Verbs and Adjectives or Adverbs in Two-Blank Texts - GRE Verbal

“Corroborate” means provide support for, and “craven” means cowardly. This is the only answer choice in which both words work together.

Our hint for the second blank is "divisions", so we're looking for words that match that. "Polarize" is our best choice, which means "to divide into two groups." But we still have to check the other word—"exigent" means "pressing," so it works as well.

The first word must be an adjective that describes something that you should not believe, and "tawdry" does just that because it means of little value or gaudy. The second word needs to be a verb that describes what tabloids do to sell print copies. "Manufactured" is the best choice here because it means to make up or invent in this context. None of the other answer choices make sense in the context of the sentence.

In this sentence, the first word must be an adjective that describes how a dictator would expect his subjects to be, and the second word must be a verb that refers to what a dictator would do to this opposition. "Obsequious" means submissive and servile, and "thwart" means to prevent or intervene against, so this is the word pair that best completes the sentence.

While "vacillate" and "oscillate" can both mean to waver, "vacillate . . . inherently" is correct because the second answer choice, “inherently,” makes more sense than “tacitly.” A quality that is "inherent" is one that is permanent and essential to something, in this case, to humankind. "Tacit" means that something is implied without being openly acknowledged.

To "conclude" means to end; the second part of the sentence after the semi-colon makes it clear the scientists are ending their work, and should not continue, as they already have clear results. "Futile" in this case means counterproductive or pointless; "sensible" is its opposite.

The doctoral student has published successfully, so she must be intelligent or insightful enough to do this, the definition of "perspicacious." "Substantiate," meaning to provide evidence, is the only answer that makes sense in the second sentence.

The smell of the cheese is different from the "perfume of various oils and herbs." This means it is pungent or sharp, the definition of "acrid." It is being hidden or covered, the definition of "obscured," by the herbs and oils.

The subject's "approach to relationships" affects how he sees others. The "cynical" approach, or looking for the worst in others, would "preclude," or prevent, the subject from "seeing the good in people."

The girl's story "moved many to give," and this points to both answers, as the story is strong enought to get funds for the organization. "Poignant," meaning deeply moving, and "solicit," meaning to ask or seek out, combine for the correct answer.

The word "although" gives a clue to what the sentence is about—it's a reversal—so the two blanks should be opposites. "Amicable" and "reprimanded" fit best: if the director is normally friendly, it is suprising that he/she delivers a reprimand—a rebuke—to the actor.

For the first choice, "genial," makes more sense than "humane" in dealing tactfully with a person you are trying to avoid trouble with. For the second choice, "fulminate," means to explode angrily.

Amalgamate—to mix or merge as to make a combination.

Amenable—agreeable.

The group leader wanted to combine the individual contributions so that all of the group members were happy with the outcome.

For the first blank, we're looking for a word with a positive connotation, since the plumber did a good job in quickly stopping the leak. Knowing this, we can eliminate the answer choices that begin with "indifferent," "hapless," and "officious," all words with neutral or negative meanings, leaving us with "laudable" and "commendable," two words with positive connotations. For the second blank, we're looking for a word that means stopping or blocking. Since "exacerbating" means making worse and "occluding" means obstructing an opening, the correct answer is "laudable . . . occluding."

For the first blank, we need a word that can describe a smell—specifically, a stink. "Fetid" and "noisome" might each work in the first blank, as each word can mean smelling terrible, so we are left with "rue" and "expiate" for the second. Since "rue" means regret greatly and "expiate" means atone or make amends for, the correct answer is "fetid . . . rue."

For the first blank, we need an adjective that describes the duchess's overdressed companions. Possible choices include "salacious" (overtly sexual) "gauche," (awkwardly unsophisticated) and "florid" (complicated, perhaps excessively). For the second blank, we need a word that means decorated gaudily, and "bedizened" means exactly that. So, the correct answer is "florid . . . bedizened."

From the guard's description, we can tell that any word that means something like warlike or threatening will fit in the first blank, so "bellicose" and "pugnacious," (which both mean warlike) and "minatory" (which means threatening) are all possible options. For the second blank, we need to choose between "gainsay," "disabuse," and "rarefy." Since "gainsay" means to contradict, the correct answer is "minatory . . . gainsay."

For the first blank, we need an adjective that means something like threatening. "Baleful" and "inauspicious" could each work. For the second blank, we need a word that describes what the sea is doing in the storm; between "welter," which means move tumultuously, and "oscillate," which means to swing back and forth at a constant rate, "welter" is the better choice, so the answer is "baleful . . . welter."

For the first blank, we need an adjective that means something like secretive. Either "enigmatic" (difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious) or "taciturn" (reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little) could work.

For the second blank, we need a verb that means to reveal only a small part of, since the master thief kept most of the details of his plan to himself. In choosing between "precipitate" (cause something (usually something bad) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely) and "adumbrate" (to suggest, disclose, or outline partially), "adumbrate" is the better choice, so the answer is "enigmatic . . . adumbrate."