All GRE Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1781 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
Normally __________, the author __________ herself with the audience during and after the book reading.
caustic ... vilified
pedantic . . . palliated
choleric . . . remonstrated
bucolic ... flaunted
brusque . . . ingratiated
brusque . . . ingratiated
The word "normally" and the comma are clues that there is a change, and the blanks will likely be opposites. So the correct answer is "brusque"—abrupt or curt in manner or speech—and "ingratiated"—to please someone or seek favor.
Example Question #1 : Verbs And Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Texts
Everyone knew the doctoral student was from her successful publications, but in her thesis defense she couldn't the claims she was making.
perspicacious, substantiate
personable, indulge
personable, substantiate
perspicacious, indulge
languid, refute
perspicacious, substantiate
The doctoral student has published successfully, so she must be intelligent or insightful enough to do this, the definition of "perspicacious." "Substantiate," meaning to provide evidence, is the only answer that makes sense in the second sentence.
Example Question #2 : Verbs And Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Texts
The __________ smell of the strange cheese was __________ with the perfume of various oils and herbs.
erratic . . . poised
languid . . . emaciated
mellow . . . decimated
terse . . . pragmatic
acrid . . . obscured
acrid . . . obscured
The smell of the cheese is different from the "perfume of various oils and herbs." This means it is pungent or sharp, the definition of "acrid." It is being hidden or covered, the definition of "obscured," by the herbs and oils.
Example Question #3 : Verbs And Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Texts
The little girl's __________ story moved many to give when the organization used it to __________ funds.
terse . . . adulate
abrasive . . . rebuke
anarchic . . . ameliorate
poignant . . . solicit
exhaustive . . . exculpate
poignant . . . solicit
The girl's story "moved many to give," and this points to both answers, as the story is strong enought to get funds for the organization. "Poignant," meaning deeply moving, and "solicit," meaning to ask or seek out, combine for the correct answer.
Example Question #1785 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The group leader attempted to __________ the reports of each member in order to create an integrated, __________ solution which would please the whole group.
sunder . . . amenable
sunder . . . intransigent
amalgamate . . . amenable
amalgamate . . . intractable
divide . . . intractable
amalgamate . . . amenable
Amalgamate—to mix or merge as to make a combination.
Amenable—agreeable.
The group leader wanted to combine the individual contributions so that all of the group members were happy with the outcome.
Example Question #4 : Verbs And Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Texts
The __________ divisions, although resisted by some, continued to __________ the political party.
looming . . . pervade
quotidian ... pervade
exigent . . . polarize
verdant . . . coalesce
ephemeral . . . inculcate
exigent . . . polarize
Our hint for the second blank is "divisions", so we're looking for words that match that. "Polarize" is our best choice, which means "to divide into two groups." But we still have to check the other word—"exigent" means "pressing," so it works as well.
Example Question #5 : Verbs And Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Texts
The master thief's partners in crime thought him a very __________ individual because he would only __________ his plan to them, keeping the details to himself.
ecclectic . . . ameliorate
pithy . . . mitigate
taciturn . . . precipitate
enigmatic . . . adumbrate
obsequious . . . articulate
enigmatic . . . adumbrate
For the first blank, we need an adjective that means something like secretive. Either "enigmatic" (difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious) or "taciturn" (reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little) could work.
For the second blank, we need a verb that means to reveal only a small part of, since the master thief kept most of the details of his plan to himself. In choosing between "precipitate" (cause something (usually something bad) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely) and "adumbrate" (to suggest, disclose, or outline partially), "adumbrate" is the better choice, so the answer is "enigmatic . . . adumbrate."
Example Question #6 : Verbs And Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Texts
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
When the pipe burst in the apartment building and began to flood the hallway, the plumber did a __________ job of quickly __________ it, saving the residents' rooms from being damaged.
officious . . . breaching
commendable . . . exacerbating
laudable . . . occluding
hapless . . . inhibiting
indifferent . . . usurping
laudable . . . occluding
For the first blank, we're looking for a word with a positive connotation, since the plumber did a good job in quickly stopping the leak. Knowing this, we can eliminate the answer choices that begin with "indifferent," "hapless," and "officious," all words with neutral or negative meanings, leaving us with "laudable" and "commendable," two words with positive connotations. For the second blank, we're looking for a word that means stopping or blocking. Since "exacerbating" means making worse and "occluding" means obstructing an opening, the correct answer is "laudable . . . occluding."
Example Question #7 : Verbs And Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Texts
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The __________ smell coming from her locker and the fruit flies swarming around it made Becky __________ her decision to leave the old bagged lunches piled up behind her textbooks over the previous weekend.
salutary . . . obviate
fetid . . . rue
innocuous . . . malinger
noisome . . . expiate
lugubrious . . . repudiate
fetid . . . rue
For the first blank, we need a word that can describe a smell—specifically, a stink. "Fetid" and "noisome" might each work in the first blank, as each word can mean smelling terrible, so we are left with "rue" and "expiate" for the second. Since "rue" means regret greatly and "expiate" means atone or make amends for, the correct answer is "fetid . . . rue."
Example Question #1 : Verbs And Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Texts
Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted into the sentence, best completes the sentence.
His __________ approach to relationships often __________ him from seeing the good in people.
cynical . . . precluded
generous . . . equivocated
obsolete . . . alleviated
expedient . . . sanctioned
arcane . . . precipitate
cynical . . . precluded
The subject's "approach to relationships" affects how he sees others. The "cynical" approach, or looking for the worst in others, would "preclude," or prevent, the subject from "seeing the good in people."