ISEE Lower Level Verbal : Sentence Completions

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #471 : Sentence Completions

Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

They took the turkey out of the freezer and left it to __________ so that they could cook it the next day.

Possible Answers:

demolish

thaw

cleanse

strive

bewilder

Correct answer:

thaw

Explanation:

In this sentence the subjects take a turkey out of the freezer and leave it to become unfrozen. The correct answer is therefore "thaw." To "thaw" means to defrost, to become unfrozen. Additionally, "strive" means work hard for; "demolish" means tear down, destroy; "bewilder" means confuse; "cleanse" means clean, purify.

Example Question #471 : Sentence Completions

Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

The hunters set a trap in order to __________ the animal.

Possible Answers:

reprimand

desert

snare

enlarge

sanctify

Correct answer:

snare

Explanation:

Based on the context of this sentence you know that the verb you are looking for must mean something like to trap, to catch (an animal). The correct answer is therefore "snare." Additionally, "reprimand" means scold, yell at, punish; "desert" means leave, abandon; "sanctify" means make holy, make sacred; "enlarge" means make larger.

Example Question #473 : Sentence Completions

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

Although it is not always the case, television commercials ____________ to be a bit ridiculous in order to shock viewers into watching them.

Possible Answers:

captivate

emerge

appear

tend

lie

Correct answer:

tend

Explanation:

The sentence is discussing the general tendency for commercials to be a given way. When something "tends" to something, it generally or often does so. For instance, if you were to say, "I tend to go to bed at 10 PM," this would mean that you generally go to bed then. Of course, some times you go to bed earlier or later. This is all that the sentence is trying to say about the tendencies of television commercials.

Example Question #331 : Parts Of Speech In Word Based Sentence Completions

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

Although she was not totally sure about her suspicion, Elizabeth ___________ that something bad had happened that morning.

Possible Answers:

declared

evaluated

sensed

asserted

agreed

Correct answer:

sensed

Explanation:

The general idea is that Elizabeth can't exactly "put her finger" on her reason for thinking that something bad had happened. Nevertheless, she has a "sense" that there was something wrong. To "sense" something does not just mean that you see or smell it. It also can mean that you have some general idea that something is the case. If you think that someone doesn't like your answer to a question, you might say, "I sense that you don't like my answer." This does not mean that you are sure that they don't like it. It just means that you are picking up on something that they are doing or saying that makes you think that they do not like it.

Example Question #332 : Parts Of Speech In Word Based Sentence Completions

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

He tried to __________ the window ledge, but he could not reach.

Possible Answers:

address

leap

plead

grasp

dispose

Correct answer:

grasp

Explanation:

Based on the context of this sentence you know that the subject is trying to reach or hold onto the window. The correct answer is therefore to "grasp" which means hold firmly, grab onto. Additionally, "leap" means jump; "dispose" means get rid of; "plead" means beg, urge; "address" means speak to.

Example Question #333 : Parts Of Speech In Word Based Sentence Completions

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

The immigrants arrived in the new country hoping to work hard and __________.

Possible Answers:

assuage

convene

coerce

prosper

relent

Correct answer:

prosper

Explanation:

It makes sense that people working hard, that had recently arrived in a new country, would want to achieve success, do well and be happy and wealthy. The correct answer is therefore to "prosper." "Prosperous" means wealthy, happy and successful. Additionally, "relent" means give up; "convene" means meet up, get together; "coerce" means force; "assuage" means calm, relieve, soothe.

Example Question #334 : Parts Of Speech In Word Based Sentence Completions

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

After the old member retired a new member had to be __________ to the committee.

Possible Answers:

merged

prevented

motivated

resumed

appointed

Correct answer:

appointed

Explanation:

Based on the context of this sentence you know that the correct answer must mean something like chosen, elected, nominated. The correct answer is therefore "appointed." To "appoint" someone means to choose or elect them, to nominate them for a position. Additionally, to "resume" means to continue; to "prevent" means to stop from happening; to "merge" means to blend, to combine, to come together; to "motivate" means to inspire, to cause someone to want to do something.

Example Question #335 : Parts Of Speech In Word Based Sentence Completions

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

She __________ her blanket and carries it everywhere.

Possible Answers:

cherishes

abhors

detest

deplores

despises

Correct answer:

cherishes

Explanation:

If the girl carries her blanket everywhere with her it makes sense that she loves it, values it highly, or "cherishes" it." To "cherish" means to love deeply. The other four answer choices are all loosely synonyms of one another, they mean hate. As in, "I detest being cold" or "I abhor the winter because it is so cold."

Example Question #336 : Parts Of Speech In Word Based Sentence Completions

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

He wanted to keep going, but seeing that everyone else was exhausted he __________.

Possible Answers:

lionized

exaggerated

executed

relented

eradicated

Correct answer:

relented

Explanation:

The subject of this sentence wants to keep working, but he notices that everyone else is tired and wants to stop, therefore he logically gives in, changes his mind and accepts the situation. The correct answer is therefore "relented." To "relent" means to give up, to give in, to accept a situation and stop trying to change it. Additionally, "exaggerate" means make more intense, make worse; "lionize" means praise heavily; "eradicate" means get rid of, destroy; "execute" means kill, kill with the backing of the law.

Example Question #337 : Parts Of Speech In Word Based Sentence Completions

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

No matter how many times he attempted to play the instrument, John could not __________ the sound he made on the tuba two nights earlier.

Possible Answers:

resurrect

hear

reproduce

remember

recall

Correct answer:

reproduce

Explanation:

The sense of the sentence is that John was unable to make the same sound again. That is, he couldn't "reproduce" or replicate it.  To "produce" something is to make it. The prefix "re-" means, "Again." Hence, "to reproduce" means "to make again."

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