New Verbal Question Types for GRE Practice

8/2/2019 New Verbal Question Types for GRE Practice

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New Verbal Question Types for GRE Practice

Tips & Strategies for solving the new GRE Verbal Question Types

There are three New types of Verbal Questions introduced in the GRE.

These are:

Text Completion

Sentence Equivalence

Reading ComprehensionThe two new types of questions under RC are

o Multiple answers correcto Passage select in.

Let us look at each of these in more details and strategies to tackle them.

Tips & Strategies for solving the new GRE Verbal Question Types -

Text Completion

The answer choices for multiple blank questions are independent of each other, e.g. in case the

answer choice for the first blank is (ii), it is NOT necessary that the answer choice for the second

blank should be (ii) as well.

You need to get ALL answer choices correct to get marks. You will not get any marks forpartially correct choices.

In order to score high in this section, keep in mind the following points:

First Read through the passage to get an overall idea of the topic.

Identify Key words or phrases, which will help you zero down on the right answers.

It is not necessary that the first blank should be filled first. If you are having trouble with the first

blank, try to see if you can spot the answer for the second blank first and then revisit the first

blank.

Sample Questions and how to tackle them
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Blank (i) enhanced, reduced, augmentedBlank (ii) speckled, loomed, receded

Blank (ii) instinctively, lethargically, indolently

7. In the absence of a (i) _______ effort to protect our environment, the future of the humanrace is bleak. Already, many of the elements essential to supporting life, such as our air and our

water, are being (ii) ________. We cannot remain (iii) ________ regarding this issue.

Blank (i) enervated, irresolute, concerted

Blank (ii) compromised, distracted, conceded

Blank (iii) engrossed, apathetic, candid

8. The troops fired a (i) __________ of bullets at the enemy while the rescue team tried (ii)

________ to reach the wounded. Unfortunately, their efforts proved (iii) ________.

Blank (i) barricade, barrage, bastion

Blank (ii) fastidiously, cogently, feverishlyBlank (iii) successful, effective, futile

9. The premature death ofhis father was the primary (i) ________ for Richards early

retirement, but the (ii) ________ sharp decline in the stock market has left him (iii) ________

and doubting his decision.

Blank (i) impetus, hurdle, summation

Blank (ii) tenuous, previous, subsequent

Blank (iii) anxious, poised, skewed

10. The music teacher despaired of being able to transform the (i) ________ that was

currently produced by her sixth graders into harmony in the few weeks that remained before the

winter program was to be presented for the parents. None of her twenty students could be

labeled even a (ii) _________ singer although she would be hard pressed to (iii) _______some

of the parents of the notion that their child is destined to become the next American Idol.

Blank (i) melody, cacophony, recitation

Blank (ii) mediocre, tremendous, notable

Blank (iii) dissuade, connive, convince

Answers & Analysis

1. Answers: (i) vaguest, (ii) certain, (iii) aptitude

Analysis:


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The first sentence describes someone at a time when he has just enrolled at the university.

Lucid means clear.

Although someone entering a university might indeed have a clear notion of what his field ofstudy should be, to say he had only the clear notion of what his field of study should be doesnt

make much sense when the second statement is considered since the second sentence

indicates he has settled on a choice at the conclusion of his first year. Lets move on to thesecond choice.

Candor is a noun that means honesty. Although we could stretch it and say the new studentmay have only an honest notion, we wouldnt say he has an honesty notion. A noun is not used

to modify another noun, so we can rule out candor. The third choice, vaguest, means most

uncertain.

A student who has just enrolled in a university may certainly be most uncertain regarding whathis field of study should be, so vaguest will work.

The use of the word however in the second sentence suggests the student has made up his

mind at the end of his first year of study. Ambivalent means undecided, so ambivalent doesnt

make sense in this context.

Certain means sure, which seems more appropriate. What about apparent? Apparent means

obvious. We might say that it was apparent that his field of study should be finance, but to saythat he was apparent it should be finance doesnt make any sense.

Thus, certain is the best choice for the second blank.

The third sentence explains why the student has decided to study finance. The first choice,

aptitude, means a natural ability, so it would fit well. What about the other two choices?

Aversion means an extreme dislike, which would not explain his decision. Antipathy is a synonym

for aversion, so it can be rejected for the same reason. Aptitude is the proper word to use to fill

in the third blank.

2. Answers: (i) lucrative, (ii) conducive, (iii) limited

Analysis:

The passage describes a man who has left a career as a stockbroker to become a teacher in

order to spend more time with his family.

Lucrative means profitable, which could certainly describe the career of a stockbroker. What

about the other two choices, though? Flexible doesnt seem to fit since it means

accommodating, and if his career as a stockbroker were accommodating, he wouldnt need to

leave it in order to spend more time with his family.

Menial means unskilled, which doesnt describe a career as a stockbroker, so we can rule it out.

Lucrative is the best choice of the three for the first blank.

If Johns lower income was not unfavorable to the higher lifestyle to which his family had become

accustomed, they would not have had to make a lot of sacrifices, so we can rule out unfavorable

as our choice for the second blank.


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Unseemly means unfitting, and, again, if the lower income was not unfitting to the higher lifestyle,

no sacrifices would have to be made. Conducive means favorable. If Johns lower income was

not favorable to the higher lifestyle to which his family had become accustomed, sacrifices would

indeed have to be made. Conducive, therefore, makes sense as the appropriate word for thesecond blank.

The third sentence provides an example of one of the sacrifices that the family had to make. Tosay that their entertainment choices became expansive doesnt make sense since expansive

means open or unrestrained.

The second choice, illuminating, might work if we consider that the choices might be more

enlightening than what they had been doing for entertainment. However, the last sentencesuggests that the family is replacing the theatre with DVD rentals, which wouldnt enlighten the

mind any more than watching a movie in a theatre would.

Limited means restricted, which makes sense since the family would have to restrict their

entertainment to less costly choices. Limited is the best choice of the three when the context of

the passage is considered.

3. Answers: (i) rebel, (ii) assessment, (iii) acumen

Analysis:A savant is a person of exceptional learning, so to refer to someone as an illiterate savant is

contradictory since illiterate means uneducated. Therefore, savant will not work in the first

blank.

A conformist is someone who wants to fit in and, thus, would not have tattoos and piercings, so

conformist does not make sense, either. A rebel, on the other hand, is someone who has no

desire to conform to societys standards.

Therefore, of the three choices, rebel seems to be the only one that would fit.

Those who knew him disagreed with the opinion of those who did not. Assessment means an

evaluation, which would work since those who did not know him were evaluating him based on his

appearance to form their opinion of him.

An achievement is an accomplishment, and the others opinion of him is not an accomplishment,

so the second choice can be ruled out. A parody is a humorous rendition of a literary or musical

piece, which has nothing to do with this passage. Therefore, assessment is the word to choose

to fill in the second blank.

Inanity is synonymous with stupidity, and those who knew him would not describe him as a

person of great stupidity since the second sentence indicates they disagreed with the evaluation

of those who did not know him.

Acumen means insight, so it would work since an illiterate would not be described as insightful.

Idiocy, like inanity, means stupidity, and can be rejected for the same reason as we rejected

inanity. Acumen is the obvious choice.

4. Answers: (i) novice, (ii) attained, (iii) essential


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Analysis:

In skiing as in most sports, beginners generally start with less expensive equipment and trade upas their skill improves. Therefore, the appropriate choice for the first blank should mean

beginner, which the word novice, means. Advanced or superior skiers are clearly notbeginners in the sport.

Once a certain skill level is reached, the participant generally wants to invest in better, moreexpensive equipment. We need a word that means something similar to the word reached for

the second blank.

The first choice, atone, means to make amends, so we can reject it. Derived means obtained

from a source, which isnt quite what we want to say. The third choice, attained, means reached

and is the proper word to use in the second blank.

To say that the purchase and wearing of a helmet is superfluous means that it is unnecessary,and this is clearly not the intent of this sentence. The word redundant also means unnecessary,

so both of these choices can be eliminated. The first choice, essential, means necessary and

makes more sense.

5. Answers: (i) distraught, (ii) abruptly, (iii) sprawled

Analysis:Given that Amanda is said to turn the corner to avoid meeting her ex-boyfriend and his new

girlfriend face-to-face, it is unlikely that she was elated when she spied the couple since elated

means overjoyed. Because she made an effort to avoid them, she probably was not indifferent

upon seeing them. Indifferent means uncaring. Her action indicates she was upset. Distraught

means upset, so it is the correct choice for the first blank.

Since she was upset, we would expect that she would quickly turn the corner. Languidly means

leisurely, so languidly does not make sense. Abruptly, on the other hand, means suddenly and

will work. The third choice, voraciously, means hungrily, so it can be ruled out. Abruptly fits the

second blank best.

Akimbo refers to a specific stance in which the hands are on the hips with the elbows thrust out.

It is doubtful that Amanda landed in this position when she fell. Sprawled means spread out, and

that could describe someone who has just fallen, since her legs and/or arms could be spread.

Strewn means scattered, and while Amandas arms and legs may be spread out, they would still

be attached to her body and not scattered. Sprawled is the best choice for the third blank.

6. Answers: (i) reduced, (ii) loomed, (iii) instinctively

Analysis:

Fog limits visibility; it doesnt enhance it. Enhance means to improve, so enhanced can berejected as the correct choice. Reduced works since reduced means to decrease. The third

choice, augmented, means to supplement or enhance, so it can be rejected for the same reason

that we rejected enhanced.

Speckled means to mark with small dots, which is not something a cars lights do. Loomed

means to come into view. It makes sense to say that a cars lights suddenly came into view in the

thick fog.


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Receded, on the other hand, wont work because it means to move away, and if the lights were

moving away, the author would not have to brace himself, nor would the driver be slamming onthe brakes. Loomed is the correct choice.

Instinctively means automatically, which would accurately describe the passengers bracing

action in this situation. Lethargically, which means wearily or sluggishly, wouldnt seem to apply

in an emergency situation such as the one described. Indolently is a close cousin oflethargically and means lazily, which also would not describe how the passenger would react in

this case. Instinctively is the obvious choice.

7. Answers: (i) concerted, (ii) compromised, (iii) apathetic

Analysis:

Enervated means weakened, so it is clearly not the correct choice. To say that the absence of aweakened effort to protect our environment makes the future of the human race bleak doesnt

make sense.

Irresolute means undecided, and the absence of an undecided effort to protect of environment

doesnt point to a bleak future, either. Concerted means combined or concentrated. It doesmake sense that a concerted effort to protect our environment might be needed.

To say that many of the elements essential to supporting life are being compromised means thatthese elements are being placed in danger, which fits with the context of the first sentence. To

say the elements are being distracted means they are being sidetracked. Can air and water be

sidetracked? To concede is to give in and to say the elements are being conceded doesnt

make sense.

Assuming we dont want the future of the human race to be bleak, we wouldnt say that we

cannot remain engrossed regarding this issue because that would be saying we cannot remain

absorbed regarding this issue, which is the opposite of what we want to say.

Apathetic means indifferent, however, and we do want to say that we cannot remain indifferent

regarding this issue, so apathetic will work. Candid means honest or sincere. We certainly do

not want to say that we cannot remain sincere regarding this issue. Apathetic is the only choice

that makes sense.

8. Answers: (i) barrage, (ii) feverishly, (iii) futile

Analysis:A barricade is a structure that is erected for the purposes of defense. Clearly, the troops were

not firing structures of bullets, so barricade can be ruled out. A barrage is a volley of gunfire

that is often used to protect troops that are moving forward, which seems to be the situation

described in this passage. A bastion is a fortress or other stronghold, and the phrase a bastionof bullets makes no sense.

The rescue team wishes to reach the wounded and bring them back behind the front lines. It will

not have time to do so carefully or meticulously as the word fastidiously would suggest. The

members of the team may be very convincing in their efforts, and cogently can mean

convincingly, but the best choice is feverishly, which means anxiously. They would definitely be

anxious in their efforts to reach the wounded.


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The word unfortunately is the key to the third choice. Had the mission been successful or

effective, that word would not have been used. Futile means unsuccessful, which the missionunfortunately was.

9. Answers: (i) impetus, (ii) subsequent, (iii) anxious

Analysis:

An impetus is a driving force, so impetus would make sense since the premature death of his

father could definitely have served as the driving force for Richards early retirement. Thesecond choice, hurdle, might make sense since a hurdle is an obstacle, and his fathers

premature death might have forced Richard to work longer.

But the rest of the statement indicates that Richard did retire early and now doubts his decision,

so impetus fits the context better than hurdle. The third choice, summation, means a summary,which doesnt work at all within the context of the sentence. Impetus, then, is the best choice for

the first blank.

Tenuous describes something that is weakor feeble, so we wouldnt use tenuous to describe a

sharp stock market decline. Tenuous and sharp are contradictory. The second choice,previous, might seem reasonable at first glance, but if the sharp decline in the stock market

occurred prior to Richards decision to retire, he could have opted not to do so. Subsequent

means that the decline happened after Richards decision to retire, which explains why Richard

now doubts his decision.

Anxious can mean nervous or worried, which is an apt term to describe investors after a sharp

decline in the stock market, so it would work here to describe Richard. Poised can mean cool

and calm, which does not describe someone who is doubting a decision he made. Skewed

means titled or slanted, which also doesnt work to describe Richard. Anxious is the proper word

to use for the third blank.

10. Answers: (i) cacophony, (ii) mediocre, (iii) dissuade

Analysis:Since the teacher is despairing of her ability to transform whatever sound is currently being

produced by her students into harmony, melody is not the right choice for the first blank. A

melody is pleasing to the ears.

Cacophony, however, is a discordant sound, and will work perfectly. Recitation can be ruled out

since it means repeating from memory and doesnt fit the context of the sentence.

Since the teacher is despairing, we can assume that none of her students are good singers;

otherwise, she might hold out more hope. Mediocre means average, so to say that none could

even be labeled mediocre works. The other two choices, tremendous and notable, both suggesta level of talent that is incongruous with the passage.

To say that the teacher would be hard pressed to do something means that she would find the

task difficult. To say that she would be hard pressed to dissuade some of the parents of the

notion that their child will be the next American Idol means that she would find it hard to persuade

them against that notion. This makes sense.

Connive means to scheme. To say she would be hard pressed to connive some of the parents


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of any notion doesnt make sense as a statement. Convince means the opposite of dissuade.

Given her students lack of talent, there would be no reason that the teacher would want to

convince parents that their student might be the next American Idol.

Dissuade is the word to use here.

Tips & Strategies for Solving New GRE Verbal Questions -

Sentence Equivalence

The following steps should be followed by students while solving equivalence questions:

1. Understanding the message and tone of the author

Students should aim at identifying what or whom the sentence or passage is talking about

When more than one idea is identified, the connection between the two needs to be found out.

The key words used by the author like because, although, in contrast, moreover, similarly etc

helps in determining in which direction the message if traveling.

Secondly try to assess whether the tone is positive, neutral or negative. For example in the

above example the tone is initially negative as reflected by the word despised. Keep a watch onsuch hints.

2. Anticipating Words

Try to fill in the word based on your understanding and the evaluation of the authors message

and tone as done in step one.

3. Scanning

Now look into the choices to find the words that you thought .If you do not find any, and then look

for similar word or synonyms. Look through all answer choices before you actually pick the onethat best completes the sentence. You have to be careful here, because two words have to be

chosen. Now there could be two words that are synonyms, but do not fit the answer choice. So,beware of this trap.

4. The final answer

Reread the sentence/sentences again to be sure that that the answers you chose make a

logically and grammatically correct sentence. If everything matches then that is the right answerand does not need reconsideration.

Sample Questions & Tips on how to answer them

1. The young intern did not have the _______________ needed to sway the committee

towards agreement.

(A) levigate

(B) leverage(C) mithridate

(D) ullage

(E) ohmage


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(F) influence

(B) and (F) are the answers:

leverage: (noun)influence

influence: (noun)power, authority

Meaning and explanation of the word Leverage:

Noun1. the action of a lever.

2. the mechanical advantage or power gained by using a lever.

3. power or ability to act or to influence people, events, decisions, etc.; sway.

4. the use of a small initial investment, credit, or borrowed funds to gain a very high return

in relation to one's investment, to control a much larger investment, or to reduce one's ownliability for any loss.

Verb (used with object)

5. to exert power or influence on.

6. to provide with leverage.7. to invest or arrange (invested funds) using leverage.

Related Forms:leveraged, leveragingverb

Note/Tip: If you look at the question closely, you can zero in on the answer by deduction.

Given that the intern was young, he or she probably did not have as much knowledge or

experience, so his or her input during a discussion may have had little influence. The other

word in the list that means influence is leverage.

2. The useless clauses in last years vendor contract were _______________ by new,

more stringent legal arrangements made between the global entities.

(A) ratified

(B) standardized

(C) superseded

(D) outmoded

(E) commended

(F) facilitated

(C) and (D) are the answers:

superseded: (verb)replaced

outmoded: (verb)made unfashionable or obsolete

Meaning and explanation of the word supersede:

Transitive verb

1. to cause to be set aside or dropped from use as inferior or obsolete and replaced by

something else

2. to take the place of in office, function, etc.; succeed

3. to remove or cause to be removed so as to make way for another; supplant


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Related Forms:

superseder, supersession noun

Note/Tip: If something is useless, you would most likely try to get rid of it or replace it withsomething better. Most of the words in the list are positive actions that you would apply if the

clauses in the contract were beneficial. The sentence, however, indicates that there are new

legal arrangements which apparently are better than last years, so the old ones must beoutmoded or superseded.

3. Having several seasoned subject-matter experts on the advisory board became a (n)

____ to the newly-formed S-Corporation.

(A) commodity

(B) liability(C) aperture

(D) advantage

(E) vacuity

(F) ignominity

(A) and (D) are the correct answers:

commodity: (noun)something of value; an advantage

advantage: (noun)benefit; favored position or circumstance

Meaning and explanation of the word commodity:

Noun1. an article of trade or commerce, especially a product as distinguished from a service.

2. something of use, advantage, or value.

3. stock exchange . Any unprocessed or partially processed good, as grain, fruits, and

vegetables, or precious metals.

4. obsolete . A quantity of goods.

Related Forms:noncommodity, adjective

Commodities, noun, plural

Note/Tip: Given that the S-Corporation was being newly formed, the presence of seasoned

subject-matter experts was definitely an advantage and a commodity. Many of the other words in

the answer list have a more negative connotation and would not fit the sentence.

4. The managers _______________ style made is difficult to schedule recurring meetings.(A) mercurial

(B) methodical

(C) phlegmatic

(D) unpredictable

(E) flamboyant

(F) consonant


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(A) and (D) are the answers:

Mercurial: (adjective)volatile, changeable, fickle

Unpredictable: (adjective)volatile, erratic

Meaning and explanation of the word mercurial:

Adjective (used with noun)1. often Mercurial

a. Roman Mythology - Of or relating to the god Mercury.

b. Astronomy - Of or relating to the planet Mercury.

Having the characteristics of eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, and thievishness attributed to

the god Mercury.

Containing or caused by the action of the element mercury.

Quick and changeable in temperament; volatile.

nounA pharmacological or chemical preparation containing mercury.

Related Forms:

mercurially adverb

Note/Tip: If you look at the question closely, you can zero in on the answer prior to seeing the

options. In this case Why was it difficult to schedule recurring (regularly scheduled) meetings?Maybe: The managers style was changeable, so it was difficult to determine when he would be

available, or His or her style was variable and irregular. These seem to be the possible reasons,

so we would be looking for a word similar to meaning of (A) or (D).This would help to do away

with option B, C, E and F, leaving the possible answers as options A and D.

5. Structural architects were hired to design a modernized version of the historical balcony

s crumbling _______________.

(A) lagniappe

(B) passementerie

(C) textuary

(D) haler

(E) balustrade

(F) banister

(E) and (F) are the answers:

balustrade: (noun)railing, banister

banister: (noun)a protective barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and its supports

Meaning and explanation of the word balustrade:

noun

1. a row of balusters topped by a rail.

2. a low parapet or barrier.

Related Forms:

balustrated, adjective


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Note/Tip: If you imagine what a balcony looks like or consists of, you will quickly select (F)

banister from the list. The only other word that is similar in meaning to banister is (E) balustrade.

6. The team performed risk analysis in order to _____________ any potential problems.

(A) impede(B) mitigate

(C) microeconomics

(D) allay(E) exacerbates

(F) discount

(B) and (D) are the answers.

mitigate: (verb) lighten, lessen

allay: (verb) to lessen a problem

Meaning and explanation of the word Mitigate

-Verb (used with object)1. to lessen in force or intensity, as a wrath, grief, harshness or pain; moderate

2. to make less severe: to mitigate a punishment

3. to make (a person, ones state of mind, disposition, etc) milder or more gentle; mollify;appease

-Verb (used without object)

1. to become milder; lessen in severity

Related forms

Mitigable (adjective)

Mitigatedly (adverb)

Mitigation (noun)

Mitigative, mitigatory (adjective)

Mitigator (noun)

Usage note

Mitigate, whose central meaning is to lessen or make less severe, is sometimes confused with

militate, to have effect or influence, in the phrase mitigate against: This criticism in no way

militates (not mitigates) against your going ahead with your research. Although this use of

mitigate occasionally occurs in edited writing, it is rare and is widely regarded as an error.

Similarly for the other option i.e. Allay

Note/Tip: To quickly zero in on at least one correct response; think about why did the team

need to perform risk analysis? Maybe: To avoid problems, or to reduce problems .These seem

to be the possible reasons, so we would be looking for a word similar to meaning of (B) or (D).

This would help to do away with option A, C and E, leaving with options B, D and F.

7. The international banks foreign exchange _______________ came under close scrutiny

by internal audit when several undated checks were processed.

(A) rules

(B) personates

(C) policies

(D) lexicographers


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(E) galiots

(F) barristers

(A) and (C) are the answers:

policies: (noun, plural)a principle, plan or course of action

rule: (noun)1. an authoritative regulation for action, conduct, method, procedure, arrangement, etc

2. an established practice that serves as a guide to usage

Meaning and explanation of the word policy:

noun1. definite course of action adopted for the sake of expediency, facility, etc

2. a course of action adopted and pursued by a government, ruler, political party, etc

3. action or procedure conforming to or considered with reference to prudence orexpediency.

4. sagacity; shrewdness

5. Rare. government; polity.

Related Forms:policies, plural noun

Note/Tip: Sometimes the simplest, most obvious answer is correct. In this case, rules fits thesentence nicely. Even if you are not sure of the meaning of the other words, you can quickly

review the list and see that another word which is similar to rules is policies. You can then safely

eliminate the other options.

8. The Health Department bans the use of _____________ in the production of food

products.

(A) lactose

(B) triglycerides

(C) offal

(D) middlings

(E) semolina

(F) refuse

(C) and (F) are the correct answers.

Offal: garbage

Refuse: trash

(C) Meaning and explanation of the word Offal

noun1. waste parts; esp., the entrails, etc. of a butchered animal

2. refuse; garbage

Related forms

none

(F) Meaning and explanation of the word refuse


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noun

anything thrown away or rejected as worthless or useless; waste; trash; rubbishadjective

thrown away or rejected as worthless or useless

Transitive verb Refused, Refusing

1. to decline to accept; reject2. to decline to do, give, or grant

3. to decline: with an infinitive object: to refuse to go

4. to decline to accept or submit to (a command, etc.); decline to undergo5. to decline to grant the request of (a person)

6. to stop short at (a fence, etc.), without jumping it: said of a horse

7. Obsolete to renounce

Intransitive verb

8. to decline to accept, agree to, or do something

Related Forms:

Refuse

Note/Tip: Take a quick look through the list of possible answers. The one that stands outimmediately is (F), since it is not something wed want to find in food. Taking a second pass

through the list, you will notice that most of the items appear to be ingredients found in food, so

by process of elimination, (C), which is similar in meaning to (F) would be the likely answer.

9. Discretionary projects cannot proceed until they receive funding approval from

corporate _____________.

(A) purloiners

(B) governance

(C) autoists

(D) administration

(E) drudges

(F) emporium

(B) and (D) are the correct answers.

(B) Meaning and explanation of the word governance

noun

1. The continuous exercise of authority over a political unit

2. A system by which a political unit is controlled, i.e. government, regime, rule.

Related forms

None

(D) Meaning and explanation of the word administration

noun

1. the act of administering; management; specifically, the management of governmental or

institutional affairs

a. administrators collectively

b. the officials in the executive branch of a government and their policies and principles

2. their term of office

3. the administering (of punishment, medicine, a sacrament, an oath, etc.)


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4. Law the management and settling (of an estate) by an administrator or executor

Related Forms:

administrative adjectiveadministratively adverb

10. A _____________ is expected to be extremely loyal to the person to whom he owes the

duty: he must not put his personal interests before the duty, and must not profit from his position,unless the principal consents.

(A) Hibernian

(B) profiteer

(C) fiduciary

(D) trustee(E) racketeer

(F) auctioneer

(C) and (D) are the correct answers.

(C) Meaning and explanation of the word fiduciarynoun

1. Law . a person to whom property or power is entrusted for the benefit of another.

adjective2. Law . of or pertaining to the relation between a fiduciary and his or her principal.

3. of, based on, or in the nature of trust and confidence, as in public affairs.

4. depending on public confidence for value or currency, as fiat money.

Related formsFiduciaries, noun, plural

Fiduciarily, adverb

Note/Tip: The sentence refers to someone who is extremely loyal to someone and therefore

would be someone who is trusted, in this case, a trustee or fiduciary. They also do not seek to

make a profit. Most of the other words listed are people who make a profit, typically by obtaining

money from someone else. So those words can be easily eliminated as potential answers.

Types- Reading Comprehension

In the revised GRE Verbal section, the Reading Comprehension section has also undergonemajor changes. Select in passage questions, where a sentence from the passage has to be

highlighted and multiple choice questions where multiple answers can be correct have made

this section tougher.

These new question types dilute the effect of some well established shortcut techniques and atthe same time call for more complex thinking than the previous times.

The key to tacking this section is effective reading & PRACTICE.

Sample Passages

PASSAGE 1Among those who call themselves socialists, two kinds of persons may be distinguished. They


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are, in the first place, those who plan for a new order of society, in which private property and

individual competition are to be superseded and other motives to action substituted, are on thescale of a village community or township, and would be applied to an entire country by the

multiplication of such self-acting unit; of this character are the systems of Owen, of Fourier, andthe more thoughtful and philosophic socialists generally.

The other class, which is more a product of the continent than of Great Britain and may be calledthe revolutionary socialists, has people who propose to themselves a much bolder stroke. Their

scheme is the management of the whole productive resources of the country by one central

authority, the general government.

And with this view some of them avow as their purpose that the working classes, or somebody on

their behalf, should take possession of all the property of the country, and administer it for the

general benefit.

Whatever may be the difficulties of the first of these two forms of socialism, the second must

evidently involve the same difficulties and many more. The former, too has the great advantage

that it can be brought into operation progressively and can prove its capabilities by trial, it can be

tried first on a select population and extended to others as their education and cultivation permit.

It need not, and in the natural order of things would not, become an engine of subversion until ithad shown itself capable of being also a means of reconstruction.

It is not so with the other: the aim of that is to substitute the new rule for the old at a single stroke,and to exchange the amount of good realized under the present system, and its large possibilities

for a plunge without any preparation into the most extreme form of the problem of carrying on the

whole round of the operations of social life without the motive power which has always hitherto

worked the social machinery.

It must be acknowledged that those who would play this game on the strength of their own private

opinion, unconfirmed as yet by any experimental verificationwho would forcibly deprive all who

have now a comfortable physical existence of their only present means of preserving it, and

would brave the frightful bloodshed and misery that would ensue if the attempt was resisted-must

have a serene confidence in their own wisdom on the one hand and the recklessness of otherpeoples suffering on the other, which Roberspierre and St. Just, hitherto the typical instances of

those united attributes, scarcely came up to.

Nevertheless this scheme has great elements of popularity which the more cautious and

reasonable form of socialism has not; because what it professes to do, it promises to do quickly

and holds out hope to the enthusiastic seeing the whole of their aspirations realized in their own

time and at a blow.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS - SELECT ONE ANSWER CHOICE

1. The word avow in the context of the passage means

(a) promise (b) vow (c) affirm (d) deny (e) proclaim

2. According to the author, the difference between the two kinds of socialists is that

(a) One consists of thinkers and the others are active people(b) The first have a definite philosophy and the second dont have any definite philosophy

(c) The first are planners and the second are doers


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(d) The first are the products of Britain, while the other is products of Russia

(e) The first believe in gradual change while the others believe in revolutionary change

3. According to the philosophy of revolutionary socialism

(a) The government takes over the villages first, and then gradually the whole country.

(b) The government takes over all productive resources of the country at one stroke.(c) The government declares a police state and rules by decree.

(d) There is no government as such; the people rule themselves by the socialist doctrine.

(e) The government establishes a cooperative in every village for good administration.

4. It may be inferred from the passage that the authors sympathies are for

(a) neither side (b) the side of the socialist doctrine

(c) the second type of socialism (d) the first type of socialism(e) none of the above

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

SELECT ONE OR MORE ANSWER CHOICES

5. Who among of the following is a socialist?

(a) Robespierre (b) Fourier (c) None are socialists

6. Which of the following according to the author, may be the result of not verifying the

desirability of socialism experimentally first?

(a) Bloodshed (b) Deprivation of current comfortable existence

(c) Misery caused by resisting the change

SELECTIN-PASSAGE QUESTIONS

7. Select the sentence that establishes that the second form of socialism has more difficulties

than the first.

(a) Whatever may be the difficulties of the first of these two forms of socialism, the second

must evidently involve the same difficulties and many more.

(b) The former, too has the great advantage that it can be brought into operation

progressively and can prove its capabilities by trial, it can be tried first on a select population and

extended to others as their education and cultivation permit.

(c) It need not, and in the natural order of things would not, become an engine of subversion

until it had shown itself capable of being also a means of reconstruction.

8. Select the sentence that establishes that unconcern for others suffering and full

confidence in own wisdom as characteristics of St. Just and Robespierre.

(a) Nevertheless this scheme has great elements of popularity which the more cautious and

reasonable form of socialism has not; because what it professes to do, it promises to do quickly

and holds out hope to the enthusiastic seeing the whole of their aspirations realized in their own

time and at a blow.

(b) It must be acknowledged that those who would play this game on the strength of their own

private opinion, unconfirmed as yet by any experimental verificationwho would forcibly deprive


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all who have now a comfortable physical existence of their only present means of preserving it,

and would brave the frightful bloodshed and misery that would ensue if the attempt was resisted-must have a serene confidence in their own wisdom on the one hand and the recklessness of

other peoples suffering on the other, which Roberspierre and St. Just, hitherto the typical

instances of those united attributes, scarcely came up to.

(c) It need not, and in the natural order of things would not, become an engine of subversion

until it had shown itself capable of being also a means of reconstruction.

PASSAGE 2Whatever philosophy may be, it is in the world and must relate to it.

It breaks through the shell of the world in order to move into the infinite. But it turns back in order

to find in the finite its always unique historical foundation. It pushes into the furthest horizons

beyond being-in-the-world in order to experience the present in the eternal.

But even the profoundest meditation acquires its meaning by relating back to mans existence

here and now. Philosophy glimpses the highest criteria, the starry heaven of the possible, and

seeks in the light of the seemingly impossible the way to mans dignity in the phenomenon of his

empirical existence.

Philosophy addresses itself to individuals. It creates a free community of those who rely on each

other in their will for truth into this community the philosophic man would like to enter. It is there inthe world all the time, but cannot become a worldly institution without losing freedom of its truth.

He cannot know whether he belongs to it.

No authority decides on his acceptance. He wants to live in his thinking in such a way as to make

his acceptance possible. But how does the world relate to philosophy? There are chairs ofphilosophy at the universities.

Now-a-days they are an embarrassment. Philosophy is politely respected because of tradition,

but despised in secret. The general opinion is: it has nothing of importance to say. Neither has it

any practical value. It is named in public but does it really exist? Its existence is proved at least bythe defense measures it provokes.

We can see this in the form of comments like: Philosophy is too complicated. I dont understand it.

Its beyond me. Its something for professionals. I have no gift for it. Therefore it doesnt concern

me. But that is like saying I dont need to bother work or scholarship without thinking orquestioning its meaning and, for the rest, have opinions and be content with that.

The defense becomes fanatical. A benighted vital instinct hates philosophy. It is dangerous. If Iunderstood it I would have to change my life. I would find myself in another frame of mind, see

everything in a different light, and have to judge anew.

Better now think philosophically! Then there are the accusers, who want to replace the obsolete

philosophy by something new and totally different. It is mistrusted as the utterly mendacious endproduct of a bankrupt theology.

The meaninglessness of philosophical propositions is made fun of. Philosophy is denounced asthe willing handmaiden of political and other powers. For many politicians, their wretched trade

would be easier if philosophy did not exist at all. Masses and functionaries are easier to


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manipulate when they do not think but only have a regimented intelligence.

People must be prevented from becoming serious. Therefore, it is better for philosophy to be

boring. Let that chairs of philosophy rot. The more piffle is taught, the sooner people will beblinkered against the light of philosophy.

Thus philosophy is surrounded by enemies, most of whom are not conscious of being such.Bourgeois complacency, conventionality the satisfactions of economic prosperity, the

appreciation of science only for its technical achievements, the absolute will to power, the

bonhomie of politicians, the fanaticism of ideologies, the literary self-assertiveness of talentedwriters-in all these things people parade their anti-philosophy.

They do notice it because they do not realize what they are doing. They are unaware that their

anti-philosophy in itself a philosophy, but a perverted one, and that this anti-philosophy, if

elucidated, would annihilate itself.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS - SELECT ONE ANSWER CHOICE

9. A suitable title for the passage would be:

(a) Man and Philosophy (b) Philosophical Angst

(c) The Philosophical Debate (d) The Enemies of Philosophy(e) A Defense of Philosophy

10. The word chairs in the context of the passage, means:

(a) wooden-faced people (b) departments

(c) separate chairs for philosophers (d) reserved seats for students of philosophy

(e) luxurious sofas

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS SELECT ONE OR MORE ANSWER CHOICES

11. Which of the following is false, keeping the passage in the mind?

(a) Philosophy is evidently respected (b) Philosophy is secretly despised

(c) Philosophy is universally admired

12. Which is the following is a charge against philosophy?

(a) That it is obsolete (b) That it is mendacious

(c) That it is immoral

13. Which is the following is mentioned as a function of philosophy in the passage?(a) It shows the way to mans dignity in the face of his empirical existence

(b) It breaks through the shell of the world in order to move into the infinite

(c) It makes the world a better place to live in

SELECTIN-PASSAGE QUESTIONS


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14. Select the sentence that establishes the existence of Philosophy.(a) Whatever philosophy may be, it is in the world and must relate to it.

(b) It breaks through the shell of the world in order to move into the infinite.(c) Thus philosophy is surrounded by enemies, most of whom are not conscious of being

such.

15. Select the sentence that establishes that politicians would be happy in the absence of

Philosophy.(a) Thus philosophy is surrounded by enemies, most of whom are not conscious of being

such.

(b) Philosophy is denounced as the willing handmaiden of political and other powers.

(c) For many politicians, their wretched trade would be easier if philosophy did not exist at all.

Answers Passage 1

1.(a) The word avow means promise. The passage states some people in class of

revolutionary socialists avow as their purpose that the working classes or somebody on their behalf, should take possession of all property of the country, and

administer it for general benefit.

2. (e) The passage states that difference exists in their attitude towards change. The first onebelieves in gradual change while the other believes in revolutionary change.

3. (a) The government takes over the villages first, and then gradually the whole country. The

passage tells that in the class of revolutionary socialists there are people who propose tothemselves a much bolder stroke. Their scheme includes management of all productive

resources of country by general government.

4. (a) The author sympathies are with the neither of the two sides.

5. (a, b) The passage reveals that Robespierre, Fourier, Owen all are socialist.

6(a), (b) (c). All are the reasons mentioned in the passage.

7. (a) Whatever may be the difficulties of the first of these two forms of socialism, the second

must evidently involve the same difficulties and many more.

8.(b) It must be acknowledged that those who would play this game on the strength of their own

private opinion, unconfirmed as yet by any experimental verificationwho would forcibly depriveall who have now a comfortable physical existence of their only present means of preserving it,

and would brave the frightful bloodshed and misery that would ensue if the attempt was resisted-


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must have a serene confidence in their own wisdom on the one hand and the recklessness of

other peoples suffering on the other, which Roberspierre and St. Just, hitherto the typical

instances of those united attributes, scarcely came up to.

Answers Passage 2

9. (e).The passage explains that philosophy is named in public. Moreover, its existence is provedat least by the defense measures it provokes. Hence, most suitable title for the passage would be

A DEFENCE OF PHILOSOPHY.

10. (d) CHAIRS in context of passage refers to department.

11. (a) and(c) The passage says that philosophy is politely respected because of tradition but

despised in secret. Option (a) and (c) are therefore false.

12. (a) & (b) The passage does not speak that philosophy is immoral. Option (a) and (b) are

described as characteristic of Philosophy in the passage.

13(a) & (b) Philosophy makes world a better place to live has not been mentioned anywhere inthe passage. The other options are mentioned in the passage.

14. (a) Whatever philosophy may be, it is in the world and must relate to it.

15. (c) For many politicians, their wretched trade would be easier if philosophy did not exist at all

New Verbal Question Types for GRE Practice

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