All GRE Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #841 : Text Completion
The school was so ________________ that they had not bought new furniture in over two decades.
lavish
excessive
frugal
judicious
supercilious
frugal
The school has "not bought new furniture," meaning that the school is either unwilling or unable to spend money. The correct answer should mean extremely economical or penny-pinching, the definition of "frugal."
Example Question #842 : Text Completion
The Board President resigned after the company took measures _______________ to her values.
disinterested
contemporary
impartial
imitative
inimical
inimical
A "Board President" leaving a company over values indicates a disagreement, and the correct answer must reflect this. "Inimical," meaning at odds with or hostile to, is the best choice.
Example Question #843 : Text Completion
His _____________ temperament made it hard for his family to make concrete plans.
punctilious
meticulous
perspicacious
mercurial
poised
mercurial
The man's temperament causes "concrete plans" to be difficult. The correct answer needs to indicate what creates such a hardship. "Mercurial," meaning volatile and changeable, like the metal mercury, is the best choice.
Example Question #844 : Text Completion
The composer's career saw him move from complicated orchestrations to ____________ arrangements.
excessive
rococo
baroque
sparse
jubilant
sparse
The sentence contrasts the composer's "complicated orchestrations" to his later arrangements, which are described by the missing word. The correct answer should indicate that the later arrangements were uncomplicated. "Sparse," meaning bare or meager, is the best choice.
Example Question #845 : Text Completion
It was impossible to follow the angry man’s argument. Constantly __________, the meaning of one term seemed to transform as many times as did his changing temper.
bellicose
capricious
berating
belligerent
equivocating
equivocating
The sentence works well with one of the participial beginnings. Here, vocabulary probably helps best, though. Clearly, the point is that he keeps changing his terms; therefore, he is "equivocating." Equivocation comes from the Latin aequus for equal and voco. The first has many examples that are readily available. Voco is seen in words like "convocation," "vocal," "advocate," and so forth. The word is so derived because equivocation means that one treats two or more words as though they were the same (Thus, they are "equally called"). For instance, in English, we use the word "bank" to represent both the edge of a river as well as the financial institution.
Example Question #846 : Text Completion
The young woman hated chain stores, filling her home with __________ furniture.
generic
artisanal
synthetic
mundane
sallow
artisanal
The young woman is trying to avoid "chain stores" and what is sold there. As "chain stores" have many identical items, the woman will be looking for one of a kind furniture. "Artisanal," meaning crafted and handmade, is the correct answer choice.
Example Question #847 : Text Completion
The boy was annoying but __________, causing little long term harm.
transgressive
ominous
egregious
innocuous
irksome
innocuous
The missing word is paired with the phrase "causing little long term harm." The correct answer must mean harmless or inoffensive, which is the definition of "innocuous."
Example Question #848 : Text Completion
She often told instructive stories __________, so as not to call out specific people.
metaphorically
sycophantically
petulantly
literally
belligerently
metaphorically
The subject is trying to avoid calling out "specific people," and her style of lessons must follow this pattern. The correct answer will indicate she is avoiding mentioning identifying details. "Metaphorically," meaning symbolically or figuratively, is the best choice.
Example Question #849 : Text Completion
He was known for an incredible voice, with a __________ singing range.
peerless
useless
sagacious
philistine
supercilious
peerless
The key word in the sentence is "incredible," which parallels the missing word. The correct answer will be similar in meaning to "incredible." "Peerless," meaning unequaled or the very best, is the appropriate choice.
Example Question #159 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Texts
The boy's decisions were rarely __________, and recklessness often got him in trouble.
fortuitous
perspicacious
prescient
mercurial
prudent
prudent
The boy is described as having a particular "recklessness." If his decisions were "rarely" of something, then the correct answer must be an antonym of "reckless." "Prudent," meaning responsible and wise, is the best choice.
All GRE Verbal Resources
