GRE Verbal : GRE Verbal Reasoning
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Verbal
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Example Questions
Example Question #42 : One Blank Texts
He had just published a large work on Medieval France, but was still promising a __________ on the Norman Kings of England within the year.
tenet
portent
missive
pamphlet
tome
tome
The structure of the sentence effectively pairs the two works mentioned, so the missing word is similar to "large work." "Tome," which means a very large book, is the correct answer choice.
Example Question #84 : Text Completion
He had always been fascinated by _____________, loving how different roots came together to form words.
etymology
zoology
existentialism
entomology
colonialism
etymology
This sentence requires the exact knowledge of the choices' definitions. "Etymology" is the study of words and their origins, and is the correct answer.
Example Question #332 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The young orphan looked to his parents' photographs as a ______________ to his own past.
legend
eulogy
misnomer
riddle
chimera
legend
The orphan is attempting to find something through his parents' photographs. The orphan is using the photographs as a guide. In this sense, "legend," referring to the key of a map, is the choice that best fits the sentence.
Example Question #333 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
While the graffiti never became too serious a problem, it continued to be a ____________ for the police department.
bane
wane
paradigm
boon
goad
bane
The graffiti might not be "too serious," but it is still problematic for the police. The correct answer choice will indicate both the problems and the smallness of them. "Bane," meaning a consistent bother, is the correct answer.
Example Question #22 : Nouns In One Blank Texts
The show is not just a good musical, but almost a perfect model of the ___________.
ephemera
genre
connoiseur
effigy
jargon
genre
The key word in this sentence is "musical." As a musical is a particular category or type of show, the correct answer is "genre," which has that exact definition.
Example Question #334 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The fierce ___________ between the two rivals slowly turned into a warm friendship.
rancor
familiarity
affability
fraternity
inimitability
rancor
The sentence both indicates the two were rivals and contrasts the answer with "warm friendship." The correct answer choice should make it clear the rivalry was quite intense. Of the choices, only "rancor," meaning resentment or a bad feeling, fits the sentence appropriately.
Example Question #331 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
His small writings on the beat scene made him known as "The ____________ of Jazz."
Paragon
Bastion
Bard
Bane
Cudgel
Bard
In this sentence, many of the choices could fit, but the best fit needs to be found. The phrase "small writings" is the best indicator of the right answer. "Bard," a word for writer or poet, is the word that best fits in the sentence.
Example Question #89 : Text Completion
Despite a campaign to save the old courthouse, the ________ proved too crumbling to be restored.
paradigm
buttress
aesthetics
bulwark
edifice
edifice
The "old courthouse" is what is described by the answer, so the correct choice will be able to identify the courthouse. "Edifice," meaning building or structure, is the best choice.
Example Question #332 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The talk show host drew _____________ from critics for his confrontational interviews.
adoration
ardor
acclimation
effusion
ire
ire
The host is described as "confrontational" in the sentence; the host is also mentioned as having critics. Those critics would be upset and angry with the host. Of all the choices, only "ire," meaning anger, has the appropriate meaning.
Example Question #333 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The owner insisted the contract was phrased so that the employee had to work in _____________ for the company, and could never leave.
acuity
perspicacity
intemperance
perpetuity
mutiny
perpetuity
The last phrase of the sentence, "could never leave," is the key to finding the answer. The correct answer will essentially mean "never leave." "Perpetuity," meaning forever or eternity, is the correct answer choice.
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