HSPT Verbal : HSPT Verbal Skills

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #471 : Hspt Verbal Skills

Teacher is to students as demagogue is to __________.

Possible Answers:

manipulation

rhetorical

crowd

oration

illogical

Correct answer:

crowd

Explanation:

Students are the group to whom a teacher directs his or her acts of teaching. A demagogue is a person who appeals to popular sentiment, often through oratory, to influence political decisions. The “dem-” in the word is related to the same form found in “democracy,” meaning “the people.” The sense of the word “demagogue” is that such a person uses oratory “on the crowd or throng of people” to whip them into a fury over something. Thus, a crowd stands in relation to a demagogue as a group of students stands to a teacher.

Example Question #472 : Hspt Verbal Skills

Poll is to opinion as net is to __________.

Possible Answers:

hunter

seine

fish

meshwork

sailor

Correct answer:

fish

Explanation:

Although this analogy might seem a bit light-hearted, it does hold if you write a bridge sentence. Polls are used to gather opinions from a group of people. Among the uses that a net can have, it can gather things like fish. All of the other options are either synonyms for net or types of people who would use a net. Neither of these fit any sense that can be established between “poll” and “opinion;” therefore, as strange as it might seem, “fish” is the best option.

Example Question #473 : Hspt Verbal Skills

Mentor is to tyro as master is to __________.

Possible Answers:

apprentice

maestro

liege

rule

untrained

Correct answer:

apprentice

Explanation:

A tyro is someone who is inexperienced or a novice in some subject.  Such a person would need to be mentored in order to gain adequate proficiency. Thus, the analogy could be written, “As a tyro learns from a mentor, so does X learn from a master.” Among the options provided, only “apprentice” fits this usage. An apprentice is someone who learns a trade from a master tradesman.

Example Question #474 : Hspt Verbal Skills

Inquisitor is to examining as recidivist is to __________.

Possible Answers:

retreating

passing

reoffending

falling

cascading

Correct answer:

reoffending

Explanation:

The word “inquire” means “to ask” or “to investigate.” It is related to other words for “asking” such as “query” and “question.” An “inquisitor” is someone who examines another party for some set of information. Thus, the analogy could be formulated, “As an inquisitor is known for examining, so is a recidivists known for X.” A recidivist is someone who has committed a crime and then commits it again (often frequently). The “-cid-” portion of the word comes from the Latin for “to fall” as in “accident.” A re-cidivist is someone who “falls again” into the same old faults. Such a person is likely known for “reoffending.”

Example Question #475 : Hspt Verbal Skills

Complete this analogy.

Pedestrian is to walking as mariner is to __________.

Possible Answers:

circumnavigate

motor

sailing

sails

seafarer

Correct answer:

sailing

Explanation:

A pedestrian is someone who travels by walking. You likely use the word to describe people walking in a town in contrast to those who are using motor vehicles or bicycles. The word actually comes from the Latin for “foot” and is related to the similar sounding beginning of the word “podiatrist”—a doctor specializing in care of the foot. Thus the bridge sentence for our analogy could be written as, “Just as a pedestrian travels by walking, so a mariner travels by X.” A “mariner” is a sailor. The word is derived from the Latin for “sea” and is related to the English words “marine” and “submarine.” A sailor travels by sailing.

Example Question #476 : Hspt Verbal Skills

Deliberative is to discourse as polemical is to __________.

Possible Answers:

argument

inquiry

beams

posted

edification

Correct answer:

argument

Explanation:

A deliberative body gathers in order to discuss and consider possible options. The aspect of discussion is very important to the notion of “deliberation.” The word itself comes from the Latin for “to weigh,” and we often speak of “weighing the options,” meaning effectively that we are deliberating. Discourse is discussion on a topic. Thus, the analogy could be rewritten, “As a deliberative group joins for the sake of discourse, something that is polemical joins (or acts) for the sake of X.” Note that the analogy does need to have some reworking because “polemical” is not quite the same in character as “deliberative.” The word “polemical” means “related to controversial and critical writing or speech.”  Polemics are strong verbal / written attacks on positions / topics.  Thus, something that is polemical is done for the sake of argument.

Example Question #4 : Actor And Action

Choose the word that best completes each comparison.

Owe is to debt as reap is to __________.

Possible Answers:

skill

house

reward

borrow

bludgeon

Correct answer:

reward

Explanation:

One usually "owes" a "debt," just as one can also "reap" or collect a "reward."

Example Question #5 : Actor And Action

Answer the question by choosing the word that best completes the comparison.

Curmudgeon is to grumpy as idealist is to __________.

Possible Answers:

helpless

cranky

dreamy

lonely

utopia

Correct answer:

dreamy

Explanation:

A "curmudgeon" is often "grumpy," just as an "idealist" is often "dreamy."

Example Question #2 : Actor And Action

Select the word that best completes the comparison.

Genius is to brilliant as idiot is to __________.

Possible Answers:

moronic

intelligent

sharp

politician

professor

Correct answer:

moronic

Explanation:

A "genius" is "brilliant" while an "idiot" is "moronic."

Example Question #5 : Qualities And Features

Complete this analogy.

Oration is to spoken as transcript is to __________.

Possible Answers:

connected

observation

conversion

rendition

written

Correct answer:

written

Explanation:

An oration is a speech, often one given at a ceremony. It comes both from the Latin for to pray as well as more distantly from the word for mouth. (Think of words like “oral” and “adore.”) Thus, an oration is a type of spoken communication. We could write a bridge sentence like, “As an oration is something that is spoken, so is a transcript something that is X.” A transcript is a written version of some communication. For instance, a transcript of a television show is the written version made for people to read after the show has aired.

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