ISEE Lower Level Reading : Literature Passages
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ISEE Lower Level Reading
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Example Questions
Example Question #15 : Determining Context Dependent Word Meanings In Literature Passages
Adapted from "The Bat, the Birds, and the Beasts" by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1909)
A great conflict was about to take place between the Birds and the Beasts. When the two armies were gathered together, the Bat hesitated which to join. The Birds that passed his perch said "Come with us," but he said to them, "I am a Beast."
Later on, some Beasts who were passing underneath him looked up and said "Come with us," but he said, "I am a Bird." Luckily at the last moment peace was made, and no battle took place, so the Bat came to the Birds and wished to join in the celebrations, but they all turned against him and he had to fly away. He then went to the Beasts, but soon had to run away, or else they would have torn him to pieces. "Ah," said the Bat, "I see now: he that is neither one thing nor the other has no friends."
The underlined word “hesitated” most nearly means what?
Thought
Delayed
Sped up
Threatened
Fought
Delayed
The word “hesitated” means was slow to act, delayed, or paused. If you were not aware of this definition, you would need to use the context of the passage to try and figure out the meaning of the word. From the context of the whole passage, you know that the bat does not want to join either side, so it would make sense for him to delay or be unsure about which side to join when asked. So, "hesitated" must mean delayed.
Example Question #16 : Determining Context Dependent Word Meanings In Literature Passages
Adapted from "The Bat, the Birds, and the Beasts" by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1909)
A great conflict was about to take place between the Birds and the Beasts. When the two armies were gathered together, the Bat hesitated which to join. The Birds that passed his perch said "Come with us," but he said to them, "I am a Beast."
Later on, some Beasts who were passing underneath him looked up and said "Come with us," but he said, "I am a Bird." Luckily at the last moment peace was made, and no battle took place, so the Bat came to the Birds and wished to join in the celebrations, but they all turned against him and he had to fly away. He then went to the Beasts, but soon had to run away, or else they would have torn him to pieces. "Ah," said the Bat, "I see now: he that is neither one thing nor the other has no friends."
The underlined word “conflict” most nearly means what?
Work
Party
Fight
Test
Celebration
Fight
The word “conflict,” when used as a noun, means battle or fight. If you were not aware of this, it would become necessary to use the context of the passage to try and figure out the meaning of the word. The author says of the conflict, “Luckily at the last moment peace was made, and no battle took place.” This suggests that the word "conflict" means the same thing as "battle."
Example Question #17 : Determining Context Dependent Word Meanings In Literature Passages
Adapted from The Luckiest Girl in the School by Angela Brazil (1916)
December and January were scarcely good months for taking pictures, but Winona attempted some time exposures, with varying results. It was difficult to make the children realize the necessity of keeping absolutely still, and they ruined several of her pictures by grinning or moving. She secured quite a nice photo of the house, however, and several of the village, and promised herself better luck with family portraits when the summer came round again. She turned a large cupboard in the attic into her dark-room, and spent many hours experimenting with chemicals. She had urgent offers of help, but rejected them steadfastly, greatly to the disappointment of her would-be assistants. In the summer she meant to try all kinds of experiments. She had visions of rigging up a shelter made of leaves and branches, and taking a series of magnificent snap-shots of wild birds and animals, and she certainly intended to secure records of the sports at school. In the meantime she must content herself with landscape and still life.
The underlined word “steadfastly” most nearly means __________.
firmly
selfishly
incorrectly
generously
wisely
firmly
The word “steadfast” means firm, committed, or consistent. The author says, “[Winona] had urgent offers of help, but rejected them steadfastly, greatly to the disappointment of her would-be assistants.” This suggests that steadfastly must mean something like firmly or consistently.
Example Question #18 : Determining Context Dependent Word Meanings In Literature Passages
Adapted from The Luckiest Girl in the School by Angela Brazil (1916)
December and January were scarcely good months for taking pictures, but Winona attempted some time exposures, with varying results. It was difficult to make the children realize the necessity of keeping absolutely still, and they ruined several of her pictures by grinning or moving. She secured quite a nice photo of the house, however, and several of the village, and promised herself better luck with family portraits when the summer came round again. She turned a large cupboard in the attic into her dark-room, and spent many hours experimenting with chemicals. She had urgent offers of help, but rejected them steadfastly, greatly to the disappointment of her would-be assistants. In the summer she meant to try all kinds of experiments. She had visions of rigging up a shelter made of leaves and branches, and taking a series of magnificent snap-shots of wild birds and animals, and she certainly intended to secure records of the sports at school. In the meantime she must content herself with landscape and still life.
The underlined word “scarcely” most nearly means __________.
traditionally
unkindly
hardly
over the top
always
hardly
The word “scarcely” means not quite, hardly,or just about. Here, the author is discussing how the months of December and January are hardly good enough for taking photographs, so "hardly" is the correct answer. "Over the top" is an English idiom that mean excessive or too much. An idiom is a common phrase or saying, like "raining cats and dogs."
Example Question #19 : Determining Context Dependent Word Meanings In Literature Passages
Adapted from The Luckiest Girl in the School by Angela Brazil (1916)
December and January were scarcely good months for taking pictures, but Winona attempted some time exposures, with varying results. It was difficult to make the children realize the necessity of keeping absolutely still, and they ruined several of her pictures by grinning or moving. She secured quite a nice photo of the house, however, and several of the village, and promised herself better luck with family portraits when the summer came round again. She turned a large cupboard in the attic into her dark-room, and spent many hours experimenting with chemicals. She had urgent offers of help, but rejected them steadfastly, greatly to the disappointment of her would-be assistants. In the summer she meant to try all kinds of experiments. She had visions of rigging up a shelter made of leaves and branches, and taking a series of magnificent snap-shots of wild birds and animals, and she certainly intended to secure records of the sports at school. In the meantime she must content herself with landscape and still life.
The underlined phrase “rigging up” most likely means __________.
destroying
allowing
making
photographing
forbidding
making
The phrase “rigging up” means setting up, creating or making. It is used in the context of Winona “rigging up” a “shelter made of leaves and branches, and taking a series of magnificent snap-shots of wild birds and animals.” This suggests that Winona plans to make something, so "make" is the correct answer. To help you, "forbidding" means the opposite of "allowing."
Example Question #21 : Determining Context Dependent Word Meanings In Literature Passages
Adapted from "The Lion’s Share" in The Fables of Aesop by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1902)
The Lion once went hunting with the Fox, the Jackal, and the Wolf. They hunted and they hunted till at last they surprised a Stag, and soon took its life. Then came the question of how the spoil should be divided. "Quarter me this Stag," roared the Lion; so the other animals skinned it and cut it into four parts. Then the Lion took his stand in front of the carcass and pronounced judgment: "The first quarter is for me in my capacity as King of Beasts; the second is mine as arbiter; another share comes to me for my part in the chase; and as for the fourth quarter, well, as for that, I should like to see which of you will dare to lay a paw upon it." "Humph," grumbled the Fox as he walked away with his tail between his legs; but he spoke in a low growl. “You may share the labors of the great, but you will not share the spoil."
The underlined word “spoil” most nearly means __________.
water
area
snack
ruin
prize
prize
In this context, the word “spoil” is used to refer to the stag that has been captured. As such, it is closest in meaning to “prize.” In other contexts in which "spoil" is used as a verb, to "spoil" something can mean to ruin it.
Example Question #22 : Determining Context Dependent Word Meanings In Literature Passages
Adapted from "The Lion’s Share" in The Fables of Aesop by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1902)
The Lion once went hunting with the Fox, the Jackal, and the Wolf. They hunted and they hunted till at last they surprised a Stag, and soon took its life. Then came the question of how the spoil should be divided. "Quarter me this Stag," roared the Lion; so the other animals skinned it and cut it into four parts. Then the Lion took his stand in front of the carcass and pronounced judgment: "The first quarter is for me in my capacity as King of Beasts; the second is mine as arbiter; another share comes to me for my part in the chase; and as for the fourth quarter, well, as for that, I should like to see which of you will dare to lay a paw upon it." "Humph," grumbled the Fox as he walked away with his tail between his legs; but he spoke in a low growl. “You may share the labors of the great, but you will not share the spoil."
The underlined word “capacity” most nearly means __________.
Space
Role
Desire
Ability
Wish
Role
The word “capacity” is used in this context to mean role. The Lion says, “The first quarter is for me in my capacity as King of Beasts.” None of the other answer choices would make sense in that sentence. To help you, "capacity" can also refer to someone’s "capacity" to do something, meaning their ability to do something, but this is a different meaning of the word “capacity" than the one that is used in the sentence.
Example Question #21 : Determining Context Dependent Word Meanings In Literature Passages
Adapted from "The Lion and the Mouse" by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1909)
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up and down on top of him; this soon woke up the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon the mouse, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but maybe I shall be able to assist you one of these days?" The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he lifted up his paw and let him go. Sometime after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was in, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse. “Little friends may prove great friends and a small mercy can go a long way.”
The underlined word “plight” most nearly means __________.
flight
trouble
trapped
enjoyment
plan
trouble
The word “plight” means difficulty, dilemma or trouble. If you were not aware of this, you would have to use the context of the passage to try and figure out the meaning of the word. The author describes how the mouse finds the lion tied down and “[sees] the sad plight in which the lion was in.” The word "sad" suggests that "plight" must be a bad thing, and the context of the rest of the passage tells you that the lion is in trouble.
Example Question #22 : Determining Context Dependent Word Meanings In Literature Passages
Adapted from "The Lion and the Mouse" by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1909)
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up and down on top of him; this soon woke up the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon the mouse, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but maybe I shall be able to assist you one of these days?" The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he lifted up his paw and let him go. Sometime after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was in, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse. “Little friends may prove great friends and a small mercy can go a long way.”
The underlined word “assist” most nearly means __________.
explain
help
kill
order
reward
help
To “assist” someone means to help him or her. If you did not know this, you would have to use the context of the passage to try and figure out the meaning of the word. In the passage, the mouse says, “who knows but maybe I shall be able to assist you one of these days?" Which is then followed by the author describing how “the Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he lifted up his paw and let him go.” The word "assist" in the first quotation is linked to the word "help" in the second quotation.
Example Question #23 : Determining Context Dependent Word Meanings In Literature Passages
Adapted from "The Lion and the Mouse" by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1909)
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up and down on top of him; this soon woke up the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon the mouse, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but maybe I shall be able to assist you one of these days?" The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he lifted up his paw and let him go. Sometime after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was in, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse. “Little friends may prove great friends and a small mercy can go a long way.”
The underlined word “tickled” most nearly means __________.
entertained
encouraged
fearful
compassionate
suspicious
entertained
The author describes how the lion is “tickled” by the idea of the mouse being able to help him and because of that lets the mouse go. This suggests that "tickled" must mean something positive, so it cannot be "suspicious" or "fearful." "Compassionate" means loving and kind, which might describe the lion’s actions, but does not describe his reaction. The correct answer is “entertained.” The lion is entertained by the idea of the mouse being able to help him.
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