GRE Verbal : Text Completion

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #751 : Text Completion

The playful puppy was surprisingly __________________ during his obedience training.

Possible Answers:

transgressive

irascible

obstreperous

irksome

tractable

Correct answer:

tractable

Explanation:

The missing word is contrasted with "playful," and the behavior described by the answer occurs during "obedience training." The correct answer will mean dutiful or obedient, the definition of "tractable."

Example Question #752 : Text Completion

The kitchen, with its strong peppers and vibrant sauces, was a wonderful _____________ experience.

Possible Answers:

intellectual

olfactory

auditory

pragmatic

hallucinatory

Correct answer:

olfactory

Explanation:

The sentence specifically pulls out the peppers and sauces of the kitchen. The correct answer will relate to the experience of those items. "Olfactory," meaning concerned with the sense of smell, is the best choice.

Example Question #753 : Text Completion

The crew still had to run tests to determine if the liquid was ________________ and nontoxic.

Possible Answers:

opaque

ambiguous

egregious

potable

obtuse

Correct answer:

potable

Explanation:

The sentence pairs the missing word with "nontoxic;" therefore, the correct answer will be similar in meaning to "nontoxic." "Potable," meaning suitable for drinking, is the best choice.

Example Question #753 : Text Completion

A trim man as a youth, he grew more and more _______________ as he aged.

Possible Answers:

rotund

palaver

vigorous

slender

lithe

Correct answer:

rotund

Explanation:

The sentence contrasts the subject's trim physique as a younger man with the missing word.  The correct answer will indicate he is physically unfit. "Rotund," meaning large and round, is the best choice among the answers.

Example Question #714 : One Blank Texts

At age fifty, the couple left their hectic urban life for their __________ cabin in the woods.

Possible Answers:

obscene

tranquil

exceptional

ominous

transgressive

Correct answer:

tranquil

Explanation:

The missing word is contrasted with "hectic," and the correct answer will be an antonym to hectic. "Tranquil," meaning peaceful and calm, is the correct answer.

Example Question #754 : Text Completion

His ______________ beliefs were distinctly at odds with his job in local government.

Possible Answers:

libertarian

pragmatic

anarchist

communitarian

socialist

Correct answer:

libertarian

Explanation:

The "job in local government" stands in opposition to the man's beliefs. The correct answer will indicate a dissatisfaction or dislike of a job in government. "Libertarian," describing a political belief in limited government, is the best choice.

Example Question #757 : Text Completion

The dark storm clouds were an ______________ presence throught the game.

Possible Answers:

ambiguous

ominous

opulent

ambivalent

omniscient

Correct answer:

ominous

Explanation:

The clouds are referenced as "dark" and are present "throughout the game." The correct answer will indicate their looming presence. "Ominous," meaning threatening and imposing, is the best choice.

Example Question #755 : Text Completion

Money has been a ______________ force in politics, dating back to the influence of leading citizens on the Roman Senate.

Possible Answers:

potent

nebulous

sallow

miniscule

saccharin

Correct answer:

potent

Explanation:

The note of the "influence of leading citizens" of Rome indicates that money plays a large role in politics. The correct answer should mean strong or powerful, which is the definition of "potent."

Example Question #756 : Text Completion

Due to his ________________ arrest charge, he was no longer allowed to work with children.

Possible Answers:

pragmatic

ignominious

posthumous

concealed

subtle

Correct answer:

ignominious

Explanation:

The consequences of the arrest are quite severe, limiting the work available to the subject of the sentence. The kind of arrest will therefore be strange or quite extreme. "Ignominious," meaning shameful or infamous, is the correct answer choice.

Example Question #757 : Text Completion

The superhero film was criticized for making its hero _______________, and for giving him no flaws.

Possible Answers:

congenital

omnipotent

bourgeois

omniscient

supercilious

Correct answer:

omnipotent

Explanation:

The superhero has "no flaws," which describes the missing word. The correct answer will indicate his lack of issues. "Omnipotent," meaning all powerful, is the best choice among the answers.

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