ISEE Lower Level Verbal : Identifying Synonyms

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #503 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning

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

ILLUSTRIOUS

Possible Answers:

Abnormal

Playful

Arid

Respected

Sincere

Correct answer:

Respected

Explanation:

When a person is "illustrious," he or she is widely admired or respected, usually for his or her accomplishments. This word could describe a professor who published many groundbreaking papers, or a well-liked athlete with a long and successful career. "Respected" is the correct synonym here. "Arid" refers to climate conditions that are unusually dry, while neither "playful," "sincere," or "abnormal" properly captures the admiration implied by this term.

Example Question #504 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning

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

UNDERSTATED

Possible Answers:

Free

Frequent

Whispered

Subtle

Judgmental

Correct answer:

Subtle

Explanation:

"Understated" means modest and not drawing much attention. To be "subtlemeans to be subdued and not obvious. Thus, given how similar in meaning that these words are to one another, they are synonyms.

Example Question #505 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning

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

VITAL

Possible Answers:

Superfluous

Necessary

Honest

Powerless

Agreeable

Correct answer:

Necessary

Explanation:

Anything that is "vital" is absolutely required for a certain process or goal. For example, food and water are vital ingredients for human survival. "Necessary," or needed, is a strong synonym of "vital," while both "powerless" and "agreeable" are unrelated. Finally, perhaps you are unfamiliar with the final choice, "superfluous." This word simply means extra or unnecessary, which is the exact opposite of the choice we want to pick.

Example Question #506 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning

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

INTENSE

Possible Answers:

Effortless

Extreme

Mild

Moderate

Mediocre

Correct answer:

Extreme

Explanation:

“Intense” means to a great degree or "extreme." The word “moderate” means in the middle of two sides or poles, whereas “mediocre” means of average quality when higher quality was expected. Something that is “effortless” does not require effort or work or is extremely easy to do, and something that is "mild" is not very strong or serious.

Example Question #507 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning

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

VITAL

Possible Answers:

Needed

Extraneous

Fatal

Aggressive

Passive

Correct answer:

Needed

Explanation:

"Vital" derives from the Latin "vita," life, so it makes sense that something that is “vital” is very important to keeping life going, or more generally, necessary and very important. "Necessary" is thus the correct answer. As for the other answer choices, “extraneous” means not needed or part of an amount that is more than what is needed; “aggressive” means angry and violent or intense; “passive” means not doing anything in response to something; and “fatal” means deadly.

Example Question #331 : Identifying Synonyms

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

TRIFLING

Possible Answers:

Petty

Difficult

Detailed

Important

Extended

Correct answer:

Petty

Explanation:

"Trifling," when used as an adjective, means "unimportant or trivial." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "unimportant." "Important" is the opposite of "unimportant," so it can't be the correct answer, but "petty" means "of little importance; trivial," "characterized by an undue concern for trivial matters, esp. in a small-minded or spiteful way" when used to describe behavior, or "of secondary or lesser importance, rank, or scale; minor." Because "petty" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "trifling," "petty" is the correct answer.

Example Question #509 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning

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

HEARTY

Possible Answers:

Benevolent

Visible

Wise

Strong

Malevolent

Correct answer:

Strong

Explanation:

Hearty means strong and healthy. To further help you, wise means very smart, able to make good decisions; benevolent means good-natured; malevolent means wicked-natured; benevolent and malevolent are antonyms of one another; visible means able to be seen.

Example Question #510 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning

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

EXTREME

Possible Answers:

Excited

Enormous

Distant

Passionate

Insane

Correct answer:

Enormous

Explanation:

Something "extreme" is something that exists to a high degree. For example, extreme heat is very hot—at a high degree of heat. Extreme anger is a large amount of anger. The general idea of being extreme is this kind of largeness or greatness of amount. Thus, the best option is "enormous." None of the other options are synonymous with the idea of being of a large size or to a great degree.

Example Question #511 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning

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

VIRULENT

Possible Answers:

Loose

Obsolete

Uncaring

Beneficial

Toxic

Correct answer:

Toxic

Explanation:

"Virulent" means strong, extremely lethal and poisonous. The closest answer then is "toxic" which means poisonous. To provide further help, "beneficial" means helpful; "obsolete" means no longer used, no longer needed.

Example Question #512 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning

Synonyms: Select the word that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

IMPROVED

Possible Answers:

Better

Calmer

Friendlier

Looser

Worse

Correct answer:

Better

Explanation:

When you "improve" something you make that thing "better." So these two words are clearly synonyms. "Worse" is an antonym to improved. "Friendlier" and "calmer are both statements of improvement but apply only to a person's (or animal's) disposition.

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