ISEE Lower Level Verbal : Parts of Speech in Word-Based Sentence Completions

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #391 : Parts Of Speech In Word Based Sentence Completions

Medicines are extensively tested before doctors are allowed to give them to patients to make sure that all of the potential __________ side effects have been catalogued; that way, when a doctor prescribes a medicine, he or she is aware of all of its potentially damaging side effects.

Possible Answers:

adverse

presumptuous

beneficial

welcome

limited

Correct answer:

adverse

Explanation:

We can infer from the sentence that the word in the blank needs to describe a medicine's side effects, specifically unwanted or bad side effects, because cataloguing the side effects that the blank refers to results in doctors being "aware of all [a medicine's] potentially damaging side effects." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "harmful." So, "beneficial" cannot be the correct answer because "beneficial" means the opposite of "harmful." "Adverse," however, is an adjective that means "preventing success or development; harmful; unfavorable," and because it is the answer choice that best describes the "potentially damaging side effects" the sentence discusses and best fits the context of the sentence, "adverse" is the correct answer.

Example Question #392 : Parts Of Speech In Word Based Sentence Completions

Sally tried to get her sister Jenny not to mention the surprise birthday party they were planning for their friend in front of her, but Jenny was too __________ to take the hint and ended up spoiling the surprise.

Possible Answers:

timed

clever

obtuse

ominous

wary

Correct answer:

obtuse

Explanation:

We can infer that we need to pick out a word that means something like "uncomprehending," because Jenny did not pick up on her sister's hint and spoiled the surprise. "Clever," then, cannot be the correct answer, because "clever" means "quick to understand, learn, and devise or apply ideas; intelligent," and would not make sense in the sentence's context. "Obtuse," however, is an adjective that means "annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand," and because "obtuse" is the answer choice that best describes how Jenny did not pick up on her sister's hint, "obtuse" is the correct answer.

Example Question #393 : Parts Of Speech In Word Based Sentence Completions

Julie specifically wanted a mint chocolate chip cookie for desert, so she dragged her friends around to three different bakeries in search of that __________ kind of cookie.

Possible Answers:

understated

particular

quiet

cold

general

Correct answer:

particular

Explanation:

We can infer that because Julie "specifically wanted a mint chocolate chip cookie" and went to three different bakeries in search of it, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "specific." That means that "general" cannot be the correct answer, because "general" is an antonym, not a synonym, of specific. "Particular," however, is an adjective that means "used to single out an individual member of a specified group or class," and because "particular" best fits the context of the sentence, "particular" is the correct answer.

Example Question #394 : Parts Of Speech In Word Based Sentence Completions

Certain vaccinations are __________, and are given to keep recipients from getting sick.

Possible Answers:

remedial

persuasive

rickety

ongoing

preventative

Correct answer:

preventative

Explanation:

We can infer that because the vaccinations being described "are given to keep recipients from getting sick," that they must be protective. So, we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "protective." "Remedial," then, cannot be the correct answer, because "remedial" means "giving or intended as a remedy or cure," so it would make sense to give someone a remedial vaccine before they got sick, but it would make sense to give them such a vaccine after they got sick. "Preventative" is an adjective that means "designed to keep something undesirable such as illness, harm, or accidents from occurring," and because "preventative" is the answer choice that best describes the nature of the vaccines given to keep recipients from getting sick, "preventative" is the correct answer.

Example Question #395 : Parts Of Speech In Word Based Sentence Completions

That comic book features a __________ mad scientist whose goal is to take over the world with an army of zombies.

Possible Answers:

lazy

nefarious

morose

willful

kindhearted

Correct answer:

nefarious

Explanation:

We can infer that because the comic book concerns a mad scientist who wants to take over the world with an army of zombies, that he is probably villainous. So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "villainous." "Kindhearted," then, cannot be the correct answer choice because "kindhearted" means "having a kind and sympathetic nature," and we're not given any information to suggest that this accurately describes the mad scientist. "Nefarious," however, is an adjective that typically refers to an action or activity and means "wicked or criminal," and because "nefarious" best describes the mad scientist in the comic book, "nefarious" is the correct answer.

Example Question #396 : Parts Of Speech In Word Based Sentence Completions

Charlie grew __________ when he was informed that his supposed friends had told him they weren't going to the concert just so that they could go without him, and only calmed down after explaining what had happened to his brother.

Possible Answers:

sleepy

livid

understanding

interested

desperate

Correct answer:

livid

Explanation:

We can infer that Charlie must have been pretty mad when his friends lied to him about their plans in order to leave him out of them, so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "mad." "Livid" is an adjective that means "furiously angry," and because it best fits the context of the sentence, "livid" is the correct answer.

Example Question #397 : Parts Of Speech In Word Based Sentence Completions

The pool's water was __________, so still that it allowed one to see all the leaves that had settled on the bottom.

Possible Answers:

placid

wavy

energetic

ominous

fortunate

Correct answer:

placid

Explanation:

We're told that the pool's water was "so still that it allowed one to see all the leaves that had settled on the bottom," so we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "still" to describe the water. Neither "energetic" nor "wavy" would make sense as describing the pool's water, then, so neither can be the correct answer. "Placid," however, is an adjective that when used to describe a place or stretch of water means "calm and peaceful, with little movement or activity," and because "placid" best describes the stillness of the pool's water, "placid" is the correct answer.

Example Question #541 : Sentence Completions

Which of the following words best completes the sentence below?

"Who took my candy?" Justin asked __________. "I'd been saving my favorites for weeks!"

Possible Answers:

rude

angrily

happily

truthfully

uselessly

Correct answer:

angrily

Explanation:

The blank needs to contain an adverb for this sentence to make sense, and one describing Justin as he asks about his missing candy; "angrily" is therefore the best choice.

Example Question #542 : Sentence Completions

Which pair of words best completes the sentence?

The dog frolicked and leapt through the tall grass; she was __________ to finally be outside with her master.

Possible Answers:

enjoying

ecstatic

nonchalant

happier

bored

Correct answer:

ecstatic

Explanation:

Other than "enjoying," all of the options are the proper part of speech, adjectives, and would fit grammatically in the sentence; however, happier is a comparative adjective, and nothing is being compared in this sentence, and nonchalant and bored both have the wrong meaning for the context; therefore, we're left with "ecstatic" as the best answer, which means overjoyed or thrilled.

Example Question #398 : Parts Of Speech In Word Based Sentence Completions

Many of the employees were not happy with the drastic changes that their boss was making to the way the company was run, because such __________ shifts in company policy were causing confusion and stress amongst the employees.

Possible Answers:

speedy

drastic

subtle

inconsiderate

mauve

Correct answer:

drastic

Explanation:

We are told that the changes the new boss made were "dramatic," so we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "dramatic" to describe the policy changes. "Subtle," then, cannot be the correct answer, because "subtle" is an adjective that is often used to describe changes or distinctions and means "so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyze or describe." "Drastic," however, is an adjective that means "likely to have a strong or far-reaching effect; radical and extreme," and because "drastic" best describes the changes the new boss made to the company, "drastic" is the correct answer.

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