SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Analogies

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

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #2 : Suffixes

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Anarchy is to order as atheist is to __________

Possible Answers:

theist 

chaos 

god 

politics 

church 

Correct answer:

theist 

Explanation:

“Anarchy” is a state of chaos or a complete lack of political or social order. “Anarchy” and “order” and antonyms of one another. To solve this analogy, you therefore have to determine the best antonym of “atheist”. An “atheist” is someone who does not believe in any god(s). The correct antonym is “theist,” which means someone who believes in a god or gods. Often the prefix "a-" will reverse the meaning of a word, as in this instance, where adding an “a” to “theist” creates “atheist,” a word with opposite meaning. 

Example Question #4 : Suffixes

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Carnal is to body as cerebral is to __________

Possible Answers:

wicked 

brain 

pious 

soul

energy 

Correct answer:

brain 

Explanation:

The prefix "carn-" means related to the physical flesh and “carnal” means relating to the needs of the body. The prefix "cere-" means related to the brain or to knowledge and “cerebral” means brainyrelated to intelligence, or related to the brain. As “carnal” has to do with the body, "cerebral" has to do with the brain, so "brain" is the correct answer.

Example Question #3 : Suffixes

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Gigabyte is to billion as terabyte is to __________.

Possible Answers:

million 

thousand 

hundred 

trillion 

ten 

Correct answer:

trillion 

Explanation:

The prefix "giga-" means related to a billion of something and the prefix ­"tera-" means related to a trillion of something. Do not confuse "tera-" with "terra-," which means related to the Earth. A “byte” is a unit of computer storage space, so a "gigabyte" is a computer memory unit of one billion bytes, and a "terabyte" is a computer memory unit that consists of one trillion bytes, so "trillion" is the correct answer.

Example Question #7 : Suffixes

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Theologian is to religion as meteorologist is to __________

Possible Answers:

volcanoes 

children

oceans 

weather 

space

Correct answer:

weather 

Explanation:

The prefix "theo-" means related to (a) god(s) or religion, so a “theologian” is someone who studies religion and is an expert on religious matters. To solve this analogy, you need to figure out what a “meteorologist” studies. The correct answer is the “weather." The suffix "-ologist" means one who studies something.

Example Question #71 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Manic is to frenzied as stupefied is to __________.

Possible Answers:

concerned

stopped

scared

dazed

dreamed

Correct answer:

dazed

Explanation:

If you are “manic,” you are very excited, energetic, or emotional. “Frenzied” is a synonym of “manic” and means the same thing. The answer choice that is closest in meaning to “stupefied” is “dazed.” They both mean made stupid, groggy, or insensible.

Example Question #71 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Benign is to malignant as benevolent is to __________.

Possible Answers:

malevolent

critical

excellent

violent

blandness

Correct answer:

malevolent

Explanation:

“Malignant” means evil in nature, influence, or effect. “Benign” is the antonym of “malignant,” so you need to look for the opposite of “benevolent.” “Benevolent” means marked by or disposed to doing good. It begins with the prefix "ben-," meaning good, as in "beneficial." The opposite of this is the prefix "mal-;" therefore, “malevolent” is the opposite of “benevolent.” To further help you, if something is “critical” it is very important; “blandness” is when something is plain or simple.

Example Question #73 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Exterminate is to pests as __________.

Possible Answers:

Rouse is to mob

Celebrity is to event

Extinguish is to fire

Question is to suspect

Envelop is to coating

Correct answer:

Extinguish is to fire

Explanation:

The best answer is "extinguish is to fire." Its relationship is much like the one between "exterminate," which means to destroy or kill and "pest," a nuisance or annoying animal or thing. Both analogies imply a sense of completeness in their actions. You would want to be entirely rid of pests and to throughly put out a fire.

Example Question #72 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Extraterrestrial is to alien as question is to __________

Possible Answers:

potency

truancy

query

latency

ambidexterity

Correct answer:

query

Explanation:

The suffix -terrestrial means of the Earth and the prefix extra- means beyond or above, so an “extraterrestrial” is something that comes from beyond the Earth or an alien. To solve this analogy, you need to find the best synonym of “question.” When used as a noun, "question" means query, so "query" is the correct answer. As for the other answer choices, none are close in meaning to "question": “ambidexterity” means the condition of being able to use either hand as one's dominant hand; “latency” is the condition of being hidden or dormant; “truancy” means absence; and “potency” means strength.

Example Question #73 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Drunkard is to intoxicated as braggart is to __________

Possible Answers:

fighting

fleeing

traveling

eating

boasting 

Correct answer:

boasting 

Explanation:

A “drunkard” is someone who is frequently drunk or someone who is often intoxicated. “Intoxicated” is a synonym of drunk. To solve this analogy, you have to figure out what a “braggart” is often doing. As you might have guessed from the root word "brag," a verb that means show off or boast, a “braggart” is someone who often boasts about their achievements. There are many relevant word fragments and prefixes in this analogy that might have helped you solve it: The suffix "-ard" or "-art" means type of person who does something, and the word fragment "toxic" means related to poison, alcohol being the poison referred to in the word "intoxicated." None of the other answer choices are activities that braggarts are assumed to do often.

Example Question #94 : Ssat Middle Level Verbal

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Berate is to scold as belittle is to __________

Possible Answers:

demean 

supplant 

praise 

forgive 

punish 

Correct answer:

demean 

Explanation:

The prefix be- means cause or make. To “berate” someone means to yell at them, to make them feel uncomfortable, to scold, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which of these words is a synonym for “belittle.” “Belittle” means to make someone feel little, this is most similar in meaning to “demean” which means to humiliate, to bring someone down. To provide further help, “supplant” means replace

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors