ISEE Lower Level Verbal : ISEE Lower Level (grades 5-6) Verbal Reasoning

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

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #225 : Sentence Completions

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Many people around the world live in __________; they do not have enough food to eat and are very poor.

Possible Answers:

poverty

affluence

consideration

community

protection

Correct answer:

poverty

Explanation:

The context of the second part of the sentence tells us that the underlined word must be a word that means the state of living without much money and being poor. This means the correct answer is “poverty.” “Poverty” is the opposite of “affluence.” “Affluence” means the state of living with lots of money. A “community” is a group of people who live together or near each other; and “protection” means defense against something.

Example Question #226 : Sentence Completions

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

It is a tradition that on the first day of school, the principal announces the __________ of the school year and wishes everyone luck.

Possible Answers:

reunion 

joy

ending

conclusion

commencement

Correct answer:

commencement

Explanation:

Given the context of this sentence, it is clear that the principal makes welcoming remarks for the school year. She is kicking off the beginning, or the commencement, of the school year. commencement is the beginning or start of something. 

Example Question #227 : Sentence Completions

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

The __________ of the river is found up in the mountains; from there, it flows all the way to the sea.

Possible Answers:

temperature

summit

speed

terrain

source

Correct answer:

source

Explanation:

The author of this sentence is describing the point at which a river begins up in the mountains. Another word for where something begins or the thing that produces something is its “source.” The word “summit” means top of the mountain; this may have been a confusing option for this question, but it is not the correct answer. “Terrain” means land, and this makes sense, as the root "terra" means earth or land.

Example Question #228 : Sentence Completions

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

Zoos in this generation are doing their best to replicate the natural __________ of their animals by including the plants and landscape features with which they would interact in the wild.

Possible Answers:

hovels

mistrust

diets

toys

habitats

Correct answer:

habitats

Explanation:

The zoos want to make their animals' habitats more closely match the areas in which they would live in the wild. The word “habitat” is used to describe the home where an animal lives in the wild, so one might accurately say that “a bear’s habitat is the forest" and "habitat" is the correct answer. A “hovel” is the name of a very small and filthy house or a shack; and “mistrust” means suspicion. (The prefix "mis-" usually means not, like in the words “misunderstand,” “mistrust,” or “misplace.”) Animals in the zoo get food and toys, but adding "plants and landscape features" to an exhibit has nothing to do with toys or food.

Example Question #229 : Sentence Completions

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

The __________ of the music was so loud that the police came and told them to turn off the music.

Possible Answers:

appearance

smell

account

volume

color

Correct answer:

volume

Explanation:

The volume was loud, and therefore the police told them to turn off the music and not disturb the neighbors.

Example Question #1321 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

Renee gave me the ___________ that she understood the material from math class, but she actually didn't understand it at all.

Possible Answers:

impression

aura

manner

image

question

Correct answer:

impression

Explanation:

This sentence conveys that while Renee seemed to understand the material from math class, she actually didn't. You thus need to pick out a noun that means something like "feeling." The answer choice that best fits this requirement is "impression," which means feeling based on initial assumptions but no proof or further investigation. None of the other answer choices make sense in the blank.

Example Question #1322 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

Often, when one hears a loud noise, one's natural __________ is to look in the direction of that noise.

Possible Answers:

stimulus

incentive

thought

behavior

reflex

Correct answer:

reflex

Explanation:

If you hear a loud noise, you might look for the noise's source without thinking about it, so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "an action done without thinking." "Reflex" has this meaning exactly, so it is the correct answer. As for the other answer choices, none make sense in the sentence's blank: "incentive" means reward; "behavior" means conduct or pattern of actions; and "stimulus" means something that causes something else to happen.

Example Question #1323 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

We went apple picking in the __________ yesterday.

Possible Answers:

convent

orchard

university

cove

village

Correct answer:

orchard

Explanation:

From the context, you know that the correct answer must be somewhere where apples grow; this should lead you to the correct answer, which is “orchard.” An “orchard” is somewhere, usually on a farm, where fruit grows in trees. A “university” is an institution like a college where people study after high school; a “convent” is a religious building where nuns live.

Example Question #1324 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

The hurricane was an absolute __________ for the community; houses were destroyed and many jobs were lost.

Possible Answers:

surprise

portion

blessing

appeal

disaster

Correct answer:

disaster

Explanation:

From context, it sounds like the hurricane was a very bad thing for the community; this means that the correct answer is “disaster.” A “disaster” is a terrible thing that happens, like a hurricane or a flood. A “portion” is a specific amount of something given to someone. An “appeal” is an act of ask for something or for someone’s help.

Example Question #1325 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

She was still hungry after dinner because she had to share some of her __________ of ham with her younger sister.

Possible Answers:

food

size

location

consolation

portion

Correct answer:

portion

Explanation:

The word “portion” is used to describe an amount of something, like a “portion” of ice cream. The word “consolation” is something you get to make up for something else you missed out on;  a “location” is a place where something is. "Food" may look like a potentially correct answer, but saying "food of ham" doesn't make sense, so "food" cannot be correct.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors