Verbal Practice Test 1

30 Questions | By RodmicaelGRE | Last updated: Jan 16, 2013 | Total Attempts: 109

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Instructions: Choose your answer carefully, as there is no going back once you click. You have 30 minutes to complete this section! Take a deep breath and good luck!

Questions and Answers

1.

AntonymsEstrange
- A.
  
  Reconcile
- B.
  
  Feign
- C.
  
  Perplex
- D.
  
  Arbitrate
- E.
  
  Commiserate
2.

Antonyms Provident
- A.
  
  Manifest
- B.
  
  Prodigal
- C.
  
  Thankful
- D.
  
  Tidy
- E.
  
  Transient
3.

Like the theory of evolution, the big-bang model of the universe's formation has undergone modification and ________________ , but it has ___________________ all serious challenges.
- A.
  
  Alteration....confirmed
- B.
  
  Refinement...resisted
- C.
  
  Transformation....ignored
- D.
  
  Evaluation...acknowledged
- E.
  
  Refutation...misdirected
4.

A university training enables a graduate to see things as they are, to go right to the point, to disentangle a _________________ of thought.
- A.
  
  Line
- B.
  
  Strand
- C.
  
  Mass
- D.
  
  Plethora
- E.
  
  Skein
5.

Song : Cycle ::
- A.
  
  Waltz : dance
- B.
  
  Tune : arrangement
- C.
  
  Sonnet : sequence
- D.
  
  Agenda : meeting
- E.
  
  Cadenza : aria
6.

Obdurate : Flexibility ::
- A.
  
  Accurate : perception
- B.
  
  Turbid : roughness
- C.
  
  Principled : fallibility
- D.
  
  Diaphanous : transparency
- E.
  
  Adamant : submissiveness
7.

(The passage was written prior to 1950)In the long run a government will always encroach upon freedom to the extent to which it has the power to do so; this is almost a natural law of politics, since whatever the intentions of the men who exercise political power, the sheer momentum of government leads to a constant pressure upon the liberties of the citizen. But in many countries society has responded by throwing up its own defenses in the shape of social classes or organized corporations which, enjoying economic power and popular support, have been able to set limits to the scope of action of the executive. Such, for example, in England was the origin of all of our liberties--won from government by the stand of the first and federal nobility, then of churches and political parties and latterly of trade unions, commercial organizations, and the societies for promoting various causes. Even in European lands which were arbitrarily ruled, the powers of the monarchy, though absolute in theory, were in their exercise checked in a similar fashion. Indeed, the fascist dictatorship of today are the first truly tyrannical governments which western Europe has known for centuries, and they have been rendered possible only because on coming to power they destroyed all forms of social organization which were in any way rivals to the state.QuestionAccording to the passage, the natural relationship between government and individual liberty is one of
- A.
  
  Marked indifference
- B.
  
  Secret collusion
- C.
  
  Inherent opposition
- D.
  
  Moderate complicity
- E.
  
  Fundamental interdependence
8.

(The passage was written prior to 1950) In the long run a government will always encroach upon freedom to the extent to which it has the power to do so; this is almost a natural law of politics, since whatever the intentions of the men who exercise political power, the sheer momentum of government leads to a constant pressure upon the liberties of the citizen. But in many countries society has responded by throwing up its own defenses in the shape of social classes or organized corporations which, enjoying economic power and popular support, have been able to set limits to the scope of action of the executive. Such, for example, in England was the origin of all of our liberties--won from government by the stand of the first and federal nobility, then of churches and political parties and latterly of trade unions, commercial organizations, and the societies for promoting various causes. Even in European lands which were arbitrarily ruled, the powers of the monarchy, though absolute in theory, were in their exercise checked in a similar fashion. Indeed, the fascist dictatorship of today are the first truly tyrannical governments which western Europe has known for centuries, and they have been rendered possible only because on coming to power they destroyed all forms of social organization which were in any way rivals to the state. QuestionFascist dictatorships differ from monarchies of recent times in
- A.
  
  Setting limits to their scope of action
- B.
  
  Effecting results by sheer momentum
- C.
  
  Rivaling the state in power
- D.
  
  Exerting constant pressure on liberties
- E.
  
  Eradicating people's organizations
9.

(The passage was written prior to 1950) In the long run a government will always encroach upon freedom to the extent to which it has the power to do so; this is almost a natural law of politics, since whatever the intentions of the men who exercise political power, the sheer momentum of government leads to a constant pressure upon the liberties of the citizen. But in many countries society has responded by throwing up its own defenses in the shape of social classes or organized corporations which, enjoying economic power and popular support, have been able to set limits to the scope of action of the executive. Such, for example, in England was the origin of all of our liberties--won from government by the stand of the first and federal nobility, then of churches and political parties and latterly of trade unions, commercial organizations, and the societies for promoting various causes. Even in European lands which were arbitrarily ruled, the powers of the monarchy, though absolute in theory, were in their exercise checked in a similar fashion. Indeed, the fascist dictatorship of today are the first truly tyrannical governments which western Europe has known for centuries, and they have been rendered possible only because on coming to power they destroyed all forms of social organization which were in any way rivals to the state. QuestionThe passage suggests which of the following about fascist dictatorships?
- A.
  
  They represent a more efficient form of the executive.
- B.
  
  Their rise to power came about through an accident of history
- C.
  
  They mark a regression to earlier despotic forms of government
- D.
  
  Despite superficial dissimilarities, they are in essence like absolute monarchies.
- E.
  
  They maintain their dominance by rechanneling opposing forces in new directions
10.

We have in America a ________________ speech that is neither American, Oxford English, nor colloquial English English, but _______________ of all three
- A.
  
  Motley....an enhancement
- B.
  
  Hybrid....a combination
- C.
  
  Nasal...a blend
- D.
  
  Mangled...a medley
- E.
  
  Formal....a patchwork
11.

Rather than portraying Joesph II as a radical reformer whose reign was strikingly enlightened, the play Amadeus depicts him as ____________________ thinker, too wedded to orthodox theories of musical composition to appreciate an artist of Mozart's genius.
- A.
  
  A revolutionary
- B.
  
  An idiosyncratic
- C.
  
  A politic
- D.
  
  A doctrinaire
- E.
  
  An iconoclast
12.

AntonymsCapitulate
- A.
  
  Initiate
- B.
  
  Defame
- C.
  
  Exonerate
- D.
  
  Resist
- E.
  
  Esclate
13.

Antonyms Indigenous
- A.
  
  Affluent
- B.
  
  Parochial
- C.
  
  Alien
- D.
  
  Serene
- E.
  
  Inimical
14.

Scurry : Move ::
- A.
  
  Chant : sing
- B.
  
  Chatter : talk
- C.
  
  Carry : lift
- D.
  
  Sleep : drowse
- E.
  
  Limp : walk
15.

Chameleon : Herpetologist ::
- A.
  
  Fungi : ecologist
- B.
  
  Salmon : ichthyologist
- C.
  
  Mongoose : ornithologist
- D.
  
  Oriole : virologist
- E.
  
  Aphid : etymologist
16.

As the works of dozens of women writers have been rescued from what E.P. Thompson calls "the enormous condescension of posterity," and considered in relation to each other, the lost continent of the female tradition has risen like Atlantis from the sea of English literature. It is now becoming clear that, contrary to Mill's theory, women have had a literature of their own all along. The woman novelist, according to Vineta Colby was "really neither single nor anomalous," but she was also more than a "register and spokesman for her age." She was part of a tradition that had its origins before her age, and has carried on through her own. (2nd Paragraph) Many literary historians have begun to reinterpret and revise the study of women writers. Ellen Moers sees women's literature as an international movement, "apart from, but hardly subordinate to the mainstream: an undercurrent, rapid and powerful. This 'movement' began in the late eighteenth century was multinational, and produce some of the greatest literary works of two centuries, as well as most of the lucrative potboilers." Patricia Meyer Spacks, in The Female Imagination, finds that "for readily discernible historical reasons women have characteristically concerned themselves with matters more or less peripheral to male concerns, or at least slightly skewed from them. The differences between traditional female preoccupations and roles and male ones make a difference in female writing." Many other critics are beginning to agree that when we look at women writers collectively we can see an imaginative continuum, the recurrence of certain patterns, themes, problems, and images from generation to generation. QuestionIn the second paragraph of the passage the author's attuide toward the literaly critics citeed can best be described as one of
- A.
  
  Irony
- B.
  
  Ambivalence
- C.
  
  Disparagement
- D.
  
  Receptiveness
- E.
  
  Awe
17.

As the works of dozens of women writers have been rescued from what E.P. Thompson calls "the enormous condescension of posterity," and considered in relation to each other, the lost continent of the female tradition has risen like Atlantis from the sea of English literature. It is now becoming clear that, contrary to Mill's theory, women have had a literature of their own all along. The woman novelist, according to Vineta Colby was "really neither single nor anomalous," but she was also more than a "register and spokesman for her age." She was part of a tradition that had its origins before her age, and has carried on through her own. (2nd Paragraph) Many literary historians have begun to reinterpret and revise the study of women writers. Ellen Moers sees women's literature as an international movement, "apart from, but hardly subordinate to the mainstream: an undercurrent, rapid and powerful. This 'movement' began in the late eighteenth century was multinational, and produce some of the greatest literary works of two centuries, as well as most of the lucrative potboilers." Patricia Meyer Spacks, in The Female Imagination, finds that "for readily discernible historical reasons women have characteristically concerned themselves with matters more or less peripheral to male concerns, or at least slightly skewed from them. The differences between traditional female preoccupations and roles and male ones make a difference in female writing." Many other critics are beginning to agree that when we look at women writers collectively we can see an imaginative continuum, the recurrence of certain patterns, themes, problems, and images from generation to generation. QuestionThe passage supplies information for answering which of the following questions?
- A.
  
  Does the author believe the female literary tradition to be richer in depth than its masculine counterpart?
- B.
  
  Are women psychological as well as sociological chameleons?
- C.
  
  Does Moers share Mill's concern over the ephemeral nature of female literary renown?
- D.
  
  What patterns, theme, images and problems recur sufficiently in the work of women writers to belong to the female imaginative continuum?
- E.
  
  Did Mill acknowledge the existence of separate female literary tradition?
18.

As the works of dozens of women writers have been rescued from what E.P. Thompson calls "the enormous condescension of posterity," and considered in relation to each other, the lost continent of the female tradition has risen like Atlantis from the sea of English literature. It is now becoming clear that, contrary to Mill's theory, women have had a literature of their own all along. The woman novelist, according to Vineta Colby was "really neither single nor anomalous," but she was also more than a "register and spokesman for her age." She was part of a tradition that had its origins before her age, and has carried on through her own. (2nd Paragraph) Many literary historians have begun to reinterpret and revise the study of women writers. Ellen Moers sees women's literature as an international movement, "apart from, but hardly subordinate to the mainstream: an undercurrent, rapid and powerful. This 'movement' began in the late eighteenth century was multinational, and produce some of the greatest literary works of two centuries, as well as most of the lucrative potboilers." Patricia Meyer Spacks, in The Female Imagination, finds that "for readily discernible historical reasons women have characteristically concerned themselves with matters more or less peripheral to male concerns, or at least slightly skewed from them. The differences between traditional female preoccupations and roles and male ones make a difference in female writing." Many other critics are beginning to agree that when we look at women writers collectively we can see an imaginative continuum, the recurrence of certain patterns, themes, problems, and images from generation to generation. QuestionIn the first paragraph, the author makes use of all the following techniques EXCEPT
- A.
  
  Extended metaphor
- B.
  
  Enumeration and classification
- C.
  
  Classical allusion
- D.
  
  Direct quotation
- E.
  
  Comparison and contrast
19.

AntonymsChagrin
- A.
  
  Frown
- B.
  
  Disguise
- C.
  
  Make indifferent
- D.
  
  Make aware
- E.
  
  Please
20.

AntonymsDisingenuous
- A.
  
  Naive
- B.
  
  Accurate
- C.
  
  Hostile
- D.
  
  Witty
- E.
  
  Polite
21.

When those whom he had injured accused of being a ___________________, he retorted curtly that he had never been a quack.
- A.
  
  Libertine
- B.
  
  Sycophant
- C.
  
  Charlatan
- D.
  
  Plagiarist
- E.
  
  Repobate
22.

There is an essential _________________in the human gestures, and when someone raises the palms of his hands together, we do not know whether it is to bury himself in prayer or to throw himself into the sea.
- A.
  
  Economy
- B.
  
  Dignity
- C.
  
  Insincerity
- D.
  
  Reverence
- E.
  
  Ambiguity
23.

Ascetic : Self-denial ::
- A.
  
  Nomad : dissipation
- B.
  
  Miser : affluence
- C.
  
  Zealot : fanaticism
- D.
  
  Renegade : loyalty
- E.
  
  Athlete : stamina
24.

Camouflage : Discern ::
- A.
  
  Encipher : comprehend
- B.
  
  Adorn : admire
- C.
  
  Magnify : observe
- D.
  
  Renovate : construct
- E.
  
  Embroider : unravel
25.

Seer : Prophecy ::
- A.
  
  Mentor : reward
- B.
  
  Sage : wisdom
- C.
  
  Pilgrim : diligence
- D.
  
  Diplomat: flattery
- E.
  
  Virtuoso : penance