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ICAS English practice questions

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Question 1Vocabulary

Which word is closest in meaning to 'brave'?

  1. bold Correct answer.
  2. clumsy
  3. cautious
  4. cheerful

Explanation

'Bold' means showing courage when facing danger or difficulty, which is the same core meaning as 'brave'. The remaining words describe caution, awkward movement or mood rather than courage.

Question 2Vocabulary

Which word is the opposite of 'ancient'?

  1. modern Correct answer.
  2. historic
  3. enormous
  4. fragile

Explanation

'Ancient' means belonging to the distant past, so its antonym must refer to the present day. 'Modern' means belonging to the present time, making it the true opposite.

Question 3Vocabulary

The prefix 're-' in words such as 'rewrite' and 'return' most nearly means:

  1. under
  2. not Correct answer.
  3. before
  4. again

Explanation

The prefix 're-' adds the idea of doing something a second time or sending something back. So 'rewrite' means to write again and 'return' means to go back.

Question 4Vocabulary

Choose the word that correctly completes the sentence: 'The birds built ___ nests high in the tree.'

  1. they're
  2. there
  3. theirs
  4. their Correct answer.

Explanation

A possessive word is needed before the noun 'nests' to show who owns them, and 'their' is the possessive form of 'they'. It is the only option that can sit directly before a noun to show possession.

Question 5Vocabulary

Which of these words is a compound word made of two smaller English words?

  1. notebook Correct answer.
  2. noble
  3. notice
  4. notion

Explanation

A compound word joins two complete words that each carry their own meaning. 'Notebook' is made of 'note' and 'book', so it is a compound.

Question 6Vocabulary

What is the collective noun for a group of sheep?

  1. pack
  2. flock Correct answer.
  3. herd
  4. swarm

Explanation

English uses different collective nouns for different animals. 'Flock' is the standard collective noun for sheep, and also for birds.

Question 7Vocabulary

A 'nocturnal' animal is one that is active mainly:

  1. in water
  2. at dawn
  3. at night Correct answer.
  4. in winter

Explanation

The word part 'noct-' is linked to night, as seen in 'nocturnal' and 'nocturne'. Nocturnal animals such as owls and bats are therefore active at night.

Question 8Vocabulary

The suffix '-ful' in the word 'careful' tells us that the word means:

  1. before care
  2. without care
  3. care again
  4. full of care Correct answer.

Explanation

The suffix '-ful' means 'full of' or 'having', so 'careful' means full of care or attention. It is the opposite of the suffix '-less'.

Question 9Vocabulary

Read the sentence: 'The hikers were famished after their long trek, so they ate every scrap of food.' What does 'famished' mean?

  1. badly injured
  2. very tired
  3. completely lost
  4. extremely hungry Correct answer.

Explanation

The second half of the sentence gives the clue: the hikers ate every scrap of food. This shows that 'famished' describes extreme hunger, not tiredness or injury.

Question 10Vocabulary

A person who studies biology is called a biologist. What does the suffix '-ist' usually mean?

  1. a place where something happens
  2. the study of something
  3. a person who does or studies something Correct answer.
  4. the opposite of something

Explanation

The suffix '-ist' forms nouns naming a person who practises or studies a subject, as in 'biologist', 'artist' and 'scientist'. The study itself is named with '-ology' or '-y', as in 'biology'.

Question 11Vocabulary

Which word is closest in meaning to 'abundant'?

  1. hidden
  2. scarce
  3. plentiful Correct answer.
  4. valuable

Explanation

'Abundant' describes something existing in large quantities. 'Plentiful' carries the same idea of a large supply being available.

Question 12Vocabulary

Which word is the opposite of 'generous'?

  1. stingy Correct answer.
  2. kind
  3. thoughtful
  4. wealthy

Explanation

'Generous' means willing to give freely to others. 'Stingy' means unwilling to give or spend, which is its direct opposite.

Question 13Vocabulary

'To let the cat out of the bag' means to:

  1. start an argument
  2. waste time
  3. reveal a secret Correct answer.
  4. make a mistake

Explanation

This idiom is used when information that was meant to be hidden becomes known. The image of something escaping from a bag matches the idea of a secret being revealed.

Question 14Vocabulary

The root 'aqua' appears in words such as 'aquatic' and 'aquarium'. It means:

  1. fire
  2. earth
  3. water Correct answer.
  4. air

Explanation

'Aqua' is the Latin word for water, so an aquarium holds water and an aquatic animal lives in water. Recognising the root helps you work out unfamiliar words containing it.

Question 15Vocabulary

Which word has the most negative connotation?

  1. thrifty
  2. stingy Correct answer.
  3. economical
  4. careful

Explanation

All four words can describe someone who spends little, but they differ in attitude. 'Stingy' is a criticism of someone unwilling to share, while the others suggest sensible management.

Question 16Vocabulary

Which word correctly completes the phrase 'to ___ a decision'?

  1. do
  2. make Correct answer.
  3. create
  4. perform

Explanation

English words combine in fixed partnerships called collocations. 'Decision' collocates with 'make', giving the standard phrase 'make a decision'.

Question 17Vocabulary

In the sentence 'The old bridge collapsed suddenly', the word 'suddenly' is:

  1. an adjective
  2. a noun
  3. a verb
  4. an adverb Correct answer.

Explanation

'Suddenly' tells us how the action of collapsing happened, so it modifies the verb 'collapsed'. Words that modify verbs in this way are adverbs, and they typically end in '-ly'.

Question 18Vocabulary

The prefix 'mis-' in words such as 'misunderstand' and 'misplace' means:

  1. before
  2. again
  3. too much
  4. wrongly Correct answer.

Explanation

'Mis-' adds the idea of error or incorrectness, so to misunderstand is to understand wrongly and to misplace is to put something in the wrong place.

Question 19Vocabulary

Which word best describes walking slowly and heavily, as if tired?

  1. stroll
  2. sprint
  3. skip
  4. trudge Correct answer.

Explanation

'Trudge' means to walk with slow, heavy steps, usually because of tiredness or difficulty. The other words suggest speed, ease or lightness.

Question 20Vocabulary

Puppy is to dog as duckling is to ___.

  1. feather
  2. duck Correct answer.
  3. egg
  4. pond

Explanation

The pair shows a young animal and its adult form: a puppy is a young dog. In the same way, a duckling is a young duck.

Question 21Vocabulary

The Latin root 'mal' means 'bad', and the word 'adroit' means skilful. What does 'maladroit' most likely mean?

  1. clumsy Correct answer.
  2. unhealthy
  3. unlucky
  4. dishonest

Explanation

Combining 'mal' (bad) with 'adroit' (skilful) gives the sense of badly skilled, that is, lacking skill. 'Clumsy' captures that meaning of awkward, unskilful handling.

Question 22Vocabulary

A reader works out a meaning that a writer suggests but does not state directly. The reader is said to ___.

  1. inform
  2. infer Correct answer.
  3. insinuate
  4. imply

Explanation

To 'infer' is to draw a conclusion from evidence that is not stated outright, and it is the reader or listener who does this. To 'imply' is to suggest something without saying it, which is the writer's or speaker's action.

Question 23Vocabulary

Which word means 'lasting for a very short time'?

  1. ephemeral Correct answer.
  2. eternal
  3. enduring
  4. permanent

Explanation

'Ephemeral' describes something that exists only briefly, such as a mayfly or morning mist. The other three options all mean lasting a long time or forever.

Question 24Vocabulary

When a coach says a player 'sat on the fence' during a dispute, the coach means the player:

  1. supported both sides openly
  2. settled the argument quickly
  3. became angry and left
  4. declined to take sides Correct answer.

Explanation

Someone sitting on a fence is in the middle rather than on either side. The idiom therefore describes a person who avoids choosing between two opposing positions.

Question 25Vocabulary

Which word is the noun form of 'persuade'?

  1. persuasive
  2. persuaded
  3. persuasively
  4. persuasion Correct answer.

Explanation

Word families change form through suffixes: '-sion' forms the noun 'persuasion', '-ive' forms an adjective and '-ly' forms an adverb. Only 'persuasion' names the act or process itself.

Question 26Vocabulary

Which word correctly completes the sentence? '___ planning to visit the museum on Saturday.'

  1. There
  2. Theirs
  3. Their
  4. They're Correct answer.

Explanation

'They're' is a contraction of 'they are', which supplies the subject and verb that 'planning to visit' needs. A contraction always carries an apostrophe marking the missing letter.

Question 27Vocabulary

A group of lions is most commonly called a ___.

  1. pride Correct answer.
  2. flock
  3. herd
  4. school

Explanation

Collective nouns are fixed terms for groups of particular animals. A group of lions is a pride, while 'flock', 'herd' and 'school' belong to other creatures.

Question 28Vocabulary

The prefix 'sub-' in words such as 'submarine' and 'subzero' means:

  1. before
  2. below or under Correct answer.
  3. across
  4. again

Explanation

A prefix adds a fixed meaning to a base word. 'Sub-' comes from Latin and means 'under' or 'below', so a submarine travels under the sea and subzero temperatures are below zero.

Question 29Vocabulary

Read the sentence: 'After the storm, the village was in a state of disarray, with roofs torn off and fences flattened.' What does 'disarray' most nearly mean?

  1. celebration
  2. order
  3. darkness
  4. disorder Correct answer.

Explanation

A reader can use the details that follow an unfamiliar word to work out its meaning. Torn roofs and flattened fences are evidence of mess and confusion, so 'disarray' means a state of disorder.

Question 30Vocabulary

When a person 'bites off more than they can chew', they:

  1. eat far too quickly at a meal
  2. refuse help from other people
  3. take on more than they can manage Correct answer.
  4. speak without thinking first

Explanation

An idiom carries a figurative meaning that cannot be read from its separate words. The image of a mouthful too large to chew stands for accepting duties or tasks beyond one's capacity.

Question 31Vocabulary

Pen is to writer as scalpel is to ___.

  1. gardener
  2. painter
  3. surgeon Correct answer.
  4. carpenter

Explanation

An analogy links two pairs that share the same relationship. A pen is the tool a writer works with, so the matching pair must name the worker who uses a scalpel.

Question 32Vocabulary

Which word has the most positive connotation when describing someone who spends money carefully?

  1. miserly
  2. stingy
  3. tight-fisted
  4. thrifty Correct answer.

Explanation

Words with similar basic meanings can carry different feelings, called connotations. 'Thrifty' praises sensible saving, while the other three suggest meanness about money.

Question 33Vocabulary

The Latin root 'bene' means 'well' or 'good'. Based on this, what does 'benefactor' most likely mean?

  1. someone who gives help to others Correct answer.
  2. a person who studies human behaviour
  3. a person who repairs old buildings
  4. someone who causes trouble

Explanation

Word roots carry a core meaning that survives in related words, such as 'benefit' and 'benevolent'. Combining 'bene' (good) with the idea of doing or making gives the sense of a person who does good by giving support.

Question 34Vocabulary

In which sentence is the word 'light' used as a verb?

  1. The light in the hallway was broken.
  2. She wore a light blue jacket.
  3. Please light the candles. Correct answer.
  4. The room was full of light.

Explanation

A word's part of speech depends on the job it does in the sentence. Here 'light' follows 'please' and takes the object 'the candles', so it is naming an action and is therefore a verb.

Question 35Vocabulary

Read the sentence: 'We sat on the bank and watched the river flow past.' In this sentence, 'bank' means:

  1. a sudden rush of fast water
  2. a place where money is kept
  3. a row of seats in a theatre
  4. the ground beside a river Correct answer.

Explanation

Many English words have several meanings, and the surrounding words select the right one. Because the people are watching a river flow past, 'bank' refers to the land along its edge.

Question 36Vocabulary

Which word means 'a strong feeling of dislike'?

  1. attention
  2. aversion Correct answer.
  3. ambition
  4. affection

Explanation

Precise vocabulary depends on matching a word to its exact definition. 'Aversion' comes from a root meaning 'to turn away' and names a settled dislike of something.

Question 37Vocabulary

The Greek root 'chron' means 'time'. Which word means 'happening at the same time'?

  1. synchronous Correct answer.
  2. synopsis
  3. synthesis
  4. synonym

Explanation

'Synchronous' joins 'syn-' (together) with 'chron' (time), giving the sense of events occurring at the same moment. Recognising both roots narrows the choice to one word containing the time element.

Question 38Vocabulary

Which word correctly completes the sentence? 'The new timetable will ___ every class in the school.'

  1. effect
  2. inflect
  3. affect Correct answer.
  4. infect

Explanation

'Affect' is a verb meaning to influence or bring about a change in something. The sentence needs a verb after 'will', and the meaning required is that classes will be influenced.

Question 39Vocabulary

Which word means 'to make something less severe or painful'?

  1. meditate
  2. mediate
  3. mitigate Correct answer.
  4. militate

Explanation

'Mitigate' means to soften or reduce the seriousness of something, such as pain, harm or a problem. It is often confused with its near-homophones, which have quite different meanings.

Question 40Vocabulary

Which word most nearly means the same as 'candid'?

  1. Secretive
  2. Rude
  3. Honest Correct answer.
  4. Cautious

Explanation

'Candid' describes someone who speaks openly and truthfully, even when the truth is uncomfortable. The closest synonym is 'honest', as in a candid opinion or a candid answer.

Question 41Comprehension

Maya packed a torch, a water bottle and a map before setting off on the night hike. What did Maya pack to help her see in the dark?

  1. A water bottle
  2. A torch Correct answer.
  3. A map
  4. A compass

Explanation

The question asks specifically for the item that provides light. A torch is the only item listed that lets a person see in darkness. The other items serve different purposes and cannot light the way.

Question 42Comprehension

The old bridge was so fragile that the council closed it to traffic. In this sentence, what does the word "fragile" mean?

  1. Easily broken Correct answer.
  2. Hard to find
  3. Newly built
  4. Very long

Explanation

Context clues show the bridge was closed to traffic, which suggests it was unsafe. "Fragile" describes something delicate that breaks easily. Length, age and location are not supported by the rest of the sentence.

Question 43Comprehension

Read these sentences from a school newsletter. 1. The library opens at 8:30 am. 2. The school has 620 students. 3. The new library is the best room in the school. 4. The library has three computers. Which sentence states an opinion rather than a fact?

  1. Sentence 3 Correct answer.
  2. Sentence 4
  3. Sentence 1
  4. Sentence 2

Explanation

A fact can be checked and proven, while an opinion expresses a personal judgement or value. Calling a room "the best" is a judgement that different people could disagree with. The other sentences give details that could be verified.

Question 44Comprehension

Ben washed the car, then waxed it, then parked it in the garage. Which job did Ben do last?

  1. He waxed the car.
  2. He washed the car.
  3. He parked the car in the garage. Correct answer.
  4. He drove the car to the shops.

Explanation

The sentence lists the actions in order using the word "then". The final action mentioned is parking the car in the garage. Order words such as "then" and "last" signal sequence.

Question 45Comprehension

Bees visit flowers to collect nectar. As they move from flower to flower, pollen sticks to their bodies and is carried to the next bloom. What is this passage mainly about?

  1. Why bees build hives
  2. How bees help flowers reproduce Correct answer.
  3. What nectar tastes like
  4. Where most flowers grow

Explanation

The main idea is the overall point the whole passage supports. Both sentences describe bees moving pollen between flowers, which is how flowering plants are pollinated. Hives, taste and locations are not discussed.

Question 46Comprehension

The match was cancelled because the field was flooded. Why was the match cancelled?

  1. The referee was ill.
  2. The field was flooded. Correct answer.
  3. The players arrived late.
  4. The ball was lost.

Explanation

The word "because" introduces the reason for something happening. Here it directly links the cancellation to the flooded field. No other cause is mentioned in the sentence.

Question 47Comprehension

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Beat the eggs and sugar until pale. Fold in the flour, then pour the mixture into a tin. What is the writer's main purpose?

  1. To describe a favourite place
  2. To persuade readers to buy an oven
  3. To tell an entertaining story
  4. To instruct readers how to bake Correct answer.

Explanation

Purpose is shown by what the text does: this one gives a series of steps in the imperative form, which is typical of instructions. Recipes exist to guide a reader through a process. Nothing in it tells a story, argues a case or describes a setting.

Question 48Comprehension

Tomas lent his racket to Priya, but she forgot to bring it back. In this sentence, what does the word "it" refer to?

  1. The racket Correct answer.
  2. The match
  3. Priya
  4. Tomas

Explanation

A pronoun such as "it" refers back to the most recent matching noun. The only object Priya could bring back is the racket that Tomas lent her. People are referred to by "she" or "he", not "it".

Question 49Comprehension

When Lara reached the pitch, the other players were already in position and the umpire was checking her watch. What can we most reasonably infer?

  1. Lara was the team's coach.
  2. The match had already finished.
  3. Lara had forgotten her stick.
  4. Lara arrived late. Correct answer.

Explanation

An inference is a conclusion drawn from clues the writer provides. The other players being ready and the umpire checking the time both suggest Lara is behind schedule. Nothing in the text supports the other possibilities.

Question 50Comprehension

Dev checked the sky three times before leaving home, then tucked an umbrella into his bag. Why did Dev take an umbrella?

  1. He expected it might rain. Correct answer.
  2. He wanted to protect his bag.
  3. He was going swimming.
  4. He had borrowed it from a friend.

Explanation

Motivation is revealed through actions and clues. Checking the sky repeatedly suggests Dev was watching the weather, which explains why he then packed an umbrella. The other options have no support in the text.