GRE Verbal : One-Blank Texts
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Verbal
All GRE Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #81 : Text Completion
The new president refused to comment on the previous regime's policies, out of ___________ to his predecessor.
hostility
animosity
officiousness
deference
posterity
deference
The new president is attempting to show respect and possibly admiration for his predecessor, without commenting or saying too much information. "Deference," which means a polite respect, is the only answer choice that fits the sentence.
Example Question #41 : One Blank Texts
The ballplayer was highly suspicious, and considered music in the clubhouse a ________ for a loss.
portent
eulogy
tome
bulwark
blunderbess
portent
The fact the ballplayer was suspicious means he was on the lookout for coincidences and signs. "Portent," which means an omen or warning sign, is the correct answer choice.
Example Question #41 : One Blank Texts
He had just published a large work on Medieval France, but was still promising a __________ on the Norman Kings of England within the year.
pamphlet
portent
missive
tenet
tome
tome
The structure of the sentence effectively pairs the two works mentioned, so the missing word is similar to "large work." "Tome," which means a very large book, is the correct answer choice.
Example Question #331 : Gre Verbal Reasoning
He had always been fascinated by _____________, loving how different roots came together to form words.
zoology
colonialism
etymology
entomology
existentialism
etymology
This sentence requires the exact knowledge of the choices' definitions. "Etymology" is the study of words and their origins, and is the correct answer.
Example Question #42 : One Blank Texts
The young orphan looked to his parents' photographs as a ______________ to his own past.
misnomer
eulogy
legend
chimera
riddle
legend
The orphan is attempting to find something through his parents' photographs. The orphan is using the photographs as a guide. In this sense, "legend," referring to the key of a map, is the choice that best fits the sentence.
Example Question #21 : Nouns In One Blank Texts
While the graffiti never became too serious a problem, it continued to be a ____________ for the police department.
goad
boon
bane
wane
paradigm
bane
The graffiti might not be "too serious," but it is still problematic for the police. The correct answer choice will indicate both the problems and the smallness of them. "Bane," meaning a consistent bother, is the correct answer.
Example Question #21 : Nouns In One Blank Texts
The show is not just a good musical, but almost a perfect model of the ___________.
jargon
connoiseur
effigy
genre
ephemera
genre
The key word in this sentence is "musical." As a musical is a particular category or type of show, the correct answer is "genre," which has that exact definition.
Example Question #22 : Nouns In One Blank Texts
The fierce ___________ between the two rivals slowly turned into a warm friendship.
affability
rancor
inimitability
fraternity
familiarity
rancor
The sentence both indicates the two were rivals and contrasts the answer with "warm friendship." The correct answer choice should make it clear the rivalry was quite intense. Of the choices, only "rancor," meaning resentment or a bad feeling, fits the sentence appropriately.
Example Question #42 : One Blank Texts
His small writings on the beat scene made him known as "The ____________ of Jazz."
Bane
Cudgel
Bard
Paragon
Bastion
Bard
In this sentence, many of the choices could fit, but the best fit needs to be found. The phrase "small writings" is the best indicator of the right answer. "Bard," a word for writer or poet, is the word that best fits in the sentence.
Example Question #42 : One Blank Texts
Despite a campaign to save the old courthouse, the ________ proved too crumbling to be restored.
paradigm
bulwark
aesthetics
edifice
buttress
edifice
The "old courthouse" is what is described by the answer, so the correct choice will be able to identify the courthouse. "Edifice," meaning building or structure, is the best choice.
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