Sentence Completion
Math
Sentence Structure
More Math
Words in Context
100
Today Wegener's theory is ____ ; however, he died an outsider treated with ____ by the scientific establishment.
A. unsupported - approval
B. dismissed - contempt
C. accepted - approbation
D. unchallenged - disdain
E. unrivaled - reverence
What is D) unchallenged- disdain?
"however" indicates a contradictory statement, and therefore we need opposite ideas in the two halves of the sentence.
So, Wegener's theory is unchallenged(everyone accepts it); however, he was treated with disdain (contempt).
100
A racecar driver has completed 12 1/2 laps of a 50 lap race. What fractional part of the race remains?
a. 1/4
b. 1/5
c. 3/4
d. 4/5
e. 75/2
What is C) 3/4?
The driver has 50 - 12 1/2 or 37 1/2 laps to go out of them. Therefore, (37 1/2)/50 is the fractional part of the race remaining. This is equivalent to 3/4, which is answer C.
100
As a result, librarians must now be proficient curators of electronic information, compiling, catalog, and updating these collections.
A. No change
B. librarians cataloging
C. to catalog
D. cataloging
D
The "-ing" suffix means the verb's action is continuous/progressive. The librarians in this sentence, due to new technology, will always have new things to catalog. B is incorrect because the subject performing the action of cataloging hasn't changed since it was introduced earlier in the sentence.
100
The amount of energy used by a light, in kilowatt hours, is calculated by multiplying the number of kilowatts of the light’s bulb by the number of hours the light is on. The expression 0.075x + 0.060y represents the total amount of energy used by two different lights, A and B, where x is the number of hours Light A is on and y is the number of hours Light B is on. What does 0.075 represent in the expression?
A. Light A has a 0.075 kilowatt bulb in it.
B. Light A has a 75 kilowatt bulb in it.
C. Light B has a 0.075 kilowatt bulb in it.
D. Light B has a 75 kilowatt bulb in it.
A
100
"There are almost certainly genetic differences that separate the rotation-resistant rootworms from their 25 normal peers, but what are they?"
In this text selection, “separate” most nearly means
A) distinguish.
B) discharge.
C) extract.
D) scatter.
A
When you identify the differences between 2 things, you are distinguishing between them. The differences would show how one thing is "separate" from the other.
200
The revolution in art has not lost its steam; it ____ on as fiercely as ever.
A. trudges
B. meanders
C. edges
D. ambles
E. rages
What is E. rages?
"as ever" indicates that things have not changed, so the two halves of the sentence need to say similar things.
So, if the revolution has not lost its steam, it will be going on as strongly as before. Therefore rages is the best word.
200
If x ≠ 2y, then
A) 2(x-2y)
B) 2y-x
C) 1
D) 0
E) -2
What is E) -2?
Both fractions each = -1, so adding -1 twice gives an answer of -2.
200
Some people buy organic food because they believe organically grown crops are more nutritious and safer for consumption than the people who purchase their conventionally grown counterparts, which are usually produced with pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.
A. NO CHANGE
B. the purchase of
C. purchasing
D. OMIT (delete the underlined portion)
D
Including the underlined portion would suggest that organic crops are safer that eating the people that buy non-organic crops, when the sentence is clearly trying to compare the health benefits of eating organic vs. eating non-organic crops. B & C are incorrect because they compare eating organic to buying non-organic.
200
A banquet hall is divided into two sections that both have tables with chairs arranged around them. In the smaller section, there are 9 tables with 6 chairs each. In the larger section, there are currently 4 tables with 8 chairs each. More tables, each with 8 chairs, will be added to this larger section so that there will be 126 total chairs in the banquet hall. Which equation could be used to determine how many more tables, t, each with 8 chairs, are needed in the larger section?
A. (6)(4 + 9) + 8t = 126
B. 9(t + 4) + 6(8) = 126
C. 6(9) + 8(t + 4) = 126
D. (9 + 4 + t)(6 + 8) = 126
C
200
Written at a time when slavery was legal in the United States by Henry David Thoreau, “Resistance to Civil Government”
The mass of men serve the state . . . not as men mainly, but as machines, with their bodies. They are the standing army, and the militia, jailers, constables, . . . etc. In most cases there is no free exercise whatever of the judgment or of the moral sense; but they put themselves on a level with wood and earth and stones. Such command no more respect than men of straw or a lump of dirt.
As used in final sentence in the paragraph above, “command” most nearly means
A) order.
B) dominate.
C) overlook.
D) deserve.
D
Choice D is the best answer. In the second paragraph, Thoreau discusses men who blindly serve the state or government without considering how just their actions might be. In the context of saying these types of men “command no more respect than men of straw or a lump of dirt” (lines 22-23), Thoreau uses the word “command” to mean “deserve.”
Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because in the context of saying certain men don’t command respect, Thoreau means they haven’t earned it or don’t deserve it, not that they ordered, dominated, or overlooked that respect.
300
____ by nature, Jones spoke very little even to his own family members.
A. garrulous
B. equivocal
C. taciturn
D. arrogant
E. gregarious
What is C) Taciturn
He "spoke very little" and so he uses few words.
Therefore, taciturn is the best word.
(garrulous = talkative; equivocal = ambiguous; gregarious = sociable)
300
2^(4x+3)=4^(x-1)
What is -5/2.
300
Scientists have observed behaviors that suggest lemurs are skilled with ordered sequences, a high level cognitive traits known to be present in simian primates.
A. No change
B. sequences a
C. sequences, and a
D. sequences. A
A
The comma is used to transition from the independent clause that precedes it to the dependent clause that follows it.
300
The figure below shows the relationship between the percent of leaf litter mass remaining after decomposing for 3 years and the mean annual temperature, in degrees Celsius (°C), in 18 forests in Canada. A line of best fit is also shown.
A particular forest in Canada, whose data is not included in the figure, had a mean annual temperature of −2°C. Based on the line of best fit, which of the following is closest to the predicted percent of leaf litter mass remaining in this particular forest after decomposing for 3 years?
A. 50% B. 63%
C. 70% D. 82%
C
300
"Western governments and activists encouraged dissent and held out rewards for reform, such as membership in NATO or the EU or access to funds from international financial institutions."
In this text selection, “held out” most nearly means
A) resisted.
B) awaited.
C) avoided.
D) offered.
Choice D is the best answer. Lines 30-31 explain that one way democracy was supported around the world was that “Western governments and activists encouraged dissent and held out rewards for reform.” In this context, the rewards being “held out” (line 31) means the rewards being offered.
Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because the rewards being “held out” by Western governments and activists refer to the rewards being offered, not that those rewards were being resisted, awaited, or avoided.
400
The conclusion of his argument, while ____ , is far from ____ .
A. stimulating - interesting
B. worthwhile - valueless
C. esoteric - obscure
D. germane - relevant
E. abstruse - incomprehensible
What is E) Abstruse- Incomprehensible?
"far from" indicates the need for an opposite.
So, while the conclusion is abstruse (obscure, difficult to comprehend), it is not totally incomprehensible (not able to be understood).
400
If x2 - y2 = 48, the 2/3(x+y)(x-y) =
A) 16
B) 72
C) 96
D) 32
E) 64
What is D) 32?
The difference of two squares (x2-y2) equals 48, and the factors are (x+y)(x-y), so we can just replace both factors in the second expression by 48 and multiply by 2/3 to get 32. This is choice D.
400
At the era of legal racial segregation, the Apollo Theater was one of the few settings in which hopeful African American performers could show off their talent.
A. No change
B. During the era
C. Before the era
D. At the age
B
The situation described took place throughout an entire historical era that last many years, not "before" or during ("at") one, single moment in time. Age and era have the same meaning, so it doesn't impact the choice.
400
[5(k + 2) – 7] / 6 = [13 – (4 – k)] / 9
In the equation above what is the value of k?
A. 9/17 B. 9/13
C. 33/17 D. 33/13
B
400
"How does one determine whether a law is just or unjust?"
In this text selection, “determine” most nearly means
A) establish.
B) regulate.
C) direct.
D) limit.
A
Choice A is the best answer. Lines 57-58 ask the question “How does one determine whether a law is just or unjust?” In this context, to “determine” whether a law is just means to establish whether a law is just.
Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because in the context of trying to determine whether a law is just or unjust, the word “determine” means to establish what the law is, not regulate, direct, or limit it.
500
In the Middle Ages, the ____ of the great cathedrals did not enter into the architects' plans; almost invariably a cathedral was positioned haphazardly in ____ surroundings.
A. situation - incongruous
B. location - apt
C. ambience - salubrious
D. durability - convenient
E. majesty - grandiose
What is A) Situation - Incongruous
The semicolon indicates that the second part of the sentence expands on the first part.
So, the second part tells us we are talking about the position or situation of a cathedral. And since the first part tells us that architects did not pay attention to the situation, the cathedral was positioned randomly in odd (incongruous) surroundings.
(incongruous = not matching, odd; apt = suitable; ambience = atmosphere, environment; grandiose = on a grand scale)
500
What is f(2) for the graph of f(x) below?
Asking for the value of f(2) is just a way of saying “what does y equal when x=2 ?” So you look for when x=2 . On the graph, we have the point (2,1/2) . Note that exact numbers are not provided in the graph, but standard practice indicates that each tick mark is one unit. So we moved 2 tick marks to the right, and then the line crosses through a point on the y axis between 0 and 1. Therefore, f(2) is equal to 1/2 .
500
Videoconferencing is a technology allowing for people in different locations to hold face-to-face meetings.
A. No change
B. while allowing
C. that allows
D. allowed by
C
"Allow" has two meanings. 1. to grant permission. 2. to enable a possibility. A and D suggest the technology or the people is granting permission for videoconferencing tech to connect people face-to-face. C uses the correct, second meaning.
500
If 1/2 x + 1/3 y = 4, what is the value of 3x + 2y?
24
500
Species today are vanishing in such great numbers — many from hunting and habitat destruction — that the trend has been called a sixth mass extinction, an event on par with such die-offs as the one that befell the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.
In this text selection, “great” most nearly means
A) lofty.
B) wonderful.
C) large.
D) intense.
C
Choice C is the best answer. Lines 37-40 state that “species today are vanishing at such great numbers” that the loss of these species is considered a “sixth mass extinction.” In this context, there is a “great,” or large, number of species at risk of extinction.
Choice A, B, and D are incorrect because in this context, “great,” does not mean lofty, wonderful, or intense.