All GRE Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #151 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Texts
The Board President resigned after the company took measures _______________ to her values.
inimical
imitative
contemporary
impartial
disinterested
inimical
A "Board President" leaving a company over values indicates a disagreement, and the correct answer must reflect this. "Inimical," meaning at odds with or hostile to, is the best choice.
Example Question #152 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Texts
His _____________ temperament made it hard for his family to make concrete plans.
mercurial
poised
perspicacious
punctilious
meticulous
mercurial
The man's temperament causes "concrete plans" to be difficult. The correct answer needs to indicate what creates such a hardship. "Mercurial," meaning volatile and changeable, like the metal mercury, is the best choice.
Example Question #1091 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The composer's career saw him move from complicated orchestrations to ____________ arrangements.
sparse
jubilant
excessive
rococo
baroque
sparse
The sentence contrasts the composer's "complicated orchestrations" to his later arrangements, which are described by the missing word. The correct answer should indicate that the later arrangements were uncomplicated. "Sparse," meaning bare or meager, is the best choice.
Example Question #1091 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
It was impossible to follow the angry man’s argument. Constantly __________, the meaning of one term seemed to transform as many times as did his changing temper.
belligerent
capricious
equivocating
bellicose
berating
equivocating
The sentence works well with one of the participial beginnings. Here, vocabulary probably helps best, though. Clearly, the point is that he keeps changing his terms; therefore, he is "equivocating." Equivocation comes from the Latin aequus for equal and voco. The first has many examples that are readily available. Voco is seen in words like "convocation," "vocal," "advocate," and so forth. The word is so derived because equivocation means that one treats two or more words as though they were the same (Thus, they are "equally called"). For instance, in English, we use the word "bank" to represent both the edge of a river as well as the financial institution.
Example Question #1092 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The young woman hated chain stores, filling her home with __________ furniture.
synthetic
sallow
mundane
artisanal
generic
artisanal
The young woman is trying to avoid "chain stores" and what is sold there. As "chain stores" have many identical items, the woman will be looking for one of a kind furniture. "Artisanal," meaning crafted and handmade, is the correct answer choice.
Example Question #1093 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The boy was annoying but __________, causing little long term harm.
egregious
innocuous
ominous
irksome
transgressive
innocuous
The missing word is paired with the phrase "causing little long term harm." The correct answer must mean harmless or inoffensive, which is the definition of "innocuous."
Example Question #1095 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
She often told instructive stories __________, so as not to call out specific people.
petulantly
literally
belligerently
sycophantically
metaphorically
metaphorically
The subject is trying to avoid calling out "specific people," and her style of lessons must follow this pattern. The correct answer will indicate she is avoiding mentioning identifying details. "Metaphorically," meaning symbolically or figuratively, is the best choice.
Example Question #1096 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
He was known for an incredible voice, with a __________ singing range.
philistine
peerless
supercilious
sagacious
useless
peerless
The key word in the sentence is "incredible," which parallels the missing word. The correct answer will be similar in meaning to "incredible." "Peerless," meaning unequaled or the very best, is the appropriate choice.
Example Question #1097 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The boy's decisions were rarely __________, and recklessness often got him in trouble.
mercurial
prescient
prudent
perspicacious
fortuitous
prudent
The boy is described as having a particular "recklessness." If his decisions were "rarely" of something, then the correct answer must be an antonym of "reckless." "Prudent," meaning responsible and wise, is the best choice.
Example Question #1094 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The children were taught a solid colored egg was healthy, and that __________ ones should be avoided.
opaque
speckled
illusory
petrified
smooth
speckled
The choices contain a few words that might work, but the best fit for the sentence must be chosen. The correct answer will mean not "solid colored," as the structure of the sentence shows. "Speckled," meaning spotted or freckled, is the best choice.