GRE – Verbal Reasoning

In recent years, several historians have challenged the long-held belief that the industrial revolution uniformly improved living standards. While technological innovation increased productivity, it also led to urban overcrowding and unsafe labor conditions. Nevertheless, some scholars argue that these hardships were temporary disruptions that eventually gave rise to sustained economic growth.

The passage is primarily concerned with:

Reading Comprehension (Select All That Apply)

The passage suggests that early industrial growth:

Which sentence best highlights the contrast in views about the industrial revolution?

The scientist’s theory was initially dismissed as (i) ______, but subsequent evidence not only (ii) ______ his findings, it also revealed the (iii) ______ of earlier objections.

The shoreline slopes so ______ that swimmers often find themselves in deep water before realizing they have left the shallows.

Although the proposal was presented as innovative, many critics found it surprisingly ______.

The committee regarded his remarks as ______, offering little substance despite their confident delivery.

Her attempt to clarify the issue only served to ______ the confusion surrounding the policy.

It was widely believed that the new regulations would ______ innovation rather than encourage it.

Because the evidence was largely anecdotal, the conclusion drawn by the researchers was considered ______.