ISEE Lower Level Verbal : Nouns

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

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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."

Possible Answers:

artist

genre

era

tempo

study

Correct answer:

genre

Explanation:

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.

Possible Answers:

blueprint

draft

synopsis

preface

introduction

Correct answer:

synopsis

Explanation:

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.

Possible Answers:

antagonist

author

protagonist

victim

narrator

Correct answer:

protagonist

Explanation:

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.

Possible Answers:

viscosity

malleability

hardiness

aerodynamicity

buoyancy

Correct answer:

buoyancy

Explanation:

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.

Possible Answers:

dislike of

zest for

disinterest in

imitation of

ignorance of

Correct answer:

zest for

Explanation:

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.

Possible Answers:

egregiousness

lassitude

yammering

destruction

precision

Correct answer:

precision

Explanation:

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.

Possible Answers:

conclusions

preparations

alterations

similarities

annoyances

Correct answer:

alterations

Explanation:

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.

Possible Answers:

interview

depresseion

resistance

council

ceremony

Correct answer:

interview

Explanation:

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.

Possible Answers:

skill

label

school

answer

experiment

Correct answer:

answer

Explanation:

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 __________.

Possible Answers:

field

restaurant

hospital

library

school

Correct answer:

school

Explanation:

Every weekday, the students are most likely to take the bus to go to school.

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