All ISEE Upper Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #551 : One Blank Sentences
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
The church was the oldest building in town; it had apparently been __________ over two hundred years earlier.
crucified
consecrated
complicit
detached
absolved
consecrated
Because this sentence is talking about the history of a church, the best possible answer choice is “consecrated.” “Consecrated” means hallowed and made holy and typically refers to churches. As for the other answer choices, “detached” means disconnected from something; “crucified” means executed by nailing to a cross or criticize severely; “complicit” means involved with other people in wrongdoing; and “absolved” means forgiven and had blame taken away.
Example Question #552 : One Blank Sentences
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
He is __________ to have broken into a house and stolen several thousand dollars worth of electronics; he denies the charges.
entrusted
alleged
assumed
pledged
mocked
alleged
When you are accused or charged with having done something, it is “alleged” that you have done these things. As for the other answer choices, “assumed” means supposed, presumed, or inferred; “entrusted” means given or trusted with; “mocked” means made fun of; and “pledged” means promised or committed.
Example Question #384 : Parts Of Speech In One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
After several months of fighting he finally seems about to __________ to his illness.
succumb
mar
allude
gratify
venerate
succumb
The subject of this sentence has an illness that he has been fighting, but seems finally about to do something in relation to it. The structure of the sentence suggests that what he is “finally” about to do is lose his fight against the illness. The underlined word must therefore be “succumb,” which means give in, surrender, or fail to defeat. “Mar” means spoil or ruin the appearance of; “gratify” means please or give satisfaction to; “venerate” means worship, deeply respect, or revere; and “allude” means imply or hint at.
Example Question #461 : Sentence Completion Questions
During World War One, a doctor had to be removed from the frontline because the sight of so much blood made him __________.
enigmatic
cantankerous
swoon
jubilant
altruistic
swoon
From the context of the question you know that the sight of blood caused a certain reaction in the Doctor, you also know that this reaction caused him to be removed from somewhere (the frontline) where he was likely to see a lot of blood; therefore it must have been something that hindered his abilities. Altruistic means generous or charitable, and does not fit. Enigmatic means mysterious, and jubilant means happy. You can rule out those two words. Cantankerous means easily angered and could possibly fit in this sentence, but swoon is the best answer as it means to faint. Fainting is a more plausible reaction to the sight of so much blood.
Example Question #3 : Verbs In One Blank Sentences
The effect of the Great Depression was __________ by the policies of President Roosevelt; many millions of Americans rose out of poverty during his presidency.
dramatized
received
conceived
tempered
conveyed
tempered
From the context of the sentence you know that many millions of Americans had their situations improved by the policies of President Roosevelt. You can therefore infer that the effect of the Great Depression must have been lessened or made more manageable by the policies of Roosevelt. Of the five correct answers tempered is the most correct. Tempered, in this usage, means made more moderate and measured. Conceived means imagined; dramatized means exaggerated; received means generally accepted; conveyed refers to the act of getting a point across.
Example Question #3 : Verbs In One Blank Sentences
Sir Edmund Hillary was __________ throughout the world after he became the first white man to successfully climb Mount Everest.
castigated
lauded
berated
despised
condemned
lauded
The context of the sentence, as well as a very small amount of critical thinking, suggests that Sir Edmund Hillary would be praised for his accomplishment. The correct answer is therefore “lauded” which means praised or celebrated. Despised, condemned, castigated and berated are all very close in meaning and opposite in meaning to praised.
Example Question #553 : One Blank Sentences
The Era of Good Feelings was __________ in the United States after the Presidency of James Monroe; ten years of political calm came to an end.
futile
terminated
exacerbated
inculcated
histrionic
terminated
From the context of the second clause you know that the blank in the first clause must describe how the Era of Good Feelings had come to an end. Exacerbated means exaggerated; histrionic means overdramatic in reaction or behavior; futile means pointless; inculcated means to impress something on somebody. The only answer choice that describes something coming to an end is terminated.
Example Question #554 : One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
After years of letting himself be overpowered by his raging emotions, Oswald at long last learned the means by which he was able to __________ these unsettling aspects of his personality.
mask
appreciate
acclaim
subdue
display
subdue
The opposition implied in our sentence is that of passing from being overpowered to overpowering or controlling. While perhaps “mask” would seem to fit this usage, it implies that one has not conquered these aspects fully; however, if one “subdues” something, he or she overcomes it. The word comes from the prefix “sub-” being added to the base that is derived from the Latin for to lead (“ducere”). If one subdues something, he or she draws it down or carries something off from one place to another. This is related to many other words such as “conduct,” “educe,” and “produce.”
Example Question #555 : One Blank Sentences
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The dense print and the impenetrable legal jargon __________ the document's message; Suzy didn't immediately understand that the family would have to move once again.
obfuscated
objectified
maintained
bolstered
contradicted
obfuscated
"Obfuscated" is correct because "obfuscate" means confuse or deliberately make something difficult to understand. It is related to "obscure," a word you may have come across more often. Suzy doesn't immediately understand what the document is saying because the dense print and legal jargon is confusing, and therefore "obscuring," the message.
Example Question #556 : One Blank Sentences
The politicians debated offering aid packages to __________ the declining financial situation.
augment
complicate
castigate
moderate
ameliorate
ameliorate
Ameliorate means to improve or make more bearable. We can hope that the aim of the politicians is to do something positive, combating the negative financial situation. While the aid packages may in fact only complicate or augment (increase) the situation, that is not likely the goal of the politicians' debates.
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