The 370 GRE Words You Must Know: Passage 18

The Sedulous Pursuit of Substantive Communication In a sparse (scattered or scarce) room, filled with sediment (material that settles at the bottom of a body of water), a group of reticent (hesitant to speak) individuals gathered. Their stolid (calm and dependable) presence conveyed a sense of reverence (solemn and respectful), as they embarked on a mission to explore the power of rhetoric (the art of effective communication). Each person, driven by a deep-seated desire for knowledge, sought to substantiate (corroborate or give evidence of) their ideas through careful research and dedicated effort. The room buzzed with solicitude (considerate, attentive) as participants listened intently to one another, valuing the subjective (open to personal interpretation) perspectives that each individual brought to the table. Simultaneous (occurring at the same moment) conversations wove a tapestry of ideas, occasionally punctuated by sporadic (occasional or scattered) bursts of laughter or moments …