Adjectives and Adverbs in One-Blank Sentences - ISEE Upper Level Verbal Reasoning

Because the subject is described as having difficulty spending time with his poor classmates, you can infer that he must have views that favor or support the wealthy or upper-class. This is called “elitist.” “Frugal” describes someone who is good at not spending money or economical; “impoverished” means very poor; and “decadent” means immoral, depraved, or sinful; and "yielding" means submissive and compliant.

From the context of the sentence, which talks about the wealth needed to afford university without assistance, you know that the underlined word must mean prosperous or wealthy. The correct answer is therefore “affluent.” “Jovial” means cheerful and happy; “meticulous” means exacting, paying attention to detail, or hard-working; “mundane” means ordinary and boring; and “senile” means suffering from deterioration of mental abilities due to old age.

Because the crowd was excited (“enlivened”), you know that the performance of the violinist must have been worthy of inducing excitement, and therefore skilled or deft in some way. When you talk about skill, particularly skill involving the use of hands, you use the word “dexterous.” “Satirical” means using irony or humor to make fun of something; “tentative” means cautious or not yet definite; “vexing” means annoying; and “elusive” means hard to catch or identify.

From context, you know that the underlined word must mean something similar to “grim” and something opposite to “cheerful.” This tells you that the correct answer is “dour.” “Dour” means stern, unsmiling, severe, and gloomy. “Penitent” means contrite, remorseful, and showing regret; “zealous” means passionate, or often too passionate; “euphoric” means extremely happy; and “exotic” means foreign.

Because the player mentioned is capable of doing several distinct and different things, he could best be described as “versatile.” “Versatile” means able to adapt or succeed in many different actions, adaptable, or multitalented. “Lofty” means high or high-minded; “enthusiastic” means excited; “heinous” means odious, appalling, or terrible; and “candid” means frank and honest.

Because the author loves the experience of stepping off the train at Penn Station and enjoys the energy of New York City, you know that he or she finds the experience “exhilarating.” “Exhilarating” means making you feel happy and excited. As for the other answer choices, “demoralizing” means causing you to lose confidence; “meddlesome” means interfering; “opulent” means luxurious and showy or wealthy; and “progressive” means moving forward continuously.

Because the professor "commanded respect," you may call him “distinguished.” “Distinguished” means renowned, famous, and commanding respect in some area. As for the other answer choices, “competent” means capable, having the required skills to do something; “belligerent” means hostile; “amicable” means friendly; and “dismissive” means contemptuous and scornful.

Because the subject was unable to focus and you are told that he had a big test, the answer must be “overwrought,” which means anxious and full of tension. As for the other answer choices, “compassionate” means kind and generous; “emaciated” means malnourished and skinny to an unhealthy degree; “impartial” means not biased; “impervious” means not allowing something to pass through or unaffected.

From the context of this sentence, you know that the underlined word must mean something similar to “predictable” and the opposite of “originality.” This leads to the correct answer, “banal,” which means unoriginal and boring. As for the other answer choices, “impeccable” means faultless or perfect; “astounding” means shocking, surprising, and amazing; “limited” means restricted; and “obdurate” means stubborn and inflexible.

The subject of this sentence spends a long time cleaning himself and making himself presentable, suggesting that everything must be “immaculate.” “Immaculate” means spotlessly clean and perfect. As for the other answer choices, “desirable” means wanted; “humane” means compassionate, considerate, and treating something like a human should be treated; “obstinate” means stubborn; and “patronizing” means condescending or spending money at a business and therefore supporting it.

The context of the sentence tells us that the condition of the man was slowly worsening. He was becoming steadily weaker and more incapacitated. The correct answer is therefore “debilitating,” which means making someone weak and unable to go about his or her normal life. “Uncomfortable” means not comfortable; this could be a correct answer, but it is not strong enough when compared with "debilitating." “Tightfisted” means stingy and not happy about spending money; “reclusive” means avoiding other people; and “unrestrained” means out of control or not held back.

When the atmosphere of something is very tense, it is usually said that it is almost tangible, or almost “palpable.” “Palpable” means able to be felt or touched. “Admissible” means valid or acceptable; “anonymous” means published or done such that the identity of the author or person acting remains a secret; “acrid” means pungent or_bitter_; and “fulsome” means excessively flattering.

The subject’s friend has died and the underlined word relates to a sad and serious reminder, so the correct answer is “poignant.” “Poignant” means touching, sad and reflective; “shrewd” means cunning, canny and wise; “precocious” means unusually gifted and usually refers to a child; “notorious” means infamous; and “inane” means vapid and idiotic.

“Malnourishment” is the lack of food and nutrition. You can reasonably infer that this would have a harmful impact on the growth of a child, so the correct answer is “deleterious.” “Deleterious” means harmful or hurtful; “beneficial” means helpful; “complicit” means partially responsible for some wrongdoing; “mutable” means changeable or capricious; and “petty” means trivial.

The context of the sentence suggests that the runner was unaffected by pain and fatigue, so the best answer is “impervious.” “Impervious” means not affected by or unable to be penetrated by; “kinetic” means related to movement; “robust” means strong and sturdy or healthy and tough; “hoary” means old and gray or cliché; and “congenial” means agreeable or pleasant and likable.

The author of this sentence seems to be expressing frustration and dismay about missing the bus in the morning, so you can say he or she is “infuriated.” “Infuriating” means frustrating, annoying, or making one angry; “placating” means soothing; “vigorous” means robust, strong, and fit; “trite” means cliché; and “repugnant” means disgusting or revolting.

The use of the word “except” suggests that although the friends agree about most things, they do not agree about baseball. So, baseball must be something “divisive” between them. “Divisive” means causing disagreement or hostility. As for the other answer choices,“aghast” means shocked; “indignant” means outraged or offended; "minor," in the context of the sentence, means relatively unimportant; and “hackneyed” means trite or clichéd.

If the demand of the customers is “ravenous” (insatiable or very hungry), then you can infer that the store would want to be well-stocked or full of copies of the video game to meet that demand. The correct answer is therefore “replete,” which means full of. As for the other answer choices, “nimble” means agile; “palatable” means edible or appetizing; “gaunt” means too skinny, thin, and bony; and “unkempt” means messy.

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.

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.