GRE Verbal : Parts of Speech in One-Blank Texts

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #1121 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The farmer had trouble generating enough harvest on his land and envied his neightbor's __________ fields.

Possible Answers:

parsimonious

felicitous

impotent

meager

fecund

Correct answer:

fecund

Explanation:

"Fecund" means fertile and productive. "Felicitous," or apt, does not have quite the same connotation.

Example Question #1434 : Gre Verbal Reasoning

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The doctor was so __________ about helping the sick in developing countries that she left her home and opened a clinic.

Possible Answers:

arduous

enervated

ardent

temperate

congruent

Correct answer:

ardent

Explanation:

"Ardent" means passionate, and the doctor is passionate concerning the cause to leave her home. "Enervated" actually means weakened, while "arduous" means hard and demanding a lot of work, which does not fit a description of a person.

Example Question #1122 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Because of all the scams that exist on the web, no one dared give him their credit card number, even though he actually had a __________ online business.

Possible Answers:

spurious

veritable

transcendental

mendacious

fallacious

Correct answer:

veritable

Explanation:

The company is set apart from the scams, so it must be genuine or true, the definition of "veritable." "Fallacious," "spurious," and "mendacious" all imply that the business is false in some way, while "transcendental" does not make sense in context.

Example Question #1123 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

He made a habit of __________ magazines at newsstands, but never bought any.

Possible Answers:

belaboring

perusing

recapitulating

consecrating

effacing

Correct answer:

perusing

Explanation:

The sentence indicates the subject deals with the magazines, despite the fact he "never bought any." The correct answer will indicate reading or handling the magazines. "Perusing," meaning to browse through, is the best choice among the answers.

Example Question #1124 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The office building was infested, and the ants were particularly __________.

Possible Answers:

irksome

perturbed

personable

affable

mundane

Correct answer:

irksome

Explanation:

The fact of an infestation, and the existence of ants in the building, indicates an annoying problem. "Personable" and "affable" are too positive for the sentence, while "mundane" does not indicate a problem. The use of "perturbed" indicates the ants, not the people in the building, are bothered. "Irksome," meaning annoying or infuriating, is the correct answer.

Example Question #1125 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts

Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted into the sentence, best completes the sentence.

The rolling fields were covered with peaceful-looking shrubs and the flocks of local herdsmen; the __________ scene looked like it could inspire any poet.

Possible Answers:

generous

prolific

flowing

limpid

bucolic

Correct answer:

bucolic

Explanation:

Clearly, the scene being described is implied to be peaceful and serene; however, do not be tempted by "limpid" or "flowing." These are very possible, but the associations of the pastoral scenery are more related to the word "bucolic" (having to do with idyllic pastoral environments) than these. Elimination is key for working out this sentence because of the potential ambiguity.

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