ARCO Master the GRE 2009

625 Pages·2008·4.02 MB·English

by  Mark A Stewart

Peterson’s
M
ASTER THE
GRE
T
2009
Mark Alan Stewart
AnARCOBook
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OTHER RECOMMENDED TITLES
Peterson’s 30 Days to the GREt
Peterson’s GREt/GMATt Math Review
Contents
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Before You Begin ........................................... xi
How This Book Is Organized ............................ xi
Special Study Features .................................. xi
About This Book’s Format .............................. xii
About the CD ......................................... xii
You’re Well on Your Way to Success .................... xiii
Give Us Your Feedback ............................... xiii
Top 10 Strategies to Raise Your Score ................... xiv
PART I: GRE BASICS
1 All About the General GRE............................. 3
The GRE Structure and Testing Format .................. 3
Your GRE Scores ....................................... 5
Scoring Your Practice Tests—Quantitative Reasoning
and Verbal Reasoning ................................ 6
Taking the GRE Computer-Based Test ................... 9
GRE Availability and Registration ...................... 17
General Test-Taking Tips ............................... 19
Summing It Up ........................................ 22
2 GRE Questions—A First Look.......................... 23
A Review of the GRE .................................. 23
The Analytical Writing Section ......................... 23
The Quantitative Reasoning Section .................... 26
The Verbal Reasoning Section .......................... 33
Summing It Up ........................................ 41
PART II: DIAGNOSING STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES
3 Practice Test 1: Diagnostic ............................ 51
Analytical Writing ..................................... 52
Quantitative Reasoning ................................ 54
Verbal Reasoning....................................... 60
Answer Key and Explanations .......................... 68
vi Contents
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.PART III: ANALYTICAL WRITING
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.4 The Issue Task ....................................... 83
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. Key Facts About the GRE Issue Task ................... 83
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. The 7-Step Plan ....................................... 84
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5 Tips for Scoring High ................................. 90
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. Issue Task Strategies .................................. 98
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. Summing It Up ....................................... 101
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.5 The Argument Task................................. 103
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. Key Facts About the GRE Argument Task .............. 103
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. The 7-Step Plan ...................................... 104
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Tips for Spotting Common Reasoning Flaws............. 111
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. Argument Task Strategies ............................. 120
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. Summing It Up ....................................... 123
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.6 Writing Style and Mechanics ....................... 125
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. Use Rhetorical Words and Phrases ..................... 126
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. Avoid Empty Rhetoric ................................. 126
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Use Irony as a Rhetorical Device ....................... 127
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. Use Punctuation for Emphasis ......................... 127
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. Connect Your Ideas ................................... 127
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. Use the Language of Critical Reasoning Properly ....... 128
.
Refer to Yourself, the Statement, or
.
. the Argument—As Needed ......................... 129
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. Maintain Proper Tone and Voice ....................... 131
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Vary Sentence Length and Structure ................... 131
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. Write Clearly and Concisely ........................... 132
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. Use Language Correctly and Persuasively .............. 133
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. Summing It Up ....................................... 135
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PART IV: QUANTITATIVE REASONING
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.7 Problem Solving ................................... 139
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. Key Facts About GRE Problem Solving ................. 139
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The 5-Step Plan ...................................... 140
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. Problem-Solving Strategies ............................ 146
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. The Data Interpretation Format ....................... 155
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. Data Interpretation Strategies ......................... 159
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The Numeric Entry Format (New) ..................... 160
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. Summing It Up ....................................... 164
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.8 Quantitative Comparison........................... 165
. Key Facts About GRE Quantitative Comparisons ....... 165
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. The 6-Step Plan ...................................... 167
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. Quantitative Comparison Strategies ................... 171
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Summing It Up ....................................... 176
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Contents vii
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9 Math Review: Number Forms, .
Relationships, and Sets............................. 177 .
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Percents, Fractions, and Decimals ..................... 178 .
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Simplifying and Combining Fractions .................. 180
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Decimal Place Values and Operations .................. 183 .
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Simple Percent Problems .............................. 185 .
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Percent Increase and Decrease ........................ 186 .
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Ratios and Proportion ................................. 187
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Altering Fractions and Ratios ......................... 189 .
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Ratios with More Than Two Quantities ................. 191 .
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Proportion Problems with Variables .................... 192 .
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Arithmetic Mean, Median, Mode, and Range ............ 192
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Standard Deviation ................................... 198 .
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Arithmetic Sequences ................................. 199 .
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Geometric Sequences ................................. 200 .
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Permutations ......................................... 202
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Combinations ........................................ 203 .
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Probability ........................................... 204 .
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Summing It Up ....................................... 208 .
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10 Math Review: Number Theory and Algebra........ 209 .
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Basic Properties of Numbers .......................... 210 .
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Factors, Multiples, and Divisibility ..................... 212
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Prime Numbers and Prime Factorization ............... 214 .
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Exponents (Powers) ................................... 215 .
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Roots and Radicals ................................... 219 .
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Linear Equations with One Variable ................... 223
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Linear Equations with Two Variables .................. 226 .
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Linear Equations That Cannot Be Solved ............... 231 .
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Factorable Quadratic Expressions with One Variable .... 232 .
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Nonlinear Equations with Two Variables ............... 236
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Solving Algebraic Inequalities ......................... 237 .
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Weighted Average Problems ........................... 238 .
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Currency Problems ................................... 239 .
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Mixture Problems .................................... 240
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Investment Problems ................................. 240 .
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Problems of Rate of Production and Rate of Travel ...... 241 .
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Problems Involving Overlapping Sets .................. 245 .
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Summing It Up ....................................... 247
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11 Math Review: Geometry............................ 249 .
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Lines and Angles ..................................... 250
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Triangles ............................................. 253 .
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Isosceles and Equilateral Triangles .................... 257 .
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Rectangles, Squares, and Parallelograms ............... 259 .
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Circles ............................................... 266
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Advanced Circle Problems ............................. 267 .
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Polygons ............................................. 274 .
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viii Contents
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Cubes and Other Rectangular Solids ................... 276
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. Cylinders ............................................ 278
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. Coordinate Signs and the Four Quadrants .............. 280
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. Defining a Line on the Coordinate Plane ............... 281
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Graphing a Line on the Coordinate Plane .............. 284
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. Coordinate Geometry ................................. 286
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. Midpoint and Distance Formulas ...................... 289
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. Summing It Up ....................................... 291
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.PART V: VERBAL REASONING
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.12 Analogies .......................................... 295
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. Key Facts About GRE Analogies ....................... 295
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. The 5-Step Plan ...................................... 296
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Analogy Strategies .................................... 299
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. Analogy Categories You Should Know .................. 305
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. Summing It Up ....................................... 317
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.13 Sentence and Complex Text Completions........... 319
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. Key Facts About Sentence Completions ................. 320
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. Key Facts About Complex Text Completions ............ 320
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The 5-Step Plan (Sentence Completions) ................ 321
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. Sentence Completion Strategies ........................ 325
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. Structural Clues for Completing Sentences ............. 329
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. Complex Text Completions (New) ...................... 333
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The 4-Step Plan (Complex Text Completions) ........... 333
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. Find the Logical Connections........................... 337
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. Complex Text Completion Strategies ................... 340
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. Summing It Up ....................................... 342
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.14 Reading Comprehension ........................... 343
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. Interactive Reading: The Key to Reading
. Comprehension .................................... 343
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. The 7-Step Plan....................................... 344
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. Interactive Reading Strategies ......................... 349
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Question Types........................................ 354
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. GRE Test Designers’ Top 10 Wrong-Answer Ploys ....... 368
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. Checklist for Understanding GRE Reading Passages .... 369
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. Checklist for Answering GRE Reading Questions ........ 370
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Summing It Up ....................................... 371
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.15 Antonyms and GRE Vocabulary .................... 373
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Key Facts About GRE Antonyms ....................... 373
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. The 5-Step Plan (Antonyms) ........................... 374
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. Antonym Strategies ................................... 377
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. How the GRE Tests Your Vocabulary ................... 382
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How the Test Designers Choose Vocabulary for the GRE . 383
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. Primary GRE Vocabulary Resources .................... 386
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Contents ix
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Strategies for Building a GRE Vocabulary .............. 387
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Summing It Up ....................................... 390 .
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PART VI: FIVE PRACTICE TESTS .
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Practice Test 2............................................. 399 .
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Analytical Writing .................................... 399
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Verbal Reasoning ..................................... 401 .
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Quantitative Reasoning ............................... 407 .
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Answer Key and Explanations ......................... 415 .
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Practice Test 3............................................. 431 .
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Analytical Writing .................................... 431 .
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Quantitative Reasoning ............................... 433
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Verbal Reasoning ..................................... 441 .
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Answer Key and Explanations ......................... 447 .
.
Practice Test 4............................................. 463 .
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Analytical Writing .................................... 463 .
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Verbal Reasoning ..................................... 465 .
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Quantitative Reasoning ............................... 471
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Answer Key and Explanations ......................... 480 .
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Practice Test 5............................................. 497
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Analytical Writing .................................... 497 .
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Quantitative Reasoning ............................... 499 .
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Verbal Reasoning ..................................... 507 .
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Answer Key and Explanations ......................... 513
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Practice Test 6............................................. 529 .
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Analytical Writing .................................... 529
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Verbal Reasoning ..................................... 531 .
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Quantitative Reasoning ............................... 537 .
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Answer Key and Explanations ......................... 545 .
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APPENDIX
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Vocabulary List ........................................... 557 .
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About the Author ......................................... 597 .
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