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 #61 : Adjectives And Adverbs

Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.

Josh thought he knew everyone in the entire school district, so he was surprised when he spotted a few __________ faces at the assembly.

Possible Answers:

unfamiliar

fearful

friendly

recognizable

Correct answer:

unfamiliar

Explanation:

Josh thought he knew all of the other students, but he was surprised at the assembly, so he must've been wrong. This means that some of the students Josh saw were strangers—not the familiar faces he was expecting. "Unfamiliar" is therefore our answer. Why are the other three choices incorrect? If Josh had only spotted "recognizable" faces, he wouldn't have been surprised, so that must not be the proper word to complete this sentence. Neither "friendly" nor "fearful" imply that the students were strangers, so those words do not fit here either.

Example Question #62 : Adjectives And Adverbs

Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.

She felt tired and __________ after running a five kilometer race for breast cancer.

Possible Answers:

spiteful

tragic

lonely

weary 

energetic

Correct answer:

weary 

Explanation:

It makes sense that the subject would feel tired and “weary” after running a race, as "weary" means very tired. To help you, "energetic" means full of energy, "tragic" means sad, and "spiteful" means acting based on petty feelings of revenge.

Example Question #63 : Adjectives And Adverbs

Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.

It is snowing in June! This is not __________ weather for the summertime.

Possible Answers:

Bizarre

Typical

Unusual

Extraordinary 

Remarkable

Correct answer:

Typical

Explanation:

It is extremely unusual for there to be snow in the summertime, so it is not “typical” weather. Typical means normal, usual, or predictable. It is an antonym of all the other answer choices. "Extraordinary" and "remarkable" both mean not ordinary, but great or special, and "unusual" and "bizarre" mean not ordinary, but weird

Example Question #64 : Adjectives And Adverbs

Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.

He was __________ to get going after a long six months of preparation. 

Possible Answers:

eager

sleepy

enamored

reluctant

perplexed

Correct answer:

eager

Explanation:

The sentence suggests that he was ready to get going after waiting a long time. The only answer choice that makes sense in that context is “eager," which means ready and excited to do something. To help you, "reluctant" means unwilling to do something and is an antonym, or opposite, of "eager," "enamored" means in love with, and "perplexed" means confused

Example Question #65 : Adjectives And Adverbs

Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.

It made me __________ to learn that someone had stolen my bike. 

Possible Answers:

essential

invisible

furious

content

fragile

Correct answer:

furious

Explanation:

If you learned that someone had stolen your bike you would likely feel angry. The correct answer is therefore “furious,” which means very angry. To help you, "invisible" means not able to be seen, "essential" means very important, crucial, or basic, "fragile" means easily broken or delicate, and "content" means happy with the way things are.

Example Question #66 : Adjectives And Adverbs

Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.

Sometimes she says things that are totally __________ and I cannot figure out what she means.

Possible Answers:

understandable

obvious

oblivious

bewildering

visible

Correct answer:

bewildering

Explanation:

The context of the sentence suggests that the things she says are confusing and hard to figure out. This should lead us to the correct answer, which is “bewildering," an adjective that means confusing. To help you, "oblivious" means not aware, and "obvious" means easy to see or understand.

Example Question #67 : Adjectives And Adverbs

Sentence completions: Fill in the blank(s) to complete the sentence. 

I am becoming __________ about global warming and it seems ridiculous to me that so few people are willing to do anything about it.

Possible Answers:

concerned

arrogant

elated

ecstatic

haughty

Correct answer:

concerned

Explanation:

Global warming is something that might worry someone. The answer choice that most closely resembles worried is concerned, which means anxious, worried or troubled. To further help you, elated and ecstatic both mean very happy; haughty and arrogant are synonyms and both mean proud.

Example Question #68 : Adjectives And Adverbs

Sentence completions: Fill in the blank(s) to complete the sentence. 

It took the student days to __________ his assignment, but when it was finally finished he felt proud of the work he had done.

Possible Answers:

ascend

complete

mimic

abridge

descend

Correct answer:

complete

Explanation:

The context of this sentence tells us that it took the student a few days to finally finish his assignment. The answer choice that most closely resembles finish is complete. To further help you, abridge means make shorter; descend means go down; ascend means go up; mimic means copy.

Example Question #69 : Adjectives And Adverbs

Sentence completions: Fill in the blank(s) to complete the sentence. 

He was __________ by the information that he had head lice.

Possible Answers:

thrilled

delighted

inspired

furious

distressed

Correct answer:

distressed

Explanation:

Finding out you have head lice would likely be upsetting or worrying so the correct answer is distressed, which means upset. Furious could be a tempting answer choice, because it means very angry, but it is a bit too intense of a reaction to make the most sense. Thrilled and delighted both mean made happy.

Example Question #70 : Adjectives And Adverbs

Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.

The speaker was so __________ that he captured the audience and persuaded them to see his point of view with his quick wit and articulate argument.

Possible Answers:

hazy

pedestrian

eloquent

intense

reliable

Correct answer:

eloquent

Explanation:

A speaker who is articulate and persuasive is "eloquent."

"Hazy" is incorrect, because "hazy" means unclear and murky.

"Reliable" is incorrect. "Reliable" means dependable and consistent. It doesn't necessarily have to mean reliably articulate. 

"Intense" is incorrect. "Intense" means extreme, which doesn't have to mean "persuasive." Sometimes being too intense can scare people away.

"Pedestrian" is incorrect. In this case, "pedestrian" would mean boring and dull.

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