Verbal 5

A knack for ______, it can be argued, allows one access to a whole range of careers, many of which require one to forsake direct, honest speech.

'...to forsake...speech' means to not speak truthfully. Thus the word in the blank should be a synonym with dishonest (A) eloquence has a positive connotation (B) prevarication is speaking in an evasive fashion (C) equivocation means to speak vaguely as to avoid revealing the truth (D) abbreviation is not supported by context (E) discernment is the ability to judge (F) openness is the opposite of the blank

Despite its veneer of pearly-toothed smiles and amicable handshakes, the world of politics is one of constant ________ in which everyone is always jockeying for a more estimable position.

(B) machinating and (D) scheming are the correct answers. The clues are "Despite smiles...amicable handshakes...jockeying...position." Because of the shift word "despite", we know the world of politics is the opposite of smiles and friendly handshakes. When you are jockeying for position you are trying to get ahead Combining these two ideas we can come up with our own word that is similar to deception. (B) Machinating and (D) scheming work best. (A) schmoozing and (C) hobnobbing do not work because they describe the behavior in the first part of the sentence (handshakes...smiles). The second part of the sentence has to be in contrast to the first part.

Recently, however, researchers chose to experiment with a type of conditioning that involves exposing subjects to a tone followed by an odor, so that they soon exhibit a similar response to the tone as they would to the odor. The pairing of tones and odors presented several advantages. Neither wakes the sleeper (in fact, certain odors can promote sound sleep), yet the brain processes them and even reacts during slumber. Moreover, the sense of smell holds a unique non-verbal measure that can be observed -- namely sniffing. The researchers found that, in the case of smelling, the sleeping brain acts much as it does when awake: We inhale deeply when we smell a pleasant aroma but stop our inhalation short when assaulted by a bad smell. This variation in sniffing could be recorded whether the subjects were asleep or awake. Finally, this type of conditioning, while it may appear to be quite simple, is associated with some higher brain areas -- including the hippocampus, which is involved in memory formation.

According to the passage, sniffing, as it relates to the experiment described in the passage, primarily - poses both advantages and disadvantages to researchers - offers researchers a quantifiable physiological response that exhibits little variation between sleeping and waking states - provides researchers with a means of observing certain behaviors - enables scientists to study the effect of sleep on memory consolidation - functions as a non-verbal measure of changes that occur in lower areas of the brain

Many high-tech CEOs, perceived as having absolute power over their respective domains, are accorded the same awe and esteem once reserved for ____________ . mavericks pugilists doyennes consiglieri potentates

Answer: (E) '...perceived as having absolute power...' matches up with the blank. (A) mavericks are known for their revolutionary ideas (B) pugilists are boxers (C) a doyenne is a woman holding a senior position in a certain field (D) consiglieres are advisers (E) a potentate is a ruler with absolute power

Berolucci found most climes ____________ to his creativity; often, he would travel to remote locations, as he believed such places to be less likely to chase off his fickle muse. inimical conducive antithetical inspiring antiseptic

Answer: (A) The contrast here is between 'most climes' and 'remote locations.' The latter is 'less likely...' meaning 'most climes' hinder or limit Berolucci's creativity (A) inimical means antagonistic towards. This properly captures the sense that most environments are antagonistic towards his creativity (B) conducive is the opposite of the blank (C) antithetical means "directly contrasted to" (D) inspiring is the opposite of the blank (E) antiseptic, which means having no germs, does not fit the context

The author suggests that at least some of "a number of difficult problems..." can be understood by - extrapolating from observable phenomenon - anticipating the result of the collision of small bodies - studying the rate of accretion on planets - observing the internal process of planets - discounting the dynamics of how orbits change over time

Answer: (A) The sentence, "This is fortunate..." describes how scientists can observe current events taking place in or regarding planets to learn more about "difficult problems of planetary origin. (A) supports this idea best. 'Extrapolating' means taking information from one instance and applying it to an unknown instance (in this case, the early evolution of planets). (B) is incorrect because anticipating, or trying to figure out, when small bodies in outer space will crash into each other, does not help shed light on the early formation of planets. Even if collisions were a part of the early formation of planet, (B) is focusing on future collisions. (C) is a tempting answer. But scientists are relying on a host of planetary occurrences ("the dynamics of their orbital evolution, and the effect..."). While accretion is mentioned as an important process currently taking place, it doesn't explicitly say the rate of accretion is key to understanding "a number of difficult problems." (D) is wrong. The "internal process of planets" is what makes it difficult for scientists to know about the early formation of planets. (E) is wrong because the passage says that understand the orbit of planets can actually help scientists learn about the early formation of planets. Therefore, scientists would not "discount" information on the dynamics of orbits.

It was not out of mere ______________ that Mozart, by then well established, sought out a young Beethoven—in the latter's early work Mozart divined a genius that he hoped to, in some way, cultivate. contrariness solicitude surliness prejudice enlightenment

Answer: (B) Mozart was not just curious about Beethoven. He wanted to help cultivate the latter's genius. While, there is no word meaning 'curious', 'solicitude' implies a concern for someone. That is you want to see how a person is getting along to make sure everything is going well with them. In this sentence, Mozart had a deeper motive.

Due to recent advances in technology, archaeologists have the potential of ____________, even from the tiniest fragments, the provenance of pottery shards. interpreting interring determining reconstructing relating

Answer: (C) Essentially new technology is allowing scientists to figure out the provenance (the origin) of pottery shards. Thus we need a word that means 'figure out.' (A) interpreting is a close answer but it does not quite work stylistically. One does not interpret the origin. Rather, one determines/figures/discovers the origin of something (B) interring means to bury (C) determining fits the context and stylistically correct (D) reconstructing could possibly modify history or events but does not make sense when referring to origin (E) relating is also stylistically off

The travelogue is a thorny genre, even for seasoned writers, for one must ______________ a curious balance between inspired navel-gazing and reportage with a cosmopolitan slant. boast deconstruct effect inhibit forsake

Answer: (C) This is a tough question because it tests the second definition of the word "effect", which, when used as a verb, means to bring about. For instance, Martin Luther King effected many monumental changes for African-Americans. Therefore, a travel writer must bring about/make happen this curious balance between being inwardly focused and outwardly focused.

The primary purpose of the passage is to - present evidence that argues against a common misconception in the formation of planets - undermine a claim regarding the role accretion plays in planetary evolution - argue for the importance of using existing planetary conditions to understand prior cosmic occurrences - underscore the importance of an astronomical process and describe ways in which we can understand this process - discuss how, unless immediate action is taken, astronomers will squander an opportunity to better understand planetary formation

Answer: (D) The purpose of the passage is to discuss the importance, for those wanting to learn more about the evolution of our planets, of the "impact of small bodies." The passage specifically advocates using current processes to understand the historic processes. (A) is wrong because there is no "common misconception" mentioned. (B) is incorrect because accretion plays an important role (C) is tempting because the passage does mention this. But the primary purpose is not only to discuss the importance of extrapolation but to assert the importance of the "impact of solid bodies" on the formation of our solar system. (E) There is no talk in the passage about scientists potentially missing out on an opportunity.

The primary purpose of the passage is to - describe the difference between REM sleep and non-REM sleep in regards to learning - explore the implications of an experiment on the consolidation of memory during non-REM sleep - illustrate the effects of sleep on learning - repudiate several claims made by sleep researchers - discuss how specific results were obtained using a new means of dealing with a hitherto difficult problem

Answer: (E) (A) is too specific (B) sounds enticing, but the point is to describe a promising study, not necessarily the study's implications on sleep-learning. (C) is too general. (D) is incorrect because the passage never mentions any claims by sleep researchers. (E) succinctly describes how the passage described a new way of measuring something (learning in sleep via smell), and how this breakthrough allowed researches to better measure sleep learning, which before had been a difficult field to study.

If good taste has ______________ the vampire genre tired and trite, the entertainment industry surely is not listening: for every bloodsucker baring fangs there is a hack baring some script. - found - deemed - expected - discovered - demeaned - anticipated

Answers: (A), (B) This is a tough question because the word 'found' is being used in a different sense than is typical. To make matters worse, the usual sense of 'found' has the synonym discover, answer choice (D). The fact, that (D) "sounds" right if you plug it into the blank makes this a fiendishly difficult question. What, though, does it mean to discover something as trite? Would you say after watching a generic film that you discovered it trite? You would, however, say that you found it trite. In this sense, 'found' means judged. The only synonym is (B).

The computer modeling of weather has, since its inception, been fraught with difficulties, yet the fact that it has only had to improve on what, to some, amounts to nothing more than voodoo science made its ______________ all but assured. - ascendancy - demise - inclusion - primacy - dismissal - retraction FAQ: I cannot understand the sentence from "yet." A: After the "yet," we are told that computer modeling only had to improve on previous weather forecasting, which some considered a "voodoo science." That earlier weather forecasting, therefore, was probably not very reliable, or at least not totally accepted. Thus, computer modeling had little or no competition, so of course it succeeded.

Answers: (A), (D) The 'yet' shows that even though computer modeling has had problems it is still something positive. Especially when the alternative is "voodoo science." Therefore, the computer modeling of weather is the tool scientists most rely on. (A) and (D) both imply that computer modeling is the best means for forecast the weather. FAQ: What does "all but" mean? A: "All but" is an idiom meaning "very nearly, almost." So in this case it means "almost assured." This is not very intuitive, so you'll need to memorize this idiom for the exam. You can find more idioms here. Here are 2 other idioms with "but" that you should learn for the exam: "nothing but" and "but for."

Though the recent row between the much loved prime minister and the ambassador from the erstwhile colonial power will, in all likelihood, not foment outright protests--the way an incursion by this same foreign power into the country's airspace did--surely such discord will only serve to further ______________ a people long since wary of foreign influence. - gall - disabuse - demean - debase - rankle - marginalize

Answers: (A), (E) The clues here are "row...not foment..." and "discord." Do not fall for the trap to think that the 'though' at the beginning signals that the sentence is a classic shift. It is not - essentially it is saying that the fight will not lead to very bad consequences, but they will still upset a people. (A) means to irritate. This can work in the context. True, it is not upset (my word), but we only need a word to show that the people are not happy. (B) is actually a positive word. It means to correct a person's false notion. Neither (C) nor (D) makes sense. How could the fight between the prime minister and the ambassador lower the dignity of the people? We want a word that is a lesser degree of people taking to the streets and protesting. (E) means to irritate. (F) means to treat someone as inferior.

Giacomo's concerti, much like the composer himself, were a ____________ affair. Fits of passion would, without warning, give way to sudden idylls, as though the composer had been trying to ____________ his inner conflicts. Only in his later works, which are far more abstract, does he eschew trying to capture his inner states. Blank (i) mercurial rambling torrid Blank (ii) exorcise foreshadow mirror

Answers: (A), (F) 'Fits of passion...', 'sudden idylls...' shows a sudden and sharp change in moods in the pieces. 'Much like the composer...' show Giacomo and his pieces are similar. Therefore (A) mercurial works best. (B) rambling means lacking focus, and is not supported by the context. 'Only does he eschew...' suggest that the composer has been trying to capture or (F) mirror his inner conflicts.

An efflorescence of creativity rarely occurs in a ____________ milieu; even a modicum of strife, whether in the home or in society at large, can spur great work in both art and literature. contentious genial stagnant compromised exposed

Answers: (B) It is a good idea to simplify the first part of the sentence: creativity rarely happens in a _____ environment. Even a little bit of struggle is needed. Therefore, words that fit in the blank are happy/friendly, lacking struggle. (B) genial, which means friendly, works perfectly

Unlike typical literary celebrities, who are ever so eager to promote their work, even at the expense of coming across as contrived, Chase was ____ and made no effort to be expansive. -sullen -genuine -disarming -reserved -apathetic -retiring

Answers: (D), (F) The word 'unlike' shows there is a sentence shift. Chase is different from those celebrities who eagerly promote themselves. Chase is not being very expansive, which means likely to open up and chat with others. (A) sullen means morose. This is a strong word, but could work for the blank. However, there is no matching word (B) genuine does not fit context. Be careful not to assume this is the answer based on contrived earlier in the sentence. The blank has to be the opposite of expansive (C) somebody who is disarming is likely to win over others. Chase is not in the mood to engage others (D) reserved fits the context well (E) apathetic, which means not caring, could work, but there in no matching word (F) retiring, as a second definition, means shy and reserved

Oncologists struggle to determine the long-term carcinogenic effects of basic household products, as these effects, whatever they may be, are ______________ those resulting from the miasma of toxins we breathe once we leave our homes. - exacerbated by - confounded with - attenuated by -obscured by - displaced by - subjected to

Answers: (B), (D) The keywords are 'struggle to determine', 'effects of...products', 'toxins...our homes.' Oncologists (those who study cancer/tumors) cannot determine the effects of household products because those effects are mixed together with the negative effects of breathing outdoor toxins. (A) exacerbated means to make worse. It is not necessarily that the effects are made worse, though that is probably the case. The idea is the oncologists struggle to tease out the harmful effects from household products and outdoor toxins. (B) When results are confounded they are essentially mixed together, so we cannot determine the effect each has independently (C) attenuated means weakened or reduced in force or intensity (D) obscured implies that the household effects are difficult to determine because they are mixed together with the outdoor effects (E) displaced means to force something from its position (F) subjected does not work in context

The term "robber barons", which refers to those powerful business moguls at the turn of the 19th Century, is hardly a(n) ____________, despite some of these robber barons outward gestures of philanthropy. Infamous for their insatiable ____________, the robber barons were finally held in check by the ascendancy of a more powerful centralized government. Blank (i) anachronism misnomer provocation Blank (ii) braggadocio cupidity truculence

Answers: (B), (E) The so-called robbers apparently were magnanimous ('outward gestures...'). The despite shows that the term 'robber-barons' is still apt (they gave to charity, but they were still robbers). (B) misnomer is the improper name for something. Hardly a misnomer suggests that the term "robber barons" aptly described them. They were thus known for their (E) cupidity, or greed.

Unless the current practice of deforestation is ____________ by no less than a global committee, the world's biodiversity will continue to ____________, robbing posterity of potential pharmacological breakthroughs. Blank (i) entailed championed sanctioned Blank (ii) ebb flourish ameliorate

Answers: (C), (D) Deforestation, or the cutting down of forests, threatens biodiversity, or the variety of life living in forested areas. Therefore, if deforestation continues, biodiversity will suffer. The second blank is modified by the keywords, 'robbing posterity...'. Therefore, the second blank must be (D) ebb, which means to become less. Sanctioned means a possible penalty for the breaking of a law. FAQ: If "sanctioned" means giving approval to something, does this mean we are giving approval to deforestation? "Sanctioned" is a very interesting word because it does in fact have two meanings that are almost the opposite of one another: 1) Give official permission or approval for (an action). 2) Impose a penalty on. In this question, "sanctioned" is the best answer choice based on definition 2. There are very few words like this, with two opposite meanings, and they are just a part of the idiosyncratic nature of the English language. Another example would be "cleave" which can mean both to separate and to hold together.

Keane argues that the political conditions during the early years of the United States were, if anything, (i) ___________ to the formation of a nation united by one document: the Constitution. Rather, had it not been for a few men—Keane invokes the triumvirate of Jefferson, Hamilton, and Madison—to (ii) ___________ the Constitution, despite the seemingly implacable opposition of anti-Federalists, the central government would have had to (iii) ___________ matters of rule to the individual states. Blank (i) permissive conducive inimical Blank (ii) challenge champion undermine Blank (iii) cede reintroduce deny

Answers: (C), (E), (G) One way to crack this paragraph is to know that federalism has to do with a central government. Therefore, the anti-Federalists would be against a document that united a nation; and the three men mentioned would be for the Constitution. The "seemingly implacable opposition" indicates that the first blank would be a word meaning "difficult" or "hostile". (C) works nicely. Moving on to the second blank, the triumvirate would defend the Constitution. That is a second definition of (E) champion. Had it not been for these three men, the central government, or federalism, may not have won out, and the government would have been forced to surrender "matters of rule" to individual states. (G) cede means to surrender or give up, usually power or territory.

Claire's moods shifted drastically and unexpectedly - one moment she was ____________, chatting lively, the next she was ____________, looking forlornly out of the window. Blank (i) prolific dysphoric ebullient Blank (ii) unflappable taciturn despondent

Answers: (C), (F) '...drastically and unexpectedly...' indicates that the two blanks are opposite. 'Chatting lively' modifies the first blank. (C) ebullient works best. (F) despondent, or without hope, fits the keyword 'forlornly'.

The judge's closing remarks were nothing if not _____ ; not only did he belabor his every point, but he underscored each utterance with the pounding of the gavel.

Answers: (C), (F) '...nothing if not...' is a facetious way of saying that the judge was overly thorough. 'Thorough' is supported by 'belabor his every...' (A) brash means rude (B) forthright means honest (C) thorough fits blank perfectly (D) candid means honest, but, like 'forthright', does not fit the context (E) audacious is bold in a social sense. It can be argued that the pounding of the gavel was audacious. However, this interpretation ignores 'belabor'. Also there is no matching word with audacious (F) exhaustive means thorough

The nation was marked by ______ , which intruded upon every aspect of life: there was little that had not fallen prey to corruption.

Answers: (C), (F) The keywords are 'little that...corruption.' (A) jingoism means excessive patriotism (B) stigmatization implies that something has a damaged reputation (C) venality is corruption (D) probity is honesty (E) volubility is talkativeness (F) graft is corruption

By nature she was not _____ and so had great difficulty kowtowing to the company's top brass.

Answers: (C), (F) To kowtow is to act in an excessively servile manner. She had great difficulty acting this way. Therefore the blank is a word related to 'kowtow.' (A) impudent means cheeky, brash. The opposite of the word in the blank (B) amenable means cooperative and is not strong enough to fit the blank (C) fawning means subservient (D) subversive means going against authority (E) deferential, which means acting respectfully, is not extreme enough (F) obsequious, a synonym for fawning, fits context

The heckler, hiding amongst the amorphous crowd, is the epitome of _______ - as soon as he has been identified, he goes scuttling off, head down, grumbling to himself.

Answers: (E), (F) '...amongst the amorphous...' shows that when the heckler cannot be identified he hurls aggressive, inflammatory comments. As soon as he is identified, he sneaks away, 'head down...' (A) stealthiness is an attractive answer choice, especially with the latter half of the sentence. It does not, however, capture the overall meaning of the sentence. Also there is no similar word (B) outspokenness, another attractive answer choice, ignores the contrast between before the heckler is identified and after he is identified (C) shyness does not fit the context (D) aloofness means standing apart. A heckler embroils himself in possible conflict and is not aloof (E) cravenness is cowardliness. The heckler, when anonymous, is very bold. As soon as he is identified he goes cowardly 'scuttling off...' (F) spinelessness connotes the same lack of courage as cravenness

FAQ: Can you please explain the sentence for me? I still don't understand. A: Not a problem. Let's break the sentence apart to make it easier to analyze. If good taste has ______________ the vampire genre tired and trite, "Good taste" refers to people that have good taste in art/movies. They have _______ vampire movies as a bad type of movie. What would people with good taste do to a movie when they judge it as bad? They would be describing it, or labeling it. The closest fits for these are: found and deemed. Potentially, discovered and anticipated could work. How will we know which pair to pick? For found/deemed, the rest of sentence has to support the fact that good taste has already finished judging the vampire movies completely, since found/deemed describe actions that have already been fully completed in the past. For discovered/anticipated, it would have to be more of a recent judging ("I just discovered that...") or even one that is just about to happen (anticipated). the entertainment industry surely is not listening So at the beginning of the sentence ("If good taste has _______ the vampire genre tired and trite..."), we determined that people with good taste probably do not like vampire films. However, the sentence follows this up by saying "the entertainment industry surely is not listening"-- this means that even though people with good taste dislike vampire films, the entertainment industry is "not listening" to their opinion, since they continue to create more and more vampire films (described by the 3rd part of the sentence, below). for every bloodsucker baring fangs there is a hack baring some script. This is a figure of speech: when you say, "for every X there is a Y", that means that there are a lot of both Xs and Ys. In this sentence, it's saying that there are a lot of vampires ("bloodsucker baring fangs") and a lot of bad scriptwriters ("a hack baring some script"). Here's an example of the "For every X there is a Y" structure: For every pair of shoes she buys, there is a purse that she needs to buy too, to match.. This sentence is describing a woman who buys a lot of shoes, and every time she buys shoes, she also buys a purse that matches it. It's a pretty silly sentence :) but it implies that she buys a lot of shoes, and also a lot of purses. Knowing all this, in summary: People do not like vampire movies, but the entertainment industry keeps on making them-- there are a lot of scripts for vampire movies. This points to the fact that the opinion-forming part is already over, since the sentence makes it very clear that the opinion has already been passed but that the entertainment industry responded incorrectly. That's why found/deemed is a better fit that anticipated/discovered.

FAQ: What does "hack" and "baring" mean in the phrase "hack baring some script"? A: Sure. A "hack" is a writer who is characterized by routine or "tired and trite" writing. This writer is "baring some script," which means the writer is exposing, or making public, some script that is tired and trite. "Baring" is also a bit of a pun, here, playing off the word "bearing," meaning holding. If we take those out, though, there's still a clear meaning from the word "hack": For every bloodsucker with fangs, there is a hack with a script.

As with impact structures, studies of African meteorites, as well as expeditions dedicated to the search for meteorites, have in the past generally been directed by non-African institutions. Obviously this has a lot to do with availability of funding for such work. It is, however, strongly felt that the widely noted lack of knowledge about the importance of the study of meteorites, of how to identify them, and of impact structures also contributes to this one-sided research situation. Meteorites, especially the iron and stony-iron meteorites, can be recognized by their metallic or semi-metallic appearance, frequently grooved surface structure, and strong magnetism. It is important that, when such material is discovered, all information, for example about its position, orientation on the surface, time of fall, and any visual observations made or sound heard, be meticulously recorded. Contamination from metal tools and chemical reagents must be avoided. That said, a small number of scientists, for example at the Universities of Cape Town, Cairo, and of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, have in the past actively studied meteorites. While these institutions display requisite expertise for the task, they tend to work in isolation.

It can be inferred that in contrast to the universities mentioned, most other African universities have - been underfunded to the point that they are unable to conduct rigorous studies on meteorites - shown no interest in pursuing the study of meteorites - most likely contaminated the tools they use to gather information concerning impact sites - displayed less expertise regarding the study of meteorites - been more meticulous in documenting the details of meteorites impact sites

I submit that impact of solid bodies is the most fundamental of all interstellar processes that have taken place on the terrestrial planets: without impact, Earth, Mars, Venus, and Mercury would not exist. Simply put, the collision of smaller objects is the process by which the terrestrial planets were born. On the surface, that the geological record of the earliest history of impacts on the terrestrial planets has been lost, is troubling. As the process is self-erasing, to a certain extent, the earliest record would have been lost even if processes of melting and internal evolution of the planets had not occurred. But much of the record of the last stages of accretion of the planets is preserved, especially on the moon, Mercury, and Mars. In fact, the last stage of accretion is still going on, albeit at a very slow rate. This is fortunate, because we can study many aspects of the processes of planetary birth by investigation of the nature of small bodies that still exist, the dynamics of their orbital evolution, and the effects that they produce when they ultimately collide with a planet. If impact and accretion were not still occurring, it would be hard to come to grips with a number of difficult problems of planetary origin and early evolution.

It can be most reasonably inferred that which of the following accounts for the lack of a geological record concerning the history of impacts on the planets? - the violence of the initial impact - an outcome that is not self-erasing - a process of change in planets themselves - the absence of proof relating to a hypothetical collision - the ongoing process of accretion Answer: (C) The passage mentions that "the geological record...has been lost." In the following sentence, it mentions that "melting and internal evolution" can erase the early geological history of a planet. Therefore, we can infer that a process within the planet themselves can erase the geological record. Answer: (C). (A) is incorrect because nowhere does it mention the violence of any initial impact. (B) is the opposite of what we are looking for. The processes that do not leave any record of the geological history are self-erasing. (D) is incorrect since the passage does not talk about this hypothetical collision. While accretion is still occurring, it does not account for why there is no geological record of the history of planet. Thus (E) is wrong.

Select the sentence in which the author points out an additional cause for the one-sidedness of research. Click on a sentence in the passage to make your selection

It is, however, strongly felt that the widely noted lack of knowledge about the importance of the study of meteorites, of how to identify them, and of impact structures also contributes to this one-sided research situation. The third sentence, which begins with, "It is, however..." describes an additional cause for the one-sideness of research.

Compared to the rococo flourishes typical of Thomas Chippendale's creations, Matthew Taylor's armoires were positively ________. - banal - austere - otherworldly - intricate - humdrum - spartan

Text Explanation (B) austere and (F) spartan are the correct answers. The clues are "compared to...rococo flourishes." Taylor's work, in comparison to TC's, is far less decorated. We want the opposite of flourished. The only words that mean lacking decoration are (B) and (F). While (A) banal and (E) humdrum are a pair, they are not opposite to the clue word "flourishes". Instead, "banal" and "humdrum" both mean something boring. You might say that lack of decoration is boring, too. But they're boring for different reasons. "Banal" and "humdrum" are both repetitive and unoriginal. There's no change and no excitement. Now, we don't know that Taylor's creations were unoriginal—there's nothing to say it had been done before. Instead, we only have the very physical description saying that they lack decoration. You may think that's boring, but I might say differently. Maybe I think the lack of decoration is refreshing and new; maybe I'm tired of all those rococo flourishes, and I find Chippendale's works to be humdrum

Sleep-learning experiments are notoriously difficult to conduct. For one thing, one must be sure that the subjects are actually asleep and stay that way during the "lessons." The most rigorous trials of verbal sleep learning have failed to show any new knowledge taking root. While more and more research has demonstrated the importance of sleep for learning and memory consolidation, none had managed to show actual learning of new information taking place in an adult brain during sleep.

The first paragraph serves primarily to - capture the complexity of an ongoing controversy - describe the current state in a particular field of study - anticipate difficulties related to certain forms of research - elaborate on a novel approach to a lingering question - introduce a particular methodology

Pediatrician: Child psychologists recommend that mothers of one-year olds not only name objects in the immediate environment, but that they include the color of the object, when applicable. For instance, if a mother hands her child a red ball, she should say, "This is a red ball." Nonetheless, even if mothers began to name the color, instead of simply saying, "This is a ball," no real benefit will be conferred to the child, because studies have shown that children under 18-months old do not grasp the notion of color.

The pediatrician's argument is most vulnerable to which of the following? - Infants who hear words embedded in sentences that have each part of speech present tend to speak sooner than those infants who do not. - Children usually benefit from having toys in their environments. - The range at which children utter their first sentence typically ranges from 15-months to 30-months. - Children under the age of three tend to be confused when parents use adult level vocabulary. - Psychologists have conducted studies showing that most children under the age of 30 months often utter the names of colors even when that color is not present in their environments

That some dinosaurs could fly has long been established. That these very same species may have been able to walk--using their wings no less--has been far more controversial. However, the latest computer simulations suggest that the Pteranodon, a pterosaur with a wingspan of up to 25-feet long, while no rapid runner, was able to walk by retracting its wrists so as to walk on its palms. As to why the Pteranodon did so still remains unanswered. One theory is that walking allowed it to forage for food on the ground. While this idea is enticing, proponents of this theory have yet to propose a reasonable answer as to what led to such a dramatic change in both physiology and locomotion. Another explanation is that flying was the evolutionary advantage conferred upon these creatures: in times of scarcity, a flying creature has access to a far greater abundance of fauna than does one limited to terrestrial movement.

Which of the following can be substantiated based on information found in the passage? - Scientists consider evidence based on computer simulations sufficient for backing up a theory. - The Pteranodon had other adaptations, besides the ability to retract its wrists, that allowed it to walk. - Even if a theory is compelling that theory should not be immune to analysis.

The team then asked whether this type of learning is tied to a particular phase of sleep. In a second experiment, they divided the sleep cycles into rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep, and then induced the conditioning during only one phase or the other. Surprisingly, they found that the learned response was more pronounced during the REM phase, but the transfer of the association from sleep to waking was evident only when learning took place during the non-REM phase. The researchers suggest that during REM sleep we may be more open to influence from the stimuli in our surroundings, but so-called "dream amnesia" -- which makes us forget most of our dreams -- may operate on any conditioning occurring in that stage of sleep. In contrast, non-REM sleep is the phase that is important for memory consolidation, so it might also play a role in this form of sleep-learning.

Which of the following is NOT supported by the passage? - Subjects only exhibit a learned response to a pleasant or unpleasant smell upon waking. - The conditioning observed in the experiment tends to involve, almost exclusively, higher brain areas. - The process of learning during sleep includes a combination of both REM and non-REM sleep. Answers: (A) and (B) The passage mentions that subjects already adjust the intensity of sniffing while they are asleep. Therefore (A) is NOT supported by the passage. The passage mentions that the learning takes place in higher brain areas. The passage does not go so far as to say that such learning happens almost exclusively at a higher brain areas. Therefore (B) is not supported by the passage. (C) is not the answer because it is supported by the passage. The last paragraph mentions the important rule of both REM and non-REM sleep on learning.

Answer: (B) Sniffing is a physiological response to an odor ("The sleeping volunteers reacted...associated odor...by sniffing). It differs little between sleep and waking ("...could be recorded...asleep or awake"). Therefore (B). Remember, the variation in sniffing refers to the differing intensity of the sniff, not to the variation of sniffing between sleeping and waking states. (A) is not the answer because nowhere in the passage does it mention disadvantages to sniffing. (C) is wrong because sniffing is the specific behavior; it provides researchers for a way to measure learning. While memory consolidation is mentioned later in the passage, in regards to REM vs non-REM sleep, it does not directly relate to role of sniffing in the experiment in the passage. Therefore (D) is incorrect. (E) is wrong because the passage mentions that sniffing is associated with some "higher brain areas." The passage does not mention how sniffing relates to the lower brain.

a

FAQ: Shouldn't the answer be E? The passage says accretion "is self-erasing." The order of events & the relationships between them are pretty well buried in these sentences, aren't they? You're absolutely right that accretion is self-erasing, so "processes of melting and internal evolution of the planets" are not the only reason why we could never see the complete records of past collisions, but they are the historically effective reason. Let's take a look at another, similar (but simpler) sentence to see what I mean by that: "The wind would have blown away the sand art even if the ocean waves hadn't destroyed it." Yes, the wind could destroy the art, but it didn't--the water destroyed it. The clause "even if the ocean waves hadn't destroyed it" is a hypothetical past situation. Because of the if + hadn't done structure, We know it's not a reality. The truth is the opposite, and in that case, the opposite is that the ocean did destroy the sand art. This is exactly the same in our passage. The melting processes did occur, and that destroyed the geological records. There is another reason--the self-erasing nature of the impacts--but we know that the real history contrasts with this hypothetical past in the sentence.

a

Answer: (A) The conclusion: do not include the name of colors when speaking to infants less than 18-months old, because doing so doesn't benefit them in any way. The correct answer must show that including a color word in a sentence offers an advantage. (A) clearly does so, by stating that the baby benefits from hearing sentences with several words, especially if those words are different parts of speech, i.e., adjective, verb, noun. (B) shows an advantage, but relates to toys not to colors. (C) Offers no insight into the prompt. (D) Does not describe any kind of advantage. (E) Just shows that some children under 30-months may have a notion of color. However, this does not go against the argument, which is focusing on those less than 18-months.

h

News blogs have become popular, as many offer ____________ commentary not found in most traditional media, which tend to eschew publishing writing that may be deemed offensive by some. fastidious trenchant poignant timely insightful

nswer: (B) Traditional media differs from news blogs in that it avoids printing work that may cause offense. (A)fastidious means overly focused on minor details (B)trenchant refers to commentary that is incisive and sharp, and thus potentially offensive to some (C)poignant means touching and emotional. Nobody is likely to be offended by writing that is emotionally moving (D)there is no context to support timely (E)insightful is not supported by the context FAQ: Aren't "trenchant" and "poignant" synonyms? Both mean "cutting". "Poignant" is definitely tempting, but it really means means evoking strong personal emotions (especially sadness), and is almost never used for something that incites conflict. "Poignant commentary" would inspire a moment of reflection and reevaluation, not argument. It's a passive and introspective word. Meanwhile, trenchant doesn't have to imply offensive--and often doesn't--but it can create a debate. It's a much more outward, aggressive word, and that's more appropriate for the text.

Answers: (A) and (C) (A) is supported by the passage, because the author—along with other scientists—is basing theories on the computer models. While (B) may have been true, it is not supported by the passage. (C) is supported by the "while enticing..." This shows that the author would agree—and thus (C) can be substantiated—that regardless of how compelling a theory is it should be analyzed further. FAQ: Why is A correct? The passage says the the simulation suggested Pteranodon could walk. That's not sufficient support, right? This is actually very subtle, so it's a good question. The passage doesn't explicitly state this, but it is implied in the way the passage is written. Let's look at the end of that 1st paragraph: "...was able to walk by retracting its wrists so as to walk on its palms. As to why the Pteranodon did so still remains unanswered." Notice that it doesn't say "why the Pteradon might have done so." Instead, the sentence reads as a certainty: "...did so." Following that, we have another paragraph which continues with the assumption that the Pteradon did walk. The only thing up for debate is why the Pteradon walked. Nobody seems to be refuting the idea that it walked; it seems widely accepted, and the only evidence we're given is the computer model.

q

Answer: (B) The first paragraph notes, "...experiments...notoriously difficult...", "the most rigorous trials...failed to show...", "none had managed..." Taken together these quotes describe the difficulty sleep researchers are currently having. This matches up best with (B). (C) is a close answer, and a tempting one. The word 'difficulties' stands out. However, is the function of the first paragraph to anticipate difficulties? The rest of the passage is focused on an experiment that has overcome some of these difficulties. Had (C) been the answer, the passage would have focused more on the difficulties researchers have had trying to measure the amount of learning that takes place during sleep.

s