About Thomson PetersonsThomson Petersons (www.petersons.com) is a leading provider of education information and advice, with booksand online resources focusing on education search, test preparation, and financial aid. Its Web site offerssearchable databases and interactive tools for contacting educational institutions, online practice tests andinstruction, and planning tools for securing financial aid. Thomson Petersons serves 110 million educationconsumers annually.

Petersons.com/publishingCheck out our Web site at www.petersons.com/publishing to see if there is any new information regarding the testand any revisions or corrections to the content of this book. Weve made sure the information in this book isaccurate and up-to-date; however, the test format or content may have changed since the time of publication.

For more information, contact Thomson Petersons, 2000 Lenox Drive, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648;800-338-3282; or find us on the World Wide Web at www.petersons.com/about.

2004 Thomson Petersons, a part of The Thomson CorporationThomson Learning is a trademark used herein under license.

Chapter 5: GRE Word List is excerpted from The Insiders Guide to the GRE CAT.2nd Edition, by Karl Weber. Petersons, 2002.

Editor: Mandie Rosenberg; Production Editor: Megan Hellerman; ManufacturingManager: Ray Golaszewski; Composition Manager: Gary Rozmierski; Cover andInterior Design: Allison Sullivan; CD Producer: Carol Aickley; CD QualityAssurance: Jeff Pagano.

Contributing Writer: Keith Cox

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereinmay be reproduced or used in any form or by any meansgraphic, electronic, ormechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, Web distribution, orinformation storage and retrieval systemswithout the prior written permission ofthe publisher.

For permission to use material from this text or product, submit a request onlineat www.thomsonrights.comAny additional questions about permissions can be submitted by e-mail tothomsonrights@thomson.com

ISBN 0-7689-1432-9

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 06 05 04

First Edition

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ABOUT THIS TOOL KIT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VYour Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vStructure of the GRE CAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Does This CAT Have Claws? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1The Unique Petersons ApproachAdaptive

Preparation for an Adaptive Test. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

PART I: UNDERSTANDING THE GREChapter 1: Everything You Need to Know about

the GRE CAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Chapter 2: Section Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

PART II: DIAGNOSING STRENGTHS ANDWEAKNESSES

Chapter 3: Diagnostic: Dipping Your Big Toe inthe GRE Waters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

PART III: SECTION REVIEWChapter 4: Quantitative Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Take It to the Next Level. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106Chapter 5: Verbal Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Take It to the Next Level. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161Chapter 6: Analytical Writing Review. . . . . . . . . . 227

Take It to the Next Level. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245

PART IV: THREE PRACTICE GREsChapter 7: Preface to Practice Tests. . . . . . . . . . . . 256Practice Test 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258

Answers and Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271Practice Test 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282

Answers and Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294

Contents

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Practice Test 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305Answers and Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318

Chapter 8: Closing Remarks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329

PART V: APPENDIXAbout the CAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332

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About This Tool Kit

Your ToolsPetersons Ultimate GRE Tool Kit provides the complete package youneed to score your personal best on the GRE and get into your top-choiceprogram. Unlike any book previously published, this tool kit containsmany features that used to be available only to those who purchasedexpensive test-prep classes.

e-TutoringUse the CD to go on line to register for one-on-one math help from a liveexpert whenever you need it. Tutoring is offered using an on-linewhiteboard shared by you and the tutor, which allows you to communi-cate with one another in real time. However, if you prefer, you can submityour math question in writing instead and receive a written answer within24 hours.

The free tutoring offered with this product is limited to 30 minutes,although you may purchase more time if you need it. A written response toa submitted question counts as 20 minutes. The tutoring service isavailable for six months from the date you register on line. Note: Thee-tutoring service offered to purchasers of this 2005 edition will expire onJanuary 1, 2006.

This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for most of theyear. During the summer the service is available from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m.Eastern Standard Time. Due to low demand, the service is not availableduring several holiday periods, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter,Labor Day, and Memorial Day.

Remember, to register for this service, you will need the CD thataccompanies this book. You will also need to refer to this book to providethe access code when prompted.

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Essay ScoringThe CD that accompanies this book allows you to write 2 practice testessays on line and receive a score for each of them, which approximatesyour performance on the essays in the actual GRE. In addition to a score,you will also receive constructive feedback on your essays, including tipsto improve your score.

With this tool kit, you get scoring for 2 practice test essaysone analysisof an issue and one analysis of an argument. If you wish, for a fee, you mayobtain scoring information and feedback for additional practice essaysyou write on line.Note: Your practice test essays will be scored by a computer, but on theactual GRE test, the essays are scored by a combination of a computerprogram and a human reader.

To register for the essay-scoring service you need the CD that accompaniesthis book. In addition, you will need to refer to this book to provide theaccess code when prompted. Note: The scoring of 2 essays is offered freeto purchasers of the 2005 edition and this offer will expire on December31, 2005.

Computer-Adaptive Tests on CDThe actual GRE is a computer-adaptive test (CAT)the test questions yousee depend on your performance on previous questions. On the CD-ROM,which accompanies this book, you receive 3 practice GMAT CATs thatcarefully reproduce the experience you can expect on test day. Theadditional 3 practice tests in the book can be used for further practice.

About This Tool Kit

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STRUCTURE OF THE GRE CATTest Section Number of Questions Time Allotted

Computer-Based General Test

Analytical Writing 2 writing tasks 75-minute section

Present Your Perspectiveon an Issue

45 minutes

Analyze an Argument 30 minutes

Verbal 30 questions 30-minute section

Quantitative 28 questions 45-minute section

Paper-Based General Test

Analytical Writing 2 writing tasks 75-minute section

Present Your Perspectiveon an Issue

45 minutes

Analyze an Argument 30 minutes

Verbal 30 questions 30-minute section

Quantitative 28 questions 45-minute section

About This Tool Kit

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Introduction

Does This CAT Have Claws?Unless youve been living as a hermit in a hut for the past twenty years,chances are good you have already taken at least one standardized test inyour lifetime. And we bet the list of tests you might have taken reads like abowl of alphabet soup: SAT, ACT, ITBS, TAAS, MAT, and the PSAT/NMSQT, to name just a few. Standardized tests such as these have becomea fixture of Americas educational system, and like them or not, they arenot going away anytime soon. Students encounter them at every stage oftheir educationlike toll booths on the academic highway. Students ingrade school get the ITBS or a similar exam. Teenagers hoping to entercollege must pass through the SAT or ACT Assessment toll booth. Forthose brave folks who wish to enter graduate school, the exit is labeledGRE (Graduate Record Examination).

If you have taken the SAT, you will already be somewhat familiar with theGRE. Both tests are administered by the same company. Each test is atimed, multiple-choice exam that schools use as a factor when makingenrollment decisions. Like the SAT, the GRE has a Quantitative (math)section and a Verbal section, and many of the questions in these SAT andGRE sections are similar in style. For example, there are analogy, sentencecompletions, and reading comprehension problems in the Verbal section ofboth tests. Many of the math topics covered on the SATgeometry,algebra, understanding charts and graphsmake an encore appearance onthe GRE.

While these similarities exist, dont be fooled into thinking the GRE issimply another SAT. The GRE is more like the SATs weird older brother.Although you can see some family resemblance, some big differences arepretty obvious as well. For example, both tests have analogy and sentencecompletions problems, but GRE questions are typically much harder, sincethey employ a more advanced vocabulary. This is because the GREproblems assume a college-level vocabulary, while the SAT questions areset at a lower, high school level. This is just one reason why the GRE can be

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seen as an older brother, since it is geared toward an older, college-educated audience. The GREs weirdness comes from its unusual format.The SAT remains a pencil-and-paper test, meaning students across thecountry are still using chewed-up number 2 pencils to fiercely darken ovalson a score sheet. In contrast, the GRE is now primarily a ComputerAdaptive Test (CAT), so all questions appear onscreen and are answeredby using a mouse to click on an answer choice.

The GRE CAT is more than just a pencil-and-paper test transposed onto acomputer screen, and unless you have taken the GRE previously, it isunlikely you have ever experienced an exam like it. For one thing, themethod used to score the GRE CAT is radically different from most tests.Most exams start with easy questions, and then gradually progress tomedium and harder problems. People taking this type of test might get theeasiest problem wrong but still manage to answer the toughest problemcorrectly. In the end, the number of right answers is added up (regardlessof which question was answered right or wrong), and a score is eventuallydetermined.

On the GRE CAT, things are a bit different. How well (or not well) youanswer each question determines the next question. In each section of thetest, you start off with a question that has a medium difficulty rating. Ifyou get it right, the computer says, Okay, Brainiac, you handled that one,now try this tougher problem. If you get the next problem right, you geta harder question, and if you get that one correct, an even tougherquestion comes next. Depending on how you answer each question, thecomputer adapts the next question to make it either harder or easier thanthe next one. The way the computer adapts your GRE experience will bedifferent from what other GRE test-takers experience, so even thoughyoure all taking the same GRE CAT, youre not seeing the same problemsas everyone else. In the same way, if you get the first question wrong, youllget an easier one. And if you get the easier questions wrong, youll see aneasier question.

One consequence of the computer adaptive format is that getting a highscore means handling only medium and hard questions. The more difficultyour questions are, the higher your score potential, and vice versa. Andthere are no easy questions at the start of a section to help you get your feet

There are still some places, mostly outside of the United States, that offerpencil-and-paper versions of the GRE. For more information about theseexams, and about registering for the GRE in general, turn to theAppendix.

X-Ref

Introduction

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www.petersons.com

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wet. The first question will be somewhat difficult, and it may well be theeasiest problem you see on that section. In terms of your score, seeing onlymedium and tough questions tells you that you are getting problems right,which is good news. However, having to answer one challenging questionafter another makes the testing experience a really nerve-wracking,unpleasant affair, kind of like visiting a dentist who holds a personalgrudge against your gums.

The Unique Petersons ApproachAdaptivePreparation for an Adaptive Test

Test preparation is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Each person hasdifferent strengths and weaknesses, different quirks and anxieties. Wedesigned Petersons Ultimate GRE Tool Kit with those differences inmind. We provide a two-tiered approach that lets you decide how best toorganize your program of study to suit your needs. The first tier is thegeneral instruction in this book, and it provides skills and strategies youwill need to handle medium-level questions on each section. You then havean opportunity to Take It to the Next Level, and learn skills and strategiesfor the hardest questions on the GRE. No other GRE test-preparationbook does this. Its the next best thing to having a personal tutor.

Introduction

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How to Use This Book

How do you know where to begin? We give you a roadmap. After you readChapters 1 and 2 required reading for all GRE CAT takers, no matterwhattake the diagnostic pretest in Chapter 3. Use the scoring discussionprovided on pages 3233 to assess your current GRE CAT testing level.You can then either follow the suggested course of study we provide, ordesign your own.

Your personalized Petersons GRE course of study will help youaccomplish four things:

1. You will become thoroughly familiar with the computer adaptivetest format.

2. You will be comfortable with all question types you willencounter on the three sections of the test.

3. You will brush up on any weak subject areas.

4. You will learn and practice specific test-taking strategies to helpyou achieve your target score.

If you give yourself enough time to work through your personalized courseof study at a measured pace, you will accomplish all of these things.

Combining relevant factual knowledge with a sound strategic approach isthe best way to score well on any standardized test, not just the GRE. Thisbook will provide you with the facts and strategies you need to succeed onthe GRE. The first step is to learn about the computer adaptive format,covered in the next chapter. So, lets get started.

4

Understanding the GRE

Everything You Need to Knowabout the GRE CAT 6

Section Strategies 19

PART

I

PART I

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Everything You Need toKnow about the GRE CAT

Once upon a time, people who wanted to take the GRE (Graduate RecordExamination) and go to graduate school had to take a paper-and-penciltest much like the SAT they had to take to get into college. They had toshow up at a test center early on a Saturday morning with dozens of otherprospective grad students, all with their number 2 pencils sharpened, readyto fill in a lot of answer sheet bubbles and spend pretty much the entiremorning slogging through the test.

That was before the CAT (Computer Adaptive Test) came along andchanged everything. . . .

No more number 2 pencils, no more answer bubbles; the GRE worldchanged. Like anything new, of course, the GRE CAT takes some gettingused to. Most students have taken countless paper-and-pencil tests, butfew have taken a high-stakes standardized test in a computerized format.In this chapter, well help you get a grip on the world of computer adaptivetesting.

Why the GRE CAT Rocks!No one likes taking a big test and having to wait, and wait, and wait forthe results. The time between finishing the test and getting your score fillsyou with conflicting emotions. You might be confident one moment andfilled with despair the next. The doubt and uncertainty wont go awayuntil you finally get your scores in the mail, so the issue goes unresolved forabout a month.

With the GRE CAT, waiting for your score is a thing of the past. Once youfinish your test, you have the option to cancel your score. If you decide notto cancel, your Quantitative and Verbal scores appear on the screen. Voila!A wait of six weeks reduced to the time it takes to click one button.

Chapter

1

6

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This immediacy is the prime advantage of the GRE CAT. It lets you knowwhere you stand in terms of the application process and allows you to planaccordingly. Most schools release information about the average GREscores of their incoming graduate students, and some also include an ideaabout the range of scores by releasing factoids like, Over 90% of theincoming class of psychiatry students scored more than 600 on the GRE.If you wanted to go to that school, and you just received a combinedQuantitative and Verbal score of 750, then you know your GRE score isgood enough to get into that program.

If your GRE scores are not as high as you wanted, the immediate feedbackgives you a chance to shift to Plan B right then and there. You might decideto take the exam again, although you wont be able to do so for at least onecalendar month. (You can take the GRE up to five times in a single year.) Ifyou were only considering extremely competitive schools, you mightdecide to broaden your search and look at some schools with moreinclusive admissions standards. When your Analytical scores arrive, youwill also receive a form you can use to report your scores to additionalschools. (You can download this from the GRE Web site.) Knowing yourscores right away gives you a chance to react to them right away.

The second big advantage to the GRE CAT is that you can schedule it fora convenient time. Other big standardized tests, like the business schoolexam (GMAT) and the law school entrance exam (LSAT), are given atfixed times on fixed dates at fixed locations. If any one of these threefactors poses a problem for you, tough luck.

This rigidity is not a problem for the GRE CAT. Most test centers are openduring regular business hours, and all you have to do is call one up anddecide on a time that works well for you.

Note You dont receive your Analytical writing score immediately, since the

two essays must be graded by professional readers. You should get yourAnalytical results back in about three to four weeks.

Tip

Before you schedule your actual GRE CAT, make sure you complete yourpersonalized course of study with this book and take all the practice examswe provide. At that point, schedule an exam for two weeks in the future.Use the two-week interval to take practice CAT exams and write practiceesays using the CD-ROM included. Your skills will stay fresh and you willbe accustomed to taking the test on a computer.

Chapter 1: Everything You Need to Know about the GRE CAT

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In addition to the flexible schedule and immediacy of the test results, youcan also send your scores to schools automatically by filling out the propercomputer form before the test.

Why the GRE CAT Doesnt RockNo matter what the standardized test is, one fundamental truth alwaysholds true: The more familiar you are with the test format, the better yourscore will be. Familiarity with the test design allows you to focus moreattention on the questions themselves and expend less mental effort justfiguring out the test itself. This axiom holds true whether you are takingthe MCAT (medical school exam) or a third grade math and reading exam.

Now, answer this question: How many computer adaptive tests have youtaken in your lifetime?

Most people would answer none or one or two to the above question,but the real answer is, not enough to be comfortable with them. Theadaptive format is unusual, and this can work against your score. Mostpeople are already a little nervous about taking the GRE, and the addedstress of having to tap dance with the three-legged wonder that is the GRECAT only makes matters worse.

In addition to being stranger than a paper-and-pencil test, the GRE CAT isriskier. Heres why:

Typical Test GRE CAT What It Means

Every questioncounts the sametoward your score.

Earlier questions areweighted morethan later ones.

Minor mistakes atthe beginning havegreater negativeimpact.

You can skip aquestion that youdont understand.

Must answer eachquestion presented.You cant proceedto the next questionuntil you have sub-mitted an answer tothe current one.

Limits your optionsregarding a toughproblem you dontunderstandyoumust guess.

Can go back andcheck work forcareless errors.

Once the question isanswered and veri-fied, its out of yourhands.

Adaptive formateliminates the abil-ity to go back andcatch any mistakes.

Part I: Understanding the GRE

8

www.petersons.com

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If the GRE CAT were a pencil-and-paper test, you could begin with theeasy questions and skip over any questions that were too tough for you onthe first pass. On a second pass, you could review your work to catch anycareless mistakes, and devote time on those problems you skipped. Thissound strategy is no longer available to you, because of the adaptive natureof the test. Instead, you are thrown into the middle of the fray, and howwell you answer the first half of the questions posed to you goes a long waytoward determining your score.

This doesnt mean the adaptive nature will invariably lead to an unfairlylow score. You could be given an initial set of questions that plays rightinto your hands, like a hard antonym that you just happen to know thedefinition of or a particular type of math problem youve always beengood at. If thats the case, the weighted nature of the GRE CAT works toyour advantage. Either way, the GRE CAT is a riskier test because many ofthe fail-safes you have on other standardized testsgetting easy problemsfirst, being able to go back over the entire section and not just onequestionare not present on the GRE CAT.

So, yes, you get your score back super early, but if youre not ready for theadaptive format, it might not be the kind of score you want to get backsuper early.

Learning about the computer adaptive format will give you the opportu-nity to eliminate many of the negative aspects of the CAT while keepingthe good ones, so the rest of this chapter is devoted to just that.

Putting the Computer into the ComputerAdaptive Test

Take a moment and give an honest answer to the following question:

How would you describe your comfort level with computers?

In other words, do you feel your trusty laptop is like an extension of yourbody, or do you believe that computers are little more than mutanttypewriters determined to destroy the world? Take your time.

Whichever category you start out in, by the time you take the GRE CATyou need to be completely comfortable navigating through a computertest. If you start out already feeling good about computers, then it wonttake much time to get used to the commands used when taking the GRECAT. If youre closer to the