HSPT Verbal : Analogies

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #3 : Storage And Containers

Grain is to silo as wealth is to __________.

Possible Answers:

bank

pecuniary

affluence

elegance

avarice

Correct answer:

bank

Explanation:

Grain is stored in a silo, so this analogy needs a word that describes a place in which wealth is stored. Abstractly speaking, there are many options for this, for people “store” wealth in stocks, gold, paintings, and many other things. Luckily, none of the answers are tempting in this way, for the others are variously related to wealth but not as places for storage. Only the humble word “bank” fits that usage.

Example Question #3 : Storage And Containers

Complete this analogy.

Trinket is to shelf as tool is to __________.

Possible Answers:

mechanic

fabrication

belt

manufacturer

construction

Correct answer:

belt

Explanation:

A "trinket" is a small item of little value. The word can describe either jewelry of this type or small items that might be set out as a humble ornament (like a small porcelain statue or something of that sort). Such trinkets can be placed on a shelf, and this makes the most sense among the possible sense of this analogy, given the potential answers. We can say that just as a trinket is placed on a shelf, so too can a tool be placed in a belt. (There are tool belts used by people working with tools.)

Example Question #4 : Storage And Containers

Choose the word that best completes the comparison.

Ship is to port as car is to __________.

Possible Answers:

transmission

garage

highway

shipyard

automobile

Correct answer:

garage

Explanation:

A "ship" is docked in a "port," while a "car" is parked in a "garage."

Example Question #1 : Location, Time, Or Context

Italian is to occident as Chinese is to __________.

Possible Answers:

foreign

developing

unknown

orient

alien

Correct answer:

orient

Explanation:

The words “occident” and “orient” describe the West and the East respectively. The word “occident” comes from the Latin for “setting” in the sense of the sun’s evening “setting.”  Since the sun sets—goes down—in the West, the West became called the “occident”—the land of the setting sun. The east, on the other hand, is the land of the rising sun. The Latin from which “orient” comes means “to rise.” The Christmas song, “We Three Kings” speaks of them as being from the “Orient.” The implication is that the kings came “from the east.” As something Italian is “western” (occidental) so is something Chinese “oriental.” 

Example Question #2 : Location, Time, Or Context

Season is to year as week is to __________.

Possible Answers:

hebdomadal

month

lunar

division

fourfold

Correct answer:

month

Explanation:

A season is a subdivision of the year, so the bridge sentence for this analogy could be written, “As a season is a subdivision of the year, so is the week a subdivision of X.” Although a week can be said to subdivide a year, it more closely subdivides a month. In any event, this is the only option provided, so it is the acceptable answer for this question.

Example Question #3 : Location, Time, Or Context

Monastery is to silence as metropolis is to __________.

Possible Answers:

racket

politics

democracy

theatre

roads

Correct answer:

racket

Explanation:

At least in theory, monasteries are supposed to be places of silence. This analogy is very specific, but a bridge sentence could be written, “As the sound in a monastery is in a state of silence, so is it in a state of X in a metropolis.” A metropolis is the most important city in a region, hence one that is very busy and developed. Such an area would be known for its racket—loud sounds—among other things. Even if you read “silence” as a general characteristic for monasteries, none of the other options provide a general characteristic word for metropolis, so “racket” would be the only acceptable option.

Example Question #3 : Location, Time, Or Context

Choose the word that best completes each comparison.

Hungary is to Europe as Thailand is to __________.

Possible Answers:

America

temples

country

Earth

Asia

Correct answer:

Asia

Explanation:

"Hungary" is a country on the continent of "Europe," just as "Thailand" is a country in "Asia."

Example Question #1 : Location, Time, Or Context

Choose the word that best completes each comparison.

Metropolitan is to city as pastoral is to __________.

Possible Answers:

dense

reverent

transportation

farmland

suburbs

Correct answer:

farmland

Explanation:

"Metropolitan" is often used to describe "cities," just as "pastoral" can be used to describe "farmland."

Example Question #5 : Location, Time, Or Context

Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.

Chicago is to Illinois as Houston is to __________.

Possible Answers:

rockets

San Antonio

urban

Dallas

Texas

Correct answer:

Texas

Explanation:

"Chicago" is a large city in the state of "Illinois", much like "Houston" is a city in "Texas."

Example Question #6 : Location, Time, Or Context

Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.

Solar is to sun as lunar is to __________.

Possible Answers:

night

landing

moon

freezing

obscure

Correct answer:

moon

Explanation:

"Solar" pertains to the "sun," just as "lunar" pertains to the "moon."

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