GRE Verbal : One-Blank Texts
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Verbal
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Example Questions
Example Question #211 : One Blank Texts
The poor quality of the gloves' leather usually meant they needed an __________ just to be wearable.
solvent
liniment
emollient
pacifier
calcifier
emollient
The gloves' "poor quality" means that they cannot be worn without the help of the missing word. The correct answer must mean something that assists or makes better. "Emollient," meaning something that softens, is the best choice among the answers.
Example Question #212 : One Blank Texts
The professor talked so fast the students were peppered with a __________ of questions during the oral exam.
pallet
fusillade
deluge
flush
mince
fusillade
While the sentence indicates a good number of questions, the word "peppered" provides a great clue to the answer. This indicates that there were not just many questions, but that they came quickly and suddenly. "Fusillade," meaning a long burst of gunfire, and here used metaphorically, is the best choice.
Example Question #213 : One Blank Texts
The politician never gave an original quote, but usually relied on familiar __________.
metaphors
innovations
platitudes
eulogies
euphemisms
platitudes
The sentence notes the politician avoids "an original quote," and the correct answer will indicate unoriginality. The use of "familiar" also indicates that the missing word is something regularly said. "Platitudes," meaning an obvious or hackneyed saying, is the correct answer.
Example Question #214 : One Blank Texts
Her fear of birds meant she had a great deal of __________ upon entering the avian house at the zoo.
tranquility
composition
enthusiasm
exhilaration
apprehension
apprehension
The subject has a "fear of birds" which would not be helped by visiting "an avian house," which holds birds. The correct answer will indicate her fear acting up in her visit. "Apprehension," meaning a slight fear or sense of impending trouble, is the best choice.
Example Question #215 : One Blank Texts
The student suffered the __________ of his peers thanks to his odd manners and sense of superiority.
derision
approbation
admiration
celebration
approval
derision
The subject has "odd manners and a sense of superiority," which are not things that gather support among peers. The correct answer should mean mockery or scorn, the definition of "derision."
Example Question #216 : One Blank Texts
The poet pondered endlessly over a clever enough __________ to place in the front page of his book.
scabbard
subtitle
epigram
eulogy
byline
epigram
The use of "clever" to describe the missing word is a fantastic clue to the correct answer. As it is a poet trying to write something for a book, the missing word has to do with writing and must be clever. "Epigram," meaning a short and pithy statement, is the best choice.
Example Question #217 : One Blank Texts
Jerome's head cold turned out to be the __________ of the party when he accidentally sneezed on the buffet table and got four other guests sick by the end of the night.
accolade
enigma
paradigm
bane
paragon
bane
We're looking for a noun that conveys how Jerome's headcold spoiled the party. Because "bane" means "a person or thing that spoils; a cause of great distress or annoyance," "bane" is the correct answer.
Example Question #218 : One Blank Texts
The candidate's __________ made a hectic campaign schedule difficult to achieve.
ebullience
lassitude
moxie
gratitude
gregariousness
lassitude
The candidate has trouble with "a hectic campaign schedule," implying an inability to keep up the pace. This means the missing word has to indicate the candidate's problems with the schedule. "Lassitude," meaning weariness and lacking in energy, is the correct answer.
Example Question #219 : One Blank Texts
The large amount of visiting fans arrived at the game in a virtual __________ of cars and buses.
skiff
jalopy
mast
armada
galleon
armada
"The large amount of visiting fans" would need to be carried in a good number "of cars and buses." The correct answer must reflect the large size of the buses and cars. "Armada," meaning a large fleet of ships, is the best choice among the answers.
Example Question #220 : One Blank Texts
The young boy was a __________ who was always the last member of his class to do anything.
dawdler
stevedore
drone
fusillade
sprinter
dawdler
The key phrase in the sentence is that the boy was "the last member of the class to do anything." This means he was slow or even lazy, and the correct answer must reflect this. "Dawdler," meaning someone who lags behind, is the best choice among the answers.
All GRE Verbal Resources
