Question

Although the lab assistant openly apologized for allowing the samples to spoil, her_______ did not appease the research head, and she was let go. A insincerity B frankness C falsehoods D candor E inexperience F hesitation

Short answer

Candor

Step-by-step solution

Understand the Sentence Context

Analyze the sentence to understand the context. The lab assistant apologized but the research head was not appeased, and she was let go. This implies that an honest apology (frankness or candor) was not enough.

Identify the Keywords

Focus on the keywords 'openly apologized' and 'did not appease.' This suggests that the assistant was honest, but honesty did not change the decision.

Examine the Answer Choices

Look at each answer choice to see which one fits the context of the sentence: A) insincerity - implies dishonesty B) frankness - implies honesty C) falsehoods - implies lying D) candor - implies honesty E) inexperience - implies lack of experience F) hesitation - implies uncertainty.

Select the Best Fit

Among the choices, B (frankness) and D (candor) both mean honesty. The assistant's honest apology did not appease the research head. Since both words are synonymous, either could work, but typically, 'candor' is used in such formal context.

Key concepts

Sentence Context

Understanding the context of a sentence is crucial for grasping its meaning, especially when dealing with GRE vocabulary questions. Here, the sentence gives us a scenario: the lab assistant apologized, but it didn't help her situation, and she was let go. This context tells us that even though there was an apology, it wasn't enough to satisfy the research head. This setup helps us understand that the type of apology is under examination.

Vocabulary Comprehension

To tackle GRE vocabulary questions effectively, one must comprehend each word's meaning thoroughly. Knowing a word's nuances will guide you to the correct answer. Vocabulary comprehension involves understanding not just the definition but also the connotations and typical usage contexts. For instance, 'candor' and 'frankness' both imply honesty, yet they carry slightly different formal tones and contexts. By grasping these subtleties, determining which word fits best in a given sentence becomes more manageable.

Answer Choices Analysis

Analyzing each answer choice is integral to success in GRE vocabulary questions. For this question, the choices include terms that emphasize various attributes of the apology:

• A) insincerity - This suggests dishonesty, which does not fit because the apology was 'open'.
• B) frankness - This implies honesty and directness.
• C) falsehoods - This suggests lying, which also doesn't fit as the apology was 'open'.
• D) candor - This also suggests honesty but in a more formal context.
• E) inexperience - This does not address the nature of the apology.
• F) hesitation - This implies uncertainty, which again does not match an 'open' apology.

Knowing how to analyze and eliminate choices based on context helps narrow down to the correct answer.

Synonyms

Recognizing synonyms is essential for GRE questions, especially in vocabulary exercises. Synonyms are words with similar meanings but may differ in usage based on context and connotation. Here, both 'frankness' and 'candor' are synonyms as they imply honesty. However, considering the sentence's formal tone, 'candor' is a more appropriate choice than 'frankness'. Learning to detect such subtle differences between synonyms will aid in selecting the best fit for the context provided.