Free Test Questions

New Verbal Reasoning Downloads

2012-04-21T10:38:00.002-07:00

Gruber's Revised GRE

ETS Official Guide

Manhattan Guide RC

Free Quantitative Reasoning Downloads

2012-03-30T07:32:00.008-07:00

Please find beneath the links to download free practice material. Leave any requests in the comments section. I would be happy to upload the material at the earliest.

Nova GRE Maths Bible

ETS GRE Maths Review

Number System Practice Material

Geometry Practice Material

501 Quantitative Comparison Questions

Kaplan Quantitative Reasoning Questions

New GRE Overview- Quantitative Reasoning

2012-03-30T06:39:00.000-07:00

The Quantitative Reasoning measure of the GRE aims at testing:

basic mathematical skills
understanding of elementary mathematical concepts
ability to reason quantitatively and
to model and solve problems using various quantitative methods.

The skills and abilities of the test taker are tested in the following areas:

Arithmetic topics include properties and types of integers, such as divisibility, factorization, prime numbers, remainders and odd and even integers; arithmetic operations, exponents and radicals; and concepts such as estimation, percent, ratio, rate, absolute value, the number line, decimal representation and sequences of numbers.
Algebra topics include operations with exponents; factoring and simplifying algebraic expressions; relations, functions, equations and inequalities; solving linear and quadratic equations and inequalities; solving simultaneous equations and inequalities; setting up equations to solve word problems; and coordinate geometry, including slopes and intercepts of lines and graphs of functions, equations and inequalities.
Geometry topics include parallel and perpendicular lines, circles, triangles — including isosceles, equilateral and 30°-60°-90° triangles — quadrilaterals, other polygons, congruent and similar figures, three-dimensional figures, area, perimeter, volume, the Pythagorean theorem and angle measurement in degrees. The ability to construct proofs is not tested.
Data analysis topics include basic descriptive statistics, such as mean, median, mode, range, standard deviation, interquartile range, quartiles and percentiles; interpretation of data in tables and graphs, such as line graphs, bar graphs, circle graphs, boxplots, scatterplots and frequency distributions; elementary probability, such as probabilities of compound events and independent events; random variables and probability distributions, including normal distributions; and counting methods, such as combinations, permutations and Venn diagrams. These topics are typically taught in high school algebra courses or introductory statistics courses. Inferential statistics is not tested.

(Resource: www.ets.org)

The various question types appearing in the New GRE are:

Quantitative Comparison (account for nearly 1/3rd of the quantitative reasoning section)
Multiple choice questions (select one answer)
Multiple choice question (select one or more answers)
Numeric entry question

P.S: Read the questions carefully, do not end up selecting one option when several are to be chosen.

Tips:

While preparing for the test, lay emphasis on Data Interpretation, Probability, Permutation and Combination, Statistics, Algebra and basic fundamentals of 3d and 2d Geometry.
In quantitative comparison questions, remember that variables(x,y,z etc) can be positive, negative, fractions or zero. Therefore, all options should be considered unless stated otherwise.
In exam, use the calculator as much as you can, a small mistake in calculation could cost a lot.
Usually, it takes a mere 5-7 minutes to solves the first 7-8 questions, it is advised not to get relaxed! For, the following questions are mostly elaborate and time consuming.
Keep an eye on the watch.
In numeric entry questions, whenever the answer is a decimal value, round the second value from the decimal rather than the first.
Mark the questions in which you are doubtful of your answers. Don't end up marking a dozen!
Finally, if you have spare time left better utilize it in rechecking your answers rather than jumping onto the next section or sitting ideally.

Top 10 Universities- Mechanical Engineering

2012-03-30T04:36:00.001-07:00

#1 Stanford University
Stanford, CA

#2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA

#3 California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA

#3 University of California

Berkeley, CA

#5 University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, MI

#6 Geogia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA

#7 University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign

Urbana, IL

#8 Princeton University

Princeton, NJ

#9 Cornell University

Ithaca, NY

#9 Purdue University

West Lafayette

#11 Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA

Top 10 Graduate Schools- Electrical/Electronics/Communication

2012-03-29T08:01:00.000-07:00

#1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA

#1 Stanford University
Stanford, CA

#3 University of California
Berkeley, CA

#3 University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign

Urbana, IL

#5 Geogia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA

#6 California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA

#7 Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA

#7 University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, MI

#9 Cornell University

Ithaca, NY

#10 Princeton University

Princeton, NJ

#10 Purdue University

West Lafayette

Top 10 Graduate Schools- Computer Science

2012-03-29T02:20:00.002-07:00

#1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, MA

#1 Stanford University

Stanford, CA

#3 University of California

Berkeley, CA

#4 Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA

#5 University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign

Urbana, IL

#6 Geogia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA

#7 California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, CA

#8 University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, MI

#9 Cornell University

Ithaca, NY

#9 University of Texas

Austin, TX

#11 Purdue University

West Lafayette

Free Verbal Reasoning Downloads

2012-03-27T01:42:00.002-07:00

Please find beneath the links to download free verbal material. Let me know if I have missed something, I would be happy to upload it.

15,000 Useful Phrases

Kaplan 400 Favorite Words

Manhattan Guide RC

14 GRE Word Lists

Kaplan for GRE and GMAT

Big Book

19 Real Test

Manhattan Guide Sentence Equivalence and Text Completion

Barron's 50 Word Lists

Best Buys

2012-03-23T12:20:00.002-07:00

Some of the books which are really useful in preparing for the GRE:

The Barron's guide is available at a discounted on-
http://www.amazon.com/Barrons-New-GRE-19th-Edition/dp/0764146165/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1332528059&sr=8-2

Review of a user from www.amazon.com

Barron's Guide to the New GRE Exam stands out because its focus is on mastering the "hard questions", i.e. the "level 4 and 5" questions on the GRE exam. While Kaplan and Princeton Review are quality review guides that are popular because they appear to be more user friendly, the sad fact is they do not expose the test taker to the Hard Test Questions nor do they show the student how to solve those hard questions that boost your score and make you more competitive to the better schools. The Barron's math section is very good to excellent and the Barron's verbal is perhaps the best because it contains those 3500 most popular vocabulary words that frequently appear on the GRE and that you must learn if you want to get a high score to go a top school. If anything, I would recommend supplementing Barron's with Grubber's GRE exam prep book in order to master more vocab questions and learn more detail on how to solve the math questions. One thing is for certain, the best place to first encounter those "heart-stopping" "Level 4 and 5 Questions" is on the practice exams rather than the real test where your future is at stake. As for the writing sections, again, I found Barron's and Grubber's to be better. In the end the choice of which book to buy really depends on how high a score you need and how much work you want to do. If you want a high score and will to do the hard work, then purchase the Barron's guides.

C.D Hoytt

This book by The Princeton Review has some really helpful tips. It's a must read whether you have just started to prepare for the GRE or are due to appear for the test in a short time.

The book can be bought at :

http://www.amazon.com/Cracking-Edition-Graduate-School-Preparation/dp/0375428186/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332528909&sr=8-1

Book description:

Cracking the New GRE, 2012 Edition has been completely revised and updated for the changes coming to the GRE in August 2011. It includes:

   • Access to 4 full-length practice tests (2 in the book and 2 online)
   • Practice questions with detailed explanations for every question
   • Key strategies for solving Text Completions, Sentence Equivalents, Numeric Entry, Quantitative Comparisons, and more
   • Thorough review of all GRE topics, including everything on the new GRE.

(as on www.amazon.com)

Link to purchase:

http://www.amazon.com/Practice-Questions-Edition-Graduate-Preparation/dp/0375429689/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1332529093&sr=8-16

Book description:

The best way to prepare for standardized tests is to practice, and this resource offers you plenty of opportunities to do just that. 1,014 Practice Questions for the New GRE, 2nd Edition has been completed updated for the changes coming to the GRE in August 2011, and includes:

*over 1,000 practice questions for the new GRE, including hundreds of questions covering the new question types
*detailed answer explanations for all practice questions
*math drills broken down by geometric shape, such as circles, triangles, and 3-D figures
*verbal drills that include the new Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence question types

(as on www.amazon.com)

Link to purchase:

http://www.amazon.com/New-2011-2012-Premier-CD-ROM-Kaplan/dp/1607148498/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332529355&sr=1-1

Book description:

New GRE 2011-2012 Premier with CD-ROM is a comprehensive package that includes a book, CD-ROM, and online companion with in-depth strategies, test information, and practice questions to help students score higher on the new GRE Revised General Test. New GRE 2011-2012 Premier with CD-ROM is fully updated and revised with 75 percent all-new content covering the revised and expanded Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing Assessment Test sections, including 50 percent new practice questions and brand new strategies for each of the new question types.

Review:

I've been out of college 10 years and hadn't done any math since high school. In preparing for my GREs, I purchased this book. It was an invaluable resource. The practice questions and practice tests were extremely helpful and very true to the style of math questions I received on the GRE.

The vocabulary reviews and practice verbal tests were extremely helpful too, but I was a history major and teach history today, so I'm more adept at grammar and writing anyway. Therefore, this section was helpful in just helping me familiarize myself with the style of the GRE questions.

I highly recommend this book!

- T. Miller

This review is from: New GRE 2011-2012 Premier with CD-ROM (Kaplan GRE) (Paperback)

Link to purchase:

http://www.amazon.com/500-Essential-Words-1st-Edition/dp/1935707574/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332530039&sr=1-7

Book Description:

Manhattan GRE Vocabulary Flash Cards – 500 Essential Words is the first in a 2-volume set of GRE flash cards. Start with essential words and graduate to advanced vocabulary. Together, the 2-volume set comprises the most comprehensive vocabulary study tool on the market.These cards go above and beyond providing abstract, out-of-context definitions – the backs of all cards contain a word “network” designed to help the student develop a lasting understanding of the word in a GRE-relevant context.

(as on www.amazon.com)

Link to purchase:

http://www.amazon.com/Official-Guide-revised-General-Test/dp/0071700528/ref=pd_sim_b_1

Book Description:

Get expert advice on the GRE revised General Test from the test makers themselves!
Get ready for the new test debuting in August 2011! The Official Guide to the GRE revised General Test with CD-ROM comes straight from Educational Testing Service (ETS)--the people who make the test. Filled with vital test-taking information, sample questions, a full-length actual GRE exams on CD, and ETS’s own preparation tips--this only official guide is the essential study resource you'll need for the exam.
Features:

Complete coverage of all the brand-new test features and question types
Authentic GRE questions and answers
An actual GRE test on CD-ROM
The test-makers' own strategies for scoring high

Topics include: Introducing the GRE Revised General Test, GRE Verbal Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning Practice Questions, GRE Quantitative Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning Practice, GRE Analytical Writing, GRE Math Review, Authentic GRE Practice Test

(as of Amazon.com)

Link to purchase:

http://www.amazon.com/Grubers-Complete-GRE-Guide-2012/dp/1402250959/ref=pd_sim_b_21

Reviews:

THE MOST TRUSTED AND EFFECTIVE ADVICE IN TEST PREP
"Dr. Gary Gruber has developed a method that will raise students' test scores by sharpening their thinking skills."-Boston Globe

"By learning Dr. Gruber's strategies, a student can increase his or her IQ to do well on any exam."-Teen Magazine

"His methods make the questions seem amazingly simple to solve."-Library Journal

"With the aid of your books, my scores improved so dramatically that I am now anticipating acceptance into schools that I was reluctant to even apply to."-Lauren F., New Jersey

Link to purchase:

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRU8ii0taKvkqPrO3kAIkVJ71FHFlzMIKnHD2xYDloYNVXcNKT6dOr9qMYe0g

Book Description:

About the Contents:

Introduction

How to use this book
Overview of the exams

Part I: Basic Skills Review

Arithmetic and Data Analysis
Algebra

Part II: Strategies and Practice

Mathematical Ability
Quantitative Comparison
Data Sufficiency

Each section includes a diagnostic test, explanations of rules, concepts with

examples, practice problems with complete explanations, a review test, and a

glossary!

Test-Prep Essentials from the Experts at CliffsNotes®

New GRE Overview- Verbal Reasoning

2012-03-23T10:50:00.000-07:00

The Verbal Reasoning section aims at testing the ability of the test taker to analyze and evaluate written material and construe information from it. The Verbal Reasoning questions appear in three formats:

Sentence Equivalence
Reading Comprehension
Text Completion

A high score in Verbal Reasoning section is a must for students seeking admission in USA based J-Schools.

Sentence Equivalence

Sentence Equivalence questions aim at testing the ability to reach a conclusion using the information provided in the question and the available options. For a majority of Sentence Equivalence questions, the key is to identify the synonyms in the available options. However, there are a lot of questions in which one needs to watch out for words like 'however', 'but', 'although', 'moreover' etc. In such questions, it is a possibility that answer might be different from the otherwise expected. A good command on vocabulary is a must to score well.

Make sure, the selected pair of answer is logically, grammatically and stylistically coherent.

Here is a link to download free sentence completion questions:

501 Sentence completion questions

Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension questions constitute nearly half of the Verbal Reasoning section. The questions in this variety are either from long passages or short passages. The passage would generally have more than 3 questions. However, a couple of short passage could involve single question. The Reading comprehension tests the ability of the test taker to comprehend, summarize, conclude, distinguish and identify various aspects of the passage. The key to score well in reading comprehension questions is to clearly understand the passage before answering the questions. Avoid re-reading the passage i.e. to closely read the passage in a single shot. This would help in avoidance of wastage of time.

A lot of passages in the New GRE come from topics such as black slavery, women empowerment, California gold rush, biology related recent developments, psychology, sociology etc. Hence, it is advisable to read on these topics. Not only would the comprehension ability improve but would also help in developing a comfort zone in such topics.

Though the test format has drastically changed, it is still advised to solve Big Book and 19 real tests.

Downloads:

19 Real Tests

Big Book

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New GRE Overview- AWA

2012-03-22T12:08:00.002-07:00

The New pattern GRE has 3 different test sections. Firstly, the AWA (Analytical Writing Assessment) is a writing section in which the test taker is assessed on a scale of 6, in half point increments. The objective of AWA section is to test the critical thinking and Analytical writing skills. In this section, the ability to construe complex ideas, evaluate and support arguments and sustain a coherent discussion is evaluated.

image from www.darton.com

The AWA section consists of 2 separately timed (30 mins each) writing tasks. The first task is the 'Analyze an Issue' task. The issue task presents an opinion on an issue of general interests. It is very important to closely read the question accompanying the issue. The test taker is required to closely evaluate the question and respond accordingly. Factors like issue complexity, argument development and appropriate examples are to be considered while answering.

Tips:

It is good to use metaphors and quotations. A standard 5 paragraph format with a couple of suitable example ensures that you don't score badly. While preparing for the AWA task it is good to mug up a few quotations on topics such as slavery, art, hard work, career, goals, life, love, money, relation ships etc. These can be peppered here and there. An ornate essay is a delight to read amidst a 1000 others.

Make sure you don't use cliched examples such as those on Bill Gates, Mahatama Gandhi, Steve Jobs and Abraham Lincoln. I would suggest reading some literature on personalities like Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, Picasso, Beethoven, John F. Kennedy, Frida Kahlo etc. This would help in enriching your task with vivid and unique examples.

Stick to what has been asked in the question. Test takers usually tend to divert from the given question. So it is very important to keep in mind the requisites of the task. A good essay would focus on the subtleties of the issue. Reinforcing the ideas with quotations and phrases leaves a strong impression on the reader.

Keep an eye on the watch! Leave at least 7-8 minutes for proof reading your essay. Ensure there is no typographical or grammatical mistake. Usually, the test taker tends to be a little sluggish at the beginning, this causes a lot of wastage of time. Hence, it's better to roll up your sleeves right from the start.

The second task is 'Analyze an Argument task'. The Argument task requires the writer to analyze and evaluate the given argument . It is expected out of the writer to throw light on faulty analogies and misinterpretations. Usually, the fault in the argument is clearly visible. However, in cases there are very few points to consider the logical soundness of the argument. In such a case, the only way out is practice. At least 20-25 tasks should be practiced before appearing for exam. This would give the writer a better sense of understanding and approaching the argument.

Statements such as ' The argument holds no water', ' the argument has a faulty line of analogy', 'fails to throw light on', 'hidden assumptions', 'problem with statistics and survey', 'conclusion seems unwarranted', 'casts doubt upon', 'fails to convince' etc are useful in supporting and conveying of ideas in the task.

Tips:

In the first paragraph reiterate the argument in your own words. Conclude the first paragraph with a statement such as 'the argument has a faulty line of analogy', depending on how appropriate it sounds.

In the body of the essay, explain what alternative facts should have been considered before reaching a conclusion. Again, read the question asked very carefully and then accordingly work on the body of the essay.

It is best to keep your suggestions for the concluding paragraph. Also, it is useful to finish the essay on a rhetoric note. Suggesting the need for more valid data to reach a proper conclusion.

Useful Links :

http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/analytical_writing/issue/pool

http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/analytical_writing/argument/pool

http://www.ets.org/erater/about

http://download.chasedream.com/GRE/AWA/%E5%8C%97%E7%BE%8E%E8%8C%83%E6%96%87%E8%80%81G.pdf

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