All SSAT Elementary Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #6 : Synonyms: Distinguishing Between Multiple Definitions
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
STUDY
Recover
Find
Examine
Abandon
Change
Examine
To "study" something means either to learn about it in an academic setting, or to inspect or examine it in order to learn about it. "Examine" is thus the correct answer. While you can "find" or "recover" something and then "study" it, the meanings of these words are different. Oftentimes when you study something, you don't want to "change" it. The best answer choice is "examine."
Example Question #7 : Synonyms: Distinguishing Between Multiple Definitions
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
LEGEND
Opposite
Key
Belief
System
Key
A "legend" can be a story that describes extraordinary achievements with unknown origins, like a myth or a fable. A "legend" can also be a key, or guide. For example: every map has a legend that explains what each of the symbols means.
Example Question #8 : Synonyms: Distinguishing Between Multiple Definitions
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
VENT
Burn
Spark
Ignite
Venerate
Express
Express
The words "vent" and "express" are synonyms. To "vent" your emotions means to "express" them in a way that brings you some relief. The other words do not have similar meanings. "Venerate" might seem similar, but it actually means to "praise" someone.
Example Question #9 : Synonyms: Distinguishing Between Multiple Definitions
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
LOW
Sophisticated
Unsophisticated
Elegant
High
Elevated
Unsophisticated
The word "low" can be used to describe someone or something "unsophisticated": "Belching at the dinner table is quite low behavior." All of the other answer choices are antonyms of the word "low." Note that "unsophisticated" stands out not only because it is the opposite of "sophisticated," but because it is also the only word with a slightly negative sense.
Example Question #10 : Synonyms: Distinguishing Between Multiple Definitions
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
PARTY
Funeral
Group
Wake
Burial
Death
Group
The word "party" can mean "celebration" or, in this case, it can refer to a "group" of people: "Your party is ready to be seated." Note that all of the other answer choices are closely related, referring to ceremonies held when a person dies. "Death" is perhaps the most obvious word to cross out in your process of elimination.
Example Question #11 : Synonyms: Distinguishing Between Multiple Definitions
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
TONE
Muscles
Well-being
Illness
Frame
Sound
Sound
The word "tone" can be used to describe the quality of a "sound." These words are closest in meaning. The other answer choices really have nothing to do with the correct answer choice. They refer primarily to health and the human body. "Frame," for example, refers to the shape of someone's body.
Example Question #12 : Synonyms: Distinguishing Between Multiple Definitions
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
PICTURE
Imagine
Make
Draw
Illustrate
Sculpt
Imagine
The word "picture" can be used as a verb meaning to "imagine" something: "Picture yourself on a beach in Hawaii." The other words have to do with artistic production. Although a word like "draw" makes sense when we say something like "draw a picture," the verb "draw" does not mean the same as the verb "picture."
Example Question #13 : Synonyms: Distinguishing Between Multiple Definitions
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
MIND
Elbow
Socket
Mine
Care
Live
Care
The word "mind" is synonymous with "care." Consider how you might use these words in a sentence. "I don't mind" and "I don't care" both mean the same thing. The other answer choices are completely unrelated to the word "mind." The word "mine" might seem to have a similar root; however, consider all the possible meanings you know for the word "mine." Is there any direct connection between the word "mine" and the word "mind"? There is not.
Example Question #14 : Synonyms: Distinguishing Between Multiple Definitions
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
MINE
Theirs
Yours
Dig
Ours
His
Dig
The verbs "mine" and "dig" are synonymous. "Digging" into the earth to look for precious metals or other minerals is referred to as "mining." Note that all of the other options are possessive pronouns. They all refer to something as belonging to someone else. If I use the possessive pronoun "mine," I do so to refer to something that belongs to me (not someone else).
Example Question #15 : Synonyms: Distinguishing Between Multiple Definitions
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
FINE
Impoverished
Penalty
Poverty
Penmanship
Poor
Penalty
The nouns "fine" and "penalty" are closest in meaning. A "penalty" is a punishment imposed on someone for their wrongdoing. A "fine" is a financial punishment. The adjective "fine" means something very different. Consider the following sentences: "He feels fine" vs. "He had to pay a fine for running the stop sign." Note that none of the remaining answer choices are synonymous with the word "fine" (neither as an adjective nor as a noun).
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