SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Analogies

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #311 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Chary is to cautious as hardy is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Little 

Weak 

Tough 

Average 

Luminous 

Correct answer:

Tough 

Explanation:

"Chary" and "cautious" both mean careful or wary, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine the best synonym of "hardy." "Hardy" means tough and resilient, so "robust," an adjective that means rugged or strong, is the correct answer. "Weak" is an antonym of "hardy"; it means feeble. None of the other answer choices have meanings that are related to that of "hardy": "luminous" means giving off light, which you might infer from the Latin root "lumen," which means light. "Little" means small, and "average" means standard.

Example Question #312 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Supplicate is to request as thoughtless is to __________.

Possible Answers:

fraudulent

in love 

over the moon

under control 

absent-minded 

Correct answer:

absent-minded 

Explanation:

To "supplicate" means to beg or to strongly request, so to solve this analogy, you have to find the answer choice that is most similar in meaning to "thoughtless." "Thoughtless" means inconsiderate, so "inconsiderate," a word which means rude, is the correct answer. For clarification, "over the moon" is an English idiom that means very pleased.

Example Question #313 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Bookish is to academic as courteous is to __________.

Possible Answers:

skilled 

daft 

deft

foolish 

polite 

Correct answer:

polite 

Explanation:

"Bookish" and "academic" are both adjectives used to describe someone who is scholarly and interested in learning. To solve this analogy, you have to find the answer choice most similar in meaning to "courteous." "Courteous" means demonstrating good manners, so "polite," an adjective that means well-behaved, is the correct answer. For clarification, "deft" means skilled, and "daft" means foolish.

Example Question #314 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Proletariat is to working class as bourgeoisie is to ___________.

Possible Answers:

upper class 

ourth estate 

royalty 

middle class 

nobility 

Correct answer:

middle class 

Explanation:

The "proletariat" is the name traditionally given by nineteenth- and twentieth-century economists to the working class, and in the same system of categorization, the "bourgeoisie" are the middle class. The terms are less commonly used in our generation. For clarification, the "fourth estate" is a name often given to the media.

Example Question #315 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Act of God is to catastrophe as hit the books is to __________.

Possible Answers:

fight 

attack 

exercise 

protect 

study 

Correct answer:

study 

Explanation:

An "act of God" is an English idiom that means a natural disaster or a catastrophe. To solve this analogy, you have to determine what the English idiom "hit the books" means. The correct answer is “study.”

Example Question #316 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Commence is to begin as commend is to _________.

Possible Answers:

demolish 

end 

edify 

construct 

praise 

Correct answer:

praise 

Explanation:

"Commence" means begin, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine the best available synonym of "commend." "Commend" may seem like it means to end because it contains the word "end," but commend actually means to praise, so "praise" is the correct answer. For clarification, "demolish" means destroy or tear down, and "edify" means teach.

Example Question #317 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Jettison is to discard as derelict is to __________.

Possible Answers:

suspicious 

supernatural 

stifling 

abandoned 

frigid 

Correct answer:

abandoned 

Explanation:

To "jettison" something means to get rid of it or to discard it. So, to solve this analogy, you have to identify the best synonym of "derelict." "Derelict" means abandoned or run-down, so the correct answer is "abandoned." For clarification, "supernatural" means magical or mystical, "frigid" means very cold, and "stifling" means very hot and oppressive.

Example Question #318 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Pressed for time is to hurried as time-consuming is to __________.

Possible Answers:

permitted 

educational

prohibited 

tedious

easy 

Correct answer:

tedious

Explanation:

Pressed for time is an English idiom that means hurried or in desperate need of more time. To solve this analogy, you have to determine which answer choice is most similar to "time-consuming." Something that is "time-consuming" takes a long time, so the correct answer is “tedious,” which means tiringmonotonous, or repetitive. For clarification, "permitted" means allowed, and "prohibited" means banned.

Example Question #319 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Mediocre is to middling as magnificent is to __________.

Possible Answers:

great 

average 

terrible

expert 

novice 

Correct answer:

great 

Explanation:

Something that is “mediocre” is in the middle, although it usually has a connotation of being average when higher quality was expected. To solve this analogy, you have to find the word that is most similar in meaning to “magnificent,” which means incredible, beautiful, and great. "Great" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "magnificent," so "great" is the correct answer. As for the other answer choices, a “novice” is a beginner and an “expert” is someone who is very good at what they do due to having practiced it for a long time.

Example Question #320 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Insistence is to assertion as ridicule is to __________.

Possible Answers:

praise

attack 

winsome 

derision 

silence 

Correct answer:

derision 

Explanation:

“Insistence” is the act of insisting or trying to get your own way,and it is the same as an “assertion,” which is the act of asserting or trying to get your own way. So, "insistence" and "assertion" are synonyms, and to solve the analogy, you need to pick out the best synonym of " ridicule." The answer choice that is closest in meaning to “ridicule” is “derision.” Both words mean mocking or the act of mocking someone. To help, "winsome" means good-looking or attractive.

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