Bigbook SC

GRE Verbal Problem Solving
1

GRE don’t understand question

Ironically, the party leaders encountered no greater ------- their efforts to build a progressive party than the ------- of the progressives already elected to the legislature. (A) support for. .advocacy (B) threat to … promise (C) benefit from … success (D) obstacle to … resistance (E) praise for … reputation

Correct ans: D

I struggled between option A & D

My interpretation is:

Ironically —> Overall the 2 ideas are contrasting

Party leaders building progressive party: _____
NO GREATER THAN Progressives already elected to the legislature build progressive party: _______

So 2 blanks must be the same vocab, and that shows “Ironic relationship”

If I say Party leaders build progressive party RECEIVE NO GREATER SUPPORT than ADVOCACY of progressives already elected in legislature —> We expect party leaders to gain more support —> but end up the same as the existing Progressives members —> Therefore “ironically”—> Sounds make sense
If I say Party leaders build progressive party RECEIVE NO GREATER OBSTACLE than RESISTANCE progressives already elected in legislature —> We expect party leaders to receive more resistance —> but end up the same as the existing Progressives members —>Therefore “ironically” —> Also makes sense

  1. That his intransigence in making decisions ________ no open disagreement from any quarter was well known; thus, clever subordinates learned the art of ________ their opinions in casual remarks.
    (A) elicited… quashing
    (B) engendered… recasting
    (C) brooked… intimating
    (D) embodied… instigating
    (E) forbore… emending

Correct ans: C

I struggled between option A & C

(A) elicited —> showcase a cause and effect relationship
Because intransigence in making decisions —> THEREFORE —> no open disagreement

For the 2nd vocab, I think both (A) quashing & (C) intimating are ok in the context. So why option (C) ?

2

For first question,
keep an eye on the word “already elected” . The irony is they should be facing challenges in building a progressive party but rather they are facing it from the already elected progressives. Hence D. Also both the blanks have negative connotations. So, even if you struggled between A and D, In option A, “promise” is not a negative connotation.

For the second question,
Understand the first sentence carefully, Stubbornness in decision-making --------- no open disagreements from any quarters. The blank gives a clear hint of tolerance. If you are stubborn then you tolerate no open disagreements.
Clever subordinates learned the art of… their opinion in casual remarks. They are like masking their opinion or subtling their opinion in casual remarks not defeating. Hence, intimating.