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 #564 : Sentence Completions

Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.

Rachael accidentally took her sister’s backpack to school; she was not able to tell the difference between the two backpacks because from the outside they were __________.

Possible Answers:

colorful

equal

different

identical

Correct answer:

identical

Explanation:

The correct answer is "identical," which means exactly the same in appearance. Since she was not able to tell the difference between the two backpacks, they both must be the same, or identical. "Colorful" could make sense, but two things that are each "colorful" do not necessarily look the same, so "identical" is the best correct answer.

Example Question #565 : Sentence Completions

Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.

Rebecca had never seen such a __________ house before, so she was taken aback by its immense size and beauty.

Possible Answers:

big

cozy

derelict

luxurious

Correct answer:

luxurious

Explanation:

The correct answer is "luxurious." "Luxurious" means extremely grand, expensive, or comfortable.

Example Question #566 : Sentence Completions

Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.

Hannah was starving when she came home from school, so she was disappointed to find her cabinets __________

Possible Answers:

complete

filled

full

sparse

Correct answer:

sparse

Explanation:

The correct answer is "sparse." "Sparse" in this sentence means empty or bare. Since Hannah was disappointed, we know that there must not have been any food for her to eat in her cabinets. The other words all mean the opposite of "bare."

Example Question #567 : Sentence Completions

Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.

Every winter, grizzly bears become inactive until spring, when they awaken, __________ after not having eaten anything during their months of hibernation.

Possible Answers:

overjoyed

ravenous

friendly

calm

Correct answer:

ravenous

Explanation:

"Ravenous" means very hungry. It makes sense that after months of sleeping and not eating anything, grizzly bears would awaken feeling starved. "Overjoyed," "friendly," and "calm" don't make sense in the sentence.

Example Question #568 : Sentence Completions

Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.

Among the complaints the striking workers listed were low wages, inconsistent scheduling, and __________ work conditions.

Possible Answers:

hazardous

harmless

innocent

sociable

Correct answer:

hazardous

Explanation:

"Hazardous" means dangerous. Since this is a list of complaints, it makes sense that the workers would be upset about dangerous work conditions. "Harmless" is the opposite of "dangerous," "innocent" means lacking experience with the world and bad hings that happen in life, and "sociable" means liking to be with or talk to other people. The only word that works in the context of the sentence is "hazardous."

Example Question #569 : Sentence Completions

Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.

Involved in several extra curricular activities while always earning high grades, the __________ student's family worried he would exhaust himself.

Possible Answers:

disciplined

lazy

lethargic

happy

Correct answer:

disciplined

Explanation:

The student's family is worried he will exhaust himself, so "lethargic" cannot be the correct answer choice, as "lethargic" means feeling a lack of energy. "Lazy" cannot be the correct answer choice either. "Happy" has nothing to do with the context of the sentence, so "disciplined," a word that means dedicated and sticking to a set routine even when it is difficult, is the correct answer choice.

Example Question #570 : Sentence Completions

Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.

After sustaining a concussion in a skiing accident, the athlete felt __________ about strapping on skis again.

Possible Answers:

trepidatious

willing

excited

thrilled

Correct answer:

trepidatious

Explanation:

"Trepidatious" means very fearful or apprehensive. It would make sense that the athlete would feel fearful about skiing again after an accident that happened while skiing. Even if you don't know what "trepidatious" means, if you notice that "excited," "willing," and "thrilled" are all loose synonyms and none of those answers fits in the sentence, you should know to select "trepidatious."

Example Question #571 : Sentence Completions

Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.

Lily knew that the damage to Mark's locker must have been __________, because nobody in her school would intentionally ruin another person's property.

Possible Answers:

deliberate

accidental

extreme

malicious

Correct answer:

accidental

Explanation:

Since "intentional" means done on purpose, the sentence tells us that nobody in Lily's school would've done something harmful to Mark's locker on purpose. But the damage did occur, so it must've simply been an accident. "Deliberate" means the same as "intentional," and is therefore the opposite of the correct answer. "Malicious" also implies that someone had mean intentions, and "extreme" means that there was an unusually large amount of damage, which we do not know to be true.

Example Question #572 : Sentence Completions

Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.

Josh thought he knew everyone in the entire school district, so he was surprised when he spotted a few __________ faces at the assembly.

Possible Answers:

friendly

unfamiliar

recognizable

fearful

Correct answer:

unfamiliar

Explanation:

Josh thought he knew all of the other students, but he was surprised at the assembly, so he must've been wrong. This means that some of the students Josh saw were strangers—not the familiar faces he was expecting. "Unfamiliar" is therefore our answer. Why are the other three choices incorrect? If Josh had only spotted "recognizable" faces, he wouldn't have been surprised, so that must not be the proper word to complete this sentence. Neither "friendly" nor "fearful" imply that the students were strangers, so those words do not fit here either.

Example Question #573 : Sentence Completions

Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.

She felt tired and __________ after running a five kilometer race for breast cancer.

Possible Answers:

tragic

lonely

spiteful

energetic

weary 

Correct answer:

weary 

Explanation:

It makes sense that the subject would feel tired and “weary” after running a race, as "weary" means very tired. To help you, "energetic" means full of energy, "tragic" means sad, and "spiteful" means acting based on petty feelings of revenge.

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