All ISEE Lower Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Synonyms: Other Adjectives
A synonym of "famished" is __________.
exceptional
ravenous
satiated
futuristic
gigantic
ravenous
"Famished" is an adjective that means "extremely hungry," so we need to pick out an adjective that means something like "extremely hungry." "Satiated," then, cannot be the correct answer, because "satiated" means "satisfy (a desire or an appetite) to the full," making it an antonym, not a synonym, of "famished." "Ravenous," however, is an adjective that means "extremely hungry" or when referring to hunger or need, "very great; voracious." Because "ravenous" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "famished," "ravenous" is the correct answer.
Example Question #2 : Synonyms: Other Adjectives
Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
RAVENOUS
Colorful
Hungry
Overwhelmed
Content
Hungry
When someone is "ravenous," they are very hungry, often in a ferocious way. If you've ever said you were "starving," or eaten your dinner in a matter of minutes, you've probably felt ravenous before. When a person is "content," he or she is happy with his current situation, which would not be the case if he were uncomfortably hungry. An "overwhelmed" person feels like he or she has been overcome by responsibility or feelings, and "colorful" simply means containing many colors or is used to refer to an interesting person.
Example Question #3 : Synonyms: Other Adjectives
Synonyms: Select the word that is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in capital letters.
ABRUPT
Proud
Benevolent
Sudden
Tiresome
Sudden
"Abrupt" is an adjective that means sudden and unexpected. So, the answer choice closest in meaning to "abrupt" is "sudden", an adjective that means occuring unexpectedly. None of the other answers are close in meaning to "abrupt": "tiresome" means causing one to feel bored; "proud" means feeling satisfaction over achievements; and "benevolent" means kind.
Example Question #4 : Synonyms: Other Adjectives
Synonyms: Choose the answer that most closely matches the word in capital letters.
RASH
Poor
Vibrant
Rich
Hasty
Sluggish
Hasty
“Rash,” when used to describe an action, means hasty, rushed. To provide further help, “sluggish” means tired, lacking energy; “vibrant” means bright and colorful.
Example Question #5 : Synonyms: Other Adjectives
Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
EERIE
Soothing
Usual
Reassuring
Weird
Weird
"Soothing" and "reassuring" are synonyms, so go ahead and eliminate them. "Usual" means normal or everyday. "Eerie" means strange or creepy. "Weird" has the closest meaning to "eerie," so it is the correct answer.
Example Question #6 : Synonyms: Other Adjectives
Synonyms: Select the word whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
EXEMPT
Free
Restrain
Incorporate
Dismiss
Free
If someone is "exempt" from something, such as chores or taxes, it means they are excused from, free from, or not subject to doing the chores or paying the taxes; so, "excused" is the correct answer. "Exempt" has a meaning different from that of "dismiss," which means send away, "incorporate," which means include as part of a larger thing, and "restrain," which means prevent or control.
Example Question #7 : Synonyms: Other Adjectives
Synonyms: Select the word whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
THOROUGH
Within
Superficial
Everywhere
Complete
Complete
First and foremost, do not confuse "thorough" with "throughout." The latter means all over or completely filling something. (Look at the words that it combines: "through out.") The word "thorough" is an adjective describing something that is complete and detailed. For instance, if someone performed a detailed study of the facts of a legal case, we would say that the person gave a "thorough examination of the facts." All of the wrong answers are trying to trick you into choosing some synonym for "throughout." Certainly, the two words—"thorough" and "throughout"—are related. However, they don't have the same meanings. Therefore, the best option is "complete." A "thorough examination" is a "complete examination."
Example Question #8 : Synonyms: Other Adjectives
Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
DEPRIVED
Concocted
Lacking
Laughable
Crazy
Fabricated
Lacking
When we "deprive" someone of something, we make them lack that thing. For instance, we would say that the slaves in the American South were deprived of their rights and were therefore freed in order that they might have the freedom that they lacked. To be in a state of "deprivation" is to be in a state of poverty or great want. A "privation" of something is a lacking of that thing. For instance, darkness is a privation of light; the dark is only understandable as a non-being of light. We often use the word "deprived" with the modifier "sleep" to describe the state of being tired and lacking rest. Being "sleep deprived" or suffering from "sleep deprivation" is such a tired state. Therefore, "lacking" is the best option for "deprived."
Example Question #9 : Synonyms: Other Adjectives
Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
BORING
Academic
Regular
Tedious
Scholarly
Annoying
Tedious
This question likely seems very easy, and it basically can be. Just don't be tricked by its seeming ease. The word "boring" is very familiar. Therefore, go through the answers eliminating them word by word. Something that is "regular" might be boring, but not everything that is boring is regular. Something very new and unexpected can also be boring. "Academic" and "scholarly" things are often boring, but this is not a definition of what it is to be boring. These is just descriptions of things that sometimes might be boring. "Annoying" is not a good synonym, as it describes something else—once again, some boring things might be annoying, but "to be annoying" means something different than "to be boring." Therefore, the best option is "tedious," which means "dull and repetitive," which implies being boring much more than do the other options.
Example Question #611 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Verbal Reasoning
Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.
IMPOVERISHED
Depressed
Uneducated
Receding
Poor
Upscale
Poor
The word "impoverished" literally means "in-poverty" or in the state of poverty. To "impoverish" someone is to make that person to be poor. The "-ed" form indicates that this is a passive participle, meaning that it is an adjective describing someone to whom the action of "impoverishing" has occurred. To be "impoverished" therefore means to be made poor or merely to be poor.
All ISEE Lower Level Verbal Resources
![Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors](https://vt-vtwa-app-assets.varsitytutors.com/assets/problems/og_image_practice_problems-9cd7cd1b01009043c4576617bc620d0d5f9d58294f59b6d6556fd8365f7440cf.jpg)