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

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

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences

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

Filbert was an exceptionally __________ young man, noticing many details that his peers completely overlooked.

Possible Answers:

perceptive

sophisticated

intellectual

scholarly

erudite

Correct answer:

perceptive

Explanation:

The key clue to this sentence is the description found in the participial clause, "noticing many details . . ." All of the wrong answers focus on being intellectual or learned in some manner. While such a person likely will notice details more easily, the sense of this sentence only requires that we describe Filbert as someone who actually sees the details. A "perceptive" person does just that. The word can be used in many senses, all generally describing someone who notices details—be they physical, moral, conceptual, and so forth. Clearly, it is related to the verb "to perceive"—hence, it means (roughly) being able to perceive something.

Example Question #2 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences

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

The lawyer searched through the records feverishly, hoping to find any __________ evidence that might prove his client’s innocence.

Possible Answers:

arbitrary

exculpatory

written

visual

trivial

Correct answer:

exculpatory

Explanation:

This sentence does not indicate anything about the specific type of evidence being sought. Therefore, “written” and “visual” are immediately out of the question. Likewise, no lawyer would want "trivial" (unimportant) evidence, nor would he want to bring forth arbitrary evidence that was just random. However, he certainly wants evidence that proves innocence. Something is “exculpatory” when it does just that. The word literally means “out of-fault” ("ex" + "culpatory"). The word “culprit” is related to the “-culpatory” portion of the word, and both words come from the Latin "culpa," meaning fault.

Example Question #3 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences

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

A line is not made up of an finite number of discrete points but instead is a __________ whole.

Possible Answers:

geometric

mathematical

continuous

contingent

metaphysical

Correct answer:

continuous

Explanation:

The key words in this sentence are "discrete points," particularly "discrete." This word means separate or distinct. Each point drawn is a separate whole on its own. To this is contrasted the line, which the passage implies is the opposite to this, being some kind of whole. When something is "continuous" it is unbroken, without the spaces that we find between discrete things. A line is like this. While you can divide it into points, no amount of points will ever add up to a line. This option is by far the best because it is directly contrasted to "discrete." Words like "mathematical" might be true in a sense, but they do not convey wholly what the sentence intends.

Example Question #4 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences

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

He was afraid of the dark and also dreaded tight spaces, so he approached the cave with __________.

Possible Answers:

illiteracy

trepidation

incentive

aptitude

jubilation

Correct answer:

trepidation

Explanation:

If the subject is afraid of the dark and tight spaces, he is likely to also be afraid of caves. He would, therefore, presumably, approach a cave with worry, fear, and hesitation, or “trepidation.” “Jubilation” means great happiness; “illiteracy” is the inability to read; “incentive” is motivation; and “aptitude” is skill or talent for something.

Example Question #5 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences

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

The __________ young man is sure to run into trouble if he does not learn to control his puffed-up arrogance.

Possible Answers:

angry

brash

fortunate

hesitant

meek

Correct answer:

brash

Explanation:

The fact that the man needs to learn "to control his puffed-up arrogance" says that he could best be described as “brash.” “Brash” means arrogant, self-important, bold, and careless; “meek” means shy and quiet; “hesitant” means unsure and slow in taking action.

Example Question #6 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences

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

He made __________ claims about her guilt and complicity, but the police deemed his accusation to be too vague and unclear to be taken seriously.

Possible Answers:

unambiguous

lucid

intelligible

comprehensible

nebulous

Correct answer:

nebulous

Explanation:

It is clear from the context that the claims made by the man were "vague and unclear"; this tells you that the correct answer is “nebulous,” which means hazy, indistinct, or vague. “Intelligible” means able to be understood; “lucid” means expressed clearly; “comprehensible” means able to be comprehended or coherent; and “unambiguous” means not ambiguous, clear, and not able to be confused. In this instance, the four incorrect answer choices are all synonyms of one another and antonyms of the correct answer.

Example Question #7 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences

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

I find it __________ when I miss the last bus to school because my sister spent forty-five minutes in the shower.

Possible Answers:

infuriating

placating

repugnant

trite

vigorous

Correct answer:

infuriating

Explanation:

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.

Example Question #8 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences

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

The two friends from New York agreed about everything except for baseball, which could become an extremely __________ topic for them.

Possible Answers:

indignant

repartee

hackneyed

aghast

divisive

Correct answer:

divisive

Explanation:

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.

Example Question #9 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences

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

The store is __________ with new copies of the video game to meet the ravenous demand of the customers.

Possible Answers:

gaunt

replete

nimble

unkempt

palatable

Correct answer:

replete

Explanation:

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.

Example Question #10 : Adjectives And Adverbs In One Blank Sentences

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

He knew he was going to finish the marathon; he was completely __________ to pain and fatigue.

Possible Answers:

kinetic

impervious

robust

hoary

congenial

Correct answer:

impervious

Explanation:

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.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors