ISEE Upper Level Verbal : ISEE Upper Level (grades 9-12) Verbal Reasoning

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #2151 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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

DISCERN

Possible Answers:

Doubt

Predict

Recognize

Comply

Overlook

Correct answer:

Recognize

Explanation:

A good example of discerning something is when you discern the difference between your perceived financial situation (which may be higher in your mind) and the reality of your situation.

Example Question #2152 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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

DEFY

Possible Answers:

Venerate

Dispute

Disobey

Worship

Argue

Correct answer:

Disobey

Explanation:

When someone is “defiant,” he or she stubbornly refuses to obey someone or something else to the point of open resistance. Here, do not confuse “defy” with “deify,” which means “to make into a god.” While options like “argue” and “dispute” are related to someone who is defying another person. The best option is “disobey,” which most closely captures the action of a defiant individual.

Example Question #2153 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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

EXTOL

Possible Answers:

Congratulate

Rejoice

Adulate

Coral

Praise

Correct answer:

Adulate

Explanation:

The word “extol” means “to praise someone to a great degree.” For this reason, it is best to choose “adulate,” which implies such high praise. The words “praise” and “congratulate” would be options if this stronger option (adulate) was not given.

Example Question #2154 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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

IMITATE

Possible Answers:

Mimic

Tempt

Detest

Foster

Covet

Correct answer:

Mimic

Explanation:

Since "imitate" means to take or follow as a model, the answer choice that is its closest synonym is "mimic," which means to imitate, typically to entertain or ridicule.

Example Question #2155 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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

BELIE

Possible Answers:

Contradict

Emphasize

Tolerate

Foreshadow

Prohibit

Correct answer:

Contradict

Explanation:

Since "belie" is a verb that means "give a false idea of something," "show something to be false or wrong," we need to pick out a word that means something like "misrepresent." Since "contradict" means "deny the truth of a statement, especially by asserting the opposite," it is the best answer choice and the correct answer.

Example Question #2156 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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.

ASCERTAIN

Possible Answers:

Induce

Decipher

Deduce

Probe

Encode

Correct answer:

Deduce

Explanation:

If something is ascertained such as a fact, it means that it is deduced or surmised.

Example Question #2157 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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

OBFUSCATE

Possible Answers:

Explicate

Occlude

Thwart

Perplex

Conceal

Correct answer:

Perplex

Explanation:

The word obfuscate means to confuse. Thus, the best fit answer choice is perplex.

Example Question #2158 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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

ABIDE

Possible Answers:

Accept

Retain

Await

Remain

Injure

Correct answer:

Accept

Explanation:

In its older usage, “abide,” meant “to live or dwell.” It generally means “to accept” (often as a rule for action). It is often used in conjunction with the word “with” as in, “He decided that it was better to abide with the judge’s decision than to contest it.” Also, negatively, it can mean that someone does not tolerate something or someone. In this case, it would be used in a sentence like, “I cannot abide the way that she rudely eats with her mouth open and think I will leave the room.”

Example Question #2159 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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

DECIPHER

Possible Answers:

Unearth

Decode

Recover

Discover

Display

Correct answer:

Decode

Explanation:

A “cipher” is a way of encoding or scrambling a message so as to hide its meaning. This would be used, for instance, in war when people are trying to hide the contents of messages between allies. When someone “deciphers” something, he or she “takes away the code.” In other words, he or she “breaks” the code and can read the message.

Example Question #2160 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Verbal Reasoning

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

DEIFY

Possible Answers:

Statue

Myth

Violate

Venerate

Disobey

Correct answer:

Venerate

Explanation:

The word “deify” literally means “to make into a God.” The “-fy” prefix is used in many places in English to mean “to make or do” as in “falsify” and “nullify.” The “dei-” portion of the word is derived from a large cluster of “god-related” words such as “deity” and “deism,” as well as “theology” and “atheist.” (The “d” and “th” are related sounds.) When someone deifies someone else, they are likely to worship that person as a god. Therefore, the best option here is “venerate,” which means “to revere someone or something.”

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