GRE Verbal : One-Blank Texts
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Verbal
All GRE Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #741 : One Blank Texts
The interview provided a surprisingly _____________ moment that revealed many unknown details.
demure
onerous
trite
callow
candid
candid
The "unknown details" provide the best clue to the answer. The correct answer will there indicate that a revealing moment occurred. "Candid," meaning frank or honest, is the best choice.
Example Question #742 : One Blank Texts
The teacher had taught so long, many students considered him an essentially _______________ part of the school.
transient
immutable
volatile
inconsequential
trivial
immutable
The teacher has "taught so long," which indicates he was an important part of the school, and the correct answer will show that permanence. "Immutable," meaning unchanging or unmoveable, is the best choice.
Example Question #743 : One Blank Texts
The design style of the mansion was pure _______________, featuring expensive chandeliers and gold fixtures.
banality
archaic
rustic
opulence
mendacity
opulence
The "expensive chandeliers and gold fixtures" are the best clue to the answer. The correct answer needs to indicate extreme wealth. "Opulence," meaning extremely expensive and gaudy, is the best choice among the answers.
Example Question #744 : One Blank Texts
Many romance novels are banned from libraries for their ________________ nature and shocking scenes.
irreproachable
sagacious
laudatory
salacious
exegetical
salacious
Both "romance" and "shocking" are used as descriptors of the banned books, as well as the missing word. The correct answer needs to fit with both of the other words mentioned. "Salacious," meaning lecherous or sensational, is the best answer choice.
Example Question #745 : One Blank Texts
The newscaster was exciting as a young man, but increasingly spoke in _____________ soundbites as he grew older.
subversive
beguiling
ebullient
trite
effusive
trite
The newscaster's current style, described by the missing word, is contrasted with his "exciting" style as a young man. The correct answer will then be an antonym of "exciting." "Trite," meaning boring and overused, is the best fit among the choices.
Example Question #746 : One Blank Texts
The teacher tried to draw out the student, whose personality made him reluctant to speak up in class.
jaunty
reticent
voluble
hysterical
succinct
reticent
The student is shy/reserved, which means he is not voluble, hysterical, or jaunty. He may be succinct, but the impression is that he is shy, not just that he uses few words. He is reticent.
Example Question #747 : One Blank Texts
The two nations' _____________ rhetoric was seen as a chief reason for their fighting.
phlegmatic
jaunty
ambiguous
benign
bellicose
bellicose
The sentence outright states the two nations were fighting because of their rhetoric. The correct answer needs to indicate the hatred and posturing by the nations that would cause conflict. "Bellicose," meaning aggressive and war like, is the correct answer.
Example Question #748 : One Blank Texts
The young man wanted to be the _______________ actor, and tailored his habits after his acting role models.
egregious
subversive
altruistic
consummate
contemporary
consummate
Copying his "role models" means the young man is trying to live up to them. The correct answer will demonstrate the boys' desire to perfection as an actor. "Consummate," meaning total or supremely good, is the best choice.
Example Question #749 : One Blank Texts
The solution to the problem was _______________, no matter what the scientists tried.
potent
irreproachable
elusive
exceptionable
deleterious
elusive
The phrase "no matter what the scientists tried," indicates the solution was never found. The correct answer needs to demonstrate their uncertainty or fruitlessness. "Elusive," meaning difficult to grasp or pin down, is the best fit among the answers.
Example Question #749 : One Blank Texts
The introverted son faded into the background among his many ______________ relatives.
gregarious
negligent
supercilious
jaundiced
irascible
gregarious
The sentence contrasts the missing word with the son's "introverted" personality. The correct answer will then mean extroverted or sociable, the definition of "gregarious."
All GRE Verbal Resources
