sample questions for the revised graduate record examinations general test
reader’s script edition
important: the quantitative reasoning sample questions in this document are intended to be used with a figure supplement. a large-print (18 point) figure supplement will be available on the website where you obtained this script. a tactile (braille) figure supplement can be ordered free of charge from the ets disabilities services Office, phone: 1-866-387-8602 in the united states, u.s. territories, and canada; 1-609-771-7780 all other locations. e-mail stassd@ets.org.
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table of contents
(note: in this plain text (ascii) version, page numbers have been removed from the table of contents, as pagination will depend on print options chosen. instead, use the headings to search for the sections you wish to read. a "live" table of contents is available in the word version of this document, which is available from the website where you obtained this plain text version.)
changes in the general test
description of the revised general test
sample questions from the revised gre general test
sample test instructions
analytical writing topics
sample issue topic directions
sample issue topic:
sample argument topic directions
sample argument topic:
sample quantitative reasoning questions
answer key: sample quantitative reasoning questions
sample verbal reasoning questions
answer key: sample verbal reasoning questions
changes in the general test
the revised gre general test will reflect changes made to the verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing measures. these changes reflect a desire to increase the validity of the test, enhance test security, provide faculty with better information about applicants’ performance, increase worldwide access to the test, and make better use of advances in technology and psychometric design. as part of these changes, a range of new question types will be introduced in the verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning sections, and the topics in the analytical writing section will be revised in order to elicit more focused responses.
description of the revised general test
the verbal reasoning measure is designed to assess the fundamental abilities required for understanding written texts and reasoning about them. questions will measure your ability to interpret, analyze, and evaluate texts of various lengths and to reason with words in solving problems. there is a balance of passages across different subject matter areas, including humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, but the questions do not assess specific content knowledge.
the quantitative reasoning measure is designed to assess your ability to solve problems in a quantitative setting, using quantitative reasoning, elementary mathematical concepts, and basic mathematical skills. the mathematical content required does not go beyond the mathematics usually studied in high school and includes arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis. for individuals taking the test by computer, an online calculator will be provided for use in the quantitative sections. for individuals testing in alternate formats, a hand-held basic calculator (one that supports order of operations is recommended), including a talking calculator if approved as an accommodation, will be permi
tted in the quantitative sections.
the analytical writing section tests your critical thinking and analytical writing skills. it assesses your ability to articulate and support complex ideas, analyze an argument, and sustain a focused and coherent discussion. it does not assess specific content knowledge.
sample questions from the revised gre general test
the questions that follow represent the full range of question types that will appear on the revised gre general test.
sample test instructions
this material is copyright 2006 by educational testing service. reproduction of any part of it is prohibited. in an actual test, you will have the additional time approved by educational testing service to complete the test. you will be permitted to start, stop, and repeat the tape as needed within a section. breaks, including lunch breaks, must occur at the end of sections.
these sample questions may include certain types of test questions that would not be used in an actual test administered in an alternate format BECause they have been determined to be less suitable for presentation in such formats.
if you are using the script edition along with another format of the sample questions, you may notice some differences in the wording of some questions. differences in wording between the script and other editions are the result of adaptations made each edition. in addition, the selection and order of questions has been slightly modified for the alternate format versions of this material. that modification was done in order to group together some questions that share a common set of directions.
analytical writing topics
the analytical writing portion of the gre consists of two writing topics, an issue topic and an argument topic.
sample issue topic directions
you will be given a brief quotation that states or implies an issue of general interest and specific instructions on how to respond to that issue. plan and compose a response in which you develop a position on the issue according to the specific instructions. a response to any other issue will receive a score of zero. standard timing for an issue topic is 30 minutes.
make sure that you respond to the specific instructions and support your position on the issue with reasons and examples drawn from such areas as your reading, experience, observations, and/or academic studies.
gre readers, who are college and university faculty, will read your response and evaluate its overall quality according to how well you do each of the following:
o respond to the specific instructions on the issue
o consider the complexities of the issue
o organize, develop, and express your ideas
o support your position with relevant reasons and/or examples
o control the elements of standard written english
before you begin writing, you may want to think for a few minutes about the issue and the instructions and then plan your response. be sure to develop your position fully and organize it coherently, but leave time to reread what you have written and make any revisions you think are necessary.
sample issue topic:
quote, the best ideas arise from a passionate interest in commonplace things, end quote
write an essay in which you take a position on the statement given. in developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true.
sample argument topic directions
you will be given a short passage that presents an argument, or an argument to be completed, and specific instructions on how
to respond to that passage. plan and compose a response in which you analyze the passage according to the specific instructions. a response to any other argument will receive a score of zero. standard timing for an argument topic is 30 minutes.
note that you are not being asked to present your own views on the subject. make sure that you respond to the specific instructions and support your analysis with relevant reasons and/or examples.
gre readers, who are college and university faculty, will read your analysis and evaluate its overall quality according to how well you do each of the following:
o respond to the specific instructions on the passage
o identify and analyze important features of the passage
o organize, develop, and express your analysis
o support your analysis with relevant reasons and/or examples
o control the elements of standard written english
before you begin writing, you may want to think for a few minutes about
the passage and the instructions and then plan your response. be sure to develop your analysis fully and organize it coherently, but leave time
to reread what you have written and make any revisions you think are necessary.
sample argument topic:
the argument to be analyzed is as follows:
hospital statistics regarding people who go to the emergency room after roller-skating accidents indicate the need for more protective equipment. within that group of people, 75 percent of those who had accidents in streets or parking lots had not been wearing any protective clothing (helmets, knee pads, etc.) or any light-reflecting material (clip-on lights, glow-in-the-dark wrist pads, etc.). clearly, the statistics indicate that by investing in high-quality protective gear and reflective equipment, roller skaters will greatly reduce their risk of being severely injured in an accident.
[end topic statement]
write a response in which you examine the argument’s unstated assumptions, making sure to explain how the argument depends on the assumptions and what the implications are if the assumptions prove unwarranted.
sample quantitative reasoning questions
there are 25 questions.
important: the quantitative reasoning sample questions in this document are intended to be used with a figure supplement. a large-print (18 point) figure supplement will be available on the website where you obtained this script. a tactile (braille) figure supplement can be ordered free of charge from the ets disabilities services office, phone: 1-866-387-8602 in the united states, u.s. territories, and canada; 1-609-771-7780 all other locations. e-mail stassd@ets.org.
directions for questions 1 through 10
each of the following questions asks you to compare two quantities, quantity a and quantity b, and determine whether:
quantity a is greater;
quantity b is greater;
the two quantities are equal; or
the relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
a question may have additional information given that concerns one or both of the quantities to be compared.
a symbol that is used more than once in a question has the same meaning every time it is used in the question.
question 1
refer to the figure supplement
the figure shows two right triangles. one of the triangles has a leg of length 4 and a leg of length x, and a hypotenuse of length 8. the other triangle has two legs, each of which is of length 4, and a hypotenuse of length y.
quantity a:&nbs p; x.
quantity b: y.
answer choice a - quantity a is greater.
answer choice b - quantity b is greater.
answer choice c - the two quantities are equal.
answer choice d - the relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
from the answer choices given, select and indicate the one that describes the relationship between quantity a and quantity b.
question 2
it is given that open parenthesis, x minus 2y, close parenthesis, times open parenthesis, x plus 2y, close parenthesis, is equal to 4.
quantity a: x squared minus, open parenthesis, 4 times the quantity y squared, close parenthesis
quantity b: 8
answer choice a - quantity a is greater.
answer choice b - quantity b is greater.
answer choice c - the two quantities are equal.
answer choice d - the relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
from the answer choices given, select and indicate the one that describes the relationship between quantity a and quantity b.
question 3
a certain recipe requires three-halves cups of sugar and makes two dozen cookies. parenthetical note: one dozen equals 12.
quantity a: the amount of sugar required for the same recipe to make 30 cookies.
quantity b: 2 cups
answer choice a - quantity a is greater.
answer choice b - quantity b is greater.
answer choice c - the two quantities are equal.
answer choice d - the relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
from the answer choices given, select and indicate the one that describes the relationship between quantity a and quantity b.
question 4
it is given that a power station is located on the boundary of a square region that measures 10 miles on each side. three substations are located inside the square region.
quantity a: the sum of the distances from the power station to each of the substations
quantity b: 30 miles
answer choice a - quantity a is greater.
answer choice b - quantity b is greater.
answer choice c - the two quantities are equal.
answer choice d - the relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
from the answer choices given, select and indicate the one that describes the relationship between quantity a and quantity b.
question 5
it is given that 6 is less than x, which is less than 7. it is also given that y equals 8.
quantity a: the fraction x over y
quantity b: zero point eight five
answer choice a - quantity a is greater.
answer choice b - quantity b is greater.
answer choice c - the two quantities are equal.
answer choice d - the relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
from the answer choices given, select and indicate the one that describes the relationship between quantity a and quantity b.
question 6
refer to the figure supplement
the figure accompanying this question consists of a circle and triangle aob, where o is the center of the circle and a and b are points that lie on the circle. in the triangle the measure of angle aob is 60 degrees.
in addition, it is given that the perimeter of triangle aob is 6.
quantity a: the circumference of the circle
quantity b: 12
answer choice a - quantity a is greater.
answer choice b - quantity b is greater.
answer choice c - the two quantities are equal.
answer choice d - the relationship cannot be determined from theinformation given.
from the answer choices given, select and indicate the one that describes the relationship between quantity a and quantity b.
question 7
quantity a: the standard deviation of a set of five different integers each of which is between zero and ten
quantity b: the standard deviation of a set of five different integers each of which is between ten and twenty
answer choice a - quantity a is greater.
answer choice b - quantity b is greater.
answer choice c - the two quantities are equal.
answer choice d - the relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
from the answer choices given, select and indicate the one that describes the relationship between quantity a and quantity b.
question 8
it is given that x is greater than 1.
quantity a: x times, open parenthesis, x squared, close parenthesis, to the fourth power
quantity b: open parenthesis, x cubed, close parenthesis, to the third power
answer choice a - quantity a is greater.
answer choice b - quantity b is greater.
answer choice c - the two quantities are equal.
answer choice d - the relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
from the answer choices given, select and indicate the one that describes the relationship between quantity a and quantity b.
question 9
it is given that x is not equal to zero.
quantity a: the absolute value of x, plus the absolute value of negative two
quantity b: the absolute value of the quantity x minus two
answer choice a - quantity a is greater.
answer choice b - quantity b is greater.
answer choice c - the two quantities are equal.
answer choice d - the relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
from the answer choices given, select and indicate the one that describes the relationship between quantity a and quantity b.
question 10
it is given that 7x plus 3y is equal to 12, and (pause) 3x plus 7y is equal to 8
quantity a: x minus y
quantity b: 1
answer choice a - quantity a is greater.
answer choice b - quantity b is greater.
answer choice c - the two quantities are equal.
answer choice d - the relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
from the answer choices given, select and indicate the one that describes the relationship between quantity a and quantity b.
question 11 has five answer choices, labeled a through e. select all of the answer choices that are correct. the correct answer to a question of this type could consist of one, two, three, four, or all five of the answer choices.
question 11
in triangle abc, the measure of angle a is 25 degrees and the measure of angle b is greater than 90 degrees. which of the following could be the measure of angle c ?
indicate all possible values.
a. 12 degrees
b. 15 degrees
c. 45 degrees
d. 50 degrees
e. 70 degrees
question 13 has five answer choices, labeled a through e. select the best one of the answer choices given.
question 13
in the SUNshine, the upright pole 12 feet tall is casting a shadow 8 feet long. at the same time, a nearby upright pole is casting a shadow 10 feet long. if the lengths of the shadows are proportional to the heights of the poles, what is the height, in feet, of the taller pole?
a. 10
b. 12
c. 14
d. 15
e. 18
select and indicate the best one of the answer choices given.
question 14 has five answer choices, labeled a through e. select the best one of the answer choices given.
question 14
if a is the smallest prime number greater than 21 and b is the largest prime number less than 16, then a times b is equal to
a. two hundred ninety nine
b. three hundred twenty three
c. three hundred thirty
d. three hundred forty five
e. three hundred fifty one
select and indicate the best one of the answer choices given.
question 15 does not have any answer choices. to answer this question enter an integer or a decimal in the answer space provided. a correct answer to a question of this type can be either an integer or a decimal, and can be positive, negative, or zero. a correct answer to this type of question can contain from one to eight digits, and can contain a negative sign and/or a decimal point.
question 15
the total amount of judy’s water bill for the last quarter of the year was forty dollars and fifty cents. the bi
ll consisted of a fixed charge of thirteen dollars and fifty cents plus a charge of zero point zero zero seven five dollar per gallon for the water used in the quarter. for how many gallons of water was judy charged for the quarter?
the answer space is followed by the word "gallons".
to answer this question enter an integer or a decimal in the answer space provided. a correct answer to a question of this type can be either an integer or a decimal, and can be positive, negative, or zero. a correct answer to this type of question contains from one to eight digits, and may contain a negative sign and/or a decimal point.
question 16 has five answer choices, labeled a through e. select the best one of the answer choices given.
question 16
it is given that data sets s and r are as follows:
data set s: 28, 23, 30, 25, 27
data set r: 22, 19, 15, 17, 20
the median of data set s is how much greater than the median of data set r ?
a. 8
b. 10
c. 12
d. 13
e. 15
select and indicate the best one of the answer choices given.
questions 17 through 21 refer to the following graph.
refer to the figure supplement
the graph shown is a bar graph. the title of the graph is corporate support for the arts by sector in 1988 and 1991. under the title are two statements: "total for 1988 is six-hundred-thirty million dollars" and "total for 1991 is five-hundred-twenty million dollars."
there are six sectors listed along the horizontal axis of the graph. horizontal gridlines are drawn at zero percent, 10 percent, 20 percent, 30 percent, and 40 percent.
the bars in the graph are as follows:
financial insurance, real estate sector in 1988, 5%; financial insurance, real estate sector in 1991, 26%.
services sector in 1988, 17%; services sector in 1991, 22%.
manufacturing sector in 1988, 31%; manufacturing sector in 1991, 20%.
retail sector in 1988, 19%; retail sector in 1991, 8%.
wholesale sector in 1988, 8%; wholesale sector in 1991, 6%.
other sector in 1988, 20%; other sector in 1991, 18%.
questions 17 through 21 each have five answer choices, labeled a through e. select the best one of the answer choices given.
question 17
the two corporate sectors that increased their support for the arts from 1988 to 1991
made a total contribution in 1991 of approximately how many million dollars?
a. one hundred twelve
b. one hundred twenty five
c. two hundred
d. two hundred fifty
e. three hundred fifteen
select and indicate the best one of the answer choices given. to review the graph description, search backwards for the phrase "refer to the figure supplement."
question 18
how many of the six corporate sectors listed each contributed more than 60 million dollars
to the arts in both 1988 and 1991 ?
a. one
b. two
c. three
d. four
e. five
select and indicate the best one of the answer choices given.
question 19
approximately how many million dollars more did the wholesale sector contribute to
the arts in 1988 than in 1991 ?
a. ten point four
b. twelve point six
c. fourteen point zero
d. sixteen point five
e. nineteen point two
select and indicate the best one of the answer choices given.
question 20
from 1988 to 1991, which corporate sector decreased its support for the arts by the greatest dollar amount?
a. services
b. manufacturing
c. retail
d. wholesale
e. other
select and indicate the best one of the answer choices given.
question 21
of the retail sector’s 1991 contribution to the arts, one-fourth went to symphony orchestras
and one-half of the remainder went to public television. approximately how many million
dollars more did the retail sector contribute to public television that year than to symphony orchestras?
a. five point two
b. six point three
c. ten point four
d. thirteen point zero
e. nineteen point five
answer key: sample quantitative reasoning questions
1, a. quantity a is greater.
2, b. quantity b is greater.
3, b. quantity b is greater.
4, d. the relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
5, d. the relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
6, a. quantity a is greater.
7, d. the relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
8, c. the two quantities are equal.
9, d. the relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
10, c. the two quantities are equal.
the answer to question 11 consists of four of the answer choices. answer choice a: 12 degrees, answer choice b: 15 degrees, answer choice c: 45 degrees, and answer choice d: 50 degrees.
in question 12 you were asked to fill in two blanks so that the resulting statement is true. the answer to question 12 is answer choice c: one-hundred-ninety-thousand dollars is placed in blank one and answer choice e: at least fifty-seven-thousand dollars is placed in blank 2. the resulting true statement is: if the highest price of the 45 houses is one-hundred-ninety-thousand dollars then the range of the prices of the 45 houses is at least fifty-seven-thousand dollars.
13, d: 15.
14, a: two-hundred-ninety-nine.
in question 15 you were asked to enter either an integer or a decimal number. the answer to question 15 is three-thousand six-hundred.
16, a: 8.
17, d: two hundred fifty.
18, c: three
19, e: nineteen point two.
20, b: manufacturing.
21, a: five point two.
in question 22 you were asked to determine whether each of three equations must be true, must be false, or could be true or false. the answer to question 22 is:
for the first equation 6, star, 2, equals 3, answer c: the equation could be either true or false.
for the second equation 6, star, 2, equals 4, answer b: the equation must be false.
for the third equation 6, star, 2, equals 12, answer c: the equation could be either true or false.
in question 23 you were asked to enter either an integer or a decimal. the answer to question 23 is thirty six point five.
24, d: two-fifths.
25, d: three-halves.
