15 INTRODUCTION TO THE VERBAL SECTION Prior to starting the exam, you can carefully walk through a very basic tutorial program explaining how to use the computer for this exam. The computer- adaptive GRE gives you 30 minutes to answer 30 verbal ability questions. These questions are composed of Antonyms, Analogies, Sentence Completions, and Reading Comprehension. The question types are intermingled. You will receive a medium difficulty question to start with, and then the computer will adapt the level of questions you receive based on your responses to all the previous ques- tions. You will do all your work on the scratch paper provided, and you will record all your answers on the computer screen by using a mouse to fill in the ap- propriate ovals. You can’t go back to a previous question, so be sure to answer each question before you attempt to move to the next question. The Verbal Section will generate a score from 200 to 800. Your score will be based on how well you do on the questions presented and also on the number of questions you answer. Try to pace yourself so that you have sufficient time to con- sider every question. If possible, answer all 30 questions in this section. Guess if you need to. In this book—to assist you in understanding explanations and to direct your atten- tion to different questions and answer choices—each question is given a number, and letters have been placed inside the ovals of the answer choices. Note that on the actual exam, questions will not have numbers next to them and the ovals will not contain letters. Introduction to Antonyms Ability Tested The antonym questions test your vocabulary—your ability to understand the meanings of words and to distinguish between fine shades of meaning. Basic Skills Necessary This question type requires a strong college- or graduate-level vocabulary. A strong vocabulary cannot be developed instantly; it grows over a long period of time spent reading extensively and learning new words. Knowing the meanings of prefixes, suffixes, and roots will help you derive word meanings on the test. Team-LRN 16 Part I: Analysis of Exam Areas Directions Each word in CAPITAL LETTERS is followed by five words or phrases. The cor- rect choice is the word or phrase whose meaning is most nearly opposite to the meaning of the word in capitals. You may be required to distinguish fine shades of meaning. Look at all choices before marking your answer. Analysis of Directions Although your choice may not be a perfect opposite, it must be the most nearly opposite of the five choices provided. Consider all the choices, keeping in mind that in most cases two or three of the five choices can be quickly eliminated as clearly not opposite to the original word. Occasionally, you may be uncertain as to the particular part of speech of a word. You can identify the part of speech of the root word by looking at the answer choices. For example: Suppose that the word in question is MINUTE. Is this the noun meaning a unit of time equaling 60 seconds (pronounced min-ut)? Or is it the adjective meaning extremely small (pronounced my-noot)? If the answer choices are all nouns, then the root word must also be a noun (indicating the for- mer meaning of minute). If the answer choices are all adjectives, the root word is an adjective. All the answer choices in a particular question will represent the same part of speech. Scanning the answer choices can help you identify the part of speech of the root word. Suggested Approach with Samples You are looking for the best answer, which may not be an ideal answer — simply the best of the choices given. Sample 1. WARMONGER A. offender B. coordinator C. instigator D. negotiator E. leader Team-LRN A warmonger is one who advocates war or seeks to bring war about. The ideal answer or opposite would be peacemaker, but that is not one of the choices. The best answer is choice D negotiator, one who tries to settle things or bring about a compromise. You should be able to immediately eliminate two or three of the choices be- cause they are not even close or could not possibly relate to the original word. Sample 2. ALTER A. remember B. disrupt C. reorganize D. enjoy E. maintain The word alter means to change. The closest opposite is choice E maintain. Notice that choice A remember and choice D enjoy do not relate to alter so are not possible answers. Choice B disrupt and choice C reorganize would be more in the synonym category. Use the word in a short, clear sentence; try to think of how you’ve heard the word used before. You may discover a context for it that will help you make a choice. Sample 3. PATHOLOGICAL A. unsteady B. cured C. predictable D. stubborn E. selective Sentence: “One of my friends is a pathological liar.” Because pathological here refers to a negative characteristic, the correct choice is positive, B. 17 Introduction to The Verbal Section Team-LRN The prefix, root, and (sometimes) suffix of the original word may help you un- derstand the meaning of the word and thus locate its opposite. Sample 4. DETACH A. separate B. fasten C. rid D. correct E. move The prefix de- usually means away from. You may be familiar with the word at- tach, which means to fasten or unite. So detach means to separate or unfasten. The best opposite is choice B fasten. Sample 5. SYNCHRONIZED A. timeless B. out of sorts C. out of step D. brought into accord E. chronological The prefix syn- means with or together. The root chron refers to time. So synchro- nized means occurring at the same time or occurring together. The best opposite would be choice C out of step. Sometimes the prefix of the original word may tip off a positive or negative connotation, which can help lead you to the correct answer. 18 Part I: Analysis of Exam Areas Team-LRN Sample 6. PROFUSION A. deficiency B. certainty C. proliferation D. largeness E. maximum The prefix pro- has several meanings, and all of them have “positive” connota- tions; here, it means forward. Of the five choices, the prefix most opposite to the meaning of pro- is de-. The connotations of de- are usually “negative”; most of- ten, it means away from, off, or down. Profusion means abundance, and deficiency refers to an inadequacy or incompleteness. The correct answer is A. Given these definitions, you can see that these two terms are the most nearly opposite of those given. However — even without your knowing the definitions — the prefixes, in this case, provide strong clues. You may be able to detect whether a word is positive or negative in meaning without taking it apart. If the original word is positive, your choice must be negative, and vice versa. Sample 7. CHAOTIC A. hectic B. orderly C. embarrassing D. productive E. lengthy Chaotic is a negative word that means in a state of utter confusion or disorder. You are now looking for a positive word. Choices B and D are the only positive words, so you have now narrowed your choices to two possibilities. Choice B or- derly is the positive word that is the best opposite of utter confusion and disorder. Pay special attention to the “strength” of a word. Is the word mild, moderate, or extreme? Do you get a “feeling” for the word when you read it? 19 Introduction to the Verbal Section Team-LRN Sample 8. BOMBASTIC A. humble B. overbearing C. creative D. selfish E. astounded Bombastic is a very strong word that means boastful. Notice that it simply sounds like a strong word. The best opposite here is choice A humble. The opposite of a loud boastful person is a quiet humble person. Sample 9. MELLIFLUOUS A. melodious B. unpleasant C. spiritual D. soothing E. indefinite The word mellifluous seems to have a pleasant sound and does in fact mean pleas- ant, melodious, or sweet. The best opposite would be choice B unpleasant. Sample 10 . GHASTLY A. stupendous B. infectious C. lovely D. acceptable E. standard Ghastly is a strongly negative word. Although choice D acceptable is a positive word, and therefore opposite to ghastly, choice C lovely is a better choice. Lovely is a stronger positive word than acceptable and therefore opposes the strongly negative meaning of ghastly. 20 Part I: Analysis of Exam Areas Team-LRN Don’t choose an antonym that is too broad or too limited to be an opposite. Sample 11. GARRULOUS A. edited B. not talkative C. censored D. narrow-minded E. unyielding Garrulous means talking too much. Although choices A, C, D, and E are all par- tial opposites because they contain the idea of restricting language, only B not talkative specifically refers to speech. Working from the answer choices, eliminating similar choices, and looking for the choice that “stands out” can be useful. Sample 12. DILAPIDATED A. ruined B. condemned C. renovated D. destroyed E. shabby Assessing the choices, you could have eliminated choices A ruined and D de- stroyed because they are really identical answers. Also notice that only choice C renovated is clearly not a negative word; thus it “stands out” among the other choices. In this case, renovated (made good as new) is the opposite of dilapidated, which means falling apart. 21 Introduction to the Verbal Section Team-LRN A Short List of Common Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots The following abbreviated list should help you arrive at the definitions of unfamiliar words on the Verbal Section of the GRE. These prefixes, suffixes, and roots apply to thousands of words. A PATTERNED PLAN OF ATTACK Read the word, remembering you are looking for the most nearly opposite. Try to immediately eliminate two or three choices that are not close to or could not possibly relate to the original word. You are looking for the best answer, which may not be an ideal answer, simply the best of the choices given. Put the word in a short clean sentence; try to think of how you’ve heard the word used before. You may discover a context for it that will help you make a choice. Sometimes the prefix of the original word may tip off a positive or negative connotation that can lead you to the best opposite. If the word is unfamiliar to you, break the word up using your knowledge of prefixes, roots, and suffixes. You may be able to determine a positive or negative connotation from the word as a whole. Pay special attention to the "strength" of a word. Is the word mild, moderate, or extreme? Remember, if the original word has a positive connotation, its antonym is negative, and vice versa. Your answer should not be too broad or too limited to be an opposite. A reminder: If you are uncertain of the part of speech of the original word, look at the answer choices because they will be the same part of speech (verb, noun, adjective, and so on). 22 Part I: Analysis of Exam Areas Team-LRN Prefixes Prefix Meaning Example pre- before precede de- away, from deter inter- between interstate ob- against objection in- into instruct mono- alone, one monolith epi- upon epilogue mis- wrong mistake sub- under submarine trans- across, beyond transcend over- above overbearing ad- to, toward advance non- not nonentity com- together, with composite re- back, again regress ex- out of expel in- not insufficient pro- forward propel anti- against antidote omni- all, everywhere omniscient equi- equal, equally equivalent homo- same, equal, like homogenized semi- half, partly semicircle un- not unneeded bi- two bicycle poly- many polymorphous retro- backward retrograde mal- bad malfunction hyper- over, too much hyperactive hypo- under, too little hypodermic 23 Introduction to the Verbal Section Team-LRN Suffixes Suffix Meaning Example -able, -ible able to usable -er, -or one who does competitor -ism the practice of rationalism -ist one who is occupied with feminist -less without, lacking meaningless -ship the art or skill of statesmanship -fy to make dignify -ness the quality of aggressiveness -tude the state of rectitude -logue a particular kind of speaking or writing prologue Roots Root Meaning Example arch to rule monarch belli war, warlike belligerent bene good benevolent chron time chronology dic to say indicative fac to make, to do artifact graph writing telegraph mort to die mortal port to carry deport vid, vis to see invisible 24 Part I: Analysis of Exam Areas Team-LRN [...]... that making a clear and specific sentence showing the relationship between the first two words usually eliminates wrong answers and leads you to the best choice Be sure to keep the order of the first pair the same as the order of your answer A wrong answer may present a correct relationship, but in the wrong order 40 Team-LRN Introduction to the Verbal Section Sample 7 HEADACHE : ASPIRIN :: A insect... rapidly to run in a race Or it may be transitive (taking an object) and mean to control or direct to run a business Team-LRN 37 Part I: Analysis of Exam Areas To determine which parts of speech the words in the original pair are, look at the five answer choices All the choices will be the same parts of speech as the original pair So if you’re not sure about a word in the first pair, the words in the choices... : fear The word boards may be a verb meaning gets into or a noun describing the lumber from which rowboats are constructed The best answer is C The choices make clear that boards is a verb The relationship between boards and rowboat is the same as the relationship between gets on and bus Construct a sentence relating the two words To help determine the relationship between the two words in the original... is contained in an atlas.” 38 Team-LRN Introduction to the Verbal Section Notice how constructing a sentence relating the two words can be really helpful in solving an analogy The actual analogy can be stated as follows: “Recipe is to cookbook in the same way as map is to atlas.” The standard analogy sentence is “A is to B in the same way as C is to D.” Sample 3 SONNET : LITERATURE :: A rhythm : poetry... Exhume means to remove from the grave Expel means to force out, eject Exit means to depart Infer means to conclude or deduce Refer means to relate Inter means to bury a dead body 34 Team-LRN Introduction to the Verbal Section 33 C ordinary Novel means new or unique Fictional means made up or fabricated Poetic means elegant or musical Ordinary means common or everyday Narrative means related to a story Peerless... treason is the opposite of loyalty and that courage is the opposite of cowardice However, only choice B presents a relationship in which the first term is an unlawful act and in which the first term is a violation of the second Thus, taking the secondary relationships of the original pair fully into account, you should conclude that B is the best choice 42 Team-LRN Introduction to the Verbal Section Sample... Possible Answers for Word Pairs 1 DETAIN is the opposite of RELEASE 2 SLITHER is the way a SNAKE travels 3 BIT is the sharp part of a DRILL that does the actual drilling 4 BLADE is the sharp part of a RAZOR that does the cutting 5 To MISJUDGE someone is to ASSESS them poorly 6 An OASIS is the fertile area in the DESERT 7 DISTANCE can be measured in the unit of MILES 8 A FROWN is often a sign or... relationship to the original pair and is the best answer Use this effective approach to analogies: 1 Determine the relationship between the original pair of words by using them in a clear, specific sentence 2 Narrow your choices to pairs that typically or necessarily express a similar relationship 3 Choose the pair that expresses the original relationship most precisely by taking into account the secondary... extreme word The only second word that is harsh or extreme is shocking Blaring is the extreme of loud in the same way that shocking is the extreme of surprising So if you didn’t know the relationship between the original words, or even the meaning of the words, you could get the right answer by using this strategy to make an educated guess Remember that your choice does not have to come from the same category,... acting : actor The best answer is B In this case, you might say to yourself, “A sonnet is a type of literature” and therefore recognize that the relationship is between an example and the larger category Now, doing the same thing with the answer choices, you will find that the correct answer, B, shows the same relationship Football is a type of sport This sentence can be expressed as “Sonnet is to literature . 15 INTRODUCTION TO THE VERBAL SECTION Prior to starting the exam, you can carefully walk through a very basic tutorial program explaining how to use the. publicize 57. INVEIGH A. to lose weight B. to estimate C. to accept meekly D. to cherish fondly E. to retreat 31 Introduction to the Verbal Section Team-LRN