GRE Big Book Text Completion / Sentence Completion - 논리완성, 편입영어

13. In contrast to the substantial muscular activity required for inhalation, exhalation is usually a ------- process.

(A) slow

(B) passive

(C) precise

(D) complex

(E) conscious

-> "In contrast to" is a signal word. From this signal word, I can guess that the muscular activity is not required for exhalation. I think the characteristic of muscular activity is "active". So (B) is proper.

14. In contrast to the ------- with which the acquisition of language by young children was once regarded, the process by which such learning occurs has now become the object of -------.

(A) intensity. .fascination

(B) incuriosity. .scrutiny

(C) anxiety. .criticism

(D) reverence. .admiration

(E) impatience. .training

-> Only by using "in contrast to", we must solve this question. I think the first blank's sentence is opposite to that of second blank. But 

the sentence of the first blank is opposite to the second blank. (B) is proper. 

15. Before the Second World War, academics still questioned whether the body of literature produced in the Unite States truly ------- a ------- literature or whether such literature was only a provincial branch of English literature.

(A) symbolized. .local

(B) constituted. .national

(C) defined. .historical

(D) outlined. .good

(E) captured. .meaningful

-> The expression "questioned (A)whether ~~~ or (B)whether ~~~" means that (A) is opposite to (B). From (B)whether ~~~, you can guess the answers of this question. I think the clue is "only a provincial branch of English literaure". This means "literature of U.S. is derivative of English literature". I think the word meaning "main" should be put in the second blank. "national" is proper.

16. All ------- biological traits fall into one of two categories: those giving their possessors greater ------- the environment and those rendering them more independent of it.

(A) widespread. .detachment from

(B) beneficial. .control over

(C) successful. .freedom from

(D) neutral. .compatibility with

(E) harmful. .advantage in

->  A and C can be eliminated because their options for the second gap are too similar to "independent of the environment", and the sentence requires this gap to be filled with something which contrasts. D and E can be eliminated because a rudimentary knowledge of science tells us that the two categories in question are unlikely to be harmful or neutral to the possessor. B is the only viable choice.

17. Experienced and proficient, Susan is a good, ------- trumpeter; her music is often more satisfying than Carol's brilliant but ------- playing.

(A) virtuoso. .inimitable

(B) mediocre. .eccentric

(C) competent. .influential

(D) amateur. .renowned

(E) reliable. .erratic

-> The first blank is associated with the words meaning "positive" because of "good". So (B) and (D) can be eliminated. Due to "brilliant", the word meaning "negative" must be put in the second blank. So (D) is the only vialbe choice.

18. Species with relatively ------- metabolic rates, including hibernators, generally live longer than those whose metabolic rates are rapid.

(A) prolific

(B) sedentary

(C) sluggish

(D) measured

(E) restive

-> The objects, which are compare, usually have opposite characteristics. You must have this blank filled with something which contrast with "those whose metabolic rates are rapid ". So I think (c) is only viable choice.

19. Nothing ------- his irresponsibility better than his ------- delay in sending us the items he promised weeks ago.

(A) justifies. .conspicuous

(B) characterizes. .timely

(C) epitomizes. .unnecessary

(D) reveals. .conscientious

(E) conceals. .inexplicable

-> In the sentence completion, this expression -- "Nothing / Nobody / None (A) ~~~~~ more(better) than (B) ~~~~~ " -- indicates that (A) is similar to (B). So (C) is proper.

20. The philosopher claimed that a person who must consciously ------- his or her own indifference before helping another is behaving more nobly than one whose basic disposition allows such an act to be performed without -------.

(A) feign. .enthusiasm

(B) censure. .comment

(C) embrace. .duplicity

(D) suffer. .effort

(E) overcome. .deliberation

-> The objects, which are compare, usually have opposite characteristics. Therefore, a person (who ~~~) is opposite to one (whose ~~ ).

This is only my interpretation.

Let’s say that you see a man and woman hitting each other.

Person A sees this situation, and – without thinking – tries to stop the couple from hurting each other. Person A does not take even one second to think about any possible consequences if he “sticks his nose in their business.” In fact, Person A is always sticking his nose in other people’s business.

Person B sees this situation, and pauses to think before getting involved. Maybe Person B thinks this way: If I interfere, maybe the man and the woman wll get angry with ME! Then maybe they will hit ME! And I will be embarrassed when other people see ME getting hit. But I have to take the risk. If I do not step in, those two people might seriously injure each other. I have no choice. I have to do right – regardless of the consequences.

The “philosopher” feels that Person B is more noble because he has consciously made a possibly dangerous decision. Person A, however, did not think. He acts on instinct. For example, if a dog sees a cat, the dog immediately (and without thinking) starts to chase the cat. That is the kind of person that Person A is.

21. Her first concert appearance was disappointingIy perfunctory and derivative rather than the ------- performance in the ------- style we had anticipated.

(A) talented. .tenuous

(B) prosaic. .classic

(C) artistic. .mechanical

(D) inspired. .innovative

(E) literal. .enlightened

-> "rather than" is key. In the expression " (A)____ rather than (B)______ ", (A) contrasts with (B). The words opposite to "perfunctory and derivative" can be put in the blanks. (D) is vialbe choice.

22. In retrospect, Gordon's students appreciated her ------- assignments, realizing that such assignments were specifically designed to ------- original thought rather than to review the content of her course.

(A) didactic. .ingrain

(B) intimidating. .thwart

(C) difficult. .discourage

(D) conventional. .explicate

(E) enigmatic. .stimulate

-> The expression "rather than" means "contrast". So the second blank must be filled with something which contrasts "to review ~~" . "review" means "repeat", especially "old, banal". So I think (A) and (E) is vialbe answers. The assignments for originality may be profound. So I think (e) is proper. Something that's enigmatic is tough to figure out. So to perform the enigmatic assignments, students must think deeply.

23. Although the young violinist's ------- performance with the orchestra demonstrated his technical competence, his uninspired style and lack of interpretive maturity labeled him as a novice musician rather than as a truly ------- performer.

(A) spectacular. .conventional

(B) blundering. .artistic

(C) marginal. .inept

(D) steady. ..accomplished

(E) dazzling. .unskilled

-> "demonstrated his technical competence" indicates the positive word can be choosed for the first blank. So (B) and (C) can be eliminated. In sentence compeltion, "A rahter than B" means A is opposite to B. Thus, the word opposite to "novice" should be put in the second blank. (D) is proper.

24. She was criticized by her fellow lawyers not because she was not -------, but because she so ------- prepared her cases that she failed to bring the expected number to trial.

(A) well versed. .knowledgeably

(B) well trained. .enthusiastically

(C) congenial. .rapidly

(D) hardworking. .minutely

(E) astute. .efficiently

-> In sentence completion "not A ~ but B ~ " means A is different form B, especially opposite. And the reason for criticism should be put in the blanks. Finally, "so A~~ that B~~~" means A is the result of B. That she failed to bring the expected number to trial means she dealt with the cases less than she had to. In other words, the number of the case she did was low. So rapidly(C), enthusiastically(B), and efficiently(E) can be eliminated because they are related with "fast". So "minutely" is proper. This is becuase "minutely" can mean "the speed of work process is slow". 

25. Unlike the easily studied neutral and ionized ------- that compose the primary disk of the Milky Way itself, the components of the ------- surrounding our galaxy have proved more resistant to study.

(A) figments. .envelope

(B) essences. .fluctuations

(C) elements. .problems

(D) calculations. .perimeter

(E) materials. .region

-> In sentence completion, "unlike" means "opposition". The things that compose the Milky Way are opposite to those that surround our galaxy. So the word meaning "components" should be put in the first blank. So (E) is proper.

26. Far from being -------, Pat was always ------- to appear acquiescent.

(A) unctuous. .loath

(B) brazen. .reluctant

(C) ignoble. .concerned

(D) obsequious. .eager

(E) gregarious. .willing

-> In sentence completion, "Far from ~ing(A), S+V ~~~ (B)." means (A) is opposite to (B). In other words, the phrase "far from" indicates that the two parts of the sentence are opposite in meaning. Only A satisfies this. An unctuous person is one who is eager to please, by being servile or through flattery. Loath means reluctant to do so. I would say the answer is A.

27. He had expected gratitude for his disclosure, but instead he encountered ------- bordering on hostility.

(A) patience

(B) discretion

(C) openness

(D) ineptitude

(E) indifference

-> In the sentence completion, "instead" indicates that the two sentences are opposite in meaning. In the first sentence, "gratitude" means "attention". Therefore, "indifference" is proper.

28. Far from undermining the impression of permanent decline, the ------- statue seemed emblematic of its ------- surroundings.

(A) indecorous. .opulent

(B) grandiose. .ramshackle

(C) pretentious. .simple

(D) ungainly. .elegant    

(E) tawdry. .blighted

-> The expression "far from" indicates that the phrase "undermining the impression of permanent declie" is opposite to the expression " the _____ statue seemed ~~~ ". And the phrase "undermining the impression of permanent decline" means "flourish". So the negative word related with "decline" should be put in the first blank. Also, the phrase "emblematic of" suggests that the first blank may be similar to the second blank. So I think (E) is proper.