Verbal Reasoning Flashcards

She ____ working in a factory since 2007.

Answer: has been

Explanation: The sentence indicates an action that started in the past and continues into the present. "Has been" is the present perfect tense, which is used to express actions that started in the past and are still relevant or ongoing in the present.

He is quite good _____ making paintings.

Answer: at

Explanation: When expressing proficiency or skill in a particular activity, "at" is the appropriate preposition to use. Therefore, the sentence should read, "He is quite good at making paintings."

The doctor advised him ____ eat rice.

Answer: not to

Explanation: When using the verb "advise" followed by another verb, the infinitive form of the second verb is used with "not" placed before it. Therefore, the correct structure is "advise + not + to + verb." Hence, the correct completion of the sentence is "not to."

She agrees ______ my proposal.

Answer: to

Explanation: The verb "agree" is typically followed by the preposition "to" when referring to accepting or consenting to something proposed by another person. Therefore, the correct completion of the sentence is "agrees to."

Unable to discover how the fire started, the inspectors filed a tentative report that the cause was ________.

Answer: indeterminate

Explanation: The sentence suggests that the inspectors were unable to determine the exact cause of the fire. Therefore, the most suitable word to fill in the blank is "indeterminate," meaning not able to be determined or resolved conclusively.

He did not _____ a letter.

Answer: write

Explanation: The sentence is in the past tense, so the correct verb form to use is "write" in the negative form, which is "did not write."

At first, the children were ______ but as the morning progressed they began to laugh and talk eagerly.

Answer: reticent

Explanation: "Reticent" means being reserved or hesitant to speak or communicate. In this context, it implies that the children were initially quiet or shy but later became more talkative and enthusiastic.

It has been raining ______ three hours.

Answer: for

Explanation: “For” indicates the duration of time, which is three hours.

Quit smoking lest you _____ fall ill.

Answer: should

Explanation: "Lest" is used to indicate something that should be avoided. In this context, "should" is the appropriate auxiliary verb to use after "lest."

She _______ broken the cup.

Answer: has

Explanation: “Has" is the auxiliary verb used with the past participle "broken" to form the present perfect tense, indicating that the action of breaking the cup occurred at an unspecified time in the past with relevance to the present moment.

Certain plant seeds can remain _______ for years, appearing lifeless but in fact they are merely inactive.

Answer: dormant

Explanation: "Dormant" means temporarily inactive or appearing lifeless, as in the case of certain plant seeds. These seeds can remain dormant for years before germinating or becoming active.