All ISEE Upper Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #681 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The various engagements she had promised to attend made her weekend plans a particularly __________ puzzle.
simple
straightforward
blithe
knotty
adroit
knotty
The many different engagements indicate that the weekend schedule will be a difficult problem. The correct answer is a synonym of "difficult." Of the answer choices, "knotty," meaning complex, is the only synonym for difficult.
Example Question #682 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
King James I was a famously __________ man; he rarely interjected during meetings with his council, preferring to listen and observe.
ludicrous
meticulous
portly
suspicious
taciturn
taciturn
The sentence describes how King James I rarely spoke in his council meetings, so you know that the word we're looking for must relate to some quality of silence or using words sparingly. This means that the correct answer is “taciturn,” which means silent or reserved in speech. "Suspicious" means distrustful; "ludicrous" means absurd; "meticulous" describes someone who pays close attention to detail; and "portly" describes someone who is big or fat.
Example Question #652 : One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
The professor loved diagramming everything on the chalkboard, so after a day of lecturing his hands were usually __________; he kept moisturizing lotion in his office for this reason.
distraught
benign
desicated
distal
proximal
desicated
"Desicated" means dried out. The fact that the professor needs moisturizer and that he has his hands covered in chalk tells us that this is the best choice. The other answer choices do not make sense, as "distal" means distant, "proximal" means close, next to, or nearby, "benign" means harmless, and "distraught" means upset.
Example Question #11 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
Jamie was __________ after finishing the marathon, and his wife had to handle the kids by herself for the rest of the day.
disenchanted
exhausted
splendid
enthused
bewildered
exhausted
The contextual clues in the sentence tell us that Jamie was not able to do much after he finished the race, and because it was a marathon it is reasonable to assume that the reason for this is that he had no energy left. The word "exhausted" means drained of one's physical or mental resources, so "exhausted" is the correct answer because it best fits the sentence's context.
Example Question #12 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
In the poem entitled The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost writes about two different and __________ paths that people can take in their lives.
convergent
divergent
nefarious
adverse
analogous
divergent
Something that is divergent is dissimilar or different. The key word to notice in the sentence is "different," which indicates that the two roads people can take are divergent.
Example Question #13 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
In Gulliver's Travels, Gulliver comes upon a land where the people are __________; they are small in size compared to Gulliver, who has an average body size.
augmented
lilliputian
prodigious
erroneous
gargantuan
lilliputian
If something is "lilliputian" in size, it means that it is small. Since the people of the country are smaller than Gulliver, who is average size, this is the best answer.
Example Question #20 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
After staying up the entire night before the exam to study, Joe was __________ the next day.
lethargic
invigorated
emaciated
taciturn
jocular
lethargic
Since Joe pulled an all-nighter, he was presumably tired, or lethargic, the next day.
Example Question #2072 : Sat Critical Reading
The ice sculpture, floating island, and expensive party favors seemed __________ to the bride, who had wanted a small affair.
rancorous
ostentatious
reverent
tactful
perfidious
ostentatious
Since the bride had wanted a small wedding, the flaunting of wealth through the sculpture and party favors would have seemed "ostentatious."
Example Question #14 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The ancient king Asoka was famously __________, and for this reason he was often called upon to mediate in disputes between his subjects.
condescending
impoverished
equitable
lackadaisical
deplorable
equitable
From the context of the sentence, you know that King Asoka must have possessed some positive trait that caused people to come to him for help in settling disagreements. Of the five possible answer choices, only "equitable"(fair) describes a positive attribute when it comes to mediation. As for the other answer choices, "deplorable" means appalling or terrible; "condescending" means talking down to someone or being arrogant towards someone; "lackadaisical" means careless, apathetic, or lazy; and "impoverished" means very poor.
Example Question #683 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Marie Antoinette was __________ about her appearance; she once refused to meet the English Queen because she was worried that a single hair had gone grey.
vindictive
steadfast
restrained
fastidious
cursory
fastidious
From the context of this sentence, you know firstly that the blank word must describe some attitude taken by Marie Antoinette towards her appearance, and that it must relate to her worries about something small (the “single grey hair”). The word "fastidious" means concerned with making the smallest details perfect, and is the correct answer. As for the other answer choices, "vindictive" means spiteful; "cursory" means done in a quick and superficial way; "restrained" means showing restraint; and "steadfast" means unwavering in resolve and firm of purpose.
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