GRE Discussion forum - GRE Verbal, GRE Quant, GRE AWA - TOPGRE.COM

1. Satriani is recognized as a technically advanced rock guitarist, and is generally thought of as a _________
(A) virtuoso
(B) maestro
(C) musician
(D) rocker
(E) hippie

2. The Rosetta Stone. discovered by a soldier of Napoleon's army, is an Ancient Egyptian _________ which provided the key to modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs.
(A) artist
(B) pyramid
(C) artifice
(D) arpeggio
(E) artifact

3. He set off with Olga for the German spa town of Badenweiler in the Black Forest, from where he wrote outwardly _______ letters to his sister Masha describing the food and surroundings, and ___________ her and his mother that he was getting better.
(A) jovial, assuring
(B) postal, avoiding
(C) sensible, strangling
(D) long, straining
(E) lovely, bidding

1. Satriani is recognized as a technically advanced rock guitarist, and is generally thought of as a _________
(A) virtuoso
(B) maestro
(C) musician
(D) rocker
(E) hippie

Solution:

Considering option (A), the word virtuoso means 'A musician with masterly ability, technique, or personal style'
Considering option (B), the word maestro refers to a conductor of music or a teacher
Considering options (C) and (D), the words are redundant and make no sense
Considering option (E), the word hippie means 'a person who opposes and rejects many of the conventional standards and customs of society'

Therefore, the right answer is (A)

2. The Rosetta Stone. discovered by a soldier of Napoleon's army, is an Ancient Egyptian _________ which provided the key to modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs.
(A) artist
(B) pyramid
(C) artifice
(D) arpeggio
(E) artifact

Solution:

Considering option (A), it clearly makes no sense
Considering option (B), pyramid doesn't fit either
Considering option (C), the word artifice means a clever device
Considering option (D), the word arpeggio means 'the sounding of the tones of a chord in rapid succession rather than simultaneously'
Considering option (E), the word artifact means An object produced or shaped by human craft, especially a tool, weapon, or ornament of archaeological or historical interest.

Therefore, the right answer is (E)



3. He set off with Olga for the German spa town of Badenweiler in the Black Forest, from where he wrote outwardly _______ letters to his sister Masha describing the food and surroundings, and ___________ her and his mother that he was getting better.
(A) jovial, assuring
(B) postal, avoiding
(C) sensible, strangling
(D) long, straining
(E) lovely, bidding

Considering option (A), we find that it is a good possible fit since it implies that the letters were high spirited and comforted Masha and his mother
Considering option (B), the use of the word postal doesn't make any sense
Considering option (C), the word strangling means 'clutching the neck tightly to choke'. This clearly makes no sense
Considering option (D), though the word 'long' seems like a good fit, the word 'straining' doesn't fit
Considering option (E), the word bidding means to issue a command to

Therefore, the correct answer is (A)

Answer Set :

1. The Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania defeated the Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights in the Battle of Grunwald, the decisive ____________ of the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War.
a. meeting
b. engagement
c. manouvre
d. rampage
e. entanglement

Solution :
Considering option A, it is a very good fit
Considering option B, one of the meanings of engagement is 'a hostile encounter or a battle'
Considering option C, it means ' a contrived, complicated, and possibly deceptive plan or action political manoeuvres, or a movement or action requiring dexterity and skill'
Considering option D, it means 'a course of violent, frenzied behavior or action'
Considering option E, it means 'an intricate trap that entangles or ensnares its victim'

Among the options, option B is preferred over A which in turn is better than the rest. Therefore, the answer is option B

2. In recent years, Beijing University of Chemical Technology has _____________ a large number of research projects as state science and technology key tasks, and others supported by the National Science Foundation and various ministries and enterprises. This has not only _____________ technological cooperation ties with many large domestic enterprises, but also resulted in significant economic and social benefits.
a. plagiarised, skewered
b. undertaken, strengthened
c. rejected, caused
d. approved, dejected
e. postulated, inculcated

Consiering the words 'plagiarised' and 'skewered', they mean 'copied from elsewhere' and 'speared or pierced'
The word 'inculcated' means to impress somethign upon the mind of another
Considering all the options, we find that option B fits very well indicating that the University has taken up a lot of projects and that this has improved ties with enterprises
Therefore, the correct option is option B

3. In the Middle Ages, Rosetta was a place of ____________ commercial importance, and it continued to flourish until the construction of the Mahmudiyeh Canal and the improvement of the harbour at Alexandria __________ most of its trade to the latter city.
a. inconsiderate, channeled
b. minute, stopped
c. reconcilable, routed
d. considerable, diverted
e. heavy, detour

The word inconsiderate means 'Thoughtlessly causing hurt or inconvenience to others.'. The word 'reconcilable' means 'Capable of or qualified for settling differences'.
Considering the options, we find that option D fits best. The meaning of the sentence with option D suggests that the place Rosetta was of vital commercial importance and most of the trade were rerouted to Alexandria with the improvement of the Canal