Question One
We'll start off the first practice round with a three-blank question. Here it is:
'Fueled by a(n) ____domestic fan base and increasing international ____~, the Korean pop music scene has grown rapidly in the past decade. The music - high-energy pop accompanied by choreographed dance numbers - appeals even to fans who speak no Korean themselves. However, some popular groups release songs in Chinese, Japanese and English in addition to Korean versions, the better to ____their international fans.'
We're starting with a fast pitch here: three blanks is the most possible blanks you'll ever find in a Text Completion question. To answer, don't just start trying combinations of words. For one thing, it's really hard to hold all three words in your head at once. For another, it's not very time-efficient.
Instead, try using context clues to determine each blank separately and cross off incorrect answers as you eliminate them. Use that to whittle the answer list down to a manageable size and then start plugging things in.
Ready? Give it a shot - pause the video right now if you need some time to work on it. Okay, answer's coming up. Are you ready? The correct answers for the blanks, in order, are B, D, and H.
For blank one, 'grown rapidly' clues you in that this will be something positive about the fan base. 'Pernicious' is negative, so get rid of that. 'Idolized' also doesn't work, because the fans might idolize the performers; the fans themselves aren't idolized. So, you're left with only B for blank one.
For blank two, again, 'grown rapidly' tells you that this will be something good. The sentence draws a parallel between the 'domestic fan base' and the 'international ____', so it's a good bet that this word will mean something like 'fan base' or 'popularity.' If you look at the answer choices, 'orthodoxy' doesn't fit at all, so you can cross out F. 'Incidence' is a word that you use to describe how often something happens, not how many people are involved, so E is also out. The only choice left is D, and 'acclaim' does mean something like 'popularity' so this seems to fit.
For blank three, context clues will tell you that you want something like 'attract' or 'cater to.' 'Impugn' looks tempting because it looks like 'importune,' and 'importune' would be a fit for this blank. But 'impugn' isn't the same word - don't be fooled! 'Abjure' means exactly the opposite of what you want, so cross that off right away.
You're left with B for blank one, D for blank two, and H for blank three. Plug these three words back into the passage, and you'll see that they all fit and make it a coherent passage as a whole.
Question Two
Ready for the next one? Here you go!
'Despite her ____discomfort with the arrangements, Maria was actually thrilled to be seated next to Piotr; she just didn't want to show it.'
- Initial
- Perpetual
- Ostensible
- Intransigent
- Delineated
At least this one only has one blank! Try the same technique: first use context clues to see what you would plug in the blank, and then look down the answer choices to see what you can eliminate. Pause the video right now if you need some time to work on it.
Ready for the answer? The correct answer is C.
Context clues in the sentence give you a clear hint that Maria's 'discomfort with the arrangements' was actually a façade: the sentence says she was actually thrilled but just didn't want anyone to know. So, the discomfort was an act - you want a word that somehow implies falsehood. 'Initial' doesn't fit that bill, so it's not a good fit. Neither do 'perpetual,' 'intransigent,' or 'delineated.' But 'ostensible' refers to something you show the world even though your true feelings might be very different. So, C is correct.