All ISEE Lower Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning
Jennifer realized that she was __________ when of the five cats she was supposed to be looking after, she could only find four; luckily the fifth turned out to be hiding under the comforter.
in the clear
reflective
wary
in a pickle
swerving
in a pickle
We can infer that if Jennifer could only find four of the five cats she was supposed to be looking after, she must have been in trouble. So, we need to pick out a word or phrase that means something like "trouble." "In the clear" cannot be the correct answer, then, because "in the clear" means "no longer in danger or suspected of something," making it the opposite of the word or phrase that we're looking for. "In a pickle," however, is a phrase that means "in a difficult or messy situation," and because this best describes Jennifer's situation when she could only find four of the five cats she was supposed to be looking after, "in a pickle" is the correct answer.
Example Question #1 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning
Which pair of words best completes the sentence?
I love to read, to sing, to jump rope __________
, and to dance.
and dancing.
but to be dancing.
and I dance.
or to have danced.
, and to dance.
In this question, the trick is to find the most appropriate grammatical structure that will keep the sentence consistent. Since the sentence is phrased as a list of verbs in their present infinitive tense, "and to dance" makes the most sense and keeps the phrasing consistent.
Example Question #1 : Sentence Completions
Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.
Even though she originally wanted to run for the office of class president, Jessica decided to __________ from the election due to her doubts about whether she could handle the position if elected to it.
resume
emerge
withdraw
continue
shift
withdraw
Her doubts presumably made Jessica "withdraw," or take herself out of the race and not run for office anymore. "Shift" means change; "emerge" means appear; and "resume" means start up again or continue after a break.
Example Question #1 : Sentence Completions
Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.
The students didn't have __________ to the teachers' room in the school building.
approval
tolerance
agreement
refusal
access
access
It would be reasonable for students to not be allowed in the teachers' room; therefore, they would not have "access" to it, or the ability to enter it. This is different than an "agreement" or accord; "tolerance" or the ability to deal with something; "approval" or support of something; and "refusal" or the act of denying or saying no to something.
Example Question #1 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
COMPRESS
Purify
Maintain
Expand
Reduce
Exchange
Reduce
To "compress" something is to "reduce" it in size. This is different than "purify," which means cleanse; "exchange," which means trade; "expand," which means increase; and "maintain," which means to keep in present form.
Example Question #1 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
NOTIFY
Liberate
Inform
Respond
Define
Howl
Inform
To "notify" is to tell, or to "inform." "Liberate" is a verb that means free; "respond" is a verb that means answer; "define" means give the definition of, and "howl" means make a crying sound.
Example Question #1 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
ADVISE
Guide
Submit
Encourage
Enlighten
Vacate
Guide
"Advise" means to give advice to, or "guide." "Enlighten" means help gain understanding; "encourage" is a verb that means support; "vacate" is a verb that means leave or empty; and "submit" means hand in or yield.
Example Question #1 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
SWIFT
Sensitive
Steady
Quick
Persistent
Loud
Quick
Something that is "swift" is speedy or "quick." As for the other answer choices, "steady" means consistent or stable; "loud" means of great volume; "sensitive" means able to feel minute changes in something or tactful, and "persistent" means not giving up easily or stubborn.
Example Question #1 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
IMITATE
Reveal
Stray
Differ
Converse
Copy
Copy
If you "imitate" someone or something, you mimic or "copy" it. As for the other answer choices, "reveal" means show something that was hidden; "converse," when used as a verb, means talk; and "stray," when used as a verb, means deviate or drift from.
Example Question #1 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
EXCEL
Shine
Attempt
Radiate
Overpower
Extend
Shine
When you "excel" at something, such as mathematics or sports, it means that you are good at that thing and "shine" at doing that activity. As for the other answer choices, "overpower" means to defeat due to being stronger than; "radiate" means branch outward; "extend" means lengthen; and "attempt" means try.
All ISEE Lower Level Verbal Resources
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