During a decade of (i)____, social scientists sought to (ii)____ the idea of the family as a healthy and stabilizing force, and replace it with the view that the family was (iii)____.
| Blank (i) | Blank (ii) | Blank (iii) |
| moderation | promote | moribund |
| conservatism | debunk | progressive |
| iconoclasm | iconize | paramount |
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Solution
Correct Answer: iconoclasm,debunk,moribund
Explanation:
The idea of the healthy stabilizing nature of the family is being replaced, and so we look for something negative for the last blank (‘moribund’ – dying). Now if we are getting rid of an idea the word we need is ‘debunk’ (to expose or throw out a wrong idea). If ideas were being debunked the decade was one of ‘iconoclasm’ (breaking with orthodoxy).
It cannot be denied that without creative reasoning it would not have been possible to (i)____ of classical physics. Yet classical physics has no contribution to make to the understanding of (ii)_____. This kind of (iii)____ is surprisingly common in logic as well as in life.
| Blank (i) | Blank (ii) | Blank (iii) |
| dispute the value | creative reasoning | circular reasoning |
| lay the foundations | other sciences | inflexibility |
| understand the basics | the arts | symmetry |
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Solution
Correct Answer: lay the foundations,creative reasoning,symmetry
Explanation:
The word ‘yet’ is the main clue. It indicates an opposite. Start with the first blank and eliminate choice A. You can also get rid of choice C since you can understand the basics of physics without creative reasoning. Now to form the opposite we can choose D for the second blank. Now we paraphrase what we have: creative reasoning was needed to get classical physics started, but classical physics can’t help us understand creative reasoning. Then we can select the final option. The statements we have so far are parallel constructions (a sort of symmetry) and are not inflexible.
Rock music has often been credited with (or decried for) containing (i)____ messages, purportedly to influence the minds of (ii)____ listeners.
| Blank (i) A. criminal B. overt C. subliminal |
Blank (ii) D. preordained E. unsuspecting F. covert |
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Solution
Correct Answer: C, E
Explanation:
This is easy if you know the meaning of ‘subliminal’: something below the threshold of consciousness. A subliminal message would influence people without them realizing. (Overt – open; covert – hidden; preordained – fated)
Taking antibiotics for a viral infection may, it is true, be ____ ; however, in certain cases a course of these drugs can actually ward off opportunistic bacterial infections.
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Solution
Correct Answer: ineffective
Explanation:
The word ‘however’ is an important clue. We infer that sometimes the action can be useful under some circumstances, but normally taking these drugs in this way is not effective. Thus there is only one choice (ineffective) since all the others have positive connotations.
An artist’s preliminary sketches are often a ____of a subject; on the basis of these sketches the artist makes a decision on his or her approach to the final painting.
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Solution
Correct Answer: reconnaissance
Explanation:
The preliminary sketches come before the final work and are therefore an exploration or ‘reconnaissance’ of the subject. (Caricature – cartoon; vignette – small sketch; pastiche – work compiled from varied sources; cameo – small portrait)
The (i)____ and virtuosity required of a jazz player make jazz seem to lack (ii)____; this apparently amorphous flow can make it hard for people with traditional expectations of musical stability to acquire a taste for this genre.
| Blank (i) | Blank (ii) |
| controlled playing | inherent structure |
| inventiveness | underlying rhythm |
| emotional distance | controlled emotions |
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Solution
Correct Answer: inventiveness,inherent structure
Explanation:
The word ‘amorphous’ means lacking shape or form. This is the clue to the second blank and using the clue we can take ‘inherent structure’ as something that would seem to be lacking in jazz. For the first blank we need something to reinforce the idea of lack of structure, and so we choose ‘inventiveness’. Also, ‘inventiveness’ contrasts nicely with the idea of musical stability.
It is a common complaint that people today have a short attention span. But is it that people are (i)____ if the television camera (ii)____ a view, or is it that the (iii)____ from one angle to another has trained the viewer to expect variety?
| Blank (i) | Blank (ii) | Blank (iii) |
| satisfied | lingers over | constant shift |
| fascinated | cuts short | delay in moving |
| impatient | rapidly changes | inability to move |
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Solution
Correct Answer: impatient,lingers over,constant shift
Explanation:
Working backwards, we can see that the viewer would be trained by variety (constant shift) to expect variety. Now the earlier part of the last sentence is meant to be a contrast and so we have the opposite of constant shift (lingers over) causing people to have a short attention span. People with a short attention span will be ‘impatient’ if the camera ‘lingers over’ a view.
| Blank (i) A. repudiated B. humbly accepted C. basked in |
Blank (ii) D. accolades E. opprobrium F. lack of interest |
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Solution
Correct Answer: C,D
Explanation:
Someone might become smug if they were over-pleased with themselves. Gerard would have become smug through too much praise (accolades) not lack of interest or opprobrium (contempt). If he is smug then ‘humble’ does not fit, nor does ‘repudiates’ (shuns). And so, finally, we have him basking in (enjoying) all the praise.
Although he was finally (i)____, the years of (ii)____ tore apart his social circle, ruined his health and (iii)____ his mind.
| Blank (i) | Blank (ii) | Blank (iii) |
| incriminated | dedication | sharpened |
| vindicated | self-doubt | deranged |
| acclaimed | suspicion | mellowed |
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Solution
Correct Answer: vindicated,suspicion,deranged
Explanation:
The word ‘although’ indicates opposite ideas in the sentence. If we get the meaning sorted first it might be that he was finally accepted/proved right (any positive word) after years of ‘bad things’ that tore apart his social circle and damaged his mind (two negatives for the last two blanks.) Attacking the two negatives first we can have his mind ‘deranged’ and either ‘self-doubt’ or ‘suspicion’ for the other. If we ignore the negative (incriminated) and take ‘vindicated’ (proved right) for the first blank then that would best match with ‘suspicion’. (It is unlikely that ‘self-doubt’ would tear apart anyone’s social circle).
| Blank (i) A. ostentation B. arrogance C. dissimulation |
Blank (ii) D. opulent E. libertine F. understated |
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Solution
Correct Answer: A , F
Explanation:
We need a pair of opposites because the preferences of the uncle and nephew are different. The uncle shows off and the nephew makes his wealth less obvious. Thus ‘ostentation’ and ‘understated’. (Dissimulation – hiding the truth; libertine – unrestrained, prodigal; opulent – lavish)