VR_FIB_5
Question 1
Explanation The clue for the blank is “predisposes them toward aggressive behavior.” Since some people have a gene that makes them aggressive, a good word for the blank is aggressive. (A) doesn’t match aggressive, so cross it out . If you don’t know what timorous means, you have to leave (B) in. (E), however, works. You’re down to (B) and (E). When you’re left with one answer choice that contains a word you don’t know and one that works, go with what works. (E) is the best answer.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Reserved: Shy, Taciturn, Reticent Timorous: Trepid, Timid, Fearful Self-possessed: Poised, Calm and composed Uncouth: Vulgar, Coarse, Lack sophistication
X
Quarrelsome: Argumentative
Question 2
Explanation This text completion is actually very easy as long as you take the time to find the clue. The clue for the blank is “purportedly an exhaustive study.” The class was supposedly “exhaustive” but if it didn’t talk about two of her major books, then what was it? Not exhaustive. Therefore, a good word for the blank is exhaustive (Take note of the two triggers:”yet” and “since.”). Does (A) mean exhaustive? No What about (B)? Not quite. (C)? It could. (D)? No - be careful. The clue doesn’t mention anything about the class being bad - just not complete. And finally, what about (E)? It’s not a good match. The best answer, then, is (C).
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Prudent: Wise, Sensible Acceptable: Satisfactory
X
Comprehensive: In detail Adequate: Enough Authoritative: Definitive, Having authority
Question 3
Explanation Since the word chortle was a creation that comes from the words “snort” and “chuckle” the first blank must be something like new words. Of the choices, only neologisms mean new words. The second blank also describes a creator of a neologism, but the trigger while indicates a contrast between this second speaker and Lewis Carroll’s meaning and richness. Of the choices, only benighted is sufficiently negative to make sense in the context.
Vocabulary
Correct
Choice Chorals: Hymns, Songs of praise Antipodal: Opposite
X
Neologisms: Newly invented words Erudite: Scholarly, Learned Canons: Tenets, Rules
X
Benighted: Dark, Lacking enlightenment
Question 4
Explanation Look for the clue. The children are well-behaved and their parents are happy to take them places. Finicky is negative word, so it doesn’t fit here. Exquisite is a nice word, but not a quality that makes children well-behaved. Decorous means well-behaved, so, it’s a good fit for the blank. Children, who are well-behaved, do not require a great deal of supervision. Affluence means wealthy, and encumbrance means burden, so those words aren’t what you’re looking for.
Vocabulary
Correct
Choice
X
Decorous: Propriety, Comely
X
Supervision: Oversight Finicky: Particular, Picky, Fussy Affluence: Wealthy, Rich Exquisite: Of extreme beauty, Intense and sharp Encumbrance: Burden, Onus
Question 5
Explanation For the first blank, recycle the phrase worthy of censure from the following sentence. Of the choices, only prurient make sense. The word in the second blank describes something that can seemingly be seen on film and television on a daily basis, so you need a word that means something like ordinary or everyday; of the choices, only pedestrian does. For the third blank, recycle the clue shift. Of the choices, only transformation means shift.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice
X
Prurient: Lustful, Salacious, Lubricious Descriptive: To describe
X
Transformation: Change, Transmutation Patronizing: Condescending
X
Pedestrian: Ordinary, Dull and boring, Prosaic Assimilation: Absorption, Understanding Sacrosanct: Sacred, Inviolate Vulgar: Coarse, Crude, Unsophisticated Bias: Prejudice, Preconception
Question 6
Explanation The idea for this passage is that a writer with no previous publishing experience is able to get a contract through hard work. Based on those clues in the text, the first blank, which describes the writer, must mean something about having no experience. That rules out seasoned and successful making novice the answer. The second blank describes the book of writer, and the only context provided is that the writer has no previous publishing experience. Therefore the only word that makes sense in the blank is debut. Finally, the third blank describes how she got her contract. The sentence tells you hard work was part of it. The “and� is a same direction trigger, which would allow you to eliminate laziness. Expertise can be eliminated because you know she is not expert .That leaves persistence as the best choice.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Seasoned: Veteran, Experienced
X
Debut: Introduction, First performance Laziness: Indolent, Sloth
X
Novice: Amateur, Beginner, Rookie Fiction: Imagination, Inventive, Not real
X
Persistence: Tenacity, Doggedness, Perseverance Successful: Subsequent: Later, Followed by Expertise: Skillful
Question 7
Explanation There are three main clues in this sentence: challenging, vexed, which means confused, and involute, which means complicated. Recycle the clue involute for the blank. The first two answers, choices (A) and (B), as well as (F), are direct opposites of what you want. Convocational might have looked good if you had been thinking of “convoluted�, but it is incorrect. You might have studied byzantine, which can mean intricate and complex, and labyrinthine, which has a similar meaning. (D) and (E) are the correct answers.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Transparent: Lucid, Limpid, Pellucid, Luculent Luculent: Transparent Sagacious: Perspicacious, Wise and insightful, Sapient
X
Labyrinthine: Mazy, Complicated
X
Byzantine: Complex and intricate Perspicacious: Sagacious, Trenchant, Intelligent
Question 8
Explanation The clue here, intrepidity, coupled with the trigger, might not otherwise, lets you know that you want a word that means the opposite of intrepid. Eliminate choices (B) and (D), as these are synonyms of intrepid. Impudent, choice (F), doesn’t necessarily mean brave, but it’s still on the wrong side of the fence for this blank: it means bold and disrespectful. Also eliminate choice (C), as ingenious (intelligent), has nothing to do with this question - though you personally might think internet trolls are unintelligent. So, the correct answers are choices (A) and (E).
Vocabulary
Correct
Choice
X
Pusillanimous: Craven, Poltroon, Recreant, Cowardly Mettlesome: Courageous, Audacious, Temerity Ingenious: Clever and cunning in a positive way Plucky: Courage
X
Recreant: Cowardly Impudent: Disrespectful, Arrogant and rude
Question 9
Explanation The clue here, tasteful, even sophisticated, and the trigger while, let you know that you want a word that means the opposite of tasteful. Choices (A) and (F) are antonyms. Choices (B) and (E) are both trap answers: Unkempt may describe a neglected front lawn, and viridian means green. Answer choices (C) and (D) give you acceptable equivalent answers.
Vocabulary
Correct
Choice Cosmopolitan: Urbane, Sophisticated Unkempt: Untidy, Unclean
X
Meretricious: Gaudy, Garish, Tawdry
X
Tawdry: Showy, Ostentatious, Meretricious, Pretentious Viridian: Green Svelte: Suave, Sophisticated, Urbane, Refined, Polished
Question 10
Explanation The fact that the employees had to give up some of the luxuries lets you know that they‘re dealing with someone stingy; the trigger unfortunately also points you in that direction. Answer choices (A) and (C) are opposites of stingy. Hedonistic describes someone who loves luxury, which is also in the wrong direction. Dispassionate describes someone unaffected by emotion, which might describe this CFO, but necessarily. Choices (B) and (D) appropriately describe his attitude.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Magnanimous: Munificence, Generous, Large-hearted
X
Penurious: Poor, (b) Stingy, Miserly Prodigal: Spendthrift, Profligate, Squanderer, Wasteful
X
Parsimonious: stingy, Unwilling to spend Dispassionate: Impartial Hedonistic: Devoted to pleasure, Epicurean