ISEE Upper Level Verbal : Sentence Completion

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #42 : Two Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Sentences

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

For many, Robert’s world is __________ commonplace; they cannot understand why he only cares about the __________.

Possible Answers:

frivolously . . . exceptional

incomprehensibly . . . exhilarating

understandably . . . paltry

inconceivably . . . mundane

licentiously . . . esoteric

Correct answer:

inconceivably . . . mundane

Explanation:

"Inconceivable" means impossible to comprehend or grasp fully, while "mundane" means concerned with the world rather than with spiritual things or commonplace.  Evidently, for many, Robert's concern with the world makes his life incomprehensibly commonplace, so "inconceivably . . . mundane" is the correct answer.

Example Question #43 : Two Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Sentences

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

Throughout the early middle ages, what we call “canon law” was far from being the organized, __________ system of law that the Catholic Church now follows. It took the work of many jurists to collect and systematize what had been an extremely __________ system of jurisprudence.

Possible Answers:

pious . . . corrupt

religious . . . secular

ecclesiastical . . . civic

juridical . . . lackadaisical 

codified . . . ad hoc

Correct answer:

codified . . . ad hoc

Explanation:

The key is to realize that Catholic law was not organized, which could be described as “ad hoc”—i.e. not collected and pulled together only from case to case as needed. (The expression “ad hoc” literally means for this in Latin, indicating that something applies only “for this or that”—but not according to a universal, organized rationality); therefore, it was not gathered together into a single “code” in which all the statutes were organized. Thus, the word “codified” fits well for the first blank.

Example Question #2591 : Sat Critical Reading

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

Maggie had never been afraid of heights, but the rope bridge was so __________ that she only took one __________ step before changing her mind.

Possible Answers:

morose . . . resonant

pliable . . . nervewracking

ramshackle . . . cryptic

dilapidated . . . tentative

rotund . . . smug

Correct answer:

dilapidated . . . tentative

Explanation:

The first part of the sentence says that Maggie is not usually afraid, but the "but" is the key word that lets us know that the blanks describe her being afraid in the second half of the sentence. Starting with the second blank, "tentative" makes the most sense because it means hesitant or uncertain. This is confirmed as the correct choice by the first blank, "dilapidated," which means in bad condition because of lack of care. While "ramshackle" and "nervewracking" also would work, their partner words do not fit the context as well.

Example Question #5 : Two Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Sentences

Select the word or word pair that best completes the sentence.

Though all through childhood the siblings shared a __________ relationship, in adulthood they were now quite __________.

Possible Answers:

strained . . . turbulent

volatile . . . bellicose

docile . . . agreeable

tempestuous . . . amicable

Correct answer:

tempestuous . . . amicable

Explanation:

The opening word "though" tells us to expect a change in the relationship between these two siblings—either they were close as children and no longer are, or they didn't get along when they were young and do now; we are looking for antonyms. Three of the answer choices offer two words with very similar meanings: "docile" and "agreeable" (both depicting a fairly-pleasant relationship), "volatile" and "bellicose" (both describing a combustible or even warlike relation), and "strained" and "turbulent" (both telling of a relationship marked by tensions and fighting). Only the pairing of "tempestuous" (stormy) and "amicable" (friendly) provides the antonym pair we are looking for.

Example Question #3 : Two Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Sentences

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

The __________ filmmaker just came out with his fourth short film of the summer, and claims that if he continues to work __________, he should be able to finish a fifth by the end of August.

Possible Answers:

intrepid . . . flexibly

feeble . . . jovially

hardworking . . . ludicrously

contrite . . . prosperously

prolific . . . diligently

Correct answer:

prolific . . . diligently

Explanation:

For the first blank, we need an adjective that describes how many films the filmmaker is able to create in a short amount of time. Both "hardworking" or "prolific" emphasize how many films the filmmaker is producing, so either word could work in the first blank. For the second blank, we're looking for an adverb that conveys how consistently the filmmaker is working; in choosing between the remaining answer choices "diligently" (industriously) and "ludicrously" (ridiculously), "diligently" is the better option, making the correct answer "prolific . . . diligently."

Example Question #5 : Two Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Sentences

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

The teacher found Billy's excuse that a dog ate his homework __________, as he had stated just the day before that his family didn't have any pets; however, she had to reconsider when he produced the chewed-up remains of his math assignment as __________ evidence.

Possible Answers:

sedulous . . . transigent

narcissistic . . . tangible

implausible . . . palpable

unbelievable . . . imitative

intuitive . . . onerous

Correct answer:

implausible . . . palpable

Explanation:

For the first blank, we're looking for a word that means "not likely," as the teacher knows that Billy's family doesn't have pets, but he is claiming that a dog ate his homework. Either "implausible" or "unbelievable" could work. For the second blank, we need an adjective that means something like able to be seen, or obvious. Either "palpable" (easy to perceive) or "tangible" (able to be physically touched) could work. Looking to see which of the possible answers we've identified match up, we can pick out "implausible . . . palpable" as the correct answer.

Example Question #11 : Two Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Sentences

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

Bryce had an exceedingly ___________ personality, always looking to pick a fight over any topic, whether __________ or significant.

Possible Answers:

unbecoming . . . remarkable

overbearing . . . accented

tempestuous . . . reductive

untoward . . . momentous

aggressive . . . trivial

Correct answer:

aggressive . . . trivial

Explanation:

The sentence implies that Bryce has an aggressive personality and that he will fight over any topic, whether large or small. Some of the options for the first blank are tempting, such as “tempestuous” and perhaps even “overbearing.” However, “aggression” best matches the notion of fighting, and—even more importantly—none of the other options match the second as does the word “trivial,” meaning small or unimportant.

Example Question #2594 : Sat Critical Reading

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

__________ lawns have become __________, with many people choosing to install fake, manmade grass to cut down on their lawn maintenance.

Possible Answers:

fashionable . . . real

authentic . . . pedestrian

artificial . . . commonplace

arid . . . verdant

manufactured . . . uncommon

Correct answer:

artificial . . . commonplace

Explanation:

We can infer that because "many people [are] choosing to install fake, manmade grass," we need to pick out a combination of words that either means "real lawns have become rare" or "fake lawns have become common." While "artificial" and "manufactured" are both similar in meaning to "fake" and "manmade," only "artificial" lines up with a word for the second blank that means "common" - "commonplace." "Manufactured" lines up with "uncommon," so it can't be the answer, because if many people are installing fake lawns, manufactured lawns cannot be uncommon. Similarly, "authentic . . . pedestrian" cannot be the correct answer either, because if many people are installing fake grass, authentic lawns are not likely in the process of becoming "pedestrian," or commonplace. The correct answer is "artificial . . . commonplace" because it best fits the context of the sentence.

Example Question #12 : Two Adjectives Or Adverbs In Two Blank Sentences

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

Charlie was a __________ kid who rarely spoke up in class, but his cousin George was __________ and barely let anyone else contribute to the discussion.

Possible Answers:

diffident . . . garrulous

divisive . . . callous

laconic . . . garish

glib . . . capricious

courageous . . . deleterious

Correct answer:

diffident . . . garrulous

Explanation:

Since we know that Charlie rarely says anything in class, we know that the adjective we need for the first blank should reflect his quiet nature. Either "diffident" (timid; shy) or "laconic" (using very few words) could work.

This leaves us to choose between "garish" and "garrulous" for the second blank, which needs an adjective that describes Charlie's talkative cousin. Since "garish" means obtrusively bright and showy and "garrulous" means excessively talkative, especially about trivial matters, "garrulous" is the best choice for the second blank and the answer is "diffident . . . garrulous." 

Example Question #2593 : Sat Critical Reading

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

In the early twentieth century, teachers used to _________ a strict adherence to established protocol, whereas in this current generation, it is more common for teachers to seek a __________ approach to problem solving.

Possible Answers:

lambast . . . meticulous

condemn . . . prosaic

expect . . . deafening

champion . . . novel

propose . . . miserly

Correct answer:

champion . . . novel

Explanation:

The way this sentence is constructed you know that the approach of teacher’s described in the second part of the sentence must be opposite in meaning to the approach described in the first part. This is due to the usage of the word “whereas.” The second blank then must therefore be opposite in definition to a “strict adherence to established protocol.” Of the five answer choices then, for the second blank, novel is the best possible answer. Novel, when used in this context, means something new or untested. Champion, like novel, is defined in this sentence by one of its secondary meanings. In this context champion means to promote something. Lambast and condemn both mean to criticize; meticulous refers to careful and detailed planning; prosaic means lacking imagination; miserly means greedy for money or unwilling to share.

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