GRE Major Tests Chapter 12

Question 1

Apprehensive

Answer 1

worried

ex) The apprehensive parents kept their children indoors as neighborhood crime increased.

Question 2

Circumspect

Answer 2

cautious

ex) He found himself circumspect of dating a women he hardly knew.

Question 3

Discordancy

Answer 3

cacophony, harshness

ex) the discordant sound of the teacher’s high-pitched voice silenced the class.

Question 4

Fitful

Answer 4

not continuous

ex) When I visited the doctor, he was concerned about my fitful heartbeat.

Question 5

Inexorable

Answer 5

relentless

ex) Of course, the public is engaged by the inexorable rise in gas prices.

Question 6

Maverick

Answer 6

a loner

ex) He is a maverick at school.

Question 7

Parsimony

Answer 7

stringiness, cost-cutting

ex) Parsimony prevents man to spend money carelessly.

Question 8

Prosaic

Answer 8

dull, boring

ex) Students were yawning during the prosaic speech.

Question 9

Smorgasbord

Answer 9

a Swedish buffet of cold dishes, a huge mixture of different things

ex) Every morning the director has the first deal with a smorgasbord of problems.

Question 10

Vagrant

Answer 10

person wandering without a home

ex) The vagrant does not appear to work and frequently asks tourists for money.

Question 11

Arable

Answer 11

can be cultivated

ex) In a natural desert, there is no arable earth for farming.

Question 12

Circumvent

Answer 12

avoid

ex) How would you circumvent our old electrical system when installing our new oven?

Question 13

Discrepancy

Answer 13

something which does not match up

ex) When the store manager noticed a discrepancy in the inventory, he called all of his employees into his office.

Question 14

Flagrant

Answer 14

clearly wrong

ex) The basketball player committed a flagrant foul.

Question 15

Inexpedient

Answer 15

not advisable

ex) Because of his age it was inexpedient to inflict punishment for the crime.

Question 16

Meager

Answer 16

in short supply

ex) I cannot think of anyone who will take on the huge project for such a meager wage.

Question 17

Partisan

Answer 17

biased

ex) Newspaper have become increasingly partisan.

Question 18

Proscribe

Answer 18

forbid

ex) Most states have laws that proscribe texting while driving.

Question 19

Solace

Answer 19

comfort for grief

ex) The student took solace in music.

Question 20

Vapid

Answer 20

dull

ex) She did not take part in the vapid conversation.

Question 21

Arbitrary

Answer 21

random, for not definite reason

ex) He made an arbitrary decision to take the car.

Question 22

Clairvoyant

Answer 22

psychic, mystic

ex) If I was a clairvoyant, I could win the latter easily.

Question 23

Discriminate

Answer 23

to make a clear distinction

ex) My employee is a fair man who does not discriminate.

Question 24

Flamboyant

Answer 24

showy

ex) The immature singer was arrested for speeding in his flamboyant sports car.

Question 25

Infallible

Answer 25

perfect

ex) While you think you are infallible, you make mistakes just like everyone else.

Question 26

Meander

Answer 26

wander from side to side

ex) He started to meander about the village without any special purpose.

Question 27

Pathos

Answer 27

evoking sadness or pity

ex) The pathos of the movie caused me to leave the theatre with tears in my eyes.

Question 28

Prosody

Answer 28

study of versification

ex) Prosody is the study of the tune and rhythm of speech.

Question 29

Solicit

Answer 29

to ask for

ex) During the war, they looked to solicit help from their allies.

Question 30

Variegated

Answer 30

multicolored, speckled

ex) The meeting concluded with variegated opinions.

Question 31

Arcane

Answer 31

obscure

ex) The elderly teacher had an arcane way of teaching mathematics.

Question 32

Clamor

Answer 32

shout

ex) When I am working in my home office, my kids often clamor for my attention.

Question 33

Discursiveness

Answer 33

long windedness

ex) When the writer was drunk, he often talked for hours in a discursive manner.

Question 34

Flaunt

Answer 34

show off

ex) He loves to flaunt his flashy clothes because he thinks that he is super cool.

Question 35

Infamous

Answer 35

famous for something bad

ex) The singer is infamous for her indecent costumes.

Question 36

Mellow

Answer 36

soft

ex) He was in a mellow mood.

Question 37

Patron

Answer 37

One who give support (usually financial)

ex) He’s been a patron of this state for many years.

Question 38

Prostration

Answer 38

lying face down

ex) The medical test requires me to lie prostrate on the exam table with my nose pressed in the middle of the pillow.

Question 39

Somnambulist

Answer 39

sleepwalker

ex) My father’s somnambulist was interfering with my mother’s ability to get a good night’s sleep.

Question 40

Vehemence

Answer 40

violence

ex) The vehement debate lasted for hours.

Question 41

Archaic

Answer 41

ancient, outdated

ex) Because my archaic computer is no longer useful to me, I’am giving it away for free.

Question 42

Clandestine

Answer 42

secret

ex) At a clandestine meeting, the two spies exchanged secret information.

Question 43

Disdain

Answer 43

contempt, strong dislike

ex) I have so much disdain for cheaters.

Question 44

Flippant

Answer 44

making jokes about serious matters

ex) I mean you no disrespect so please forgive my flippant tone.

Question 45

Infer

Answer 45

deduce, conclude

ex) It’s difficult to infer how these changes will affect ordinary citizens.

Question 46

Menagerie

Answer 46

collection of animals

ex) A menagerie of rare creatures.

Question 47

Patronize

Answer 47

condescend to, behave in an arrogant manner towards

ex) I smiled at my friend, not to patronize him, but because I knew he was telling the truth.

Question 48

Protagonist

Answer 48

main character

ex) The protagonist was willing to give his life for the woman he loved.

Question 49

Soothsayer

Answer 49

fortuneteller

ex) I don’t believe what soothsayers tell me.

Question 50

Vehement

Answer 50

forceful

ex) The vehement debate lasted for hours.