All HSPT Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #52 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity
Elated is to thrilled as grin is to __________.
smirk
simper
frown
beam
joy
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
corporeal
corpulent
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 #61 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity
Tease is to ridicule as hurt is __________.
mock
wound
irritate
damage
torment
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 #62 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity
Insulated is to naïve as cosmopolitan is to __________.
wiked
sophisticated
rustic
fashionable
ornate
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 #63 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity
Terse is to brevity as vituperative is to __________.
abusiveness
mean
forceful
nasty
angry
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 #296 : Hspt Verbal Skills
Choose the word that best completes each comparison.
Donated is to bequeathed as pilfered is to __________.
borrowed
broken
hopeless
bizarre
stolen
stolen
"Donated" and "bequeathed" are synonyms, as are "pilfered" and "stolen."
Example Question #64 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity
Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.
Concern is to worry as jealousy is to __________.
generosity
conflagration
envy
satisfaction
honor
envy
"Concern" and "worry" are both synonyms; therefore "jealousy" and "envy" are a similar pair of words.
Example Question #65 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity
Select the word that best completes the comparison.
Forlorn is to miserable as cheerful is to __________.
aggravated
sorrowful
deathly
exhausted
optimistic
optimistic
"Forlorn" and "miserable" mean roughly the same thing; therefore a synonym for "cheerful" is "optimistic."
Example Question #66 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity
Answer the question by selecting the word that best completes the comparison.
Principle is to standard as regulation is to __________.
rule
detour
inviolable
decay
amiss
rule
"Principle" and "standard" are synonyms, just as "regulation" and "rule" have similar meanings.
Example Question #67 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity
Answer the question by selecting the word that best completes the analogy.
Strict is to stern as lenient is to __________.
undefined
uptight
oppressive
tolerant
austere
tolerant
"Strict" and "stern" are synonyms, just as "lenient" and "tolerant" have similar meanings.
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All HSPT Verbal Resources
