GRE Sample Test 4 Verbal Reasoning 2

This is a long sentence and the blank occurs in the middle, so paraphrase it. As you do so note that the phrase “even though” is a detour road sign that indicates a contrast. A good paraphrase is, “People smoke, even though nicotine has a effect on their health.” You are looking for a pair of synonyms that have a negative tone and mean something like “bad” or “harmful.” Choices (A) deleterious and (F) pernicious both mean “harmful,” so that’s the correct pair. Choice (B) addictive is a property of nicotine, but the sentence deals with nicotine’s harmfulness, not its addictiveness. Choices (C) anemic, meaning “weak,” and (E) benign, meaning “harmless,” are contrary to the prediction. Finally, choice (D) antagonistic, meaning “hostile,” is a tempting trap. While “hostile” is a negatively charged word, being hostile is not the same as causing harm.