GRE - Graduate Record Examinations Text Completion and Equivalence Questions and Answers

Question 1

The leader's legacy was a perplexing one; for every enlightened policy he championed as a reformer, there was a despotic act he committed as a tyrant, leaving historians to forever debate his ______ nature.

Accepted Answer

enigmatic

Answer

The sentence describes a contradictory figure who was both a 'reformer' and a 'tyrant.' The word 'enigmatic,' meaning mysterious or puzzling, perfectly captures this complex and difficult-to-understand nature.

Question 2

Although the physicist's theory of quantum entanglement was initially met with widespread (i)______, subsequent experiments and empirical data so thoroughly supported her claims that she was ultimately (ii)______ by the scientific community.

Accepted Answer

skepticism...vindicated

Answer

The word 'Although' signals a contrast. The theory was first met with doubt ('skepticism'), but later evidence proved it correct, leading to her being proven right or justified ('vindicated'). This pair of words correctly reflects the shift from doubt to acceptance described in the sentence.

Question 3

In a formal debate, a participant who provides a(n) ______ response, full of ambiguity and multiple interpretations, is often perceived as avoiding a direct answer to the question posed.

Accepted Answer

equivocal

Answer

The sentence describes a response that is ambiguous and avoids a direct answer. 'Equivocal' means open to more than one interpretation or intentionally misleading. This fits the context perfectly. In a GRE Sentence Equivalence question, 'ambiguous' would be its likely synonym pair.

Question 4

The transition in Western art from (i)______ representation to abstraction was a profound shift; this (ii)______ of the long-held belief that art must imitate reality allowed artists to focus instead on purely (iii)______ qualities such as color, line, and form.

Accepted Answer

figurative...repudiation...formal

Answer

The sentence describes the move away from realistic art ('figurative') toward abstraction. This move was a rejection ('repudiation') of old standards. The new focus was on non-representational elements, which are known as the 'formal' qualities of art. This set of words accurately maps the historical and philosophical shift described.

Question 5

Despite the mountain of evidence presented by the prosecution, the defendant remained stubbornly ______ in his claims of innocence, refusing to alter his testimony in the slightest.

Accepted Answer

obstinate

Answer

The clues 'stubbornly' and 'refusing to alter his testimony' point to a word that means unyielding and inflexible. 'Obstinate' is the best fit. In a Sentence Equivalence question, a strong synonym like 'obdurate' would be the other correct choice.

GRE Practice Test

GRE Practice Test

GRE - Graduate Record Examinations Text Completion and Equivalence Questions and Answers