Context Clues in One-Blank Texts

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GRE Verbal › Context Clues in One-Blank Texts

Questions 1 - 10
1

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Many thought that Harry was merely happy about the news when, in fact, he was                      to hear the report.

elated

joyous

dispirited

lax

surprised

Explanation

This sentence indicates a kind of intensification. Many people seemed to think that Harry would merely be happy. The word "merely" provides the best indication that we want to describe him has being something more than "merely happy." A great intensifier for "happy" is "elated," which describes someone who is extremely happy.

2

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

When Laura’s sharp retorts did not                      the strange man’s advances, she gave him a fake number in order to finally get rid of him for good.

halt

discourage

amend

attenuate

paliate

Explanation

From the sentence, you can deduce that Laura's ultimate goal with her retorts is to get rid of the strange man talking to her, but she doesn't succeed until she changes tactics. Therefore, "amend" (improve) does not fit the context. And while the other for words are meant to lessen and/or stop the advances to various extents—"attenuate" (diminish), "palliate" (soothe), "discourage" (persuade not to do something), and "halt" (stop)—it is only the word with the strongest connotation, "halt," that matches the notion of "getting rid of for good." Thus, "halt" is the correct answer.

3

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

She was infuriated by her classmates’                   ; she wanted to do something to fix the problems that everyone else seemed to accept as inevitable.

rebelliousness

doggedness

culpability

quiescence

fervor

Explanation

“Quiescence” means complacency or passive acceptance, which is the only answer choice that would infuriate someone with a desire to act.

4

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

She was infuriated by her classmates’                   ; she wanted to do something to fix the problems that everyone else seemed to accept as inevitable.

rebelliousness

doggedness

culpability

quiescence

fervor

Explanation

“Quiescence” means complacency or passive acceptance, which is the only answer choice that would infuriate someone with a desire to act.

5

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

When Laura’s sharp retorts did not                      the strange man’s advances, she gave him a fake number in order to finally get rid of him for good.

halt

discourage

amend

attenuate

paliate

Explanation

From the sentence, you can deduce that Laura's ultimate goal with her retorts is to get rid of the strange man talking to her, but she doesn't succeed until she changes tactics. Therefore, "amend" (improve) does not fit the context. And while the other for words are meant to lessen and/or stop the advances to various extents—"attenuate" (diminish), "palliate" (soothe), "discourage" (persuade not to do something), and "halt" (stop)—it is only the word with the strongest connotation, "halt," that matches the notion of "getting rid of for good." Thus, "halt" is the correct answer.

6

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Many thought that Harry was merely happy about the news when, in fact, he was                      to hear the report.

elated

joyous

dispirited

lax

surprised

Explanation

This sentence indicates a kind of intensification. Many people seemed to think that Harry would merely be happy. The word "merely" provides the best indication that we want to describe him has being something more than "merely happy." A great intensifier for "happy" is "elated," which describes someone who is extremely happy.

7

Fill in the blanks with the best answer.

Rather than increasing the opportunities to drill for natural gas, the bill intends to                      oil production near national and state parks.

concede

provoke

inhibit

bolster

exonerate

Explanation

"Inhibit" means to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level. The beginning of the sentence has the word _rather—_this is a clue that what occurs on the other half of the sentence will be the opposite of what is stated before; in this case, the bill limits production rather than increasing it.

8

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The conversation, which began as a minor disagreement between two friends, had escalated into a                      display of enmity.

contentious

judgmental

villainous

disgraceful

immoral

Explanation

This sentence is very obvious in calling for an intensified word to complete the first half of the sentence. In the first portion, the conversation is said to be a minor disagreement. To "escalate" means to increase in intensity—like an escalator going upwards in a building. When a conversation is "contentious," it is a heated disagreement. This well describes the escalation from a disagreement to something much worse.

9

Fill in the blanks with the best answer.

Rather than increasing the opportunities to drill for natural gas, the bill intends to                      oil production near national and state parks.

concede

provoke

inhibit

bolster

exonerate

Explanation

"Inhibit" means to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level. The beginning of the sentence has the word _rather—_this is a clue that what occurs on the other half of the sentence will be the opposite of what is stated before; in this case, the bill limits production rather than increasing it.

10

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The conversation, which began as a minor disagreement between two friends, had escalated into a                      display of enmity.

contentious

judgmental

villainous

disgraceful

immoral

Explanation

This sentence is very obvious in calling for an intensified word to complete the first half of the sentence. In the first portion, the conversation is said to be a minor disagreement. To "escalate" means to increase in intensity—like an escalator going upwards in a building. When a conversation is "contentious," it is a heated disagreement. This well describes the escalation from a disagreement to something much worse.

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