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Question

Difficulty: HardSecondary and High-Frequency Alternative Meanings

Read the passage below and provide the single word that appropriately completes the sentence based on its contextually appropriate secondary meaning.

Answer:The senior research director made it unequivocally clear during the ethics hearing that while vigorous debate regarding methodological assumptions was welcomed, the institution would 【brook】 no deliberate falsification of experimental data.

Answer

brook
In formal academic English, the word 'brook' functions as a verb meaning 'to tolerate, put up with, or allow' (most frequently appearing in the negative construction 'will brook no...'). In the context of the sentence, the director is emphasizing zero tolerance for data falsification.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze sentence syntax and structural signals
The clause 'while vigorous debate... was welcomed, the institution would [blank_1] no deliberate falsification' indicates a contrast between acceptable behavior (debate) and unacceptable behavior (falsification).
The contrast structure requires a verb in the blank meaning 'tolerate', 'allow', or 'countenance' when paired with 'no'.
2
Identify the target secondary meaning
The common noun 'brook' (meaning a small stream) functions as a transitive verb meaning 'to tolerate or allow', typically used in negative constructions such as 'brook no...'.
High-frequency vocabulary items on the GRE often test obscure or secondary definitions that differ completely from their primary, everyday meanings.

Key Concept

Secondary Verb Meaning of Common Words
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Topics

Secondary and High-Frequency Alternative Meanings

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