GRE Verbal : Parts of Speech in Two-Blank Texts

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #151 : Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Texts

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

When the king refused to _____________ his sovereignty, the people took it upon themselves to _____________ him for the many crimes he had committed against them.

Possible Answers:

relegate . . . decapitating

fulminate . . . recuse

expunge . . . beheading

abdicate . . . depose

delegate . . . criminalize

Correct answer:

abdicate . . . depose

Explanation:

For this question, it is probably best to begin with the first blank, using a process of elimination. To "fulminate" is to protest against something. It doesn't make sense to say that the king should do this. To "relegate" something or someone is to put it (or him/her) at a lower level of dignity. This is really not what is being demanded of the king. It doesn't make sense that he would lower his sovereignty. Likewise, "delegation" of the sovereignty would be giving it to someone else. The sentence does not indicate this either. Instead, it seems that the people want the king to step down. Indeed, this is what is meant by "abdicate." Hence, it is the best option for the first blank. When the king did not step down, it would make sense that the people would try to take him out of office forcefully. Hence, the word "depose" works well.

Example Question #152 : Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Texts

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The swinging cane ______________ the small dandelions, knocking off their flowers and leaving their stems to ___________ without the bright petals that once crowned them.

Possible Answers:

toppled . . . sway

decimated . . . perish

singed . . . smolder

decapitated . . . endure

demolished . . . thrive

Correct answer:

decapitated . . . endure

Explanation:

By following the language of the sentence, you can see that this sentence is employing a metaphor. The swinging cane is knocking off the "heads" of the flowers. The flower portion is said to have "crowned" the flowers. Thus, the word "decapitated" is the best option, as it means to take off the head. The "-capitated" portion is from the Latin for head. It is actually the source of our word "chapter", which indicates an abbreviated "heading" of a given set of text. The stems were just left to "live on." Hence "endure" is a good option for the second blank.

Example Question #153 : Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Texts

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The Pope decided to ______________ the martyrs who refused at gunpoint to _______________ their faith.

Possible Answers:

regale . . . repudiate

canonize . . . abjure

bless . . . eschew

glorify . . . abate

exculpate . . . renounce

Correct answer:

canonize . . . abjure

Explanation:

The answer choice with “eschew” might look reasonable. Given the context, however, it doesn’t quite fit that the martyrs were told shun their faith, the way you might avoid something morally wrong. “Exculpate” means to pardon, which could make sense if the martyrs had done something against church doctrine in the past. “Canonize” in this case means to declare a dead person to be a saint, and “abjure” means to swear off. These two form the correct answer.

Example Question #153 : Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Texts

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The mother ______________ her daughter to eat all of her food, thus hoping to __________________ good eating habits in the young child.

Possible Answers:

scolded . . . hail

enjoined . . . inculcate

debated . . . fulfill

conferred . . . fructify

forbore . . . fend

Correct answer:

enjoined . . . inculcate

Explanation:

From the general contextual clues in the sentence, it seems that the mother is trying to encourage her daughter to gain good eating habits. Thus, she is trying to instill good habits into her or to "inculcate" them. The roots of this word literally mean to press into [as though with your heel]. It is related to "recalcitrant," meaning unwilling—as though someone were to "kick out his or her heels" to prevent himself or herself from moving. Of course, the word "inculcate" can be used for much more than mere physical "smashing"! The first blank is a synonym for "encouraged", and for this word, the best option is "enjoined", which actually communicates the idea of urging someone to do something—as is likely the case with a parent to a child like this.

Example Question #1663 : Gre Verbal Reasoning

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The destruction of the mountain _______________ the need for a road to ________________ its slopes.

Possible Answers:

obviated . . . traverse

scaled . . . convey

seized . . . burrow

edified . . . eradicate

overcame . . . finalize

Correct answer:

obviated . . . traverse

Explanation:

This sentence is relatively straight-forward in its meaning.  The mountain's destruction apparently removed the need for a road to pass over its slopes. The word "obviate" means to remove something that is causing a difficulty. Interestingly, it comes from roots meaning to prevent, and sometimes, it is used in this sense, as when we say, "The shield obviated the danger of the incoming arrows." Something that is "ob-via" is "in the way." (You can see the word "via" in here, coming from the Latin for "road.") To "prevent" something is to remove its possibility or to hinder its possibility. You can think of obviating as removing the possibility of something difficult or negative. Hence, we can see how the "prevent" roots are at least related to the meaning to remove a difficulty.

The word "traverse" means to pass over. This is an excellent match for the second blank.

Example Question #154 : Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Texts

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The manager was known to _______________ his employees by allowing them to ___________________ alcoholic beverages on the premises during their ten-minute breaks.

Possible Answers:

apprise . . . consume

adulterate . . . guzzle

pamper . . . lambaste

accommodate . . . imbibe

oblige . . . eschew

Correct answer:

accommodate . . . imbibe

Explanation:

“Eschew” means to avoid, so this word does not work given the context. “Apprise” means to inform. “Adulterate” means to debase. “Accommodate” has several definitions, one of which is to do a kindness or a favor for someone else. “Imbibe” is just another word for to drink. “Accommodate . . . imbibe” is our correct answer.

Example Question #155 : Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Texts

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The music artist _____________ the reporters and _______________ them for intruding on his privacy.

Possible Answers:

confronted . . . relegated

regaled . . . vituperated

accosted . . . berated

affronted . . . abolished

embraced . . . castigated

Correct answer:

accosted . . . berated

Explanation:

“Embraced” and “regaled” is not consistent with “intruding on his privacy.” To “relegate” means to assign to a lower position. To “accost” is to approach and speak aggressively to a person. To “berate” is to cut someone down with words. “Accosted . . . berated” is the correct answer.

Example Question #156 : Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Texts

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The boys were _____________ by the deluge of rain above, so they ____________ towards their car as fast as they could to stay dry.

Possible Answers:

scrawled . . . corralled

touched . . . mated

surprised . . . laughed

untouched . . . spoke

inundated . . . sprinted

Correct answer:

inundated . . . sprinted

Explanation:

"Inundated" works as the answer because it refers to getting soaked by the rain; "sprinted" works as the noun because it suggests the action to take in response to the rain. The other answer choices don't refer to the rain, nor to an appropriate response to take in reaction to rain.

Example Question #157 : Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Texts

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

She ______________ her graded test to show her mother that she was improving; however, after a thorough inspection, her mother ____________ that the alleged B was actually an F.

Possible Answers:

adduced . . . deduced

suppressed . . . inferred

displayed . . . renounced

obscured . . . surmised

exhibited . . . repudiated

Correct answer:

adduced . . . deduced

Explanation:

If her mother “renounced” or “repudiated” that the B was an F, it means her she believes that the grade her daughter received is a B. It doesn’t make sense given the context of the sentence. It also would be illogical if the daughter hid her test to show improvement. “Adduced . . . deduced” is the correct answer.

Example Question #158 : Parts Of Speech In Two Blank Texts

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

To keep others from ___________ on basic human rights, the law _______________ our society to respect one another.

Possible Answers:

encroaching . . . debilitates

contravening . . . incapacitates

censuring . . . implores

infringing . . . adjures

dissembling . . . entreats

Correct answer:

infringing . . . adjures

Explanation:

“Infringe” means to violate. “Adjure” is not to be confused with “abjure.” “Abjure” means to renounce or give up. “Adjure” means to command solemnly. “Infringing . . . abjures” is the correct response.

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