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 #341 : Nouns In One Blank Texts

The teenager thought he had finally become a true punk, but everyone at the show thought he was a _____________.

Possible Answers:

paragon

phenom

decoy

paradigm

poseur

Correct answer:

poseur

Explanation:

The structure of the sentence indicates the teenager saw himself quite differently than all the people at the show. The answer should stand in opposition to the notion of a "true punk." "Poseur," which means a person who puts on a false persona, is the correct answer.

Example Question #342 : Nouns In One Blank Texts

His stories tended toward _____________, adding new and different details with each telling.

Possible Answers:

acuity

hyperbole

brevity

simplicity

veracity

Correct answer:

hyperbole

Explanation:

The "newer and different details" are the best clue to the correct answer for this sentence. The addition of details to a story makes it less realistic and more exaggerated. Of all the answer choices, only "hyperbole," meaning grossly exaggerated, fits the sentence.

Example Question #343 : Nouns In One Blank Texts

As her friends began leaving the religion of their childhood, she remained a ____________ of traditional values.

Possible Answers:

sieve

bane

salve

caricature

bastion

Correct answer:

bastion

Explanation:

The structure of the sentence indicates that the woman kept her "childhood faith" when her friends did not. The correct answer will show that the subject is staying in her religion and upholding its values. "Bastion," meaning a fortress or a defense, is correct, being used here metaphorically.

Example Question #344 : Nouns In One Blank Texts

The small environmental protest quickly spread to a large ______________ involving many different activists.

Possible Answers:

conflagration

edifice

bulwark

condemnation

effigy

Correct answer:

conflagration

Explanation:

What the addition of "many different activists" did to the gathering was make it extremely large and confusing; therefore, "conflagration," which literally means a big fire, but here refers to a large, out of control crowd, is the correct choice.

Example Question #345 : Nouns In One Blank Texts

With the former President out of the country, the protesters built an _____________ of him to put on trial.

Possible Answers:

effigy

exemplar

genre

decoy

paragon

Correct answer:

effigy

Explanation:

The sentence is very clear that the protesters built something to stand in for the President.  Many of the answer choices could fit that definition, but the best fit needs to be found. "Effigy," which specifically means a model of a person, is the correct answer.

Example Question #341 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts

The fall did not injure the hiker too seriously, but did leave a ___________ on her knee.

Possible Answers:

fracture

obsession

degradation

hemorrhage

contusion

Correct answer:

contusion

Explanation:

The sentence says the hiker was not injured "too seriously," but merely had the injury described by the missing word. The correct answer will be a minor harm. "Contusion," meaning a bruise or welt, is the best fit among the answer choices.

Example Question #342 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts

The con man is vain and swears quietly to himself in many episodes of that TV show, but his witty dialogue makes him a fan favorite in spite of these __________

Possible Answers:

charms

proclivities

idiosyncrasies

vices

peccadilloes

Correct answer:

peccadilloes

Explanation:

We know that the word in the blank refers back to the con man's habits of swearing to himself and being vain. These are negative traits, so we know the answer can't be "charms." The only remaining choices that have negative connotations are "vices" and "peccadilloes," and since being vain and swearing to oneself are relatively small shortcomings, the correct answer is "peccadilloes"—"small, relatively unimportant offenses or sins."

Example Question #343 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts

The __________ dabbled in painting, singing, sculpting, and penmanship, but never committed to learning any one art for more than a week or two before moving on to another.

Possible Answers:

dilettante

maverick

connoisseur

 

ascetic

iconoclast

Correct answer:

dilettante

Explanation:

We're looking for a noun that describes someone who dabbles in many artistic hobbies. While "connoisseur" may sound like a likely option, the word actually means an expert judge in matters of taste, so it's not quite what we're looking for. "Dilettante," on the other hand, refers to a person who cultivates an area of interest, such as the arts, without real commitment or knowledge, and is the correct answer.

Example Question #344 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts

His status as a well respected investor was merely an __________ to trick people into investing in his scheme.

Possible Answers:

ingrate

artifice

itinerant

exemplar

onus

Correct answer:

artifice

Explanation:

The sentence notes outright that his "status as a well respected investor" is a trick. The correct answer will reinforce this description. "Artifice," meaning a deceptive or false front, is the best choice.

Example Question #345 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts

The playwright was shocked that audiences took __________ at a play he believed was quite tame.

Possible Answers:

solvence

umbrage

relaxation

atonement

expiation

Correct answer:

umbrage

Explanation:

Although the playwright believes his work is "quite tame," the structure of the sentence indicates his audience saw it differently. This means the correct answer will indicate the audience saw some level of offense or sense of injury, the definition of "umbrage."

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