ISEE Middle Level Verbal : Sentence Completions: Context Clues

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #44 : Sentence Completions: Style, Intensity, And Connotation

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

Although the detective did not have certain evidence, he did think that his hunch was the most __________ option available for investigation at that time, far better than those offered by his peers.

Possible Answers:

certain

intriguing

probable

unquestionable

interesting

Correct answer:

probable

Explanation:

The detective thinks that his option is the best available. This does not mean that it is the best and only option. It is not completely certain; it is just better than the others. Also, while it might be "interesting," we are not told that. Therefore, the best answer is "probable", which indicates that the option is likely, even if not certain.

Example Question #45 : Sentence Completions: Style, Intensity, And Connotation

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

The boss insisted that every accident have careful __________, requiring all accident reports to be filled with detailed notes.

Possible Answers:

oversight

documentation

lines

generalization

writing

Correct answer:

documentation

Explanation:

The word "document" can be used as a verb to indicate the act of recording information. "Documentation" is the product of such recording. Clearly, the boss wants to have a clear record of any accidents. This means that he would like to see careful documentation of them. While "writing" might be tempting, the sentence is more specifically talking about the kind of writing involved in reporting. Thus, "documentation" is much better than "writing."

Example Question #46 : Sentence Completions: Style, Intensity, And Connotation

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

Although he was quite intelligent, George was not a very __________ student, and his low grades provided evidence of such laziness.

Possible Answers:

amazing

motivated

scholarly

intellectual

bright

Correct answer:

motivated

Explanation:

There are two facts in this sentence that will help you get the correct answer. The first is the fact that George is intelligent. Therefore, it is not the case that his low grades can be blamed on stupidity or something of that sort. The second hint is that he is said to show "laziness." This seems to indicate that he lacks a work ethic for his school work. This means that he likely is not very "motivated" to work. Therefore, of the options provided, this is the best. It is related to words for "motion." Motivation leads someone to do something—it moves him or her to do it.

Example Question #47 : Sentence Completions: Style, Intensity, And Connotation

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

If you wish to __________ your skills at a sport, you must practice for many hours; otherwise, your abilities will be mediocre at best.

Possible Answers:

impress

enlarge

perfect

force

improve

Correct answer:

perfect

Explanation:

The word "mediocre" is often misused as though it means of poor quality. It really means of middle quality, as in not too good. Even if something is not "too good," it is still good. The point is that it doesn't "stick out" as being very, very good. Therefore, if you wish to develop your skills beyond mediocrity, you wish to make them exceptional, very good, or perhaps even perfect. The word "perfect" can be used as a verb meaning to make perfect, fully accomplished, or of highest quality. The most tempting wrong answer is "improve." However, people can improve their skills from being bad to being mediocre. This sentence wants to talk about improving all the way to perfection.

Example Question #48 : Sentence Completions: Style, Intensity, And Connotation

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

Even after __________ warnings, the child once again put his hand on the stove.

Possible Answers:

shouted

repeated

verbal

written

nasty

Correct answer:

repeated

Explanation:

Do not read into a sentence more than is provided by the given words. We are told nothing about how the child was warned about placing his or her hand on the stove. Perhaps the person is warning gently or, perhaps, very loudly and even nastily. What we do know, however, is that the child is placing his or her hand on the stove multiple times. This is hinted at by the words "once again." Therefore, it would seem that the warnings happened many times as well. Among our options this is the only real possibility. Therefore, the best answer is "repeated."

Example Question #49 : Sentence Completions: Style, Intensity, And Connotation

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

The police arrived at the crime scene to __________ the details of the robbery, gathering all the facts needed for their investigation.

Possible Answers:

photograph

digitize

enlighten

write

examine

Correct answer:

examine

Explanation:

This sentence only discusses the fact of police gathering information in a general sense. It does not tell us whether they gathered it on paper, film, computer, or anything else. We can only tell that they came in order to gather such data. This means that they examined the data, perhaps gathering various kinds of details for their investigation—photographs, written testimony, audio testimony, etc. The most we can say is that they came to "look into" the details, that is, to "examine" them.

Example Question #50 : Sentence Completions: Style, Intensity, And Connotation

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

Some people are not merely unhappy about the misfortunes of life but instead are completely __________ about almost everything that ever happens to them.

Possible Answers:

melancholic

malicious

saddened

angered

miserable

Correct answer:

miserable

Explanation:

This sentence is a case of increasing intensity. The words "not merely . . . but instead" indicate that some people are not just unhappy. They are indeed very unhappy. To be "miserable" is to be extremely unhappy. This is the best choice for expressing a great degree of unhappiness.

Example Question #51 : Sentence Completions: Style, Intensity, And Connotation

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

Since the islanders believed that the cave had been __________ to the gods, they feared to walk on what they took to be holy ground.

Possible Answers:

consecrated

given

sold

returned

reserved

Correct answer:

consecrated

Explanation:

The key word in this sentence is "holy." Because of this one adjective, it is not the best choice to say that the islanders believed that the cave was merely "reserved" to the gods. (Anyway, grammatically, it would be better to say that it was "reserved for", but "reserved to" does work.) When something is reserved because it is holy or is made holy by such reservation, it is "consecrated." The word is related to "sacred," which should help you to remember it.

Example Question #52 : Sentence Completions: Style, Intensity, And Connotation

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

The __________ athlete set a new record when he completed the obstacle course more quickly than anyone at his school had done so before.
Possible Answers:

limber

unruly

persuasive

frugal

nimble

Correct answer:

nimble

Explanation:
One might be tempted to pick "limber," which means flexible. But nothing in this sentence indicates the athlete is flexible. The sentence does tell us that the athlete "completed the obstacle course more quickly than anyone at his school had done so before," however, so we know that the athlete is fast. "Nimble," which means quick, best describes the athlete, so "nimble" is the correct answer.

Example Question #53 : Sentence Completions: Style, Intensity, And Connotation

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

After years of living in a rustic village, Peter decided that he wanted a change of scenery; therefore, he moved to the __________ environment of the capital city.

Possible Answers:

rancid

crowded

overbearing

polluted

urban

Correct answer:

urban

Explanation:

The contrast in this sentence is between the rustic lifestyle of Peter's village and the new city to which he moved. The word "rustic" is a near synonym of "rural" or "in the countryside." While the city might be crowded or even more polluted than the countryside, the best contrast to "rural" / "rustic" is "urban," which means city-like or pertaining to the nature of a city. This provides the clearest contrast to "rustic."

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