All ISEE Upper Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1861 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
ANARCHY
Utopia
Disgust
Order
Redemption
Chaos
Chaos
"Anarchy" means chaos, the lack of a political order. As a word it can be easily broken down to its component parts. The prefix an- means without and the root -arch- means leader, chief. So "anarchy" is without a leader, without a government, the lack of political order.
Example Question #1862 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning
Immersed most closely means __________.
absorbed
available
critical
drowned
urgent
absorbed
The “-mersed” portion of this word is related to similar forms found in English words like “submerge” and “emerge.” It is derived from the Latin for to dip. The prefix “im-” is a version of “in.” Although “immersion” can describe the process of dunking someone into water, it likewise can mean that someone is completely absorbed in some activity. Consider a sentence like: “He was immersed in programming, little aware of anything in the world other than himself and his computer.” Likewise, we sometimes speak of people studying languages “by immersion,” that is, by living in the context of the language and using only the language being learned instead of their native languages for communication.
Example Question #151 : Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
INVULNERABLE
Rugged
Victorious
Presumptuous
Enervated
Invincible
Invincible
The word “vulnerable” comes from the Latin for wound. With the “-able” prefix, it would mean able to be wounded. Therefore, when someone is “in-vulnerable,” he or she is not able to be wounded. The word “invincible” does not necessarily pertain to wounds, but it does mean unable to be conquered. You may have heard of the famous line attributed to Julius Caesar: “Veni, vidi, vici,” “I came, I saw, I conquered.” The last word, “vici,” is a form of “vincere,” meaning, to conquer. To be “invincible,” is thus to be “un-conquerable.”
Example Question #152 : Synonyms
Select the word that is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in capital letters.
DILETTANTE
dabbler
refined
miserable
procrastinator
dabbler
From the Latin "delectare," which means to delight (compare with the English cognate "delectable"), a "dilettante" is one who engages in an activity for the sheer enjoyment of it—an amateur or dabbler. Be careful not to confuse this word with "dilatory" (causing delay) or "debutante" (a girl making her "debut" into society).
Example Question #108 : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots To Identify Synonyms
Diffidence most closely means __________.
controversy
bashfulness
dissimilarity
opposition
negation
bashfulness
The word “diffidence” literally means “not having faith” in oneself. The “-fidence” portion of the word is related to other English words pertaining to faith, such as “fidelity” and “confidence.” When someone does not have faith or trust in himself or herself, that person is often bashful or shy due to that lack of confidence. A related word, “diffident” is the adjective form of the word.
Example Question #3 : Synonyms: Roots From Latin
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
CELERITY
Storable
Greenness
Usefulness
Quickness
Retail
Quickness
In the word “accelerate,” the “celer” portion means quick, coming from the Latin "celeriter," meaning quickly. The word “celerity,” therefore means quickness. It would be used in sentence like, “I am often surprised by the celerity of the deadly tree squirrel, which can kill its prey more quickly than many other animals.”
Example Question #153 : Synonyms
Amble most closely means __________.
move
run
transport
capable
saunter
saunter
The word “amble” comes from the Latin for “to walk,” which is found in English words like “ambulatory” and “ambulate.” It means “to walk in a relaxed manner.” Among the options, “saunter” best describes such walking. One might say, “She ambled about the county paths, not wishing to hurry past any of the beauties of the autumn scenery.”
Example Question #5 : Synonyms: Roots From Latin
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
MOLLIFY
destroy
ramble
alter
mutate
placate
placate
When something “mollifies,” it makes something softer. An “emollient” is a substance (e.g. a cream) that helps to make the skin softer. Although the word “mollify” can be used in this general sense of “softening,” it is often used to describe the specific case of “softening” emotions, that is to make someone less anxious. For this reason, “placate” is the best option among those given.
Example Question #154 : Synonyms
Vociferous most closely means __________.
outspoken
remarkable
opposed
supportive
fruitful
outspoken
The word “vociferous” is quite recognizably related to the words “voice,” “vocal,” and so forth. The “-fer” portion of the word is derived from the Latin for “to carry,” as is found in the words “transfer” (to carry across) and “aquifer” (something that carries water between two or more places). The word vociferous means “carrying voice” in the sense of being loud or outspoken. For example, one could say, “At the proposition that she should change her political affiliation, the young woman became particularly vociferous, arguing passionately for her beliefs.”
Example Question #6 : Synonyms: Roots From Latin
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
DILIGENT
energetic
reliable
persnickety
overachieving
meticulous
meticulous
Someone who is "diligent" pays attention to the details of something. For instance, a diligent student is one who studies much and does his or her work in a thorough manner. The word comes from the Latin for to love or take delight in, which is found in the word “predilection,” meaning a preference for something. If someone is "diligent," that person probably has a love for the activity on which he or she is focusing. A "meticulous" person is very careful regarding details, so this is the best option for this word.
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All ISEE Upper Level Verbal Resources
