All ISEE Lower Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Synonyms: Nouns For Abstract Concepts
Each synonyms question is made up of a word in capital letters followed by five choices. Choose the one word that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
SQUALOR:
lethargy
misery
variability
cleanliness
impairment
misery
If someone is living in squalor, they are living in misery and unpleasantness; this is often due to a lack of financial resources.
Example Question #2 : Synonyms: Nouns For Abstract Concepts
A synonym of "alias" is __________.
nominal
real name
fake name
middle name
almost
fake name
"Alias," when used as a noun, means "a false or assumed identity." The word can also be used as an adverb "used to indicate that a named person is also known or more familiar under another specified name." (The adverb functions in the same way as the phrase "also know as," but is specifically used to discuss real and assumed names.) So, we need to pick out an answer choice that has to do with names, specifically, with fake or assumed names. Since "fake name" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "alias," it is the correct answer.
Example Question #3 : Synonyms: Nouns For Abstract Concepts
Each synonyms question is made up of a word in capital letters followed by five choices. Choose the one word that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
MAGNITUDE:
personality
unimportance
essence
size
worth
size
The magnitude of an object or person refers to their size and often suggests vastness.
Example Question #4 : Synonyms: Nouns For Abstract Concepts
A synonym of "perseverance" is __________.
fear
bravery
nobility
persistence
ignorance
persistence
"Perseverance" is a noun that means "steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success." While "bravery" might look like a potentially correct answer, because someone who is brave might also demonstrate perseverance, "bravery" does not mean "perseverance," so it cannot be the correct answer. "Persistence," however, is a noun that means either "firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition" or "the continued or prolonged existence of something." Because "persistence" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "perseverance," it is the correct answer.
Example Question #5 : Synonyms: Nouns For Abstract Concepts
Each synonyms question is made up of a word in capital letters followed by five choices. Choose the one word that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
PANDEMONIUM:
chaos
intensity
vivacity
mirth
appreciation
chaos
If there is pandemonium, it means there is a high level of commotion or chaos.
Example Question #6 : Synonyms: Nouns For Abstract Concepts
A synonym of "allegiance" is __________.
demonstration
purpose
loyalty
dismissal
rebellion
loyalty
"Allegiance" is a noun that means "loyalty or commitment of a subordinate to a superior or of an individual to a group or cause." That means that "rebellion" can't be the correct answer, because "rebellion" means "an act of violent or open resistance to an established government or ruler" or "the action or process of resisting authority, control, or convention," so "rebellion" is an antonym of "allegiance." "Loyalty," however, is a noun that means "the quality of being loyal to someone or something," so "loyalty" is the correct answer because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "allegiance."
Example Question #7 : Synonyms: Nouns For Abstract Concepts
A synonym of "agony" is __________.
excitement
fury
torment
comfort
persecution
torment
"Agony" is a noun that means "extreme mental or physical pain." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "extreme pain." That means that "comfort" can't be the correct answer, because "comfort" means "a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint" or "consolation for grief or anxiety." So, "comfort" is an antonym of "agony." "Torment," however, is a word that when used as a noun means "severe physical or mental suffering" or "a cause of such suffering," so "torment" is the correct answer because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "torment."
Example Question #8 : Synonyms: Nouns For Abstract Concepts
A synonym of "clarity" is __________.
simplicity
complexity
transparency
lightness
obscurity
transparency
"Clarity" is a noun that can mean "the quality of being clear, in particular," "the quality of coherence and intelligibility," " the quality of being easy to see or hear; sharpness of image or sound," "the quality of being certain or definite," or "the quality of transparency or purity." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "clearness." That means that "obscurity" can't be the correct answer, because "obscurity" can mean "the quality of being difficult to understand," so "obscurity" is an antonym of "clarity." "Transparency," however, is an adjective that means "the quality of being able to see through something" or "the quality of being readily understood," so "transparency" is the correct answer because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "clarity."
Example Question #9 : Synonyms: Nouns For Abstract Concepts
A synonym of "prejudice" is __________.
prudence
preconception
spoils
fact
friendship
preconception
"Prejudice" is a word that when used as a noun defined as "preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience" or "dislike, hostility, or unjust behavior formed on such a basis." So, neither "fact" nor "friendship" can be the correct answer, because they are each an antonym of "prejudice." "Preconception," however, is a noun that means "a preconceived idea or prejudice," and because "preconception" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "prejudice," "preconception" is the correct answer.
Example Question #10 : Synonyms: Nouns For Abstract Concepts
A synonym of "travesty" is . . .
mockery
greatness
opinion
praise
metal
mockery
"Travesty" is a word that when used as a noun, means "a false, absurd, or distorted representation of something," and when used as a verb, means "to represent something in such a way." So, "praise" cannot be the correct answer because to "praise" something is to say good things about it, while to "travesty" it is "to produce a false, absurd, or distorted representation of something." "Mockery," however, is a noun that means either "derision; ridicule," or "an absurd misrepresentation or imitation of something." Because "mockery" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "travesty," "mockery" is the correct answer.
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