The Most Challenging Verbal Reasoning Topics in GRE Preparation and How to Conquer Them

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First thing first, GRE Verbal is not tough. The common challenges faced by the students can be overcome easily if the students follow some basic strategies. Follow this blog to ace your GRE preparation as we will be explaining how to prepare for the most challenging verbal reasoning topics. Along with these questions you can even check how to boost your GRE test score with the help of GRE coaching.

Challenging Verbal Reasoning Topics in GRE Preparation

Text Completion : Contextual Keywords

In GRE Verbal you find it challenging to understand and decode text completion questions. You can easily get your words for the blanks following a basic strategy. Most of the times you’ll find some words or phrases that are direct clue what your word for the blank would be.

Check out this question.

The imitativeness and sentimentality in ‘Hours of Idleness’ were not excused by a preface that, with (i)___ mock modesty, pleaded the poet’s youth and (ii)___, while declaiming any intention of his undertaking a poetic career.

Blank (1)
pompous
earnest
preordained
Blank (2)
sophistry
credibility
Naivety

Please notice the use of the word ‘mock’ after first black, mock modesty – fake and made up, stylized – hence we choose the word ‘pompous’. For the second blank ‘pleaded the poet’s youth’ is clearly directing us to the word ‘naivety’.

Check out another question here.

The eighteenth-century botanist Carolus Linnaeus’ enormous and essential contribution to natural history was to (i)_____ a system of classification whereby any plant or animal could be identified and slotted into an overall plan. Yet Linnaeus himself would probably have been the first to admit that classification is only a tool, and not the ultimate (ii)_____, of biological inquiry. Unfortunately, this truth was not apparent to his immediate (iii)______, who for the next hundred years were to concern themselves almost exclusively with classification.

Blank (1)
scotch
impugn
devise
Blank (2)
affirmation
obviation
objective
Blank (3)
predecessors
successors
precursors
Correct Answer: C, C, B

For the first blank we can use ‘classification’ as a contextual keyword. And we clearly get the word ‘devise’. For the second blank ‘ultimate’ is our clue. Ultimate indicates the final target, hence we choose the word ‘objective’. And for the third blank we get ‘who for the next hundred years’, so clearly the right answer is ‘successors’.

So be alert for such contextual keywords in the sentence. As the clues leading you to the murderer are right there in the murder scene, all the clues you need to choose the right option are there in your sentence. Be mindful.

Practice more such GRE questions by taking a free GRE Sample Test.

Keyword of Contrast

Check out this question for your GRE preparation.

While acknowledging that the risks sustained by use of the drugs were not (i)___ the manufacturer’s spokesman argued that effective (ii)___ were simply unavailable.

Blank (1)
proven
detrimental
inconsequential
Blank (2)
alternatives
substitutes
antidotes

‘While’ is a keyword of contrast. If they are talking about risks then surely they’d look for remedy. But ‘while’ indicates that something opposite to expected is happening. Hence in spite of the risks the remedy is unavailable. So our second blank word is ‘antidote’. And first blank would obviously state that the risks are not negligible, hence ‘inconsequential’. Also please don’t overlook ‘not’ before the blank. It’s very common in GRE – not, rarely etc before the blank.

Now look at this sentence equivalence question.

In most Native American cultures, an article used in prayer or ritual is made with extraordinary attention to and richness of detail: it is decorated more lavishly than a similar article intended for ____ use.

mundane
quixotic
religious
vocational
Everyday

‘more . . .than’ is your keyword of contrast. So the article referred to in the second blank is in contrast to the lavish article used for prayer or ritual. So we go for the synonym pair mundane/everyday.

Sentence Equivalence : Keyword of Similarity & Synonym Pair

Sentence Equivalence is another type of question that you find challenging. Thus, for you to ace your GRE preparation we are explaining some easy strategies that can help to crack your sentence equivalence questions easily.

Check out this question

The theory of cosmic evolution states that the universe, having begun in a state of simplicity and ____, has differentiated into great variety.

Equilibrium
homogeneity
proportion
uniformity
equipoise
Diversity

We get in the sentence ‘simplicity and . . .’ ‘and’ is keyword of similarity. It takes you in the same direction. So we know we need something in the line of simplicity. Also ‘having begun’ indicates time and time denotes contrast. SO we’re seeking here something in contrast to the later ‘differentiated’.

Now in the answer choices we get the two synonym pairs, homogeneity/uniformity & equilibrium/equipoise. So firstly we eliminate the nonsynonym pair proportion/diversity. Then among the two synonym pairs, of course homogeneity/uniformity is in the same line with similarity, also in contrast to ‘differentiated’. So we choose the pair homogeneity/uniformity.

Reading Comprehension : Location Location Location

In case of reading comprehension, location is king. Once you read a question, go back to the passage to the relevant location, read and reread the location, answer the question. Even when you’re confused please go back to the location once more. There must be something that’d help you to choose one answer choice over another.

Let’s check out this passage and the questions that follow.

The Anglo-Irish artist and poet Robert Barrett (1895-1974) was born into the generation that benefited most from the influence of Post-Impressionism but which also experienced the devastation of World War One. Barrett was deeply affected by the war, which wounded him twice, and subsequently searched for meaning and redemption. He found it in Steve Hale’s idiosyncratic blend of art and religion. In 1921 Barrett converted to Roman Catholicism, partly as an act of allegiance towards his mentor Hale, partly to find inspiration and comfort in an old faith. Although the Roman church was then going through a period of intellectual progressiveness, Barrett (like Hale) embraced the ancient aesthetic tradition rather than the church’s social mission.

According to the passage, which of the following is true for Steve Hale?

A)He was a mentor to Robert Barrett and was Anglo Irish

B)He went through a period of intellectual progressiveness before embracing the ancient tradition

C)He searched for meaning and redemption after the devastation of World War One

D)He was a Roman Catholic who blended of art and religion

E)He was deeply affected by the war after seeing his friends wounded in it

The question asks about Steve Hale. So we need to go back to the passage, to the location of Steve Hale.

See(underlined) that we find in the location how Steve Hale blended Art and Religion. So we go for the option D.

Now check out this question from the passage.

Which of the following best explains the reason Barrett became a Roman Catholic?

He was deeply affected by the war and its devastation and wanted to be redeemed

He was looking for intellectual progressiveness, like Hale

C)He wanted to lend support and be loyal to his mentor

D)He had benefited from the influence of Post-Impressionism

E)He wanted to find inspiration and comfort in an old faith that discarded the ancient tradition

Check in the passage (Bold) Barrett converted to catholicism as an allegiance to his mentor. So we choose the answer choice C.

So, don’t panic. Just stay focused, use the strategies wisely, practice and get a 160+ score in Verbal.

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