[Manhattan] - Verbal
[Too STRONG/LIMITING statements. Working with numbers.] According to a recent study on financial roles, one-third of high school seniors say that they have "significant financial responsibilities." These responsibilities include, but are not limited to, contributing to food, shelter, or clothing for themselves or their families. At the same time, a second study demonstrates that a crisis in money management exists for high school students. According to this study, 80% of high school seniors have never taken a personal finance class even though the same percentage of seniors has opened bank accounts and one-third of these account holders has bounced a check. Which of the following conclusions can be properly drawn from the statements above? A) High schools would be wise to incorporate personal finance classes into their core curricula. B) At least one-third of high school seniors work part-time jobs after school. C) The number of high school seniors with significant financial responsibilities is greater than the number of seniors who have bounced a check. D) Any high school seniors who contribute to food, shelter, or clothing for themselves or their families have significant financial responsibilities. E) The majority of high school students have no financial responsibilities to their families.
-A is wrong -B we do not know -C, let's leave C -D "any" is too strict and limiting. And I thought of this too. Just because those who have the responsibility can claim these but just because you do these doesn't mean you have to have responsibility -E "no responsibility" vs. "significant responsibility" ----- With C let's say we have 100 students: 33 of them have significant responsibility 80 have never taken personal finance and 1/3 of them (~27, have had their checks bounced back) -This means C is correct
[If it's close, pick it] [Examine structure] "From the high fidelity of DNA-synthesizing enzymes to the pro-death signaling that accompanies mutagenic stimuli such as UV radiation, cellular mechanisms that stymie genetic changes are ubiquitous through the natural world." Which of the following can be inferred? Cellular mechanism that safeguard against mutagenesis are very common.
-At first I didn't want to pick this because I thought that although "cellular mechanisms that stymie genetic changes are ubiquitous" we don't know if the specific mutagenic one's are -But then I went against this logic. This statement is very common and should be picked. Nothing much wrong with it. Also I noticed that "From....to" refers to a range and mutagenic changes are a part of it and all of this range combined is ubiquitous. So I said this CAN be inferred
[Careful about MISLEADING cues.] The passage said "entire collection", but this is in reference to a single book or collection of stories NOT the entire oeuvre of the author.
-Deliberating between an answer choice which tries to use the word "majority of her fiction", well we don't know what that would be like. Here "entire collection" is there to throw you off.
Sometimes _____ comes at a price; research suggests that among first-generation Chinese Americans, those who embrace the traditional Confucian value of their homeland are more likely to succeed academically than are those who do not. acculturation assimilation investiture alienation indebtedness estrangement
-First I picked assimilation and acculturation since it made sense -Then I went for estrangement and alienation -Then I thought about the logic of the sentence -- we need something positive that has a price attached to it. My first guess made more sense
[Does your first choice work? YES. Then go with it.] Far too _____ to consider a career in the political limelight, the unassuming aide contended herself with a career behind the scenes, _______ supporting the political heavyweights of her day. diffident apathetic ideological implicitly quietly skeptically
-First thing, I should've come up with a word for the second blank as well as the first (since I can figure out the direction easily) -For the second blank I picked quietly first, then went to implicitly, overthinking it too much -When it comes to "specific context" meanings, only deliberate if you don't have a clear first answer
[Specific use of words; when the only logical answer has two possible choices.] The ______ young employee was soon _____ for making a serious mistake that cost the company thousands of dollars. banal sagacious verdant enamored castigated deposed
-Here for the second blank we have castigated or deposed -Deposed has a specific meaning reserved for overthrowing kings or governments -- so castigated makes more sense
[The usage of the word "eclipse"] Murray Rothbard levels the criticism that the Wealth of Nations, in fact, eclipsed public knowledge of all economists -- better ones, he says -- before Smith. Which of the following statements is not in contradictions with the opinions of Murray Rothbard as expressed in the passage? 1) Smith was possibly the third best economist of all time 2) The Wealth of Nations should not have been as influential as it was 3) Adam Smith was not particularly influential
-I always thought that the word "eclipse" has a positive connotation. It means to surpass something. But here "BETTER" economists are being eclipsed so it has a negative connotation. That better economists are being "overlooked". So 2 is correct. -1 is correct because there are better economists but Smith could be the 3rd or the 4th or the 5th -3 is wrong since critics did say the book was influential
[1. Come up with own word 2. Figure out how your choice works in context] In contrast to environmental economics, an older field that concerns itself with monetary valuation of natural resources, the emergent field of ecological economics positions the human economy as a subsystem of natural ecologies, thus ________ environmental economists' subordination of the natural world. circumscribing corroborating refuting ameliorating reversing
-I came back to this later -Eliminated circumscribing (this isn't talking about "limiting" anything), corroborating doesn't make sense, we are dealing with a "shifter", ameliorating doesn't make sense either, refuting means to deny something as being true, this isn't doing that -I then carefully considered "reversing" and how that made sense, since compared to one version of the field the latter is "overturning" what the other is doing and putting human interests second
Today's highly partisan political environment is far from ________; not so long ago, ideological opponents were still able to set aside differences and work across party lines, as is typically necessary to pass productive legislation. civil immutable polemical efficacious adequate
-I came up with my word: "conducive" -Then I came to the conclusion that "adequate" is used in specific contexts (for ex: that is an adequate supply of water) -efficacious then made the most sense
[This is a LOGIC test, don't go against your immediate logical thinking.] [Actual GRE questions won't be this badly written.] While the colonists would eventually push westward, first, they were in for a long, difficult winter, and the main challenge was to ________ their existing resources. sell peddle steward upend husband procure
-I decided that sell and peddle didn't make much sense, since they would actually need the resources -But I went with it anyways since I couldn't find other synonyms
[Paradox Argument with percent] In a recent poll, 71% of respondents reported that they cast votes in the most recent national election. Voting records show, however, that only 60% of eligible voters actually voted in that election. Which of the following pieces of evidence, if true, would provide the best explanation for the apparent discrepancy? A The margin of error for the survey was plus or minus five three percentage points. B Fifteen percent of the survey's respondents were living overseas at the time of the election. C Prior research has shown that that people who actually do vote are also more likely to respond to polls than those who do not vote. D Many people who intend to vote are prevented from doing so by last-minute conflicts on election day or other complications. E Some people confused the national election with other recent elections when responding to the poll.
-I eliminated E at first but then chose it later -C is the answer since it implies an overrepresentation in the people of who actually do vote vs those who don't
[Often a good idea to NOT fill the first blank with something you come up with little substantiation.] In her opening remarks, the school's director emphasized with the apparent _____ of taking disciplinary action in the classroom; on the one hand, teachers can ill-afford to ______ indisputable disruptive behaviors, while on the other, overly strict administration can actually foster such behaviors. necessity entreaty paradox fabricate brook mitigate
-I filled the first blank as "necessity" because the word I thought of was "need" but that is actually NOT supported by the passage -The second part of the sentence talks about a paradox and that is the clue
[Hard question highlighting the connection between blanks.] The more deeply one delves into the relevant literature, the more apparent it becomes that psychoanalysis is a practice (i) ___________. Even tenets that some might deem (ii) __________ to the general philosophy, such as the notion that the human psyche is primarily governed by conflicting desires and is formed in large part by early childhood experiences, are by no means accepted as gospel, even by some of its most (iii) ___________. teeming with ridicule devoid of substance rife with contention critical immaterial anathema esteemed beneficiaries quarrelsome factions seasoned practitioners
-I first had "rife with contention", "immaterial", "seasoned practitioners" and then looked carefully at the second blank -I realized that "gospel" might mean something which is "most important" and because of this changes ii) to critical -Apparently the second blank is the easiest with the clues "tenets" and "gospel" implying "critical" then the third blank should be intuitive to fill out with "seasoned practitioners" lastly the first blank should be filled last with "c" as the answer
[I'm really stupid. This should be easy.] [Read slow enough to keep track of GROUPS.] Studies have shown that [people who keep daily diet records are far more successful at losing weight than people who don't keep track of what they eat.] Researchers believe that many weight-loss efforts fail because people eat more calories than they intend to consume. One study followed a group of patients who reported that they could not lose weight when consuming only 1,200 calories a day. [The study found that the group consumed, on average, 47% more than it claimed and exercised 51% less.] In contrast, when dieters record what they eat, their actual consumption more closely matches their reported consumption. (A.) The first is a conclusion reached by researchers; the second is evidence that that conclusion is correct. (B) The first is an explanation of why a certain theory is thought to be true; the second is an example of research results that support this theory. (C) The first is an example illustrating the truth of a certain theory; the second is a competing theory. (D) The first is a premise upon which the researchers base their opinion; the second illustrates that their opinion is correct. (E) The first introduces a theory that the researchers have disproved; the second is the basis for the researchers' argument.
-I first narrowed down to and picked D -I should've gone with this as time constraint. Do NOT over think things and make them complicated -But I overthought this. I thought it D was wrong because of the word "opinion" but this is correct because the researchers "believe" that the reason people fail is because they don't write down their goals and keep track -Another thing I keep forgetting to do it rephrase the entire argument in my own head. The first part is a FACT it is NOT a CONCLUSION. The conclusion is the OPINION that people fail in weight loss because they don't track what they eat -Also the first is a CONCLUSION reached by the "STUDIES" NOT the "RESEARCHERS".
["Irony" suggests something humorous.] Every generation is accused of slacking by the preceding ones, before in turn calling its own progeny lackadaisical; such is the ________ of life. vicissitude irony circle serendipity comedy
-I first picked "circle", which is the right answer -However I crossed it off since I thought too much and came to the conclusion that the scenario isn't like a circle but more like a straight line.... Which is absurd -GRE won't make you think that much. The right answer was circe -IF YOU CAN'T FIND an EXPLICIT REASON TO CROSS OFF YOUR FIRST CHOICE. THEN DON'T.
[Go with the first choice.] During the prolonged and elaborate farewell tour, no one though the plaudits heaped upon him were ______, since his heroics were well documented and admired by all. obsequious derivative deserved vestigial antiquated
-I first picked obsequious since that made the most sense in the time that I was given -However I crossed it off and started thinking too much and picked antiquated because I thought "well documented" was a clue -The thing is these things should be INSTINCTIVE. Go with your first GUT feeling
[Don't doubt the one's you know. Especially if you come up with the answer so fast.] In uncertain times, _______ theories often gain greater and faster adherence among the populace than proven ones do. corroborated putative conjectural incorrect irrefutable irreconcilable
-I first picked putative and conjectural (which makes sense since we are looking for stuff that is unproven) -Then I changed my answer from putative (which means "supposed" or "presumed") to irreconcilable because I looked up the definition
[Stuck between two WORDS. Specific CONTEXT/MEANING; Specific USAGE] Freud's structural model of the psyche should be understood as ______ device, useful for inciting and guiding discovery, rather than as an attempt to ______ physical relationships among pasts of the human brain. a heuristic a literary an allegorical dictate ameliorate represent
-I got the first blank right through process of elimination, heuristic made the most sense -The second blank, I eliminated ameliorate since it didn't make much sense. I thought dictate would work since it would be the opposite of "guiding and discovery". However specific context suggests that a MODEL CANNOT "dictate" how the physical relationships work it can only REPRESENT them
The bridge player's frequent errors, although frustrating for his partner, were _______ his defeat, since none of the competing players could determine, from the cards he played, what cards he likely held -- a necessary prerequisite to figuring out how to block his plays. an insurance against the reason for an indication of an obstacle of a hurdle for the guarantee of
-I knew that the blank was + for the player -Thus I narrowed down to insurance against, hurdle for, and guarantee of -Although I liked insurance first, I realized that obstacle and hurdle are the same thing and chose to go for that instead
[If it is NOT explicit. DO NOT pick it.] The author implies that a possible negative aspect of the Treaty of Utrecht was a. awarding Gibraltar to the British b. reducing the Duke of Marlborough to obscurity c. elevating Prussia to a Kingdom d. failing to resolve the Spanish succession e. providing impetus for the eventual world wars
-I narrowed down to C and E and wanted to pick C since this is the GRE and E isn't EXPLICITLY mentioned in the passage but C is mentioned -E is true but it's an outside fact. C however can be substantiated. I thought "elevating a kingdom" couldn't be negative but that is wrong thinking. The passage said "Conversely... the same treaty elevated Prussia to a kingdom". This was mentioned after a POSITIVE thing. Thus C must be the negative thing
[Really rely on your intuition and definition -- at this point you know a lot] 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
-I narrowed down to collaborative, synergetic, and collusive -For some reason I thought synergetic couldn't work because it referred to "harmony" of two or more things working together -Collusive I realized was close to "collusion" and should've crossed it off since it has the wrong meaning -Collaborative and synergetic thus work the best
[What I should've done] By the third quarter, the home team has lost any chance of emerging victorious, the game becoming an utter _______, a fact made most evident, perhaps, by the escalating jeers coming from the nearby bleachers. debacle rout boondoggle forgery fallacy infirmity
-I narrowed down to debacle rout and boondoggle -My first choice was rout, but I couldn't find a synonym since the only definition I knew of debacle was "a fiasco" not that it also meant "an ignominious failure" -I knew that boondoggle means a time wasting project, I should've crossed this off -Rout is my first choice -- my chances increase dramatically if I stick with this and pick debacle instead knowing that I know the definition of boondoggle and it doesn't make sense
The Donner party made a _______ choice to try to cross the Sierra Nevada too late in the season, and they paid dearly for that dangerous decision. prudent parlous suicidal semiotic providential
-I narrowed down to parlous and suicidal -Suicidal would mean they knew the outcome to some extent, but they made a decision which as "unwise" and "fraught" with danger and uncertainty and parlous makes sense
[BEWARE of choices that do NOTHING] A) Mandane's son would've conquered his grandfather's kingdom regardless of who his father was. C) Harpagus would not have killed the baby regardless of whether he knew the prophecy.
-I narrowed down to these two -C does nothing, the outcome is absolutely the same (the baby is NOT killed), that is not the problem then, it doesn't change the scenario -A makes more sense, this changes the scenario and shows that the 2 two mistakes made (one of them about the child being of Persian birth would not conquer the kingdom would not be in play)
[How the sentence is structured. This is somewhat similar to how a GRE question can be written.] The independent audit showed that the company was not _____, let alone flourishing, as its initial report to its stockholders tried to aver. copious evasive thriving unprecedented solvent
-I narrowed down to thriving and solvent and thought how "it couldn't be thriving since it is so similar to flourishing" -- we need something which shows the company is doing poorly in scope -Thus thriving does not make sense "solvent" here would imply that the company was far from doing well let alone "flourish/thrive"
For all the student's meticulous preparation, he received ______ grade on his final exam. a passable a deplorable an exacting a surprising an outstanding
-I narrowed to the first two -The word that I came up with was "poor" -Something could be passable but that doesn't ensure that the grade was "really bad" -So I picked deplorable (which I knew one definition of "deserving condemnation" but not the "shockingly bad quality one")
[What exactly is the CONCLUSION drawn on?] [Negating the assumption -- does the conclusion fall apart? Do it after NARROWING down to 2 choices.] The popular notion that a tree's age can be determined by counting the number of internal rings in its trunk is generally true. However, to help regulate the internal temperature of the tree, the outermost layers of wood of the Brazilian ash often peel away when the temperature exceeds 95 degrees Fahrenheit, leaving the tree with fewer rings than it would otherwise have. So only if the temperature in the Brazilian ash's environment never exceeds 95 degrees Fahrenheit will its rings be a reliable measure of the tree's age. Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument above depends? A The growth of new rings in a tree is not a function of levels of precipitation. B Only the Brazilian ash loses rings because of excessive heat. C Only one day of temperatures above 95 degrees Fahrenheit is needed to cause the Brazilian ash to lose a ring. D The internal rings of all trees are of uniform thickness. E The number of rings that will be lost when the temperature exceeds 95 degrees Fahrenheit is not predictable. ----- [Another Example] In developed countries, such as the United States, the percentage of the population diagnosed with clinical depression is much greater than that in developing countries. Researchers hypothesize that this difference is due to the increased leisure time afforded to residents of developed countries. The hypothesis of the researchers depends on which of the following assumptions? 1.Clinical depression is a genetically transmitted malady. 2.Access to accurate diagnostic procedures for depression is equal for residents of developing and developed countries. 3.Most activities characterized as "leisure time" in developed countries are inherently boring. 4.Certain medications that effectively treat clinical depression are not readily available in developing countries. 5.Few residents of developing countries dedicate any of their time to leisure.
-I picked A based on my training from Magoosh, however A is wrong since it is making too many unsaid assumptions for example "precipitation is never mentioned" -BCD are wrong because of words like "only" and "all" Conclusion: "ONLY if the temp in the Brazilian ash's environment NEVER exceeds 95 degree F will its rings be a RELIABLE measure of the tree's age." If we truly depend on a certain assumption to reach this conclusion, the conclusion should fall apart when we remove or negate the assumption. Negate (A): The growth of new rings IS a function of precipitation levels. Result: We could still conclude that the temp needs to stay below 95 degrees in order to use the rings as a measure. Thus, (A) is not an assumption upon which we really rely. As you note, (A) is an appealing answer: It sure would be nice to know that there are not even more factors affecting the growth of rings. But there is a big difference between a nice-to-know assumption and an assumption-on-which-the-argument-depends. The GMAT always wants the latter! Negate (E): The number of rings lost when temp exceeds 95 degrees IS predictable. Result: We can no longer assert that the ONLY way to use the rings to reliably determine age is if the temps stay below 95. You are correct that we would need to know the complete temperature records and number of rings lost as a function of temp, but it would at least be possible to use the rings to determine age. The "only" in the conclusion is really the key word. ---- -I narrowed down to 1 and 2. Then I negated it, negating 1) didn't do anything to the conclusion, in fact it would weaken it since that mean leisure time is not related. -Negating the second, I saw that the conditions have to be equal and the "difference" can be explained by this discrepancy
[For assumption based questions. ALWAYS look to the conclusion.] In response to the increasing cost of producing energy through traditional means, such as combustion, many utility companies have begun investing in renewable energy sources, chiefly wind and solar power, hoping someday to rely on them completely and thus lower energy costs. The utility companies claim that although these sources require significant initial capital investment, they will provide stable energy supplies at low cost. [As a result, these sources will be less risky for the utilities than nonrenewable sources, such as gas, oil, and coal, whose prices can fluctuate dramatically according to availability.] The claim of the utility companies presupposes which of the following? A. The public will embrace the development of wind and solar power B. No new deposits of gas, oil, and coal will be discovered in the near future C. Weather patterns are consistent and predictable D. The necessary technology for conversion to wind and solar power is not more expensive than the technology needed to create energy through combustion E. Obtaining energy from nonrenewable sources, such as gas, oil and coal, cannot be made less risky
-I thought C would work due to stability but picked E which is wrong -The conclusion talks about things NOT fluctuating and thus C makes sense
[Multiple Answer Questions -- If the answer choice contains a fact or something that you haven't come across chances are that is it a detailed question and you haven't paid close attention.] The passage suggests that which of the following would propagate echoes? an anechoic chamber a cathedral a mountain ----- The passage implies that which of the following claims is true? Modern humans and Neanderthals shared a common ancestor. Modern humans and Neanderthals interbred. Modern humans and Neanderthals lived near one another approximately 80,000 years ago.
-I thought mountain sounded bizarre but it is actually mentioned in the passage. You have to look closely ----- -Another example where the last one seemed out of scope but it is actually explicitly mentioned in the passage to be incorrect
[If you are going to use parenthetical phrases, pay attention to what it is referring to.] Aviation authorities at on time issued ______ guidelines for hobbyists flying model airplanes, but in the absence of definitive laws, some individuals have chosen to ignore the recommendations. regular discretionary voluntary firm insufficient unvarying
-I thought the "but" referred to a change/shift, and if "firm" laws are "absent" then at one time the authorities would've issued "firm" laws -However the parenthetical phrase refers to the blank which would make it voluntary and discretionary
[These are the toughest for me. When saying one thing in another completely different format.] "...the experiment showed that the oxytocin had the greatest effect on those who were least able to evaluate emotions properly" D. The students who might need oxytocin the most are the ones who appear most responsive to the hormone.
-I thought this was saying that the students were already very good at identifying emotions. -However, the phrase "who might NEED oxytocin the MOST" implies that these students were NOT good with emotions before and as the study showcased, these students might benefit the most from it -When none of the answer choices makes sense, read carefully to evaluate those you think might be wrong
[Used good logic] Unexpectedly, the actor's _______ behavior did little to ______ his reputation as a family man, a reputation _______ by his exceptionally skilled team of publicists. dissolute impudent paternal assuage damage temper cleverly subverted easily refuted carefully cultivated
-I tried the second blank and thought it was "assuage" but was put off by the fact that temper is also close to assuage -I did the last blank and "carefully cultivated" made the most sense -I did the first blank and dissolute made the most sense -I then went back to the first blank and realized "unexpectedly" means that must be some contrast, and after plugging in "damage", the sentence as a whole made a lot more sense
[Interesting Logical argument] Recent research has indicated that married people are not only happier than unmarried people, but also healthier. This study has been widely reported by the media, with most commentators concluding that being married is good for one's health and attitude. The conclusion of the media commentators depends on which of the following assumptions? D) Single people with depression or health problems are just as likely to get married as are other single people
-I was able to figure our the necessary assumption "that people who are already happy and healthy aren't the only one's who get married" -So a choice that tells us that unhappy people are just as likely to get married would solidify this conclusion
Geneticists find Iceland a living laboratory for the study of _____ because virtually all of its current 300,000 citizens descend from less than a thousand Icelanders who survived the medieval Black Death. diversity revivification therapy history mutation rejuvenation
-My first choice was revivification and rejuvenation (which is what at the actual GRE will be closest to) -The answer here though is mutation and diversity because of the singular clue of "geneticists", who study evolution though genetics and mutation
[ Subtle SHIFTERS] While the [muted] colors do suggest a certain [sobriety], the overall effect is undeniably _________. vivacious poignant dull lackluster mirthful benign
-My first guess was wrong which was "gloomy" -We are dealing with a subtle shifter, we need the opposite of "subdued" and "muted" -Vivacious and Mirthful make the most sense
[Choices that are NOT in your face.] A. It is a more important theory than falsifiability B. It does not have much practical, scientific use C. It applies to be broad range of theories D. It is an unreasonable idea E. Popper should have developed this idea along with falsifiability
-Narrowed down to B and D and crossed-off B because my thinking was "we don't know if it doesn't have much practical or scientific use" -The only clue from the passage was "a theory of this kind is less likely to be formed" -Just based off this D seems too in your face. B should be picked
[Is it close enough? Pick it. Increase you chances. If you don't know the other word, you have to ignore it.] In romance novels, a strapping hero often _______ a rapier in the service of an ennobles yet submissive woman; this display of force carries the day but, despite the popularity of such books, some pundits bemoan the passive portrayal of women. sheathes brandishes wields promulgates disseminates cauterize
-Narrowed down to brandishes (my own word), wields, and cauterize -I didn't think wield was a synonym for brandish so I decided with cauterize (cauterize means to burn a wound so it's not infected) even though I didn't know it and knew that wield could possible work -Answer is brandish and wield
As an evolutionary adaptation, cats have developed a mechanism whereby their heads are measuring devices, as their bodies can fit through any space that their heads can, and this physiology is a safeguard that _______ their success as a species. reproduces ensures enhances mitigates inundates
-Narrowed down to ensures and enhances -The word I thought of was "contributes" -Ensures I thought was too strong; that would mean that the cats are without a doubt a success as a species but that's not possible -Enhances then made more sense
[When stuck with three words] Even though Mariposa loved 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
-Narrowed down to laconic, curt, and mute and thought that mute was too extreme and also used in specific cases -Also someone can't be "MORE mute" -Curt means to be "rudely brief" but is a better synonym
[Only ONE WORD sets things apart] C) provide expert testimony D) offer evidence supporting a claim
-Narrowed down to these two -Thought that a "commentator" would be an expert, however we DO NOT know that, he could or could not be an expert, also "testimony" is a word used in a different setting -Thus D is better
For centuries, commercial portrait painters have employed a bifurcated aesthetic: like other artists, they strive to represent the truth that gives their works life, but commerce dictates that they simultaneously employ subtle ______ that make the likeness more attractive than the sitter. palettes aesthetics artifacts artifices sentiments
-The key for me was to recognize that this is a shifter -I first picked "aesthetics" then thought about how this might be the trap answer -Then I saw we are comparing "the truth" to something else (we are dealing with a shifter) which must be closest to "artifices" and this is what I went with
[Not mentioned in the passage but sounds good. This is WRONG.] [Read all the choices on the first pass quickly crossing off all the one's that definitely DO NOT work.] The primary purpose of this passage is to A. explain the continued popularity of a novel B. detail the domestic confinement of the 19th century women C. analyze the sociological implication of a work of art D. argue for the emancipation of women E. indict the politics of a literary work
-One should narrow down A. this was only the last sentence of the passage can't be the main idea B. No where in the passage is 19th century mentioned. This is an assumption. It is wrong (but it sounded like the most logical to me at the time cause I couldn't immediately figure out the answer) C. I didn't know what "implication" mean but now I do and it refers to "work of art" which is correct D. No E. Didn't know what indict meant but I knew this was not the answer
[INNOCUOUSLY true statements that are FALSE] "FOLLOWING the war... That this episode if practically excised from the history books." Which of the following can be inferred from the passage? Some events that occurred DURING WWII do not appear in history books.
-Our choice seems attractive, but this is false while the word "some" makes it true it is NOT explicitly mentioned in the passage also the passage talks about "AFTER the war" not "DURING the war" so this was a trick choice.
[I tackled these the way GRE wants you to] Isherwood's sympathy for communism during the interwar period was not only a reaction against fascism, but also a mark of his fellow feeling for the laboring classes and his ______ to engage as an equal with working people. disinclination hankering proclivity implacability unwillingness joviality ------- Unbridled passion, whether rage of ardor, gives was to the sort of rash declarations that too often end in ______ and sorrow. disdain pity rue affinity remorse contempt
-The clues I looked to were "sympathy" and "fellow feeling" -The word I came up with was "desire" -Proclivity worked and I knew this was the answer, although I didn't know the meaning of hankering, I knew this must be the answer and went with it ------- -There isn't much to go on here, so I decided that we need something closer to "sorrow" -Although disdain and contempt are close, they don't really work here -I didn't know if we could use rue properly but went with rue and remorse here for the right answer
[How to narrow-down. Sticking with what you know.] Even thrill-seeking visitors to amusement parks will avoid these distractions with a reputations for real ______, like those at the now-shuttered Action Park. These patrons want not danger but its _______, a rede that ______ but is in fact perfectly safe. peril titillation lavishness complement simulacrum abettor satisfies mollifies terrifies
-The first and third blanks are easy -The third blank, after a quick read-through, I decided that simulacrum was good but then skipped it and came back -The defined each work, complement didn't make sense we are not looking for something that is exactly like "danger", and although I didn't know "abettor", I knew that abet was a word that did not go with my own intuition that this blank needed to be "representation" of something so I settled with simulacrum which does have the definition of "representation of something or someone"
[Only deliberate "specific" usage if you can't find a word to settle upon immediately] Far too ______ to consider a career in the political limelight, the unassuming aide contended herself with a career behind the scenes, ______ supporting the political heavyweights of her day. diffident apathetic ideological implicitly quietly skeptically
-The first blank was easy -The second blank I picked "quietly" first and then picked implicitly because I thought way too much... about "specific" use of a word -Quietly fit the meaning and there was no reason to cross it off
[Logic of the sentence and whatever clues you have.] As opposed to the hedonism and _____ of his undergraduate years, during his doctoral program, Boehm became a model of ______ and his earnest devotion led to academic laurels. apathy studiousness duplicity diligence morality detachment
-The first blank was easy to figure our since only apathy made sense -For the second blank I picked morality first however, I went with diligence, since we are looking for the opposite of apathy and something closer to "hard-work". Also "morality" doesn't exactly have to lead to "academic laurels". ____ -Another thing I noticed is that you don't want to be caught up with one word in the sentence as clue
[ALL, ANY, NONE, GRE indicators of DEFINITELY wrong answers] Which of the following is a complaint leveled against the theory of Homo economicus posited by certain economists of the later 19th century? A. It assumes that the average person knows a lot more about the general workings of the economy than he or he actually does. B. It assumes that humans experience a proportional and linear emotional response to ALL risks and rewards. C. It assumes that the primary impetus behind human decision making is not predicated on ethics or cultural mores.
-The first is obviously correct. -I thought the second was correct but thought to myself that "I'm making this assumption based on my personal experience", maybe this is wrong. The key is to read carefully -- this is clearly WRONG. The word ALL should be a dead giveaway. -I thought the last one was wrong but made another silly assumption. The passage says that "Amartya Sen has pointed out that H.E. IGNORES that people can and so commit to courses of action out of morality, cultural expectations, and so forth." I took the word "ignores" too seriously and thought, that to ignore something means to pay no attention to it, if that's the case then C can't be correct because it implies that an "assumption" was made and the line of thought was NOT ignored. However this is TOO EFFED up. For the GRE if you can find ANY semblance of an explicit clue. Pick it and MOVE on.
[Really hone in on what the word means.] December's earthquake was but a _________ to a terrible year for a small island nation recently wracked by civil strife and devastating tropical storms. prologue catharsis coda homily rampage
-The first thing I did wrong was cross off coda (which I knew to mean an "end to a piece" but I suppose it could be used metaphorically for an end to an event) -I know the word catharsis but defined it as "a moment of relief" since that's the word I personally wanted. This is wrong. If I can't define it, then at least portray the actions of it -A homily is a tedious moralizing discourse, so that's wrong
[Go with your first choice in your head] In the context in which it appears, "national chest" most nearly refers to D) the vocal abilities of amateur American singers E) musical instruments found in American homes
-The first thought in my head was D, although the passage says "What is the national throat?....What of the national chest?" -These both refer to the same thing. One might be UNCOMFORTABLE realizing this but it is the truth do not assume like I did that there must be a comparison of two different things. The paragraph only mentions "amateur singers" NOT instruments
[Tough one that I cracked] In the course of a transatlantic voyage following the First World War, he magically acquired an honorific title of "Count" as well as "von" in his name, a development due to his aquiline nose and social _______ rather than his ______ genetics, which lacked any distinction, and he ________ successfully enough in New York City to parlay this charade into a small fortune. arrogance deftness maladroitness peasant patrician perturbing coalesced dissembled disseminated
-The last blank was easy with the clue "charade" -The first blank was tough but I decided on "deftness" after realizing that the first blank must be + and decided the second blank must be - -At first I went with peasant which is the most negative of the words but then doubted myself, then I saw that "which lacked any distinction" as the clue. This MUST mean that the blank must be negative rather than positive
[Once you figure out a blank and are unsure about the other, break the sentence down and begin with what you know to be true and question how the other fits.] [Shifter or not?] One liberal activist asserts that politicians' tendency to _______ talk of class warfare stems largely from a communal state of denial, a refusal to accept that we already occupy a highly ______ society. denigrate besmirch encourage socialized balkanized politicized
-The second blank I picked balkanized because we want something that represents "division" -The first blank I went with "encourage", because I thought that if they are encouraging it the refuse to believe that it already exists. However this is FAULTY logic on the GRE. The second part talks about the fact that these politicians REFUSE to accept that the society is divided. So they would try to go against these talks. So the answer must be something close to "denial" -- denigrate works best.
[Sometimes your break-down can be wrong. Pay attention to other words and what you are sure of.] Unable to eschew her well-known tendency toward _____, the speaker effectively turned a five-minute policy brief into an hour-long ____ on the history of the region. terseness precision elaboration distension expatiation repertory
-The second blank was tough since I didn't know any of the words -At first I thought it couldn't be "expatiation" since the word "expat" but that is the short form of "expatriate" -Distension I knew couldn't be it since it relates to swelling -Repertory of course refers to "repertoire"
[How a GRE question needs to be solved.] [GRE logic: 1) cross-off really wrong 2) do not cross off if you don't know 3) if not explicitly mentioned cross-off 4) if it "could or could not be" it is wrong 5) if answer choices are too similar they are wrong 6) pick what's left and move on] A. Solid water has the same shape as other solid forms of matter B. When dropped from the same height, an object with greater mass will fall to the ground more quickly than an object with less mass. C. One cannot be both a scientist and a philosopher. D. If Aristotle has followed Galileo's method, he would have rejected his hypothesis that solids were the least expanded form of matter. E. In the absence of the scientific method, one cannot disprove commonly held misconceptions about the rules of physics.
-These are all statements which "could or could not be true". The right answer is one which does not fit into this category. A. This doesn't have to be true and we are not told that (so I crossed it off) B. B is definitely wrong according to passage (explicitly) C. Does this have to be true? Not necessarily. We are not told that one cannot be both and so we can't rule this out so this is wrong. D. We don't know what to think of this E. This doesn't HAVE to be true. So we cross this off. At this point you have to go with D, an answer you shouldn't have crossed-off but left. You have to narrow down and pick the best option.
[Only by overlooking] the grievances frequently expressed by her constituency could the incumbent think that pandering advertisements would do anything but _________ her campaign. bolster aggrieve encourage hobble hamstring restore
-Tricky for me to figure our but you have to break it down: -Politician is ignoring the hardships and thinks pandering is good, this would ONLY work if she overlooked the hardships and thought that pandering would be helpful -Thus the pandering would be anything but negative but ONLY if she ignored the grievances
Millions of dollars over budget and months late, the planned software was finally ready for release, much to the chagrin of its original investors; although it actually has all of the capabilities that the original specification _______, the delay meant that it has already been surpassed by the competitor's products. possessed boasted of predicted updated enhanced promised
-Unlike the above TC, this is one where it was worth it to take time to think since the answers weren't as obvious -The word I came up with was "asked for" -Possessed can't make sense then, "promised" makes sense -The next closest is "boasted of"
[This is tough but you have to TRANSLATE the metaphor.] Given the influx of information via social media, the only way that a person can function effectively is to ________, to metaphorically separate the wheat from the chaff. delete triage prioritize respond requite eliminate
-We can cross off delete and eliminate, they are trap and don't make much sense -We can also cross of respond -We are now down to triage, prioritize, and requite -I knew that triage had to be an answer but didn't know what it meant. At this point I should've examined the metaphor. Can it fit with one of the words in my narrowed down list? -Separate the wheat from the chaff could mean to "narrow down to what's important" -The sounds close to prioritize -Also I didn't know what requite means but could there be a word close to it? What about "un-requited love"?
CAREFUL about TRICKY worded questions:
Each of the following, if true, would weaken the conclusion above EXCEPT
