GRADUATE RECORD EXAMINATIONS®
Practice General Test #4
With Answers and Explanations
Section 3—Verbal Reasoning
Section 4—Verbal Reasoning
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Instructions for the Answers and Explanations for the Verbal Reasoning Sections
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The Graduate Record Examinations® Practice General Test #4.
Section 3 - Verbal Reasoning
25 questions
Directions for questions 1 and 2:
Each of the following questions includes a short text with a blank, indicating that something has been omitted. Select the entry that best completes the text.
For each question, first you will hear the text with the word “BLANK” indicating that a word or phrase is omitted. There are five answer choices, each consisting of a word or phrase, for filling in the blank. Next, you will hear the five lettered options for filling in the blank. You may then indicate your answer, or go on to listen to the Answer Choices in Context.
Following the list of answer choices are five lettered readings of the text, one for each answer choice. The group of readings is separated from the main text using the “Begin skippable content” and “End skippable content” level-6 headings.
Question 1.
Although plant and animal species that become established in ecosystems where they did not originate are sometimes referred to by the alarming term “invasive species,” many such species are BLANK in their new environments.
A. innocuous
B. conspicuous
C. robust
D. menacing
E. distinctive
Indicate one answer choice or go on to hear the choices in context.
Begin skippable content.
Answer Choices in Context:
A. innocuous. Although plant and animal species that become established in ecosystems where they did not originate are sometimes referred to by the alarming term “invasive species,” many such species are innocuous in their new environments.
B. conspicuous. Although plant and animal species that become established in ecosystems where they did not originate are sometimes referred to by the alarming term “invasive species,” many such species are conspicuous in their new environments.
C. robust. Although plant and animal species that become established in ecosystems where they did not originate are sometimes referred to by the alarming term “invasive species,” many such species are robust in their new environments.
D. menacing. Although plant and animal species that become established in ecosystems where they did not originate are sometimes referred to by the alarming term “invasive species,” many such species are menacing in their new environments.
E. distinctive. Although plant and animal species that become established in ecosystems where they did not originate are sometimes referred to by the alarming term “invasive species,” many such species are distinctive in their new environments.
Indicate one answer choice.
End skippable content.
Explanation for Question 1.
The sentence begins with “although,” indicating that the correct answer will contrast in tone with the “alarming term ‘invasive species.’” The only answer choice that provides the necessary contrast is “innocuous.” All the other choices are consistent with being alarming.
Thus the correct answer is innocuous (Choice A).
Question 2.
Far from being BLANK the corporate world because of cutbacks, serious researchers are playing a growing role in innovation at many firms.
A. lured to
B. enchanted with
C. banished from
D. protected by
E. immured in
Indicate one answer choice or go on to hear the choices in context.
Begin skippable content.
Answer Choices in Context:
A. lured to. Far from being lured to the corporate world because of cutbacks, serious researchers are playing a growing role in innovation at many firms.
B. enchanted with. Far from being enchanted with the corporate world because of cutbacks, serious researchers are playing a growing role in innovation at many firms.
C. banished from. Far from being banished from the corporate world because of cutbacks, serious researchers are playing a growing role in innovation at many firms.
D. protected by. Far from being protected by the corporate world because of cutbacks, serious researchers are playing a growing role in innovation at many firms.
E. immured in. Far from being immured in the corporate world because of cutbacks, serious researchers are playing a growing role in innovation at many firms.
Indicate one answer choice.
End skippable content.
Explanation for Question 2.
The words “far from being” and the mention of “cutbacks” imply that the correct answer will create a contrast with the idea that “serious researchers are playing a growing role in innovation.” Being “banished from” (Choice C) the corporate world and playing a growing role in it are strongly contrasted. Choices A (lured to), B (enchanted with), D(protected by), and E (immured in) do not create any such contrast.
Thus the correct answer is banished from (Choice C).
Directions for questions 3 through 8:
Each of the following questions includes a short text with two or three blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. You will be asked to select one entry for each blank from the corresponding choices. Fill all blanks in the way that best completes the text.
For each question, first you will hear the text with the word “BLANK” in place of the omitted material. Next, you will hear the text again, but in place of each blank, you will hear three lettered options for completing that blank. The set of lettered options is formatted as bold and enclosed by parentheses. Each option consists of a word or phrase.
For questions containing two blanks, following the list of answer choices are nine readings of the text, one for each answer choice combination. The group of readings begins with a “Begin Skippable Content” level-6 heading and ends with an “End Skippable Content” level-6 heading. Each reading consists of two option letters, the two words or phrases being combined, and the text with the combination of the words or phrases inserted into the blanks.
For questions containing three blanks, the choices will not be read in context because it has been determined that replaying the question for all possible combinations of answer choices is not a useful way to present these questions.
Question 3.
This question has two blanks.
The brief survey, published under the title The Work of Nature: How the Diversity of Life Sustains Us, is surprisingly BLANK. Indeed it makes several longer treatments of the effects of lost biodiversity seem BLANK.
Now listen to the text with the three options inserted in place of each blank.
The brief survey, published under the title The Work of Nature: How the Diversity of Life Sustains Us, is surprisingly (A.distorted, B.objective, C.comprehensive). Indeed it makes several longer treatments of the effects of lost biodiversity seem (D.redundant, E. pithy, F.premature).
Indicate your two answer choices or go on to hear them in context. Fill all blanks in the way that best completes the text.
Begin skippable content.
Answer Choices in Context:
A, D. distorted, redundant. The brief survey, published under the title The Work of Nature: How the Diversity of Life Sustains Us, is surprisingly distorted. Indeed it makes several longer treatments of the effects of lost biodiversity seem redundant.
A, E. distorted, pithy. The brief survey, published under the title The Work of Nature: How the Diversity of Life Sustains Us, is surprisingly distorted. Indeed it makes several longer treatments of the effects of lost biodiversity seem pithy.
A, F. distorted, premature. The brief survey, published under the title The Work of Nature: How the Diversity of Life Sustains Us, is surprisingly distorted. Indeed it makes several longer treatments of the effects of lost biodiversity seem premature.
B, D. objective, redundant. The brief survey, published under the title The Work of Nature: How the Diversity of Life Sustains Us, is surprisingly objective. Indeed it makes several longer treatments of the effects of lost biodiversity seem redundant.
B, E. objective, pithy. The brief survey, published under the title The Work of Nature: How the Diversity of Life Sustains Us, is surprisingly objective. Indeed it makes several longer treatments of the effects of lost biodiversity seem pithy.
B, F. objective, premature. The brief survey, published under the title The Work of Nature: How the Diversity of Life Sustains Us, is surprisingly objective. Indeed it makes several longer treatments of the effects of lost biodiversity seem premature.
C, D. comprehensive, redundant. The brief survey, published under the title The Work of Nature: How the Diversity of Life Sustains Us, is surprisingly comprehensive. Indeed it makes several longer treatments of the effects of lost biodiversity seem redundant.
C, E. comprehensive, pithy. The brief survey, published under the title The Work of Nature: How the Diversity of Life Sustains Us, is surprisingly comprehensive. Indeed it makes several longer treatments of the effects of lost biodiversity seem pithy.
C, F. comprehensive, premature. The brief survey, published under the title The Work of Nature: How the Diversity of Life Sustains Us, is surprisingly comprehensive. Indeed it makes several longer treatments of the effects of lost biodiversity seem premature.
Indicate your two answer choices. Fill all blanks in the way that best completes the text.
End skippable content.
Explanation for Question 3.
In this question, it is hard to select an answer for either blank in isolation. The “brief survey,” like any survey, could in fact be surprisingly “distorted” (Choice A), “objective” (Choice B), or “comprehensive” (Choice C). The contrast in the following sentence with “longer treatments” suggests that the brevity of the survey is important. Of the three choices, only “comprehensive” is particularly unexpected of a brief survey.
Provisionally accepting “comprehensive” makes it easier to analyze the second blank. If the short survey is surprisingly comprehensive, then longer treatments may not convey any useful additional information, making them “redundant” (Choice D). Longer works are unlikely to seem “pithy” (Choice E) in comparison to shorter ones, and “premature” (Choice F) makes little sense in this context.
Reading the sentence again with “comprehensive” and “redundant” filling the blanks confirms that these two choices result in a coherent whole.
Thus the correct answer is comprehensive (Choice C) and redundant (Choice D).
Question 4.
This question has two blanks.
The government has no choice but to BLANK the incessant demands for land reform, and yet any governmental action that initiated land reform without requisite attention to agrarian reform would BLANK the overall goal of economic modernization.
Now listen to the text with the three options inserted in place of each blank.
The government has no choice but to (A.anticipate, B.heed, C.silence) the incessant demands for land reform, and yet any governmental action that initiated land reform without requisite attention to agrarian reform would (D.delineate, E.condone, F.compromise) the overall goal of economic modernization.
Indicate your two answer choices or go on to hear them in context. Fill all blanks in the way that best completes the text.
Begin skippable content.
Answer Choices in Context:
A, D. anticipate, delineate. The government has no choice but to anticipate the incessant demands for land reform, and yet any governmental action that initiated land reform without requisite attention to agrarian reform would delineate the overall goal of economic modernization.
A, E. anticipate, condone. The government has no choice but to anticipate the incessant demands for land reform, and yet any governmental action that initiated land reform without requisite attention to agrarian reform would condone the overall goal of economic modernization.
A, F. anticipate, compromise. The government has no choice but to anticipate the incessant demands for land reform, and yet any governmental action that initiated land reform without requisite attention to agrarian reform would compromise the overall goal of economic modernization.
B, D. heed, delineate. The government has no choice but to heed the incessant demands for land reform, and yet any governmental action that initiated land reform without requisite attention to agrarian reform would delineate the overall goal of economic modernization.
B, E. heed, condone. The government has no choice but to heed the incessant demands for land reform, and yet any governmental action that initiated land reform without requisite attention to agrarian reform would condone the overall goal of economic modernization.
B, F. heed, compromise. The government has no choice but to heed the incessant demands for land reform, and yet any governmental action that initiated land reform without requisite attention to agrarian reform would compromise the overall goal of economic modernization.
C, D. silence, delineate. The government has no choice but to silence the incessant demands for land reform, and yet any governmental action that initiated land reform without requisite attention to agrarian reform would delineate the overall goal of economic modernization.
C, E. silence, condone. The government has no choice but to silence the incessant demands for land reform, and yet any governmental action that initiated land reform without requisite attention to agrarian reform would condone the overall goal of economic modernization.
C, F. silence, compromise. The government has no choice but to silence the incessant demands for land reform, and yet any governmental action that initiated land reform without requisite attention to agrarian reform would compromise the overall goal of economic modernization.