GRE Reading Comprehension Questions

Kap Test 4/Question 10/Verbal 1

Do not be overly critical with the answer choices. Yes it is true that there is no evidence that hypertext resembles the memory association system, it is listed in the three things that resemble the memex.

*****Look at Question 4 Manhattan Prep Quiz 1 Verbal 1.

Note, how we are looking at profitability (a question that comes up a lot). For choice E, while not stocking the mini-bar will save on expenses, this does not mean that profitability will go up, since the loss sales from the mini-bar may be higher than the costs associated with maintenance.

*****ETS Test 1/Verbal 2/Question 13

Note, that the last answer does not explain why there would be an increase, but rather why the time would not decrease. https://www.prepscholar.com/gre/blog/following-true-helps-explain-time/#:~:text=to%20professional%20laundries.-,Which%20of%20the%20following%2C%20if%20true%2C%20most%20helps%20to%20explain,access%20to%20electric%20washing%20machines.

(Kaplan Practice/Reading Comprehension/Question 3)

Note, how the answers we are looking for just have to be in a paragraph that talks about the topic (even if it is not specifically a reason).

(Test 2/Verbal 2/Question 5)

Note, how the two authors are referring to competitive learning situations, not competitive children, hence why A is wrong.

(Kaplan Practice/Reading Comprehension/Quiz 1/Question 6)

Note, how topic, scope, and purpose are used here and how the first sentence gives away a hint to the answer.

Manhattan Prep/Quiz 1/Verbal 2/Question 14

Note, that the passage says nothing about cultivating nutmeg anywhere else in the world. Also, the passage clearly states that the Dutch wanted a "monopoly".

*****Princeton/Reading Comprehension/Drill 3/Question 9

Note, that the question is asking what Pickett believes in, not what the author of the passage believes in. candid. Choice (B) is supported by the inclusion of democratization of societies in the list of such ideals, as well as by the examples of the Spanish-American War and World War I. Choice (C) is supported by the use of the phrase wealth of examples to describe the work.

ETS Test 1/Verbal 1/Question 12

Note, that this statement is not calling anything into question.

*****ETS Test 1/Verbal 2/Question 8

Note, the but at the end of the sentence that follows Issac. Also note the 180 in the last answer choice. https://www.prepscholar.com/gre/blog/following-author-passage-reinforce/

*****Chapter 5/Question 142

Notice how the question tricks you. You are looking for an answer that helps disprove the author's point. Look for arguments that align with the idea that the gods have control and watch out for neutral answers, like E, where there is no affect for or against the author's argument.

The amount of self-abasement with which the inmate ___________ the probation panel to be set free verged on the humiliating; nevertheless, the judge remained unmoved and he was ultimately sent back to his cell to serve another three years. - beseeched - chided - snubbed - conceded - received -supplicated

beseeched/supplicated (Question 109) - He is asking/begging the probation panel to set him free.

overture

(n.) an initiative toward agreement or action (n.) something introductory (n.) the orchestral introduction to a musical dramatic work (n.) an orchestral concert piece written especially as a single movement in sonata form

steep

(v.) soak (food or tea) in water or other liquid so as to extract its flavor or to soften it (v.) surround or fill with a quality or influence

clandestine

(adj.) secret

*****A dry-farmed tomato raised in low-nitrogen soil will often have the nutrient vale of a much larger conventionally grown tomato, and its flavor may be similarly __________. delicious healthful scanty concentrated shrunken

"Similarly" indicates that the relatively small "dry-farmed tomato" has all the flavor of a "conventionally grown" large tomato, just as it has all the nutrients. The blank requires a word that means something like condensed. Only "concentrated" works. "Shrunken" and even "scant" might be attractive, but neither might be both "delicious" and "healthful", again, neither of these create a sentence that fits with the clue offered in the first part of the sentence.

unvarnished

(adj.) (of a statement or manner) plain and straightforward (adj.) not covered with varnish

rarefied

(adj.) (of air, especially that at high altitudes) of lower pressure than usual; thin (adj.) distant from the lives and concerns or ordinary people

hyperbolic

(adj.) (of language) deliberately exaggerated

bashful

(adj.) reluctant to draw attention to oneself; shy

While a (i) _________, the smallest amount that can exist independently, of water could be said to be a single molecule, a (ii) __________ of dust could be made up of pollen, hair, human skin cells, mineral from soil, or even burnt meteor particles. Thus, one definition of dust is "solid particles with a diameter of less than 500 micrometers" - a (iii) _________ definition that is based only on size and state of matter rather than on structure. Blank (i) plethora parameter quantum Blank (ii) trove covey mote Blank (iii) blissful routine disquieting

A "quantum" is the "smallest amount that can exist independently" and is a perfect fit for blank (i). "Plethora" means a large amount of something, which is the opposite of what the clue suggests, and "parameter" is a boundary. For blank (ii), a "mote" is a speck or small amount; the word is specifically associated with dust. "Trove" means a collection of valuable things. In blank (iii), since the definition is "based only on size and state of matter rather than on structure", it is "loose", rather than strict or "precise". Nowhere in the sentence is it suggested that this definition is "deleterious", meaning causing harm.

Kap Test 4/Verbal 1/Question 6

ALWAYS IDENTIFY THE ARGUMENT OF. THE ARTICLE.

Kaplan/Verbal Reasoning 2/Question 15

Always look for proof within the passage.

A certain (i)__________is expected of the ingenue, who holds one of the few stations in life in which (ii)__________is a disqualification for the role. Blank (i) triteness didacticism artlessness Blank (ii) pulchritude astuteness solecism

An ingenue is someone, typically a girl, who is "artless; innocent; naive," or an actress who plays such a role. The filler for blank (i) would be some quality expected of an ingenue, so "artlessness, innocence, or naiveté" would all work.(A) Trite means "made boring by overuse; hackneyed, stale, or unoriginal." This is not a match.(B) Didactic means "designed to teach or instruct," or, more negatively, "excessively given to lecturing or moralizing." This is not a match.(C) CORRECT. Artless means "free from deceit, cunning, or craftiness." This is a perfect match.Blank (ii) is a "disqualification for the role" of ingenue. Anything that would diminish innocence or naiveté would work. The filler for blank (ii) is therefore something like "experience" or "knowledge."(D) Pulchritude is "physical beauty or loveliness," which does not necessarily diminish the defining qualities of an ingenue.(E) CORRECT. Astuteness is "shrewdness or keen perception." While not an exact match for the filler, astuteness is something one might gain with experience, and an ingenue would never be described as shrewd.(F) Solecism is "an ungrammatical combination of words in a sentence," which does not make sense in this sentence.

(Test 2/Verbal 1/Question 6/Note: not all choices are on the card) Two years ago, regulators in the state of Orsonia instituted a law that would penalize oil producers for exceeding a certain number of total oil spills in a calendar year. Since then, the number of reported moderate and major spills has remained constant, but the number of reported minor oil spills has fallen by over 23 percent. Many oil industry watchdog groups in Orsonia argue that this data does not indicate that the number of oil spills among oil producers has decreased. Instead, these groups believe that producers have simply decided to stop reporting easily concealed minor spills in order to avoid regulatory penalties. Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the claim made by the watchdog groups? Major oil spills are far more costly to prevent than are minor spills. In the last two years, oil spill management and restoration e

Analyze the Question: We need to find an argument in the answer choice that will backup the argument in the passage. Read the passage strategically: Look for the argument (the last two sentences) and the evidence for the belief (the first two sentences). What we do not know is what evidence the team has to back up this claim. Make a prediction: the team is arguing that the oil companies are underreporting the oil spills but still are causing the same damage. Evidence can come from direct evidence (still as many oil spills) or indirect evidence (one you can infer that the number of minor oil spills has increased or remained the same). Evaluate the answer choices: notice that b) states that the oil spill management and restoration expenditures of the companies have remained the same. But if major spills have remained the same but minor spills have decreased, why are the expenses the same as before. B is the correct answer. Takeaway: The correct answer for a Strengthen question will not always directly link the evidence and conclusion together more strongly; instead, it may indirectly strengthen the argument's conclusion.

If attending a Shakespeare play is, essentially, _____ experience, it is amazing how often you strain to hear the words spoken with any sense of meter. a) a confusing b) an aural c) a captious d) a cultural e) an ennobling

As in many sentence completions, it can help to paraphrase the sentence so that it is simpler to understand. You could paraphrase it as "Going to Shakespeare is a {blank} experience—so it's amazing how badly the language is often spoken." So the blank must be a word meaning something to do with speech or sound—that is, (B) aural. (C) captious means tending to find fault and to criticize. (E) ennobling means making something noble, improving its character.

Historians have debated whether the American preference for coffee over tea, the favored drink in England, stems from rebellious colonial __________; even so, relative availability of the beverages rather than emotional associations with the nation's past may be the simplest explanation. * forebears * penchant * production * sentiments * affinities * attitudes

At first we might think that "even so" is the road sign we need to complete the first part of the sentence, and this phrase does help us understand that the second part of the sentence presents a contrasting idea. However, it is the clue word "rather" that helps us identify the type of word that completes the sentence. "Rather than emotional associations" tells us that emotions are in question in the first half of the sentence; we need words that are synonyms for "emotion." We can use this information to make a prediction such as, "Historians have debated whether the American preference for coffee over tea, the preferred drink in England, stems from rebellious colonial feelings." Let's review the answer choices to see if any match our prediction. Answer choices (D) sentiments, "feelings about a subject," and (F) attitudes, "thoughts and feelings about a subject," are both synonyms for "emotional associations." They are therefore the correct answers. Choice (A) forebears, "ancestors," fits the sentence's grammar and seems to make sense in reference to colonists, but does not match our prediction, nor is there another answer choice with a similar meaning. Choice (C) production, "manufacture," does not make sense in the sentence, though it may sound like it treats the same concept as "availability." Choice (B) penchant, "marked preference," and choice (E) affinities, "attractions, preferences" are somewhat synonymous in this context, but we should not let the fact that these two choices present a pair throw us off; the blank is in the part of the sentence stating a reason for the preferences, not the fact that there are preferences. Therefore, these responses are incorrect. The correct answers are (D) and (F).

MP 3/Verbal 2/Question 6

Be careful of extreme words like "any".

Princeton/Reading Comprehension/Drill 3/Question 4

Choice (D) is the best answer. The Chicago window is a development of Holabird's; it is the only specific feature mentioned, so it must be significant. Choice (A) is partially correct, in that a feature is highlighted, but the buildings are not made of glass; they merely appear to be glass. Choice (B) says Holabird developed the Chicago School, but the passage says he helped Jenney do so. Choice (C) goes against the tone of the passage, which does not make that argument at all. Choice (E) is too broad to be the purpose of this small detail.

Though dealt a crushing blow by her opponent, the (i)_______ young chess player would not (ii)_______. She recalled her coaching, studied her options intently, and slid her hand across the board. With one (iii)_______ move, her misfortune turned to victory. - Blank 1: * noisome * yielding * indomitable - Blank 2: * capitulate * prevail * castigate - Blank 3: * astute * savory * trite

First, let's focus on the second blank, since that blank is the easiest to predict. The detour road sign "Though" in the first sentence indicates that the second half of the sentence is going in the opposite direction from the first part of the sentence. In the first part, we learn the young player was dealt a crushing blow. Using the road sign, we can predict the player will not "let herself feel discouraged" by the opponent's successful move. Now we review the answer choices. The correct answer, which most closely matches our prediction, is choice (D); the young player will not capitulate, or "accept defeat." We know that Choice (E) prevail, or "win," is the opposite of what we want, so it can be eliminated. Choice (F) castigate, or "criticize severely," does not make sense in context and can also be eliminated. With the second blank filled in, we can now make a prediction about the player's personality in order to complete the first blank. Because the player refuses to accept defeat, we can predict that she is unyielding. Choice (C) indomitable, or "difficult to beat or subdue," best matches this prediction and is the correct answer. The young player is not (A) noisome, which means "putrid" or "rotten." Neither is she (B) yielding, since she is not giving up. Finally, we can focus on the choices for the third blank. We learn the young player wins the game with one move, which we can infer must be an "intelligent and calculated" move because, just a moment before, her opponent had placed her in a bad position. Answer choice (G) astute, which means "clever" or "perceptive," matches this prediction very well. A chess move would not be described as (H) savory, or "appetizing." It would also not be (I) trite, or "cliché, worn out," because her move wins the game, and trite has a negative connotation. Answer choices (C), (D), and (G) are correct.

*****MP 3/Verbal 2/Question 13

If Ostriches are difficult to raise why is the meat bountiful, hence answer choice B) is incorrect. E) is also incorrect since more meat would logically mean that the price would decrease for coveted good.

MP 3/Verbal 2/Question 8

Look at the logic for answer choice B).

The (i)__________house, although now forsaken by its owners, was, at one time, the beloved abode of a young girl who delighted in (ii)__________its many cavernous rooms and hallways. Blank (i) pallid dilapidated immaculate Blank (ii) excavating excising exploring

If this were not a Text Completion question, any number of words or phrases might fill blank (i); a Victorian house might be "forsaken by its owners," as might a pink house, an ugly house, a big house, or a small house. Because this is a Text Completion question, using a clue word to define the filler is a safer strategy when possible. Thus, the filler for blank (i) is forsaken or a near-synonym, such as abandoned.(A) Pallid shares a root with pale (and pallor, and pall), but suggests "abnormal or unhealthy paleness." It is negative, and perhaps suggests decrepitude, but it would be odd to describe a house as a pallid.(B) CORRECT. Dilapidated, meaning "decayed or run down," is a fine match for our first filler. It does not mean precisely abandoned, but it does describe a likely result of abandonment.(C) Immaculate means literally "unspotted" or figuratively "unmarked by sin," the latter of which makes no sense here. The literal meaning is a near opposite of our filler.Blank (ii) is unusually vague; presumably it is something positive, given the clues that it was a "beloved" home and that the girl "delighted in" the activity. Exploring springs to mind.(D) Excavating doesn't work at all. Presumably the young girl didn't dig the house out of the ground, as excavating suggests.(E) To excise is "to remove," and is nonsensical in this context.(F) CORRECT. Exploring is a perfect match for our filler.

*****While one economist argues that the (i)__________of Western countries is that economic power naturally gravitates toward the erudite as opposed to being forcibly distributed through some arcane patriarchal order, one can conceivably make a case for the opposite. Since the erudition of individuals varies greatly from generation to generation, Western culture breeds (ii)__________, which many see as a disadvantage, whereas focus on fraternal ties is much less (iii)__________. Blank 1: a) shortcoming b) basis c) advantage Blank 2: d) dominance e) instability f) constancy Blank 3: g) varient h) stable i) palatable

In reading the entire argument, one can see the purpose of the argument is to refute the conclusion drawn by the economist about Western countries at the beginning of the first sentence. Blank (ii) is probably the easiest place to start. The author argues that erudition, meaning "scholarship or learning," varies. Look for a word that means something like "variation" in blank (ii). Note the pivot word "whereas" in the last clause. Therefore, we are looking for an idea that contrasts "varies" to describe a "focus on fraternal ties." Blank (iii), because it says "much less_____", should also be something like "changing." As for blank (i), because the second sentence is making a case for Western culture's disadvantage, we can fill blank (i) with a word such as "advantage." Blank (i) filler: "advantage" (A) Shortcoming, meaning "flaw or weakness," has the opposite meaning of our filler (B) Basis, meaning "foundation," does not make sense in this context. (C) CORRECT. Advantage is a perfect match. Blank (ii) filler: "variation" (D) Dominance means "power exerted over others." While some may associate this with Western culture, it does not match out filler. (E) CORRECT. Instability, meaning "not steady," is a perfect match. (F) Constancy, meaning "ever present," has the opposite meaning to our filler. Blank (iii) filler: "changing" (G) CORRECT. Variant means" changing" and is a perfect match. (H) Stable means "not changing." This is the opposite of our filler. (I) Palatable means "acceptable." This word does not generate a contrast between this part of the sentence and the part described by blank (ii).

Despite his best efforts to absorb his audience in the topic, the professor's lessons were seldom more than__________. * heterodox * pedantic * somniferous * hypnagogic * bathetic * impuissant

In this context, the clue words "to absorb" mean "to engage the full attention of." The pivot word "despite" indicates that the professor's lessons were not successful in this regard. Thus, our filler word would be something like "boring" or "uninteresting."(A) Heterodox means "contrary to accepted or approved beliefs," which might actually make the professor's lessons more interesting, not less.(B) Pedantic means "excessively, narrowly, often ostentatiously focused on book learning; unimaginative." Such a lesson could certainly be "boring," but there is no other answer choice that creates a sentence with a similar meaning.(C) CORRECT. Somniferous means "inducing sleep," and is a good match for our filler.(D) CORRECT. Hypnagogic means "inducing sleep," and is a good match for our filler.(E) Bathetic means "characterized by a sudden, often ludicrous, switch from elevated to the everyday or banal," and is not a good match for our filler. One might even argue that a lecture with ludicrous switches in tone might engage the audience more than a more even-toned lecture.(F) Impuissant means "powerless, weak, or feeble." Such a lesson could possibly be "uninteresting," but there is no other answer choice that creates a sentence with a similar meaning.

Nora Ephron's 1989 film, When Harry Met Sally, was more than a hit movie - for generation, it was a cultural ___________ regarding the often fraught relations between men and women. * rudder * bolster * touchstone * stanchion * cornerstone

MP/Chapter 32/Verbal Set 3/Page 904

(Test 3/Verbal 2/Question 15)

Make sure to make notes on the article, and keep track of what the authors argument is.

MP Test 3/Verbal 1/Question 4

Make sure you identify the argument and then go from there.

Kaplan/Verbal Practice 2/Question 20

Make sure you understand the metaphor and relate it to the ideas about the fringes in the actual experiment.

Kaplan/Verbal Practice 2/Question 19

Make sure your answer incapsulates the whole idea of the finding.

*****The boxes in the storage room were bulky and overstuffed and thus _______ to carry, and so rather than move them by hand, the woman loaded them onto a cart to facilitate their transport. - objectionable - loathsome - gargantuan - unwieldy - atrocious - cumbersome

In this sentence, the word "thus" is a straight-ahead road sign indicating that the idea after "thus" follows logically from the idea before it. The idea that comes before the word "thus" is that the boxes are bulky and overstuffed, so it follows that they would "difficult" to carry. This deduction makes sense in light of the fact that the woman chose to use a cart rather than carry the boxes by hand. We can predict that the correct answer will have a meaning similar to "difficult" or "burdensome." Next, we look for two choices that match our prediction. Answer choices (D) unwieldy and (F) cumbersome both mean "burdensome" and are correct. None of the other choices match our prediction. Choice (A) objectionable means "offensive," choice (B) loathsome means "disgusting," and choice (E) atrocious means "dreadful." All three convey the idea that the boxes were disgusting in some way, rather than simply burdensome, so these three choices are incorrect. Choice (C) gargantuan means "huge," but size alone did not make the boxes burdensome, so (C) is incorrect. Choices (D) and (F) are the correct answers.

*****The dictator won most of his followers through__________since little hard evidence lay on his side. * his bonhomie * browbeating * demagoguery * idolatry * torpor * sophistry

In this sentence, we are tasked with explaining how this dictator "won .... followers." A key clue is provided when we are told that "little hard evidence lay on his side," suggesting that the dictator did not win followers because he had a strong and logical argument. Thus, we must identify other ways in which someone might gain followers. Two possible fillers include "intimidation" or "trickery."(A) Bonhomie, defined as "affability or likeability" does work in the sentence. It is reasonable that someone could win followers by being very likable, although we may have been leaning towards a more negative context initially given the sentence is about a "dictator."(B) Browbeating means "bullying" and fits with the possibility that the leader won followers by instilling fear.(C) CORRECT. Demagoguery, meaning "gaining power by arousing passions or appealing to the prejudices of the people," matches our second filler word of "trickery."(D) Idolatry means "extreme admiration or reverence"; this choice is tempting because the dictator has many followers. However, it does not relate directly to our clue, which involves the nature of the dictators argument and communication.(E) Torpor, defined as "apathy or lethargy," does not make sense in the context of the sentence.(F) CORRECT. Sophistry, meaning "deceptive reasoning," is a match to our second filler.Choice (A) fits the sentence but no other answer choice gives a similar positive spin. Choice (B) also fits in the blank logically, but no other answer choices would provide the sentence a similar meaning.

*****Kap Test 4/Verbal 1/Question 4

Key Takeaway: When it's difficult to make a precise prediction to an Inference question, make a general one and then eliminate answers, starting with those that are either too extreme for run counter to the passage.

ETS Test 1/Verbal 1/Question 11

Look at the context clues after the colon. Also, would have been significantly helpful to know that temporal relaters to time.

*****Kaplan 4/Question 14/Verbal 2

Mark the tone in the passage. The author is making a comment in a scholarly manor that is condoning the action, therefore look for an appropriate word that looks down on the use of the public using the Ninth amendment as a sword. Remember, this question is not asking what he means when using the phrase but HOW HE FEELS about the phrase.

ETS Test 1/Verbal 2/Question 11

Not an easy sentence to decipher what the answer choices are. All we know is that there are two pairs: germane/apposite and ahistrionic/anachronistic. Seeing that their is a negative connotation to the sentence, choose the latter pair. https://www.prepscholar.com/gre/blog/no-point-investigation-tate-allow-___-commentary/#:~:text="At%20no%20point%20in%20her,her%20reckoning%20with%20past%20realities."

ManhattenPrep Test 2/Verbal 2/Question 14

Note answer choice D, the author does not make an assertion, but nearly a presumption. He also doesn't compare anything in the article.

(Kaplan Practice/Reading Comprehension/Quiz 1/Question 4)

Note how the key phrase "stating that" reveals that the highlighted phrase is a justification.

*****MP Test 2/Verbal 1/Question 4:

Note how we must be careful of words such as some and many. Also note how they take the argument apart into two portions: "consumers are interested in products more effective" and "consumers are currently unaware of the effectiveness of the product".

Kap Test 4/Verbal 1/Question 5

Note that some of the answers, like choice D, are too extreme. Do not choose answers that cannot be COMPLETELY backed up by the passages for inference questions.

*****ETS Test 1/Verbal 2/Question 7

Note that the first answer does not state that the author is in opposition to the critics. https://www.prepscholar.com/gre/blog/authors-primary-purpose-passage/

ETS Test 1/Verbal 1/Question 5

Note that the question is looking for SUPPORT to the answer to the question, not the answer itself.

When the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas premiered its fall exhibition of Impressionistic Masterpieces from the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, the curator of the Blanton was euphoric at the exhibit's reception; the long lines of patrons that subsequently strolled through the halls appeared similarly _________ as they contemplated the exhibit of 50 paintings. - judicious - decorous - rapturous - punctilious - exquisite - exultant

Note that the word "similarly", meaning that the patrons had a similar feeling as the curator (euphoric => very happy). - rapturous - exultant

*****Kaplan 4/Question 15/Verbal 2

Note that these questions have to fall in line with the information given in the last sentence: "judicial intent".

(Test 3/Verbal 1/Question 4)

Note the different meanings of the word conventional.

Kaplan 4/Question 13/Verbal 2

Note the distortion for answer choice A. Not all rights that are not enumerated are presumed to be de facto guarantees.

*****Verbal Practice Set 3/Question 10

Note the logic of if X happens then, then it will be certain that Y happened first. MP/Pages 905 - 906

*****(Kaplan Practice/Reading Comprehension/Question 3)

Note the phrase "labour becomes LESS IMPORTANT" => this is a change in a social attitude, hence why A) is correct. Note, how demonstrate/show how for answers B) and C) represents an author's opinion not one of the individuals in the article's options.

*****MP Test 2/Verbal 1/Question 8

Note the very fine differences between each answer and the paragraph. Also note that the passage did bring something up about the number of both rhino species in the wild.

At first glance, the group seemed to be fairly __________, but after a week of intense physical training, it became apparent that a wide range of skills and abilities was present - lackadaisical - diverse - homogenous - stubborn - conformable - reasonable

Note the words "but" and "it became apparent that A WIDE RANGE of skills and abilities was present". - homogenous - conformable

(Test 3/Verbal 2/Question 14)

Note, how one can reason through the potential answers.

(Test 3/Verbal 1/Question 5)

Note, how the Kaplan 5 steps help here. You will realize the answer is in the third paragraph, not the second.

*****MP Test 2/Verbal 2/Question 7

Notice how we are looking for the PURPOSE of the inclusion. The last answer states the last sentence verbatim but that was not the purpose of inclusion, which was to show that there might be a low survival chance for the Indonesian herd. Also note that the second to last answer is too strong, as the author does not make their death certain by making this statement.

Look at Question 17 Chapter 32 [Easy Difficulty]

Notice that A) is too extreme.

*****Look at Question 16 in Chapter 32 [Easy Difficulty]

Notice that the passage states nothing about the consumer response to the add spending, so choice B) is not possible. But we know that in aggregate, the total percentage of add spending must be less than that spent by the highest spender.

Look at Question 18 in Chapter 32 [Easy Difficulty]

Notice that we only have to prove one of the author's arguments incorrect.

ETS Test 1/Verbal 1/Question 6

Notice the phrase " Early critics...mistook for simplemindedness", which means we are looking for a word that is opposite simplemindedness. Cunning and craft are both good options for the guess of quickness.

Manhattan Prep/Quiz 1/Verbal 2/Question 8

Notice the reasoning behind the wrong answers.

*****Princeton/Reading Comprehension/Drill 3/Question 12

Read carefully, especially when it comes to compensation. Choice (A) can be eliminated because, while the text tells you that the paintings are nearly indistinguishable from photographs, there is nothing that says anyone is confused by the paintings. Choice (B) is correct because the passage says, in line 17, that Close's later work found inspiration from abstract expressionism. Choice (C) is incorrect because the passage never states whether Close has sold his works.

*****MP Test 2/Verbal 1/Question 10

Read the paragraph carefully. Do not get lazy at the end of the paragraph. Also note the fine difference between answer A and what the author says in the paragraph (will aid vs can).

ETS Test 1/Verbal 2/Question 14

Read the question carefully.

*****Chapter 5/Question 143

Remember not to only look into the definition of the word but also how it relates to the passage.

Princeton/Reading Comprehension/Drill 3/Question 15

Remember to summarize what you have read. The author states that anti-foundationalists believe that there is no secure basis for knowledge. Therefore, choice (A) is correct. The author states that Derrida held the belief that any attempts to discuss universal features of human nature are merely products of local standards. In other words, meaning is understood within a cultural context, thus eliminate choice (B). Choice (C) misquotes the information in the passage. Though the passage talks about Darwin's work, almost making Derrida's inevitable, choice (D) is too extreme. Eliminate choice (E) because it does not address the question.

Princeton/Reading Comprehension/Drill 3/Question 5

Since solar winds are directly related to geomagnetic storms, auroras, and comets, and cause comet tails to bend in particular directions, they play a signiAcant role in the development of auroras and geomagnetic storms, thus supporting choice (B). The second paragraph states both that the Earth's magnetic Aeld protects it from the solar winds, and that solar winds are responsible for the Earth's magnetosphere, and changes in their speed and direction strongly inIuence Earth's space environment, thus supporting choice (A). The Arst part of choice (C) is almost an exact reproduction of sentence 3, but that sentence doesn't say anything about super- charged plasma

Verbal Practice Set 3/Question 7

Stay away from too broad of answers. Always note if the author is giving their own opinion or someone else's opinion.

Although improvements in helmet technology would seem to (i)_______ professional football players' physical protection, injury statistics reflect a disturbing trend: The helmets are being deployed as (ii)_______ devices. (select 1) - Blank 1: * aggrandize * augment * demystify - Blank 2: * vituperating * buffeting * shielding

That there were "improvements" to helmet technology means that the helmets were changed for the better, so let us start with the first blank. Answer choice (C) augment means the same as "add to" or "improve," so (C) is correct. Because the verb (A) demystify means "to clear something up," answer choice (A) it is incorrect. The new technology improves the helmets themselves; it does not clear up how they work. Answer choice (B) aggrandize is a tricky trap answer. It means "to make something grander or make it seem so." It is typically applied to empires, political power, wealth, or social status, not to qualities such as physical protection, so (B) is incorrect. Because the detour road sign "although" signals that the second part of the sentence will contest what is stated in the first part, for the second blank, we should look for a word that contradicts better protection for the players. Answer choice (E) buffeting, which means "to strike against forcefully," is correct for the second blank. Answer choice (D) vituperating or "speaking abusively" does not fit the context, so (D) is incorrect. Answer choice (F) shielding means "protecting." We are looking for something that means the opposite of "protecting," so (F) is also incorrect. The correct answer choices are (C) and (E).

*****Eleanor of Aquitaine, who married Henry II of England, was dead and forgotten for hundreds of years, until Katherine Hepburn ______ her in "The Lion in Winter", injecting her own vitality into the depiction of that queen. * mummified * mocked * resurrected * glamorized * immortalized * parodied

The answers must oppose "dead and forgotten". Both "resurrected" and "immortalized" fit. While "glamorized" might be tempting, it does not fit the club from the sentence ("vitality" is not the same as "glamorous"). "Mocked" and "parodied" form an incorrect pair - the sentence gives no indication of Aquitaine had been dead for years, but this word does not have a pair nor does it fit the clues given in the sentence. Note that "resurrected" and "immortalized" are not synonyms, but both certainly oppose the clear "dead and forgotten".

*****ManhattenPrep Test 2/Verbal 2/Question 13

The argument may be summarized as follows: Exit poll: 4/5ths said they would vote for candidate who uses wheelchair Conclusion: poll may overestimate those who would vote for a candidate who uses a wheelchair It is helpful before proceeding to the answer choices to attempt to anticipate the missing portion of the argument: an unstated premise that would support our conclusion. Why would the poll have overestimated those who would vote for a candidate who uses a wheelchair? Perhaps because voters, wanting to look good for the pollster, were not truthful in answering the pollster's questions. (A) CORRECT. This explains why the poll would have overestimated the proportion of voters who would vote for a candidate who uses wheelchair. (B) This choice implies that people who would vote for a candidate who uses wheelchair told the pollster they wouldn't, which would cause the poll to undercount, not overcount, the proportion of voters who would vote for a candidate who uses wheelchair. (C) Providing additional information about people who reported that they would not vote for a candidate who uses wheelchair does not support the conclusion that the proportion of people who said they would vote for a candidate who uses a wheelchair was overestimated. (D) The conclusion is about registered voters; this statement is irrelevant. (E) The idea that voters who claimed that they would not vote for a candidate who uses wheelchair might change their minds under some circumstances supports the idea that the proportion of voters who would vote for a candidate who uses wheelchair has been undercounted, not overcounted.

*****Local authorities are considering an amendment to the litter law that would raise the fine for littering in the community picnic area to $1,000. Advocates say that raising the fine will make people take notice of the law. They may be correct that higher fines get more attention. Since the inception of the litter law, incremental increases in the littering fine have proven to be consistently effective at further reducing the amount of litter in the community picnic area. However, raising the fine to $1,000 would actually have the unintended effect of increasing the amount of litter in the picnic area. Picnic area users would perceive this fine to be unreasonable and unenforceable, and would disregard the litter law altogether. Select the sentence, by clicking on the passage itself, that provides support for the author's position in the passage.

The author concludes that raising the fine to $1,000 would have the unintended effect of increasing the amount of litter in the picnic area.The "however" is a signal that the author is about to assert his conclusion, in contrast to the previous statements. Thus, we will not find support for the author's position before the "however."The last sentence supports the author's position by explaining WHY people might litter more, despite facing a higher potential fine for doing so. "Picnic area users would perceive this fine to be unreasonable and unenforceable, and would disregard the litter law altogether."

The _______ of recent national political discourse is matched only by the seriousness of the problems, which such hateful rhetoric is important to address. * virulence * acrimony * shortsightedness * partisanship * miscalculation * intransigence

The blank in this sentence describes "recent national political discourse," which is referred to as "hateful rhetoric" at the end of the sentence. While the other options in this question could possibly describe a person's opinion on political discourse, the only words that could match "hateful" are "virulence" and "acrimony", both of which mean harsh or full of malice. "Partisanship" and "intransigence" form a pair since each means biased or unlikely to compromise, the pair does not work here. Neither "shortsightedness" nor "miscalculation" mean "hateful", nor do these two words form a pair.

Many (i) _______ have commentated that football reflects an industrial perspective because the game time is inflexibly determined by the clock, whereas baseball stems from an agrarian one, in which the passage of time is more (ii) ___________ and determined by events. Blank (i) pundits amateurs dilettantes Blank (ii) amorphous pacific asymmetrical

The clue for the first blank is "commentated". Neither "amateurs" nor "dilettantes" (a synonym of amateurs) are likely to make this kind of knowledge comment. The correct choice for the first blank is "pundits", or experts in a particular field. The pivot word whereas means that the second blank opposes "inflexibly determined". "Amorphous" fits this meaning. Nothing in the sentence suggests that the passage of time is "pacific" (peaceful) or "asymmetrical". Something appear wrong with the second blank.

Consider the spheres of human conduct carefully delineated and harmonized by the modern legal system, which is based on the idea that one person's freedom ends where it begins to__________another person's freedom. a) constitute b) impinge upon c) decimate d) dampen e) rule over

The clue phrase in the first part of the stem is "spheres of human conduct carefully delineated and harmonized," implying that the modern legal system defines the boundaries of human behaviors to promote the peaceful coexistence of these behaviors. In other words, the modern legal system serves to keep people out of others' space. The second part of the stem should conform to this concept.Thus, the second part of the stem should mean "one person's freedom ends where it begins to infringe on" another person's freedom. An appropriate Filler is infringe on, which means "to encroach on." (A) Constitute sounds like Constitution, which is a theme trap if you're thinking of the relationship between the Constitution and the legal system. (B) CORRECT. Impinge upon means the same thing as infringe on. (C) Decimate means "to destroy." This has an appropriately negative spin, but it's much too strong for what we're looking for. (D) Dampen is an easy, familiar word, but it's not close enough in meaning to infringe on. (E) Rule over is not close in meaning, but it does contain a theme trap if you're thinking of the "rule of law."

Many poets __________ the primacy of meter over words: Stephen Fry, in his book, The Ode Less Traveled, argues that rhythm is essential in poetry, whereas deeper meaning is less important. - stress - acknowledge - allow - immolate - underscore - decry

The colon after "words" illustrate the point the author is making in the first paragraph, stating that rhythm, or meter, is more important than deeper meaning, or the words within a passage. Acknowledge and allow are too weak here and as a result we use stress and underscore to emphasize their point (Question 102).

For the people of ancietnt cultures who resided in desert climates, laws of hospitality dictated that (i) _____________ must be welcomed as friends in the homes of their hosts; this code of conduct, typically grounded in religious belief, was considered (ii) ___________ as it ensured basic survival for those who were traveling through the harsh, arid environment. Blank (i): a) adversaries b) sojourners c) occupants Blank (ii): d) discretionary e) sacrosanct f) injudicious

The context clues that point to the meaning of the first blank can be found both before and after the semicolon. In the first half of the sentence, the reference to "hospitality" and being :welcomed as friends: indicate that the missing word refers to a group of people. In the second half of the sentence, this same group is described as "those who were traveling". You can, therefore, predict "travelers" for the missing word. This prediction matches (B) sojourners, which refers to people staying in a place for a short time. Choice (A) adversaries means "enemies", but no context clues indicates that the travelers are hostile. Choice (C) occupants refers to people who live in a particular place, so it would be the opposite of "travelers". The second blank describes how ancient people viewed the law of hospitality. As the sentence states., this law was usually "grounded in religious belief" and "ensured basic survival" for travelers, so you can predict that this law was regarded as very important and even sacred. Eliminate (D) discretionary, which means "optional" and (F) injudicious, which means "foolish". Choice (E) sacrosanct, which means "sacred" or "inviolable", is a strong match for the prediction and the correct answer.

Although the presidential candidate spoke (i)__________ about her plans to lead the country, David tried not to be too (ii)________. He was fully aware that many candidates renege on their campaign promises after being elected to office. - Blank 1: * coherently * pompously *Idealistically - Blank 2: * credulous * contrite * cynical

The detour road sign "Although" indicates that the two blanks will contrast with one another. In addition, the second sentence, "He was fully aware that many candidates renege on their campaign promises after being elected to office," tells us that David knew that he should not trust everything the candidate said. Hence, the correct word for the second blank is one that reflects David's determination to not be "too trusting" or "gullible." Based on our prediction, choice (D) credulous, meaning "naive" or "willing to trust too easily," is the most appropriate answer. We can eliminate choice (E) contrite because it means "remorseful," which would imply that David felt guilty about something; this does not fit with anything we know from the sentence. Choice (F) cynical, which means "distrustful," is also not a suitable answer because it is the opposite of "gullible." Now that we have established that David is reluctant to place too much faith in the candidate's campaign promises, because he knows they might not come true, we can predict that the word that fills the first blank is positive in meaning. A good prediction would therefore be that the candidate spoke "ambitiously" about her plans to lead the country. Choice (C) idealistically is the correct answer for the first blank because it is similar in meaning to "ambitiously" and implies that the candidate spoke of bold or lofty goals that David might find appealing. Choice (A) coherently, which means "logically" or "comprehensibly," is too neutral and not the same as "ambitiously." Choice (B) pompously means "arrogantly," which has a negative connotation, and is therefore not a suitable answer.

*****Although the students had intended to drive from Delaware to Washington, D.C. that night, a weather advisory warned that the roads had been blocked by snow and ice, forcing the students to _________ their plan. * modify * initiate * amend * consign * compromise * undermine

The detour road sign "although" tells us that the word that fits in the blank will be at odds with the first part of the sentence. In the beginning of the sentence, we learn that the students' plan was "to drive from Delaware to Washington, D.C.," but that a severe weather advisory informed them that the roads were blocked. We can therefore predict that the students would need to "change" or "alter" their plans in some way. Answer choices (A) modify and (C) amend, which both mean "to alter," fit the context of the sentence and produce logical sentences that are equivalent in meaning. Answer choice (B) initiate means "to begin," which does not make sense, since we know that trip cannot be executed as planned due to the blocked roads. Answer choice (D) consign, which means "to hand over," cannot be correct because nothing in the sentence suggests that the students are handing over their plan to someone or something else. Answer choice (E) compromise means "to settle by agreement." In this sentence, there are not two parties that disagree, so this meaning of compromise is not appropriate in context. Compromise can also mean "to jeopardize" or "damage by concessions," but in this sentence, it would be the weather—not the students themselves—that compromises the students' plan. Likewise, choice (F) undermine, which means "to damage," describes the effect of the severe weather on the plan, rather than the action of the students in response to the weather.

We were overwhelmed by the _______ of the philanthropist, who donated a great deal to our cause despite normally supporting only those organizations more closely affiliated with the arts. - dignity - duplicity - liberality - magnanimity - magnetism - sumptuousness

The detour road sign "despite" indicates a contrast between the author's expectations of the philanthropist and the philanthropist's actions. A large donation would contradict the author's expectations, making a prediction along those lines appropriate; the sentence might logically read, "We were overwhelmed by the generosity of the philanthropist..." Both liberality and magnanimity mean "generous," so (C) and (D)are correct. Choice (A) dignity means "respect" or "pride," which would be a likely word to describe a philanthropist but doesn't explain the author's surprise. Likewise choice (E) magnetism, or "appeal," is incorrect because the philanthropist could appear charming no matter who received a sizable donation. Choice (B) duplicity, meaning "deceit," has far too negative a connotation to apply to a philanthropist. Choice (F) sumptuousness means "luxurious," which is only used to describe objects and does not apply in this setting. The correct answers are (C)and (D).

*****Despite the physician's (i)______, Simmons could not suppress his skepticism regarding the prescribed course of treatment. The doctor had (ii)_______ against trying home remedies found by searching the Internet, but Simmons did so anyway, and in consequence he suffered from (iii)______ of ailments beyond the one originally diagnosed. a) general concordance b) absolute condemnation c) optimistic prognosis d) inveighed e) levied f) extolled g) a pharmacopoeia h) an alleviation i) a plethora

The detour road sign "despite" lets us know that there is a contradiction coming. The answer for the first blank is contradicted by Simmons's "skepticism regarding the prescribed course of treatment," so the first blank will describe "something positive that the doctor believes." Choice (C) optimistic prognosis, which means "positive prediction of the probable outcome of a disease," denotes that the doctor thinks the patient will be fine, so (C) is the correct answer. The doctor's (B) absolute condemnation, or "complete disapproval," is likely to add to the man's trepidation, so (B) is also incorrect. For the middle blank, the phrase "but Simmons did so anyway" helps us predict that the word that goes in the second blank supports the notion that Simmons did something unwise, such as going against the doctor's wishes. Choice (D) inveighed, together with the word "against," means "protest strongly against," so (D) is correct. For the last blank, we know that due to his disobedience of the doctor's orders, Simmons suffered from ailments "beyond the one" the had originally been diagnosed. A good prediction for the third blank would be "more than one." Choice (I) plethora means "a multitude" and is a perfect match, so choice (I) is correct. The correct answers are (C), (D), and (I). (More explanation in Test 3/Verbal 2/Question 3)

Though many multifaceted volumes are attributed to the classical poet by ancient historians, contemporary scholars can only speculate about the diversity and breadth of his work, using the few (i)__________ texts as guides. - extant - recursive - amorphous - defunct - esoteric

The detour road sign "though" indicates that there is a contrast between the first half of the sentence and the second half. The blank, which describes "texts" and is preceded by the keyword "few," contrasts the "many volumes" from the first half of the sentence. Records from ancient historians reveal that the poet wrote many varied volumes, but current scholars can only guess at the variety of the poet's themes "based on" a few texts. From this we can infer that only a few texts are still in existence. We can predict that a word like "surviving" will describe those remaining works. Choice (A) extant or "existing" fits this prediction and is the correct answer. If the few texts are (B) recursive, or "returning to the same points repeatedly," we could surmise that the poet was stuck on just a few themes, contradicting the notion that his work was "multifaceted." Hence, (B) is incorrect. Likewise, if the few texts are (C) amorphous, or "vague or unorganized," it would be nearly impossible for scholars to use them as indicators for themes in other works, so (C) is incorrect. Choice (D) defunct, or "no longer in existence," is the opposite of what we're looking for and is therefore incorrect. Choice (E) esoteric means "difficult to understand," a quality that would not assist scholars in their study of the ancient poet, so (E) is incorrect.

The promotion meant a higher salary and a greater opportunity to (i)________decision making at the top; on the other hand, taking on such a position would inevitably (ii)________ a healthy work-life balance. a) defer b) disparage c) actuate d) uphold e) preclude f) inculcate

The first thing we should notice is that the second independent clause, which comes after the semicolon, is preceded by the detour road sign "on the other hand," which signals a shift in direction. The two halves of the sentence will contrast with each other. For the first blank, we need to find a word that expands on the keywords "greater opportunity." We can predict that someone with a promotion and a great opportunity would likely be able to "affect" decision making. The choice that most closely matches our prediction is (C) actuate, which means "put into action." This is the correct answer. Choice (A) defer, or "put off," can be eliminated because putting off decisions wouldn't be seen as an opportunity. Choice (B) disparage means "to mock," which is not something a recently promoted person would be likely to do. The word filling the second blank will support a counterpoint to the opportunity discussed in the first half of the sentence. What negative thing might happen to a work-life balance? Only Choice (E) preclude, which means "prevent," makes sense. Choice (D) uphold, or "support," and Choice (F) inculcate, or "instill," are both too positive to work here. The correct answers are (C) and (E).

ETS Test 1/Verbal 2/Question 3

The key word in the sentence is normally. Note, that there is no indication that experiment with should be the right answer. It appears that she got rid of the ideas all together.

The (i)______ president remained headstrong in his approach to resolving the crisis. Even though the situation around him was (ii)______ precipitously, he continued his (iii)______ decision-making process, eschewing dissenting opinions.The (i)______ president remained headstrong in his approach to resolving the crisis. Even though the situation around him was (ii)______ precipitously, he continued his (iii)______ decision-making process, eschewing dissenting opinions. Blank (i) a) amenable b) obstinate c) cryptic Blank (ii) d) deprecating e) vacillating f) deteriorating Blank (iii) g) unilateral h) harsh i) pluralistic

The president is "headstrong" and ignores dissenting opinions. We can predict that he and his decision-making process are both "stubborn" and look for synonyms of this word for both the first and third blanks. Choices (B) obstinate, meaning "stubborn," and (G) unilateral, meaning "one-sided," match this prediction and are correct. Choice (A) amenable, meaning "cooperative," is the opposite of our prediction, while Choice (C) cryptic, meaning "secretive," is unsupported by the context of the sentence, so both are incorrect. Choice (H) harsh, or "mean," may describe the character of the president's actions, but not the stubbornness of his decisions, so this choice is incorrect. Choice (I) pluralistic, or "having multiple sources," would indicate that the president was in fact taking others' opinions into account, which the sentence denies, so this choice is also incorrect. The keywords "crisis" and "precipitously" indicate that the second blank should be similar to "worsening." Choice (F) deteriorating is a perfect match and is the correct answer. Choice (D) deprecating, which looks like "depreciating," actually means "disapproving" and is therefore incorrect. Choice (E) vacillating means to waver between two options, which makes no sense in this sentence, so this choice is also incorrect. The answers are choices (B), (F), and (G).

(Test 3/Verbal 1/Question 10) Kanzi, a bonobo ape that lives at the Great Ape Trust research center in Des Moines, Iowa, is making people question their conceptions about what animals think and feel. Kanzi uses human language to communicate not only his wants and needs, but also more abstract thoughts. Kanzi knows at least 384 words. Since bonobos' voices are not well suited to producing English words, Kanzi communicates by pointing to symbols, known as lexigrams, on a set of laminated sheets. Each lexigram stands for a different word or idea. Among the symbols Kanzi uses are those for concept words such as from and later as well as others for grammatical endings such as -ed and -ing. Kanzi uses his language skills to demand food and toys and also in more surprising ways: for instance, to invite a friend for coffee. Which of the following, if true, supports the argument that Kanzi can use human language to com

The question asks us to determine which answer choice supports a particular argument: that Kanzi uses human language to communicate in abstract ways. We can predict that the correct answer will be an example of Kanzi using language in an abstract way. Choice (A) is such an example. The passage indicates that "concept words" and expression of the past tense qualify as abstract communication. Referring to yesterday's dinner, then, is an example of abstract communication, and so choice (A) is correct. Kanzi's pointing to the ball symbol to ask for his ball is not consistent with the passage's description of abstract language use. Therefore choice (B) does not support the argument and is incorrect. Kanzi's ability to point is not an example of language use, so choice (C) does not support the argument and is incorrect. The fact that Kanzi learns new words demonstrates his acquisition, not his use, of language, so choice (D) is out of scope. The passage suggests that bonobos' voices are unsuited to vocalize human words, but Kanzi's attempt to vocalize English words is not an abstract use of language so choice (E) is a distortion and is incorrect. Choice (A) is the correct answer.

Because the United States has become a mature, established nation, the _________ nature of Thomas Pain's political diatribes is now downplayed by government officials, who would vociferously denounce a contemporary version as seditious. - pallid - incendiary - antithetical - anemic - demagogic - deferential

The sentence is quite complex. It can often helpful to reduce such a sentence down to its main core-eliminating the tacked-on modifiers-and then ass the extra information back in as needed. Doing so here leaves you with: "The ______________ nature of Thomas Pain's political diatribes is now downplayed by government officials."

Unbridled passion, whether rage or ardor, gives way to the sort of rash declarations that too often end in ______________ and sorrow. - disdain - pity - rue - affinity - remorse - contempt

The sentence states that the uncontrolled passion can lead to something bad. The answer should be close to sorrow, perhaps something like regret. "Rue" and "remorse" are the nearest synonyms and are therefore the correct pair. "Disdain" and "contempt" are also synonyms, but anger and sorrow do not pair as well as regret and sorrow. "Pity" might work if it had a pair in the answer choices, while "affinity" has no pair and also doesn't have the same negative tone that the other answer choices have (Question 106).

The mystery surrounding Atlantis appeared inscrutable; many had thought it purely the stuff of myth until an archaeologist's discovery promised to ________ this millennia-old enigma. * redress * coalesce * elucidate * resolve * sanction * stimulate

The sentence tells us that the mystery surrounding Atlantis seemed "inscrutable" and that many thought it to be the "stuff of myth." The detour road sign "until" tells us that the answer will be the opposite of "inscrutable," which means "mysterious or unexplainable." We are therefore looking for a word that means something similar to "reveal." Answer choices (C) elucidate and (D) resolve mean "to reveal" or "to clarify." They match our prediction and are therefore the correct answers. Answer choice (A) redress means "to correct" or "to set right," which does not match our prediction. Answer choice (B) coalescemeans "to blend or unite," and choice (E) sanction means either "to approve" or "to penalize," neither of which makes sense in this sentence. Answer choice (F) stimulate means "to excite," which could fit with the sentence but does not match our prediction or have another answer choice with a similar meaning.

*****The so-called "reality" television show claimed to display the _______ side of the starlet's life, but her daily routines were far too sensational for the claims to hold true. * unusual * predictable * quotidian * exotic * mundane * plastic

The show "claimed to display the _________ side of the starlet's life". but those claims cannot be true because "her daily endeavors were far too sensational." The blank needs to say something along the lines of "unsensational". The pair "unusual" and exotic" means the opposite. "Plastic" has many meanings, none of which apply very well here, and it dosen't have a pair. Finally, when down to "predictable", "quotidian", and "mundane", choose the best pair. "Predictable" is a near miss here. It doesn't necessarily mean "unsensational" because things could be predictably sensational. "Quotidian" means unsensational, everyday, or ordinary, just like "mundane", so these are the best answer choices.

When caught in the middle of a ________ between friends, Dan typically agrees with whoever shouts the loudest. - row - accord - truce - fracas - torque - chasm

The straight-ahead road sign "When" indicates that whatever goes in the blank must be in accord with the second clause in the sentence. Because Dan's friends are shouting, an acceptable prediction would be "argument" or "fight." Now let's review the answer choices to see if any are synonymous with "fight." Choice (A) row is another word for a fight, as is choice (D) fracas. Choices (B) accord, meaning "harmony," and (C) truce, meaning "a friendly agreement to stop fighting," both refer to peacemaking. While they are synonymous, they are the opposite of what we are looking for. Choice (E) torque means "the power from twisting," which doesn't fit at all. Choice (F) chasm, which means "gaping hole," "gap," or "interruption," may occur in a social sense as a consequence of friends fighting, but the sentence is concerned with the actual argument, not its consequences; nor does choice (F) have a synonym among the answer choices. Choices (A) row and (D) fracas are the correct choices because they both match our prediction of "argument."

For some time now, the onslaught of intransigent and _________ laws has suppressed the rights of minority groups in the country and allowed their relentless persecution. No wonder, then, that these suppressed groups have garnered the support of human-rights organizations the world over. * obsolete * iniquitous * inclusive * flexible * universal * unrighteous

The straight-ahead road sign "and" in the first sentence is a clue that the word in the blank is a continuation of the idea already presented. The words "onslaught" and "intransigent" both have negative connotations in the context and thus hint that the missing word also has a negative charge. In addition, the keywords "suppressed,""relentless," and "persecution," which also have negative connotations, support our reasoning. We are therefore looking for a word that describes laws that smother the rights of a group and permit their harassment. A good prediction might be: "The onslaught of intransigent and unfair laws has suppressed the rights of minority groups." Based on this prediction, choices (B) iniquitous and (F) unrighteous, both meaning "unjust" or "unfair," are the correct answers. Choice (A) obsolete, meaning "outdated," is incorrect because the laws are still in practice. Choice (C) inclusive, meaning "comprehensive," is incorrect because it has a positive connotation and does not describe "unfair" laws. Similarly, Choice (D) flexible, or "willing to yield," can be ruled out because it means the opposite of "intransigent." Finally, Choice (E) universal is incorrect because the laws are applicable only to the minority groups; they are not universal or "complete."

The doctor__________ that the patient might have asthma because she had frequent chest pain and could not walk up a flight of stairs without losing her breath. * explained * reasoned * debated * inferred * interpreted * denied

The straight-ahead road sign "because" always indicates that the clause that follows it serves as evidence for a conclusion stated elsewhere in the sentence. In this case, the conclusion is in the first clause. A good prediction would be, "The doctor concluded that the patient might have asthma because she had frequent chest pain and could not walk up a flight of stairs without losing her breath." Answer Choice (B) reasoned, or "formed conclusions from facts," is correct because it indicates that the doctor "concluded" from the patient's symptoms that she had asthma. Answer Choice (D) inferred, or "concluded from evidence," also indicates that the doctor made a conclusion based on the patient's symptoms. Answer Choice (A) explained, or "made clear," makes sense in the context, but there is no second choice that gives a similar meaning, so (A) is incorrect. Choice (C) debated, or "argued a point," does not work because the sentence gives no indication that the doctor is discussing the case with anyone. Choice (E) interpreted, or "translated," does not make sense in the context of the sentence. Choice (F) denied, or "stated that something was not true," does not make sense because of the "straight ahead" structure of the sentence. The correct answers are (B) and (D).

Although most of the information in the book is familiar to specialists, certain details may seem rather _____ to the general reader. (select 1) * surprising * trivial * boring * prosaic * irrelevant

The word "although" indicates contrast. The contrast is between "specialists" and "common readers," or non-specialists. If one group finds the information "familiar," the other must find it "unfamiliar," or (A) surprising. None of the other answer choices contrasts directly with "familiar."

The singular headgear of the London policeman is as _______ a symbol of the city as its buildings and monuments. a) ancient b) comprehensive c) distinctive d) noble e) portentous

The word "singular" means unique or odd. So if the headgear, or hat, of the London policeman is singular, it must be a (C) distinctivesymbol of the city, as unique as its buildings and monuments. If you didn't see this, you could have at least eliminated some answer choices. It makes no sense to talk of a hat as a (B) comprehensive(which means "broadly inclusive") symbol, or as a (E) portentous (which means "ominous") symbol, so you could have discarded choices(B) and (E).

Throughout Homer's Iliad, the importance of fate and its predictability in ancient Grecian culture is underscored by the dramatic use of ________ to foreshadow events. - hyperboles - similes - portents - protests - auguries - anachronisms

The word "to" after the blank illustrates that whatever word belongs in the blank, it must be a sign that foreshadows events. The phrase "underscored by" shows that it will have some connection to fate and predictability. -portents - auguries

******When one sees "and" before or after a blank in a vocabulary question, what does this mean?

The word that is before or after the word and is a good prediction for the sentence equivalence/answer.

In the 1960s nuclear arms (i)_______ was a dangerous game, but a game with clear rules. The (ii)_______ problem is quite different; though the United States and Russia retain vast nuclear arsenals, years of joint diplomacy have tempered their posturing, while the potential for (iii)______ attack involving another nation or a rogue group has intensified. - Blank 1: * discretion * proliferation * abatement - Blank 2: * antithetical * anachronistic * contemporary - Blank 3: * a precipitous * an apostate * a liminal

The wording "problem is quite different" gives us plenty of context for the second blank, so we'll begin in the middle. We know the preceding sentence is about the past, so it is likely that the adjective will carry some sense of "today," which (F) contemporary, meaning "current," does. Answer choice (F) is correct. Choice (D) antithetical, or "opposite," is too strong for our sentence. Yes, the new problem is different, but that doesn't mean it's the reverse of the old problem. Thus (D) is incorrect. Choice (E) anachronistic means "belonging to another time." Though we are comparing nuclear dangers in different times, to suggest that the problem is from the wrong time makes no sense in context, so choice (E) is incorrect. Because of the key words "retain vast arsenals," the number of weapons is key to the context, and we also know that the first missing word suggests "a dangerous game." We can predict that the first blank will have to do with large numbers or widespread distribution of weapons, so answer choice (B) proliferation, meaning "fast increase," is correct. Choice (A) discretion, meaning "being careful," may seem to fit if we are thinking about diplomacy among nations, but it doesn't fit with "dangerous game," so choice (A) is incorrect. Choice (C) abatement, or "cutting down," is also incorrect. Though it addresses the number of weapons, we know that both sides "retained vast arsenals." The last blank needs an adjective describing a kind of attack, and the fact that "the problem is quite different" from the "clear rules" mentioned in the first sentence suggests that there is something random or hard to predict about this type of attack. Answer choice (G) precipitous means "fast and unexpected," so (G) is correct. While an attack can be (H) apostate, or "traitorous," that kind of attack would not come from "another nation," so (H) is incorrect. Choice (I) liminal, meaning "on the edges or at the point where one thing crosses into the other," can describe a moment when an attack is made or even the reactions of nations afterward, but it is not a logical descriptor of the attack itself, so (I) is incorrect. The correct answers are (B), (F), and (G).

*****Despite their exhaustive search and shared belief that the victim was telling the truth, lawyers for the prosecution were unable to (i)_____ the victim's testimony. Moreover, an eyewitness contradicted several components of the victim's account, leading the defense to impugn the power of the victim's faculties. Consequently, the judge had no choice but to (ii)_____ the defendant. Blank (i) * instigate * arbitrate * substantiate Blank (ii) * exculpate * denunciate * exalt

There are two important road signs that allow us to form a prediction for the first blank. "Despite" is a detour road sign that tells us that the two halves of the first sentence are contradictory. The first half of the sentence tells us that the lawyers have faith in the witness's testimony but that they are unable to accomplish something, despite great effort. The word that fills the first blank should therefore have a positive meaning, like "confirm." In the second sentence, "Moreover" acts as a straight-ahead road sign. It indicates that the second sentence must agree with the first. If an eyewitness contradicted the victim's testimony, this is consistent with the lawyers being unable to (C) substantiate, or "verify," the victim's testimony. This makes (C) the correct answer. There would be no need to (A) instigate, or "start up," testimony already provided by the victim. Furthermore, there would be no need to (B) arbitrate, or "settle," testimony either. The straight-ahead road sign "Consequently" then tells us that the judge's decision logically followed from the previous two sentences: the prosecution's weak evidence, and the defense's strong evidence. From this information, we can predict that the judge would "clear the defendant from blame," making (D) exculpate the correct answer. In this context, the judge would not (E) denunciate, or "vilify," the defendant; this is the opposite of our prediction. There is also no evidence in the sentence that the judge would (F) exalt, meaning "honor," the defendant; this would be far more extreme than simply clearing the defendant from blame. Choices (C) and (D) are correct.

*****The proposed measure to__________the management team's plans to move the company toward a more environmentally conscious posture is likely to be rejected by the board; ever since Rodriguez assumed the role of board president last year, the board has demonstrated a particular bent for progressive action. a) alter b) scotch c) back d) foil e) fund g) endorse

This sentence contains a lot of double negatives and switchbacks. The big clue is "likely to be rejected by the board." Another clue is that the board has "demonstrated a particular bent for progressive action." This means the board is inclined to favor change or progress, which means the board would be likely to support any plans for a more environmentally conscious posture. So, if the board would support the environmentally conscious posture, and if the board is likely to vote down the new measure, this new measure must be against the plans for a more environmentally conscious posture. Therefore, the measure must be designed to "kill" or "prevent" the management team's plans.(A) Alter is a word that would fit in the blank. Since the proposed measure is against the management team's plans, it's reasonable to suggest that the measure would alter, or change, the plans. However, note that there is no synonym match for alter. Remember, we must always choose two answers that end up giving a similar meaning to the sentence.(B) CORRECT. Scotch means "to put an end to, stamp out." This is exactly what we want.(C) Back, meaning "support," is exactly the opposite of what we want.(D) CORRECT. Foil means "to prevent the success of." Again, this is perfect.(E) Fund is not right. The measure is designed to destroy the plans, not fund them.(F) Endorse, meaning "support," is exactly the opposite of what we want. One who gets turned around by the switchbacks would be likely to choose (C) and (F), a synonym pair with exactly the opposite meaning of what we want.

*****The majority of government employees disagree with a plan to debunk the low budget grassroots effort to expose the frivolity of the government's Project X; accordingly, the government employees' union, with a newly elected leadership that more closely reflects the opinions of its members, has decided to __________Project X. * champion * venerate * censure * bolster * purge * denounce

This sentence is full of switchbacks and thus necessitates careful reading and the removal of double negatives. "Disagreeing with a plan to debunk" something can be simplified to "agreeing with" that something. So the majority of government employees agree with an "effort to expose the frivolity" of Project X. This idea can be further simplified to "these employees think Project X is frivolous." Frivolous means "lacking in intellectual substance." If the new leadership of the union "more closely reflects the opinions of its members," it should hold a similar opinion of Project X. Therefore, the filler should be a word that puts a negative spin on the union's relationship to Project X, such as "oppose, criticize, or disagree with." (C) CORRECT. Censure means "to criticize strongly or express severe disapproval, often publicly and formally" and is a good match for the filler. (D) Bolster means "to support." This is the opposite of the filler. (E) Purge means "to cleanse, purify, remove unwanted things from." As a verb, "purge" requires both a direct object (what you're cleansing or purifying) and an "of" phrase (the bad stuff you're removing from the direct object). The union may want to purge the workplace of Project X, or to purge Project X of its frivolity, but the union cannot just "purge" Project X. Even if you allowed the phrase "purge Project X" (in the sense of cleaning it up of unwanted frivolity), none of the other choices give even a roughly equivalent sentence. Thus, this choice must be incorrect. (F) CORRECT. Denounce means "to criticize strongly and publicly." This is also a good match. The word "censure" often implies a formal criticism or reprimand, whereas "denounce" does not necessarily have this connotation. However, these two w

However beneficent the intentions, if the civilian death toll continues to climb, ongoing contact with the local populace may well prove _____ to the aim of normalizing relations. * honorable * bedazzling * unpropitious * inimical * captivating * incongruous

Though there are good ("beneficent") motives, lots of people are dying. If this continues, then this "ongoing contact" may end up harming the stated goal of "normalizing relations". "Unpropitious" and "inimical" both mean adverse or harmful. "Incongruous" means not incompatible or inconsistent. While this could be a match for the blank, meaning-wise - since contact with the locals may be incompatible with the aim of normalizing relations - it lack s a match among the answer choices, "Honorable" doesn't fit the desired meaning. And while "bedazzling" and "captivating" do form a pair, they provide a meaning that is not in line with what the sentence suggests.

When the jury's decision was handed down, spectators and reporters alike cried out in dismay, and in the ___________ cacophony, the opportunity for the legal teams to comment on the proceedings was temporarily compromised. * gratuitous * postliminary * vexatious * ineffable * supervening * exorbitant

To respond correctly to this item, we must figure out the meaning of the second half of the sentence, rephrasing it in simpler terms. A "cacophony" is an unpleasant noise—the noise of the people who "cried out in dismay," a noise so loud that it kept the lawyers from making public comments. A quick look at this list reveals that several words could describe a situation marked by cacophony, so we must consider not only contextual meaning but also logical relationships in the sentence. Implied in this sentence is a series of cause-and-effect relationships: because the spectators and reporters cried out, cacophony occurred, and because cacophony occurred, the lawyers could not speak. So we are looking for a word that describes the causal relationship between the spectators' and reporters' reactions and the noise. A good prediction would be "resulting." Answer Choices (B) postliminary, "following on, happening after," and (E) supervening, "ensuing, occurring after," both describe this causal relationship and are correct. Choice (A) gratuitous, or "not justifiable," and choice (F) exorbitant, or "unreasonable, extravagant," may seem to be possible choices because they are synonyms, but the cacophony does seem to be justifiable, as the decision caused widespread dismay. Also, even though the lawyers were unable to comment at first, there's no indication whether this is a good or bad thing, so (A) and (F) are too negative for the context and are both incorrect. Choice (C) vexatious, meaning "offending" or "annoying," is a good word to describe cacophony, but it does not have a synonym among the choices, so it is incorrect. Choice (D) ineffable, "indescribable, unutterable," makes no sense as a description of a cacophony and is therefore incorrect. The correct answers are (B) a

MP 3/Verbal 2/Question 5

Try paraphrasing the last sentence in your own words.

*****The future of the accord was uncertain as desires to mitigate constituents' frustrations with previous votes along party lines were balanced with seemingly__________beliefs. * intractable * inerrant * fickle * tenebrous * pertinacious * ineffable

We are told in the first part of the sentence that the "accord" is uncertain. The second part of the sentence then describes two factors that are "balanced" with each other to generate this uncertainty. Thus, to create an uncertain future one of these factors likely has to promote accord while the other makes the accord less likely. The first factor is "desires to mitigate constituents' frustrations with previous votes along party lines." If people are frustrated that votes went along party lines in the past, they would want an accord to be reached in this case. That means that the "beliefs" described by the blank must be working against the accord. Two possible reasons could be that the beliefs are very different - make "divergent" a possible filler - or that people are just unwilling to compromise on their beliefs - making "strongly held" another good filler.(A) CORRECT. Intractable, defined as "stubborn," is a match to our second filler.(B) Inerrant, "without error," is not logical in this sentence.(C) Fickle, defined as "contradictory," is always used with a negative connotation. This word could fit in the blank.(D) Tenebrous in this context would mean "obscure" or "difficult to understand." This could potentially fit here, although no other choice is of similar meaning.(E) CORRECT. Pertinacious means "firmly held" and is a perfect fit with our second filler.(F) Ineffable, meaning "incapable of being expressed," does not make sense in the sentence.Choice (F) could easily be confused for an antonym to the adjective "affable," or pleasant. If choice (F) were misinterpreted this way, it might seem to form an answer pair of similar meaning with choice (C).

The director's testimony was officially certified by the board as__________: his statements were not untruthful but his omissions were significant and clearly intended. * deceitful * noteworthy * trustworthy * venerated * fraudulent * candid

We are told that the director's statements were "not untruthful," so the statements were "accurate" or "truthful." However, the use of the double negative "not untruthful" is intended denote something short of full honesty, as achieved by "omissions." The pivot is the term "but": we should expect that the testimony was certified the opposite of what "truthful" testimony normally would be, though less negative than "false." A good filler is "misleading." (A) CORRECT. Deceitful means "intentionally misleading" and is a nice match for our filler. One can be deceitful while telling the truth if one does not tell the whole truth. (B) Noteworthy means "significant" and while it could be a good description of testimony, it does not fit this sentence. (C) Trustworthy means "able to be relied upon." It is the exact opposite of our filler. (D) Venerated means "greatly respected or admired." This does not fit the sentence. (E) CORRECT. Fraudulent refers to something that is "intended to deceive" and is a nice match for our filler. (F) Candid means "honest and direct." It is the exact opposite of our filler. Answer choices (C) and (F) have the opposite meaning of what the sentence requires. The answer pair would be a trap for those who miss the pivot and simply look for synonym pairs.

A news account recounted an amazing tale of a woman who had not sought medical attention despite the fact that her stomach had, over only a few months, (i)__________to such an incredible degree that she could no longer fit in the drivers' seat of her car; as it turned out, her (ii)__________midsection contained a tumor weighing nearly sixty pounds. Blank(i) * distended * imploded * collapsed Blank(ii) * tumid * turbid * stolid

We have a number of clues for blank (i). There is an "amazing tale" of something that happened "over only a few months." A woman's stomach changed "to such an incredible degree that she could no longer fit in the drivers' seat of her car." We can infer that her stomach got bigger somewhat quickly. A good filler is "(had) swollen."(A) CORRECT. Distended means "swollen, expanded," so it is a perfect match.(B) Imploded means "collapsed inwardly with great force." This is nearly opposite our filler.(C) Contracted means "drawn in closer, reduced to a smaller size." This also is nearly opposite our filler.Blank (ii) follows from the preceding text so we are describing the same situation. Her stomach had swollen, so her midsection could now be described as "swollen."(D) CORRECT. Tumid means "swollen, or affected with swelling, as a part of the body." This is a perfect match.(E) Turbid in the literal sense means "unclear or murky because of stirred-up sediment," as in water. More generally, it can mean "thick or dense," and figuratively it means "confused, muddled." None of these definitions apply to a person's midsection or match our filler.(F) Stolid, meaning "unemotional or impassive," is not a logical description for a person's midsection.

*****Why Bob always seemed to seek out the __________for dates was a mystery to all his friends; it seemed obvious to them that the reason was not, as his sister suggested, that he was looking for someone like his first girlfriend, who was rather loquacious. * reticent * flagitious * insouciant * flippant * pleonastic * taciturn

We seek a word to fill the blank to describer Bob's dates. We are told at the end of this sentence that Bob's first girlfriend was "loquacious," meaning talkative. Our challenge is to identify how this characteristic relates to his current selection of dates. There is a pivot indicated by the phrase "was obvious that the reason was not ... that he was looking for someone like his first girlfriend." So Bob must seek out those who are "reserved" or "not talkative," opposite in nature to his first girlfriend.(A) CORRECT. Reticent people are "quiet and reserved" and "not inclined to talk." This is a match with our fillers.(B) Flagitious means "wicked or evil." This word does not provide the necessary contrast to "loquacious."(C) Insouciant means "unconcerned" or "light hearted." It does not provide the necessary contrast to "loquacious."(D) Flippant means "disrespectful" and "not serious." This meaning is not indicated by the sentence.(E) Pleonastic means "using more words than is necessary." This is in agreement with "loquacious"; we need the opposite.(F) CORRECT. Those who are taciturn are "non-talkative." This is a great match for our filler.

While the professor first achieved renown for the theory he devised single-handedly during the early days of his career, his later contributions were achieved in a more _____________ manner. - solitary -collaborative - synergetic - exegetic - unilateral - collusive

collaborative/synergetic - Note that collusive has a negative connotation (two ns).

As she stepped down from the podium, the candidate was lauded by an enthusiastic audience of supporters who were gratified not only by the fervency of her delivery but also by the _______ words of her speechwriter. - stentorian - expository - felicitous - garrulous - poignant - vociferous

felicitous/poignant

Academic freedom does not protect a professor's classroom remarks on a matters irrelevant to his subject, though it guarantees the professor considerable liberty of speech about matters __________ to his or her academic work. - germane - indifferent - mimetic - disinterested - congruent - pertinent

germane and pertinent (Question 105)

Even though Mariposa love taking on roles that involved a lot of lines, she was excited to be playing a more ______________ character, requiring her to focus more on gesture and expression. - laconic - dramatic - dejected - curt - mute - melancholy (note the h)

laconic and curt - Note that curt generally means terse in a rude way, but because it is the only other word matching laconic is must be one of the answers. Also, mute is too harsh, as a mute character would not talk (yes I know it says "a more").

Proust proved that the __________ can be the domain of the novel every bit as much as the fantastical can be. - mundane - literary - bombastic - cosmopolitan - belletristic - quotidian

mundane and quotidian Note that the word must be opposite of fantastical. Note that bombastic can also mean just overall showy and cosmopolitan can mean glamorous.