All ISEE Lower Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #901 : Sentence Completions
Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.
The cat was alarmed by __________.
a friendly owner
a breezy day
a passing car
the comfortable bed
the promise of a meal
a passing car
To solve this problem you first need to know that "alarmed" means frightened, made nervous. So, which of these answer choices makes sense as an action that would cause a cat to feel nervous or get scared? The correct answer is " . . . a passing car." Additionally, "breezy" means slightly windy.
Example Question #902 : Sentence Completions
Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.
It looks like a tornado came through here; __________.
the place is spotless
the weather is perfect
I can find my guitar
my mother is shopping with her brother
the place is a mess
the place is a mess
If a tornado came through an area it would be likely to create destruction and ruin many houses. Someone might exclaim that a place looks like it has just been visited by a tornado if the place was messy. This is therefore the correct answer. Additionally, "spotless" means completely cleaned, not even a little dirty.
Example Question #81 : Phrase And Clause Based Sentence Completions
Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.
__________ to end the fighting.
They offered to repose
He sought extension
They stressed the urgency
He armed himself
They made a pact
They made a pact
To solve this problem you have to determine which of these answer choices describes an action undertaken in order to end fighting. The correct answer is therefore "They made a pact . . . " A "pact" is an agreement, a treaty, a promise. Additionally, "urgency" means need. The answer choice that reads "They stressed the urgency . . . " might seem like the correct answer, but it would be written like "They stressed the urgent need to end the fighting" or "They stressed that it was urgent to end the fighting." Finally, "repose" means rest; "armed" means got weapons; "extension" means more of something, something that makes something longer.
Example Question #904 : Sentence Completions
Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.
I got soaked __________.
eating at a restaurant
by the burning sun
and stayed dry
because I stayed inside
when it started raining
when it started raining
To answer this question you need to know that "soaked" means made wet, very wet. So, which of these answer choices is a reason why someone might get very wet? The correct answer is " . . . when it started raining."
Example Question #82 : Phrase And Clause Based Sentence Completions
Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.
Her parents are entrepreneurs; __________.
they teach at community college
they own a business in Sacramento
they have been separated for three years
they are often incapable of feeing themselves
they recognize the importance of physical education
they own a business in Sacramento
To answer this problem it is pretty important to know the definition of "entrepreneur." An "entrepreneur" is a businessperson who runs their own business or takes risky business ventures. From here the correct answer is merely determining which answer choices relates to something that "entrepreneurs" might do. So, the correct answer is " . . . they own a business in Sacramento."
Example Question #83 : Phrase And Clause Based Sentence Completions
Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.
I became popular because __________.
friendships are important
no-one at school likes me
school is very serious
I like to spend time by myself
people think I'm cool
people think I'm cool
To solve this problem you first need to know that "popular" means well-liked or favored and in demand. So, which of these is a quality that might make someone become well liked? The correct answer is " . . . people think I'm cool." The other answer choices are either nonsensical or describe reasons why someone might not be popular.
Example Question #84 : Phrase And Clause Based Sentence Completions
Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.
__________ and was confronted by his angry father.
He got home
He was acclaimed by his teachers
He achieved success
He helped his father fix the car
He underwent dramatic improvement
He got home
To solve this problem you first need to know that to "confront" means to meet someone in person and express anger or disagreement. So, which of these answer choices could have come directly before the boy was confronted by his angry father? The correct answer is simply "He got home . . . " All the other answer choices suggest things that would not make someone confront someone else. Additionally, "dramatic" means extreme, very large; "acclaimed" means widely praised; "underwent" means went through, experienced.
Example Question #85 : Phrase And Clause Based Sentence Completions
Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.
He made a wild prediction and somehow __________.
he was completely wrong
he miscalculated
he experienced pain
he was right
he made no new friends
he was right
The use of the word "wild" means the prediction he made must have been crazy. The use of the word "somehow" means that however unlikely the thing the subject did he was still successful. So, the only logical answer here is that the subject " . . . was right." Additionally, "miscalculated" means made an error in figuring out; "completely" means totally, utterly, without exception.
Example Question #86 : Phrase And Clause Based Sentence Completions
Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.
I have never seen something so strange; __________.
it is uninteresting
it is scarce
it is unique
it is quite common
it is abundant
it is unique
The use of the semi-colon tells you that the information contained in the second part of the sentence must support or continue the idea contained in the first part of the sentence. Also, "strange" means weird, unusual. So, the correct answer is " . . . it is unique." "Unique" means one of a kind, unmatched. Additionally, "uninteresting" means not interesting, boring; "common" means normal, happening regularly; "scarce" means rare; "abundant" means found in large quantities.
Example Question #87 : Phrase And Clause Based Sentence Completions
Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.
He is cunning and sneaky, __________.
like a fox
although quite secretive
but often escapes
yet never gets caught
and totally clumsy
like a fox
To begin with it is important to know that "cunning" means crafty, sly, capable of doing something through trickery. Foxes are commonly described as "cunning" and "sneaky" so this is the correct answer. The other answer choices are either illogical, as in, "totally clumsy" or else contain conjunctions that do not make sense in context.
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