GRE Verbal : GRE Verbal Reasoning
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Verbal
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Example Questions
Example Question #671 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Having labored for hours in the sweltering heat, the exhausted porter looked forward to his __________ and the cool beverage he would buy with it.
parity
respite
abasement
remuneration
reprieve
remuneration
The word that fills in the blank must be something with which the exhausted porter can buy a cool beverage. "Remuneration," meaning payment, is the only word that satisfies that requirement. "Reprieve" and "respite" are short intervals of relief, while "abasement" is humiliation and "parity" is equality.
Example Question #672 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Fearful of being accused of __________, the student was very careful to cite all of her sources.
haughtiness
abrasiveness
plagiarism
blasphemy
bewilderment
plagiarism
The word that fills in the blank must meet two requirements: 1) It must be something of which the student fears being accused, and 2) it must be a fear that proper citation allays. The fear of being accused of "plagiarism" (the fear of being accused of unethically taking credit for someone else’s work) can be reduced by proper citation.
Example Question #673 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
While translating Pablo Neruda’s stirring poem from Spanish to English, Javier struggled to recreate the __________ of the great poet’s original words.
monotony
disparity
renown
listlessness
nuances
nuances
The word that fills in the blank must be faithful to the sentence’s original assertion that Pablo Neruda’s poem is "stirring," and therefore not "monotonous" or "listless." Because translators cannot recreate "renown" or "disparity," Javier struggled to recreate the "nuances," the subtleties, of the original poem in English.
Example Question #674 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Opera singers must endure years of training in order to achieve the correct __________ in Italian, French, German, and Russian.
inflection
aberration
rhythm
juxtaposition
braggadocio
inflection
Given that opera singers must perform in several different languages, inflection is important. In this sentence, “inflection” refers to the rising and falling tones of a word in speech or song.
Example Question #671 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The magician was used to using __________ to appear to accomplish supernatural feats, having to stand up to the scrutiny of skeptical audiences.
blunderbuss
verities
indiscretion
artifice
plumage
artifice
The magician only appears to accomplish these feats, so he must be using deception, or "artifice." "Verities" are truths.
Example Question #672 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
There was old wisdom in the __________, but over time it had begun to lose its effect.
disparity
platitude
excerpt
ingenue
archive
platitude
A saying that is repeated until losing its effect is likely to be a "platitude." An "ingenue" is a naïve, unsophisticated person.
Example Question #673 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
In her paper, Linda wrote that people in power should try to stay focused on the big picture rather than the __________.
objective
minutiae
consternation
expedient
diminution
minutiae
"Minutiae" means small details, and is the only choice that makes sense in context.
Example Question #674 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The author was both very popular and anonymous; she managed to remain unknown despite her books being widely read by using a _________.
appellation
mystique
contrivance
pseudonym
rubric
pseudonym
A "pseudonym" is a fake name used to conceal an identity, especially by authors. Although "contrivance" could make sense of the passage, "pseudonym" very directly applies.
Example Question #675 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Television networks focus on their shows' __________ of viewers, finding that shows that keep their audience do better in the long run.
depreciation
relapse
degradation
respite
retention
retention
The structure of the sentence indicates that the correct answer will mean something highly similar to keeping an audience. Out of all the answer choices, only "retention," meaning preservation, works in the sentence.
Example Question #679 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The princess' __________ was noted throughout Europe, and she consequently had many eager suitors.
comeliness
intemperance
lugubriousness
caginess
obstreperousness
comeliness
A princess having "many eager suitors" indicates she "was noted throughout Europe" for being quite desirable. The correct answer must indicate a high level of attractiveness. "Comeliness," meaning beauty or prettiness, is the best choice among the answers.
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