GRE Verbal : Text Completion
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Verbal
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Example Questions
Example Question #401 : Text Completion
Her speaking style was marked by its impressive ___________, striving to make her point with as few words as possible.
extremism
brevity
indulgence
resplendence
esotericism
brevity
"As few words as possible" is the key phrase in the sentence for finding the answer. "Resplendence," "indulgence," and "extremisim" would mean an excess of words, while "esotericism" would conflict with a desire to make a clear point. "Brevity" is the correct answer.
Example Question #402 : Text Completion
Many athletes can never handle becoming popular superstars, the ___________ of millions can seem smothering.
indifference
apathy
adulation
criticism
cynicism
adulation
"Popular superstar" gives the best clue to the correct answer. Many of the answer chocies would work with the second clause of the sentence, but only "adulation," meaning worship or strong love, makes sense with the entire sentence.
Example Question #651 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
Despite the paper's ____________, many people still believed the story as it was printed.
onboarding
affectation
retraction
encouragement
advocation
retraction
A few answer choices could work in the sentence, so the task with this question is to find the best choice. The second clause in the sentence makes clear the story "as it was printed" was wrong or misleading. "Retraction," meaning a withdrawal or cancellation of an article or statement, is the choice that best completes the sentence.
Example Question #652 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The Army officer never discussed any personal ____________, despite overcoming a great deal in his childhood.
desire
adulation
promotion
degradation
adversity
adversity
The key phrase in the sentence is "overcoming a great deal." The correct answer choice will have a definition tied to that phrase. "Adversity," which means hardship and struggle, is the correct answer.
Example Question #653 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The teenager thought he had finally become a true punk, but everyone at the show thought he was a _____________.
poseur
decoy
paradigm
phenom
paragon
poseur
The structure of the sentence indicates the teenager saw himself quite differently than all the people at the show. The answer should stand in opposition to the notion of a "true punk." "Poseur," which means a person who puts on a false persona, is the correct answer.
Example Question #654 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
His stories tended toward _____________, adding new and different details with each telling.
simplicity
brevity
veracity
acuity
hyperbole
hyperbole
The "newer and different details" are the best clue to the correct answer for this sentence. The addition of details to a story makes it less realistic and more exaggerated. Of all the answer choices, only "hyperbole," meaning grossly exaggerated, fits the sentence.
Example Question #655 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
As her friends began leaving the religion of their childhood, she remained a ____________ of traditional values.
caricature
sieve
bastion
salve
bane
bastion
The structure of the sentence indicates that the woman kept her "childhood faith" when her friends did not. The correct answer will show that the subject is staying in her religion and upholding its values. "Bastion," meaning a fortress or a defense, is correct, being used here metaphorically.
Example Question #656 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The small environmental protest quickly spread to a large ______________ involving many different activists.
conflagration
bulwark
effigy
condemnation
edifice
conflagration
What the addition of "many different activists" did to the gathering was make it extremely large and confusing; therefore, "conflagration," which literally means a big fire, but here refers to a large, out of control crowd, is the correct choice.
Example Question #657 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
With the former President out of the country, the protesters built an _____________ of him to put on trial.
paragon
effigy
decoy
genre
exemplar
effigy
The sentence is very clear that the protesters built something to stand in for the President. Many of the answer choices could fit that definition, but the best fit needs to be found. "Effigy," which specifically means a model of a person, is the correct answer.
Example Question #658 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
The fall did not injure the hiker too seriously, but did leave a ___________ on her knee.
fracture
degradation
obsession
hemorrhage
contusion
contusion
The sentence says the hiker was not injured "too seriously," but merely had the injury described by the missing word. The correct answer will be a minor harm. "Contusion," meaning a bruise or welt, is the best fit among the answer choices.
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