ISEE Lower Level Verbal : Style, Intensity, and Connotation in Phrase-Based Sentence Completions

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #31 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions

Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.

"Careful," the old man exclaimed, "__________." 

Possible Answers:

that box is marked fragile 

I feel as young as ever 

I wish I could spend all day with you 

the weight is not cumbersome 

I feel very strong 

Correct answer:

that box is marked fragile 

Explanation:

In this problem you need to determine which of these answer choices is something that someone might say after saying "Careful." The correct answer is therefore " . . . this box is marked fragile." "Fragile" means easily broken. The other answer choices all either describe reasons why someone might not have to be careful or else are unrelated and nonsensical. Additionally, "exclaimed" means said, expressed out loud; "cumbersome" means heavy, difficult to carry, difficult to manage

Example Question #32 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions

Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.

__________ with his calming words.

Possible Answers:

He ensured chaos

He preserved bedlam

He aggravated the situation

He soothed the man

He exacerbated the problem

Correct answer:

He soothed the man

Explanation:

To solve this problem you need to consider what someone's calming words might lead to. The correct answer is "He soothed the man . . . " "Soothed" means assuaged, calmed, made to feel better and more relaxed. The other answer choices all suggest a result that would not occur from someone speaking calmly. Additionally, "exacerbated" and "aggravated" both mean intensified and made worse; "bedlam" means mayhem, disorder, chaos, madness; "ensured" means made sure happened; "preserved" means saved, maintained.

Example Question #33 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions

Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.

Compared to a genius __________.

Possible Answers:

I feel stupid

people feel splendid

she is smart

no-one feels unattractive

I look beautiful

Correct answer:

I feel stupid

Explanation:

To begin with you need to know that a "genius" is someone very smart. So, which of these answer choices describes what might happen when someone is compared to a genius? The correct answer is " . . . I feel stupid." To "compare" means to measure something against something else. So, when measured next to a genius the speaker feels stupid by comparison. Additionally, "unattractive" means not attractive, ugly; "splendid" means excellent, great.

Example Question #34 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions

Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.

If you warm an ice-cube __________.

Possible Answers:

despite getting water

it is likely to melt

although needing water

you are going to burn

you can't get water

Correct answer:

it is likely to melt

Explanation:

To solve this problem you need to determine which of these answer choices describes something that might happen if you heat an ice-cube. The correct answer is, obviously, that it will melt. You need to be careful of this question because the incorrect answers contain illogical conjunctions. If a conjunction does not sound right to you, but you have no other information to go on, you should trust your instincts. The human brain is hard-wired to understand language and sentence structure, and even if you do not understand what a specific conjunction means you might still recognize what it cannot mean. 

Example Question #35 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions

Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.

The snow accumulated __________.

Possible Answers:

before the snow fell

without any frigid temperatures

and was replaced by rain

and melted away

and had to be shovelled

Correct answer:

and had to be shovelled

Explanation:

To solve this problem you first need to know that "accumulated" means gathered, piled up, collected. So, if the snow was gathering and collecting on the ground which of these answer choices is the most likely result? The correct answer is " . . . and had to be shovelled." The other answer choices all describe something illogical within the context of this sentence. Additionally, "frigid" means very cold; "temperature" means the measure of how hot or cold it is.

Example Question #36 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions

Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.

__________ is that I am poor and he is wealthy. 

Possible Answers:

Notwithstanding our many differences, one likeness we share

In spite of the fact I find interesting

However being from the same family

One difference between us

Something we have in common

Correct answer:

One difference between us

Explanation:

To begin with "wealthy" means rich, not poor. So, which of these answer choices matches with this comparison that the speaker is making? The correct answer is "One difference between us . . . " The other answer choices either contain incorrect conjunctions or else are related to similarities not differences. Additionally, "likeness" means similarity; "notwithstanding" means not counting, not considering

Example Question #31 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions

Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.

She took medicine __________.

Possible Answers:

to feel better

although being sick

despite being sick

under the weather

inside of her doctor

Correct answer:

to feel better

Explanation:

To solve this problem you have to determine which of these is a likely reason why someone might take medicine. "Medicine" is drugs used to cure sickness. So, the correct answer is " . . . to feel better." The other answer choices are either illogical or contain improper conjunctions, like "although" and "despite."

Example Question #32 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions

Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.

The plane kept ascending __________.

Possible Answers:

higher and higher

despite being capable of flying

so they hired a mechanic to fix it

further from the truth

until it crashed into the ground

Correct answer:

higher and higher

Explanation:

To solve this problem you need to know that "ascending" means going up. So, if the plane keeps going up then it is going " . . . higher and higher." The other answer choices would either make more sense with "descending" (going down) or else contain improper conjunctions or are total nonsense.

Example Question #39 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions

Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.

__________ so my teacher told me to calm down.

Possible Answers:

I was overenthusiastic

I worked hard on my paper

I helped out my classmate

I practiced art after school

I was serene

Correct answer:

I was overenthusiastic

Explanation:

To solve this problem you need to determine which of these answer choices describes a reason why the teacher would tell the speaker to calm down. The correct answer is therefore "I was overenthusiastic . . . " "Enthusiastic" means excited, so "overenthusiastic" means too excited, out of control. All the other answer choices do not seem like actions that would cause a teacher to tell a student to calm down.

Example Question #40 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions

Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.

__________ I never want to see her again.

Possible Answers:

Even though she is so mean to me

Because she is so mean to me

It seems unlikely because we are enemies, but

My friends are going to the countryside and

Although I absolutely hate her

Correct answer:

Because she is so mean to me

Explanation:

To solve this problem you have to determine which of these answer choices describes why someone might never want to see someone again. The correct answer is "Because she is so mean to me . . . " But, in this problem you have to be careful because there are several incorrect conjunctions, like "even though" or "although" which might trick you into picking the wrong answer.

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