Question 11
Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate word choices: To his friends and family, Mark was a pleasant mix of ____ and congenial. To his business associates, however, Mark was as ____ as he was turgid.
A. approachable…regal
B. demonstrative…farcical
C. nebulous…mundane
D. quaint…parsimonious
E. affable…pretentious
Answer: E
Why?
The first blank has to be a positive word because of the "and congenial". Congenial means "friendly; outgoing." The "however" in the second sentence indicates that he was different than friendly at work, even if you didn't realize that turgid meant pompous. The only blanks that work are answer choice E. Both words are synonyms for Mark's descriptor words in the sentence.
Question 12
The best antonym for PUISSANCE:
A. fragility
B. lethargy
C. poverty
D. magnetism
E. vigor
Answer: B
Why?
Puissance means energy. The only two choices that are similar to the opposite of energy are fragility and lethargy. Since fragility might come from a source rather than energy (age, for instance), nor does it speak explicitly to humanity (a vase can be fragile) the best choice is lethargy, choice B.
Question 13
The best antonym for GROUSE:
A. compliment
B. exploit
C. legitimize
D. satiate
E. compress
Answer: A
Why?
Although grouse might seem familiar to you, a secondary definition of the word is "to complain or gripe" and ETS likes to use secondary definitions of words. So the opposite of complain is to compliment, choice A.
Question 14
The best antonym for INTIMATE:
A. insinuate
B. abrogate
C. dispel
D. conceal
E. capitulate
Answer: D
Why?
Although you may be familiar with the most common definition of intimate (the adjective) it has a secondary meaning: to insinuate something. "Are you intimating that I'm not who I say I am?" Hence, the best antonym is to conceal, choice D.
Question 15
Solve this analogy: ABSTEMIOUS : MODERATION
A. sacrilegious : worship
B. frugal : wealth
C. effervescent : enchantment
D. gluttonous : charisma
E. arcane : mystery
Answer: E
Why?
Form a sentence with the first words to figure out the relationship: An abstemious person lives a life filled with moderation. Answer E fits – an arcane person must live a life filled with mystery because that's the definition of arcane. You could argue for B, but it doesn't work because frugality does not necessarily cause wealth.
Question 16
Solve this analogy: PANDEMONIUM : DISORDER
A. peril : calamity
B. induction : event
C. cacophony : noise
D. fright : horror
E. centrifuge : weight
Answer: C
Why?
Here, the sentence you'd create to figure out the relationship is this: Pandemonium is a great amount of disorder. So, C fits perfectly because cacophony is a great amount of noise.
Question 17
Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate word choices: In the subsequent research program, new varieties of pear trees were evaluated under different agricultural ____ for tree size, bloom density, fruit size, ____to various soils, and resistance to pests and disease.
A. conditions…malleability
B. configurations…propensity
C. circumstances…proximity
D. auspices…susceptibility
E. regulations…conformity
Answer: A
Why?
Here, if you read the sentence and fill in the blanks with words of your choosing, you might choose words like "settings" for the first blank and "ability to adapt" for the second. The choice that fits your guesses is choice A – conditions and malleability.
Question 18
Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate word choices: In high Victorian society, the management of estates and local communities was directed towards ____ and enhancing the bounty of the prestige and ____ of the aristocracy.
A. maintaining…condescension
B. authorizing…advocacy
C. influencing…delicacy
D. perpetuating…sway
E. reverberating…obliteration
Answer: D
Why?
Here, it is helpful to assign a positive or negative connotation to the blanks. Both blanks should contain words that fit with the words joined to them by the conjunction "and". The only choice where both words demonstrate the power of the aristocracy is choice D.
Question 19
Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate word choices: George Washington's marriage brought to him, in addition to the ____ of his own estate, the burden of the responsibility of the ____ of the large estate of Martha's first husband, Daniel Parke Custis, which she had inherited upon his death.
A. intendance…administration
B. encumbrance…dalliance
C. infrastructure…subversion
D. deliverance…extirpation
E. diligence…maintenance
Answer: A
Why?
Here, choice A is correct because Washington would not be burdened with getting rid of his wife's estate, so he must be running it or caring for it. That rules out choice B, C, and D. Choice E doesn't quite fit because diligence isn't a verb that coincides directly with caring for an estate.
Question 20
Solve this analogy: ADULTERATE : PURITY
A. create : waste
B. reciprocate : gifts
C. exacerbate : severity
D. consume : supply
E. obliterate : need
Answer: D
Why?
To adulterate means to reduce the purity of. So, the answer choice that fits best is D – To consume means to reduce the supply of. That's the only one that seems to fit. Remember – ETS isn't asking for the perfect choice, only the choice that fits the best out of the choices given.
