ISEE Upper Level Verbal : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Quality, Quantity, and Variety

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ISEE Upper Level Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Quality, Quantity, And Variety

BIZARRE

Possible Answers:

Sociable

Sloppy

Dreadful

Usual

Odd

Correct answer:

Odd

Explanation:

"Bizarre" means strange or odd. Usual is the antonym; it means ordinary or common. "Sociable" means friendly and eager to interact and speak with other people. "Sloppy" means careless and not cautious. "Dreadful" means causing great fear.

Example Question #1 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Quality, Quantity, And Variety

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

TRITE

Possible Answers:

tiny

unimportant

clichéd

parochial

insignificant

Correct answer:

clichéd

Explanation:

The word “trite” is often used in expressions like “his trite, meaningless remarks” or “the phrase was rather trite and common.” It often implies that something is insignificant or not important, but this sense follows on the main meaning of the word, namely, overused. It applies to expressions and ideas that have been repeated so often that they have lost their force. They become common knowledge and seem rather uninformative—“everyone knows that trite truth.” Among the options given in the answers, “clichéd” is the best, as it means overused and unoriginal.

Example Question #2 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Quality, Quantity, And Variety

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

DEVIANT

Possible Answers:

Shunned

Illegal

Imprisoned

Anomalous

Miscreant

Correct answer:

Anomalous

Explanation:

We tend to think of “deviant” as used in the phrase “social deviant.” This is often applied to people (perhaps problem-causing children) who are involved in activities that society frowns upon. This usage must not lead us to think that “deviant” means one who does illegal things. It is better understood from the perspective of the word “deviate,” which means to stray beyond the norms. When something is an anomaly, it is just this, namely something that goes away from the norm.

Example Question #3 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Quality, Quantity, And Variety

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

TANTAMOUNT

Possible Answers:

Bubbly

Cryptic

Same

Stringent

Ironic

Correct answer:

Same

Explanation:

"Tantamount" means the same or identical and is typically found in the phrase "X is tantamount to Y." That makes "same" the correct answer; as for the other answer choices, "stringent" means rigid or tight; "ironic" means coincidental or unexpected; "bubbly" means lively or energetic; and "cryptic" means secret or obscure in meaning.

Example Question #4 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Quality, Quantity, And Variety

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

ERRATIC

Possible Answers:

Foolish

Wrong

Forgetful

Irregular

Unreliable

Correct answer:

Irregular

Explanation:

Among your options, it might be tempting to choose “unreliable”; however, the closest meaning for “erratic” is “irregular” or unpredictable. The word comes originally from the Latin meaning to stray or wander. When someone “errs,” he or she might make a mistake, but the strict sense is that person “goes the wrong way.” Someone might be “unreliable” because they are erratic; however, that is only because that person is irregular or unpredictable. Because they are so, they are thus unreliable.

Example Question #5 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Quality, Quantity, And Variety

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

PROLIFIC

Possible Answers:

Flowery

Famous

Abundant

Ornate

Prominent

Correct answer:

Abundant

Explanation:

The word “prolific” comes from the Latin for “bearing offspring.” When an animal is “prolific” it bears much fruit or many children. When an artist is prolific, he or she produces many works. An example sentence would be, “The old man had been a prolific author during his lifetime, writing over a hundred best-selling thriller novels.”

Example Question #6 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Quality, Quantity, And Variety

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

VAPID

Possible Answers:

Appropriate

Risky

Steamy

Quick

Dull

Correct answer:

Dull

Explanation:

Originally used to describe beverages lacking in flavor, "vapid" came to describe anything that is dull or insipid.

Example Question #7 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Quality, Quantity, And Variety

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

BANAL

Possible Answers:

Ridiculous

Pitiful

Popular

Profound

Vapid

Correct answer:

Vapid

Explanation:

When something is banal, it is extremely overused and has little meaning because of that. For instance, one might speak of a “banal phrase” that is really nothing but empty words or “banal song lyrics” that really express no meaning at all. When something is “vapid,” it does not stimulate at all. The word “vapid” comes from the Latin for “flat” or “tasteless.”

Example Question #8 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Quality, Quantity, And Variety

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

FRUITFUL

Possible Answers:

Blighted

Amiable

Innocuous

Fecund

Growing

Correct answer:

Fecund

Explanation:

“Fruitful” means fertile, plentiful, fecund, or producing a lot of something, so "fecund," meaning fertile, is the correct answer. As for the other answer choices, “innocuous” means harmless; "blighted" means diseased and specifically refers to plants; "amiable" means friendly and warm in demeanor; and "growing" means maturing.

Example Question #9 : Synonyms: Adjectives Describing Quality, Quantity, And Variety

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

PEDESTRIAN

Possible Answers:

Languid

Thrilling

Exquisite

Heavy

Uneventful

Correct answer:

Uneventful

Explanation:

When used as a noun, "pedestrian" means "a person walking along a road or in a developed area." When used as an adjective, however, "pedestrian" means "lacking inspiration or excitement; dull." "Thrilling" cannot be the correct answer because "thrilling" is an antonym of "vim," and while "languid" may seem close in meaning to "pedestrian," "languid" means "displaying or having a disinclination for physical exertion or effort; slow and relaxed" when describing a person, manner, or gesture, "pleasantly lazy and peaceful" when describing an occasion or period of time, or "weak or faint from illness or fatigue." "Uneventful," an adjective that means "not marked by interesting or exciting events," is the closest synonym to "pedestrian" amongst the listed answer choices, so "uneventful" is the correct answer.

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