Section 3.
Verbal Reasoning
SECTION 3
Verbal Reasoning
Time — 35 minutes
25 Questions
For questions 1 to 8, select one entry for each blank from the corresponding column
of choices. Fill all blanks in the way that best completes the text.
1. Although plant and animal species that become established in ecosystems where
they did not originate are sometimes referred to by the alarming term “invasive
species,” many such species are ________ in their new environments.
!
A innocuous
!
B conspicuous
!
C robust
!
D menacing
!
E distinctive
2. Far from being ________ the corporate world because of cutbacks, serious
researchers are playing a growing role in innovation at many firms.
!
A lured to
!
B enchanted with
!
C banished from
!
D protected by
!
E immured in
3. The brief survey, published under the title The Work of Nature: How the Diversity
of Life Sustains Us, is surprisingly (i)________. Indeed it makes several longer
treatments of the effects of lost biodiversity seem (ii)________.
Blank (i) Blank (ii)
!
A distorted !
D redundant
!
B objective !
E pithy
!
C comprehensive !
F premature
4. The government has no choice but to (i)________ the incessant demands for land
reform, and yet any governmental action that initiated land reform without
requisite attention to agrarian reform would (ii)________ the overall goal of
economic modernization.
Blank (i) Blank (ii)
!
A anticipate !
D delineate
!
B heed !
E condone
!
C silence !
F compromise
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GRE Practice Test 2
5. Certain music lovers yearn for (i)________, but when it is achieved, there is
something missing; perhaps they feel uncomfortable in a world where nothing
discernible is (ii)________.
Blank (i) Blank (ii)
!
A novelty !
D wrong
!
B beauty !
E visionary
!
C flawlessness !
F changed
6. Putting a cash value on the ecological services provided by nature—such as the
water filtration “service” provided by a forested watershed—has, historically,
been a (i)________ process. Early attempts at such valuation resulted in
impressive but (ii)________ figures that were seized on by environmental
advocates and then, when these figures were later (iii)________, they were used by
opponents to tar the whole idea.
Blank (i) Blank (ii) Blank (iii)
!
A dispassionate !
D redundant !
G ignored
!
B problematic !
E unsound !
H discredited
!
C straightforward !
F understated !
I confirmed
7. Only with the discovery of an ozone hole over Antarctica in 1985 did chemical
companies finally relinquish their opposition to a ban on chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs), which destroy ozone. The discovery suggested that strong political action
to halt production of CFCs might be (i)________, and fortunately, the chemical
industry no longer felt compelled to oppose such action: although companies
had recently (ii)________ their research into CFC substitutes, studies they had
initiated years earlier had produced (iii)________ results.
Blank (i) Blank (ii) Blank (iii)
!
A imminent !
D corroborated !
G encouraging
!
B imprudent !
E publicized !
H inconclusive
!
C premature !
F curtailed !
I unsurprising
8. The incipient (i)________ regarding taxes could affect trade between the two
countries much more than the (ii)________ banana imports, which has been
going on for years. Unfortunately, the trade regulators seem to be ignoring both
disagreements.
Blank (i) Blank (ii)
!
A row !
D profitable dealing in
!
B accord !
E predicament regarding
!
C investigation !
F festering dispute over
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Section 3. Verbal Reasoning
For each of questions 9 to 14, select one answer choice unless otherwise instructed.
Questions 9 and 10 are based on the following reading passage.
Fossil bones of the huge herbivorous dinosaurs known as sauropods were first discov-
ered and studied between 1840 and 1880, providing evidence for the gargantuan
line dimensions of the adults. The shape of sauropod teeth suggested what they ate. But
5 aside from trackways, or series of fossilized footprints — which established that sauro-
pods at least occasionally lived in herds — fossils incorporating direct evidence of other
behavior, such as reproductive behavior, have been almost nonexistent. Because no
modern land animals even approach sauropod size, scientists have also lacked a living
analogue to use as a guide to possible sauropod behavior. Until the recent discovery of
10 fossilized sauropod nesting grounds, scientists were thus uncertain whether sauropods
laid eggs or gave birth to live young.
For the following question, consider each of the choices separately and select all that
apply.
9. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage regarding the evidence
provided by sauropod teeth?
!
A The teeth allow inferences to be made about sauropod social behavior.
!
B The shape of the teeth indicates that sauropods were herbivorous.
!
C The teeth have no resemblance to those of any modern land animal.
For the following question, consider each of the choices separately and select all that
apply.
10. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage regarding the recently
discovered fossilized sauropod nesting grounds?
!
A They are among the few fossils incorporating direct evidence of sauropod
behavior.
!
B They confirm the evidence provided by trackways about sauropod
behavior.
!
C They have forced a reevaluation of theories regarding the nature of
sauropod herd behavior.
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GRE Practice Test 2
Questions 11 to 14 are based on the following reading passage.
Some researchers contend that sleep plays no role in the consolidation of declarative
memory (i.e., memory involving factual information). These researchers note that peo-
ple with impairments in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep continue to lead normal
line lives, and they argue that if sleep were crucial for memory, then these individuals
5 would have apparent memory deficits. Yet the same researchers acknowledge that the
cognitive capacities of these individuals have never been systematically examined, nor
have they been the subject of studies of tasks on which performance reportedly
depends on sleep. Even if such studies were done, they could only clarify our under-
standing of the role of REM sleep, not sleep in general.
10 These researchers also claim that improvements of memory overnight can be ex-
plained by the mere passage of time, rather than attributed to sleep. But recent stud-
ies of memory performance after sleep — including one demonstrating that sleep
stabilizes declarative memories from future interference caused by mental activity
during wakefulness — make this claim unsustainable. Certainly there are memory-
15 consolidation processes that occur across periods of wakefulness, some of which
neither depend on nor are enhanced by sleep. But when sleep is compared with wake-
fulness, and performance is better after sleep, then some benefit of sleep for memory
must be acknowledged.
11. The primary purpose of the passage is to
!
A present the evidence that supports a particular claim regarding REM sleep
and memory
!
B describe how various factors contribute to the effect of sleep on memory
!
C argue against a particular position regarding sleep’s role in memory
!
D summarize the most prevalent theory regarding sleep and memory
!
E defend the importance of the consolidation of declarative memory
12. According to the author of the passage, which of the following generalizations
about memory and sleep is true?
!
A There are some memory-consolidation processes that have nothing to do
with sleep.
!
B Sleep is more important to the consolidation of declarative memory than
to the consolidation of other types of memory.
! REM sleep is more important to memory consolidation than is non-REM
C
sleep.
!
D There are significant variations in the amount of sleep that people require
for the successful consolidation of memory.
! It is likely that memory is more thoroughly consolidated during
E
wakefulness than during sleep.
13. Which of the following best describes the function of the sentence in lines 14–16
(“Certainly . . . sleep”)?
!
A It provides the reasoning behind a claim about the role of sleep in
memory consolidation.
!
B It explains why a previous claim about sleep and memory is
unsustainable.
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Section 3. Verbal Reasoning
!
C It demonstrates why wakefulness is central to the process of declarative
memory consolidation.
! It emphasizes the limited role sleep plays in the process of declarative
D
memory consolidation.
!
E It concedes that the consolidation of declarative memory does not depend
entirely on one factor.
14. The importance of the study mentioned in lines 12–14 is that it
!
A reveals the mechanism by which declarative memory is stabilized during
sleep
!
B identifies a specific function that sleep plays in the memory-consolidation
process
!
C demonstrates that some kinds of mental activity can interfere with
memory consolidation
!
D suggests that sleep and wakefulness are both important to memory
consolidation
!
E explains how the passage of time contributes to memory consolidation
For questions 15 to 19, select the two answer choices that, when used to complete
the sentence, fit the meaning of the sentence as a whole and produce completed
sentences that are alike in meaning.
15. In American Indian art, the supposed distinction between modern and traditional
was fabricated by critics, and when artists have control over interpretation of
their own work, the distinction appears, happily, to have been ________.
!
A eliminated
!
B reinforced
!
C put to rest
!
D intensified
!
E recognized
!
F established
16. Notwithstanding their ________ regarding other issues, township residents have
consistently passed the board of education’s annual budget.
!
A accord
!
B indecision
!
C consensus
!
D disagreement
!
E divergence
!
F enthusiasm
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GRE Practice Test 2
17. Some of the company’s supporters charged that the negative report had been
motivated by a broader political assault on the company that was designed to
help market rivals who would like to see the company ________.
!
A reined in
!
B bolstered
!
C indemnified
!
D propped up
!
E manacled
!
F lionized
18. Skeptics contend that any scheme for charging visitors to Web sites that rewards
the vendor adequately would require steep prices, ________ the kind of frequent,
casual use of Web sites that surfers now take for granted.
!
A bridling
!
B exciting
!
C forbidding
!
D inhibiting
!
E provoking
!
F reversing
19. It seems obvious that Miles Davis’ ________ the Juilliard School, which resulted
in his decision to drop out, was based on the school’s training of musicians for a
kind of music that he did not want to play.
!
A disaffection with
!
B dislocation of
!
C disentanglement from
!
D subversion of
!
E displacement of
!
F estrangement from
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Section 3. Verbal Reasoning
For each of questions 20 to 25, select one answer choice unless otherwise instructed.
Question 20 is based on the following reading passage.
Astronomers found a large body orbiting close to the star Upsilon Andromedae. The
standard theory of planet formation holds that no planet that large could be formed so
close to a star, leading to the suggestion that the body is a companion star. A subse-
quent discovery puts that suggestion in doubt: two other large bodies were found orbit-
ing close to Upsilon Andromedae, and the standard theory of companion stars allows
for at most one companion star.
20. Which of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the status of the orbiting
body without casting doubt on the two standard theories mentioned?
!
A The smaller a planet orbiting a star is, and the farther away it is from the
star, the less likely it is to be discovered.
!
B If a planet’s orbit is disturbed, the planet can be drawn by gravity toward
the star it is orbiting.
!
C The largest of the bodies orbiting Upsilon Andromedae is the farthest
away from the star, and the smallest is the nearest.
!
D It is likely that there are many stars, in addition to Upsilon Andromedae
and the Sun, that are orbited by more than one smaller body.
!
E In most cases of companion stars, the smaller companion is much fainter
than the larger star.
Question 21 is based on the following reading passage.
In Gilavia, the number of reported workplace injuries has declined 16 percent in the
last five years. However, perhaps part of the decline results from injuries going unre-
ported: many employers have introduced safety-incentive programs, such as prize
drawings for which only employees who have a perfect work-safety record are eligible.
Since a workplace injury would disqualify an employee from such programs, some
employees might be concealing injury, when it is feasible to do so.
21. Which of the following, if true in Gilavia, most strongly supports the proposed
explanation?
!
A In the last five years, there has been no decline in the number of workplace
injuries leading to immediate admission to a hospital emergency room.
!
B Employers generally have to pay financial compensation to employees who
suffer work-related injuries.
!
C Many injuries that happen on the job are injuries that would be impossible
to conceal and yet would not be severe enough to require any change to
either the employee’s work schedule or the employee’s job responsibilities.
!
D A continuing shift in employment patterns has led to a decline in the
percentage of the workforce that is employed in the dangerous occupations
in which workplace injuries are likely.
!
E Employers who have instituted safety-incentive programs do not in general
have a lower proportion of reported workplace injuries among their
employees than do employers without such programs.
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GRE Practice Test 2
Questions 22 and 23 are based on the following reading passage.
The attribution of early-nineteenth-century English fiction is notoriously problematic.
Fewer than half of new novels published in Britain between 1800 and 1829 had the
author’s true name printed on the title page. Most of these titles have subsequently
line been attributed, either through the author’s own acknowledgment of a previously
5 anonymous or pseudonymous work, or through bibliographical research. One impor-
tant tool available to researchers is the list of earlier works “by the author” often found
on title pages. But such lists are as likely to create new confusion as they are to solve
old problems. Title pages were generally prepared last in the publication process, often
without full authorial assent, and in the last-minute rush to press, mistakes were fre-
10 quently made.
For the following question, consider each of the choices separately and select all that
apply.
22. The passage suggests that which of the following factors contributes to the
“notoriously problematic” (line 1) nature of authorial attribution in early-
nineteenth-century English fiction?
!
A The unwillingness of any writers to acknowledge their authorship of
works that were originally published anonymously or pseudonymously
!
B The possibility that the title page of a work may attribute works written by
other authors to the author of that work
!
C The possibility that the author’s name printed on a title page is fictitious
For the following question, consider each of the choices separately and select all that
apply.
23. The passage suggests that which of the following is frequently true of the title
pages of early-nineteenth-century English novels?
!
A The title page was prepared for printing in a hurried manner.
!
B Material on the title page was included without the author’s knowledge or
approval.
!
C Information on the title page was deliberately falsified to make the novel
more marketable.
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Section 3. Verbal Reasoning
Questions 24 and 25 are based on the following reading passage.
The more definitions a given noun has, the more valuable is each one. Multiple defini-
tions, each subtly different from all the others, convey multiple shades of meaning.
They expand the uses of the word; language is enriched, thought is widened, and inter-
line pretations increase or dilate to fill the potentialities of association. The very impossi-
5 bility of absoluteness in the definition of certain nouns adds to the levels of
connotation they may reach. The inner life of a writer often says more than most read-
ers can know; the mind of a reader can discover truths that go beyond the intent or
perhaps even the comprehension of the writer. And all of it finds expression because a
word can mean many things.
24. In the context in which it appears, “shades” (line 2) most nearly means
!
A reminders
!
B nuances
!
C obscurities
!
D coverings
!
E degrees
25. The passage suggests that a writer’s use of nouns that have multiple definitions
can have which of the following effects on the relationship between writer and
reader?
!
A It can encourage the reader to consider how the writer’s life might have
influenced the work.
!
B It can cause the reader to become frustrated with the writer’s failure to
distinguish between subtle shades of meaning.
!
C It can allow the reader to discern in a work certain meanings that the
writer did not foresee.
!
D It allows the writer to provide the reader with clues beyond the word itself
in order to avoid ambiguity.
!
E It allows the writer to present unfamiliar ideas to the reader more
efficiently.
STOP. This is the end of Section 3.
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