ISEE Middle Level Verbal : Sentence Completions: Adjectives and Adverbs

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #141 : Sentence Completions: Parts Of Speech

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Somehow Liam remained __________ after tripping and falling headfirst over a rock face in the park, with not even a bruise or scrape to attest to his accident.

Possible Answers:

unburnt

unscathed

preoccupied

kinetic

unparalleled

Correct answer:

unscathed

Explanation:

We can tell from the context of the sentence that people expected Liam to be injured, but he somehow remained unhurt, "with not even a bruise or scrape." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "unhurt." While "unscathed," "unburnt," and "unparalleled" may all look like potentially correct answers, the meaning of "unparalleled"("unequalled") doesn't have anything to do with injuries, while "unburnt" specifically refers to injuries that are burns, which doesn't fit the context of the sentence. "Unscathed," however, means "without suffering any injury, damage, or harm," and best fits the context of the sentence, so "unscathed" is the correct answer.

Example Question #142 : Sentence Completions: Parts Of Speech

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Sarah was surprised that everyone in her group voted for her to be the leader; she had not been expecting her peers to vote __________, but rather, for at least a few people to vote for someone else.

Possible Answers:

unambiguously

annually

quixotically

unanimously

zealously

Correct answer:

unanimously

Explanation:

We know from the sentence's context that all of the group's members voted for Sarah to be the leader, even though she expected a few people to disagree and vote differently. So, we know that all the members voted the same way, and need to pick out an answer choice that reflects this. While "unambiguously" and "unanimously" might both look like potentially correct answers, "unambiguously" means "clearly" or "not open to more than one interpretation," it doesn't quite fit the context of the sentence. However, "unanimously" means "without opposition; with the agreement of all people involved," and because "unanimously" best fits the sentence's meaning, "unanimously" is the correct answer.

Example Question #143 : Sentence Completions: Parts Of Speech

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

When the concert __________, the band walked out onto the stage to a crowd of cheering fans and spoke to the audience before beginning their first song.

Possible Answers:

deferred

commenced

concluded

proceeded

ended

Correct answer:

commenced

Explanation:

Because the sentence discusses the moment when the band "walked out onto the stage…before beginning their first song," we know that it is discussing the beginning of the concert. So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "began." "Ended" and "concluded" both refer to the end of something, so neither of them can be correct, "proceeded" means "continued" so it cannot be correct either, and "deferred" has nothing to do with chronological progression like the other answer choices do. "Commenced," however, means "began; started," so "commenced" is the correct answer because it best fits the context of the sentence.

Example Question #144 : Sentence Completions: Parts Of Speech

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

That artist is known for the __________ color of her pottery, and she has kept the formula for her bright cerulean blue, sunflower yellow, and intense red glazes a secret from her imitators.

Possible Answers:

problematic

drab

encouraging

ergonomic

vibrant

Correct answer:

vibrant

Explanation:

We can infer that because the artist's pottery involves "bright cerulean blue, sunflower yellow, and intense red," that she is known for her bright colors. So, we need to pick out an answer choice that is an adjective that refers to colors and means something like "bright." So, "drab" cannot be the correct answer because "drab" means "lacking brightness or interest; drearily dull," so "drab" is an antonym of "bright" and does not describe the bright colors the artist uses. "Vibrant," however, when describing color, means "bright and striking," and because it is the answer choice that best describes the bright colors that the artist uses and best fits the context of the sentence, "vibrant" is the correct answer.

Example Question #145 : Sentence Completions: Parts Of Speech

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The warrior's most __________ feature was the scar that stretched down his nose, spanning his entire face from cheek to chin; one couldn't miss it when looking at him and it was rather hard to ignore.

Possible Answers:

expert

subtle

gregarious

prominent

secretive

Correct answer:

prominent

Explanation:

The sentence tells us that "one couldn't miss [the warrior's scar] when looking at him and it was rather hard to ignore," we can infer that it was very obvious. So, we need to pick out an answer choice that is an adjective that means something like "obvious" and describes physical features. So, "subtle" cannot be the correct answer because in this context, "subtle" means "hard to notice or see; not obvious," so it is an antonym of "obvious." "Prominent," however, is an adjective that means "important; famous," "projecting from something; protuberant," or "situated so as to catch the attention; noticeable." Because "prominent" is the answer choice that best describes the warrior's scar and best fits the context of the sentence, "prominent" is the correct answer.

Example Question #146 : Sentence Completions: Parts Of Speech

Identify the best word to fill in the blank of the sentence

Jumping around in circles trying to catch his tail and bouncing off the furniture, the puppy was _____ in his new home.

Possible Answers:

mournful

ecstatic

frenetic

jubilant

exotic

Correct answer:

frenetic

Explanation:

Clearly, bouncing off the walls is not lazy or mournful (sad) behavior, so we can scratch those two options. Exotic, which means foreign or unfamiliar, doesn't fit, especially because running around and chasing its tail is normal behavior for a puppy. Jubilant and ecstatic both fit, but they mean the same thing and both imply that the puppy is happy, something we don't know from the behavior in the sentence. What we do know is that the puppy is being wild and unpredictably energetic, which is the meaning of frenetic. 

Example Question #147 : Sentence Completions: Parts Of Speech

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

When Carissa talks to her sister, she is very __________ because she only pretends to be interested in the topic of conversation when actually, she is not. 

Possible Answers:

disingenuous

indecisive 

engaged

meticulous

Correct answer:

disingenuous

Explanation:

When someone pretends to be interested in a conversation, when he or she is not, that behavior is fake. "Disingenuous" means inauthentic or fake; therefore, it is the best answer choice. "Engaged" can mean actively interested in. That answer choice is not correct because the sentence states that the sister was pretending to be interested, so the best word to fill in the blank would convey the fact that she was pretending to be interested in the topic of conversation, not that she was actually interested in the topic of conversation. As for the other answer choices, "indecisive" means unable to make a decision or stick with it without going back on it, and "meticulous" means paying great attention to details.

Example Question #148 : Sentence Completions: Parts Of Speech

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Of all the seasons, Regina was particularly __________ of autumn, for she loved the smell of cool evenings and the bright display of leaves.

Possible Answers:

laconic

reflective

nostalgic

fond

excited

Correct answer:

fond

Explanation:

The fact that Regina loved aspects of autumn likely means that she has an affection for the season itself. While she might be "nostalgic" for autumn or even get "excited" at its coming, neither of these words work well. (They also are somewhat awkward in the grammar of the sentence.) However, to be "fond" of something is to have an affection or a liking for it. This suffices for our purposes.

Example Question #149 : Sentence Completions: Parts Of Speech

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The __________ step in the process was the topping of the sundae with its cherry; once this was done, the masterpiece would be complete.

Possible Answers:

final

tedious

easiest

best

fulfilling

Correct answer:

final

Explanation:

Although we might say many things about completing a sundae, we must stay as close as possible to the clues in the sentence. This sentence is talking about completing the process of making the delicious food item. The completion of a process leads to it being "finished," and it is no small coincidence that the word "finished" looks like "final."  They both come from common root words in Latin meaning end. Therefore, "final" is the best option of those provided.

Example Question #150 : Sentence Completions: Parts Of Speech

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

After years of sleeping on a soft mattress with little support, it can be quite a relief to have a bed that is __________.

Possible Answers:

dormitory

firm

comfortable

acceptable

wealthy

Correct answer:

firm

Explanation:

We are looking for an adjective that might be contrasted to "soft." While we might be tempted to think that the passage implies that a soft bed is not comfortable, we must be careful not to read too much into the passage. The most that we know is that the contrast is between being soft and being "not soft"—"hard," or something like that. The word "firm" means solid, which is adequately opposed to "soft" for our purposes.

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