Math Strategy Questions

GRE Verbal Problem Solving
1

Hi everyone,

In this segment if I interpret the second idea as “neutral” (“the topic it is meant to obscure” didn’t particularly strike me as negative) am I going wrong with my reasoning? Perhaps using semantics made more sense to me here.

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Here would it be wrong if used “seemingly” and “reality” to determine the contrast?

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In this one, I thought “In point of fact” (which to me is the same as saying “in fact”) was in contrast to the previous idea. Is “In point of fact” not the same as “In fact” (which is a contrasting phrase)?

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2

For the first.

It’s a choice to use the math strategy, when you do, consistency is whats important.

We’ve ascribed secrecy as a negative, so obscure will also be negative

The blank is a contrast hence will be positive
In the sense that it contrasts what was acribed negative

3

For the second one;

What additional information does seemingly or reality provide

Not much, if any at all

Those words do not provide the information required to figure out what’s in the blank

We would be able to figure out the blanks even if they weren’t there

4

In fact is a contrasting phrase,

And here it does serve that purpose as well

First we must be clear what is being contrasted

Before “in point of fact” is a semi colon. The second statement supports the first.

The previous statement states that something is not absurd; in fact…

What would contrast “not absurd”

What does not absurd mean - logical, reasonable, acceptable

We’d be looking for something that’s different from that.
When the statement says “is not even…”

It shows us that this thing is not only reasonable or acceptable, it is more

5

Ah I see. I actually didn’t know using semantics was not consistent with the math strategy.

6

Okay I see your point. So the contrast or support have to be pivotal words that provide insight as to how I can fill up the blank?

7

So the first idea is positive, the in fact acts as a contrast, then the second idea (with the blank) should be negative right? Or is the “even” here changing something?
I don’t think I’ve gone far enough into the course to know about “even” and what not.

Thanks for your replies Max; to me, this is one of the best parts of the website. Do let me know if I can make my posts better somehow. I will probably be posting often.