Sentence Equivalence – Flashcards
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Overlarge, uneven, and ultimately disappointing, the retrospective exhibition seems too much like special pleading for a forgotten painter of real but ______________ talents. [A] limited [B] partial [C] undiscovered [D] circumscribed [E] prosaic [F] hidden
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-This one is a case in point that unlike the TCs, sentence equivalence even more so, want you to get to the exact definition of the word and meaning Plan: -Notice that you can come up with your own word at first; something like "limited" -Well that's the easy part you've found one of the two choices but what's the second? It has to be something that exactly means "limited" in scope... -"B" is wrong because it means "incomplete" or "part of a whole"; we want something that is more like "limited" and choice "D" is the best since it means to limit within bounds
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Her ______________ should not be confused with miserliness; as long as I have known her, she has always been willing to assist those who are in need. [A] stinginess [B] diffidence [C] frugality [D] illiberality [E] intolerance [F] thrift
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-This is just a classic GRE thing: miser vs. frugal Plan: -We know that the answer has to be the opposite of miser but also one that is "economical" with spending -So one answer is "C" and the other is "F" which means the same thing but not miserly whose synonym is "illiberal" or "parsimonious" or "stingy" or "penurious"
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For years the satellite had sent back a stream of clear images of distant planets, until only recently, when such transmissions became far more ______________. [A] removed [B] sporadic [C] blurry [D] granular [E] inconsistent [F] imperceptible
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-This one is very tricky and will be missed unless extreme care is paid to the details Plan: -Notice that a certain situation has changed, but what exactly is that situation? -If you think the situation is the quality of the pictures then you will wind up with the wrong answers of "C" and "F" -But if you read closely you'll see that the situation that has changed is the "transmission" which used to be "stream" and must not be the opposite of that -So "B" and "E" make the most sense
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A consummate technical wizard at the piano, Franz Liszt was so ______________ as to be able to faithfully mimic the playing of others that Chopin once exclaimed that he thought his own ghost was at the keys. [A] expert [B] protean [C] haunting [D] efficient [E] amenable [F] versatile
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-This is a tough one especially if you the vocab level isn't that strong -But it is yet another example that the GRE and specifically the sentence equivalence questions want the exact definition of the synonyms -Also notice that general characteristics do not work well. So when you come across something with a general characteristic of being "good" or "bad" then you need to drill down and see what exactly that "good" or "bad" quality is Plan: -We know that Liszt is "good" but what kind of good is he? We he is someone who can change his playing style so that it is imperceptible who is actually playing -So "versatile" works but then what is the direct synonym of "versatile"? It is "protean" -Notice that "expert" is wrong because it is just a general characteristic not what we are looking for and also there is not DIRECT synonym for "expert". All the other choices have different exact meanings
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The chairman of the board, sensing that any effort was futile, became _____ the company's plight, and only shrugged his shoulders when the shareholders notified him that the corporation was insolvent. [A] wary of [B] apathetic to [C] irascible towards [D] hopeless regarding [E] pugnacious towards [F] indifferent to
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-This is not hard to figure out but there is a way that this can turn out to be something challenging -They reason I put it here it to point out that clues matter, which in this case is: -> sensing that the situation is hopeless, he "shrugged" his shoulders -So if you were given the choices of apathetic and indifferent vs. hopeless and bleak you would really need to look for detailed clues and not just focus on the word "futile" -That's why it's important to just read through the sentence once without thinking too much and get an overall sense of it
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The recent spate of quality television dramas—while clearly indebted to the cinematic idiom of the 1970's—represents a(n) ______________ achievement: never before has any video medium been called on to sustain a narrative for 100 plus hours. [A] wondorous [B] incalculable [C] unambiguous [D] unprecedented [E] spotty [F] groundbreaking
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-Again not hard but one that could become challenging given the choices that would be available -The : represents elaboration for what we need but it could be easy to be trapped by what it is asking. Could it be referring to something which is long in length like a 100hrs OR "never before has..." -In this case the answer is "unprecedented" -Also notice "wondrous" which just means "good" but what kind of good is it? Well it's never been done before
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*This one is very important in terms of strategy* There was something ineffably ______ about Cleopatra's personality that drew many to her - extant coins, bearing the Egyptian queen's visage, however, have led many to believe that this attribute did not extend to her physiognomy. [A] attractive [B] diminutive [C] overbearing [D] winsome [E] optimistic [F] spirited
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*I missed this one* -Here I thought winsome meant "charming in a child-like way", which doesn't necessarily mean "attractive" BUT the real definition is "attractive or pleasing in appearance or character". That would've led me to the answer directly! -But even if I didn't let's break this down... I have three words narrowed down: attractive winsome - "charming" (old definition) spirited - "full of spirit" "lively" This might not be obvious but clearly the first two choices work best. So in the future when stuck between words, WRITE DOWN their meanings and see their comparisons to see if they make sense and look for similarities! Try to associate the word with something you may have heard of "Prince Charming" for example is supposed to be really good looking (attractive).
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Pearson's prose has become increasingly ________ : even those who once extolled his intricate metaphors now believe that the excessive use of such language only serves to undermine any semblance of narrative. [A] unguarded [B] ornate [C] embellished [D] vague [E] lucid [F] truculent
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-This one highlights the the word you come up with might not necessarily fit -I came up with "convoluted or inscrutable" or "hard to understand", which may have worked for a TC but not here -So, I had to look for something else that could work. Well the only other thing this SE talks about is being "ornate" so I went with that one since there was a synonym for it -This could have been easier if there were a synonym for vague and none for "ornate"
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Max was so ______________ that he never could be caught in an outright lie; his duplicity worked its seductive spell through a calculated mix of half-truths and disingenuousness. [A] obtuse [B] wily [C] uncanny [D] undiscerning [E] crafty [F] artless [G] Previous
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-This one I didn't know the definitions of one of the right answers but used my strategy of defining and associating to go with the choice that seemed the best upon elimination
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Stranded north of the Arctic Circle and with few remaining supplies, the expedition was in a _____ position. [A] ennobled [B] stultifying [C] precarious [D] spurious [E] unexposed [F] dicey
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-Immediately reading the sentence, I didn't know what the blank could be and going through the choices did not get me closer to an answer -So I went assiduously through each choice and defined what it meant and settled on "precarious" and looked for a synonym for it. I didn't know what ennobled meant and left it blank but saw that dicey was pretty close to the other answer that I was looking for -My gut feeling now after using my strategy to define and attach meaning is that "ennoble" might mean to "make noble"
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*Strategy: When you've narrowed down to the answer choices (usually 3 left), ignore the sentence and judge solely on which are direct/closest synonyms. See how the words are used in normal speech/context that ought to give the nuance of how the word are actually used.* Try even the opposite of the word ex: reconcile and see if it's opposite still makes sense then. *When a question is taking longer than usual, think about the second best choice in your opinion and think about why that should not be the answer and why it could very well be the answer* An inherent flaw in the university system is that faculty and students often have _____ aims: professors constantly strive to gain tenure at the expense of pedagogy, while most students earnestly seek to obtain the best education possible. [A] selfish [B] distinguishable [C] irreconcilable [D] disparate [E] virtuous [F] divergent
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*I missed this one* -This was tricky and my thought process was that I need to look for the word "contradictory" but really an easier choice would have been "different" -Divergent means to break-off and be different (whether it's a path or thought). What other word means "different" well disparate comes the closest. Irreconcilable means the opposite of reconcile, which means to get two things to work together as a whole, nuanced but irreconcilable does not mean "different" -Be careful when you come across these and really question what word means what -Another strategy would be to figure out the subjects and their aims: Students: want a good education Teachers: want tenure over education Immediately you can see they have "different" goals
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While the dense brush can make for tough going, the state park features a wilderness that is virtually _________; some will gladly trade their comfort for a chance to behold fauna few others ever have. [A] empty [B] endangered [C] untouched [D] pristine [E] secluded [F] imperiled
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-This one made me think a lot: -Here I got to two synonyms B and F; C and D. Based of the sentence itself at first glance it could seems like B and F but that would change the meaning of the sentence, so what other words can go there that still means that "many people haven't seen it", well untouched and pristine would imply that not many have been there and thus could not have seen it -There is also no context for "endangered" -A better word to come up with is "unknown"
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Though many are apt to believe that the bones from a recent discovery are those of a direct ancestor of modern humans, some scientists are skeptical, and contend that the remains, while suggesting a common ancestor, are but a vestige of one of evolution's many ______ experiments. [A] noble [B] unviable [C] intuitive [D] unsuccessful [E] archaic [F] ingenious
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-This one also gave me trouble but I should've been quicker to revert to my strategy of "I've missed something important in the paragraph" -It's hard to figure out the meaning of this and I narrowed down the choices to A and F; B and D -Look for a key word or clue that will elucidate; that clue is "vestige", which means remains, if it is the remains of something and it's evolution, well then that thing must have been "unsuccessful". People might think that evolution is awesome and might be misled but the devil is in the details -Also noble means "nobility" and high in rank and something which is impressive; ingenious means "intellectual" "having skill" and showing "inventiveness". They are not really synonyms for each other
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Hoping for a(n) _____, the committee was unable to dedicate enough time to read Mary's entire 200-page dissertation. [A] synopsis [B] inclusion [C] rehash [D] manifesto [E] retraction [F] précis
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-I knew what I was looking for and stuck with it even though I didn't know what "precis" meant it is was the closest to "summary"
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*Strategy: come up with a different word for the blank* *Don't form a bad habit; come up with a word before looking at the choices* The poet, snubbed by all the major houses, went out of his way to make ____ comments during public readings, going so far as to call other writers second-rate. [A] hasty [B] simpering [C] snide [D] affable [E] provocative [F] derogative
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-This was tough for me because there are a lot of words I didn't know -The sentence itself isn't hard we know the dude made "bad" or "deprecatory" , what is closest to this? -Another strategy would be to come up with a different word for the blank such as "insulting", which would have immediately cancelled out provocative out of the running -I was between snide, provocative, and derogative -Provocative would mean to provoke, derogative (expressive of low opinion) comes close to my word and the word closest to that is snide (to make a "snide" remark (expressive of contempt))
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*Remember we want logic of the sentence to stay intact to exact opposites is what we need when looking for words in a shifter* During interrogation, the suspect affected a frightened persona, hoping that such a display of cravenness would deflect the authorities' suspicion, as they were looking for someone who had pulled off several very ______________ crimes. [A] heinous [B] audacious [C] brazen [D] foolhardy [E] obvious [F] conspicuous
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*I missed this one* -This is tough because you *really* have to ferret for details and logic of the piece -An easy or medium one would have only the answers I have chosen but... look closely -The suspect "put" on a "frightened person"/"cravenness" because he wanted to divert attention from. Well we need something directly opposite this, which would be "bold" and "daring" -Audacious and brazen make the most sense
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Oncologists struggle to determine the long-term carcinogenic effects of basic household products, as these effects, whatever they may be, are ______________ those resulting from the miasma of toxins we breathe once we leave our homes. [A] exacerbated by [B] confounded with [C] attenuated by [D] obscured by [E] displaced by [F] subjected to
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*I missed this one* -I followed the right steps in coming up with my own word "hidden or convoluted" by since the other effects would cover up one's we are looking for -Then I did something wrong. I read "confound" to mean "compound" the two are completely different... Confound means to be perplexed or confused by different situations and compound means to make stronger in addition with something else -Obscure would be perfect and what other word goes close to that? Well in hard GRE the answer choices are seldom going to be directly the same but here confound makes the most sense
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*Yet/But/Still - When you see these, your mind should anticipate and opposite to follow of what was described.* The computer modeling of weather has, since its inception, been fraught with difficulties, yet the fact that it has only had to improve on what, to some, amounts to nothing more than voodoo science made its ______________ all but assured. [A] ascendancy [B] demise [C] inclusion [D] primacy [E] dismissal [F] retraction
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*I missed this one* Level: Hard -This is tough but breakdown the sentence: -We know that this technology is *bad* "yet" (BUT), since it only had to deal with "voodoo" and nothing scientific, it's _______ should have been *good*. So what follows the theme or logic of this sentence? Well "its rise to the top or importance" should not have been too hard... -Another thing is that we are looking for the opposite of "difficulties" which comes right before "yet" -Pay special attention to sentences like this! When you see "yet/but/still" or any other clues that you've been trained to treat a certain way, do not be fooled by what your natural inclination is
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Unlike typical literary celebrities, who are ever so eager to promote their work, even at the expense of coming across as contrived, Chase was ____ and made no effort to be expansive. [A] sullen [B] genuine [C] disarming [D] reserved [E] apathetic [F] retiring
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Level: Hard -Here there could be multiple things that work but that clue that really gets at this is "expansive" which means talkative and social
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Though the recent row between the much loved prime minister and the ambassador from the erstwhile colonial power will, in all likelihood, not foment outright protests--the way an incursion by this same foreign power into the country's airspace did--surely such discord will only serve to further ______________ a people long since wary of foreign influence. [A] gall [B] disabuse [C] demean [D] debase [E] rankle [F] marginalize
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Level: Hard -Lots of verbiage here, the key is just to break it down so you don't have to read it over an over again -It says that there won't be riots but, here is the clue "long since wary of foreign influence" so the people will still be upset and unhappy about it; gall and rankle make the most sense
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*Strategy: If you've come up with a word that fits really well and doesn't violate or miss any clues in the sentence and try really hard to look for a synonym even though it is not a word that you might know or have thought of to mean that word.* I'm missing a lot of these based on what I know the word to mean but don't know other definitions and think I must be missing something when I am not. Her potential unrealized, Martha was ultimately a victim of her environment, _____ by those around her who insisted that she forsake her artistic dreams for a routine, but predictable life. [A] stultified [B] assuaged [C] hampered [D] motivated [E] spurned [F] galvanized
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*I missed this* Level: Hard -I came up with my own word of "hindered", but based off of GRE vocab thought stultify means to cause to lose energy by repetition but it can also mean to "hinder" or "hamper" and that would make the most sense!
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The plucky election campaign has managed to ______________ support from the most unlikely corners--even typically derelict voters are eyeing the voting booth with more than indifference. [A] push away [B] rile up [C] hoodwink [D] repel [E] corral [F] round up
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Level: Hard -Round up worked the best and I hard narrowed to B and E but to rile someone means to make them angry. Corral makes the most sense and matches with round up
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Corrupted by handshakes and sly winks, the government was run by a leader who cared only for his ________ and nothing for his languishing people. [A] contemporaries [B] adversaries [C] cronies [D] relations [E] chums [F] legacy
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Level: Hard -I narrowed down to A, C, E contemporary means someone who is of the same age and chum means a close friend and crony means a close friend as well (in a negative sense)
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*Strategy: When you are stuck between choices really think if the clues are there to suggest one or the other.* The marriage between the duke and the duchess was a(n) ____ affair, one that quickly devolved into public altercations operatic in scope. [A] protracted [B] notable [C] lengthy [D] international [E] unseemly [F] sordid
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*I missed this* -So there are not many clues here except for "operatic" which really means to be theatrical (not long in scope). I thought unseemly could work but didn't think sordid was a close enough synonym for it -Nothing here says "goes on and on" and only thing that makes sense are the last two...
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As we age, our political leanings tend to become less ____; the once dyed-in-wool conservative can betray liberal leanings, and the staunch progressive may suddenly embrace conservative policies. [A] demanding [B] subtle [C] pronounced [D] biased [E] conspicuous [F] cohesive
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Level: Hard -The word that I came up with "concrete" and looked for its synonym -I narrowed down to C, E, and F and honed in on the true meanings of these words (cohesive means to hold something together, which is not what the other two mean) I had to go with C and E knowing that they relate to the word that I came up with AND there are no clues telling me the answer is anything different
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The skirmish between the two beleaguered armies occurred _______ with each side taking much needed rest during the respites. [A] retroactively [B] spasmodically [C] invasively [D] incessantly [E] spuriously [F] irregularly
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Level: Hard -This is the same as before (I finally narrowing down on why I miss these questions and getting them right!) -The word that I came up with is "intermittently"; I also noticed that there are no other clues to lead me in another direction. -F was easy B didn't make as much sense initially but none of the other choices seemed right either so I picked F and B
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To readers of V.S. Naipaul--especially those who are familiar with the latter half of his oeuvre--the author's claim that he started off as a comic writer will in itself seem comical - so ____ is the tone of most of his novels. [A] despairing [B] acerbic [C] ambivalent [D] sanguine [E] nuanced [F] pessimistic
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Level: Hard -I think I'm getting the hang of the hard ones and really fixing what I did wrong -The word that I came up with was "opposite of comical" or "serious" and there were no clues to push me in any other direction so -I went with A and although pessimistic is not an exact synonym I knew I had to go with it (C and D are similar but they do not follow from the sentence)
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To the ______________, the music of Bach, at once intensely personal because of the simplicity of its melodies and inaccessible because of contrapuntal complexity, can seem the product of two distinct composers. [A] inspired [B] narrow-minded [C] uninitiated [D] unschooled [E] enlightened [F] precipitate
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Level: Hard -This was a mixture of coming up with my own word which adhered to all of the clues given and picking between three choices -I narrowed down to B, C, and D. I first picked uninitiated because it made the most sense and then thought about which of the remaining words fit best with it. Narrow-minded has a different connotation than "not being enlightened" or "new to something" and unschooled seemed to fit closest to "uninitiated"
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The judge admonished the counsel to keep closing arguments ______ and thus refrain from citing evidence tangential to the proceedings. [A] brief [B] impartial [C] germane [D] unbiased [E] pertinent [F] insolent
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Level: Hard -Here is an example of where I thought carefully about what an average test-taker might think of and what the actual clue is -Based off just coming up with your own word, one might think of "brief" or "short" BUT... the clue is "tangential" and we need the opposite of that -This could have been a Very Hard level question if another synonym for "brief" were there
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As soon as his slightest whim was not met, the actor became _____, snapping even at those not involved in the filming of the scene. [A] grim [B] fastidious [C] querulous [D] sullen [E] chivalrous [F] petulant
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*I missed this* Level: Hard -The clue is "snapping" -I narrowed down to C, D, and F -querulous means to complain (but in an irritated manner) -sullen means to be sulky and moody and gloomy -petulant means to be easily irritated or annoyed -C and F make the most sense but I didn't think querulous had the connotation of being "irritated" or "annoyed" -If I narrow down to three and have even a little doubt, I need to detail the definition of the words to see what works best
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Not merely curious, the new manager was often _______, and would only cease to needlessly interfere in employees work if one of her superiors was present. [A] evasive [B] gregarious [C] intrusive [D] mettlesome [E] prying [F] obstreperous
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Level: Hard -"Not merely" indicates that someone is being much more than the character being defined; in this case the person is not "merely curious" but "extremely curious" to the extent of being "interfering" or "officious"
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Once ______ across the Western plains, the buffalo has seriously diminished in number. [A] sparse [B] eradicated [C] innumerable [D] immutable [E] legion [F] thoroughgoing
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Level: Hard -Really write down and try to come up with examples of how the word is used when you narrow down to three 1) Begin by identifying what the word in the blank should be and write it down 2) The other words need to match this so pick the one closest to it first 3) For the other two left come up with examples "a thoroughgoing bibliophile" means "a complete bibliophile" does not say anything about being great in number; "a legion of fans" (talks about number) so it must be the answer
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Despite creating the impression that his replies are ungoverned by any forethought, the mayor—even in his most seemingly impassioned moments—is plainly _____________ in his responses to the media. [A] measured [B] studied [C] candid [D] forthcoming [E] critical [F] outspoken
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Level: Hard -This is a shift; we need the opposite of "ungoverned by forethought" -The choices that go well with "carefully considers or thoughtful" are "studied" and "measured"
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________by nature, Roland could always be found amidst a group of people, laughing and smiling. [A] Expansive [B] Facetious [C] Colloquial [D] Retiring [E] Gregarious [F] Petty
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Level: Hard -Stuck between A, B, and E gregarious means the most sense, facetious means making fun or light of a serious situation/joking around, expansive is closest to gregarious and means outgoing
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*Strategy: When stuck between three choices, two of which must be the right ones, focus on which one's are synonyms of each other rather than going for a word that you like and simply try to match it to another.* At one time versatile, responding to the community's needs in very little time, the environmental management bureau has long since become ________ and largely unresponsive to even its own internal needs. [A] antedated [B] pilloried [C] sclerotic [D] invigorated [E] compromised [F] ossified
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*I missed this.* Level: Very Hard -I had narrowed down to C, E, and F. I thought that sclerotic meant a "compromised" in the sense that having "multiple sclerosis" means having a compromised immune system; but ossified and sclerotic are the right answers -*This is a shifter* and so what comes in the blank must be the opposite of what it was "at one time" which was "versatile" and being able to change from one thing to another quickly; thus the answer choice that makes sense must be "ossified" and the word that goes best with that is "sclerotic" not "compromised"
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The exuberance of Karevolotski's narrator breaks the mold in Russian literature, which heretofore has featured a(n) ______________ protagonist, who, grumbling about myriad perceived injustices, braces himself against an oppressive world. [A] gloomy [B] ebullient [C] rebellious [D] saturnine [E] sanguine [F] unruly
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*I missed this.* Level: Very Hard -I first came up with A and D, the sentence says that the narrator breaks the mold which "until now" has been of a protagonist which "braces himself" against an oppressive world; brace means to prepare (someone or oneself) for something difficult or unpleasant -The answers that work best are A and D -I picked C and F because I misinterpreted "braces" which means to prepare for something bad not to go against something -*The right way to realize is that this is another shifter* and despite what the sentence reads, we need words that are the exact opposite of what is being referred to "exuberance - the quality of being full of energy, excitement, and cheerfulness; ebullience" -The opposite words are then A and D
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Movie marketing works in a highly predictable, and obnoxious, fashion: the more we are assaulted with images of intergalactic battles, or a pouty heroine hoping to regain her lost love, the greater likelihood that the movie is one best ______________. [A] patronized [B] avoided [C] coveted [D] steered clear of [E] mulled over [F] celebrated
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Level: Hard -This one there aren't really any clues but the only choices that make sense are B and D; all be know is that the tone is negative "obnoxious", "assaulted", "pouted"
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To most, the word 'architecture' connotes a grandeur typically associated with the Old World--flying buttresses, Doric columns, baroque flourishes, byzantine arabesques--and thus many of the more ___________ structures, especially those not obviously inspired by neoclassicalism, are often thought to be cobbled together haphazardly instead of following some prescribed architectural idiom. [A] modest [B] secular [C] unassuming [D] dilapidated [E] ramshackle [F] sedate
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Level: Very Hard -At first I found it hard to pin-point the clue and then based off the answer thought well A and C could work, since the old architecture was "grandiose" with embellishments and a lot of ornaments -Since i need a word opposite that, modest and unassuming work best -The things that distract you are "haphazardly" but those things are what the audience feel about the actual "modest" architecture
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Journalists writing under oppressive regimes face a challenging dilemma: uncovering incriminating facts is rarely ____ from the standpoint of self-preservation, but ignoring the dictates of conscience compromises the ideals of objective reporting. [A] informed [B] prudent [C] liberating [D] politic [E] unwise [F] profitable
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Level: Very Hard -Here that word that I came up with was "wise" and prudent worked best. I knew I had to stick with the strategy for the word closest to "prudent" since the sentence didn't have clues suggesting something otherwise. So, I went with politic since it made most sense -Informed just means you are "up to date" and "knowledgeable" not "wise"
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Unless the government can dispense with the heretofore ________ remedies it has used to confront the recent economic downturn, the population will continue to suffer, both physically and under the delusion that the government actually endeavored to handle the crisis in an innovative fashion. [A] untested [B] spurious [C] transitory [D] fleeting [E] prosaic [F] pedestrian
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Level: Very Hard -Again this is a shifter and so we need a clue that tells us what the opposite of what we need for the blank -The clue comes towards the end: [under the "delusion of that the remedies were... "innovative"]. "aha!" So people were unaware that the remedies were actually "prosaic" and "pedestrian" which is the opposite of "innovative"
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Contrary to her claims of fiscal clairvoyance, she had nary a(n) ________ that the market would take such an inauspicious tumble. [A] predilection [B] inkling [C] interest [D] presentiment [E] qualm [F] reservation
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Level: Very Hard -The clue is "clairvoyance" to see in the future and we need the opposite of that and so B and D work best; there is nothing to suggest that qualm and reservation are the answers
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*Strategy: When you narrow down to three and can't choose between two; you MUST 1) write down the word you came up with 2) write out the definitions of the words left. This will avoid all sorts of traps and picking the wrong answers.* Every bit the _____ crusader as she was the shrewd organizer, Emmeline Pankhurst resorted to militancy to achieve equal rights for women, rallying her "army" despite the constant onslaught of opposition from both the police and anti-Suffragists. [A] implacable [B] sedulous [C] illustrious [D] inexorable [E] incorrigible [F] magnanimous
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*I missed this.* Level: Very Hard -I narrowed down to A D and E -I picked as a certainty and then had to decide which worked better D or E? I forgot to use my technique of writing out the definition of the words. -Remember that some words you are familiar with can have multiple meanings but stick to the definitions you know and eliminate on that basis of that
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Couching her response in legalese, the judge, in reaching a decision, would typically lose her audience, who would only regain focus once she had ______________ delivered the verdict. [A] irrevocably [B] unequivocally [C] cryptically [D] categorically [E] tentatively [F] magisterially
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*I missed this.* Level: Very Hard -I narrowed down to A B and D. The word I came up with was "w/o a doubt" delivered the verdict -A makes sense and I thought A and B worked BUT only B worked since it actually means "w/o a doubt" a just means that something can't be "changed" and is "permanent"; categorically on the other hand does mean "w/o a doubt" or "unambiguously explicit and direct"
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*Strategy: I noticed that the word "apparent" was listed and that could have been there to confuse people with the three choices of B,E,orF; this is a sign that the right answer is probably closer to F B&E rather than C&D.* The rise of amateur writers online has brought with it an interesting corollary: since much of what used to be read passed under the scrupulous eye of a publishing house, the more _________ lapses in syntax were once far less in circulation. [A] forgivable [B] flagrant [C] uncommon [D] atypical [E] egregious [F] apparent
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*I missed this* Level: Very Hard -Reading this with a fresh mind, the answer you come up with should be obvious... the more "common" lapses in syntax were once far less in circulation. I made the mistake of inserting my word [even] the more _____ lapses and that shifted my entire perception -Another clue is that there are more amateurs who will probably make the more obvious mistakes -I did narrow down to two choices B&E or C&D and picked the wrong one C&D *Another way to think about this is that the word "common" could work but "uncommon" then wouldn't work so that can't be the answer.*
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Through mere ____________, Hirasaki, in her delightful vignettes of a childhood spent living in two divergent cultures, is able to communicate far more cogently about alienation and belonging than those of her contemporaries who believe verbosity is tantamount to profundity. [A] suggestion [B] artfulness [C] intimation [D] illumination [E] contrivance [F] abbreviation
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Level: Very Hard -Here I interpreted everything correctly but couldn't find the exact word in the choices so I try to group synonyms and A and C worked best since there were no other synonyms
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The recent discovery of the existence of a far greater number of planets than had previously been thought only ______________ undergirds the argument for intelligent lifeforms; such an argument depends on more than a mere tally of planets, for only those planets that can form a viable atmosphere can host the conditions necessary for life. [A] subtly [B] minimally [C] obliquely [D] retroactively [E] discursively [F] indirectly
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Level: Very Hard -Here the word that I thought of was close to "minimally" but I couldn't find a close synonym so then I moved to group all of the synonyms and came up with the following: [minimally...] vs. [obliquely, indirectly, and subtly] The latter had three choices which were close, which meant that the right answer had to be 2 of the three since the one's that could get to this point would have to deliberate and obliquely and indirectly are closest and subtly has a different meaning, so I went with these.
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*Strategy: When going through choices see if a choice could possible work... arch means to be deliberately playful or teasing. Question on the harder answers which ones the test-maker wants to be the trap. Clearly here most people would think of "narcissistic" rather than "teasing".* *Always try to look for exact clues first. Clue here is: "wit".* History has known few as ______________ as the Irish wit Oscar Wilde: on his inaugural trip to America, when asked by customs officials if he had anything to declare, Wilde replied: "The only thing I have to declare is my genius." [A] arch [B] narcissistic [C] successful [D] misanthropic [E] puckish [F] accomplished
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*I missed this* Level: Very Hard -Here I came up with a word "boastful" and found narcissistic and found no other synonyms... and so thought E must be a synonym -But arch and puckish are the actual synonyms -The clue here is "wit". I missed going over this and looking for *exact clues*. This has to be my first response if I can't find two synonyms...
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Though she would ______________ at a mere peccadillo, she would, with nary more than a wagging finger, condone far more untenable behavior. [A] bridle [B] quibble [C] bristle [D] beam [E] chortle [F] guffaw
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Level: Very Hard -Here I interpreted the sentence first and paid attention to the shifter "though" which suggests that I am looking for something that is the opposite of "just wagging a finger" at the crime -The word that I came up with was "excoriate" and the words that matched that and the clue were A and C
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That art wields political power is not an incontrovertible position—if it is even true at all: Picasso's Guernica, a painting capturing the wanton plundering of a Spanish village, hangs almost ______________ in the Guggenheim, framed by a soft light best befitting a seaside idyll. [A] demurely [B] grotesquely [C] askew [D] self-effacingly [E] peacefully [F] frivolously
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Level: Very Hard -I settled on these choices after going through the strategy and decided on them because no other choices made sense since they did not have close synonyms -A and D were the only synonyms and there were no explicit clues in the sentence itself
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As those around him soon came to learn, he was an arrant ____, prone to finding some perceived quirk or political predilection with which to use as a basis for shunning even those he had once considered part of his inner circle. [A] chauvinist [B] egotist [C] lickspittle [D] charlatan [E] elitist [F] braggadocio
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Level: Very Hard -I was very happy with the way I interpreted this and used my strategy -I couldn't come up with my own word but had an understanding of the sentence so I grouped all of the synonyms together and defined them as a group and then looked for explicit clues -The clue was "shunning those... part of his inner circle" gives the connotation of a person who is very "elitist" and feels that one group is superior to all others and A and E made the most sense -There were no explicit clues for "bragging" or being "pompous"
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The city council was notorious for voting down any measure that would restrict its ability to wield power, so that it ______________ a bill aimed to narrow the ambit of its jurisdiction was surprising only to the small few who had come to believe that the council would pull an about-face. [A] championed [B] took exception to [C] discarded [D] was in favor of [E] tabled [F] objected to
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Level: Very Hard -So I interpreted this correctly based on the clues that are given in the sentence: -It's saying that a group loves holding on to power and so it did something which "surprised" only a few people; well that something would be an act which wouldn't surprise most of the people since they know this group loves holding onto power. So this group must have still..."objected" to a bill that wanted to restrict its power. So even though I didn't know that "about-face" meant I came at the right interpretation -I decided the word closest to mine in meaning was F and needed to look for a synonym and settle with "discarded" which is not the same as "objected to". "took exception to" is an idiomatic phrase meaning objecting to. *This is another SE where I narrow down to the right answer but finding the exact synonym is hard since I don't know the meaning of it. Maybe I need to go through choices and be less restrictive with choices that I think could work better to be exact synonyms.*
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Turing's life exerts a powerful and ____ effect on writers - the combination of the highly intellectual and the personally dramatic is hard to resist. A. abiding B. pervasive C. perennial D. irresistible E. unmitigated F. multifaceted
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*I missed this* -I thought irresistible could work and that "unmitigated" might be a synonym but unmitigated means "absolute; unqualified" -perennial works and so does "abiding" since they are the only synonyms
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It is paradoxical that String Theory inspires such widespread respect when it is so ____ that few could ever hope to master its claims. A. intractable B. confusing C. elevated D. arcane E. obscure F. rigorous
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-The clue was "few could hope to master" -So arcane works and I was between three choices "confusing, arcane, and obscure" -arcane and obscure were the closest in meaning; obscure means not clear or understood; hard to make sense of
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*Remember to define each word to get a better handle on it if you feel like it might not be an exact equivalent.* The courtiers of the time had to be ____ in order to survive in an atmosphere where the least sign of rebellion could lead to banishment or worse. A. taciturn B. fawning C. docile D. self-serving E. upright F. servile
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*I missed this* -I thought docile (easily controlled) and "servile" would be synonyms but servile is closer to "obsequious" and so "fawning" works better which means to be excessively flattering
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Forgiveness was fine in theory, but she had trouble in accepting a religion that would allow ____ evil-doers access to heaven. A. repentant B. contrite C. blatant D. venial E. pardoned F. recalcitrant
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-This was hard because I was between A&B and D&E but the latter didn't make sense since venial is used as an adjective to describe an action which is easily pardonable so I went with the clear synonyms
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Not only love affects the eye of the beholder; other emotions also ____ the interpretation of the events that we witness. A. cloud B. trigger C. devalue D. color E. objectify F. impact
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*I missed this* -The word that I came up with is "affect" and thought that cloud and color would work One word from the first part of the sentence seems to be what we need in the blank. The word is 'affects'. If we see this then we can choose words that will give the meaning 'affect the interpretation'. Obviously the word 'impact' fits. (Note that 'impact' is used as a verb here not a noun). For the other word we can consider 'cloud' and 'color', both of which can be used as verbs. To cloud would imply to obscure and would be negative, whereas to color is not necessarily negative. Hence we are better to take the words 'impact' and 'color' as they are less restrictive than 'cloud'.
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____ behavior never has the effect its practitioners hope for; the attempt to hide only draws attention to what is hidden. A. Misogynistic B. Puritanical C. Covert D. Miserly E. Prudish F. Camouflaging
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*I missed this* The second part of the sentence tells us we are looking for something that involves 'hiding'. Since puritanical and prudish are used for attempts to cover or hide what is shameful or immoral, they are the best pair. Covert means hidden or secret, but there is no partner for it. [Misogynistic = involving hatred of women; camouflaging = disguising]
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The Countess dressed with a (an) ____ elegance which seemed to proclaim to the world just how distinguished she was. A. studied B. pronounced C. ingenuous D. understated E. mannered F. rococo
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-The word that I came up with was "ostentatious" and the words closest to that were "studied" which really means to put on a display that is done deliberately even in an ostentatious manner and the word closest to that was "mannered" which means to behave in a certain way the other words were not synonyms Almost any word might fit the blank so we have to look for the most similar pair of words. 'Rococo' means highly elaborate; 'understated' means low-key; 'pronounced' means obvious and 'ingenuous' means naĂŻve. We are left with 'studied' and 'mannered' which both can have the connotation of deliberate and even pretentious. Note that both words can be used in other contexts too.
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It is a waste of time to ____ someone so dimwitted; he is too dull to recognize your barbs. A. disparage B. ridicule C. lampoon D. laud E. enlighten F. train
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-I narrowed down to A B and C and went with B and C since disparage means to "regard or represent as being of little worth"; belittle
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He completed the work with unusual ____ ; his need to get out of the office overcame his habitual torpor. A. dispatch B. grace C. effectiveness D. slovenliness E. carelessness F. celerity
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-I narrowed down to A C and F and went with A and F since dispatch was the word that I came up with and it means to do something quickly and efficiently and celerity means to do something quickly -effectiveness has a different connotation (of something being "efficacious" in intention)
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When faced with an urgent problem for which there is no immediately obvious solution, we tend to welcome any suggestion, however ____ , that might throw light on the dilemma. A. unusual B. hackneyed C. tentative D. outrageous E. illuminating F. flimsy
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-Here I went with the least shitty answers (tentative which means not concrete/provisional and flimsy which is used figuratively to imply something that is not certain) -If there is no obvious solution we might welcome any suggestion even a vague one. 'Flimsy' and 'tentative' imply hesitant and not firm. You cannot choose 'unusual' and 'outrageous' because outrageous is so much stronger than unusual that the meaning would not be close enough.
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*Strategy: When you have two pairs of synonyms, you MUST cancel one before picking another. Sometimes it's easy other times you really have to think about if the one you are not going for could possible work with the logic of the sentence and the explicit clues.* The devotion to the syllabus and testing regime has become so extreme that most school students close their minds to anything ____ to the needs of the examination. A. related B. catering C. extraneous D. similar E. helpful F. peripheral
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*I missed this* -My original thought was... the there is such a devotion to syllabus and testing that the students hate anything related to it and so picked A and B -But the interpretation should be that students have become so devoted to the syllabus and testing regime that they are unwilling to consider anything outside it so C and F make sense
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The teacher's mercurial mood changes and ____ approach to grading made the students uneasy; they never knew what would please him or what would earn good marks. A. tardy B. authoritarian C. strict D. ambivalent E. whimsical F. hidebound
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-Here I was stuck between B&C and D&E with the latter being my first best impression and I went with it because it made sense with the sentence. There is nothing explicit to suggest that the person is strict simply that the teacher is capricious *This is a good example of how to cross of a paid or synonyms when you have narrowed down to two.*
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The study's ____ conclusion is that during the first half of the 20th Century improved standards of personal hygiene reduced the risk of an individual's contracting poliomyelitis, yet tended to make the disease more lethal to communities. A. exciting B. paradoxical C. unwarranted D. long-awaited E. anomalous F. interim
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-Here I picked the least shitty options, the sentence itself is paradoxical and that's the word that I came up with and anomalous goes best with it although it is not a direct synonym -There are also no other synonyms and I defined each one and knew the meaning
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The ____ effects of constant noise drove Natasha to seek refuge in a more salubrious spot until she recovered her mental equilibrium. A. stimulating B. debilitating C. deafening D. enervating E. soporific F. precipitating
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-Perfect example of what a trap answer would be and what's the right answer based off the clues -The right answers are B and D since they are the only synonyms and match with the opposite of "salubrious" which means "healthy" -The trap answer is "deafening" because people would associate "noise" with sound
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*Strategy: when you come up with a word that doesn't work (because of no synonyms, etc) and there are other synonyms then you need to find the explicit clue for it in the sentence to make sure.* To the layman, a philosopher who attempts to elucidate a complex moral dilemma by reducing it to a simple yet apparently ridiculous test case seems rather to ____ the issue. A. ridicule B. obfuscate C. over-simplify D. denigrate E. becloud F. attenuate
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-The word that I came up with was closer to "over-simplify" but there wasn't a synonym for that -So I went back and saw that B and E are synonyms and they make sense because of the clue "elucidate" of which we need that opposite
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The insertion of a fiction into a news bulletin cannot be condoned, but inserting propaganda for a good cause seems less ____. A. untoward B. democratic C. reprehensible D. credible E. insupportable F. utilitarian
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*I missed this* *For words like "insupportable" break it down into something you can grasp and understand. For ex: insupportable means something that cannot be supported.* *For GRE purposes untoward has the specific meaning of being "unpropitious"; do not use it for anything else.* The breakdown of this is: some action cannot be condoned BUT this action can be tolerated. So reprehensible and insupportable work best. Untoward is not a good synonym
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Both commentators noted the way that Dylan can submerge himself in tradition while somehow managing to create works of startling ____. A. gestation B. singularity C. provenance D. conservatism E. nonchalance F. originality
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Here I debated between what fit better with "originality"; singularity or provenance and picked singularity (quality of being excellent or zany or peculiarity)
