ISEE Reading Comprehension 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An author writes, 'Unlike the bustling city, the village moved at a sleepy pace.' This sentence primarily uses:
- A metaphor
- A contrast (Correct answer)
- A statistic
- A rhetorical question
Correct answer: A contrast
The word 'Unlike' sets up a contrast between two places.
Question 2: A passage ends: 'And so, the experiment proved what no one had believed possible.' The phrase suggests the result was:
- Expected by all
- Surprising and significant (Correct answer)
- A complete failure
- Unimportant
Correct answer: Surprising and significant
Proving the unbelievable indicates a surprising, important outcome.
Question 3: In 'The negotiations reached an impasse,' the word 'impasse' most nearly means:
- Quick agreement
- A deadlock (Correct answer)
- A celebration
- A new beginning
Correct answer: A deadlock
An impasse is a situation where no progress can be made.
Question 4: Which detail would best support the claim that a character is generous?
- She arrived late to the party
- She gave her lunch to a hungry stranger (Correct answer)
- She wore a red coat
- She lived near the river
Correct answer: She gave her lunch to a hungry stranger
Giving food to someone in need directly shows generosity.
Question 5: An informational passage uses the words 'first,' 'next,' and 'finally.' This signals which text structure?
- Cause and effect
- Sequence or chronological order (Correct answer)
- Compare and contrast
- Problem and solution
Correct answer: Sequence or chronological order
Sequence words like first, next, and finally show chronological order.
Question 6: If an author repeatedly describes a setting as 'gray,' 'silent,' and 'empty,' the mood created is most likely:
- Cheerful
- Gloomy (Correct answer)
- Exciting
- Humorous
Correct answer: Gloomy
Gray, silent, and empty details build a gloomy, somber mood.
Question 7: A reader wants to find a specific date mentioned in a long article. The best strategy is to:
- Reread the entire article slowly
- Scan for numbers and dates (Correct answer)
- Read only the title
- Guess based on the topic
Correct answer: Scan for numbers and dates
Scanning for numbers quickly locates specific facts like dates.
An author writes, 'Unlike the bustling city, the village moved at a sleepy pace.' This sentence primarily uses: