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 #165 : One Blank Texts
The police department's confiscated weapons were a __________ of firearms, featuring every kind imaginable.
decoy
smorgasbord
delineation
barren
menagerie
smorgasbord
The "confiscated weapons" represented "every kind imaginable." This means the correct answer will reflect a wide variety of firearms. "Smorgasbord," a Swedish buffet of cold dishes, often used to mean a wide choice of options, is the best fit.
Example Question #166 : One Blank Texts
The police department's theory that a __________ committed the crimes was due to the evidence that the perpetrator slept in multiple places.
vagrant
zealot
somnambulist
pyromaniac
polemicist
vagrant
If "the perpetrator slept in multiple places," then the police must believe he is moving around from place to place. The correct answer will reflect this movement between locations. "Vagrant," meaning a person without a home and committing petty crimes, is the best choice.
Example Question #167 : One Blank Texts
The __________ in the two forms was chalked up to a clerical error, but people saw something sinister in the difference.
discrepancy
prostration
omniscience
approbation
condemnation
discrepancy
The sentence gives a key clue by commenting there was a "difference" in the final phrase. The correct answer must indicate this "difference." "Discrepancy," meaning an inconsistency or a mismatch, is the best choice.
Example Question #168 : One Blank Texts
The show's main attempt to be balanced was to present __________ from each side.
negotiators
edifices
suffragists
arbitrators
partisans
partisans
Although the show has an "attempt to be balanced," it still presents "each side." The missing word describes what comes from a non-balanced perspective. "Partisans," meaning people committed to a particular side, is the correct answer.
Example Question #169 : One Blank Texts
Grieving people often find __________ in knowing their departed loved ones are no longer in pain.
condemnation
subterfuge
depravity
solace
approbation
solace
The sentence dicusses the reaction of "grieving people" to the death of "loved ones." Additionally, the knowledge the dead are "no longer in pain" means they are trying to make it better. "Solace," meaning comfort for grief, is the correct answer.
Example Question #170 : One Blank Texts
Opera aficionados argue the best composers have __________ and drama lesser writers cannot produce the same way.
pathos
tome
disdain
vagrance
decoy
pathos
The missing word is directly paired with "drama," and is a quality possessed only by "the best composers." The correct answer needs to indicate a positive quality for an opera. "Pathos," meaning able to provoke sadness and pity, is the correct answer.
Example Question #451 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
In an effort to write better lyrics, the songwriter began looking at the __________ of his favorite writers.
bane
prosody
bulwark
vehemence
histrionics
prosody
While many words could fit this fairly wide ranging sentence, some clues help find the best choice. "The songwriter" is analyzing "his favorite writers" to "write better lyrics." "Prosody," meaning the study and analysis of poetry, is the correct answer.
Example Question #452 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The book was marked by a __________ that saw the author cover literature, history, and politics—as well as science.
salaciousness
jollity
discursiveness
rancorousness
brevity
discursiveness
The book covers a wide range of topics because it possesses the missing word. The correct answer must reflect the many topics the book covers. "Discursiveness," meaning an unordered procession among topics, is the best fit.
Example Question #141 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts
With his newfound wealth, he decided to become a __________ of various artistic endeavors.
patron
cynic
sycophant
critic
heretic
patron
Two things are known about the subject from the sentence: he has "newfound wealth" and he is working with "various artistic endeavors." "Patron," meaning a generous financial supporter, is the correct answer.
Example Question #142 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts
Many television executives believe the most important part of a show is a strong __________.
zealot
hypochondriac
recluse
paragon
protagonist
protagonist
The sentence explicitly deals with television shows. Of all the answer choices, only "protagonist," meaning the main character in a work of fiction, relates in any way to the making or analysis of a television show.
All GRE Verbal Resources
