All GRE Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1581 : Text Completion
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Many archaeologists mistakenly believed the artifact to be ______________; however, it is in fact a foreign item, _______________ from a neighboring country.
aboriginal . . . appropriated
genuine . . . pilfered
primeval . . . prattled
bona fide . . . plundered
indigenous . . . mitigated
aboriginal . . . appropriated
“Genuine” and “bona fide” do not work when we consider the second part of the sentence about “foreign” and “from a neighboring country. Though “mitigated” is similar to “migrated,” note that these two have very different definitions. “Mitigate” means to make less severe. “Aboriginal . . . appropriated” is the correct answer.
Example Question #1582 : Text Completion
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Everyone looked to the judge for a verdict. He had _______________ authority to ______________ the man from personal liability.
unrestricted . . . prevaricate
captious . . . exonerate
complacent . . . vindicate
discretionary . . . absolve
sufficient . . . placate
discretionary . . . absolve
If someone is “captious,” they tend to find fault with everything. “Complacent” means overly content. These could possibly describe the judge, but these do not inherently apply. “Discretionary” means to have the power to act according to one’s own judgment. “Discretionary . . . absolve” is the correct answer.
Example Question #1583 : Text Completion
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
When the ______________ thief attempted to ________________ with the jewels, he bumped his head on a security camera and was knocked unconscious.
convivial . . . depart
disconcerted . . . eschew
addled . . . abjure
discombobulated . . . absquatulate
bawdy . . . abscond
discombobulated . . . absquatulate
“Bawdy” has a negative connotation, but it doesn’t fit here. The definition of “bawdy” is inappropriate or obscene. “Discombobulated” and “absquatulate” are pseudo-Latin words that may sound complex, but their definitions are simple. “Discombobulated” means confused. “Absquatulate” means to run off with something. Together, these form the correct answer.
Example Question #1584 : Text Completion
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The ______________ movement began in the deep south, where poor dental hygiene became so common that it sparked a revolution to _____________ from all added sugars.
impecunious . . . shun
extant . . . refrain
demotic . . . renege
general . . . exculpate
grassroots . . . abstain
grassroots . . . abstain
“Extant” means that something old is still around. It is not a bad fit, but there is nothing else mentioned in the sentence to say the movement has been around a long time. “Grassroots” means involving the common people. “Abstain” is to refrain from consuming. Together, these form the most accurate answer.
Example Question #1585 : Text Completion
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The test questions were so _____________ that several students began to cry. No one could even ______________ Figure 1.1 to say nothing of finding a possible solution.
abstruse . . . decipher
limpid . . . fathom
esoteric . . . encipher
recondite . . . preen
mettlesome . . . deduce
abstruse . . . decipher
“Encipher” means to convert into code. “Limpid” is the opposite of the word we want. “Abstruse” means intellectually challenging. “Decipher” means to discover the meaning of, or crack the code. These last two words form the correct response.
Example Question #1586 : Text Completion
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The ______________ attitude of the old man frustrated his children, for his refusal to ______________ his lifestyle would surely lead to his death.
conservative . . . dominate
senile . . . regulate
cross . . . lament
reactionary . . . rue
obdurate . . . amend
obdurate . . . amend
The old man seems to be unwilling to change his lifestyle. Even more appropriately, he seems to be unwilling to improve his lifestyle. Hence, the best option is "amend", meaning to improve or change for the better. As regards his attitude, we could say that it is hard and durable as a rock—unchanging indeed! Hence, the word "obdurate," which comes from Latin roots for "hard," is the best option.
Example Question #1587 : Text Completion
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Peter’s rage had been ______________ for some time, but it all the sudden ____________, ending its long period of dormancy.
filtered . . . vexed
quiescent . . . erupted
renounced . . . inculcated
gelid . . . liquidated
forgotten . . . irritated
quiescent . . . erupted
The first blank of this sentence is clearly a synonym that is related to the word "dormancy." This word comes from the Latin "dormire," meaning to sleep. We see the same base in English words like "dormitory" and "dormant." The word "quiescent" is a synonym for "dormant." It comes from the same root as "quiet" but also can mean to be still or unmoving. At last, however, Peter's rage "came forth." The word "erupted" works very well for this, for from its very roots it means to break out. This sentence makes Peter's rage out to be almost like a dormant volcano, just waiting to erupt!
Example Question #1588 : Text Completion
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
It took him awhile to _______________ to his ________________ surroundings, seeing as how his old neighborhood was crawling with high school dropouts.
adapt . . . destitute
conform . . . proletarian
acclimate . . . erudite
placate . . . sapient
impugn . . . highbrow
acclimate . . . erudite
“Impugn” means to challenge something you believe is wrong. “Proletarian” and “destitute” have the opposite definitions of what we need. The correct answer is “acclimate . . . erudite.”
Example Question #1589 : Text Completion
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Since the professor had a habit of ______________ when it came to exam preparation, many of the students had a hard time believing him when he claimed they alone were _______________ for their poor grades in the class.
babbling . . . inculpable
prevaricating . . . irreproachable
equivocating . . . accountable
explicating . . . culpable
exculpating . . . liable
equivocating . . . accountable
If the professor were clear about the exams, then the students would be inclined to place more blame on themselves. For this reason, “explicating” can be eliminated. “Inculpable” means blameless, so this word doesn’t work given the context. To “equivocate” means to be ambiguous or unclear; this coupled with “accountable” is the correct answer.
Example Question #1590 : Text Completion
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The famous and _____________ statue led people to consistently ____________ the harsh terrain to catch a quick glimpse
revered . . . navigate
underground . . . inhibit
anonymous . . . walk
no-name . . . undermine
unknown . . . play
revered . . . navigate
"Revered" is the option that makes sense, as it matches the adjective directly preceding it. The choice "navigate" is the only verb that makes sense in the context of the harsh terrain.