Stewart Master the GRE 2010

648 Pages·3.981 MB·English

by  Mark Allen.

Peterson’s
M
ASTER THE
GRE
T
2010
Mark Alan Stewart
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Contents
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Before You Begin ........................................... xi
How This Book Is Organized ............................ xi
Recent and Upcoming Test Changes and This Book ...... xii
Special Study Features ................................. xii
Using This Book to Prepare for the
Computer-Based GRE ................................. xiii
About the CD ........................................ xiii
You’re Well On Your Way to Success .................... xiii
Give Us Your Feedback ................................ xiv
Top 10 Strategies to Raise Your Score ................... xv
PART I: GRE BASICS
1 All About the General GRE............................. 3
The GRE Structure and Testing Format .................. 4
Your GRE Scores ....................................... 6
Taking the GRE Computer-Based Test ................... 7
Registering for the GRE (United States and Canada) ..... 14
GRE Availability and Registration (International Testing) 15
The Paper-Based GRE (for International Test Takers) .... 19
Other GRE Policies You Should Know About ............. 22
The GRE Personal Potential Index (New in 2009) ........ 25
Obtaining Up-to-Date GRE Information ................. 27
Contacting the Testing Service .......................... 28
General Test-Taking Tips ............................... 28
Summing It Up ........................................ 31
2 GRE Questions—A First Look.......................... 33
The GRE’s Eight Basic Question Formats ............... 33
The Analytical Writing Section ......................... 33
The Quantitative Reasoning Section .................... 36
The Verbal Reasoning Section .......................... 43
Summing It Up ........................................ 52
vi Contents
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.PART II: DIAGNOSING STRENGTHS AND
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WEAKNESSES
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.Practice Test 1: Diagnostic
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. Analytical Writing ..................................... 62
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Quantitative Reasoning ................................ 64
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. Verbal Reasoning....................................... 71
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. Answer Key and Explanations .......................... 78
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.PART III: ANALYTICAL WRITING
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4 The Issue Task ....................................... 93
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. Key Facts About the GRE Issue Task ................... 93
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. The 7-Step Plan ....................................... 94
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. Four Advanced Techniques for Scoring High............. 100
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Issue Task Strategies ................................. 108
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. Summing It Up ....................................... 111
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5 The Argument Task................................. 113
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. Key Facts About the GRE Argument Task .............. 113
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. The 7-Step Plan ...................................... 114
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. GRE Argument Flaws—and How to Handle Them ...... 122
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Argument Task Strategies ............................. 132
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. Summing It Up ....................................... 135
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6 Writing Style and Mechanics ....................... 137
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. Use Rhetorical Words and Phrases ..................... 138
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. Avoid Empty Rhetoric ................................. 138
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. Use Irony as a Rhetorical Device ....................... 139
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Use Punctuation for Emphasis ......................... 139
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. Connect Your Ideas ................................... 139
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. Use the Language of Critical Reasoning Properly ....... 140
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. Refer to Yourself, the Statement, or the
. Argument—As Needed ................................ 142
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. Maintain Proper Tone and Voice ....................... 143
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. Vary Sentence Length and Structure ................... 143
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Write Clearly and Concisely ........................... 144
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. Use Language Correctly and Persuasively .............. 145
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. Summing It Up ....................................... 147
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.PART IV: QUANTITATIVE REASONING
.
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7 Problem Solving ................................... 151
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. Key Facts About GRE Problem Solving ................. 151
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. The 5-Step Plan ...................................... 152
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Problem-Solving Strategies ............................ 158
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. The Data Interpretation Format ....................... 168
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. Data Interpretation Strategies ......................... 172
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Contents vii
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The Numeric Entry Format (New) ..................... 173
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Summing It Up ....................................... 176 .
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8 Quantitative Comparison........................... 177 .
Key Facts About GRE Quantitative Comparisons ....... 177 .
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The 6-Step Plan ...................................... 179 .
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Quantitative Comparison Strategies ................... 183 .
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Summing It Up ....................................... 189
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9 Math Review: Number Forms, .
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Relationships, and Sets............................. 191
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Percents, Fractions, And Decimals ..................... 192 .
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Simplifying and Combining Fractions .................. 194 .
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Decimal Place Values and Operations .................. 197
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Simple Percent Problems .............................. 198 .
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Percent Increase and Decrease ........................ 199 .
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Ratios and Proportion ................................. 200 .
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Arithmetic Mean, Median, Mode, and Range ............ 205
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Standard Deviation ................................... 210 .
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Arithmetic Sequences ................................. 211 .
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Geometric Sequences ................................. 213 .
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Permutations ......................................... 214
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Combinations ........................................ 215 .
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Probability ........................................... 216 .
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Summing It Up ....................................... 220 .
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10 Math Review: Number Theory and Algebra........ 221 .
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Basic Properties Of Numbers .......................... 222 .
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Factors, Multiples, and Divisibility ..................... 224
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Prime Numbers and Prime Factorization ............... 225 .
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Exponents (Powers) ................................... 226 .
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Roots and Radicals ................................... 230 .
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Linear Equations with One Variable ................... 235
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Linear Equations with Two Variables .................. 238 .
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Simple Algebraic Functions ............................ 241 .
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Linear Equations that Cannot Be Solved ............... 242 .
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Factorable Quadratic Expressions with One Variable .... 243
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Nonlinear Equations with Two Variables ............... 247 .
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Solving Algebraic Inequalities ......................... 248 .
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Solving Algebra “Story” Problems ...................... 249 .
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Summing It Up ....................................... 259
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11 Math Review: Geometry............................ 261 .
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Lines and Angles ..................................... 262
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Triangles ............................................. 265 .
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Quadrilaterals ........................................ 271 .
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Circles ............................................... 279 .
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Polygons ............................................. 287
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Cubes and Other Rectangular Solids ................... 289 .
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viii Contents
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Cylinders ............................................ 291
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. Coordinate Geometry—the XY-Plane ................... 292
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. Summing It Up ....................................... 303
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.PART V: VERBAL REASONING
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12 Analogies .......................................... 307
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. Key Facts About GRE Analogies ....................... 307
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. The 5-Step Plan ...................................... 308
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. Analogy Strategies .................................... 311
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Analogy Categories You Should Know .................. 317
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. Summing It Up ....................................... 329
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13 Sentence and Text Completions..................... 331
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. Key Facts About Sentence Completions ................. 332
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. The 5-Step Plan (Sentence Completions) ................ 332
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. Sentence Completion Strategies ........................ 336
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Structural Clues for Completing Sentences ............. 340
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. Key Facts About Text Completions ..................... 344
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. The 4-Step Plan (Text Completions) .................... 345
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. Logical Connections for Completing Text................ 348
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Text Completion Strategies ............................ 352
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. Summing It Up ....................................... 353
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14 Reading Comprehension ........................... 355
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. Key Facts about GRE Reading Comprehension .......... 355
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. Interactive Reading: The Key to Reading
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Comprehension ....................................... 357
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. The 7-Step Plan....................................... 358
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. Interactive Reading Strategies ......................... 363
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. Question Types........................................ 368
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GRE Test Designers’ Top 10 Wrong-Answer Ploys ....... 383
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. Summing It Up ....................................... 384
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15 Antonyms and GRE Vocabulary .................... 385
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. Key Facts About GRE Antonyms ....................... 385
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. The 5-Step Plan for Antonyms ......................... 386
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. Antonym Strategies ................................... 389
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How the GRE Tests Your Vocabulary ................... 394
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. How GRE Test Designers Choose Vocabulary ........... 395
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. Strategies for Building a GRE Vocabulary .............. 398
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. Summing It Up ....................................... 401
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PART VI: FIVE PRACTICE TESTS
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.Practice Test 2 ............................................ 411
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. Analytical Writing .................................... 411
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Verbal Reasoning ..................................... 413
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Contents ix
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Quantitative Reasoning ............................... 418
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Answer Key and Explanations ......................... 426 .
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Practice Test 3............................................. 443 .
Analytical Writing .................................... 443 .
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Quantitative Reasoning ............................... 445 .
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Verbal Reasoning ..................................... 454 .
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Answer Key and Explanations ......................... 460
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Practice Test 4 ............................................ 477 .
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Analytical Writing .................................... 477
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Verbal Reasoning ..................................... 479 .
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Quantitative Reasoning ............................... 485 .
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Answer Key and Explanations ......................... 494 .
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Practice Test 5 ............................................ 511 .
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Analytical Writing .................................... 511 .
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Quantitative Reasoning ............................... 513
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Verbal Reasoning ..................................... 521 .
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Answer Key and Explanations ......................... 526 .
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Practice Test 6 ............................................ 543
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Analytical Writing .................................... 543 .
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Verbal Reasoning ..................................... 545 .
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Quantitative Reasoning ............................... 551
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Answer Key and Explanations ......................... 560 .
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APPENDIXES .
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A Scoring Your Practice Tests—Quantitative .
Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning .................. 573 .
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B Vocabulary List .................................... 577
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C Additional Resources for Graduate Admissions .
and the GRE ........................................ 613 .
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D The GRE for Admission to Graduate
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Business School..................................... 627 .
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About the Author ......................................... 627 .
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