ISEE Lower Level Verbal : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots to Identify Synonyms

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #61 : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots To Identify Synonyms

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

REFLECT

Possible Answers:

Record

Discuss

Acknowledge

Consider

Supplant

Correct answer:

Consider

Explanation:

The prefix re- means back or again. As in "respond," which means say something back, in reply. So, "reflect" means to think back on. This is closest in meaning to "consider." Additionally, "supplant" means replace; "discuss" means talk about; "acknowledge" means recognize, notice

Example Question #62 : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots To Identify Synonyms

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

FORETELL

Possible Answers:

Remember

Forget

Revert

Describe

Warn

Correct answer:

Warn

Explanation:

The prefix fore- means before. As in "forerunner," which means something that comes before something else. So, to "foretell" means to predict, to warn. All the other answer choices are things you do after an event. So, for example, "revert" means to change back to an earlier state.

Example Question #63 : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots To Identify Synonyms

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

ARMS

Possible Answers:

Weaponry

Medicine

Anatomy

Society

Philosophy

Correct answer:

Weaponry

Explanation:

The prefix arm- means weapon, war. As in "disarm," which means to make safe, to take a weapon away from. So, "arms" are weapons or weaponry. Additionally, "society" is the name given to a group of people; "philosophy" is the study of the essential nature of things, literally the love of wisdom; "anatomy" is the area of science that studies the body structure of living beings.

Example Question #64 : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots To Identify Synonyms

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

THERMAL

Possible Answers:

Mass

Velocity

Speed

Height

Heat

Correct answer:

Heat

Explanation:

The prefix therm- means hot, heat. As in "thermometer," which is something used to measure temperature. "Thermal" means related to heat, so the best answer choice here is of course "heat." Additionally, "mass" refers to the weight of something (in the science classroom the definition is a little more complicated, but for the purposes of practical vocabulary "mass" and "weight" are the same). Finally, "velocity" refers to speed

Example Question #65 : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots To Identify Synonyms

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

CREED

Possible Answers:

Belief

Naivety

Apathy

Empathy

Reputation

Correct answer:

Belief

Explanation:

The prefix cred- means believe. As in "incredible," which literally means unbelievable, too amazing to be easily believed. So, a "creed" is a belief. Additionally, "empathy" is the ability to feel what others are feeling; "apathy" is not caring; "naivety" is believing everything, being too easily convinced by others; your "reputation" is what others believe to be true about you, how others think of you.

Example Question #66 : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots To Identify Synonyms

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

PORTER

Possible Answers:

Carrier

Miser

Doctor

Soldier

Mentor

Correct answer:

Carrier

Explanation:

The prefix port- means carry or move. As in "transport," which means to move from one place to another. So, a "porter" is a carrier, someone who carries something. Additionally, a "miser" is someone who is not generous with money; a "mentor" is someone who guides someone else.

Example Question #67 : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots To Identify Synonyms

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

PROLONG

Possible Answers:

Offend

Discover

Menace

Retire

Extend

Correct answer:

Extend

Explanation:

The prefix pro- means forward. So, to "prolong" means to extend, to extend something forward into the future. Additionally, to "discover" means to find; to "offend" means to upset someone, to cause anger; "menace" means threaten, scare; to "retire" means to stop doing something, often to stop working.

Example Question #68 : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots To Identify Synonyms

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

SCRIBBLE

Possible Answers:

Pinch

Complete

Write

Intend

Squash

Correct answer:

Write

Explanation:

The prefix scrib- means write. As in "scribe" which means writer. So, "scribble" means to doodle, to write messily. This is, of course, closest in meaning to "write." Additionally, "complete" means finish; to "intend" means to mean to do, to deliberately do.

Example Question #69 : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots To Identify Synonyms

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

DIVERGE

Possible Answers:

Spoil

Split

Preserve

Remain

Instruct

Correct answer:

Split

Explanation:

The prefixes bi- and di- mean two. As in, "biweekly" which means happening every two weeks. "Diverge" means split, separate and go in different directions. It helps to think of it like "diverge" = to go in two different directions. Additionally, "remain" means stay; "spoil" means ruin; "preserve" means maintain, save something for future use; "instruct" can mean either order, tell or teach, educate

Example Question #70 : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots To Identify Synonyms

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

CHRONICLE

Possible Answers:

Amuse

Record

Scatter

Reproduce

Rush

Correct answer:

Record

Explanation:

The prefix chron- means time. So, a "chronicle" is a record of events that have happened over time. Additionally, "amuse" means entertain, make laugh; "scatter" means spread out; "reproduce" means make another copy of or produce a child; "rush" means force something to happen too quickly.

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