ISEE Middle Level Verbal : Sentence Completions

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #92 : Sentence Completions: Verbs

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

Fully stocked with provisions, the intrepid explorers __________ on a long and arduous journey. 

Possible Answers:

embarked 

fortified 

dreaded

garrisoned 

encamped 

Correct answer:

embarked 

Explanation:

From the context of the sentence, you know that the answer choice must describe how the explorers left on their journey. That rules out "encamped," "fortified," and "garrisoned," which all mean settled down in one place. "Dreaded" means feared, so it cannot be the correct answer either. The correct answer is “embarked,” which means set off or began a trip.

Example Question #93 : Sentence Completions: Verbs

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

The local store agreed to __________ her campaign as long as she agreed to protect their interests if she were elected.

Possible Answers:

juxtapose

destroy

supplant

endorse

discourage

Correct answer:

endorse

Explanation:

From the context of the sentence, it is clear that the local store would be in support of the politician's campaign. The correct answer is “endorse,” which means to publically offer support for an individual or a cause. To further help you, "supplant" means replace; "juxtapose" means compare and contrast; "discourage" means to cause someone to lose confidence.

Example Question #94 : Sentence Completions: Verbs

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

When John questioned Gregory’s conclusions, the latter became extremely angry and began to __________ the former for daring to challenge his research.

Possible Answers:

berate

decimate

recant

question

interrogate

Correct answer:

berate

Explanation:

Since Gregory is said to be have become "extremely angry," it is fair to assume that his response to John is less than kind. Therefore, the options "interrogate" and "question" are far too mild for our needs. The verb "interrogate" means question (as in "interrogation," which is a process of questioning, often formal and for legal and/or criminal reasons). The word "recant" (meaning deny or renounce) does not apply at all. Likewise, "decimate" means exact a great amount of killing or destruction. This word implies physical violence, which we cannot here assume. The word "berate" means means criticize nastily, which best describes Gregory's angry response to the questions being raised by John.

Example Question #95 : Sentence Completions: Verbs

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

After an impressive start, the basketball team __________ at the end of the season and missed the playoffs.

Possible Answers:

flourished

organized

reclined

rallied

floundered

Correct answer:

floundered

Explanation:

While the verb, "to flounder," is almost certainly unrelated to the fish species, as a homonym the connection can help you remember the definition. If a flounder were to be out of the water for too long he would start to flounder, or flop about and struggle. "Rallied" and "flourished" would have nearly the opposite meaning.

Example Question #2165 : Isee Middle Level (Grades 7 8) Verbal Reasoning

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

Tony took pain relievers and put ointment on his bruise to __________ his pain.

Possible Answers:

alleviate

Accentuate

Amplify

exacerbate

Delegate

Correct answer:

alleviate

Explanation:

Tony did things to get rid of his pain. "Alleviate" means to sooth, so it fits best in the blank. "Exacerbate," "amplify," and "accentuate" are all words that mean that his pain would be increased. "Delegate" means to give responsibility to.

Example Question #96 : Sentence Completions: Verbs

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

When he was sick and had to stay home from school, Sam __________ his friend Larry with his homework, knowing that he could trust Larry to remember to turn it in for him.

Possible Answers:

reminded

entrusted

dug

gave

marveled

Correct answer:

entrusted

Explanation:

We need to pick out a word that means something like "trusted," because we know that Sam "could trust Larry to remember to turn [his homework] in for him." While "gave" might look like a potentially correct answer, "gave" would not be grammatically correct if used in the sentence - Sam would not "gave his friend Larry with his homework." So, "gave" cannot be the correct answer. "Entrusted," however, is a verb that can mean either "assigned the responsibility for doing something to someone" or "put something into someone's care or protection." Because "entrusted" best describes how Sam gave Larry his homework to turn in, "entrusted" is the correct answer.

Example Question #97 : Sentence Completions: Verbs

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

The school's rival basketball team __________ the school's new player's talent for shooting free throws, and allowed him to score twelve points because they misjudged him and didn't guard him enough.

Possible Answers:

scored

underestimated

prepared

exaggerated

beleaguered

Correct answer:

underestimated

Explanation:

We know that the rival team "allowed [the school's new player] to score twelve points because they misjudged him and didn't guard him enough," so we can infer that we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "misjudged." While both "exaggerated" and "underestimated" are similar in meaning to "misjudged," "exaggerated" would not make sense in the sentence's context because if the rival team had exaggerated the new player's talent, one would assume that they would have guarded him more. "Underestimated" is a verb that means "estimated something to be smaller or less important than it actually is" or "regarded someone as less capable than they really are," and because "underestimated" best fits the context of the sentence, "underestimated" is the correct answer.

Example Question #98 : Sentence Completions: Verbs

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

The law was officially __________ when the Supreme Court decided that it violated the Constitution and would be unlawful to enforce.

Possible Answers:

upended

supported

annulled

corrupted

mangled

Correct answer:

annulled

Explanation:

We can infer that because the Supreme Court decided that the law in question would be "unlawful to enforce" because "it violated the Constitution," the law was repealed. So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "repealed." "Supported," then, cannot be the correct answer because it would not make sense for the Supreme Court to support a law that "violated the Constitution" and "would be unlawful to enforce." "Annulled," however, is verb that means "declare invalid an official agreement, decision, or result," and because "annulled" best describes the Supreme Court's reaction to an unconstitutional law, "annulled" is the correct answer.

Example Question #99 : Sentence Completions: Verbs

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

Politicians have urged people not to __________ the celebrations with violence or conflict. 

Possible Answers:

mar

assist 

hoax 

lull 

goad 

Correct answer:

mar

Explanation:

From the context of the sentence, you know that the blank word must mean something close to “ruin.” The correct answer is therefore “mar,” which means ruin something or take away from the greatness of something. To help you, "lull" means calm, "hoax" means deceive with a practical joke when used as a verb, "goad" means encourage, rile up, or provoke, and "assist" is a verb that means help

Example Question #101 : Sentence Completions: Verbs

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

Petunia hated broccoli, but she absolutely _____ chocolate cake with ice cream.

Possible Answers:

betrayed

avoided

loves

adored

horded

Correct answer:

adored

Explanation:

So the sentence is fairly straightforward, and it's clear that Petunia needs to feel something opposite from "hate" about the chocolate cake with ice cream. Betrayed is not the opposite of hate, and neither is horded, both words do not make sense in context. Avoided is not a feeling, so it doesn't keep up the parallel sentence structure, but it also is not what Petunia would do to something she liked. Loves is close, she could love chocolate cake and ice cream, but it is in the present tense, while the demo sentence is in the past. So "adored" is the proper answer.

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