GRE Verbal : One-Blank Texts
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Verbal
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Example Questions
Example Question #511 : One Blank Texts
In an attempt to appear more professional, the young woman __________ a business suit for her interview.
donned
intimated
recanted
rebutted
doffed
donned
The young woman is "attempting to appear more professional" with her "business suit." The use of a piece of clothing is the best clue to the answer. "Donned," meaning put on, usually in regards to an article of clothing, is the correct answer.
Example Question #512 : One Blank Texts
A planetary transit occurs when one planet passes in front of another planet or the sun and temporarily __________ a portion of the farther planet’s disc.
Occludes
Foments
Ratifies
Refutes
Reifies
Occludes
"Occludes" means blocks from sight. It is the only word that fits.
Example Question #513 : One Blank Texts
After receiving many calls asking for support with simple issues that could be __________ with very little effort, the computer repairman grew highly frustrated.
caclified
verified
enumerated
complicated
rectified
rectified
The computer support man here is being bombarded with calls about simple problems that could be fixed easily, and thus he is frustrated. "Rectified" means solved or fixed, and so it is the best choice for this sentence.
Example Question #514 : One Blank Texts
In order to __________ her husband into buying her a new cocktail dress and heels, she used blandishments to help her cause.
inveigle
entreat
forfend
hector
undermine
inveigle
In this sentence, the best word choice is that she wanted to coax, or "inveigle," her husband into buying her shoes and a dress. She is not necessarily bullying him or asking him earnestly. Instead, she is coaxing him by using flattery.
Example Question #515 : One Blank Texts
Due to their tight budget, the city council concluded that they could only __________ the construction of a new parking lot if local businesses promised to provide more funding for the project.
palliate
flout
approbate
renege
apprise
approbate
We're looking for a word similar to "approve," so the only answer choice that makes sense is "approbate," which means to sanction or to approve formally.
Example Question #516 : One Blank Texts
"Don't __________," the reporter demanded of the political candidate. "I don't want to hear any more ambiguous answers—I want facts."
palliate
equivocate
exacerbate
denigrate
excoriate
equivocate
We can tell from the context of the sentence that the word for the blank needs to mean something similar to answer ambiguously. Because of that, the answer is "equivocate," which means use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself.
Example Question #517 : One Blank Texts
The knight's squire __________ his silver shield with a soft cloth until not a speck of dirt remained on it, and he could see his face reflected in its surface.
propitiated
cadged
rarefied
admonished
burnished
burnished
We know that whatever the squire did to the shield resulted in it being very clean and shiny enough for him to see his reflection in it. Given this, the correct answer is "burnished," or polished (something, usually metallic) by rubbing.
Example Question #518 : One Blank Texts
While a hard worker, his tendency to __________ after and kiss up to his boss made him disliked in the office.
badger
doff
fawn
offend
usurp
fawn
The sentence pairs the missing word with the subject's tendency to "kiss up" to his boss. This means the correct answer will mean something quite similar to "kiss up." "Fawn," meaning to behave sycophantically or grovel, is the best answer choice.
Example Question #519 : One Blank Texts
The emergency measures sought to __________ the drought conditions by taking water to the region.
alleviate
exculpate
populate
complicate
exacerbate
alleviate
The action being done by the water is taken towards drought conditions. As a drought is a lack of water, this means the correct answer will mean helping or making less severe, the definition of "alleviate."
Example Question #520 : One Blank Texts
The only way the toothless dog could eat meat was having it __________ into gummable bits.
parsed
cordoned
lanced
minced
palpitated
minced
The "gummable bits" mentioned at the end of the last sentence provides the best clue to the answer. The action taken by the missing word must produce the small bites a "toothless dog" can eat. "Minced," meaning chopped into very small pieces, is the correct answer.
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