Nouns - ISEE Lower Level Verbal Reasoning

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Question

Which of the following words best completes the sentence below?

"Because he was wearing a cowboy hat and cowboy boots, I was able to guess what his favorite __________ of music was."

Answer

Although "tempo" is a musical term that would be grammatically correct in this sentence, it is unlikely that someone would be able to understand someone's favorite tempo (speed) of music by their choice of outfit. It is more likely that someone would conclude that someone who wore a cowboy outfit would like the country music "genre" (category).

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Question

Each question below is made up of a sentence with one blank. The blank indicates that a word is missing. Each sentence is followed by five choices. Select the one word that will best complete the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

The _____ of the movie plot allowed moviegoers to figure out whether they were interested in seeing the film.

Answer

If someone wants to figure out whether they want to see a film, they would most likely prefer to know the plot summary or read a synopsis of the film.

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Question

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The __________ on the number of words the students could write was clearly marked in the assignment description at the top of the page, and the teacher was strict about adhering to such rules.

Answer

If a teacher writes out assignment instructions and is strict about students following these rules, it means that they are constraints or restrictions.

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Question

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

When he heard a __________ in the hallway in the middle of the night, he was afraid that someone had broken into the house, but it turned out that it was just the cat knocking over and breaking a vase of flowers and then yowling because its fur had gotten wet.

Answer

We can infer from the sentence that the subject heard a noise in the hallway, so we can narrow down possible answer choices to "clamor," which means "a loud continuous noise," and "whisper." Since the noises described were loud and not made by people, "clamor" is the better answer choice, and the correct answer.

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Question

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

The Mayan vase was a __________ that was passed on from generation to generation.

Answer

The best answer choice is relic since it indicates that the vase is an antique object.

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Question

Choose the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.

The author's __________ introduced the book and appeared before the first chapter.

Answer

The key to the sentence is noting that the introduction being referred to came before the first chapter. Therefore, it is a foreword or prologue.

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Question

Each question below is made up of a sentence with one blank. The blank indicates that a word is missing. Each sentence is followed by five choices. Select the one word that will best complete the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

The courageous---of the story battled other warriors and many wild beasts.

Answer

Typically, the hero or heroine is the character in a novel who courageously battles beasts and other warriors; this person is the protagonist or the leading character.

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Question

Each question below is made up of a sentence with one blank. The blank indicates that a word is missing. Each sentence is followed by five choices. Select the one word that will best complete the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

The feature of---is a required characteristic of ships.

Answer

The only answer choice that is a required characteristic of ships is buoyancy or the ability to remain afloat in a liquid; for ships, they must remain afloat in ocean water.

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Question

The kitten demonstrated its __________ playing by batting at the guests' shoelaces, climbing their legs, exploring the kitchen table, and pouncing on the salt shaker; the guests commented on its constant energy and enthusiasm.

Answer

We can infer from the sentence that the kitten had "constant energy and enthusiasm" for playing, so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "energy" or "enthusiasm." So, neither "dislike of" nor "disinterest in" can be the correct answer because neither of those answers make sense in the sentence's blank, and neither mean "energy" or "enthusiasm." "Zest for," however, means "great enthusiasm and energy for," and because it is the answer choice that best describe's the kitten's energy and enthusiasm for playing and best fits the context of the sentence, "zest for" is the correct answer.

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Question

Choose the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.

When the __________ for being a member the club grew much stricter than they had previously been, it lost several members who did not meet the new conditions.

Answer

We can infer that we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "conditions," because the club "lost several members who did not meet the new conditions." "Requirements" is a noun that means either "things that are needed or wanted" or "things that are compulsory; necessary conditions," and because "requirements" best fits the context of the sentence, "requirements" is the correct answer.

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Question

Choose the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.

When the climbers finally reached the mountain's __________, they placed a flag on its highest point and took a picture to prove that they had made it all the way to the top.

Answer

We can infer that because the sentence refers to "climbers" who "placed a flag on \[the mountain's\] highest point" after they "made it all the way to the top," we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "the top of a mountain." Neither "bottom" nor "valley" can be the correct answer, then, because each of those terms are antonyms of "top" and "mountain," respectively. "Summit," however, when used as a noun, means " the highest point of a hill or mountain," and because "summit" best fits the context of the sentence, "summit" is the correct answer.

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Question

The translator worked on the poem with incredible __________, and by paying careful attention to every word, she found a way to translate its subtle jokes and purposeful misspellings into another language.

Answer

We know that the translator "\[paid\] careful attention to every word" as she worked on the poem, and that "she found a way to translate its subtle jokes and purposeful misspellings into another language." So, we can infer that the translator worked on the poem with incredible accuracy, and that we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "accuracy." "Lassitude" wouldn't make sense in the sentence's blank because "lassitude" means "a state of physical or mental weariness; lack of energy," and we're not given any information to suggest that the translator was tired. "Precision," however, is a noun that means "the quality, condition, or fact of being exact and accurate," and because "precision" best describes the quality of the translator's translation, "precision" is the correct answer.

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Question

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

Whenever Francis got a(n) __________ for chocolate, he always baked a batch of brownies and added chocolate chips to the mix.

Answer

We can infer that whatever Francis experiences regarding chocolate inspires him to go bake a batch of brownies with chocolate chips; so, the sentence must be describing Francis wanting chocolate. We need to pick out a noun that means something like desire or want. That means that "aversion" cannot be the correct answer, because "aversion" is a noun that means a significant dislike, making "aversion" an antonym, not a synonym, of desire or want. "Craving," however, when used as a noun, means a strong desire for something, and because "craving" best describes Francis's desire for chocolate, "craving" is the correct answer.

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Question

Jenny took her new skirt to the tailor so that she could have some __________ made; specifically, she needed the waist to be taken in and the sides slimmed down because the skirt was a bit big on her.

Answer

We can infer that because Jenny "needed the waist to be taken in and the sides slimmed down because the skirt was a bit big on her," we need to pick out a noun that means something like "changes" to describe the changes the tailor made to the skirt. "Alteration" is a noun that means "the act of making something different (for example, the size of a garment)," and because it best describes the changes Jenny needed the tailor to make to her skirt, "alterations" is the correct answer.

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Question

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

It is no surprise that that tropical bird is famous for its bright and colorful __________, because one bird can display red, blue, yellow, pink, and green feathers.

Answer

For this sentence’s blank, we need to pick out a word that means something like “feathers,” because we know that “one bird can display red, blue, yellow, pink, and green feathers.” “Fur” might look like a potentially correct answer, but since birds don’t have fur, it wouldn’t make sense in the sentence’s context and cannot be the correct answer. “Plumage,” however, is a noun that means “all of a bird’s feathers,” and because “plumage” best fits the sentence’s context, “plumage” is the correct answer.

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Question

Choose the word or phrase that best completes the following sentence.

A dozen basketball teams competed in the __________, and after many rounds of games, one was declared the winner.

Answer

We can infer that we need to pick out a noun for the blank that means something like “a series of games.” So, while “game” may look like a potentially correct answer, “game” cannot be the correct answer because the sentence says that there were “many rounds of games.” “Tournament,” however, is a noun that can mean “a series of contests between many teams or players,” and because “tournament” best describes the series of basketball games that the sentence is discussing, “tournament” is the correct answer.

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Question

Choose the word or set of words that best completes the following sentence.

While Francine enjoys foods which feature the flavor of mushrooms, she refuses to eat mushrooms themselves because of their spongy __________, insisting that their strange consistency can ruin a dish for her.

Answer

We can infer that because the “strange consistency” of mushrooms “can ruin a dish for \[Francine\],” we need to pick out a noun for the blank that means something like “consistency” and can be described by the adjective “spongy” and still make sense. While “flavor” might look like a potentially correct answer, it would not make sense in the sentence, which tells us that “Francine enjoys foods which feature the flavor of mushrooms.” So, “flavor” cannot be the correct answer. “Texture,” however, is a noun that means “the feel of a substance,” and because “texture” best fits the context of the sentence, “texture” is the correct answer.

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Question

Brad had done his homework and prepared for class; he knew the __________ to every question the teacher asked.

Answer

Brad had done his homework and prepared for class, so he knew the answers to all the questions asked by the teacter.

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Question

Choose the word that best completes the following sentence.

The __________ of the music was so loud that the police came and told them to turn off the music.

Answer

The volume was loud, and therefore the police told them to turn off the music and not disturb the neighbors.

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Question

Susie was not very good at adding, and therefore did not do well on the __________ test.

Answer

You add in mathematics class. Because she is not very good at adding, Susie did not do well on the mathematics test.

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