All ISEE Upper Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #65 : Synonyms: Nouns For Abstract Concepts
Answer the following sample question by selecting the word that is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in capital letters.
NOSTALGIA
ailment
sentimentality
hardship
prudence
remedy
sentimentality
"Nostalgia" means sentimentality or a fondness for the past. "Ailment" means an illness or affliction. "Hardship" means a difficulty or personal burden. "Remedy" means a cure or solution. "Prudence" means caution or carefullness.
Example Question #66 : Synonyms: Nouns For Abstract Concepts
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
PHILANTHROPY
Charity
Avarice
Improvidence
Diatribe
Quiescence
Charity
"Philanthropy" and "charity" both mean humanitarianism or generosity. "Avarice" means extreme greed. "Quiescence" means inaction or quiet. "Diatribe" means criticism or tirade. "Improvidence" means carelessness or neglect.
Example Question #331 : Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
ANOMALY
Grotto
Panacea
Tangent
Incongruity
Dictum
Incongruity
Since "anomaly" is a noun which means "a deviation from the norm or what is expected," we need to find another noun that means "a deviation from the norm." While "tangent" may look like a potentially correct answer choice, "tangent" means "a line that touches a curve at one point, but does not intersect it," or "a completely different line of thought or action." So, while "tangent" can be used in a context where it means a deviation from the norm of a conversation, it does not itself mean "deviation from the norm," so it can't be the correct answer. "Incongruity," however, means "something that is strange because of not agreeing with what is usual or expected," so it is the correct answer because of the given answer choices, it is closest in meaning to "anomaly."
Example Question #61 : Synonyms: Nouns For Abstract Concepts
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
CHAGRIN
Imitation
Fluency
Simper
Apex
Dissatisfaction
Dissatisfaction
Since "chagrin" is a noun that means "distress or embarrassment at having failed or been humiliated," we need to pick out another noun that means something like "distress" or "embarrassment." While "simper" may sound like a promising answer choice because "chagrin' sounds like "grin" and "simper" can be defined as "an affectedly coquettish, coy, or ingratiating smile or gesture," this doesn't match the actual meaning of "chagrin," so it can't be the correct answer. Of the listed answer choices, "dissatisfaction" comes closest to matching the meaning of "chagrin, so it is the correct answer.
Example Question #109 : Synonyms: Nouns
Each synonyms question is made up of a word in capital letters followed by five choices. Choose the word that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
FORTITUDE
Weakness
Lethargy
Resilience
Capability
Energy
Resilience
Fortitude means strength of mind or determination. The best answer choice is resilience since someone with fortitude has strength even in the midst of difficulties.
Example Question #111 : Synonyms: Nouns
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
GUILE
Honesty
Cleverness
Shyness
Sincerity
Evil
Cleverness
Guile indicates either slyness or cleverness. For instance, a daughter might use guile and cunning to get her parents to buy her a car.
Example Question #111 : Synonyms: Nouns
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
CORRESPONDENCE
Dissonance
Convalescence
Consonance
Prudence
Reticence
Consonance
"Correspondence" is a noun defined as "a close similarity, connection, or equivalence" or "communication by exchanging letters with someone." While all of the answer choices may sound somewhat similar to "correspondence" because they all end in "-ence" or "-ance," we know that "dissonance" cannot be the correct answer because "dissonance" means "lack of harmony among musical notes" or "a tension or clash resulting from the combination of two disharmonious or unsuitable elements," making it an antonym of "correspondence," not a synonym. "Consonance," is a noun that can mean "agreement or compatibility between opinions or actions," and because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "correspondence," it is the correct answer.
Example Question #112 : Synonyms: Nouns
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
NEGATION
Harmful
Dolorous
Contradiction
Adverse
Pessimistic
Contradiction
Do not be tempted by trap answers like “pessimistic” and “harmful,” which might come to mind if you read the word “negation” as being “negative.” Certainly, the two words are related, but the word negation most properly indicates opposition. Often, it is expressed in language as “not-X.” For instance, the negation of “hot” is “not-hot” (for which we will likely use a number of possible words). When something “contradicts,” it literally “speaks against” something else. The “contra-” means “against” as in “contrary,” and “-diction” is related to other words for speaking such as “diction,” “dictate,” “edict,” and “predict.”
Example Question #113 : Synonyms: Nouns
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
JARGON
Idiocy
Idiom
Perplexity
Confusion
Secrecy
Idiom
The word “jargon” is usually used to describe a set of terms that are isolated to a given group. For instance, consider the sentence, “The group of philosophers stood around talking about the infravalent value formally predicated of the inefficacious desire of the transcendentally ordered formal object of volition.” Certainly, such a sentence is quite mysterious! Though it might seem amazing, there are groups of people for whom that sentence has a real value—though it is a bit overdone with its wording. In any case, this is a great example of “jargon”—it is limited to a given group and very difficult for anyone else to understand. Often, one speaks of “legal jargon,” that is, the talk of lawyers and their technical niceties. While several options, like “confusion” and “perplexity” seem to match this, the best option is “idiom,” which is an expression that is limited to a group and is not easily translated into other language.
Example Question #114 : Synonyms: Nouns
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
LEVITY
Unconditioned
Cheerfulness
Irresponsibility
Unreliability
Fulfilling
Cheerfulness
The word levity often is used to describe frivolous humor or frivolity, so it might be tempting to choose an option like “irresponsibility” or “unreliability;” however, even if it were to be taken as meaning only “frivolous,” one still would have to stretch a bit to extend the meaning to “irresponsibility”—though, admittedly, one who is frivolous might likely be irresponsible. It is best to stay close to the original meaning; therefore, “cheerfulness” is the best option.
All ISEE Upper Level Verbal Resources
