Unfortunately for the young hire, the amiable, gregarious air of his b

Question

Unfortunately for the young hire, the amiable, gregarious air of his boss during the initial interview belied a vastly more ________ style on the job, a fact that he learned to his chagrin within the first few days of employment.

A. draconian

B. friendly

C. fatuous

D. illicit

E. nonplussed

Show Answer

Official Answer

A

A. draconian 
 
  B. friendly 
 
  C. fatuous 
 
  D. illicit 
 
  E. nonplussed

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

“Belied”  means contradicted or was at odds with. Thus, the boss’s on-the-job style is contradicted by his  “amiable,”  or warm, friendly style in the interview. The clue is that the young hire (the new employee) experiences  “chagrin,”  which is mental distress or unease.  “Draconian,”  which means harsh, strict, or severe, is best. Don’t be confused by  “nonplussed,”  the primary meaning of which is confused or surprised—it doesn’t capture the boss’s strictness. The answer  “friendly”  is a trap for anyone who doesn’t notice the word  “belied”  earlier in the sentence.  “Fatuous”  (silly and pointless) is a great GRE word, but doesn’t match the intended meaning.  “Illicit”  (illegal) goes too far: there is nothing in the sentence to suggest that the boss is behaving illegally 
 
  Answer: A

Unfortunately for the young hire, the amiable, gregarious air of his b

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