All HSPT Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #292 : Hspt Verbal Skills
Elated is to thrilled as grin is to __________.
beam
smirk
joy
simper
frown
beam
When someone is “elated,” he or she is said to be so happy that he or she is “carried out of himself.” (This is somewhat like the word “ecstasy,” which literally means standing outside of oneself). Elation is thus a state of extreme joy—something at least relatively synonymous with being “thrilled.” Thus, we are looking for a synonym for the word “grin.” Among the options, the only word that is synonymous to “grin” is “beam.” This might seem strange at first, but consider “grin” taken as a verb—“to grin.” Although the word “beam” can also mean something completely different—e.g. the wooden beams in a house—as a verb, it can also mean to smile broadly and openly. Perhaps you have seen the present participle: “A beaming smile.”
Example Question #161 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Deciduous is to arboreal as bodily is to __________.
vituperative
volume
corpulent
corporeal
vivacious
corporeal
"Deciduous" plants are those which lose their leaves annually (as opposed to pine and other evergreen trees that retain their needles throughout the winter and into the spring). The word literally comes from Latin roots meaning to fall downward. The “de-” prefix means down from (as in “descend”) and the “-ciduous” is related to the same and similar forms found in “cadence” and “accident.” Etymology aside, the analogy is one of member-to-class. Something deciduous is a type of arboreal plant. ("Arboreal" meaning pertaining to trees). Thus, something “bodily” is best called something “corporeal.” None of the other options name the general class of bodily things. The word "corpulent," which is close (and clearly related in its roots) means fat—like having a lot of “body.”
Example Question #294 : Hspt Verbal Skills
Tease is to ridicule as hurt is __________.
wound
torment
mock
irritate
damage
torment
When someone ridicules another person, he or she mocks that person, often in a manner accompanied by nasty laughter. Thus, one can say that “ridicule” is a strong and more hurtful kind of teasing. While the word “hurt” already carries a negative connotation with it, the answer “torment” does similarly express this increased strength and harm. To torment someone is to create great suffering for that person. Thus, among the answers provided, it is the best option, as it expresses the same kind of increase in degree.
Example Question #295 : Hspt Verbal Skills
Insulated is to naïve as cosmopolitan is to __________.
ornate
fashionable
sophisticated
rustic
wiked
sophisticated
The word “insulated” is likely familiar, describing the material in your house’s walls, used to regulate the temperature. The word originally comes from “island” in Latin, and “insulation” can be understood as making a barrier like water around an island, protecting the inside of your house like water surrounding a small landmass. When the word “insulated” is used to describe a person, it means that he or she has been kept from outside influence. Such a person is likely to be naïve, that is, lacking experience and perhaps innocent. Someone who is cosmopolitan is wise in the ways of the world. The word means “comfortable and free in any nation” and could be expressed by someone as saying, “The world is my city.” Such a person is wise in the ways of the world and likely sophisticated. Thus, the analogy holds: “As an insulated person is likely naïve, so is a cosmopolitan person likely sophisticated.”
Example Question #296 : Hspt Verbal Skills
Terse is to brevity as vituperative is to __________.
mean
abusiveness
nasty
angry
forceful
abusiveness
Someone who is terse uses very few words to express himself or herself. Such a person would be known for being “brief in speech” and, hence, would be known for “brevity.” The analogy could be written, “As a terse person would be known for brevity, so would something vituperative be known for X.” A vituperative speech or action is one that is very negative, abusive, and nasty. Among the options provided, “abusiveness” best captures the sense of what something vituperative would be “known for”—as is needed for this analogy.
Example Question #64 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity
Choose the word that best completes each comparison.
Donated is to bequeathed as pilfered is to __________.
bizarre
stolen
broken
hopeless
borrowed
stolen
"Donated" and "bequeathed" are synonyms, as are "pilfered" and "stolen."
Example Question #166 : Analogies
Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.
Concern is to worry as jealousy is to __________.
envy
conflagration
generosity
satisfaction
honor
envy
"Concern" and "worry" are both synonyms; therefore "jealousy" and "envy" are a similar pair of words.
Example Question #297 : Hspt Verbal Skills
Select the word that best completes the comparison.
Forlorn is to miserable as cheerful is to __________.
deathly
optimistic
exhausted
aggravated
sorrowful
optimistic
"Forlorn" and "miserable" mean roughly the same thing; therefore a synonym for "cheerful" is "optimistic."
Example Question #166 : Analogies
Answer the question by selecting the word that best completes the comparison.
Principle is to standard as regulation is to __________.
rule
amiss
detour
decay
inviolable
rule
"Principle" and "standard" are synonyms, just as "regulation" and "rule" have similar meanings.
Example Question #301 : Hspt Verbal Skills
Answer the question by selecting the word that best completes the analogy.
Strict is to stern as lenient is to __________.
uptight
austere
oppressive
tolerant
undefined
tolerant
"Strict" and "stern" are synonyms, just as "lenient" and "tolerant" have similar meanings.
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All HSPT Verbal Resources
