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GRE Verbal Reasoning QUESTION #7212
Question 1
The great majority of spacecraft face minimal collision risk from space debris during their active operational periods, but with the increasing number of new satellites being launched each year, the orbital environment going forward is likely to become less _____.
  • crowded
  • invulnerable
  • protected
  • benign✔️
Correct Answer Explanation

This sentence has a contrast structure: spacecraft currently face little risk, but the future will be less _____. Whatever fills the blank must describe the current relatively safe state that will diminish in the future.

  • Crowded — the future would logically become more crowded, not less. “Less crowded” contradicts the premise.
  • Invulnerable — possible in isolation, but not a natural descriptor of an orbital environment as a whole.
  • Protected — implies external protective mechanisms, which is not the argument’s focus.
  • Benign — means safe and harmless. The current environment is benign (low risk), and the future will be less benign (more dangerous). This fits perfectly.

Correct Answer: D — Benign. The logic requires a word describing the current “safe” state that will erode as more satellites are launched.