GRE Verbal : One-Blank Texts
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Verbal
All GRE Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #841 : One Blank Texts
Her __________ younger brother would follow behind her and do anything she asked.
transgressive
zealous
petulant
maverick
servile
servile
The brother would "do anything she asked." This means he was obedient to his sister, and the correct answer will reflect this. "Servile," meaning overly submissive or groveling, is the correct answer.
Example Question #841 : One Blank Texts
He was notably __________ about his job, and his boss thought he wanted to be fired.
rigorous
ebullient
apathetic
enthusiastic
sagacious
apathetic
The fact "his boss thought he wanted to be fired" means he is not doing his job well. The correct answer will show his poor performance and attitude. "Apathetic," meaning indifferent or uninterested, is the best choice.
Example Question #842 : One Blank Texts
His delay was __________, as it meant he missed seeing the accident firsthand.
immoderate
prolific
supercilious
inappropriate
felicitous
felicitous
Missing "seeing the accident firsthand" is a good thing. This means the subject's delay was a positive development. "Fortuitous," meaning lucky or fortunate, is the correct answer.
Example Question #843 : One Blank Texts
The poet considered true love __________, and pointedly refused to write about it.
cogent
subtle
ineffable
lucid
succinct
ineffable
If the poet "refused to write about it," then it can safely be assumed the poet finds it difficult to write about. The correct answer must explain why it is difficult to write about. "Ineffable," meaning hard to put into words, is the best choice.
Example Question #844 : One Blank Texts
The creature was baffling to zoologists, who did not know it was a __________, because they could not see its pouch.
omnivore
marsupial
relic
amphibian
invertebrate
marsupial
The sentence notes the "creature" had a "pouch," which makes finding the correct answer fairly straightforward. A "marsupial" is a mammal with a pouch to carry its young.
Example Question #845 : One Blank Texts
The congressman was accused of being __________ and never caring what happened in his colleagues' districts.
egalitarian
generous
altruistic
munificent
parochial
parochial
The congressman's lack of concern for "his colleagues' districts" indicates his interest only in matters that concern his district. "Parochial," meaning narrow minded or obsessed with local concerns, is the best fit.
Example Question #846 : One Blank Texts
She was highly __________ of her sister's boasts, and demanded proof of her achievements.
gullible
equivocal
nostalgic
skeptical
dispassionate
skeptical
Having "demanded proof" of the boasts, it is clear the subject does not believe her sister. The correct answer should mean doubting or disbelieving, the definition of skeptical.
Example Question #847 : One Blank Texts
The gangster took __________ routes to his destinations to make it harder on his enemies to track him.
inexorable
expedient
punctilious
infamous
circuitous
circuitous
The gangster is trying "to make it harder" to be tracked, which means his routes will be hard to follow. The correct answer must mean indirect or roundabout, the definition of "circuitous."
Example Question #848 : One Blank Texts
He was so __________ in the kitchen, he could hardly chop vegetables.
exemplary
dextrous
inexorable
inept
adroit
inept
As "he could hardly chop vegetables," his skill in the kitchen is obviously severely limited. The correct answer needs to mean unskilled or incompetent, the definition of "inept."
Example Question #849 : One Blank Texts
The politician played up a __________ image, but was actually born into considerable wealth.
proletarian
bourgeois
lofty
lavish
parochial
proletarian
The politician has "played up" an image at odds with being "born into considerable wealth." The correct answer needs to mean not wealthy, or even poor. "Proletarian," meaning of the working class, is the best choice.
All GRE Verbal Resources
