VR_FIB_1
Question 1
Explanation The couple decided to forgo elements of the traditional service in favor of more modern vows, so the word in the blank should mean something like too old fashioned. Of the choices, only archaic means old-fashioned, so the correct answer is choice (B). Even though traditional vows could be bigoted, dogmatic, ineloquent, or somber, none of these words mean old fashioned.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Bigoted: Intolerant
X
Archaic: Antiquated, Ancient, Antediluvian, Primitive Dogmatic: Rigid, Doctrinaire Ineloquent: Not fluent, Stuttering and stammering, Inarticulate Somber: Sober, Melancholy, Gloomy, Grave
Question 2
Explanation The clue for this blank is straightforward: “so painfully shy.” If Louis is “painfully shy” is he going to want to attend social gatherings? Probably not. Therefore, what goes in the blank is a negative word - probably something like avoid. (A) and (B) are both negative, but they don’t mean avoid, so eliminate them. Don’t cross out (C) if you don’t know what flout means. (D) looks good, but don’t forget to check out (E) just in case. Attend in (E) clearly doesn’t work, so it’s gone. You are left with a word you don’t know in (C) and a word that works in (D). Go with what works. The best answer is (D)
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Confront: Oppose, Resist Subdue: Control, Overcome Flout: Disregard
X
Shun: Avoid Attend: Be present
Question 3
Explanation Start with second blank. The clues for second blank are legitimate and would create a more satisfying product. If a critic offers something legitimate that improves the product, then she puts forth a helpful suggestion. Of the three choices, only recommendations matches the context you need. The clue to the first blank is not only calls attention …but also put forth legitimate; the first missing word, then, must agree with the fact that there are flaws that need improvement. Shortcomings is the only choice that means problems or flaws.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Fascinations: Intensely interested
X
Recommendations: Good words, Testimonials, Advisable Origins: Place of birth, Genesis Statistics: Measurement
X
Shortcomings: Defects Controversies: Contentions, Arguments
Question 4
Explanation Start with second blank. The clue for the second blank is without idealization or romantic subjectivity, and the trigger word similarly and the semicolon indicate that the two parts of the sentence agree. Recycle the clue and look for word that means idealization. Embellishment can mean an addition to make more interesting, and comes closest to meaning you need. The clue for the first blank is attempt to describe life, suggesting that first blank must mean description. Of the three choices, only rendering matches this meaning.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Obfuscation: Confusion, Puzzlement, Making unclear/obscure Vulgarity: Lacking taste and refinement
X
Rendering: Depict
X
Embellishment: Decoration Adulteration: Debase, Contamination Intrusion: Invasion, Encroachment, Violation, Trespass
Question 5
Explanation Based on her lack of experience, Laura must have thought her qualifications were insufficient; of the choices, only inadequate means insufficient. For the second blank, the trigger however suggests a description of the company’s financial situation that might make her inadequate qualifications acceptable and only distress is sufficiently negative. The third blank needs a word that means Laura will take a salary that matches her lack of experience; only commensurate, which means proportionate or corresponding, makes sense.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Exemplary: Example, Model, Illustration
X
Distress: Suffering A peremptory: Bossy, Autocratic
X
Inadequate: Insufficient Approbation: Praise
X
A commensurate: Proportional Esoteric: Arcane, Understood by only few Abundance: Plethora, Copious, Surfeit, Plenty of An opulent: Lavish, Rich and superior
Question 6
Explanation The second blank has the strongest clue, so start there: The accusations the researcher is trying to avoid must be related to her confidence on her theories, so you need a word like overconfidence for the blank. Of the choices, brazenness is the best fit. The first should oppose the second blank: The work flies in the face of established scientific knowledge, but she’s trying to avoid accusations and willing to forgo recognition. Of the choices, diffidently is the best fit. The third blank describes what the researcher hopes to eventually receive: the recognition she’s currently willing to defer. Of the choices, only kudos means recognition.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Eruditely: Scholarly, Pundit
X
Brazenness: Shamelessly bold, Effrontery Compensation: Payment or reparation Facetiously: Humorously, Jokingly Ineptitude: Incompetence
X
Kudos: Praise, Laud, Accolades
X
Diffidently: Shy, Reticent, Taciturn Deference: Respect, Veneration, Reverence Diligence: Hard work, Industrious
Question 7
Explanation Because the clues in the sentence tell you the crook
successfully conned the investors and managed to avoid arrest, the blank should mean something like escaped or bolted. Choice (A) could be appealing at first because it
deals with criminals, but it has nothing to do with escaping. Choices (C) and (E) both have to do with getting rid of money, so they might also be attractive, but neither of them has anything to do with escaping, either. Converged means coming together, so that can be eliminated. Choices (B) and (F) both mean to leave secretly or sneak out, so those are the best answer choices.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Indicted: Accused formally of a crime
X
Absconded: Run away, Depart secretly Squandered: Wasted, Blew away Converged: Come together Divested: Disinvest, Strip away
X
Decamped: Absconded
Question 8
Explanation The clue in this sentence is sheer number. Possible words for the blank might be abundance of flood. This makes choices (C) and (D) both solid fits for the blank. Choices (A) and (E) are also synonyms, but they have the opposite meaning of what you’re looking for in this sentence. Choice (F) is connected to the idea of vampires and deadening, but has nothing to do with sheer number. Choice (B) can be eliminated because it doesn’t have anything to do with sentence.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Lack of: Scarcity Dogma: Tenet, Canon, Principle
X
Glut: Overabundance
X
Inundation: Flooding Dearth: Lack of, Paucity, Scarcity Deviance: Deviate, Aberrant
Question 9
Explanation The sentence says that the accusations were believed by
enough voters and did serious damage to his bid to office. The “although” trigger lets you know that the blank should
contrast with the clues, so the blank should mean something like false or untrue. Choices (B) and (E) both mean false, so those are the best words for the blank. Choice (A) means believable: so, that could be attractive if you didn’t pay attention to the trigger. Choices (C) and (F) both mean short lived, which could contrast appropriately with serious damage to his bid for office clue. Because the sentence specially tells you the voters believed the accusations, though, those answers can be eliminated. Choice (D) can be eliminated because it doesn’t have anything to do with the clue.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Credible: Believable
X
Specious: Spurious, Looks good but false Ephemeral: Short-lived, Transient, Evanescent, Fugacious Presumptuous: Brazen, Effrontery, Shamelessly bold
X
Spurious: Specious Transient: Ephemeral
Question 10
Explanation Even though is a trigger that changes direction, therefore
the paintings would have been hung in a way opposite of what the sentence tells you. Since the curator spent several months, the paintings would seem as if they were hung in a very short amount of time. Check the answer choices. Haste and celerity both indicate swiftness of motion, and so choices (B) and (E) work best. Deliberateness and slowness is a synonym pair, but the trigger even though makes the meanings of these words opposite of the meaning of the blank. Neither creativity nor guile (which means skillful deceit) matches the meaning.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Guile: Chicanery, Shrewd, Crafty, To deceive
X
Haste: Hurry, Rush, Impetuous, Precipitate Deliberateness: Slow and unhurried, Thoughtful Creativity: Inventive
X
Celerity: Speed Slowness: