Parts of Speech in Word-Based Sentence Completions - ISEE Lower Level Verbal Reasoning

While every answer could be gramatically correct, the term "although" suggests a word that is the opposite of, or different from, what is described in the sentence. "Expensive" and "lengthy" are opposites of a trip to England, as a trip to England is likely to be both expensive and lengthy. There is nothing in the sentence to suggest that Bruce's usual trips are or are not necessary or monotonous. "Domestic" is the best choice because traveling to England is an international trip and domestic in this context means "within one's own country."

Photosynthesis is needed as a food source for plants and thus, it is a vital or important process.

The unique property of water is that its solid form is less dense than its liquid form (water). This is why ice floats whether in the form of ice cubes in water or an ice layer that covers a pond in the winter.

The sentence is saying that since the forest is so quiet, even soft sounds can be distinctly heard. Another way of saying this is to describe the sounds as "perceptible," or easily perceived.

In this sentence, the correct answer is one that indicates that it rarely rains in the desert regions; therefore, the correct answer is seldom. It doesn't continually rain, but it also doesn't remain absolutely without rain.

The scheme used to trick their parents every night was well thought out and detailed or elaborate. They needed to think up several ways to delay the process of going to bed early.

Since Brad used everyday items to create his science project, it means that he was resourceful and ingenious or clever in his use of the materials.

In terms of this sentence, the best way to approach the sentence is to look at the context. Since it mentions the severity of the pain, it is most likely acute or intense pain.

Since the content of the paper is the main focus, the details of grammatical organization are petty or trivial in comparison.

Since the sentence warns readers to "be gentle and careful not to hurt" butterflies' wings, we can infer that we need to pick out an adjective for the blank that means something like "fragile." "Delicate," an adjective that means "easily broken or damaged; fragile," is the answer choice that best fits the sentence's context, so "delicate" is the correct answer.

We can infer from the sentence that the class did not go out for recess because a thunderstorm was about to begin right away, because people could see it in the distance. So, we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "approaching." While "unpredicted" might look like a good answer choice, it would not make sense in the sentence's context because the subjects clearly knew that the thunderstorm was coming and canceled recess, so the storm wasn't "unpredicted." "Imminent," however, is the best choice for the sentence because "imminent" means "about to happen." So, "imminent" is the correct answer.

The best answer choice is dormant since it means inactive; a hibernating animal is indeed dormant during the winter.

Since the scent of garlic readily filled the entire room, it indicates that the scent was strong and pungent.

If the student refused to complete their classwork, it means that they were defiant or resistant.

Because we know that Lydia "almost forgot to go to lunch and asked to stay inside during recess to read," we can infer that we need to pick out a word that means something like "very interesting" to describe the book she's reading. "Meticulous" may look like a good answer choice because "meticulous" means "showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise," but while Lydia may very well be reading meticulously, "meticulous" does not mean the same thing as "very interesting," so it cannot be the correct answer. "Engrossing," however, when used as an adjective, means "absorbing all one's attention or interest," and is the correct answer because it makes the most sense in the sentence's context.

Because we know that "bricks or other materials could fall from a great height and potentially injure someone," we can infer that we need to pick out a word that means something like "dangerous" to describe the construction site. "Safe" means the opposite of "dangerous," so it cannot be the correct answer, but "hazardous" means "risky; dangerous." Because "hazardous" best fits the sentence's context, "hazardous" is the correct answer.

Because we know that the novelist thanked her husband "for helping to inspire her most creative ideas," we can infer that we need to pick out a word that has something to do with books and thanking people. While "inspired" may look like a potentially correct answer, since we know that the novelist's husband inspired her most creative ideas, "inspire" wouldn't be grammatically correct if used in the blank; one wouldn't "inspire" a book. "Dedicated," however, can mean "cited a book or other artistic work as being issued or performed in someone's honor." Because "dedicated" best fits the sentence's context, "dedicated" is the correct answer.

Because we know that Jenna "\[did\] not \[stop\] for any distractions or tak\[e\] any unnecessary breaks" while working on her project, we can infer that we need to pick out a word that means something like "with dedication, effort, and attention" to describe the way she worked. "Distractedly" cannot be the correct answer because we know that Jenna did not stop "for any distractions," and neither "lazily" nor "wearily" can be correct either because neither of those words mean "with dedication, effort, and attention." "Industriously," however, means "diligently" or "characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort : painstaking," so "industriously" is the correct answer because it best fits the sentence's context.

Because we know that Anne "planned to spend her Saturday building a snow fort taller than her house," but then "all the snow melted on Friday," we can infer that we need to pick out a word for the blank that describes a plan that won't work or is highly impractical. Because "infeasible" means "not possible to do easily or conveniently; impracticable," it best fits the sentence's context and is the correct answer.

We know that the bank of storm clouds "does not bode well" for the people visiting the beach, so we need to pick out a word that means something like "menacing" or "threatening." Neither "friendly" nor"optimistic" can be the correct answer because they are both words with positive connotations and neither are similar in meaning to "menacing." "Ominous," however, means "giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen; threatening." Because "ominous" is the answer choice that best fits the context of the sentence, it is the correct answer.