ISEE Lower Level Verbal : Phrase- and Clause-Based Sentence Completions

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #61 : Phrase And Clause Based Sentence Completions

Choose the phrase that best completes the following sentence.

Carmella is very protective of her toys and __________, a selfish tendency that makes it hard for her to make friends.

Possible Answers:

is always absent

scares the teachers

is not good at sharing them with other children

fights with her classmates

impresses the other children 

Correct answer:

is not good at sharing them with other children

Explanation:

The sentence states that Carmella has a selfish tendency, which is supposed to fill the blank. The quality of not sharing her toys with other children is a selfish quality because it means that one does not consider the needs of others. Therefore, the best answer is "is not good at sharing them with other children."

Example Question #62 : Phrase And Clause Based Sentence Completions

Choose the phrase that best completes the following sentence.

When the teacher was grading the essays, she gave her students feedback about __________.

Possible Answers:

how to behave for substitute teachers

how to improve their writing

what day next week the homework was due

the use of calculators in math class

the week's lunch menu

Correct answer:

how to improve their writing

Explanation:

It makes the most sense that a teacher who is grading essays would be providing feedback about the content of the essays, so the only answer choice that makes sense is "how to improve their writing." 

Example Question #63 : Phrase And Clause Based Sentence Completions

Choose the phrase that best completes the following sentence.

Josh had never seen a giraffe before and was __________, mesmerized by its long neck and legs.

Possible Answers:

bored at the zoo

astounded by its ugliness

unsure of how long it had to live

gazing at it in awe

afraid of its strangeness

Correct answer:

gazing at it in awe

Explanation:

Given that Josh was mesmerized by the giraffe, this means that he would look at it in appraisal of its beauty. With this information, the best answer would be, "gazing at it in awe."

Example Question #64 : Phrase And Clause Based Sentence Completions

Choose the phrase that best completes the following sentence.

Oxen are very strong animals, capable of ___________ without getting tired.

Possible Answers:

eating large amounts of food

sleeping for long periods of time

lying in the grass for long periods of time

sprinting short distances

pulling large wagons for long distances

Correct answer:

pulling large wagons for long distances

Explanation:

This sentence is trying to communicate that oxen are very strong, and so should draw on the fact that they are able to pull heavy wagons for long distances as supporting evidence. Therefore, the best answer is "capable of pulling large wagons for long distances."

Example Question #65 : Phrase And Clause Based Sentence Completions

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

Fred always regretted __________ because an education beyond high school would have helped him get a better job.

Possible Answers:

hanging out with his friends

not studying for his major exams

not eating breakfast

not going to college

not checking out more books from the school library

Correct answer:

not going to college

Explanation:

In this sentence, we know that Fred always regretted something connected to the fact that he did not have education beyond high school. Given that going to college would have helped him to get a better job, the correct answer is "not going to college."

Example Question #66 : Phrase And Clause Based Sentence Completions

Choose the phrase that best completes the following sentence.

Despite being very thorough in his studies, Juan did not _________, and was very shocked to see his grade.

Possible Answers:

enjoy his relaxation period

feel very confident about his test

perform very well on his exam

felt very nervous

forget his bagged lunch

Correct answer:

perform very well on his exam

Explanation:

Given that Juan was very thorough studying for his exam and was shocked to see the results, the facts of the sentence suggest that the blanks should be filled by the fact that he did not do very well. The answer choice telling us that he did not "perform very well on his exam" satisfies this, and so should be used to complete the sentence.

Example Question #67 : Phrase And Clause Based Sentence Completions

Choose the phrase that best completes the following sentence.

While the chef loves to cook with red pepper, he has to be mindful that not everyone enjoys the spiciness __________.

Possible Answers:

to the same extent that he does

as little as he does

more than him

unlike his family

of the pepper, which he thinks is disgusting

Correct answer:

to the same extent that he does

Explanation:

The sentence here makes clear that the chef loves to cook with red pepper. However, he has to be mindful to keep himself in control with the red pepper for a certain reason. That reason fills the blank. The only answer choice that makes sense is one that would explain that not everyone likes red pepper as much as the chef. Therefore, the best answer is "to the same extent that he does."

Example Question #68 : Phrase And Clause Based Sentence Completions

Choose the phrase that best completes the following sentence.

Jenny’s term paper was _________; every other phrase had a grammatical problem.

Possible Answers:

overflowing with errors

well written

turned in early

above average

full of advanced vocabulary

Correct answer:

overflowing with errors

Explanation:

Given that every other phrase in the sentence had problems, the best answer would be "overflowing with errors." This is the only phrase that is negative in connotation, reflecting the problems that exist with the sentence.

Example Question #69 : Phrase And Clause Based Sentence Completions

Choose the phrase that best completes the following sentence.

Jenna likes _________, enjoying everything from Japanese sushi to Indian curry and Mexican tacos.

Possible Answers:

few types of cuisine

different cultures

traveling to a variety of countries 

trying new modern restaurants

a diversity of foods

Correct answer:

a diversity of foods

Explanation:

The sentence explains all the different types of foods that Jenna likes to eat. Given that the focus is on the wide variety of food that Jenna likes to eat, the best answer choice is "a diversity of food."

Example Question #70 : Phrase And Clause Based Sentence Completions

Choose the phrase that best completes the following sentence.

While most people like bananas when they are yellow, my father is different and __________.

Possible Answers:

always slips on the peels

likes to eat them when they are green

is allergic to bananas 

likes apples

is color blind 

Correct answer:

likes to eat them when they are green

Explanation:

The word "while" is used to indicate contrast, so the phrase that goes in the blank should be something different from the first part of the sentence, which is eating bananas when they are yellow. The best phrase that is in direct contrast to this is "likes to eat them when they are green."

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