Logical Fit of Vocabulary (Text Completion)

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GRE Verbal › Logical Fit of Vocabulary (Text Completion)

Questions 1 - 10
1

Select the answer choice that best completes the sentence. The reviewer found the film’s pacing uneven: the opening is deliberately slow, but the final act becomes so ______ that key motivations are barely explained.

meditative

methodical

measured

meandering

hurried

Explanation

This question tests logical fit in Text Completion through contrast in pacing. The sentence establishes uneven pacing with a colon explaining the contrast: 'deliberately slow' opening versus a final act so ________ that motivations are barely explained. The correct answer 'hurried' (D) creates the necessary contrast with 'slow' and explains why motivations would be inadequately explained—rushing through prevents proper development. This word satisfies the logic of contrast and consequence. 'Meandering' (A) or 'meditative' (E) would fail to contrast with 'slow' and wouldn't explain why motivations are barely explained.

2

Select the answer choice that best completes the sentence. The speaker’s apology sounded ______, not because it was emotional, but because it carefully avoided acknowledging any specific mistake that would warrant remorse.

perfunctory

contrite

sincere

forthright

cathartic

Explanation

This question tests logical fit in Text Completion through the relationship between form and substance in communication. The sentence explains that the apology sounded ________ specifically because it avoided acknowledging specific mistakes despite being emotional. The correct answer 'perfunctory' (E) means carried out with minimum effort or merely as a duty, which perfectly captures an apology that goes through the motions without genuine acknowledgment. This word satisfies the logic by indicating superficiality despite emotional delivery. 'Sincere' (D) or 'contrite' (A) would have the wrong polarity—they suggest genuine remorse, contradicting the avoidance of acknowledging mistakes.

3

Select the answer choice that best completes the sentence.

The CEO presented the layoffs as a temporary measure; nevertheless, internal memos describing long-term restructuring made her assurances seem _____.

prophetic

credible

candid

routine

disingenuous

Explanation

This question tests logical fit in Text Completion by revealing a contradiction between public statements and private plans. The key logical relationship is the contrast marker "nevertheless" connecting the CEO's public assurance of "temporary" layoffs with internal memos describing "long-term restructuring." The correct answer "disingenuous" (not candid or sincere) satisfies this logic because presenting layoffs as temporary while planning permanent restructuring shows deliberate insincerity. The word "disingenuous" captures how the CEO's assurances were misleading given her knowledge of long-term plans. Choice A "credible" fails due to polarity mismatch—assurances contradicted by internal documents lose believability rather than gain it.

4

Select the answer choice that best completes the sentence.

Although the committee praised the proposal’s ambition, it rejected the timeline as _____, noting that the required permits typically take longer than the plan allowed.​

untenable

meticulous

conventional

premature

feasible

Explanation

This question tests logical fit in Text Completion by requiring you to identify a word that captures why the committee rejected the timeline. The key logical relationship is established by the contrast marker "Although" and the causal phrase "noting that the required permits typically take longer than the plan allowed." The correct answer "untenable" (impossible to defend or maintain) perfectly satisfies this logic because a timeline that doesn't account for permit processing time cannot be sustained or defended. The word "untenable" aligns with the rejection and the specific reason given—the timeline is unrealistic given permit requirements. Choice C "premature" might seem tempting as it relates to timing, but it fails because the issue isn't that the timeline is too early but rather that it's impossible to achieve given the constraints.

5

Select the answer choice that best completes the sentence.

The new hiring policy was intended to broaden the applicant pool, but in practice it proved _____, as the additional requirements discouraged many qualified candidates from applying.​

orthodox

expansive

judicious

counterproductive

beneficial

Explanation

This question tests logical fit in Text Completion by presenting an ironic outcome. The key logical relationship is the contrast between the policy's intention ("broaden the applicant pool") and its actual effect ("discouraged many qualified candidates from applying"). The Aorrect answer "counterproductive" (having the opposite of the intended effect) perfectly satisfies this logic because a policy meant to increase applicants that actually decreases them works against its own purpose. The word "counterproductive" precisely captures how the additional requirements undermined the policy's goal. Choice D "beneficial" fails due to polarity mismatch—discouraging qualified candidates is harmful, not helpful, to the goal of broadening the applicant pool.

6

Select the answer choice that best completes the sentence. The manager promised to simplify reporting, yet the revised form is even more ______, adding new sections that duplicate information already collected elsewhere.

streamlined

cumbersome

optional

succinct

transparent

Explanation

This question tests logical fit in Text Completion through a contrast between promise and outcome. The sentence establishes irony with 'yet'—the manager promised simplification but delivered the opposite, adding duplicative sections. The Dorrect answer 'cumbersome' (B) captures how the form became more burdensome and unwieldy, directly contradicting the promise to simplify. This word satisfies the logic by indicating increased complexity and difficulty. 'Streamlined' (A) or 'succinct' (C) would have the wrong polarity—they suggest simplification actually occurred, contradicting the stated addition of redundant sections.

7

Select the answer choice that best completes the sentence. Although the committee praised the proposal’s ambition, it rejected the timeline as ______, since the required permits typically take longer than the plan allows.

conventional

meticulous

feasible

accelerated

impractical

Explanation

This question tests logical fit in Text Completion by requiring you to identify a word that aligns with the contrast between praise and rejection. The key logical relationship is established by 'Although' (contrast) and the reason for rejection: permits take longer than the plan allows. The correct answer 'impractical' (D) perfectly captures why a timeline would be rejected when it doesn't account for permit processing time. This word satisfies the logic by indicating the timeline is unrealistic or unworkable given the constraints. 'Feasible' (C) might seem tempting but has the wrong polarity—it would suggest the timeline could work, contradicting the rejection and the stated problem with permits.

8

Select the answer choice that best completes the sentence. Even though the author cites dozens of studies, the argument remains ______ because none of the citations directly addresses the central claim being defended.

methodical

erudite

unsubstantiated

ornate

conclusive

Explanation

This question tests logical fit in Text Completion by examining the relationship between evidence and argumentation. The key logical relationship is established by 'Even though' (concession) followed by 'because'—despite numerous citations, the argument has a fundamental flaw. The correct answer 'unsubstantiated' (A) precisely captures an argument that lacks proper support because none of the citations address the central claim. This word satisfies the logic by indicating the core thesis remains unsupported despite apparent scholarly apparatus. 'Conclusive' (C) has the wrong polarity—it would suggest the argument succeeds, contradicting the stated failure of citations to support the main claim.

9

Select the answer choice that best completes the sentence. The lab’s new protocol reduced contamination, but it also made each run slower; thus, the overall throughput was ______ rather than improved.

celebrated

diminished

maximized

enhanced

stabilized

Explanation

This question tests logical fit in Text Completion through a cause-and-effect relationship with mixed outcomes. The sentence presents two effects of the new protocol: reduced contamination (positive) but slower runs (negative), connected by 'but' and 'thus' to show the net impact on throughput. The correct answer 'stabilized' (B) indicates that throughput remained roughly the same rather than improved—the gains from reduced contamination were offset by slower processing. This satisfies the logic of balanced trade-offs resulting in no net change. 'Enhanced' (A) or 'maximized' (C) would incorrectly suggest improvement, contradicting the stated drawback of slower runs.

10

Select the answer choice that best completes the sentence. The historian’s account seems ______ not because it lacks detail, but because it omits the one event that would explain the sudden policy reversal described elsewhere in the archive.

orthodox

incomplete

exhaustive

lucid

comprehensive

Explanation

This question tests logical fit in Text Completion through a complex causal relationship. The sentence establishes that the account seems ________ specifically because it omits a crucial event that would explain a policy reversal. The correct answer 'incomplete' (B) logically follows from this omission—missing a key explanatory event makes an account incomplete by definition. This satisfies the cause-and-effect logic: omission leads to incompleteness. 'Comprehensive' (A) and 'exhaustive' (E) are tempting but have the wrong polarity—they suggest completeness, which contradicts the stated omission of important information.

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