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11+ · Verbal Reasoning

EP.V37 Verbal Reasoning: Closest and Opposite Meaning Set 2

GL ASSESSMENT EP.V37 · Calculators not allowed · about 30 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

This is a 30-minute Verbal Reasoning depth practice on meaning, styled on GL Assessment 11+ multiple-choice papers. It is a second, all-new set of meaning-focused questions on this topic. There are 40 questions across five sections: Closest Meaning, Opposite Meaning, Odd One Out by Meaning, Shades of Meaning and Word in Context. Every question is worth 1 mark, for 40 marks in total. Difficulty increases through each section and across the pack as a whole, finishing with scholarship-level stretch questions built around words with more than one meaning. For each question, choose the ONE best answer from the options A to E. No calculator is allowed. Read every word and instruction carefully: several sections need close attention to precise shades of meaning or to how a word is being used in a sentence, so check exactly what each question is asking before choosing.

Worked example. Worked example (Closest Meaning): Choose the word closest in meaning to CANDID. A) secretive B) frank C) formal D) nervous E) polite Answer: B. 'Candid' means open and honest in speech. 'Frank' means the same, open and honest, so it is correct. 'Secretive' means the opposite, keeping things hidden. 'Formal' describes a stiff manner of speaking, not directness. 'Nervous' describes an unrelated feeling, and 'polite' describes manners rather than truthfulness. Apply this same careful approach throughout the pack, even as the sections move from closest and opposite meaning to identifying the odd one out by meaning, judging the strength or shade of a word's meaning, and working out a word's exact meaning as used in a sentence: always check the precise meaning intended before choosing an option, and rule out any word that only sounds similar or is loosely associated rather than being the true match.

SECTION 1: CLOSEST MEANING (7 minutes, 10 questions)

Each question gives a word in capital letters. Choose the ONE word from the options that means most nearly the same as the word given.

Q1. Choose the word closest in meaning to BRIEF.

A) short
B) tall
C) heavy
D) narrow
E) loud

(Total for Question 1 is 1 mark)

(CLOSEST MEANING) Q2. Choose the word closest in meaning to SWIFT.

A) slow
B) fast
C) heavy
D) quiet
E) sharp

(Total for Question 2 is 1 mark)

(CLOSEST MEANING) Q3. Choose the word closest in meaning to ASSIST.

A) hinder
B) ignore
C) help
D) follow
E) copy

(Total for Question 3 is 1 mark)

(CLOSEST MEANING) Q4. Choose the word closest in meaning to GENEROUS.

A) selfish
B) careful
C) wealthy
D) unselfish
E) cautious

(Total for Question 4 is 1 mark)

(CLOSEST MEANING) Q5. Choose the word closest in meaning to RELUCTANT.

A) eager
B) nervous
C) confused
D) careless
E) unwilling

(Total for Question 5 is 1 mark)

(CLOSEST MEANING) Q6. Choose the word closest in meaning to VAST.

A) huge
B) tiny
C) narrow
D) distant
E) ancient

(Total for Question 6 is 1 mark)

(CLOSEST MEANING) Q7. Choose the word closest in meaning to CONCEALED.

A) revealed
B) hidden
C) damaged
D) removed
E) forgotten

(Total for Question 7 is 1 mark)

(CLOSEST MEANING) Q8. Choose the word closest in meaning to METICULOUS.

A) careless
B) hurried
C) careful
D) confident
E) generous

(Total for Question 8 is 1 mark)

(CLOSEST MEANING) Q9. Choose the word closest in meaning to AUDACIOUS.

A) timid
B) modest
C) polite
D) bold
E) careful

(Total for Question 9 is 1 mark)

(CLOSEST MEANING) Q10. Choose the word closest in meaning to DILIGENT.

A) lazy
B) careless
C) impatient
D) forgetful
E) hard-working

(Total for Question 10 is 1 mark)

SECTION 2: OPPOSITE MEANING (7 minutes, 10 questions)

Each question gives a word in capital letters. Choose the ONE word from the options that means most nearly OPPOSITE to the word given.

Q1. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to ANCIENT.

A) modern
B) old
C) historic
D) ruined
E) faded

(Total for Question 11 is 1 mark)

(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q2. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to GENUINE.

A) real
B) fake
C) honest
D) rare
E) valuable

(Total for Question 12 is 1 mark)

(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q3. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to ABUNDANT.

A) plentiful
B) common
C) scarce
D) fresh
E) large

(Total for Question 13 is 1 mark)

(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q4. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to CAUTIOUS.

A) careful
B) nervous
C) confident
D) reckless
E) slow

(Total for Question 14 is 1 mark)

(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q5. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to PERMIT.

A) allow
B) request
C) suggest
D) accept
E) forbid

(Total for Question 15 is 1 mark)

(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q6. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to EXPAND.

A) shrink
B) grow
C) stretch
D) rise
E) spread

(Total for Question 16 is 1 mark)

(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q7. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to PUNCTUAL.

A) early
B) late
C) prompt
D) quick
E) careful

(Total for Question 17 is 1 mark)

(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q8. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to HUMBLE.

A) modest
B) shy
C) arrogant
D) polite
E) quiet

(Total for Question 18 is 1 mark)

(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q9. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to TRANSPARENT.

A) clear
B) shiny
C) fragile
D) opaque
E) flexible

(Total for Question 19 is 1 mark)

(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q10. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to BENEVOLENT.

A) kind
B) generous
C) wealthy
D) famous
E) malicious

(Total for Question 20 is 1 mark)

SECTION 3: ODD ONE OUT BY MEANING (6 minutes, 8 questions)

Four of the five words in each question share a very similar meaning. Choose the ONE word that does NOT belong with the others.

Q1. Which word does not belong?

A) gloomy
B) joyful
C) cheerful
D) delighted
E) glad

(Total for Question 21 is 1 mark)

(ODD ONE OUT BY MEANING) Q2. Which word does not belong?

A) courageous
B) timid
C) bold
D) daring
E) fearless

(Total for Question 22 is 1 mark)

(ODD ONE OUT BY MEANING) Q3. Which word does not belong?

A) start
B) commence
C) finish
D) launch
E) initiate

(Total for Question 23 is 1 mark)

(ODD ONE OUT BY MEANING) Q4. Which word does not belong?

A) enormous
B) gigantic
C) massive
D) tiny
E) immense

(Total for Question 24 is 1 mark)

(ODD ONE OUT BY MEANING) Q5. Which word does not belong?

A) peaceful
B) tranquil
C) serene
D) restful
E) chaotic

(Total for Question 25 is 1 mark)

(ODD ONE OUT BY MEANING) Q6. Which word does not belong?

A) generous
B) miserly
C) tight-fisted
D) mean
E) stingy

(Total for Question 26 is 1 mark)

(ODD ONE OUT BY MEANING) Q7. Which word does not belong?

A) articulate
B) tongue-tied
C) fluent
D) expressive
E) persuasive

(Total for Question 27 is 1 mark)

(ODD ONE OUT BY MEANING) Q8. Which word does not belong?

A) thorough
B) painstaking
C) careless
D) exacting
E) precise

(Total for Question 28 is 1 mark)

SECTION 4: SHADES OF MEANING (5 minutes, 6 questions)

Each question asks you to choose the word that best matches a specific degree or strength of meaning, compared with a given word.

Q1. Which of these words means much hotter than 'warm'?

A) cool
B) mild
C) tepid
D) scalding
E) chilly

(Total for Question 29 is 1 mark)

(SHADES OF MEANING) Q2. Which of these words describes a much stronger degree of anger than 'annoyed'?

A) irritated
B) cross
C) calm
D) content
E) furious

(Total for Question 30 is 1 mark)

(SHADES OF MEANING) Q3. Which of these words describes the greatest degree of wetness?

A) drenched
B) damp
C) moist
D) clammy
E) dry

(Total for Question 31 is 1 mark)

(SHADES OF MEANING) Q4. Which of these words describes the greatest degree of tiredness?

A) sleepy
B) exhausted
C) weary
D) awake
E) rested

(Total for Question 32 is 1 mark)

(SHADES OF MEANING) Q5. Which of these words means 'dislike' but to a much stronger degree, close to hatred?

A) prefer
B) mind
C) detest
D) tolerate
E) appreciate

(Total for Question 33 is 1 mark)

(SHADES OF MEANING) Q6. Which of these words describes the mildest degree of fear, rather than being terrified?

A) terrified
B) petrified
C) panicked
D) uneasy
E) horrified

(Total for Question 34 is 1 mark)

SECTION 5: WORD IN CONTEXT (5 minutes, 6 questions)

Each question gives a sentence containing a word with more than one possible meaning. Choose the ONE option that gives the meaning of the word AS USED in that sentence.

Q1. In the sentence below, what does the word 'fair' mean?

'Miss Okafor gave every pupil in the class a fair mark based on their effort.'

A) pale
B) sunny
C) frequent
D) light
E) just

(Total for Question 35 is 1 mark)

(WORD IN CONTEXT) Q2. In the sentence below, what does the word 'spring' mean?

'After the long drought, farmer Callum Wright hoped the spring would bring plenty of rain.'

A) the season after winter
B) a coil of metal
C) a sudden jump
D) a source of water
E) to leap upward

(Total for Question 36 is 1 mark)

(WORD IN CONTEXT) Q3. In the sentence below, what does the word 'bark' mean?

'Priya's dog began to bark loudly at the postman.'

A) the outer covering of a tree
B) the sound a dog makes
C) a small boat
D) to peel something
E) rough skin

(Total for Question 37 is 1 mark)

(WORD IN CONTEXT) Q4. In the sentence below, what does the word 'bear' mean?

'Maya could not bear the thought of moving away from her friends.'

A) a large wild animal
B) to give birth
C) to endure or tolerate
D) to carry a weight
E) to point in a direction

(Total for Question 38 is 1 mark)

(WORD IN CONTEXT) Q5. In the sentence below, what does the word 'sound' mean?

'The lawyer, Mr Adebayo, presented a sound argument that convinced the jury.'

A) a noise
B) a narrow stretch of water
C) safe and healthy
D) well-reasoned and reliable
E) to measure depth

(Total for Question 39 is 1 mark)

(WORD IN CONTEXT) Q6. In the sentence below, what does the word 'temper' mean?

'Despite the criticism, the author Freya Campbell refused to temper her strong opinions in the final chapter.'

A) a fit of anger
B) to strengthen metal by heating
C) a natural disposition
D) to mix ingredients together
E) to soften or moderate

(Total for Question 40 is 1 mark)

Mark scheme · EP.V37 Verbal Reasoning: Closest and Opposite Meaning Set 2

Question 1

B1 A) short - means lasting only a little time, the same core meaning as 'brief'.
Answer: A) short

Question 2

B1 B) fast - means moving quickly, the same core meaning as 'swift'.
Answer: B) fast

Question 3

B1 C) help - is the direct synonym of 'assist'.
Answer: C) help

Question 4

B1 D) unselfish - means willing to give freely, the same core meaning as 'generous'.
Answer: D) unselfish

Question 5

B1 E) unwilling - is the direct synonym of 'reluctant'.
Answer: E) unwilling

Question 6

B1 A) huge - means extremely large, the same core meaning as 'vast'.
Answer: A) huge

Question 7

B1 B) hidden - is the direct synonym of 'concealed'.
Answer: B) hidden

Question 8

B1 C) careful - means showing great attention to detail, the same core meaning as 'meticulous'.
Answer: C) careful

Question 9

B1 D) bold - means willing to take risks, the same core meaning as 'audacious'.
Answer: D) bold

Question 10

B1 E) hard-working - is the direct synonym of 'diligent'.
Answer: E) hard-working

Question 11

B1 A) modern - is the direct opposite of 'ancient' (very old).
Answer: A) modern

Question 12

B1 B) fake - is the direct opposite of 'genuine' (real, authentic).
Answer: B) fake

Question 13

B1 C) scarce - is the direct opposite of 'abundant' (existing in large quantities).
Answer: C) scarce

Question 14

B1 D) reckless - is the direct opposite of 'cautious' (careful to avoid danger).
Answer: D) reckless

Question 15

B1 E) forbid - is the direct opposite of 'permit' (to allow).
Answer: E) forbid

Question 16

B1 A) shrink - is the direct opposite of 'expand' (to grow larger).
Answer: A) shrink

Question 17

B1 B) late - is the direct opposite of 'punctual' (arriving on time).
Answer: B) late

Question 18

B1 C) arrogant - is the direct opposite of 'humble' (modest about one's abilities).
Answer: C) arrogant

Question 19

B1 D) opaque - is the direct opposite of 'transparent' (able to be seen through).
Answer: D) opaque

Question 20

B1 E) malicious - is the direct opposite of 'benevolent' (kind and well-meaning).
Answer: E) malicious

Question 21

B1 A) gloomy - means sad or low in spirits, the opposite feeling to the happiness shared by the other four words.
Answer: A) gloomy

Question 22

B1 B) timid - means easily frightened, the opposite of the bravery shared by the other four words.
Answer: B) timid

Question 23

B1 C) finish - means to end something, the opposite of beginning, which is what the other four words mean.
Answer: C) finish

Question 24

B1 D) tiny - means very small, the opposite of the great size shared by the other four words.
Answer: D) tiny

Question 25

B1 E) chaotic - means disordered and confused, the opposite of the calm shared by the other four words.
Answer: E) chaotic

Question 26

B1 A) generous - means willing to give freely, the opposite of the unwillingness to spend shared by the other four words.
Answer: A) generous

Question 27

B1 B) tongue-tied - means unable to speak clearly, the opposite of the skilful speech shared by the other four words.
Answer: B) tongue-tied

Question 28

B1 C) careless - means lacking attention to detail, the opposite of the thoroughness shared by the other four words.
Answer: C) careless

Question 29

B1 D) scalding - describes an extreme degree of heat, far beyond 'warm'.
Answer: D) scalding

Question 30

B1 E) furious - describes extreme anger, far stronger than the mild irritation of 'annoyed'.
Answer: E) furious

Question 31

B1 A) drenched - describes being completely soaked through, the strongest degree of wetness among the options.
Answer: A) drenched

Question 32

B1 B) exhausted - describes complete tiredness, the strongest degree among the options.
Answer: B) exhausted

Question 33

B1 C) detest - describes an intense dislike, close in strength to hatred, far stronger than the other options.
Answer: C) detest

Question 34

B1 D) uneasy - describes only a mild sense of worry or nervousness, far weaker than the extreme fear described by the other options.
Answer: D) uneasy

Question 35

B1 E) just - in this sentence 'fair' means just and reasonable, describing how the marks were awarded.
Answer: E) just

Question 36

B1 A) the season after winter - in this sentence 'spring' means the season that follows winter, when rain was hoped for.
Answer: A) the season after winter

Question 37

B1 B) the sound a dog makes - in this sentence 'bark' means the sharp sound a dog makes.
Answer: B) the sound a dog makes

Question 38

B1 C) to endure or tolerate - in this sentence 'bear' means to put up with something.
Answer: C) to endure or tolerate

Question 39

B1 D) well-reasoned and reliable - in this sentence 'sound' describes the quality of the argument.
Answer: D) well-reasoned and reliable

Question 40

B1 E) to soften or moderate - in this sentence 'temper' refers to the author's refusal to hold back her opinions.
Answer: E) to soften or moderate

Verbal Reasoning: Closest and Opposite Meaning Set 2 - Worksheets, Questions and Revision