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Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Verbal Reasoning: Text Completion Flashcards
50 question-and-answer cards covering Verbal Reasoning: Text Completion as it is examined in Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). 24 of them are printed below, taken from across the deck — no signup, no paywall on the preview.
24 sample cards from the Verbal Reasoning: Text Completion deck
Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.
Define the high-frequency GRE word 'pragmatic'.
Dealing with things practically and realistically rather than theoretically or idealistically.
Define the high-frequency GRE word 'iconoclast'.
A person who attacks or criticizes cherished beliefs, traditions, or institutions.
Define the high-frequency GRE word 'inchoate'.
Just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary, undeveloped.
Define the high-frequency GRE word 'pellucid'.
Transparently clear in style or meaning; easy to understand (or literally translucently clear).
Define the high-frequency GRE word 'venerate'.
To regard with great respect or reverence; to revere.
Define the high-frequency GRE word 'capricious'.
Given to sudden, unpredictable changes of mood or behavior; impulsive and fickle.
Define the high-frequency GRE word 'ubiquitous'.
Present, appearing, or found everywhere; omnipresent.
Define the high-frequency GRE word 'recalcitrant'.
Stubbornly resistant to authority, control, or guidance; obstinately uncooperative.
On the GRE, the word 'arrest' often appears in a secondary meaning. What is that less-common sense?
To stop or check (a process or motion)—e.g., to 'arrest' the spread of disease—rather than to take into custody.
On the GRE, the word 'qualify' frequently carries a nuanced secondary meaning. What is it?
To limit, modify, or moderate a statement (to make it less absolute)—not merely 'to be eligible.'
What is the secondary, GRE-tested meaning of the word 'economy'?
Sparing, restrained, or efficient use of something (e.g., 'economy of language' = using few words)—not just a financial system.
What is the secondary, GRE-tested meaning of the word 'discriminating'?
Having or showing refined, discerning taste and good judgment—a positive trait—rather than prejudiced.
What is the secondary, GRE-tested meaning of the word 'check' (as a verb)?
To restrain, halt, or hold in check (control/curb something)—not merely to inspect or to mark.
What is the secondary, GRE-tested meaning of the word 'temper' (as a verb)?
To moderate, soften, or counterbalance something (e.g., temper criticism with praise)—not to lose one's temper.
What is the secondary, GRE-tested meaning of the word 'novel' (as an adjective)?
New, original, or not previously known—not the book genre.
Why is mastering secondary and nuanced word meanings essential for Text Completion success?
GRE deliberately tests less-common senses of familiar words; if you only know a word's primary meaning, distractors exploiting the secondary sense will mislead you.
What is a 'word bank' in the context of GRE vocabulary preparation?
A personal, curated collection of target vocabulary words—with definitions, connotations, and example sentences—that a student builds and reviews systematically to retain for the exam.
Why is spaced repetition the recommended method for retaining a GRE word bank?
Spaced repetition reviews words at increasing intervals timed to just before forgetting, which strengthens long-term retention far more efficiently than massed cramming.
What is one effective technique for building a durable word bank beyond memorizing definitions?
Learn each word in context with an example sentence, note its connotation/charge, and group words by theme or synonym clusters so meanings reinforce one another.
How do synonym/antonym clusters aid retention and Text Completion performance?
Grouping words by shared meaning or opposition builds a network of associations, making recall faster and helping you recognize the precise nuance distinguishing near-synonyms in answer choices.
In a sentence using 'although' to open a clause, how does that clue shape the relationship between the two clauses?
'Although' signals contrast: the idea in its clause is set against (opposite in direction to) the idea in the main clause, so the blank should reflect a reversal of expectation.
If a sentence reads 'Far from being X, the policy was ___,' what charge and meaning should the blank have relative to X?
The phrase 'far from' signals contrast, so the blank should mean the opposite of X (opposite charge), describing what the policy actually was.
What is a 'semicolon' or colon often signaling about the relationship between clauses in Text Completion?
They typically signal continuation or elaboration—the second clause explains, restates, or supports the first—so the blank usually matches (rather than contrasts) the established idea unless a contrast word follows.
Summarize the complete recommended process for solving any Text Completion question.
1) Read the whole passage for meaning. 2) Identify clue/signal words. 3) Predict each blank in your own words with the correct charge. 4) Start with the anchor (most-constrained) blank. 5) Eliminate distractors by comparing choices to your prediction. 6) Plug in choices and re-read to confirm overall coherence.
What this deck covers
The Verbal Reasoning: Text Completion deck follows the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Verbal Reasoning: Text Completion syllabus — 3 chapters and 10 topics — so questions land on material that is genuinely examinable rather than trivia around it. That works out to roughly 16.7 cards per chapter.
Answers are written to be recallable, not just readable — averaging about 126 characters, which is long enough to carry the reasoning and short enough to say out loud.
A deck like this earns its keep on the second and third pass. Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then use the cards to find the specific facts that have not stuck.
Verbal Reasoning: Text Completion flashcards FAQ
How many Verbal Reasoning: Text Completion flashcards are in this Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) deck?
50 cards. This page previews 24 of them, sampled evenly across the deck so you can judge the difficulty before installing anything.
Are these Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) flashcards free?
Yes. The preview here is free to read with no signup, and the full 50-card deck is free inside the Examius app.
What do the Verbal Reasoning: Text Completion cards cover?
They follow the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Verbal Reasoning: Text Completion syllabus — 3 chapters and 10 topics — so the questions track what is actually examinable.
How should I use these flashcards?
Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then drill the deck. Examius schedules each card with spaced repetition, so cards you keep missing come back sooner and ones you know drift further apart.