GRE Verbal : Text Completion

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #741 : One Blank Texts

The interview provided a surprisingly _____________ moment that revealed many unknown details.

Possible Answers:

demure

onerous

trite

callow

candid

Correct answer:

candid

Explanation:

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 #781 : Text Completion

The teacher had taught so long, many students considered him an essentially _______________ part of the school.

Possible Answers:

volatile

trivial

immutable

inconsequential

transient

Correct answer:

immutable

Explanation:

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 #782 : Text Completion

The design style of the mansion was pure _______________, featuring expensive chandeliers and gold fixtures.

Possible Answers:

rustic

archaic

opulence

mendacity

banality

Correct answer:

opulence

Explanation:

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 #783 : Text Completion

Many romance novels are banned from libraries for their ________________ nature and shocking scenes.

Possible Answers:

laudatory

salacious

sagacious

exegetical

irreproachable

Correct answer:

salacious

Explanation:

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 #784 : Text Completion

The newscaster was exciting as a young man, but increasingly spoke in _____________ soundbites as he grew older.

Possible Answers:

trite

beguiling

effusive

subversive

ebullient

Correct answer:

trite

Explanation:

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 #785 : Text Completion

The teacher tried to draw out the student, whose                      personality made him reluctant to speak up in class.

Possible Answers:

hysterical

jaunty

reticent

voluble

succinct

Correct answer:

reticent

Explanation:

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 #786 : Text Completion

The two nations' _____________ rhetoric was seen as a chief reason for their fighting.

Possible Answers:

ambiguous

jaunty

benign

phlegmatic

bellicose

Correct answer:

bellicose

Explanation:

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 #787 : Text Completion

The young man wanted to be the _______________ actor, and tailored his habits after his acting role models.

Possible Answers:

egregious

altruistic

consummate

subversive

contemporary

Correct answer:

consummate

Explanation:

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 #788 : Text Completion

The solution to the problem was _______________, no matter what the scientists tried.

Possible Answers:

irreproachable

elusive

deleterious

exceptionable

potent

Correct answer:

elusive

Explanation:

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.

Possible Answers:

gregarious

negligent

supercilious

jaundiced

irascible

Correct answer:

gregarious

Explanation:

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."

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