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 #909 : Synonyms

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

EQUIVOCAL

Possible Answers:

Obstinate

Stubborn

Obvious

Impatient

Vague

Correct answer:

Vague

Explanation:

Equivocal means ambiguous, unclear, hazy, vague. To provide further help, "obstinate" means stubborn, inflexible.

Example Question #686 : Identifying Synonyms

BIZARRE

Possible Answers:

Sloppy

Dreadful

Usual

Odd

Sociable

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:

unimportant

clichéd

insignificant

tiny

parochial

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:

Imprisoned

Anomalous

Miscreant

Shunned

Illegal

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:

Ironic

Stringent

Bubbly

Same

Cryptic

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:

Forgetful

Irregular

Wrong

Foolish

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:

Ornate

Famous

Flowery

Prominent

Abundant

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 #5 : 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:

Dull

Risky

Steamy

Quick

Appropriate

Correct answer:

Dull

Explanation:

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

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.

BANAL

Possible Answers:

Pitiful

Popular

Profound

Ridiculous

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 #4 : 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:

Innocuous

Fecund

Amiable

Growing

Blighted

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.

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