GRE Test Preparation

GRE Verbal Sentence Completion Test I

In the following questions sentences are given with blanks to be filled in with an appropriate word. Four alternatives are suggested for each question. Choose the best alternative.

1. T-ray scanning devices allow scientists to see right ---------------- layers of solid materials.

a) through
b) after
c) at
d) over

2. T-ray scanners may one day help detect explosives and identify potentially -------------- hidden flaws on spacecraft.

a) funny
b) catastrophic
c) significant
d) trivial

3. Maoists in Nepal have ---------------- as the surprise single biggest gainers in the results for the key Constituent Assembly polls while several political heavyweights failed to register a win.

a) arrived
b) emerged
c) come
d) none of these

4. India has ----------------- a set of steps that developing countries can adopt to combat climate change.

a) speculated
b) published
c) proposed
d) ordered

5. The opposition parties suffered a rebuff when the Supreme Court ---------------- their demand that the results of last month’s presidential election be released immediately.

a) denied
b) dismissed
c) accepted
d) approved

6. Robert Mugabe has been the President of Zimbabwe ---------------- the country won its independence 28 years ago.

a) since
b) for
c) from
d) after

7. World Bank President says the escalating price of food is ---------------- opportunities and creating hardship for people in poor countries.

a) stunting
b) stunning
c) promoting
d) accelerating

8. World Bank has called ------------------ rich countries to help offset the rising cost of food.

a) on
b) for
c) after
d) in

9. Train service between India and Bangladesh has been --------------

a) resumed
b) operated
c) made functional
d) recovered

10. Mobile number portability allows cellular subscribers the freedom to change service providers while -------------------- their numbers.

a) retaining
b) changing
c) retailing
d) revoking

11. The Supreme Court has said that urgent ------------------ should be taken to ensure compulsory primary education to all children aged between 6 years and 14 years.

a) methods
b) acts
c) measures
d) none of these

12. The Supreme Court suggests that the government -------------------- a legislation for ensuring primary education to all children.

a) enact
b) enacts
c) enacted
d) would enact

13. The arctic fox can survive ---------------- temperatures as low as -50°C.

a) extreme
b) frigid
c) hostile
d) warm

14. The arctic fox has all the necessary -------------------- for surviving in a chilly climate.

a) support
b) adaptations
c) requirements
d) capabilities

15. Most inhabitants of the Arctic have white coats that allow them to ------------ into the region’s ubiquitous snow and ice.

a) coincide
b) blend
c) mix
d) join

16. Most Arctic animals ------------------ during the winter so that they survive the extremely cold climate.

a) sleep
b) rest
c) hibernate
d) eat

17. The Atacama Desert in South America is a rainless -------------- that extends 966 km between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

a) Base
b) Valley
c) plateau
d) land

18. India is one of the several countries which are ------------------ affected by widespread deforestation and steady destruction of natural watersheds.

a) critically
b) remarkably
c) superficially
d) strongly

19. I don’t know -------------- we could trust him.

a) whether
b) weather
c) unless
d) were

20. The burglar got ----------------- down the stairs and then walked coolly through the backdoor into the street.

a) secretly
b) stealthily
c) effectively
d) easily

21. He has engaged a private tutor to ---------------- his daughter in mathematics.

a) educate
b) train
c) coach
d) teach

22. She was very much ---------------- to hear about her husband’s safe arrival.

a) pleased
b) delighted
c) surprised
d) none of these

23. He is very old but he still possesses a --------------- memory.

a) bright
b) sharp
c) poor
d) surprising

24. ------------------- his repeated failures, he did not lose heart.

a) though
b) however
c) nevertheless
d) notwithstanding

25. If you take care of the pence, the -------------- will take care of themselves.

a) dollars
b) cents
c) pounds
d) money

Answers

1. through
2. catastrophic
3. emerged
4. proposed
5. dismissed
6. since
7. stunting
8. on
9. resumed
10. retaining
11. measures
12. enact (This sentence is in the subjunctive mood. The subjunctive is a special kind of present tense which has no –s in the third person singular. Subjunctives are common in a formal style and are sometimes used in that-clauses after verbs like suggest, recommend, ask, insist, vital, essential, important, advice etc. The same forms are used in both present and past sentences. )
13. frigid
14. adaptations
15. blend
16. hibernate
17. plateau
18. critically
19. whether
20. stealthily
21. coach
22. delighted
23. sharp
24. notwithstanding
25. pounds