ISEE Lower Level Verbal : Nouns

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #41 : Nouns

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

"Can't we ever read about something different?" said Stephanie, who was upset with the textbook's lack of __________.

Possible Answers:

variety

facts

interest

sameness

monotony

Correct answer:

variety

Explanation:

Even though this sentence is set up in a conversational way, don't get overwhelmed. We can easily tell that the textbook presents the same type of material over and over, and that this makes Stephanie upset. Therefore, what the textbook is "lacking" or missing is a diversity of topics. Since "diversity" is not one of the given choices, the best answer here is "variety." Variety refers to the state of containing different things, so a textbook without variety must repeat the same sort of written information and is likely not very exciting to read.

Example Question #42 : Nouns

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

Group projects typically require __________ from each member of the group in order to be done in the assigned period of time.

Possible Answers:

awareness

judgments

contributions

verification

difficulties

Correct answer:

contributions

Explanation:

Group projects usually require each person of the group to participate, so we can say that they usually require "contributions," or things done for a project, from each group member. ("Contribution" can also mean something donated.) As for the other answer choices, "difficulties" are obstacles; "awareness" is perception or recognition; "judgments" are assessments or evaluations; and "verification" is the process of seeing whether or not something is true.

Example Question #185 : Sentence Completions

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

There are several __________ that one should take when driving in a severe rainstorm; turning on one's car's headlights is one of these.

Possible Answers:

risks

precautions

tasks

situations

attempts

Correct answer:

precautions

Explanation:

Turning on one's headlights in a severe rainstorm is something someone does to be cautious and safe. Based on this, "precautions," are needed in order to safeguard against the weather. "Risks" are chances; "tasks" are jobs; and "situations" are events or circumstances.

Example Question #43 : Nouns

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

Susie loves the smell of the candle; she thinks it has a pleasant __________.

Possible Answers:

rigor

sanctuary

aroma

garment

abode

Correct answer:

aroma

Explanation:

The answer choice that makes the most sense would relate to the smell of the candle. The answer choice that makes the most sense is "aroma," which means smell or fragrance. None of the other answer choices make sense in the blank: "abode" means home; "garment" means piece of clothing; "sanctuary" means safe place; and "rigor" means difficulty or thoroughness.

Example Question #44 : Nouns

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

John and his brother were excited to use their new basketball hoop, but first they needed to take care of the __________; the hoop was in thirty small pieces.

Possible Answers:

dismantling

assembly

relaxation

relatives

dispersement

Correct answer:

assembly

Explanation:

Let's dissect this sentence, starting with the second part. At the moment, the hoop "was in thirty small pieces." John and his brother needed to do something with these pieces before they will be able to play with their new sports equipment. We can quickly see that they needed to put the pieces together. The only word that describes the act of putting pieces together is "assembly," which is our answer.

Example Question #45 : Nouns

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

In 1947, Jackie Robinson was the first African-American player in Major League Baseball; today, professional baseball players are of many different descents, partly due to Robinson's role as a __________ for diversity.

Possible Answers:

pioneer

figurine

lawyer

opponent

follower

Correct answer:

pioneer

Explanation:

Being the first African-American in the MLB, Jackie Robinson paved the way for future players of diverse backgrounds to play professional baseball. "Pioneer," defined as a person who is an early leader in a certain area, is the best answer choice.

Example Question #46 : Nouns

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

The class __________ was needed on the field trip in order for the teacher to account for each student when attendance was taken on the bus.

Possible Answers:

roster

pet

itinerary

program

Correct answer:

roster

Explanation:

Whatever noun goes in the blank, we know that it needs to be something that would help a teacher take attendance on a field trip. So, we can infer that we need to pick out a word that means something like "a list of names." "Roster" means a written list of the names of people in a certain group, so it is the correct answer because it best fits the sentence's context. As for the other answer choices, they don't make sense in the blank: "itinerary" may look like a good answer because a teacher likely has an itinerary on a field trip, "itinerary" means schedule, not "list of names," so "roster" is the better choice. Similarly, a "program" is a series of planned events, and "pet" means animal kept for fun and companionship.

Example Question #47 : Nouns

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

The Mayan vase was a __________ that was passed on from generation to generation.

Possible Answers:

testimonial

relic

trophy

remainder

fragment

Correct answer:

relic

Explanation:

The best answer choice is relic since it indicates that the vase is an antique object.

Example Question #48 : Nouns

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

When he heard a __________ in the hallway in the middle of the night, he was afraid that someone had broken into the house, but it turned out that it was just the cat knocking over and breaking a vase of flowers and then yowling because its fur had gotten wet.

Possible Answers:

clamor

whisper

odor

silence

feeling

Correct answer:

clamor

Explanation:

We can infer from the sentence that the subject heard a noise in the hallway, so we can narrow down possible answer choices to "clamor," which means "a loud continuous noise," and "whisper." Since the noises described were loud and not made by people, "clamor" is the better answer choice, and the correct answer.

Example Question #49 : Nouns

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

The __________ on the number of words the students could write was clearly marked in the assignment description at the top of the page, and the teacher was strict about adhering to such rules.

Possible Answers:

constraint

edict

order

action

proposition

Correct answer:

constraint

Explanation:

If a teacher writes out assignment instructions and is strict about students following these rules, it means that they are constraints or restrictions.

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