ISEE Upper Level Verbal : One-Blank Sentences

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #811 : Sentence Completion

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

The accused spoke __________ about the crimes he had committed and unnerved the audience with his lack of compassion.

Possible Answers:

callously

deafeningly

quietly

immaculately

incessantly

Correct answer:

callously

Explanation:

Because the accused “unnerved the audience with his lack of compassion,” you can infer that he must have spoken “callously.” “Callous” means heartless, cruel, and cold or insensitive and disregarding of others. As for the other answer choices, “incessantly” means non-stop; "quietly" means using a voice that has a low volume, “immaculately” means perfectly or faultlessly; and “deafeningly” means extremely loudly, in a a way that drowns out all other sounds.

Example Question #812 : Sentence Completion

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

He stole a __________ glance at his crush when he thought she was not looking.

Possible Answers:

morose

pompous

gaudy

furtive

demonstrative

Correct answer:

furtive

Explanation:

From context, you know that the subject was trying to avoid attention and be secretive. This should lead to the correct answer, which is “furtive.” “Furtive” means attempting to avoid attention, secret, or clandestine. As for the other answer choices, “gaudy” means garish, ostentatious, and in bad taste; “demonstrative” means expressive of emotions or serving to demonstrate something; “morose” means sad and serious; and “pompous” means arrogant and self-important.

Example Question #813 : Sentence Completion

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

Travelers are warned to get shots before going to parts of the world where malaria is __________.

Possible Answers:

poignant

tedious

pandemic

eradicated

endemic

Correct answer:

endemic

Explanation:

It stands to reason that travelers would be warned to get shots before going somewhere where malaria is common, so the correct answer is “endemic.” “Endemic” means regularly found in a certain area; “pandemic” refers to disease and means found all over the world; “eradicated” means completely eliminated; “poignant” means moving, touching, or emotionally affecting; and “tedious” means boring, dull, or predictable.

Example Question #814 : Sentence Completion

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

The farmer’s crops are __________ with disease, and he fears that he might not be able to subsist through the long winter.

Possible Answers:

sustained

incredulous

aloof

hasty

blighted

Correct answer:

blighted

Explanation:

Because the farmer fears he does not have enough to survive the winter, you can reasonably infer that his crops must be affected or infected with disease. So, the correct answer is “blighted.” A “blight” is a disease that affects plants, so a "blighted" plant is a "diseased" plant. As for the other answer choices, “sustained” means kept going; “aloof” means distant; “incredulous” means disbelieving; and “hasty” means rushed.

Example Question #815 : Sentence Completion

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

After he won the spelling bee, he brought up the win in every conversation he had; his classmates began to find his self-importance __________ and irritating.

Possible Answers:

diligent

glib

commendable

beguiling

pretentious

Correct answer:

pretentious

Explanation:

The classmates find the subject of this sentence “irritating” because of his “self-importance”; this suggests they would also agree that he is “pretentious.” “Pretentious” means affectedly showy and trying to impress people by pretending to be talented or important. As for the other answer choices, “commendable” means laudable and deserving of praise; “diligent” means exacting and hardworking; “glib” means smooth-talking; and “beguiling” means charming and attractive, often while involving some sort of deception.

Example Question #816 : Sentence Completion

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

The results of the election were extremely __________ for the incumbent, who found he had a massive new majority supporting him.

Possible Answers:

insignificant

gratifying

mystifying

judicious

infuriating

Correct answer:

gratifying

Explanation:

Because the "incumbent" (person currently holding an elected office) found out that the had won the election with a massive new majority, you could reasonably determine that he would find the results pleasing, or “gratifying.” As for the other answer choices, “judicious” means wise, prudent, and showing good judgment; “infuriating” means frustrating; “mystifying” means confusing and puzzling; and "insignificant" means unimportant.

Example Question #817 : Sentence Completion

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

His reputation was __________ after it was revealed he had been neglecting to pay his taxes for decades.

Possible Answers:

tarnished

improvised

bolstered

terrorized

considered

Correct answer:

tarnished

Explanation:

If someone was caught not paying their taxes, it would likely mar or ruin their reputation. This can lead you to the correct answer, which is “tarnished.” “Tarnished” means negatively impacted, ruined, or spoiled. "Bolstered" would convey that the man's reputation was improved by the discovery that he hadn't been paying his taxes for decades, which isn't logical, and none of the answer choices make sense in the blank.

Example Question #818 : Sentence Completion

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

Unlike the rest of his family, he does not believe in __________ beings like ghosts and werewolves.

Possible Answers:

robotic

supernatural

homogenous

mundane

extraterrestrial

Correct answer:

supernatural

Explanation:

Ghosts and werewolves are examples of “supernatural” beings, as "supernatural” means paranormal or mystical. As for the other answer choices, “extraterrestrial” means alien and not earthly in origin; “robotic” means mechanical or behaving like a robot; “mundane” means boring or ordinary; and “homogenous” means alike, uniform, or consistent.

Example Question #819 : Sentence Completion

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

She became __________ when she realized that her close friend had been sent to prison.

Possible Answers:

elated

apologetic

talkative

ludicrous

hysterical

Correct answer:

hysterical

Explanation:

From the context of the sentence, you can infer that the reaction of the subject would be very emotional. This tells you that the correct answer is “hysterical.” “Hysterical” means emotionally distraught and overwrought. As for the other answer choices, someone who is “talkative” is garrulous and talks a lot; “apologetic” means feeling and expressing regret for something you caused; “ludicrous” means ridiculous; and "elated" means very happy.

Example Question #820 : Sentence Completion

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

New technology in the car alerts the driver as to when a collision is __________, allowing him or her to react in time to get out of the way; this should save many lives.

Possible Answers:

profitable

ephemeral

permanent

scandalous

imminent

Correct answer:

imminent

Explanation:

To answer this question, you have to figure out which of these answer choices would make sense regarding warning a driver about a collision. The correct answer is “imminent,” which means about to happen. “Permanent” means lasting forever; “ephemeral” is an antonym of “permanent” and means fleeting or short-lived; “profitable” means making money; and “scandalous” means causing outrage as a violation of collective morality.

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