[GRE] daily voca questions - 0318

Directions: For each blank select one entry from the corresponding column of choices. Fill all blanks in the way that best completes the text. 

Typically, affection is a (     ) for people, but it can be (     ) to physicians, who must be dispassionate in order to properly treat their patients, and who therefore often decline to treat their own family members. 

A. gratifying emotion

B. disquieting event

C. standard concessio

D. a liability

E. an anathema

F. an anachronism

  This sentence describes how affection is manifested in both physicians and other people. We're told. after the detour road sign. "but," that physicians must be dispassionate in order to properly treat their patient. Because dispassion departs in meaning from affection, we can infer that affection is a "desirable" emotion for most people. Let's make a "a desirable feeling" our prediction for the first blank. Choice (A) gratifying emotion suggests a "pleasant feeling." which matches our prediction and is correct. Choice (B) disquieting event means "a worrisome happening." which is the opposite of what we need and is therefore incorrect. Answer choice (C) standard concession suggests that people are "conceding", or "giving in" to someone on the subject of affection, but there is no indication in the sentence that this is the case, so this choice is incorrect. 

  Now we can move on to the second blank. We know that affection "can be" something negative to physicians, and that they "must be dispassionate." A negative word similar to "hindrance" would make a great prediction for the second blank. Choice (D) a liability means "something that holds someone back." which matches our prediction and is correct. Choice (E) an anathema means "a cursed event." and while this is negative. it is too extreme to fit the context of the sentence, so it is incorrect. Choice (F) an anachronism, which means "something out of chronological order," is unsupported by the context of the sentence, so it is incorrect.  

The answers are choices (A) and (D)