All ISEE Lower Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions
Choose the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.
Already __________, the last thing Jessica wanted to do was take on more work.
friends with her daughter's first grade teacher
having an unusually slow week
overwhelmed by multiple assignments
having relaxed all weekend
available nearly all of the time
overwhelmed by multiple assignments
The second half of this sentence is fairly strong; if taking on more work is the "last thing Jessica wanted to do," then we're looking for an answer that explains why she so strongly wants to avoid putting more on her plate. Immediately, we can eliminate the idea that she is friends with her daughter's teacher; that fact alone wouldn't deter Jessica from working more intensely. We can also assume that if she were "available nearly all of the time," "having an unusually slow week," or had "relaxed all weekend," she would have no reason to avoid extra work at all costs. The only answer left is "overwhelmed by multiple assignments," which would certainly explain why Jessica wouldn't want to add even more projects to her schedule.
Example Question #1 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
Sandra pulled out of her driveway slowly, making sure to __________.
meet her brother for lunch downtown
buy a new laptop later that day
hit the mailbox on the way out
ignore the other cars around her
look both ways on the street
look both ways on the street
To properly complete this sentence, choose a completion that would be a reason to drive slowly out of a driveway. Meeting her brother for lunch downtown and buying a new laptop today are not relevant answers. Sandra would not drive slowly to “hit the mailbox on the way out” or “ignore other cars around her,” so the correct answer is that she would “look both ways on the street”.
Example Question #2 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
One of the most concerning issues regarding eating too much unhealthy food is __________.
making new friends when going out to eat
having too much fun eating junk food
being unable to pass a driving test
always being late for appointments
having heart problems later in life
having heart problems later in life
Here, we are looking for “issues regarding eating too much unhealthy food,” meaning that the answer must be a negative side effect of eating unhealthy food. “Having too much fun eating junk food” and “making new friends when going out to eat” are not negative side effects. “Being unable to pass a driving test” and “always being late for appointments” are negative side effects, but not related to eating unhealthy food. Therefore, the correct answer is “having a heart problems later in life,” which is a possible negative side effect of eating unhealthy food.
Example Question #3 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
When her soda loses all of its carbonation, Bailey __________.
enjoys the refreshing feeling of bubbles in her soda
congratulates it on a job well done
tries to find her cowboy hat
pours it out and gets a new drink
hugs her mother
pours it out and gets a new drink
Here, we are looking for a response to the first part of the sentence, in order to complete it properly. We need to decide what Bailey would do if her soda loses all of its “carbonation” (what makes soft drinks fizzy or bubbly). We can automatically knock out “enjoys the refreshing feeling of bubbles in her soda” as an answer, since it is the opposite of what has happened. Bailey would not congratulate the soda on a job well done, since losing carbonation is a negative characteristic, and the soda is an inanimate object. Hugging her mom and finding her cowboy hat are entirely unrelated actions to the soda losing carbonation. The correct answer is Bailey “pours it out and gets a new drink."
Example Question #4 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions
Choose the phrase that best completes the following sentence.
In order to celebrate her brother’s exciting birthday properly, Becky __________.
gave him a high five and walked away
bought herself a new backpack
surprised him with a big gift at dinner
remembered to wash the dishes
played soccer with her best friend
surprised him with a big gift at dinner
In the first part of the sentence, it is revealed that it is Becky’s brother’s birthday, so in order to celebrate it properly, Becky “surprised him with a big gift at dinner.” “Playing soccer with her best friend,” “bought herself a new backpack” and “remembered to wash the dishes” have nothing to do with celebrating a birthday. Because the birthday is described as “exciting,” Becky would celebrate properly by doing more than giving her brother “a high five and walking way.”
Example Question #5 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions
Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.
Jessica always makes time for her friends because she likes them and __________.
thinks they are rude
feels obligated to spend time with them
gets sick of their petty arguments
enjoys spending time with them
is apathetic towards them
enjoys spending time with them
This sentence insinuates a positive connotation by indicating that Jessica likes being with her friends. Thus, the blank should be occupied by a phrase that is also positive. The only positive phrase from the answer choices is: "enjoys the connection of being with them."
Example Question #6 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions
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.
professional respect
strong preference
deep love
general distaste
unsurpassed passion
general distaste
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.
Example Question #7 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
There was no deadline for her homework so __________.
she worked hard throughout the night
she felt no need to hurry
she threatened to drop out of school
she asked for forgiveness
she asked her mother to call her teacher
she felt no need to hurry
A "deadline" is a date by which something has to be finished. So, if the "deadline" for your homework is tomorrow you need to finish it by tomorrow. In this sentence the girl finds out there is no deadline for her homework so it makes sense that she would "feel no need to hurry (rush)."
Example Question #8 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
__________, so the doctor was forced to bring an umbrella.
He had just gotten out of the swimming pool
The night was dark and cold
It always poured with rain on the way to work
It was his birthday tomorrow
He was wet and cold
It always poured with rain on the way to work
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.
Example Question #9 : Style, Intensity, And Connotation In Phrase Based Sentence Completions
Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.
The team was __________ in the media after they lost the biggest game of their season with a particularly dreadful performance.
exhibited
consolidated
crucified
devised
compromised
crucified
To begin with "dreadful" means terrible. The team lost their biggest game of the season and played terribly. So, it makes sense that they would be criticized severely or "crucified" by the media. To "crucify" means to criticize severely, to attack the reputation of. Additionally, "exhibited" means showed, displayed; "devised" means came up with (a plan); to "compromise" means to work together to find an agreement that is pleasing to both parties, to resolve a dispute by each side giving something up; "consolidated" means combined into one whole.
All ISEE Lower Level Verbal Resources
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