Two Verbs in Two-Blank Texts - GRE Verbal

The first blank hints at Nicholas's hope that he can "soften" or reduce his boss's concerns. Whenever we "mollify" something, we soften it or reduce its intensity. This word comes from Latin roots meaning soft. Substances that are called emollients help to soften things. Perhaps you have bought facial creams that do this. Often, such a cream will be labeled as being an emollient. The second blank is hinted at by the phrase "obsequious words." Whenever we are "obsequious," we are very servile. Often, such an attitude hides a kind of flattery. This is what is being hinted at here. Hence, we need something better than "convince" or "persuade." The word "cajole" is best, for it indicates a kind of persuading that includes the idea of flattery.

Although words like "suggest," "propose," and even "discuss" might seem proper, these are not the best options among those provided here. The fact that Ella is saying negative things is better described by the word "insinuate." When we insinuate something, we suggest that something negative might be true. This is what she is doing about her fellow workers. Now, as regards the second blank, she might be trying to overstate her status in the company. Since she is aiming to get a promotion, we could say that she is just trying to improve her position. When we "bolster" something, we strengthen it. This is the best option among those provided at least, for it is closest to "improve."

The implication is that the scholar questions the normal interpretation of the text. It seems that most people misunderstand the text's true meaning. Therefore, the word "debated" is fine, for it can indicate how someone considers both sides of a question (even without outwardly debating in public). Whenever something is misconstrued, it is not understood adequately.

This sentence indicates that it is talking about the Jewish people being hidden. Therefore, the first blank should be a synonym for "hidden." We really should not infer anything else about their attitude or situation based on the clues. The word "sequestered" means hidden away somewhere. Hence, it fits well! The people in question must be courageous because they are risking their lives. The word "imperiled" means to put into danger. These courageous people are called courageous precisely because they have so put their lives into danger in this manner.

A number of these options might be tempting if they are taken in the abstract away from the actual textual clues offered for the sentences in question. Notice, however, the straight-forward clues. The sentence is basically stating that it is difficult to "figure out" how we should "divide up" the resources to be distributed. This means that it is difficult to "ascertain" the way to "allocate" our resources. None of the other options address this direct meaning of the sentence. While it is may be necessary to scavenge, steward, regulate, or organize resources in a disaster, none of these really deal with how we "divide up" or "give out" resources.

Stay as close to the clues in this sentence as is possible. The candidate is apparently surprised at the treatment because he is used to being treated differently than this. The surprise is what is key here. Thus, the simple "shocked" is the best answer for the first blank. For the second blank, you are looking for something that explicitly describes a rude kind of action. Whenever someone is pilloried, he or she is attacked or derided publicly. The word "pillory" can also be used as a noun to describe the kind of wooden apparatus that people would be locked in so that they could be derided in public for some offense.

The first blank hints at Nicholas's hope that he can "soften" or reduce his boss's concerns. Whenever we "mollify" something, we soften it or reduce its intensity. This word comes from Latin roots meaning soft. Substances that are called emollients help to soften things. Perhaps you have bought facial creams that do this. Often, such a cream will be labeled as being an emollient. The second blank is hinted at by the phrase "obsequious words." Whenever we are "obsequious," we are very servile. Often, such an attitude hides a kind of flattery. This is what is being hinted at here. Hence, we need something better than "convince" or "persuade." The word "cajole" is best, for it indicates a kind of persuading that includes the idea of flattery.

Although words like "suggest," "propose," and even "discuss" might seem proper, these are not the best options among those provided here. The fact that Ella is saying negative things is better described by the word "insinuate." When we insinuate something, we suggest that something negative might be true. This is what she is doing about her fellow workers. Now, as regards the second blank, she might be trying to overstate her status in the company. Since she is aiming to get a promotion, we could say that she is just trying to improve her position. When we "bolster" something, we strengthen it. This is the best option among those provided at least, for it is closest to "improve."

The implication is that the scholar questions the normal interpretation of the text. It seems that most people misunderstand the text's true meaning. Therefore, the word "debated" is fine, for it can indicate how someone considers both sides of a question (even without outwardly debating in public). Whenever something is misconstrued, it is not understood adequately.

This sentence indicates that it is talking about the Jewish people being hidden. Therefore, the first blank should be a synonym for "hidden." We really should not infer anything else about their attitude or situation based on the clues. The word "sequestered" means hidden away somewhere. Hence, it fits well! The people in question must be courageous because they are risking their lives. The word "imperiled" means to put into danger. These courageous people are called courageous precisely because they have so put their lives into danger in this manner.

Stay as close to the clues in this sentence as is possible. The candidate is apparently surprised at the treatment because he is used to being treated differently than this. The surprise is what is key here. Thus, the simple "shocked" is the best answer for the first blank. For the second blank, you are looking for something that explicitly describes a rude kind of action. Whenever someone is pilloried, he or she is attacked or derided publicly. The word "pillory" can also be used as a noun to describe the kind of wooden apparatus that people would be locked in so that they could be derided in public for some offense.

The word "blithely" means done in a casually cheerful manner. For this reason, it is unlikely that Raphael merely "slipped" the item out the window. (A blithe person would likely throw it without much care at all.) Also, do not be tricked by the word "tousled"—which is not "tossed"! To "tousle" someone's hair is to make it messy. By so obscuring the windshield of the driver behind him, he thus endangered the other driver's life. That is, he put him or her into peril—"imperiled" them!

Since “castigated” and “venerated” do not fit after “war crimes,” we can assume the answer to the first blank is somewhere along the lines of “committed.” Since the man is speaking out against the war crimes, the only plausible argument would be to give up the throne. “Committed . . . abdicate” is the only answer that fits.

There is a sentence shift in the first part of the sentence. We know that the first blank must have a definition very different from “applauded.” Due to “atrocious acts,” we can further deduce that the verb is along the lines of regarding with extreme aversion. Since these “atrocious acts” could in no way unify the two countries, “abhorred . . . estrange “ is the correct answer.

The first sentence gives us some context, but it is not absolutely necessary to determine the correct answers. If we plug in the answer choices, we find that only one of the choices make logical sense. When the drink-driving limit is low, most drivers abstain from drinking just to be on the safe side. “Abstain . . . reduced” is the correct answer.

"Mitigate" means to lessen damage, while "impute" means to attribute or ascribe. Only "abstain" means to stop from doing something bad. In the second blank, the student is trying to undo the damage, so "horrify" does not make sense, and "recuperate" means to recover. Only "placate" means to lessen damage.

The key phrase is "although . . ." and the sense of the juxtaposition is completed by "they often end by creating wholly cynical citizens." The sense is that the regimes begin by making the citizens very engaged, but they end in destroying this civic involvement; therefore, we can immediately eliminate "increase . . . inviting", "coup . . . deceiving," "waxing . . . leading", and "waning . . . discouraging." The best fit is "decline . . . inciting" because it captures the sense of the loss of spirit as well as its initial inspiration (even if through incitement).

The key points to heed are that the topics are "difficult" and that Paschal did not fear directly addressing issues. Really, the easiest way to begin with this is to see that "circumlocute" particularly fits the bill for the first blank and to note that "disconcerting" likewise works well. Circumlocute comes from the Latin for to talk ("locute") and around ("circum"). The other options are tempting, but none of them catch the sense in such a manner that so directly matches Paschal's desire to directly address issues.

For the first blank, we are looking for a word which means to rid of impurities, so we should focus on "rarefying," which means just that, and "homogenizing," which means to make uniform. For the second blank, we need a word that means to combine, since the metals are being poured into one mold. Since "amalgamates" means combines different things into one, the correct answer is "rarefying . . . amalgamates."