All ISEE Lower Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Nouns
Which of the following words best completes the sentence below?
"Because he was wearing a cowboy hat and cowboy boots, I was able to guess what his favorite __________ of music was."
artist
genre
era
tempo
study
genre
Although "tempo" is a musical term that would be grammatically correct in this sentence, it is unlikely that someone would be able to understand someone's favorite tempo (speed) of music by their choice of outfit. It is more likely that someone would conclude that someone who wore a cowboy outfit would like the country music "genre" (category).
Example Question #1 : Nouns
Each question below is made up of a sentence with one blank. The blank indicates that a word is missing. Each sentence is followed by five choices. Select the one word that will best complete the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
The _____ of the movie plot allowed moviegoers to figure out whether they were interested in seeing the film.
blueprint
draft
synopsis
preface
introduction
synopsis
If someone wants to figure out whether they want to see a film, they would most likely prefer to know the plot summary or read a synopsis of the film.
Example Question #1 : Nouns
Each question below is made up of a sentence with one blank. The blank indicates that a word is missing. Each sentence is followed by five choices. Select the one word that will best complete the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
The courageous---of the story battled other warriors and many wild beasts.
antagonist
author
protagonist
victim
narrator
protagonist
Typically, the hero or heroine is the character in a novel who courageously battles beasts and other warriors; this person is the protagonist or the leading character.
Example Question #2 : Nouns
Each question below is made up of a sentence with one blank. The blank indicates that a word is missing. Each sentence is followed by five choices. Select the one word that will best complete the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
The feature of---is a required characteristic of ships.
viscosity
malleability
hardiness
aerodynamicity
buoyancy
buoyancy
The only answer choice that is a required characteristic of ships is buoyancy or the ability to remain afloat in a liquid; for ships, they must remain afloat in ocean water.
Example Question #3 : Nouns
The kitten demonstrated its __________ playing by batting at the guests' shoelaces, climbing their legs, exploring the kitchen table, and pouncing on the salt shaker; the guests commented on its constant energy and enthusiasm.
dislike of
zest for
disinterest in
imitation of
ignorance of
zest for
We can infer from the sentence that the kitten had "constant energy and enthusiasm" for playing, so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "energy" or "enthusiasm." So, neither "dislike of" nor "disinterest in" can be the correct answer because neither of those answers make sense in the sentence's blank, and neither mean "energy" or "enthusiasm." "Zest for," however, means "great enthusiasm and energy for," and because it is the answer choice that best describe's the kitten's energy and enthusiasm for playing and best fits the context of the sentence, "zest for" is the correct answer.
Example Question #141 : Sentence Completions
The translator worked on the poem with incredible __________, and by paying careful attention to every word, she found a way to translate its subtle jokes and purposeful misspellings into another language.
egregiousness
lassitude
yammering
destruction
precision
precision
We know that the translator "[paid] careful attention to every word" as she worked on the poem, and that "she found a way to translate its subtle jokes and purposeful misspellings into another language." So, we can infer that the translator worked on the poem with incredible accuracy, and that we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "accuracy." "Lassitude" wouldn't make sense in the sentence's blank because "lassitude" means "a state of physical or mental weariness; lack of energy," and we're not given any information to suggest that the translator was tired. "Precision," however, is a noun that means "the quality, condition, or fact of being exact and accurate," and because "precision" best describes the quality of the translator's translation, "precision" is the correct answer.
Example Question #5 : Nouns
Jenny took her new skirt to the tailor so that she could have some __________ made; specifically, she needed the waist to be taken in and the sides slimmed down because the skirt was a bit big on her.
conclusions
preparations
alterations
similarities
annoyances
alterations
We can infer that because Jenny "needed the waist to be taken in and the sides slimmed down because the skirt was a bit big on her," we need to pick out a noun that means something like "changes" to describe the changes the tailor made to the skirt. "Alteration" is a noun that means "the act of making something different (for example, the size of a garment)," and because it best describes the changes Jenny needed the tailor to make to her skirt, "alterations" is the correct answer.
Example Question #6 : Nouns
Because Doug had an amazing __________, the company hired him on the spot.
interview
depresseion
resistance
council
ceremony
interview
Doug had an amazing interview; therefore the company hired him immediately.
Example Question #7 : Nouns
Brad had done his homework and prepared for class; he knew the __________ to every question the teacher asked.
skill
label
school
answer
experiment
answer
Brad had done his homework and prepared for class, so he knew the answers to all the questions asked by the teacter.
Example Question #3 : Parts Of Speech In Word Based Sentence Completions
Every weekday morning, all of the students would take the bus to __________.
field
restaurant
hospital
library
school
school
Every weekday, the students are most likely to take the bus to go to school.
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