All GRE Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #405 : Text Completion
The teenager thought he had finally become a true punk, but everyone at the show thought he was a _____________.
decoy
phenom
paragon
poseur
paradigm
poseur
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 #406 : Text Completion
His stories tended toward _____________, adding new and different details with each telling.
simplicity
acuity
veracity
brevity
hyperbole
hyperbole
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 #407 : Text Completion
As her friends began leaving the religion of their childhood, she remained a ____________ of traditional values.
bane
salve
sieve
bastion
caricature
bastion
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 #408 : Text Completion
The small environmental protest quickly spread to a large ______________ involving many different activists.
conflagration
edifice
condemnation
bulwark
effigy
conflagration
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 #409 : Text Completion
With the former President out of the country, the protesters built an _____________ of him to put on trial.
decoy
genre
effigy
paragon
exemplar
effigy
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 #410 : Text Completion
The fall did not injure the hiker too seriously, but did leave a ___________ on her knee.
degradation
hemorrhage
fracture
contusion
obsession
contusion
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 #341 : Nouns 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 __________.
charms
vices
peccadilloes
proclivities
idiosyncrasies
peccadilloes
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 #342 : Nouns 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.
maverick
dilettante
iconoclast
ascetic
connoisseur
dilettante
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 #343 : Nouns In One Blank Texts
His status as a well respected investor was merely an __________ to trick people into investing in his scheme.
itinerant
onus
exemplar
ingrate
artifice
artifice
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 #344 : Nouns In One Blank Texts
The playwright was shocked that audiences took __________ at a play he believed was quite tame.
solvence
umbrage
atonement
expiation
relaxation
umbrage
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."
All GRE Verbal Resources
