Try and practice the latest Admission Test : GRE-Verbal real questions & answers

Admission Test GRE-Verbal Exam Overview:

Admission Test GRE-Verbal Exam Syllabus Topics:

Admission Test Section One : Verbal Sample Questions:

1. Marie Curie was one of the most accomplished scientists in history. Together with her husband, Pierre,
she discovered radium, an element widely used for treating cancer, and studied uranium and other
radioactive substances. Pierre and Marie's amicable collaboration later helped to unlock the secrets of the
atom. Marie was born in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland, where her father was a professor of physics. At the
early age, she displayed a brilliant mind and a blithe personality. Her great exuberance for learning
prompted her to continue with her studies after high school. She became disgruntled, however, when she
learned that the university in Warsaw was closed to women.
Determined to receive a higher education, she defiantly left Poland and in 1891 entered the Sorbonne, a
French university, where she earned her master's degree and doctorate in physics. Marie was fortunate to
have studied at the Sorbonne with some of the greatest scientists of her day, one of whom was Pierre
Curie. Marie and Pierre were married in
1 895 and spent many productive years working together in the physics laboratory. A short time after they
discovered radium, Pierre was killed by a horse-drawn wagon in 1906. Marie was stunned by this horrible
misfortune and endured heartbreaking anguish. espondently she recalled their close relationship and the
joy that they had shared in scientific research. The fact that she had two young daughters to raise by
herself greatly increased her distress. Curie's feeling of desolation finally began to fade when she was
asked to succeed her husband as a physics professor at the Sorbonne. She was the first woman to be
given a professorship at the world-famous university. In 1911 she received the Nobel Prize in chemistry
for isolating radium. Although Marie Curie eventually suffered a fatal illness from her long exposure to
radium, she never became disillusioned about her work. Regardless of the consequences, she had
dedicated herself to science and to revealing the mysteries of the physical world.
When she learned that she could not attend the university in Warsaw, she felt___.

A) hopeless
B) annoyed
C) worried
D) none of the above
E) depressed

2. RESOLUTION:

A) denunciation
B) revocation
C) introduction
D) revulsion
E) vacillation

3. PLAGUE : MALADY

A) emblem: dialogue
B) timidity: coward
C) perjury: homicide
D) bystander: participant
E) anecdote: narrative

4. Mount Vesuvius, a volcano located between the ancient Italian cities of Pompeii and
Herculaneum, has received much attention because of its frequent and destructive eruptions. The most
famous of these eruptions occurred in A. D. 79. The volcano had been inactive for centuries. There was
little warning of the coming eruption, although one account unearthed by archaeologists says that a hard
rain and a strong wind had disturbed the celestial calm during the preceding night. Early the next morning,
the volcano poured a huge river of molten rock down upon Herculaneum, completely burying the city and
filling in the harbor with coagulated lavA. Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain, cinders, stone and
ash rained down on Pompeii. Sparks from the burning ash ignited the combustible rooftops quickly. Large
portions of the city were destroyed in the conflagration. Fire, however, was not the only cause of
destruction. Poisonous sulphuric gases saturated the air. These heavy gases were not buoyant in the
atmosphere and therefore sank toward the earth and suffocated people. Over the years, excavations of
Pompeii and Herculaneum have revealed a great deal about the behavior of the volcano.
By analyzing data, much as a zoologist dissects a specimen animal, scientist have concluded that the
eruption changed large portions of the area's geography. For instance, it turned the Sarno River from its
course and raised the level of the beach along the Bay of Naples. Meteorologists studying these events
have also concluded that Vesuvius caused a huge tidal wave that affected the world's climate. In addition
to making these investigations, archaeologists have been able to study the skeletons of victims by using
distilled water to wash away the volcanic ash. By strengthening the brittle bones with acrylic paint,
scientists have been able to examine the skeletons and draw conclusions about the diet and habits of the
residents. Finally, the excavations at both Pompeii and
Herculaneum have yielded many examples of classical art, such as jewelry made of bronze, which is an
alloy of copper and tin. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius and its tragic consequences have provided us
with a wealth of data about the effects that volcanoes can have on the surrounding areA. Today
volcanologists can locate and predict eruptions, saving lives and preventing the destruction of cities and
cultures.
_ ___have concluded that the volcanic eruption caused a tidal wave.

A) Scientist who study oceans
B) Scientist who study animal behavior
C) Scientist who study atmospheric conditions
D) Scientist who study ash
E) Answer not available in article

5. In 1892 the Sierra Club was formed. In 1908 an area of coastal redwood trees north of San Francisco was
established as Muir Woods National Monument. In the Sierra Nevada mountains, a walking trail from
Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney was dedicated in 1938. It is called John Muir Trail. John Muir was born
in 1838 in Scotland. His family name means "moor," which is a meadow full of flowers and animals. John
loved nature from the time he was small. He also liked to climb rocky cliffs and walls. When John was
eleven, his family moved to the United States and settled in Wisconsin. John was good with tools and
soon became an inventor. He first invented a model of a sawmill. Later he invented an alarm clock that
would cause the sleeping person to be tipped out of bed when the timer sounded. Muir left home at an
early age. He took a thousand-mile walk south to the Gulf of Mexico in 1867and 1868. Then he sailed for
San Francisco. The city was too noisy and crowded for Muir, so he headed inland for the Sierra Nevadas.
When Muir discovered the Yosemite Valley in the Sierra Nevadas, it was as if he had come home. He
loved the mountains, the wildlife, and the trees. He climbed the mountains and even climbed trees during
thunderstorms in order to get closer to the wind. He put forth the theory in the late 1860's that the
Yosemite Valley had been formed through the action of glaciers. People ridiculed him. Not until 1930 was
Muir's theory proven correct. Muir began to write articles about the Yosemite Valley to tell readers about
its beauty. His writing also warned people that Yosemite was in danger from timber mining and sheep
ranching interests. In 1901 Theodore Roosevelt became president of the United States.
He was interested in conservation. Muir took the president through Yosemite, and Roosevelt helped get
legislation passed to create Yosemite National Park in 1906.
Although Muir won many conservation battles, he lost a major one. He fought to save the Hetch Valley,
which people wanted to dam in order to provide water for San Francisco.
In the late 1913 a bill was signed to dam the valley. Muir died in 1914. Some people say losing the fight to
protect the valley killed Muir.
What did John Muir do soon after he arrived in San Francisco?

A) He put forth a theory about how Yosemite was formed.
B) He headed inland for the Sierra Nevadas.
C) He ran outside during an earthquake.
D) He wrote short stories for the local newspaper.
E) He began to write articles about the Sierra Nevadas.

Solutions: