GRE Verbal : Adjectives and Adverbs in One-Blank Texts

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #61 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Texts

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

Possible Answers:

hallucinatory

intellectual

auditory

olfactory

pragmatic

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 #751 : Text Completion

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

Possible Answers:

potable

obtuse

ambiguous

opaque

egregious

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 #62 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Texts

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

Possible Answers:

slender

palaver

rotund

lithe

vigorous

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 #63 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Texts

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

Possible Answers:

transgressive

ominous

exceptional

obscene

tranquil

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 #64 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Texts

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

Possible Answers:

socialist

anarchist

libertarian

communitarian

pragmatic

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

omniscient

ambivalent

opulent

ominous

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 #65 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Texts

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

Possible Answers:

potent

sallow

saccharin

nebulous

miniscule

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 #66 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Texts

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

Possible Answers:

posthumous

pragmatic

concealed

subtle

ignominious

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 #67 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Texts

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

Possible Answers:

supercilious

bourgeois

congenital

omniscient

omnipotent

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.

Example Question #68 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Texts

His _____________ nature prevented him from taking too many chances with investments.

Possible Answers:

obsequious

erratic

histrionic

hypocritical

pragmatic

Correct answer:

pragmatic

Explanation:

The best description in the sentence is that the subject does not take "too many chances."  The subject must then be someone who is cautious or extremely reasonable.  "Pragmatic," meaning practical and rational, is the correct answer.

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