GRE verbal Magoosh

ambivalent (æmbɪvələnt)

uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow. ex: She remained ambivalent about her marriage.

inadvertently

unintentionally; by oversight; carelessly

subtly

in a subtle manner

groundbreaking

(adj.) being or producing something like nothing done or experienced or created before (syn.) innovative, orinial (n.) the ceremonial breaking of the ground to formally begin a construction project

vituperative

(adj.) harshly abusive, severely scolding

superficial

(adj.) on or near the surface; concerned with or understanding only what is on the surface, shallow of little substance or significance

moot

(adj.) open to discussion and debate, unresolved; (v.) to bring up for discussion; (n.) a hypothetical law case argued by students adj: of no legal sinificance

paradox

(n.) a self-contradictory statement that on closer examination proves true; a person or thing with seemingly contradictory qualities unexpected.

indulge(ɪndʌldʒ)

(v.) to give in to a wish or desire, give oneself up to He returns to Ohi so that he could indulge his passion for football.

Attempting to quell the unrest, the major, addressing the gathering mob, highlighted the very grievances that had initially inflamed people's temper, thereby... provoking the collective wrath. 1. unwittingly 2. directly 3. decisively 4. inadvertently 5. subtly 6. noticeably

1 and 4 CORRECT The clues are " attempting to quell ... provoke wrath" The major attempted to ease the unrest but instead he accidentally or unintentionally made things worse.

That Alexander Solzhenitsyn languished for many years in a Siberian prison camp can perhaps account for the ... tone of many of his novels 1. bleak 2. sentimental 3. cogent 4. sanguine 5. persistent 6.grim

1 and 6 CORRECT bleak and grim mean unhappy languished mean to suffer from being unpleasant place. Therefore, we can assume that his time is going to be negative

The author implies which of the following about Geology as a science 1. its legitimacy as a scientific discipline is not well established 2. its proper field is Earth, and therefore its analyses of other planets and moons is more speculative 3. it did not find, in previous religious models of the Earth, a sound basis for analytical theories 4. It can deduce everything about the surface of Mercury purely from Earth - based observation 4. its success derives from surviving exposure to major catastrophes

1. 2 3. CORRECT the passage says that the catastrophic idea of Noah's Flood. 4. everything " strong" 5.

The purpose of this passage 1. to provide proof for the most persuasive theory of planetary surfaces 2. to explain a controversial scientific theory and the pattern of objections to it 3. to trace the success of geology as a multidisciplinary science 4. to demonstrate how different Venus is from every other geological entity in the solar system 5. to evaluate Turcotte's strength as a researchers in his field.

2 is a correct The passage describes the Venus surface, then presents Turcotte's model, then objections to that 1. proof is a strong word 2. 3. This passage is about particularly geological finding 4. Turcotte says yes, but other researchers say no 5. We do not really know who is Turcotte

For a writer with a reputation for both prolixity and inscrutability, Thompson, in his slim collection of short stories, may finally be intent on making his ideas more .. to a readership looking for quick edification. 1. aesthetic 2. prescient 3.palatable 4. inaccessible 5. transcendent

3 this person's writing is really difficult to understand. But he is now making his works easier to read

The chairman of the board, sensing that any effort was futile, become ...company's plight, and only shrugged his shoulders when the shareholders notified him that the operation was insolvent 1. wary of 2. apathetic to 3. irascible towards 4. hopeless regarding 5. pugnacious towards 6. indifferent to

3 -6 The keywords "only shrugged his shoulders' show that the chairman displayed a sense of different

For the time being, at least, the director's intent is ... : he has remained reticent during interviews, and an even viewers have had widely divergent interpretation over the film. 1. fixed 2. unambiguous 3. equivocal 4. provisional 5. unorthodox

3 is correct We do not know what the director intended in his films, even audience's unsure. Therefore, the movie's meaning is equivocal: open to interpretation. 1. The director might change his mind ( for being time) 2. unambiguous = crystal clear 3. 4. we are focused on the director's intent 5. unorthodox means unconventional

The author of the passage believes that the writers are ambivalent to recognition because it is 1. rarely commensurate to the way in which posterity will regard a writer's work 2. only of consequence in the future, yet an author will never know what the future thinks of his or her work 3.Typically bestowed in the present, whereas a writer is more concerned with approbation from the past and the future. 4. unfairly meted out to those whose possess only a modicum of talent 5. mostly unrelated to the quality of a writer's prose.

3.

No less incendiary amongst the populace than many other " hot Button" issues of the day, "fracking"_ or hydraulic fracturing of the earth's surface to acquire gas, a practice that mostly takes place in remote parts of the country_ has been (i)...the national dialogue come election time, perhaps because voters are typically (2)... environmental problems that do not occur in their own backyards, so to speak. Blank(1) 1.unfairly tarnished in 2.a prominent theme in 3.curiously absent from Blank (2) 1.misinformed about 2.worked up over 3.unmoved by

3. curiously absent from 3. unmoved by

The recent skate of quality television dramas _ while clearly indebted to the cinematic idiom of the 1970s_ represent a (n)... achievement : never before has any video medium been called on to sustain a narrative for 100 plus hours. 1. wondrous 2. incalculable 3. unambiguous 4. unprecedented 5. spotty 6. groundbreaking

4 and 6 skip little part that is not important

succession

A series of predictable and orderly changes within an ecosystem over time. (n) a group pf people or things arranged or following in order.

Refusing to ... his vituperative words, the ambassador only further ... members of the multinational committee. Blank(1) 1.exacerbate 2.moderate 3.intensify Blank(2) 1.intrigued 2. encouraged 3. incensed

By not moderating these angry words, the ambassador is only going to make the committed more some negative words. 2. Moderate 3. incensed

Eschewing the acerbic tone used in his previous reviews of Kingley's works, Clarke was far more ... in his latest, balancing the curmudgeonly with the avuncular.

Eschewing mean avoiding, ' Acerbic' means sharp or biting and usually modifies commentary/tone

profound

Having great depth or seriousness

ambivalent

Having mixed feelings

Cartwright has gone further than what is already (1 well known/under investigate/far afield) that the expression of genes is dependent on social context. By introducing a relatively docile species of bee into colony of a far more aggressive species, he effected a change not even thought to be (2 possible/healthy/necessary) for the species, given its genotype: the docile bee, after six months in the hive, bad become(3 virtually extinct/ unnecessarily specialized/ highly combative)

The expression of genes are dependent on social context Genotype is the genes that you are was born with highly combative which matches with aggressive species. 1. well-known 2. posible 3. highly combative

That the psychopharmacological journal had already published the findings of the clinician's experiment rendered ... any prior misgivings she had regarding the validity of her control group.

The journal had already published her work, so any fears that she had over the article not getting published due to questionable validity are no longer relevant. When something is extant: still existence moot, it is n longer an issue Fallacious means erroneous. A misgiving is a felling, a felling can not be correct. topical means relevant to current events retroactive means in effect staring from a point in the past.

Revolutions do little to cure a nation's ... - the very agitation that allowed for a change in previous rule often precludes the formation of a viable government. a.jingoism b. paranoia c. restiveness d. euphoria e. cupidity

The keyword is agitation(move or force into violent). The idea of the sentence is conveying is the the revolution no not cure agitation, because the agitation that gave rise to revolution often prevents a functioning government. C. restiveness mean connotes a sense of restlessness/ difficulty to control. a restive population is one likely to rebel and have a revolution.

confound

To confuse and frustrate

incensed

angered at something unjust or wrong

unwittingly

Unknowingly; without awareness

All of the following would help support Turcotte's contention that Venus's geology is quite different from every other geological entity in the solar system Except 1. The size of volcanoes on Venus 2. The absence of oceans to provide erosion and weathering 3. The rising temperature of the planet's core 4. No natural satellite to induce continuous seismic forces 5. a radioactive core that continues to generate great amounts of heat

Whether volcanoes are big or small does not seem to have any connection to whether a gradualist or catastrophist

peripatetic

a person who walks from place to place

fallacious

adj false; misleading

bleak

adj offering little or no hope unpleasant cold

absent

adj: lost in thought, showing preoccupation

ambivalent

be uncertain whether they really want it

unmoved

being in the original position, not having been moved

sanguine

blood-red in color/confidently optimistic and cheerful

quell

calm; pacify

grim

causing dejection (depression or lowness spirits) lacking anyhow or cheer

forthright

characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion.

baffle

confused,bewilder; perplex; fill with confusion; puzzle; frustrate

For readers of novels, in which the denouement is drawn out, every loose plot thread neatly wrapped up, the short story often has a() feel to it a. Meandering b. Interminable c. Understated d. unfinished e. retrospective

d. unfinished These sentence says that novel readers are used to a long ending in which all the stories come to complete ending. This is in contrast to the short story. - a- means ramping - b-means never ending -c- describe -d- the sentence focus on how -e- means looking back the past.

topical

dealing with current subject matter; relevant

hinge on/upon sth

depends on /rest on

prescient

describes having a good sense of future events

irascible

easily angered, irritable

transcendent

exceeding or surpassing usual limits especially in excellence

evenhanded

impartial; fair if someone is evenhanded, they are completely fair, especially when they are judging other or dealing with two groups of people. ex: an evenhanded approach to the war on drugs.

equitable

fair to all parties as dictated by reason and conscience.

provisional

for the time being

misinform

give false or misleading information to

gregarious

growing in groups that are close together.

unprecedented

having no precedent; novel; unexampled

spotty

having spots / lacking consistency

ingenuous (ɪndʒɛnyuəs)

if you describe someone as ingenuous, you mean that they are innocent, trusting, and honest. ex: He seemed to ingenuous for a reporter adj: lacking in sophistication or worldliness.

National dialogue

is a fairly commonly used term to refer to the way that citizens and politicians discuss pressing societal issues

Noah's Flood

is a flood myth. This story tells God's decision to return Earth

intrigue (ɪntrig)

is making of plans to harm or deceive people

wondrous

marvelous, extremely well

apathetic to

no longer caring

incalculable

not capable of being calculated

inacessible

not capable of being obtained

indifferent to

not caring, apathetic

penurious

not having enough money to pay for necessities.

reticent

not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily being tight lipped

rudimentary

not yet fully developed; basic; elementary

cogent

powerfully persuasive

That the word" bloviate"_ originally used to describe how American president Warren spoke pompously and at length_ is still most often employed in a political context shows that politicians are still prone forsake ....speech a. honest b. humorous c. improvisational d. direct e.illogical

prone for sake=not use d

Favoring quantity over substance, many amateur writers labors under the delusion that the more ... the sentence structure the more ... the thought being conveyed Blank 1 1 rudimentary 2. involved 3.superficial Blank2 1. tactical 2. ironic 3.profound

quantity is better than substance 1 -3

prolixity and inscrutability

really difficult to understand

aesthetic

relating or pertaining to a sense of beauty or art

Writers are necessarily ambivalent about any kind of recognition -honors, prizes, simple praise_ because they are ambivalent about their relationship to the present. The first audience that a writer wants to please is the past_ the dead writer who led him to write in the first place. Forced to admit that this is impossible, he displaces his hope on to the future, the posterity who judgment he will never know. That leaves the present as the only audible judge of his work; but the present is made up of precisely the people whom the writer cannot living among, which is why he subtracts himself from the actual world in order to deposit a version of himself in his writing. The approbation of the living is thus meaningful to a writer only in so far as he can convince himself that it is a proxy for the approbation of the past or the future- insofar as it becomes metaphorical.

select the sentence in the passage whose function is to describe the manner in which a writer resigns him or herself to writing for the present. we find support for the writer in which the author resigns himself to the present. The word " resign" means to accept, though somewhat reluctantly. " the leaves...in his writing"

dismissive

showing indifference or disregard if you are dismissive of someone, you say or shown that you think they are not important of have no value. ex: Mr.Jones was dismissive of the report, saying it was riddled with inaccurate.

sentimental

showing or causing a lot of emotion

wary of

skeptical towards

Able to coax a palpable sense of menace from the bucolic backwaters of her native Missouri, Micheaux adroitly shows us , in her latest book, that the surface of idyllic charm can ... a roiling underbelly of intrigue, corruption, and murder [rural and pleasant area shows us setting of the book might appears nice on the surface, but just below the surface there is a lot of stuff that is not nice] a. subsume b. belie c.counteract d. preface e. complement

subsume: contain or include counteract: act in opposition to /oppose preface: a short introductory essay Complement: something added to complete or embellish b. belie: means to disguise

retroactive

taking effect from a date in the past

exacerbate (ɪgzæsərbeɪt)

to make worse

itinerant

traveling from place to place to work.