GRE® Verbal Practice | Text Completion Q3

This GRE text completion practice question focues on the use of trigger words "Despite" and "However". Paying attention to trigger words helps a great deal in arriving at the correct answer efficiently when answering GRE TC questions. Try the question without looking at the answer explanation. If you face difficulty in arriving at the correct answer, take help from the detailed explanation provided below

Question 3: Addiction can be viewed as a continued involvement with a substance or activity despite the ____________ associated with it. The substance or activity may have originally provided pleasure and enjoyment. However, over a period of time ____________ the substance or activity is needed to feel normal.

S No.	Blank 1	S No.	Blank 2
A	negative consequences	D	continued involvement with
B	prohibitive costs	E	removal from
C	beneficial effects	F	partaking in

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Explanatory Answer

In sentences that have multiple blanks, always start out by filling up the easier blank first.

How do we know which blank is easier?

A blank that has more clues pointing to it is easier. In this case, the first blank is the easier one because of the keyword “despite” immediately before it. The placement of the word “despite” suggests that the blank has to contain a negative word. People continue being involved with a substance despite the negatives associated with it. This narrows the answer options to A or B.

The third sentence provides the required information to decide between these two choices. Nowhere in the 3 sentences is the cost discussed. The primary issue is dependence and not the cost. So, we can rule out choice B. The Answer option A is appropriate for blank 1.

After you have filled the easier blank, read the sentence again. Sometimes, additional clues may pop up, or you may get more clarity while reading a sentence again with your chosen answer option for the first blank. In other times, it may lead you to revise your initial answer option too!

The second blank in this sentence explains what addiction is, in terms of usage or involvement of a person. Initially, the substance or activity may have made the person happy, HOWEVER (note the keyword here – however indicates contrast) once a person is addicted, the substance or activity is needed even just to feel normal. So, it necessitates continued involvement. Answer option D fits the bill perfectly.

Choice A & D are the correct answers.