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 #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.

Possible Answers:

aboriginal . . . appropriated

genuine . . . pilfered

primeval . . . prattled

bona fide . . . plundered

indigenous . . . mitigated

Correct answer:

aboriginal . . . appropriated

Explanation:

“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.

Possible Answers:

unrestricted . . . prevaricate

captious . . . exonerate

complacent . . . vindicate

discretionary . . . absolve

sufficient . . . placate

Correct answer:

discretionary . . . absolve

Explanation:

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.

Possible Answers:

convivial . . . depart

disconcerted . . . eschew

addled . . . abjure

discombobulated . . . absquatulate

bawdy . . . abscond

Correct answer:

discombobulated . . . absquatulate

Explanation:

“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.

Possible Answers:

impecunious . . . shun

extant . . . refrain

demotic . . . renege

general . . . exculpate

grassroots . . . abstain

Correct answer:

grassroots . . . abstain

Explanation:

“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.

Possible Answers:

abstruse . . . decipher

limpid . . . fathom 

esoteric . . . encipher

recondite . . . preen

mettlesome . . . deduce

Correct answer:

abstruse . . . decipher

Explanation:

“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.

Possible Answers:

conservative . . . dominate

senile . . . regulate

cross . . . lament

reactionary . . . rue

obdurate . . . amend

Correct answer:

obdurate . . . amend

Explanation:

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.

 

Possible Answers:

filtered . . . vexed

quiescent . . . erupted

renounced . . . inculcated

gelid . . . liquidated

forgotten . . . irritated

Correct answer:

quiescent . . . erupted

Explanation:

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.

Possible Answers:

adapt . . . destitute

conform . . . proletarian

acclimate . . . erudite

placate . . . sapient

impugn . . . highbrow

Correct answer:

acclimate . . . erudite

Explanation:

“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.

Possible Answers:

babbling . . . inculpable

prevaricating . . . irreproachable

equivocating . . . accountable

explicating . . . culpable 

exculpating . . . liable 

Correct answer:

equivocating . . . accountable

Explanation:

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

Possible Answers:

revered . . . navigate

underground . . . inhibit

anonymous . . . walk

no-name . . . undermine

unknown . . . play

Correct answer:

revered . . . navigate

Explanation:

"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. 

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