GRE Advanced Vocabulary in Context Questions 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In context: 'Despite his ______ demeanor at meetings, he was privately wracked by self-doubt.' Which word best completes the sentence?
- sanguine (Correct answer)
- lugubrious
- diffident
- irascible
Correct answer: sanguine
'Sanguine' means cheerfully optimistic, contrasting with private self-doubt.
Question 2: The critic's review was so ______ that even the author's admirers winced at its harshness.
- laudatory
- tepid
- scathing (Correct answer)
- ambivalent
Correct answer: scathing
'Scathing' means severely critical, matching the harshness described.
Question 3: Which word means 'tending to keep apart from others; reserved'?
- gregarious
- aloof (Correct answer)
- convivial
- effusive
Correct answer: aloof
'Aloof' describes someone distant or reserved.
Question 4: 'The senator's ______ remarks pleased no one, as she refused to commit to either side.' Best fit?
- equivocal (Correct answer)
- candid
- trenchant
- vehement
Correct answer: equivocal
'Equivocal' means deliberately ambiguous or noncommittal.
Question 5: A speech that is 'bombastic' is best described as:
- concise and modest
- pompous and inflated (Correct answer)
- quiet and hesitant
- logical and precise
Correct answer: pompous and inflated
'Bombastic' means high-sounding but with little meaning; inflated.
Question 6: Select the word meaning 'to make worse or more severe.'
- ameliorate
- mitigate
- exacerbate (Correct answer)
- assuage
Correct answer: exacerbate
'Exacerbate' means to aggravate or intensify a problem.
Question 7: 'Her ______ for detail made her an exceptional editor, catching errors others missed.' Best fit?
- antipathy
- fastidiousness (Correct answer)
- indifference
- negligence
Correct answer: fastidiousness
'Fastidiousness' means meticulous attention to detail.
GRE Advanced Vocabulary in Context Questions 2
In context: 'Despite his ______ demeanor at meetings, he was privately wracked by self-doubt.' Which word best completes the sentence?