Source: Official Guide Revised GRE 1st Ed. Part 4; Set 5; #8
Overlarge, uneven, and ultimately disappointing, the retrospective exhibition
Kang Wang
If we pretend "limited" and "circumscribed" were not in the answer choices, can we choose prosaic?
Nov 14, 2019 • Comment
Adam
Hi Kang,
No, prosaic doesn't really fit this context. It means basic or commonplace, but this painter had "real" talents. Common people don't have art exhibitions in their honor :) So prosaic is too negative here.
Second, I like to think of prosaic as meaning "the opposite of poetic." But we wouldn't describe someone's talents as poetic. In the same way, it doesn't really make sense to call talents prosaic either, that is, un-poetic.
Hopefully that clears things up a bit :)
Nov 23, 2019 • Reply
Michael Babalola
Why doesn't partial work in this case?
Jul 9, 2019 • Comment
Adam
Hey there!
The word "partial" doesn't really work when used to describe talents. It means something like "incomplete," or just part of the whole. But are anyone's talents complete? And what is the "whole" talent? So that's why we don't describe talents as whole or only partial. Further, "limited" and "circumscribed" match each other much better.
Hope that helps!
Jul 21, 2019 • Reply
Ankur Sharma
from your explanation above-
"There is no reason to assume that the blank should contrast with these words. We don't have a shift or contrast word in this sentence, so we have to choose words that agree with this idea that the exhibition was not that great"
is this always follow? means if we have shift word then the idea will change, otherwise, it will follow the same pattern. right ?
Oct 23, 2017 • Comment
Adam
Hi Ankur,
Yes, that's true. Contrasts or shifts in TCs will always be indicated by shift words or phrases. Of course, these can become quite subtle, but most of the time they're quite clear. You can read more about these here:
https://magoosh.com/gre/2015/shift-words-and-phrases-on-the-gre/
Oct 24, 2017 • Reply
VAIBHAV KHOBRAGADE
i couldn't get this question "Overlarge, uneven, and ultimately disappointing". why we can not select hidden/ Undiscovered.
Sep 6, 2016 • Comment
Adam
Hi,
These three words that describe the exhibition are all negative. That implies that the artists aren't very good, not that they are hidden or undiscovered. Thus we should choose words that describe the artists as not very good.
Sep 6, 2016 • Reply
Rajat Kathuria
Aren't the first three words modifying 'exhibition'; essentially, implying that delayed ('retrospective'?!) event is to honour the artist. If yes, why is it incorrect to interpret the blank as something positive for the painter e.g. Hidden/undiscovered?
Dec 25, 2013 • Comment
Hi Rajat! I can see where you got a little confused. First off, "retrospective" doesn't mean "delayed." It merely means looking back at an artists work. (Here is a more official definition:"an exhibition or compilation showing the development of the work of a particular artist over a period of time").
Next, you are correct that those first three words are modifying exhibition and those three words are pretty negative. There is no reason to assume that the blank should contrast with these words. We don't have a shift or contrast word in this sentence, so we have to choose words that agree with this idea that the exhibition was not that great. The writer seems to imply that the expectations for the exhibition were high, and the actual exhibition was pretty disappointing.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you need more of an explanation. :)
Dec 28, 2013 • Reply
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Official GRE Material
Official Guide Revised GRE 1st Ed.
Official Guide Revised GRE 2nd Ed.
Set 5. Discrete Questions: Hard
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