VR_FIB_8
Question 1
Explanation The clue for this blank is “too forthright.” One is “too forthright” when one takes honesty too far. Therefore, what goes in the blank has to be a negative word. (A) is either slightly positive or neither positive nor negative. In either case throw it out. (B) is positive, so it can’t be right. (C) is negative but it doesn’t have anything to do with being honest or forthright. (D) is negative and certainly could explain what happens when one is “too forthright.” (E) is negative, but it goes too far. (D) is the best answer.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Objective: Impartial, Neutral Equitable: Just, Fair Deluded: Deceived
X
Tactless: Lack of judgment Corrupt: Lack integrity
Question 2
Explanation The clue for this blank is “shy demeanor was often misinterpreted.” So what goes in the blank has to be something like shyness. (A) doesn’t match, nor does (B), so cross them out. (C) doesn’t work, so get rid of it, too. (D) isn’t quite right, so eliminate it. (E) does work, so it has to be right. (E) is the best answer.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Unresponsive: Insensitive Supercilious: Arrogant Amenable: Comfortable Acquiescent: Complaisant
X
Demure: Shy
Question 3
Explanation Start with the second blank: The trigger but tells you the word must contrast with the clue no one else cared, so something like important would make sense. Of the choices only paramount fits. Now you have the whole clue for the first blank: If determining who was right was, for them, paramount, then your word for the blank needs to mean something like argue. Of the choices, only quibble means argue.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Accede: Give in, Yield Irrelevant: Impertinent
X
Quibble: Petty quarrel
X
Paramount: Important Kibitz: Make unwanted and intrusive comments Didactic: Pedagogy, Instructional
Question 4
Explanation The second half of the sentence states that automated polling may generate more accurate data and the trigger word in contrast indicates that the two sentences go in different directions. Therefore, the live telephone polls must generate less accurate data, suggesting that the first blank should mean hide. Misrepresent is the closest match and is best supported by the rest of the sentence. The first sentence suggests that some responders misrepresent when they believe those views may be considered socially unacceptable. So, the second sentence suggests the automated polls must minimize this feeling of social unacceptability and stigma is the best match and is correct.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Demonstrate: Showcase, Prove Stagnation: Inactive Expound: Elaborate Relief: Alleviate, Respite
X
Misrepresent: Fake, Manipulate
X
Stigma: Disgrace, Infamy
Question 5
Explanation The trigger at first and though indicate that the first and third blanks are contrasting words. Because the collector finds evidence that supports the sunken treasure claim, the third blank needs to be something about substantiating the claim. This lets you eliminate nullified and contradicted, leaving validated as the best answer. That makes skeptical the best answer for the blank one, because that one most directly contrasts with validated. Examined is the best answer for the second blank because the collector made an additional discovery about the bar gold when he found that coral had grown on the
back of bar.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice
X
Skeptical: Doubtful Briefed: Informed Nullified: Declare invalid, Annulled Believing: Accept as true Ignored: Overlooked
X
Validated: Verified, Corroborated Tired: Exhausted, Fatigue
X
Examined: Scrutinized, Analyzed Contradicted: Negated, Belied
Question 6
Explanation The first two sentences present a contrast between extending our knowledge by discovering “new information about the world” — which we are told philosophy does not do — and extending knowledge through some activity involving “things that are closest to us.” The first blank asks us to identify that activity, and although “attainment” makes little sense in context, both “rumination on” and “detachment from” have some appeal. However, the clear implication that philosophy attends to things that ordinarily escape our notice eliminates “detachment from” as a correct answer. Blank (ii) requires something that suggests the importance of familiar things as subjects of philosophical rumination, and “utterly mysterious” does just that. “Essentially irrelevant” and “thoroughly commonplace” do not fit logically since they suggest that these “familiar” things are unimportant. Similarly, Blank (iii) needs to be consistent with the description of those things as familiar and close. “Most prosaic” fits that idea while “refreshingly novel” goes in the other direction. “Somewhat hackneyed” has some plausibility but is too negative given the overall tone of the sentence; there is no indication that those things are in any way trite. Thus the correct answer is rumination on, utterly mysterious and most prosaic.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Attainment of: Achievement of Essentially irrelevant: Impertinent, Not apt
X
Most prosaic: Mundane, Ordinary
X
Rumination on: Thinking about
X
Utterly mysterious: Inscrutable, Cryptic Somewhat hackneyed: Mundane, ClichĂŠ, Trite Detachment from: Insular, Separate, Withdrawn Thoroughly commonplace: Ordinary Refreshingly novel: Unique, Creative, Innovative
Question 7
Explanation There aren’t clear clues to this sentence, but it’s not hard to fill in your own word for the blank: you want something like “asked”. Beseeched and importuned mean just that - but in a stronger sense, which is probably warranted when there’s a water shortage. Answer choices (A) and (E) are too negative, and choices (C) and (D) are trap answers. You might have been thinking about watering your lawn when your lawn when you read this sentence, as that’s usually the first water-related activity to go during a shortage. Wheedled doesn’t have anything to do with weeds, it just sounds like it does, and inundated means filled quickly with water.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Lambasted: Criticize
X
Beseeched: Beg, Importune, Exhort Wheedled: Flatter, Cajole, Inveigle, Coax, Palaver Inundated: Overwhelmed, Flooded Castigated: Criticized
X
Importuned: Beg, Plead
Question 8
Explanation Since the sentence begins with the trigger although, you know that the first and second parts of the sentence will be different. The first part talks about reducing defense spending: so the second part must talk about the spending being increased. Check the answer choices. Choice (B) outlays and choice (E) expenditures both mean the same thing as spending. While choice (C) successes and (F) efficiencies are similar in meaning, they do not mean spending. Choice (A) adventurism and choice (D) gaffes are not similar in meaning. Choices (B) and (E) are correct.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Adventurism: Reckless, Foolhardy, Rash
X
Outlays: Expenditure, Spending, Disburse Successes: Achievements Gaffes: Faux Pas, Tactless act
X
Expenditures: Spending Efficiencies: Productivity
Question 9
Explanation The sentence states that the purpose of the program is to provide assistance by offering low-cost or no-cost meals. The group most likely to need such assistance would be those from poor or low income families. Check the answers. Impecunious and impoverished both mean poor. None of the remaining answers are similar in meaning. Choices (B) and (E) are correct.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Imperious: Arrogant, Haughty, Disdainful Imperturbable: Undisturbed, Calm and composed
X
Impecunious: Penurious, Lacking money Impious: Lacking devotion Imperative: Essential and urgent
X
Impoverished: Poor, Indigent, Destitute
Question 10
Explanation The sentence states that supply surpassed demand, meaning that there were “too many” available housing units. Check the answer choices. Both glut and excess mean “too many”. While dearth and paucity have similar meanings, they both mean “too few”. Decrepitude and temerity are not similar in meaning to each other. Choices (B) and (E) are correct.
Vocabulary Correct
Choice Dearth: Lack of, Paucity, Scarcity
X
Glut: Overabundant, Superfluous Paucity: Lack of Decrepitude: Dilapidation, Deterioration
X
Excess: Glut Temerity: Courage, Audacious