GRE Verbal : One-Blank Texts
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Verbal
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Example Questions
Example Question #1117 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Do not take for granted the time you have, asserts the playwright; life is more __________ than you think.
ephemeral
epistolary
resplendent
nugatory
poignant
ephemeral
The playwright suggests that you should appreciate the time you have because life is fleeting. "Ephemeral" best completes the sentence because it means short-lived.
Example Question #1118 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
A workshop full of stately, handcrafted furniture was a testament to how __________ Wilson was at woodworking.
erudite
brawny
timorous
inept
adroit
adroit
The sentence is describing how Wilson has made many pieces of “stately, handcrafted furniture.” You can infer that he is therefore "skilled" at woodworking, which is exactly what "adroit" means and why that is the best answer choice.
Example Question #1119 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Her famous wit was as __________ as the chemicals she worked with, which could burn clean through the skin.
infallible
pellucid
arcane
purified
caustic
caustic
We need words that make sense for both a sarcastic wit and corrosive chemicals, like "biting" and "caustic."
Example Question #1120 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The man had charm and a sense of fun, but the lack of real content in his words eventually caused him to be dismissed as __________.
vacuous
provocative
enthralling
infatuating
prosaic
vacuous
"Vacuous" means foolishly silly and empty, which seems to fit the description of this man. "Prosaic" means boring, and the description contradicts this.
Example Question #1141 : 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.
fecund
meager
parsimonious
felicitous
impotent
fecund
"Fecund" means fertile and productive. "Felicitous," or apt, does not have quite the same connotation.
Example Question #1122 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Texts
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.
arduous
ardent
temperate
congruent
enervated
ardent
"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.
veritable
spurious
fallacious
transcendental
mendacious
veritable
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 #1142 : 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.
perusing
belaboring
effacing
recapitulating
consecrating
perusing
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 #1143 : 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 __________.
mundane
affable
irksome
personable
perturbed
irksome
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 #1144 : 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.
flowing
bucolic
limpid
prolific
generous
bucolic
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.
All GRE Verbal Resources
