SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Analogies

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SSAT Middle Level Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #21 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Divisive is to divide as prohibitive is to __________.

Possible Answers:

stop

prohibit

foreclose

permissive

separation

Correct answer:

prohibit

Explanation:

The relationship has to do with the suffix "-ive." This suffix takes a verb (such as "divide" or "prohibit") and makes it an adjective describing something that does that verb. "Divisive" describes something that divides, and "prohibitive" describes something that prohibits.

Example Question #22 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Enjoyable is to enjoy as washable is to __________.

Possible Answers:

cleanliness

delight

fabric

convenient

wash

Correct answer:

wash

Explanation:

The relationship has to do with the suffix "-able." This suffix takes a verb (like "enjoy" or "wash") and makes it into an adjective meaning able to be [verb]ed. "Enjoyable" means able to be enjoyed, and "washable" means able to be washed, so "wash" is the correct answer.

Example Question #23 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Glorious is to glory as __________.

Possible Answers:

malpractice is to bad

doubt is to doubtful

fame is to celebraties

exalt is to praise

acrimonious is to acrimony

Correct answer:

acrimonious is to acrimony

Explanation:

The relationship has to do with the suffix "-ous." This suffix takes a noun (like "glory" or "nerves") and makes an adjective meaning full of [noun]. Like "glorious" means full of glory, "acrimoniousmeans full of acrimony, or bitterness.

Example Question #24 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Shame is to shameful as spite is to __________.

Possible Answers:

evil

spiteful

mistake

embarassment

spiritual

Correct answer:

spiteful

Explanation:

The relationship has to do with the suffix "-ful." This suffix takes a noun (like "shame" or "spite") and turns it into an adjective meaning characterized by [noun]. "Shameful" means characterized by shame and "spiteful" means characterized by spite.

Example Question #25 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Speechless is to speech as artless is to __________.

Possible Answers:

administration

science

art

silence

creativity

Correct answer:

art

Explanation:

The relationship has to do with the suffix "-less." This suffix takes a noun (like "speech" or "art") and turns it into an adjective meaning without [noun]. "Speechless" means without speech or unable to speak, and "artless" means without art, or in other words, naturally and naïvely, without any pretentiousness.

Example Question #26 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Bothersome is to bother as quarrelsome is to __________.

Possible Answers:

annoy

acquiesce

quarrel

argument

control

Correct answer:

quarrel

Explanation:

The relationship has to do with the suffix "-some." This suffix takes a noun (like "bother" or "quarrel") and makes it into an adjective meaning characterized by [noun]. "Bothersome" means characterized by bother, and "quarrelsome" means characterized by quarrels.

Example Question #27 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Good is to best as sleepy is to __________.

Possible Answers:

sleepiest

nap

tired

awake

sleepier

Correct answer:

sleepiest

Explanation:

The relationship has to do with superlative adjectives. Normally, a superlative is formed by adding the suffix "-est" (e.g. "sleepy" and "sleepiest"). A superlative adjective means the most [adjective], so "sleepiest" means the most sleepy. "Best" is an exception; it is an irregular superlative that means the most good.

Example Question #28 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Anthropologist is to society as zoologist is to __________

Possible Answers:

cartoons 

religion 

music 

animals

history 

Correct answer:

animals

Explanation:

The suffix "-ologist" means someone who studies and the prefix "anthro-" means related to humans and human society, so an “anthropologist” is someone who studies human societies. To solve this analogy, you have to figure out what a “zoologist” studies, and since the prefix "zoo-" means related to animals, a “zoologist” is someone who studies animals and "animals" is the correct answer.

Example Question #29 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Hydrophobia is to water as heliophobia is to __________

Possible Answers:

sickness 

sunlight 

collision 

darkness

moonlight

Correct answer:

sunlight 

Explanation:

The suffix "-phobia" means fear of and the prefix "hydro-" means related to water, so "hydrophobia" is the fear of water. To solve this analogy, you need to determine of what “heliophobia” is the fear. The prefix ­"helio-" means related to the sun or to sunlight, so “heliophobia” is the fear of sunlight.

Example Question #30 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Orthodontist is to teeth as pediatrician is to __________

Possible Answers:

feet 

children 

adults 

eyes 

legs 

Correct answer:

children 

Explanation:

The English word root "dont" or "dent" means having to do with teeth. An “orthodontist” is a type of doctor that corrects problems with teeth, much like a dentist. The word fragment "ped" usually means related to feet when used as a suffix, but as a prefix it is often used to mean related to children, as in “pediatrician,” which means doctor who specializes in treating children,or “pedagogue,” which means teacher of children.

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