Style, Intensity, and Connotation in Phrase-Based Sentence Completions

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ISEE Lower Level Verbal Reasoning › Style, Intensity, and Connotation in Phrase-Based Sentence Completions

Questions 1 - 10
1

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

It was freezing in the house __________.

so they lit a fire

so they took off their clothes

so they ate lots of ice-cream

and they decided never to leave

before keeping their clothes on

Explanation

To begin with "freezing" means very cold. So, to solve this problem you need to determine which of these answer choices is the most logical reaction to it being very cold in the house. The correct answer then is " . . . so they lit a fire."

2

Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

He tried to lighten the mood __________.

by cracking jokes

by picking on his friends

yet succeeded

with his cruel punishment

because people were so happy

Explanation

If the subject was trying to "lighten the mood" (make things seem less serious, cheer people up) then it makes sense that he would do so " . . . by cracking jokes."

3

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

The runner did not ____________ prepare for the race and was therefore not in good enough shape to run the full course.

sufficiently

regularly

energetically

heedfully

athletically

Explanation

The key expression in the sentence is not in good enough shape. This means that the runner did not prepare enough to be in good shape for race day. Therefore, his or her training was not sufficient. To "suffice" means to be enough. The opposite of something that is sufficient is something that is _in_sufficient.

4

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

__________ to give to this mother.

He is picking flowers

He is eating cake

He is playing quietly

He was performing a play

He spoke loudly

Explanation

In this question you are told that a boy is doing something " . . . to give to his mother." You know it is a boy because of the pronoun "his." So, which of these answer choices best makes sense as something a boy would give to his mother? The correct answer is "He is picking flowers . . . "

5

Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.

As the sickness spreads __________.

more doctors are needed

people are calming down

the government becomes less anxious

medicine is becoming cheaper

fewer people seem to care

Explanation

To solve this problem you have to determine what would be most likely to occur as a "sickness" (disease) spreads. The correct answer is that " . . . more doctors are needed" to care for the sick people. All the other answer choices are things that would be highly unlikely to occur in the event of a widespread disease. For example, it would likely make medicine more expensive, not cheaper. Additionally, "anxious" means worried.

6

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

Although the seed was tiny at first, it grew into a(n) __________ tree, much larger than anyone ever expected.

gigantic

healthy

beautiful

large

lovely

Explanation

This sentence clearly is contrasting the size of the seed to the size of the tree. This helps you to eliminate "lovely," "beautiful," and"healthy." Also, it was so large, that few had expected it to be so big. Therefore, the best choice is "gigantic", which expresses this way of being very big—in contrast to the seed's original tiny size.

7

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

__________, so the doctor was forced to bring an umbrella.

It always poured with rain on the way to work

The night was dark and cold

He had just gotten out of the swimming pool

It was his birthday tomorrow

He was wet and cold

Explanation

In this sentence you are told that the doctor was "forced to bring an umbrella." The main reason why someone would bring an umbrella is to prevent them from getting wet. If the doctor was wet or had just gotten out of the pool and umbrella would not really make sense.

8

Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.

__________ is that I am poor and he is wealthy.

One difference between us

Something we have in common

However being from the same family

In spite of the fact I find interesting

Notwithstanding our many differences, one likeness we share

Explanation

To begin with "wealthy" means rich, not poor. So, which of these answer choices matches with this comparison that the speaker is making? The correct answer is "One difference between us . . . " The other answer choices either contain incorrect conjunctions or else are related to similarities not differences. Additionally, "likeness" means similarity; "notwithstanding" means not counting, not considering.

9

Choose the phrase that best completes the following sentence.

The science teacher, who vehemently believed in the superiority of science above all other school subjects, had a __________ for mathematics.

general distaste

deep love

strong preference

unsurpassed passion

professional respect

Explanation

Right away, you may have noticed that both the question and the answer choices are extremely emotional! Words like "vehement," "superiority," "love," and "passion" all imply strong feeling. Our task is simply to figure out what type of emotion is being conveyed. We know that the science teacher "vehemently," or very intensely, believes that science is the best school subject. She would certainly never prefer a different subject! Likewise, we can guess that she does not deeply love mathematics, and we certainly know her passion for math would not be "unsurpassed." We're left with only one potential answer. The science teacher must have a "general distaste," or dislike, for mathematics.

10

Sentence completion: Select the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.

It is difficult for some people to be alone, so __________.

they spend all their time with others

they venture off into the woods

they refuse to own pets

they neglect all relationships in their lives

they forsake their family

Explanation

It is difficult for someone to be alone it makes sense that that person would want to spend time with other people. The correct answer is therefore " . . . they spend all their time with others." All of the other answer choices are actions that might be taken by someone who does like to be alone. Additionally, "neglect" means abandon, refuse to pay attention to; "forsake" means abandon, leave; "venture" means undergo a risky or exciting journey.

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