ISEE Lower Level Verbal : Adjectives and Adverbs

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ISEE Lower Level Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Adjectives And Adverbs

The novelist ___________ her first book to her husband, thanking him for helping to inspire her most creative ideas.

Possible Answers:

dedicated

imitated

read

sent

inspired

Correct answer:

dedicated

Explanation:

Because we know that the novelist thanked her husband "for helping to inspire her most creative ideas," we can infer that we need to pick out a word that has something to do with books and thanking people. While "inspired" may look like a potentially correct answer, since we know that the novelist's husband inspired her most creative ideas, "inspire" wouldn't be grammatically correct if used in the blank; one wouldn't "inspire" a book. "Dedicated," however, can mean "cited a book or other artistic work as being issued or performed in someone's honor." Because "dedicated" best fits the sentence's context, "dedicated" is the correct answer.

Example Question #12 : Adjectives And Adverbs

Anne planned to spend her Saturday building a snow fort taller than her house, but her plan became __________ when all the snow melted on Friday.

Possible Answers:

apt

meager

infeasible

confident

possible

Correct answer:

infeasible

Explanation:

Because we know that Anne "planned to spend her Saturday building a snow fort taller than her house," but then "all the snow melted on Friday," we can infer that we need to pick out a word for the blank that describes a plan that won't work or is highly impractical. Because "infeasible" means "not possible to do easily or conveniently; impracticable," it best fits the sentence's context and is the correct answer.

Example Question #13 : Adjectives And Adverbs

The __________ rain showers visible far out over the lake and quickly moving inland does not bode well for the picnickers and other people enjoying the beach.

Possible Answers:

whispered

optimistic

ominous

friendly

lively

Correct answer:

ominous

Explanation:

We know that the bank of storm clouds "does not bode well" for the people visiting the beach, so we need to pick out a word that means something like "menacing" or "threatening." Neither "friendly" nor"optimistic" can be the correct answer because they are both words with positive connotations and neither are similar in meaning to "menacing." "Ominous," however, means "giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen; threatening." Because "ominous" is the answer choice that best fits the context of the sentence, it is the correct answer.

Example Question #14 : Adjectives And Adverbs

Each question below is made up of a sentence with one blank. The blank indicates that a word is missing. Each sentence is followed by five choices. Select the one word that will best complete the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Technology has created a __________ world where people can communicate without in-person communication.

Possible Answers:

stupendous

practical

sublime

virtual

authentic

Correct answer:

virtual

Explanation:

Since the world of technology is not dependent upon in-person interactions, this indicates that it is virtual.

Example Question #15 : Adjectives And Adverbs

Each question below is made up of a sentence with one blank. The blank indicates that a word is missing. Each sentence is followed by five choices. Select the one word that will best complete the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Her---movements indicated that she was awake even though she looked as though she was asleep.

Possible Answers:

unnoticeable

subtle

distinct

refined

uncertain

Correct answer:

subtle

Explanation:

Even though she appears to be asleep, her subtle or slight movements show that she is awake.

Example Question #16 : Adjectives And Adverbs

Each question below is made up of a sentence with one blank. The blank indicates that a word is missing. Each sentence is followed by five choices. Select the one word that will best complete the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

In order to---the meals she made with her rather poor cooking skills, Lisa took several vitamins a day.

Possible Answers:

increase

enhance

supplement

complement

decrease

Correct answer:

supplement

Explanation:

By consuming vitamins along with her meals, she supplements the meals she makes.

Example Question #17 : Adjectives And Adverbs

Each question below is made up of a sentence with one blank. The blank indicates that a word is missing. Each sentence is followed by five choices. Select the one word that will best complete the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

The---look of their competitors when they won the soccer match was prideful in nature.

Possible Answers:

smug

overzealous

naive

empty

meek

Correct answer:

smug

Explanation:

Since the competitors' looks were prideful, it indicates that their expressions were smug.

Example Question #18 : Adjectives And Adverbs

Each question below is made up of a sentence with one blank. The blank indicates that a word is missing. Each sentence is followed by five choices. Select the one word that will best complete the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

The---amount of salad dressing that was added to the salad indicated that Vanessa was not concerned about being on a diet.

Possible Answers:

standard

middling

pitiful

paltry

liberal

Correct answer:

liberal

Explanation:

Since Vanessa was not on a diet, it means that she presumably put an excessive or liberal amount of salad dressing on her salad.

Example Question #19 : Adjectives And Adverbs

The __________ habitat for a bear is a forest full of berries, fish, and honey it can eat and caves in which it can hibernate in the winter.

Possible Answers:

ideal

improbable

worst

personable

sleepy

Correct answer:

ideal

Explanation:

We can infer that a bear would be well-suited to the habitat described, so we need to pick out an adjective for the blank that means something like "suitable" or "perfect." So, "worst" cannot be the correct answer because "worst" is an antonym of "perfect." "Ideal," however, is an adjective that can mean "satisfying one's conception of what is perfect; most suitable," and because "ideal" best fits the context of the sentence, it is the correct answer.

Example Question #20 : Adjectives And Adverbs

The door-to-door salesman thought that the neighborhood he was canvassing would be friendly and personable, but was surprised to find them __________, with homeowners unwilling to open their doors for him and barking at him to get off of their property.

Possible Answers:

amiable

political

hostile

harmful

comprehensive

Correct answer:

hostile

Explanation:

We can infer that the salesman expected the homeowners to be "friendly and personable," but was surprised because they were not. So, we need to pick out an adjective to describe the homeowners that means something like "not friendly" or "not personable." "Amiable" cannot be the correct answer, then, because "amiable" is a synonym of "friendly." "Hostile," however, is an adjective that means "unfriendly; antagonistic," and it is the correct answer because it best describes the reception that the salesman received and best fits the context of the sentence.

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