GRE Verbal : GRE Verbal Reasoning
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Verbal
All GRE Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #851 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
Giving the flower the proper fertilizer and watering it frequently should allow your new plant to __________.
expire
burgeon
succumb
wither
perish
burgeon
To "burgeon" is a verb that means to flourish or to grow rapidly. Proper care of the flower will allow it to flourish.
Example Question #851 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
Her tendency to __________ aspects of her job caused resentment among her coworkers.
prone
enhance
embrace
shirk
savor
shirk
The key element of the sentence is that her behavior "caused resentment among her coworkers." This indicates the correct answer must show her doing something to anger her coworkers. "Shirk," meaning to avoid or ignore, is the best choice among the answers.
Example Question #852 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The police found it difficult to __________ their approach in such an unfamiliar situation.
undulate
compromise
renege
calcify
calibrate
calibrate
The sentence describes "an unfamiliar situation" that the police must approach. This means the correct word has to show the police carefully looking at the situation. "Calibrate," meaning to assess or adjust carefully, is the best choice among the answers.
Example Question #853 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
In times of financial trouble, economists have noticed people are more willing to do illegal acts to __________ their legal salaries.
endow
obliterate
uproot
augment
stifle
augment
The missing word describes what people do with "their legal salaries," and that they are doing this in "financial trouble" and with "illegal acts." Both of these facts contribute to a sense that the correct answer should mean increasing or making bigger, the definition of "augment."
Example Question #854 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The new drugs only sought to __________ the symptoms, not to completely cure the disease.
mitigate
complicate
obscure
discount
obliterate
mitigate
The drugs will not "completely cure the disease," which means they will not fully take care of the symptoms. The correct answer will need to indicate this lessening, without describing a complete healing. "Mitigate," meaning to make less severe, is the best choice among the answers.
Example Question #856 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
Sleeping with a nightlight can often help to __________ a child's fear of the dark.
assuage
escalate
redouble
exacerbate
palanquin
assuage
To "assuage" is a verb that means to lessen or pacify; therefore, sleeping with a light on will help the child to have less fear of the dark.
Example Question #855 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The disease had a nasty habit of __________ in impoverished communities, spreading through whole neighborhoods in a matter of days.
ducking
eluding
proliferating
gamboling
staunching
proliferating
The sentence provides one great clue to the answer: the disease is "spreading through whole neighborhoods." This means the correct answer must be a synonym of "spreading." "Proliferating," meaning growing and flourishing, is the best choice among the answers.
Example Question #856 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The principal hated the students' protests, and felt he had to __________ them at all costs.
boast
scotch
pine
flaunt
muse
scotch
The "principal hated the students' protests," which indicates that he does not want them to continue. The correct answer has to show him trying to end the protests. "Scotch," meaning to prevent or disable, is the best choice among the answers.
Example Question #857 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The young boy was arrogant, and had a tendency to __________ whenever he walked.
gambol
amble
prune
strain
strut
strut
The sentence both describes the boy as "arrogant," and notes that the missing word describes what he does when he walks. The correct answer therefore must mean a showy and boasting manner of walking, the definition of "strut."
Example Question #858 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The girl was the most talented athlete on the field, and would __________ with the other players instead of outright beating
wag
toy
pine
sap
muse
toy
The sentence describes the girl as not "outright beating" her opponents, despite being "the most talented athlete on the field." This indicates she was not directly playing against her opponents, and the correct answer must reflect this. "Toy," meaning to play and fool around with mockingly, is the best choice among the answers.
All GRE Verbal Resources
