All ISEE Middle Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #11 : Sentence Completions: Adjectives And Adverbs
The king didn't look quite as __________ without his crown and cape.
malleable
regal
filial
delusional
proud
regal
We can infer that because the sentence is describing a king missing his crown and cape, we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "king-like," because without his crown and cape, a king would not look as king-like as he would when wearing those items. While "proud" might seem like a potentially correct answer choice, "regal" is the best answer choice because "regal" specifically means "of, resembling, or fit for a monarch, especially in being magnificent or dignified." Because "regal" includes a royal connotation and best fits the context of the sentence, it is the correct answer.
Example Question #12 : Sentence Completions: Adjectives And Adverbs
That author published thirty-seven novels in his lifetime, and three more of his unfinished works have been published __________ since he died last year.
loudly
preemptively
posthumously
charismatically
supportively
posthumously
We can infer that because the three works being described by the word in the blank "have been published . . . since [the author] died last year," we need to pick out a word that means something like "done after someone's death." "Posthumous" is an adjective which means "occurring, awarded, or appearing after the death of the originator," so "posthumously" is the correct answer because it best describes how the three books were published after their author's death.
Example Question #11 : Sentence Completions: Parts Of Speech
No one likes to work on group projects with Jack because he is so __________, refusing to listen to anyone else’s ideas or proceed with a project unless the group follows his recommendations exactly.
shallow
timid
domineering
effervescent
gregarious
domineering
The sentence tells us that Jack “refus[es] to listen to any else’s ideas or proceed with a project unless the group follows his recommendations exactly,” so we can infer that we need to pick out an adjective to describe Jack that means something like “bossy.” That means that “timid” cannot be the correct answer, because “timid” is an adjective that means “lacking courage or confidence” and clearly would not make sense as describing Jack in the sentence, because it is an antonym of the word for which we’re looking. “Domineering,” however, is an adjective that means “arrogantly willful,” and because “domineering” best describes Jack’s reputation in the sentence, “domineering” is the correct answer.
Example Question #14 : Sentence Completions: Adjectives And Adverbs
Sentence Completions: choose the word that best completes the sentence.
After days of transferring hundreds of handwritten invoices to a spreadsheet, the intern became bored with the __________ task.
taciturn
challenging
tedious
complicated
invigorating
tedious
"Tedious" means dull or monotonous. The intern was bored by working on this one task for days, so the best answer choice is "tedious."
Example Question #15 : Sentence Completions: Adjectives And Adverbs
Sentence Completions: choose the word that best completes the sentence.
Calm and ___________, the doctor's demeanor immediately sets his patients at ease.
affable
severe
grave
incredulous
amorous
affable
"Affable" means friendly and easy-going. If the doctor is "calm" and "immediately sets his patients at ease," the best answer choice to describe him is "affable."
Example Question #16 : Sentence Completions: Adjectives And Adverbs
Erratic
Unfortunate
Nostalgic
Bitter
Obstinate
Nostalgic
Example Question #17 : Sentence Completions: Adjectives And Adverbs
Sentence Completions: Select the word that most best completes the sentence.
Patient
Zealous
Whimsical
Whimsical
Example Question #18 : Sentence Completions: Adjectives And Adverbs
Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.
After running twenty-six miles over mountainous terrain, the athlete felt completely __________ after stumbling over the finish line.
Buoyant
Fatigued
Sorrowful
Fervent
Mortified
Fatigued
After running twenty-six miles, the runner is likely very tired; key words like "stumbling" show that he or she barely made it. So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like very tired. While you might think that "buoyant," and adjective that means either able to float or cheerful, could be a potentially correct answer because the runner might feel happy that he or she has compelted the race, the context clue contained in "After running twenty-six miles over mountainous terrain" suggests that the adjective should refer to the athlete being very tired, not very happy. So, the word that best fits the sentence is "fatigued," which means exhausted. As for the other answer choices, "sorrowful" means very sad; "fervent" means passionate or enthusiastic, and "mortified" means very embarassed.
Example Question #19 : Sentence Completions: Adjectives And Adverbs
Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.
My __________ uncle can spend hours talking about any topic that occurs to him.
Assured
Shy
Quiet
Garrulous
Implosive
Garrulous
We can infer that because the speaker's uncle "can spend hours talking," he must be very talkative. So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like talkative. So, that means that neither "shy" nor "quiet" cannot be the correct answer, because each of these words is an antonym of talkative, and neither would make sense as describing the uncle discussed in the sentence. The word that best fits the sentence is "garrulous," which means talkative or loquacious. As for the other answer choices, "explosive" can mean incendiary, touchy, or sudden, and "assured" means confident.
Example Question #20 : Sentence Completions: Adjectives And Adverbs
Sentence Completions: Select the word or phrase that most correctly completes the sentence.
The invention was so clever and __________, it amazed engineers for centuries.
Ephemeral
Stale
Ingenious
Futile
Transitory
Ingenious
We are told that the invention is "clever" and that it "amazed engineers for centuries," so we need to pick out an adjective to describe the invention that means something like clever. That means that "stale" cannot be the correct answer, as "stale" in this context would mean hackneyed or trite, so a "stale" invention would not amaze anyone. The best answer choice is "ingenious," an adjective that means possessing or demonstrating great creativity and cleverness. As for the other answer choices, "ephemeral" and "transitory" both mean temporary or lasting for a short time, and "futile" means useless or pointless.
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