All SSAT Middle Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #201 : Analogies
Complete the analogy.
Study is to honor roll as _____________.
barista is to coffee shop
coat is to winter
branch is to tree
car is to drive
rain is to flooding
rain is to flooding
The correct answer is "rain is to flooding."
This analogy shows a cause/effect relationship. Studying is the cause of being on the honor roll (effect). Rain is the cause of flooding (effect).
Example Question #11 : Cause And Effect
Complete this analogy.
Delighted is to revel as sullen is to __________________.
cajole
boast
brood
gesticulate
obey
brood
When one is delighted, he/she often revels, or acts in a merry way. The correct answer will demonstrate a similar relationship between mood and action. When one is "sullen," meaning sad and gloomy, he/she might often "broods," or agonizes.
Example Question #201 : Analogies
Docile is to tractable as obdurate is to . . .
portentous
fragrant
stubborn
omnipotent
durable
stubborn
"Docile," means "ready to accept control or instruction; submissive," and "tractable" means "easy to control or influence" when used of people or animals and "easy to deal with" when referring to a situation or problem. Since "docile" and "tractable" are synonyms, we need to pick out an answer choice that means the same thing as "obdurate," a word that means "stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action." While "durable" might look like a good answer choice because both "obdurate" and "durable" involve the syllable "dur," "durable" means "able to withstand wear, pressure, or damage; hard-wearing." Since "durable" doesn't mean the same thing as "obdurate," it can't be the right answer. "Stubborn," however, is synonymous with "obdurate," so "stubborn" is the correct answer.
Example Question #1 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity
Vindictive is to vengeful as __________.
predictable is to surprising
unfriendly is to hostile
free is to captive
beautiful is to art
limited is to abundant
unfriendly is to hostile
"Vindictive" is an adjective that means "having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge," and "vengeful" is an adjective that means "seeking to harm someone in return for a perceived injury." So, "vindictive" and "vengeful" are synonyms, and we need to pick out an answer choice which also consists of a pair of synonyms. Of the possible answer choices, "free is to captive," "limited is to abundant," and "predictable is to surprising" cannot be the correct answer because each of those answer choices consists of a pair of antonyms. "Unfriendly is to hostile," however, is the correct answer choice, because just as "vindictive" is a synonym of "vengeful," "unfriendly" is a synonym of "hostile," which means "unfriendly; antagonistic."
Example Question #202 : Analogies
Edifice is to dwelling as __________.
last is to first
garbage is to trash can
welcome is to farewell
column is to pillar
station is to train
column is to pillar
“Edifice” is a noun that can mean “a building, especially a large, imposing one” or “a complex system of beliefs,” while “dwelling,” when used as a noun, means “a house, apartment, or other place of residence.” So, “edifice” and “dwelling” are synonyms, and we need to pick out an answer choice that also consists of a pair of synonyms. While “garbage is to dump” and “column is to pillar” might each seem like a potentially correct answer, “trash can” is a place where one puts garbage, but is not a synonym of “garbage,” so “garbage is to trash can” cannot be the correct answer. “Column,” however, is a noun that means “an upright pillar," while “pillar” means “a tall vertical structure used as a support.” So, because “column” is a synonym of “pillar” just as “edifice” is a synonym of “dwelling,” “column is to pillar” is the correct answer.
Example Question #203 : Analogies
Encounter is to meet as __________.
tactics are to battle
bump is to apologize
sprint is to creep
demolish is to raze
polish is to furniture
demolish is to raze
“Encounter,” when used as a verb, means either “unexpectedly experience or be faced with (something difficult or hostile)” or “meet (someone) unexpectedly,” while “meet,” when used as a verb, can mean “come into the presence or company of someone.” So, “encounter” and “meet” are synonyms, and we need to pick out an answer choice that also consists of a pair of synonyms. While “sprint is to creep” and “demolish is to raze” may each look like a potentially correct answer, “sprint,” when used as a verb, means “run at full speed over a short distance,” while “creep,” when used as a verb, means “move slowly and carefully, especially in order to avoid being heard or noticed.” So, “sprint” and “creep” are antonyms, not synonyms, and “sprint is to creep” cannot be the correct answer. “Demolish,” however, is a verb that means “pull or knock down (a building),” while “raze” means “completely destroy (a building, town, etc.).” So, because “demolish” is a synonym of “raze” just like “encounter” is a synonym of “meet,” “demolish is to raze” is the correct answer.
Example Question #3 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity
Vessel is to ship as __________.
jump is to run
carefree is to serious
wail is to laugh
fascination is to ennui
report is to account
report is to account
“Vessel” is a noun that can mean “a ship or large boat” or “a hollow container,” or chiefly in or alluding to biblical use, “a person having a particular quality.” So, “vessel” and “ship” are synonyms, and we need to pick out an answer choice that also consists of a pair of synonyms. While “report is to account” and “fascination is to ennui” might each look like a potentially correct answer, “ennui” means “a feeling of dissatisfaction arising from a lack of excitement,” making it an antonym, not a synonym, of “fascination.” So, “fascination is to ennui” cannot be the correct answer. “Report,” however, when used as a noun, can mean “an account given of a particular matter, especially in the form of an official document, after thorough investigation or consideration by an appointed person or body.” So, because “report” and “account” are synonyms, just as “vessel” and “ship” are synonyms, “report is to account” is the correct answer.
Example Question #204 : Analogies
Botch is to bungle as __________.
restaurant is to food
boil is to freeze
bell is to ring
decide is to waver
attempt is to try
attempt is to try
“Botch” is a verb that means “to do something badly or carelessly,” while “bungle,” when used as a verb, means “to do something clumsily or incompetently.” So, “botch” and “bungle” are synonyms, and we need to pick out an answer choice which also consists of a pair of synonyms. While both “attempt is to try” and “decide is to waver” might look like potentially correct answer choices, “decide” is a verb that means “come to a resolution in the mind as a result of consideration,” while “waver” is a verb that means “undecided; irresolute.” So, because “decide” is an antonym of “waver,” “decide is to waver” cannot be the correct answer. “Attempt,” however, when used as a verb, means “make an effort to achieve or complete (something, typically a difficult task or action,” while “try,” when used as a verb, means “to make an attempt.” So, because “attempt” and “try” are synonyms just as “botch” and “bungle” are synonyms, “attempt is to try” is the correct answer.
Example Question #205 : Analogies
Belittle is to disparage as retrieve is to __________.
refrain
reward
missing
describe
recover
recover
"Belittle" is a verb that means "to describe someone or something as little or unimportant," and "disparage" is a verb that means "to describe someone or something as unimportant, weak, or bad," so the two words are synonyms, and we need to pick out a word that means the same thing as "retrieve." While "refrain" and "reward" also each begin with "re-," neither are synonymous with "retrieve," so neither are the correct answer. One meaning of "recover," however, is "find or regain possession of something stolen or lost," so "recover" is the correct answer because it is a synonym of "retrieve."
Example Question #206 : Analogies
Analogies: Complete this analogy.
Sharp is to astute as extol is to __________.
Praise
Demand
Outline
Suggest
Argue
Praise
"Sharp" and "astute" are synonyms that each mean shrewd; quick-witted. So to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the answer choices is the best synonym for "extol." To "extol" someone means to praise him or her, so "praise" is the correct answer.
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All SSAT Middle Level Verbal Resources
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