All ISEE Lower Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Timing, Speed, Movement, And Age
Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
SWIFT
Run
Dance
Slow
Speedy
Speedy
The correct answer is "speedy," or in a quick manner, as "swift" means occurring or moving very quickly. "Slow" is an opposite of "swift" and "dance" is not related in meaning to "swift" at all. While to "run" does mean to move quickly, "run" is a verb and "swift" is an adjective, so their meanings are very different.
Example Question #2 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Timing, Speed, Movement, And Age
Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
SLUGGISH
Slug
Active
Stiff
Slow
Slow
The word "sluggish" means slow or lazy. "Slow" is the best choice, as it is a part of the definition of "sluggish." Considering the other choices, "stiff" means rigid. While it may seem related, the word "sluggish" describes some sort of motion, though very little, while "stiff" does not. "Active" is an antonym of the word "sluggish." "Slug" is only related because sluggish means slug-like, as in as slow as a slug.
Example Question #3 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Timing, Speed, Movement, And Age
Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
NIMBLE
Robotic
Indifferent
Correct
Agile
Agile
"Nimble" means quick and agile. "Agile" is the best choice because it means easily able to move quickly and is part of the definition of "nimble." Considering the other choices, "robotic" means acting in an unchanging and unemotional manner, like a robot, "correct" means right or true, and "indifferent" means not caring.
Example Question #4 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Timing, Speed, Movement, And Age
Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
IDLE
Vex
Deter
Hidden
Stationary
Stationary
"Idle" means unmoving or not active. "Stationary" is the best choice because it also means unmoving. Considering the other choices, "hidden" means not in plain sight, "deter" means restrain from doing, and "vex" means anger or annoy.
Example Question #5 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Timing, Speed, Movement, And Age
Synonyms: Select the word that is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in capital letters.
REGULAR
Atypical
Trite
Usual
Regulated
Usual
"Regular" is an adjective that means occurring at even intervals, frequent, or usual. So, the answer choice closest in meaning to "regular" is "usual," an adjective that means typically occurring. None of the other answers are close in meaning to "regular": "atypical" is an antonym of "regular" and means not typical; "regulated" means controlled; and "trite" means unoriginal.
Example Question #6 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Timing, Speed, Movement, And Age
Synonyms: Choose the answer that most closely matches the word in capital letters.
SLUGGISH
Lacking energy
Lacking intelligence
Lacking money
Lacking direction
Lacking friendship
Lacking energy
“Sluggish” means tired, lethargic and lacking energy.
Example Question #7 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Timing, Speed, Movement, And Age
Synonyms: Select the word whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
SLUGGISH
Lazy
Depressed
Dull
Debilitated
Lazy
Someone who is "sluggish" is lazy and slow, so "lazy" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "sluggish": "debilitated" means weakened or hindered; "depressed" means feeling sad over a period of time or having the condition depression; and "dull" means boring or blunt.
Example Question #8 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Timing, Speed, Movement, And Age
Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
MATURE
False
Unimportant
Dependable
Greying
Ancient
Dependable
The word "mature" or "maturity" are used to describe the character traits that come to something as it ages. In some ways, we talk about "mature" people, but in others, we can talk about "mature" fruits or cheese—cheese or fruits that have "come of age" and are now usesful. A number of the options try to trick you into choosing an answer based merely on age. Remember, though, maturity does not necessarily come with age. For example, you might know someone who is twenty years older than you but who never does any work and always relies upon other people. We would be quite wrong to call such a person mature.
Certainly, we can talk about "emotional maturity," which is a type of maturity. Someone who always gets angry or moody is probably not very emotionally mature. However, another general meaning for "mature" is "dependable." A mature person is someone who accepts responsibilities and can be depended upon to follow through on promises. This is the best option among those options given.
Example Question #9 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Timing, Speed, Movement, And Age
Each synonyms question is made up of a word in capital letters followed by five choices. Choose the one word that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
INCESSANT:
continual
meaningful
impermanent
abrupt
finite
continual
For something to be incessant, it means that it is continual. For instance, an incessant noise indicates that the noise repeats itself.
Example Question #10 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Timing, Speed, Movement, And Age
A synonym of "inconvenient" is __________.
demanding
inopportune
frequent
timely
persuasive
inopportune
"Inconvenient" is an adjective consisting of the negative prefix "in-" and "convenient," so we can infer that it means something like "not convenient"; it actually means "causing trouble, difficulties, or discomfort." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "not convenient" or "causing trouble." "Timely," then, cannot be the correct answer, because "timely" is an adjective that means "done or occurring at a favorable or useful time; opportune," making it an antonym, not a synonym, of "inconvenient." "Inopportune," however, is an adjective that consists of the negative prefix "in-" and "opportune," so it means "not opportune," or more specifically, "occurring at an inconvenient or inappropriate time." Because "inopportune" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "inconvenient," "inopportune" is the correct answer.
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