Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Analogies 56 - 60

56). EXORBITANT:MODERATION::

(A) dispassionate:equanimity
(B) macabre:interest
(C) perfidious:loyalty
(D) brilliant:gullibility
(E) lavish:extravagance

57). ARTICULATE:MURKY::

(A) credulous:amiable
(B) desiccated:moist
(C) formidable:dark
(D) derelict:neglectful
(E) opaque:milky

58). FERTILIZE:GROW::

(A) immunize:resist
(B) nourish:enrich
(C) heat:burn
(D) graft:multiply
(E) prune:dwarf

59). ENDORSE:CANDIDATE::

(A) sign:affidavit
(B) endure:trial
(C) idolize:celebrity
(D) espouse:idea
(E) devise:plan

60). MARATHON:RACE::

(A) victory:competition
(B) sprint:finish
(C) filibuster:speech
(D) novel:author
(E) deposition:question

Answers --

56). Best ans is C -- X lacks Y
Exhorbitant will lack moderation, and perfidious will lack loyalty.

57). Correct - Ans is B -- Something that is described as X cannot be Y. Something that is "articulate" is "clear" and "distinct," whereas something that is "murky" is "unclear" or "vague." To answer this question, look for an answer choice that contains two words that are antonyms.
The adjective "desiccated" is used to describe something that has "dried up from a lack of moisture," which is the opposite of "moist," so answer choice B is correct.
Someone who is "credulous," or "naive" and "easy to deceive," may or may not be "amiable," or "friendly," so answer choice A is incorrect. Answer choices C, D, and E are incorrect because they each contain two words that are similar in meaning.

58). A is the best choice -- X helps to Y.
As fertilize is to help to grow, so immunize is strength to resist.

59). D is the best choice -- People X a Y that is being considered for something if they support it.
People often "endorse," or "give support to," a "candidate" who is being "considered for" something."Espouse" is a synonym of "endorse"; therefore, answer choice D is correct because people will "espouse" an "idea" that they support. To "endorse" can also mean "to sign," but people "sign" an "affidavit" to "swear" that something is true, so answer choice A is incorrect. To "endure" means "to put up with" or "suffer through," not "support," so answer choice B is incorrect. Although people may "idolize" a "celebrity," a "celebrity" is not a person or cause that is being "considered for" something, so answer choice C is incorrect. People may "devise" a "plan," but to "devise" does not mean to "support," so answer choice E is incorrect.

60). Best ans is C -- X is a longer version of a Y.
A "marathon" is a "long-distance race.A "filibuster" is a "lengthy speech," or a longer version of a "speech." A "victory" is a possible outcome of a "competition," but not a longer version of a "competition," so answer choice A is incorrect. Someone may "sprint" to "finish," but "sprint" is not a type of "finish," so answer choice B is incorrect. A "novel" is a "lengthy narrative," but not a type of "author," so answer choice D is incorrect. A "deposition" includes several questions (plural), but is not a lengthy "question," so answer choice E is incorrect.

Friday, November 03, 2006

Some more confusing GRE Words

Few discussed before at - Deceptive GRE Words post

Misapprehension - mistaken belief...... (Apprehension on GRE means feeling of worry or fear, other meaning for apprehension is understanding which is considered when considering the meaning of misapprehension).

Enervate - weaken; cause someone to feel drained of energy.

Deference - humble respect ..... (Defer means to put something off to a later time; OR humbly give in to....the latter verb form is kept in mind for the meaning of it as noun).

Confound - confuse

Fatuous - silly and pointless..... (adj form of noun fatuity which means foolishness)

Reproach - accuse of; express disapproval of or disappointment with.

Exorcise - drive an evil spirit from a person or place.

Cleave - stick fast to; become strongly involved with; divide or split .... (Cleaver on the other hand is a noun which means a tool with broad blade, used for chopping meat).

Invigoration - give strength.

Decried - publicly declare to be wrong.

Probity - honesty and decency.

Plaintive - sounding sad and mournful.

Complacent - uncritically satified with yourself. e.g - We must not be complacent about our achievements; there is still a lot to be done.

Complaisant - ready to please; obliging.; willing to please others or to accept their behaviour without protest.

Commensurate - corresponding or in proportion.