General Verbal Ability and Comprehension 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Select the sentence that uses the correct form of 'lie' vs. 'lay':
- She lays down for a nap every afternoon.
- She lies down for a nap every afternoon. (Correct answer)
- She laid down for a nap every afternoon.
- She lied down for a nap every afternoon.
Correct answer: She lies down for a nap every afternoon.
The intransitive verb 'lie' (to recline) is correct here; 'lay' requires a direct object, and 'lied' refers to telling an untruth.
Question 2: Which word best completes the sentence? 'The politician's speech was filled with ______, making it hard to find any concrete proposals.'
- candor
- rhetoric (Correct answer)
- brevity
- clarity
Correct answer: rhetoric
Rhetoric here refers to language used for persuasive effect rather than informational content, implying a lack of substance.
Question 3: Identify the type of context clue used: 'The arid, or extremely dry, climate made farming nearly impossible.'
- Example clue
- Contrast clue
- Definition clue (Correct answer)
- Inference clue
Correct answer: Definition clue
The phrase 'or extremely dry' directly defines 'arid' within the sentence, making it a definition (restatement) context clue.
Question 4: Which of the following is an example of alliteration?
- The moon glowed softly over the water.
- Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. (Correct answer)
- She was as fierce as a lion.
- The clock ticked endlessly through the night.
Correct answer: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
Alliteration is the repetition of the same initial consonant sound in closely connected words; 'Peter Piper picked' all begin with the 'P' sound.
Question 5: What is the meaning of the root word 'bene-' as found in 'beneficial'?
- Below
- Good or well (Correct answer)
- Around
- Against
Correct answer: Good or well
The Latin root 'bene-' means good or well, as seen in words like benefit, benefactor, and benevolent.
Question 6: Read the passage clue: 'Although Marcus claimed to be impartial, his editorial clearly favored one candidate.' The word 'impartial' means:
- Enthusiastic and passionate
- Biased toward one side
- Not favoring either side; neutral (Correct answer)
- Uninformed or ignorant
Correct answer: Not favoring either side; neutral
The contrast signal 'although' indicates that being impartial (neutral) is the opposite of favoring a candidate.
Question 7: Which transitional phrase best signals a contrast between two ideas?
- Furthermore
- In addition
- On the other hand (Correct answer)
- As a result
Correct answer: On the other hand
'On the other hand' introduces an opposing or contrasting idea, while the other options signal addition or cause-and-effect.
General Verbal Ability and Comprehension 5
Select the sentence that uses the correct form of 'lie' vs. 'lay':