derivative, with a ___________________ plotline.
cliché
innovative
avant garde
novel
supercilious
cliché
The plotline for a "highly derivative" book will be old and common, and the correct answer should illuminate this. "Cliché," meaning an overused and unoriginal phrase or idea, is the best choice.
Example Question #144 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Texts
Standing in the presence of his idol, he quickly became _____________ and unable to speak.
ebullient
flustered
articulate
salacious
poised
flustered
The inability to speak "in the presence of his idol," indicates the subject was bothered and agitated, and the correct answer will reflect this. "Flustered," meaning worked up or problematically excited, is the best choice.
Example Question #145 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Texts
His ________________ lectures usually made half the class zone out after fifteen minutes.
effusive
soporific
ebullient
affable
vivacious
soporific
The fact the class would "zone out after fifteen minutes" indicates the lectures were quite boring and the correct answer will reflect this. "Soporific," meaning excessively drawn out and sleep inducing, is the correct answer.
Example Question #146 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Texts
The students used to love the young priest’s sermons, which he delivered so __________, as though he were directing a flowing symphony, but with words.
tonally
vociferously
didactically
mellifluously
pacifically
mellifluously
The most temping wrong answer would be "pacifically" (so long as you are not taken in by "tonally" just because of the reference to the symphony). "Pacific" comes from the Latin pax, pacis, which means peace, and facio—from which we get many of our "-fy", "-fic" endings—meaning to make.
The operative word here, however, is "flowing", which is better matched by "mellifluous." The "fluous" portion clearly means flowing. The "mellli" portion comes from the Latin mel or Greek meli, meaning honey. Very distantly, the word "molasses" comes from this same base.
Example Question #1087 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The fact he was so ______________ allowed him to talk his way past many barriers.
bellicose
articulate
obtuse
taciturn
fortuitous
articulate
The subject is able "to talk his way past many barriers." This means the missing word will indicate his ability to speak. "Articulate," meaning well spoken and literate, is the best choice.
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