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 #732 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The accused man hoped his TV interview would _________________ his side of the story.
confound
illuminate
congeal
obscure
obviate
illuminate
The "accused man" is agreeing to an interview, and presumably wants to give information. The correct answer will indicate telling a story or explaining. "Illuminate,"meaning to make clear—literally to put light on something—is the correct answer.
Example Question #732 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The most famous legend concerns the first man to __________________ the length of the island on foot.
ordain
traverse
elucidate
riddle
totter
traverse
The references to going "the length of the island on foot" indicate the correct answer has to do with travel. "Traverse," meaning to move across, is the only such word among the answer choices.
Example Question #733 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
Although he ________________ violence in his life, his favorite movies were bloody action adventures.
ordained
recapitulated
condoned
deplored
embraced
deplored
The sentence contrasts the subject's love of violent movies with the missing word. This means the corrct answer will indicate disapproval of violence. "Deplored," meaning to loathe or be revolted, is the best answer choice.
Example Question #734 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The teenager hoped the fact he was just tagging along with friends would _______________ him from the underage drinking charge.
recant
elucidate
beleaguer
exculpate
condone
exculpate
Both the teenager's excuse, "tagging along," and the "charge" indicate he is trying to get out from under something. The correct answer should mean to free someone from blame, the definition of "exculpate."
Example Question #54 : Verbs In One Blank Texts
After receiving a credit card, he used it to _____________ a large amount of debt quite quickly.
congeal
buttress
amass
goad
alleviate
amass
A credit card is the avenue for building debt, and getting a "large amount . . . quite quickly" means he built it up. "Amass," meaning to gather or accumulate, is the correct answer.
Example Question #735 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The boss' attempts at humor centered on ____________________ his employees, and frequently backfired.
gibbering
perpetuating
exculpating
deprecating
espousing
deprecating
The fact the humor "backfired" on the boss indicates the tone was probably unkind to the employees. The correct answer will mean to criticize or insult, the definition of "deprecating."
Example Question #55 : Verbs In One Blank Texts
The businessman told his wife he wouldn't be able to make their dinner because he was with work his boss had given him and had to take overtime.
advanced
blamed
estranged
supported
inundated
inundated
He is swamped or overwhelmed with work, which is why he has to take overtime. The only answer that makes sense is that he is inundated with work, overwhelmed/flooded.
Example Question #733 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
Health problems can result when people try to __________ their stress by overeating.
placate
assuage
usurp
enhance
vacillate
assuage
We need a word that means lessen or reduce, which "assuage" does. "Placate" is similar but means to appease or pacify, (usually a person).
Example Question #421 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts
This battle, called a __________ since there were few casualties, resulted in __________ between the two sides, resumed the next day—since nothing had been decided.
skirmish . . . inequality
brandish . . . parity
brandish . . . inequality
bludgeoning . . . cacophony
skirmish . . . parity
skirmish . . . parity
The first blank must mean that it was a small battle, since there were few casualties, which is fit by "skirmish." For the second blank, the battle seems to have been indecisive, so it would have resulted in "parity" or "equality."
Example Question #422 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts
He was found guilty, but DNA evidence later surfaced which __________ him.
incriminated
denounced
exonerated
postulated
exasperated
exonerated
He had been found guilty, but the evidence cleared his guilt, or "exonerated" him.
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