Answer all pls will make brainlist 1) On harder synonym/antonym questions, beware of trick choices. Can you spot the
trick in the following example?
Choose the best antonym.
RESTIVE
A) patient
B) rigorous
C) deceptive
D) active
E) cautious
The word, restive, is tricky, because it sounds like it has something to do with rest.
Therefore, D) active would be the best antonym. However, this is a trick. Restive
actually means restless. So, the correct answer is patient, a good antonym for restless.
It is beneficial to familiarize yourself with tricky words like restive, because they are
commonly tested on the SAT and GRE.
2) Take note of positively and negatively charged answer choices. It is possible to
associate a negative or positive charge with almost any given word. Try to discern
whether each word in the following list has a positive (+), negative (-), or neutral (=)
charge.
Choose the best synonym.
MALIGNED
A) beneficent
B) magnanimous
C) downtrodden
D) destitute
E) elegant
In the example, we are trying to find the best synonym for the word maligned. So, we
should begin by ascertaining its charge. The prefix, "mal" is typically used in negatively
charged words. Therefore, the answer will likely have a positive charge. Let's go
through the list to see how each word is charged. A) beneficent (+) B) magnanimous (+)
C) downtrodden (-) D) destitute (-) E) elegant (=) After labeling each, we are left with
two words that are positively charged: beneficent and magnanimous. Even if you don't
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know the meaning of any answer choices, you have narrowed your choices down to two
and are left with a 50% change of answering correctly. This is a quick technique that
can be very beneficial when attempting to answer a question with several words that
you are unsure about.
3) Eliminate answer choices that have no clear antonym. This technique only works on
antonym questions. So, this is a great technique for use on the GRE because it only
contains antonym questions (it doesn't contain any synonym questions). Consider the
words rounded or striped. Neither of these words have a clear antonym. While almost
every word has a synonym, remember that not all words have antonyms and eliminate
them first.
4) Eliminate answer choices that are close synonyms. Spotting synonyms within the
answer choices can be valuable because it allows you to narrow your viable answer
choices. If two of the answers have very similar meanings, then the correct answer is
too ambiguous. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate these choices. The SAT/GRE are
tough tests, but they always present one answer choice that is clearly correct. See if
you can eliminate two answer choices from the following example.
Choose the best antonym.
FOMENT
A) mitigate
B) engender
C) check
D) mollify
E) satiate
The words mitigate and mollify are close synonyms. The both mean "to reduce or soften
in pain or intensity, to make less severe." This leaves only three remaining viable
answer choices.
5) Try to associate the word with a familiar context. Words on the SAT/GRE are tested
for good reason: they are very effective. This being the case, they get included in many
proverbial phrases. Note the following examples: "Gail force winds," "The Village
Advocate," "Test your mettle", "Road to Perdition", "Patience is a virtue", "Abject
poverty", "He made it through unscathed".
6) Use your knowledge of Romance Languages. The roots of many SAT/GRE words
have similar meanings in foreign languages. For example, the Spanish word malo
means bad. This is a common root for many negatively charged words: maligned
malignant malapropos malediction malevolent malicious malefaction In addition, the
Spanish word bueno means good. This is also a common root for many positively
charged words:
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benediction
beneficial
beneficent
benevolent
benefactor
benign
But, be careful. Sometimes questions will attempt to trick the test taker by including
roots in words that belie their true meaning:
bellicose
restive
noisome
credulous
fulsome
adulterate
craven
precipitate
prosaic