GRE TEST |ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
ANSWERS|BRAND NEW 2026-2027
UPDATE|GRADED A+
Question 1
It is refreshing to read a book about our planet by an author who does not allow facts to
be (i)__________ by politics: well aware of the political disputes about the effects of
human activities on climate and biodiversity, this author does not permit them to
(ii)__________ his comprehensive description of what we know about our biosphere. He
emphasizes the enormous gaps in our knowledge, the sparseness of our observations, and
the (iii)__________, calling attention to the many aspects of planetary evolution that must
be better understood before we can accurately diagnose the condition of our planet.
Blank i answer choices:
A. Overshadowed
B. Invalidated
C. Illuminated
Blank ii answer choices:
D. enhance
E. obscure
F. underscore
Blank iii answer choices:
G. plausibility of our hypotheses
H. certainty of our entitlement
I. superficiality of our theories
CORRECT ANSWER
A. Overshadowed
1
@THE STUDY VAULT
, E. Obscure
I. Superficiality of our theories
Explanation: The overall tone of the passage is clearly complimentary. To understand what
the author of the book is being complimented on, it is useful to focus on the second blank.
Here, we must determine what word would indicate something that the author is praised for
not permitting. The only answer choice that fits the case is "obscure," since enhancing and
underscoring are generally good things to do, not things one should refrain from doing.
Choosing "obscure" 7 clarifies the choice for the first blank; the only choice that fits well
with "obscure" is "overshadowed." Notice that trying to fill the first blank before filling the
second blank is hard — each choice has at least some initial plausibility. Since the third blank
requires a phrase that matches "enormous gaps" and "sparseness of our observations," the
best choice is "superficiality of our theories."
Question 2
In parts of the Arctic, the land grades into the land fast ice so ____ that you can walk off
the coast and not know you are over the hidden sea.
A.permanently
B. imperceptibly
C. irregularly
D precariously
E. relentlessly
CORRECT ANSWER
B. Imperceptibly
Explanation:The word that fills the blank has to characterize how the land grades into the
ice in a way that explains how you can walk off the coast and over the sea without
knowing it. The word that does that is "imperceptibly"; if the land grades imperceptibly
into the ice, you might well not know that you had left the land. Describing the shift from
2
@THE STUDY VAULT
, land to ice as permanent, irregular, precarious, or relentless would not help to explain
how you would fail to know
Question 3
Although it does contain some pioneering ideas, one would hardly characterize the work
as __________. (Select 2)
A. orthodox
B. eccentric
C. original
D. trifling
E. conventional
F. innovative
CORRECT ANSWER
C. original
F. innovative
Explanation: The word "Although" is a crucial signpost here. The work contains some
pioneering ideas, but apparently it is not overall a pioneering work. Thus the two words
that could fill the blank appropriately are "original" and "innovative." Note that
"orthodox" and "conventional" are two words that are very similar in meaning, but
neither one completes the sentence sensibly.
Question 4
It was her view that the country's problems had been _______ by foreign technocrats, so
that to ask for such assistance again would be counterproductive. (Select 2)
3
@THE STUDY VAULT
ANSWERS|BRAND NEW 2026-2027
UPDATE|GRADED A+
Question 1
It is refreshing to read a book about our planet by an author who does not allow facts to
be (i)__________ by politics: well aware of the political disputes about the effects of
human activities on climate and biodiversity, this author does not permit them to
(ii)__________ his comprehensive description of what we know about our biosphere. He
emphasizes the enormous gaps in our knowledge, the sparseness of our observations, and
the (iii)__________, calling attention to the many aspects of planetary evolution that must
be better understood before we can accurately diagnose the condition of our planet.
Blank i answer choices:
A. Overshadowed
B. Invalidated
C. Illuminated
Blank ii answer choices:
D. enhance
E. obscure
F. underscore
Blank iii answer choices:
G. plausibility of our hypotheses
H. certainty of our entitlement
I. superficiality of our theories
CORRECT ANSWER
A. Overshadowed
1
@THE STUDY VAULT
, E. Obscure
I. Superficiality of our theories
Explanation: The overall tone of the passage is clearly complimentary. To understand what
the author of the book is being complimented on, it is useful to focus on the second blank.
Here, we must determine what word would indicate something that the author is praised for
not permitting. The only answer choice that fits the case is "obscure," since enhancing and
underscoring are generally good things to do, not things one should refrain from doing.
Choosing "obscure" 7 clarifies the choice for the first blank; the only choice that fits well
with "obscure" is "overshadowed." Notice that trying to fill the first blank before filling the
second blank is hard — each choice has at least some initial plausibility. Since the third blank
requires a phrase that matches "enormous gaps" and "sparseness of our observations," the
best choice is "superficiality of our theories."
Question 2
In parts of the Arctic, the land grades into the land fast ice so ____ that you can walk off
the coast and not know you are over the hidden sea.
A.permanently
B. imperceptibly
C. irregularly
D precariously
E. relentlessly
CORRECT ANSWER
B. Imperceptibly
Explanation:The word that fills the blank has to characterize how the land grades into the
ice in a way that explains how you can walk off the coast and over the sea without
knowing it. The word that does that is "imperceptibly"; if the land grades imperceptibly
into the ice, you might well not know that you had left the land. Describing the shift from
2
@THE STUDY VAULT
, land to ice as permanent, irregular, precarious, or relentless would not help to explain
how you would fail to know
Question 3
Although it does contain some pioneering ideas, one would hardly characterize the work
as __________. (Select 2)
A. orthodox
B. eccentric
C. original
D. trifling
E. conventional
F. innovative
CORRECT ANSWER
C. original
F. innovative
Explanation: The word "Although" is a crucial signpost here. The work contains some
pioneering ideas, but apparently it is not overall a pioneering work. Thus the two words
that could fill the blank appropriately are "original" and "innovative." Note that
"orthodox" and "conventional" are two words that are very similar in meaning, but
neither one completes the sentence sensibly.
Question 4
It was her view that the country's problems had been _______ by foreign technocrats, so
that to ask for such assistance again would be counterproductive. (Select 2)
3
@THE STUDY VAULT
