Collins Education Exercise: one A Complete GRE Test Preparation Center Text CompletionSentence Equivalence

1. Normally an individual thunderstorm lasts about 45 minutes, but under certain conditions the storm may_______, becoming ever more severe, for as long as four hours.(A) wane

(B) moderate

(C) persist

(D) vacillate

(E) disperse

2. Although the Wright brothers first attempted flight in 1896 was a _____ and subsequent efforts similarly ended in failure, they persisted and ultimately made the first successful airplane flight in 1903. (A) fiasco

(B) debacle

(C) hindrance

(D) feat

(E) triumph

(F) precedent

5. Ever a demanding reader of the fiction of others, the novelist Chase was likewise often the object of_____ analyses by his contemporaries. (A) exacting

(B) copious

(C) respectful

(D) acerbic

(E) scathing

(F) meticulous

6. 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

3. Premise and conclusion:7. Review:

a) Because of the sunset of the empire, Britain has shrunk. b) The advertisement could not catch attention on account of being obtrusive.c) It is a pertinent topic in light of recent events.d) It is impossible to come to a conclusion in light of the data we have here. e) The mishap was due to carelessness. f) The chairman's glib comments of the environmental disaster caused people to grow even furious at the company exacerbating a situation that was already parlous. g) The people had visceral fear as they were in the beleaguered city. h) Facebook is especially vulnerable because its very business model hinges on the fire hose of information that its users willingly share. i) I didnt go to their stately matrimonial ceremony since they didnt invite me. j) The flight was canceled because of the fact that the weather was atrocious. a) Funereal silence/music. b) Hermetically sealed bottle. c) Herculean effort/struggle/job/strength.d) Campaign works grew increasing disconsolate as the results came in. e) A software purveyor/a purveyor of kitchen supplies. f) The invaders divided the plunder among themselves. g) Her mum taught her how to plait hair.h) We did not consider the possible repercussion of our actions.i) The band's repertoire includes both classic and modern jazz. j) She has quite a repertoire of funny stories. k) These villages are the last surviving remnants of great civilization. l) A ravishing view of the ocean.

4. Perhaps because something in us instinctively distrusts such displays of natural fluency, some readers approach John Updike's fiction with________.(A) indifference

(B) suspicion

(C) veneration

(D) recklessness

(E) bewilderment

8. A misconception frequently held by novice writers is that sentence structure mirrors thoughts: the more convoluted the structure, the more_______ the ideas.(A) complicated

(B) engaged

(C) essential

(D) fanciful

(E) inconsequential

(F) involved

9. The reception given to Kimuras radical theory of molecular evolution shows that when ______ fights orthodoxy to a draw ,then novelty has seized a good chunk of space from convention(A) imitation

(B) reaction

(C) dogmatism

(D) invention

(E) caution

10. The (i) ______ of Vladimir Nabokov as one of North Americas literary giants has thrown the spotlight on his peripheral activities and has thus served to (ii) _______ his efforts as an amateur entomologist.Blank (i)Blank (ii)

(A) stigmatization(D) foreground

(B) lionization(E) transcend

(C) marginalization(F) obscure

14. Although it does contain some pioneering ideas, one would hardly characterize the work as_______.(A) orthodox

(B) eccentric

(C) original

(D) trifling

(E) conventional

(F) innovative

15. It was her view that the countrys problems had been_______ by foreign technocrats, so that to ask for such assistance again would be counterproductive.(A) ameliorated

(B) ascertained

(C) diagnosed

(D) exacerbated

(E) overlooked

(F) worsened

11. Complements:16. Purposes:

a) The Egyptian sphinx has the body of recumbent lion. b) You should recast the last sentence in your essay to make it clearer. He recast his political image to fit the times. c) When he quit the movie, I was recast the leading role. d) She rebuffed him when he asked for a date. e) The recalcitrant prisoner was beaten to death.f) He is very keen on her since they met at the party. g) The essay is fraught with errors. h) Such conditions foster the spread of the disease. i) She was happy to find an easy-going husband. j) She is a connoisseur of African arts.a) He talked about the parlous state of the company so that all the staff would work faithfully.b) Having a gargantuan appetite, he scoffed his meal in order to stave off hunger. c) They are conducting research so as to extrapolate the total number of students entering next year. d) She sped up the process by eliminating all extraneous steps in order that she could complete the task before deadline. e) The impeccable scene was included in the drama for comic effect. f) The company was acting in collusion with manufacturers to inflate price.

12. We lost confidence in him because he never_____ the grandiose promises he had made. (A) forgot about

(B) reneged on

(C) tired of

(D) delivered on

(E) retreated from

13. Dominant interests often benefit most from_____ of governmental interference in business, since they are able to take care of themselves if left alone. (A) intensification

(B) authorization

(C) centralization

(D) improvisation

(E) elimination

17. The governments implementation of a new code of ethics appeared intended to shore up the ruling partys standing with an increasingly_____ electorate at a time when the party is besieged by charges that it trades favors for campaign money. (A) aloof

(B) placid

(C) restive

(D) skittish

(E) tranquil

(F) vociferous

18. 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

Collins Education Exercise: two A Complete GRE Test Preparation Center Text CompletionSentence Equivalence

1. We were amazed that a man who had been heretofore the most_____ of public speakers could, in a single speech, electrify an audience and bring them cheering to their feet. (A) enthralling

(B) accomplished

(C) pedestrian

(D) auspicious

(E) masterful

2. In stark contrast to his later (i) _____, Simpson was largely (ii) _____ politics during his college years, despite the fact that the campus he attended was rife with political activity. Blank (i)Blank (ii)

(A) activism (D) devoted to

(B) apathy (E) indifferent to

(C) affability (F) shaped by

5. Newspapers report that the former executive has been trying to keep a low profile since his_____ exit from the company. (A) celebrated

(B) mysterious

(C) longawaited

(D) fortuitous

(E) indecorous

(F) unseemly

6. As my eyesight began to_____, I spent a lot of time writing about itboth poems and eye journalsdescribing what I saw as I looked out through damaged eyes.(A) deteriorate

(B) sharpen

(C) improve

(D) decline

(E) recover

(F) adjust

3. Some noun phrases: 7. Some to-infinitive phrases:

a) Prefabricated buildings in the suburb.b) Preconceived ideas about the job. c) Predatory business practice in the city.d) Professed enemy of the king.e) Professed reason for resigning. f) Unsightly scar on the face. g) Unsparing critics of the newspaper.h) Voluble host in the cubicle.i) Volcanic anger of the patron.a) To void the contract (to infinitive phrases as a subject.)b) To pique curiosity/interest c) To pique him by his rudeness (chiefly British)d) To entrust your car to a friende) To entrust with the job of organizing receptionf) To anoint him as the most popular actorg) To provide rapturous description of the landscapeh) To cultivate as friends i) To rendezvous in New Yorkj) To reinforce the room

Text CompletionSentence Equivalence

4. Kagan maintains that an infants reactions to its first stressful experiences are part of a natural process of development, not harbingers of childhood unhappiness or_____ signs of adolescent anxiety.

(A) prophetic

(B) normal

(C) monotonous

(D) virtual

(E) typical

5. If you are trying to make a strong impression on your audience, you cannot do so by being under-stated, tentative, or_____. (A) hyperbolic

(B) restrained

(C) argumentative

(D) authoritative

(E) passionate

8. The judges standing in the legal community, though shaken by phony allegation of wrongdoing, emerged, at long last, _____. (A) unqualified

(B) undiminished

(C) undecided

(D) undamaged

(E) unresolved

(F) unprincipled

9. Modern agricultural practices have been extremely successful in increasing the productivity of major food crops, yet despite heavy use of pesticides, _____ Losses to diseases and insect pets are sustained each year. (A) incongruous

(B) reasonable

(C) significant

(D) considerable

(E) equitable

(F) fortuitous

Text CompletionSentence Equivalence

11. An investigation that is_____ can occasionally yield new facts, even notable ones, but typically the appearance of such facts is the result of a search in a definite direction. (A) timely

(B) unguided

(C) consistent

(D) uncomplicated

(E) subjective

12. Despite the mixture's _____ nature, we found that by lowering its temperature in the laboratory we could dramatically reduce its tendency to vaporize. (A) resilient

(B) volatile

(C) homogeneous

(D) insipid

(E) acerbic

16. Only by ignoring decades of mismanagement and inefficiency could investors conclude that a fresh infusion of cash would provide anything other than a_____ solution to the companys financial woes. (A) complete

(B) fleeting

(C) momentary

(D) premature

(E) trivial

(F) total

17. Some scientists argue that carbon compounds play such a central role in life on Earth because of the possibility of_____ resulting from the carbon atoms ability to form an unending series of different molecules. (A) diversity

(B) deviation

(C) variety

(D) reproduction

(E) stability

(F) invigoration

13. Adj. + noun18. Some prepositions and phrases:

a) Unadulterated happiness/nonsense b) Unauthorized use of govt. Vehicles. c) Unblemished skin/reputation for probity d) Unsympathetic character e) Blessed freedom f) Untainted character g) Blessed trinity h) Unsullied reputation i) Blas reaction/travelerj) Insatiable wanderlusta) in an ineffectual struggle. b) in an industrious way. c) with Machiavellian tactics. d) with a mutinous practice. e) with preemptive attack.

Text CompletionSentence Equivalence

14. It is (i)_____ that so many portrait paintings hang in art museums, since the subject matter seems to dictate a status closer to pictures in the family photograph album than to high art. But perhaps it is the artistic skill with which the portraits are painted that (ii) _____ their presence in art museums.Blank (i)Blank (ii)

(A) surprising (D) challenges

(B) understandable (E) justifies

(C) irrelevant (F) changes

15. It comes as no surprise that societies have codes of behavior; the character of the codes, on the others hand, can often be_____. (A) predictable

(B) unexpected

(C) admirable

(D) explicit

(E) confusing

19. Given the flood of information presented by the mass media, the only way for someone to keep abreast of the news is to rely on_____ accounts. (A) synoptic

(B) abridged

(C) sensational

(D) copious

(E) lurid

(F) understated

20. Always circumspect, she was reluctant to make judgments, but once arriving at a conclusion, she was_____ in its defense. (A) deferential

(B) intransigent

(C) lax

(D) negligent

(E) obsequious

(F) resolute

Collins Education Exercise: three A Complete GRE Test Preparation CenterText CompletionSentence Equivalence

1. No other artist rewards the viewer with more sheer pleasure than Miro; he is one of those blessed artists who combine profundity and _____. (A) education

(B) wisdom

(C) faith

(D) fun

(E) depth

2. Like Bela Bartok, Ruth Crawford not only brought a composers acumen to the notation of folk music, she also had a marked (i) _____ the task. This was clear in her agonizing over how far to try to represent the minute details of a performance in a written text, and this (ii) _____ makes her work a landmark in ethnomusicology. Blank (i)Blank (ii)

(A) reverence for (D) fastidiousness

(B) detachment from (E) didacticism

(C) curiosity about (F) iconoclasm

6. The plan, which the engineers said would save the aquifer by reducing pumping to_____ levels, has passed a governmental review but faces opposition from outdoor and environmental groups. (A) innocuous

(B) feasible

(C) practicable

(D) minimal

(E) remedial

(F) benign

7. Though feminist in its implications, Yvonne Rainers 1974 film_____ the filmmakers active involvement in feminist politics. (A) antedated

(B) cloaked

(C) portrayed

(D) preceded

(E) renewed

(F) represented

3. Noun Phrases:8. Adjective + Noun:

a) hellish weather of the zone. b) political fray in the campus c) execrable taste of the dishd) frenetic activities in the city e) fulfilling period in my life f) despicable act of racism g) despairing cry of the widower h) certain parallelism in the development i) paranormal power/phenomena of the occultsj) paramount issue in the election a) avaricious personb) atypical occurrencec) auspicious debutd) chagrined people e) derivative film/style f) permeable limestone/membrane g) indefatigable campaigner/patience/optimism h) indefinable quality i) incurious students j) encyclopedic study/knowledge

4. Some Central Intelligence Agency officers have _____ their previous statements denying any involvement on their part with the Contra aid net-work and are now revising their earlier testimony. (A) justified

(B) recanted

(C) repeated

(D) protracted

(E) heeded

5. For some time now, _____ has been presumed not to exist: the cynical conviction that everybody has an angle is considered wisdom. (A) rationality

(B) flexibility

(C) diffidence

(D) disinterestedness

(E) insincerity

9. Congress is having great difficulty developing consensus on energy policy, primarily because the policy objectives of various members of Congress rest on such_____ assumptions. (A) commonplace

(B) disparate

(C) divergent

(D) fundamental

(E) trite

(F) trivial

10. During the operas most famous aria, the tempo chosen by the orchestras conductor seemed_____, without necessary relation to what had gone. (A) arbitrary

(B) capricious

(C) cautious

(D) compelling

(E) exacting

(F) meticulous

Text CompletionSentence Equivalence

11. Serlings account of his employers reckless decision making (i) _________ that companys image as (ii) ________ bureaucracy full of wary managers. Blank (i)Blank (ii)

(A) belies (A) an injudicious

(B) exposes (B) a disorganized

(C) overshadows (C) a cautious

16. Because they had expected the spacecraft Voyager 2 to be able to gather data only about the planets Jupiter and Saturn, scientists were_____ the wealth of information it sent back from Neptune twelve years after leaving Earth. (A) anxious for

(B) confident in

(C) thrilled about

(D) keen on

(E) elated by

(F) eager for

12. Political advertising may well be the most (i) _____ kind of advertising: political candidates are usually quite (ii) _____, yet their campaign advertisements often hide important differences behind smoke screens of smiles and empty slogans. Blank (i)Blank (ii)

(A) polemical (D) interchangeable

(B) effective (E) dissimilar

(C) deceptive (F) vocal

17. Although a plethora of evidence exists to the contrary, a portion of the population still disregards warnings about the _____ effects of nicotine and continues to smoke, believing no harms is done to their health. (A) deleterious

(B) addictive

(C) inimical

(D) antagonistic

(E) benign

(F) pernicious

13. To infinitive phrases:18. Modifiers:

a) to emasculate the law b) to emasculate her husband c) to emancipate a slave/himself from his parentsd) to censor the speech before broadcasting e) to censure the leaders f) to castigate the minister as an ineffective leader g) to rectify the problem/situation h) to tally up the cost of the repair i) to tally with the new data j) to tally a goala) The equable fellow who is my teacher_____.b) The episodic life (which) the politician led_____.c) Her feisty spirit (which) her proponents admired_____.d) Gusty stew that was prepared by my mother_____.e) The man who was eulogized at his funeral_____.f) The business ethos (that) the company made_____.g) The devilish person whose appearance is ferocious_____.h) Preponderant power that was held by the president_____.i) The retiring woman (whom) I saw in the banquet hall_____.j) The dungeon (where) the king threw them_____.

Text CompletionSentence Equivalence

14. New concerns about growing religious tension in northern India were_____ this week after at least fifty people were killed and hundreds were injured or arrested in rioting between Hindus and Moslems. (A) lessened

(B) invalidated

(C) restrained

(D) dispersed

(E) fueled

15. Richard M. Russell said 52 percent of the nations growth since the Second World War had (i) _____ invention. He said, (ii) _____ research, the governments greatest role in assuring continuing innovation is promoting a strong, modern patent office. Unless we can (iii) _____ original ideas, we will not have invention, Mr. Russell said. Speculating on the state of innovation over the next century, several inventors agreed that the future lay in giving children the tools to think creatively and the motivation to invent. Blank (i)Blank (ii)Blank (iii)

(A) been at the expense of (D) in addition to restricting (G) evaluate

(B) no bearing on (E) aside from supporting (H) protect

(C) come through (F) far from exaggerating (I) disseminate

19. To the publics great shock, the group recently voted into power on a platform of peaceable reform conducted_____ acts against existing branches of government as soon as the election was over. (A) contumacious

(B) endemic

(C) erratic

(D) estimable

(E) irresolute

(F) seditious

20. Photo retouching and inflated claims are so well concealed in most advertising campaigns that consumers are unaware of the_____ being employed. (A) cabal

(B) artifice

(C) hegemony

(D) chicanery

(E) dominance

(F) imprecation

Collins Education Exercise: four A Complete GRE Test Preparation Center Text CompletionSentence Equivalence

1. In a happy, somewhat boisterous celebration of the European discovery of America, the major phase of the Columbus Cinquecentennial got off to_______ start on Friday. (A) a slow

(B) a rousing

(C) a reluctant

(D) an indifferent

(E) a quiet

2. Statements presented as fact in a patent application are (i) _____ unless a good reason for doubt is found. The invention has only to be deemed more likely than not to work in order to receive initial approval. And, although thousands of patents are challenged in court for other reasons, no incentive exists for anyone to expend effort (ii) _____ the science of an erroneous patent. For this reason the endless stream of (iii) _____ devices will continue to yield occasional patents. Blank (i)Blank (ii)Blank (iii)

(A) presumed verifiable (D) corroborating (G) novel

(B) carefully scrutinized (E) advancing (H) bogus

(C) considered capricious (F) debunking (I) obsolete

6. The performers agreed that the topic of marriage was an excellent theme for their upcoming performance at a conservative organizations charity event; however. The audience was unreceptive to the_____ jokes make during the show. (A) plucky

(B) ribald

(C) coarse

(D) traitorous

(E) politic

(F) treacherous

7. W.C. Handys self-conferred sobriquet, The Father of the Blues, is widely______; although he composed and published the first written blues songs, other musicians had been playing the blues for several years. (A) professed

(B) deconstructed

(C) disputed

(D) proven

(E) contested

(F) demonstrated

3. Modifiers:8. Review:

a) Incensed that he was pilloried in the parliament, the prime minister retorted.b) The government enervated by corruption was led by the chairman of the ruling party. c) Completely engrossed in the conversation, they missed the plane.d) Bullied by his elder brother, he didnt come home that evening. e) Being relished travelling, the backpacker indited a rapturous novel about it.f) Motivated by the chief journalist, the reporter cajoled information from the hospital staff. g) The teacher discomfited by the question quit the class. h) Having perused the list, he recommended some new items. i) Perusing the newspaper, he was sitting in the garden. j) Badly maimed in the accident, the driver lost his right eye for ever. a) Facile victory b) He bridled at their criticism of his methods. c) Bridled his anger, he looked quiet. d) Bravura performance. e) A ten year conflagration of Nepal. f) To curb price is the governments responsibility. g) The demure young lady who was a receptionist was dismissed. h) The teacher wearing demure gray suit is not smart. i) The teacher who had pensive mood didnt teach effectively that day. j) Entranced by the magnificent view, the journalist composed an article. k) That teleology neednt entail Teleology was evolutionary theorys great insight.

Text CompletionSentence Equivalence

4. In a revolutionary development in technology, several manufactures now make biodegradable forms of plastic; some plastic six-pack rings, for example, gradually_____ when exposed to sunlight. (A) harden

(B) stagnate

(C) inflate

(D) propagate

(E) decompose

5. To alleviate the problem of contaminated chicken, the study panel recommends that the federal government shift its inspection emphasis from cursory bird-by-bird visual checks to a more_____ random sampling for bacterial and chemical contamination. (A) rigorous

(B) perfunctory

(C) symbolic

(D) discreet

(E) dubious

9. The expectation of instant gratification engendered by the ease and speed of modern communication can set one up for_____ in personal relationships that rely on e-mail or text messages, especially if theyre not returned immediately. (A) chagrin

(B) endearment

(C) recompense

(D) vexation

(E) elation

(F) pacifism

10. Anticipating the arrival of the baby panda, zookeepers_____ the panda exhibit to handle the influx of visitors, scientists, and veterinarians. (A) abridged

(B) emended

(C) meliorated

(D) maintained

(E) truncated

(F) neglected

Text CompletionSentence Equivalence

11. Human nature and long distances have made exceeding the speed limit a (i) _____ in the state, so the legislators surprised no one when, acceding to public demand, they (ii) _____ increased penalties for speeding. Blank (i)Blank (ii)

(A) controversial habit (D) endorsed

(B) cherished tradition (E) considered

(C) disquieting ritual (F) rejected

12. No other contemporary poets work has such a well-earned reputation for (i) _________, and there are few whose moral vision is so imperiously unsparing. Of late, however, the almost belligerent demands of his severe and densely forbidding poetry have taken an improbable turn. This new collection is the poets fourth book in six yearsan ample output even for poets of sunny disposition, let alone for one of such (ii) _________ over the previous 50 years. Yet, for all his newfound (iii) _________, his poetry is as thorny as ever. Blank (i)Blank (ii)Blank (iii)

(A) patent accessibility (G) penitential austerity (G) taciturnity

(B) Intrinsic frivolity (H) intractable prolixity (H) volubility

(C) near impenetrability (I) impetuous prodigality (I) pellucidity

16. Some scientists_____ that by sensing a change in barometric pressure or electricity, certain species of fish may be able to portend seismic events; just before a recent earthquake, several fish were observed leaping into the air from the ocean. (A) repudiate

(B) authorize

(C) foresee

(D) hypothesize

(E) question

(F) contend

17. The space shuttle is an_____ of human creativity and engineering, unparalleled in its complexity and ingenuity. (A) expression

(B) apogee

(C) encroachment

(D) assertion

(E) excess

(F) apex

13. Review: 18. Modifiers:

a) The citys patisserie. b) Dulcet voice/sound of the piano. c) Guitar virtuoso. d) The teams victory shook me. e) Their fortune already begun to ebb ended in fiasco.f) Scrumptious confection. g) A tureen of bouillon. h) Injudicious comments to the press.i) The child who was shy and inhibited is now garrulous j) The edifice incorporated last year is posh.

a) Chaotic in conception but not in execution, Kellys arts are didactic. b) Shy and hypochondriac, Madison was uncomfortable at public gatherings. c) Truculent in defending their individual rights of sovereignty, the newly formed states squabbled constantly. d) As titular head of the organization, he attended social functions and civic meetings but had no voice in formulating of company policy. e) Faced with these massive changes, the government keeps its own counsel; although generally benevolent, it has always been a reticent regime. f) Unlike gregarious Capote, Johns was reclusive. g) Rumors in Australia suggest that allies of the former prime minister are scheming against him. h) Brandishing a gun, he tried to intimidate others. i) Mixing bonhomie and persistence, the head of the U.N. agency against AIDS has influenced national policies in South Africa, China and elsewhere. j) To conserve its dwindling cash is the companys prudent activity.

14. Managers who think that strong environmental performance will (i) _____ their companys financial performance often (ii) _____ claims that systems designed to help them manage environmental concerns are valuable tools. By contrast, managers who perceive environmental performance to be (iii) _____ to financial success may view an environmental management system as extraneous. In either situation, or whatever their perceptions, it is a managers commitment to achieving environmental improvement rather than the mere presence of a system that determines environmental performance. Blank (i)Blank (ii)Blank (iii)

(A) eclipse (D) uncritically accept (G) complementary

(B) bolster (E) appropriately acknowledge (H) intrinsic

(C) degrade (F) hotly dispute (I) peripheral

15. The leaders of Ukraines Orange Revolution were a study in contrasts. At the center of the political storm stood Viktor Yushchenko, his once-handsome face turned into a hideous, (i) _______mask by dioxin poisoning; but, at his side, no one could miss the (ii) _______Yulia Tymoshenko, soon to become the worlds only prime minister to adorn the covers of fashion magazines.Blank (i)Blank (ii)

(A) limpid (A) bonny

(B) fatuous (B) decorous

(C) teratoid (C) felicitous

19. He_____ visiting Blarney Castle, fearing the summer tourist crowds, and chose a quieter destination for himself.(A) contemplated

(B) eschewed

(C) deprecated

(D) considered

(E) forwent

(F) discouraged

20. Since a large number of the ores frequently located in riverbeds are (i) _______on the earths surface, where the processing of chemicals is less costly, recovery of underwater ores is not likely to become a (ii) _______procedure.Blank (i)Blank (ii)

(A) scanty (D) valuable

(B) abundant (E) cost-effective

(C) preserved (F) rejected

Collins Education Exercise: fiveA Complete GRE Test Preparation Center

Text Completion

1. It would be (i)_______for our leaders, given their responsibilities as democratically elected officials, to neglect to do everything they could to (ii)_______an entirely (iii) _______ problem.Blank (i)Blank (ii)Blank (iii)

(A) irresponsible (D) forestall (G) benign

(B) thoughtful (E) sustain (H) unimportant

(C) intuitive (F) cultivate (I) avoidable

2. Despite her mentors advice that she attempt to sound consistently _______, the graduate student often resorted to using slang when presenting significant parts of her thesis, her habitual speech patterns overriding her years of learning.(A) lucid

(B) didactic

(C) panegyrical

(D) erudite

(E) rational

6. Although she was such a bad-mannered child that she was sent to a boarding school, as an adult she is the very model of _______.(A) friendliness

(B) diffidence

(C) propriety

(D) reticence

(E) decorum

(F) brashness

7. Politicians sometimes appear to act in a manner that is almost _______; however, when all the information is released after the fact, it is apparent that they were acting according to a deliberate plan.(A) pithy

(B) conventional

(C) conformist

(D) whimsical

(E) flawless

(F) capricious

3. Review:8. Complements:

a. Gorgeous summer afternoons.b. A Gordian knot of legal troubles.c. The democratic principles which stand bulwark against tyranny are highly prized. d. The products are poorly constructed; ergo, they break easily. e. Despised as a hypocrite, she alienated her supporters. f. Despoiling the village, the invaders advanced. g. The landscape which was despoiled by the industrial development was once posh. h. She is my grandmother who is increasingly despondent about her malady. i. Appreciable number of these plants. j. Impotent political party.a. He proffered me a snippet of information quickly in the refectory yesterday. b. She professed to know nothing about the losing money. c. They profess loyalty to the king. d. She runs the company by fiat. e. He fibbed about his weight. f. She peered into one of the churchs murky chapels. g. The students couldnt understand murky explanation. h. It is a fine offer, but we need time to mull it over. i. The president was traveling incognito. j. People enjoy his homespun manner.

Text Completion

4. Although she felt Steve (i)_______the subtlety of the delicious stew recipe with his addition of the sweet potato, she thought the pungent onion (ii)_______the otherwise (iii)_______taste combination.Blank (i)Blank (ii)Blank (iii)

(A) depleted (D) exaggerated (G) delicate

(B) masticated (E) overwhelmed (H) zesty

(C) augmented (F) satiated (I) detestable

5. At first, a still-life painting can appear quite (i) _______, its focus on such everyday objects as flowers or fruits apparently uninspired. In the hands of (ii) _______painter, however, careful attention to slight shifts of color and texture can lead to a truly (iii) _______ and exemplary painting.Blank (i)Blank (ii)Blank (iii)

(D) vital (D) a gauche(G) unstinting

(E) luxuriant (E) an adept (H) sublime

(F) banal (F) an ascetic (I) prosaic

9. Forced to take an alternate road when a massive oil spill closed the highway, the two-hour detour made their already arduous trip even more_______.(A) irksome

(B) onerous

(C) facile

(D) glib

(E) implacable

(F) immutable

10. Though many of her contemporaries found her odd, Ella Wilkins is now much admired for her _______spirit, especially her willingness to reject prevailing feminine roles and to travel to foreign lands alone.(A) forlorn

(B) magnanimous

(C) adventurous

(D) bellicose

(E) desolate

(F) doughty

Text Completion

11. Many fashions that were considered daring in their time have been so widely worn and imitated that the (i)_______ style is no longer seen as (ii)_______.Blank (i)Blank (ii)

(A) proposed (D) outlandish

(B) original (E) commonplace

(C) revealing (F) copied

12. Western culture has so influenced Middle Eastern music that even the latters roles of composer and performer, at one time inseparable, have now begun to _______.(A) divulge

(B) retreat

(C) retrench

(D) diverge

(E) fuse

16. The Johnsons were not known for their (i) _______; at the very least, none of the family members was fearful of (ii) ________, of appearing or acting differently from other people.Blank (i)Blank (ii)

(A) candor (A) pettiness

(B) vulgarity (B) eccentricity

(C) conformity (C) complaisance

17. Plato, an important philosopher, is primarily known because he wrote down Socratess ____________ conversations. It is through Platos record of these dialogues that Socratess teachings have survived and continue to enlighten seekers of wisdom.(A) inspiring

(B) edifying

(C) tedious

(D) grating

(E) rousing

(F) didactic

13. Purposes: 18. Review:

a) We cant condone this kind of behavior. b) To extirpate the culture.c) Raffish behavior/character/charm.d) He was affronted by his impertinent behavior. e) A hedonistic prince.f) The tumor was ablated. g) He was too obtuse to take a hint. h) Joy and its obverse sadness. i) The companys byzantine accounting practices have gotten it into trouble with the govt. j) Religious dissention has threatened to spoilt the country. a) We stopped at a bar and quaffed a few beers. b) Other politicians quailed before him. c) Ebullient charm/entertainer. d) A multitude of choices/complaints. e) Mulish determination/insistence. f) A number of people wanted her to run for the govt. but she demurred. g) Tenebrous sky. h) The gaiety of the carnival. i) Ignominious end of the career. j) The govt. has been accused of condoning racism.

Text Completion

14. Kazan was quickly (i)_______by many of his contemporaries for his transgression, who saw his testimony as treachery, an act of (ii)_______ which stained how they viewed him both as an artist and as a man. It was only by continually making films that he was able to (iii) _______ his perceived sins and achieve some measure of atonement.Blank (i)Blank (ii)Blank (iii)

(A) rebuked (D) perfidy (G) exacerbate

(B) lauded (E) sophistry (H) deviate

(C) mitigated (F) redemption (I) expiate

15. Although tranquilizers usually have a _______effect, this is not always the case, especially when the abuse of these drugs results in a failure to induce the much-desired sleep.(A) soporific

(B) sedulous

(C) coruscating

(D) debilitating

(E) penetrating

19. Even the colossal meal failed to ____________her voracious appetite.(A) cadge

(B) exacerbate

(C) provoke

(D) satiate

(E) mendicate

(F) allay

20. Slicks of oil on a rain-soaked street are _______ and beautiful, but the lovely rainbows they produce on the asphalt can seem rather ugly when one reflects upon the road hazards they create and the environmental damage they entail.(A) anodyne

(B) iridescent

(C) monocoque

(D) pavonine

(E) parietal

(F) saturnine

Collins Education Exercise: sixA Complete GRE Test Preparation CenterText Completion

1. As a rule, (i) _______interpretations of events are rejected by modern science in its attempts to find secular insights into the matrix of causes and effects in our modern world. Paradoxically, this fact does not (ii) _______the existence of individual scientists who possess views that may be (iii) _______with a belief in supernatural causes.Blank (i)Blank (ii)Blank (iii)

(D) falsifiable (D) countenance (G) at variance

(E) preternatural (E) enhance (H) consonant

(F) teleological (F) preclude (I) discrepant

2. The (i) _______with which a statement is conveyed is frequently more important to the listener in determining the intended meaning than the actual words (ii) _______. For example, a compliment, when delivered sarcastically, will be perceived by the receiver as fairly insulting.Blank (i)Blank (ii)

(A) inflection (D) implied

(B) pitch (E) repudiated

(C) accuracy (F) utilized

6. He had not always been so callous, but with time he became _______to the violence around him.(A) adorned

(B) cauterized

(C) sensitized

(D) ostracized

(E) inured

(F) attuned

7. Oscar Wildes The Importance of Being Earnest satirizes the _______nature of upper crust British society; its characters take trivial concerns seriously while glibly dismissing important ones.(A) maladaptive

(B) insincere

(C) unusual

(D) insignificant

(E) shallow

3. Noun Phrases:8. Adjective + Noun:

a) groovy music b) insidious diseasec) insidious enemiesd) the pitfall of online shopping e) a new rendition of the text in English f) a moving rendition of an old song g) sultry voice/a sultry dress h) a sultry day/air/weather i) the wail of siren j) a wail of sadness/ despair a) protean+ organism/actor b) emphatic+ answer c) confounded+ window d) fleeting+ beauty e) mediocre+ dinner/wine f) muted+ voice g) muted+ political discussion h) obsolescent+ computers i) otherwise+ conditionj) American+ polity

Text Completion

4. Though a film studio produces works that are (i) _______and artistic, its priorities often dictate that creativity be (ii) _______to a secondary position since the creative process can (iii) _______the organization and hierarchy necessary to running a large company.Blank (i)Blank (ii)Blank (iii)

(A) expressive (D) compared (G) respond to

(B) tedious (E) uplifted (H) conflict with

(C) tiresome (F) relegated (I) coexist with

5. Science and religion each have core tenets that are considered _______; however, because some scientific tenets are in conflict with some religious ones, these tenets cannot all be correct. (A) historic

(B) axiomatic

(C) disputable

(D) ubiquitous

(E) empirical

9. George was a mercurial character; one moment he was optimistic about his prospects, and the next he was _______.(A) immoral

(B) hopeful

(C) witty

(D) morose

(E) dour

(F) buoyant

10. Growing up in a wealthy suburb, she felt quite the _______as she began her first job as a llama caretaker on a rural farm.(A) tyro

(B) concierge

(C) agronomist

(D) cultivator

(E) neophyte

(F) curator

Text Completion

11. While comic book artists such as Neal Adams demonstrated a more thorough mastery of human anatomy than did the generation that preceded them, some readers wondered whether the superheroes they drew were really supposed to be so _______ that every detail of their musculatures would be visible through their clothing.(A) thewy

(B) sinewy

(C) superfluous

(D) pneumatic

(E) flocculent

(F) atrophied

12. A single (i) _______remark can easily ruin the career of a politician, so most are quickly trained to avoid such offhand remarks and instead stick to prepared talking points. This training can result in a lack of (ii) _______, however, and elicit in merely (iii) _______, lukewarm responses from crowds.Blank (i)Blank (ii)Blank (iii)

(A) elated (A) spontaneity (D) ardent

(B) glib (B) equanimity (E) tepid

(C) pedantic (C) rigidity (F) morose

16. William Shakespeares Macbeth was based upon a highly _______version of events that the playwright wrought from Raphael Holinsheds Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland; King Duncans death at the hand of Macbeth comprises the plays only historical truth.(A) anachronistic

(B) effusive

(C) embellished

(D) prosaic

(E) serpentine

(F) colored

17. Although most medical, preventative ointments commonly in use would have (i) _______ an infection, the particular one Helen applied to her sores actually, much to her dismay, (ii) _______her (iii) _______.Blank (i)Blank (ii)Blank (iii)

(D) surrendered to (G) contributed to (G) medicine

(E) exacerbated (H) detracted from (H) salve

(F) staved off (I) disbursed with (I) affliction

13. Review 18. Review

a) Crude/summation/theoryb) Crude jokes c) Crude instruments/tools/drawing d) Jejune remarks e) They are preening themselves on their success. f) Gorgeous/glamorous raiment g) Caparison is an ornamental covering spread over a horse saddle/harness. h) A fashionable soiree in a posh hotel. i) Sartorial splendor j) Professional integrity. a) Cronyism is rampant is some countries.b) As an adult, he was of milquetoast character. c) Halcyon days. d) Anfractuous path e) A dexterous maneuver/carpenter f) Felicitous combination of flavor/phrase g) Melisma is a group of notes sung to one syllable of text. h) Evanishment fame. i) The pilot was debriefed after his flight. j) A debauched poet/society.

Text Completion

14. Despite what _______ philosophies of child-rearing suggest, there is no imperative that the day-to-day action of raising a child be simple, unambiguous and unchangingno requirement, in other words, ensures that life follow philosophy.(A) inexact

(B) aggressive

(C) random

(D) shameless

(E) systematic

15. Several cultures throughout the world and many informal subcultures within the United States (i) ______the Winter Solstice, the (ii) _______day of the year, as a time to welcome back the lengthening of each day.Blank (i)Blank (ii)

(A) condemn (D) lengthiest

(B) burke (E) shortest

(C) fete (F) coldest

19. Teachers of composition urge their students to (i) _______in their writing and instead use clear, simple language. Why use (ii) _______ vocabulary when a (iii) _______ phrasing conveys ones meaning so much more effectively?Blank (i)Blank (ii)Blank (iii)

(A) exscind obloquy (A) recreant (G) arcane

(B) eschew obfuscation (B) redolent (H) limpid

(C) evince ossification (C) recondite (I) droll

20. Owing to a combination of its proximity and _______atmosphere, Mars is the only planet in our solar system whose surface details can be discerned from the Earth.(A) viscous

(B) ossified

(C) rarefied

(D) estimable

(E) copious

(F) meager

Collins Education Exercise: seven A Complete GRE Test Preparation CenterText Completion

1. The novel emphasizes the innate (i) _______ of all humans, showing how each and every character within the narrative is, ultimately, (ii) _______. This motif becomes tiresome due to its (iii)_______, however, as character after character is bribed, either explicitly or implicitly, into giving up his or her supposedly cherished beliefs.Blank (i)Blank (ii)Blank (iii)

(A) zealousness (D) adroit (G) redundancy

(B) corruptibility(E) cunning (H) triviality

(C) optimism (F) venal (I) subtlety

2. Although pirating software, such as borrowing a friends copy of an installation CD or downloading software from unapproved sources is (i) _______, many people continue to do so (ii) _______, almost as if they were unaware of the potential consequences if they were caught.Blank (i)Blank (ii)

(D) uncommon (D) savagely

(E) illegal (E) sensibly

(F) difficult (F) unabashedly

6. Using the hardships of the Joad family as a model, John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath effectively demonstrated how one clans struggles epitomized the _______experienced by an entire country.(A) reticence

(B) adversity

(C) repudiation

(D) quiescence

(E) verisimilitude

(F) tribulation

7. The Mayan pyramid of Kukulkan is more than just _______edifice; this imposing structure was built to create a chirping echo whenever people clap their hands on the staircase. This echo sounds just like the chirp of the Quetzal, a bird which is sacred in the Mayan culture.(A) a venerable

(B) a humble

(C) a beguiling

(D) an august

(E) a specious

(F) a prosaic

3. Review 8. Review

a) A mind muddled by too much advice. b) Muddle the household accounts. c) Risible suggestion.d) Abstruse concepts/theories. e) She cant rely on her feckless son/feckless behavior. f) Nice distinction. g) Cardinal principles/cardinals points. h) The teacher intimated that the chapter was important. i) The issue galvanized the public to take action.j) Amorphous shape/clouds/segment of society. a) Mindful investor. b) The vicissitudes of life.c) Vicarious pleasure. d) We remain vigilant against larceny. e) Iniquitous war/deed. f) In a fitting coda to his career, he served as an ambassador to China.g) The coda of the movie. h) Unappealing taste/color/decoration. i) Authoritarian manager. j) Intermittent gunfire.

Text Completion

4. Some wealthy city-dwellers become enchanted with the prospect of trading their hectic schedules for a bucolic life in the countryside, and they buy property with a pleasant view of farmlandonly to find the stench of the livestock so _____ that they move back to the city.(A) bovine

(B) pastoral

(C) noisome

(D) atavistic

(E) olfactory

(F) mephitic

p5. Possessed of an insatiable sweet tooth, Jim enjoyed all kinds of candy, but he had a special _____ for gumdrops, his absolute favorite. (A) container

(B) affinity

(C) odium

(D) nature

(E) disregard

(F) predilection

9. Having squandered his lifes savings on unprofitable business ventures, the _______entrepreneur was forced to live in squalor.(A) former

(B) unlikely

(C) insolvent

(D) perturbed

(E) eccentric

10. The kenjogo or humble language used in Japanese to refer to oneself and the sonkeigo or honorific language used to describe the interlocutor are often toned down in English translation, as more accurate renderings might sound _____ to an ear accustomed to more egalitarian phrasings. (A) servile

(B) garrulous

(C) obsequious

(D) circumspect

(E) querulous

(F) loquacious

Text Completion

11. Mathematicians have a distinctive sense of beauty: they strive to present their ideas and results in a clear and compelling fashion, dictated by_______ as well as by logic.(A) caprice

(B) aesthetics

(C) obligation

(D) methodologies

(E) intellect

12. The fuel efficiency of most vehicles traveling speeds greater than 40 miles per hour _____ as the vehicles speed increases, due to the additional demands placed on the vehicle. (A) equalizes

(B) adapts

(C) stabilizes

(D) diminishes

(E) increases

(F) wanes

16. Because mercury has a variety of innocuous uses, including in thermometers and dental fillings, few people realize that it is one of the most _____ substances on the planet. (A) acidic

(B) irritating

(C) mundane

(D) deleterious

(E) disagreeable

(F) pernicious

17. Despite the implications of their noble status, many aristocrats were virtually penniless and lived in a state of _____. (A) indigence

(B) opulence

(C) eminence

(D) penury

(E) depravity

(F) complacency

13. Review 18. Review 19.

a) The rapid spread of the disease has alarmed many people. b) She accepted the invitation with alacrity. c) His instructions were cryptic. d) A cryptic remark/message/title.e) An example of syllogism is: All men are humans; all humans are mortals; ergo, all men are mortal. f) Data were abstracted from the hospital records. g) A book about the genesis of civil war. h) As the neighborhood became gentrified, the people who had lived there for many years could no longer afford it. i) The argument turned rancid. j) A rancorous debate. a) The initial euphoria following their victory in the election has now subsided. b) Etiquette is a set of rules indicating the proper and polite way to behave. c) They uttered calumnies against him.d) He seems impervious to criticism. e) Imperishable fame. f) A flamboyant performer/clothes/colors. g) Immaculate house. h) She imbibed vast quantities of wine. i) Catholic interests.j) A conglomeration of shops and restaurants.

Text Completion

14. Despite their outward negativity, many a cynic harbors an inner faith in the _____ of mankind. (A) benevolence

(B) precocity

(C) parsimony

(D) ignobility

(E) antipathy

(F) probity

15. Although the concept of vegan donuts did not appeal to Sean, he actually found them to be quite _____ once he finally tasted them. (A) detestable

(B) unappetizing

(C) bland

(D) gleeful

(E) scrumptious

(F) toothsome

20. Roberts outwardly amiable disposition belied his _____ nature; he was more than willing to badmouth a colleagues work or spread gossip if he thought it would help him advance his career. (A) innocuous

(B) malicious

(C) gregarious

(D) insipid

(E) affable

(F) churlish

21. Although using recorded birdcalls makes the California gnatcatcher less (i) _____ and easier to observe, it also seems to (ii) _____ its normal mating patterns. Blank (i)Blank (ii)

(A) timid (D) direct

(B) approachable (E) increase

(C) tamable (F) upset

Collins Education Exercise: eight A Complete GRE Test Preparation Center

Text Completion

1. To any observer, ancient or ______, the night sky appears as a hemisphere resting on the horizon.(A) antiquated

(B) perceptive

(C) modern

(D) astute

(E) contemporary

(F) archaic

2. Researchers interested in the nature versus nurture debate use identical twins who were separated at birth to explore which personality characteristics are _______ compared to those that arise through experience.(A) intractable

(B) nascent

(C) erudite

(D) innate

(E) predilection

(F) instinctive

6. Arriving in New Orleans days after Hurricane Zelda had passed and without an adequate number of vehicles of its own, the armed forces began to ______ any working form of transportation they could find, including a bus that had been chartered at great expense by a group of tourists.(A) repatriate

(B) commandeer

(C) extradite

(D) interdict

(E) expurgate

(F) appropriate

7. Anthropologists contend that the ancient Mesopotamians switched from grain production to barley after excessive irrigation and salt accumulation made the soil _______ grains.(A) indifferent to

(B) inhospitable to

(C) unsuitable for

(D) acrimonious to

(E) benignant to

(F) inured to

3. Review 8. Review

a) Dilettantish interest in arts. b) A picaresque novel. c) Picayune details. d) The timbre of his voice/subtle differences in timbre.e) They obtained the documents through/by subterfuge.f) She refused to be subservient to her husband.g) He was in a quandary (unsure/confused) h) Dad and I spent some quality time together. i) The development of unconventional weapons has been deplored. j) A shy and timorous teenager/timorous voice. a) He is partial to the refulgent blue eyes. b) Invidious remarks. c) Inveterate optimism, tendency. d) Invincible loss/army. e) His reputation has been damaged by sexual innuendos. f) Inordinate number of problems. g) The stock markets lethargy is a cause of concern. h) The patient is weak and lethargy.i) The age of corporate conglomeration. j) She was phlegmatic even during the most difficult moments of crisis.

Text Completion

4. The Canadian Prime Minister, Mackenzie King, often used sances to contact his dead pet dog for advice; despite this _______ behavior, the public had so much confidence in his ability as a leader that he was in power for 22 years.(A) aberrant

(B) lackluster

(C) poised

(D) unconventional

(E) repulsive

(F) decorous

5. The circulation of the blood makes possible human adaptability to the _______ conditions of life, such as atmospheric pressure, level of physical activity, and diet.(A) inveterate

(B) dynamic

(C) timorous

(D) cowed

(E) turgid

(F) fluctuating

9. Coach applied himself to rebuilding the program with such _____ that the rest of the staff struggled to match his enthusiasm.(A) cessation

(B) indifference

(C) rhetoric

(D) fervency

(E) heedlessness

(F) zeal

10. The notion that socialism, which emphasized collective ownership of the means of production, (i) _____ individual expression is supported by historical studies that have shown that individualism has (ii) _____ only in societies where socialist programs have been (iii) _____.Blank (i)Blank (ii)Blank (iii)

(A) promotes (A) diminished (A) improved

(B) inhibits (B) thrived (B) sponsored

(C) fosters (C) wallowed (C) abandoned