All SSAT Middle Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #31 : Antonyms
Analogies: Complete this analogy.
Saintly is to impious as tame is to ___________.
berate
castigate
feral
erratic
effusive
feral
Saintly means religious or pious, and as such, is an antonym of "impious," which means not pious, as you may have been able to infer from the word's use of the negative prefix "im-," which means not. To solve this analogy, you have to determine the best antonym of "tame." "Tame" means domesticated, so "feral," which means living in the wild, especially after being previously domesticated is the correct answer. For clarification, "erratic" means unpredictable or unreliable, "effusive" means talkative or fulsome, and "berate" and "castigate" both mean to scold or to tell-off.
Example Question #32 : Antonyms
Analogies: Complete this analogy.
Tardy is to early as industrious is to __________.
virulent
deadly
lazy
jolly
guilty
lazy
"Tardy" means late and as such is an antonym of "early." To solve this analogy, you have to determine the best available antonym of "industrious." "Industrious" means hard-working, so the best antonym is “lazy.” For clarification, "jolly" means happy or good-humored, and "virulent" means strong or powerful.
Example Question #33 : Antonyms
Analogies: Complete this analogy.
Demonstrative is to stoic as trivial is to __________.
important
unknown
lacking
unique
deficient
important
Demonstrative can mean indicative, or expressing emotions, and as such is an antonym of "stoic," which means not expressing emotions. To solve this analogy, you have to identify which of the answer choices is the best antonym of "trivial." "Trivial" means insignificant or not important, so the best antonym is “important.” For clarification, "deficient" means lacking, and "unique" means original.
Example Question #34 : Antonyms
Analogies: Complete this analogy.
Prudent is to foolish as frivolous is to __________.
foolish
incidental
comedic
momentous
sensible
sensible
"Prudent" and "foolish" are antonyms. (Prudent means using good judgement.) Therefore, you are looking for an antonym of "frivolous" or a synonym of "prudent." "Sensible" fits! None of the other answer selections work.
Example Question #35 : Antonyms
Analogies: Complete this analogy.
Garner is to scatter as confiscate is to __________.
skiing
sedative
commandeer
return
outdoors
return
“Garner” means to gather or collect. "Scatter” means to spread out and is the opposite of “garner.” If you “confiscate” something, you take something away, especially as punishment. The opposite of this would be to “return” something that you took. To clarify, “commandeer” is similar in meaning to “confiscate” and means taking over something large, like a vehicle or building, using force; a “sedative” is a medicine or drug which makes you calm or sleepy.
Example Question #36 : Antonyms
Analogies: Complete this analogy.
Muster is to demobilize as camp is to __________.
decamp
fancy
mountain
tent
cabin
decamp
If you “muster” or rally troops, you gather them together and mobilize them for battle. If you “demobilize” troops you relieve them of their duties. So you need to look for the antonym of “camp.” If you “decamp” then you break camp which is the opposite of “to camp” or setting up camp. A “tent” is a part of a camp and can be seen as different to a “cabin” but these answers do not fulfil the analogy. “Fancy” means expensive or posh.
Example Question #37 : Antonyms
Complete this analogy.
Angular is to rounded as __________.
formulaic is to clichéd
archaic is to old
sweet is to dessert
proud is to ashamed
frozen is to ice
proud is to ashamed
“Angular” is an adjective that refers to an object, outline, or shape, and means “having angles or sharp corners,” while “rounded” is an adjective that means “having a smooth, curved surface.” So, “angular” and “rounded” are antonyms, and we need to pick out an answer choice that also consists of a pair of antonyms. While “proud is to ashamed,” “archaic is to ancient,” and “formulaic is to conventional” might each look like a potentially correct answer, “formulaic” can mean “produced in accordance with a slavishly followed rule or style; predictable” and “clichéd” means “showing a lack of originality; based on frequently repeated phrases or opinions,” making the two words synonyms, not antonyms. So, “formulaic is to clichéd” cannot be the correct answer. Similarly, “archaic” is an adjective that means “very old or old-fashioned,” so it is a synonym, not an antonym, of “old,” and “archaic is to old” cannot be the correct answer either. “Proud,” however, is an adjective that means “feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one’s own achievements, qualities, or possessions or those of someone with whom one is closely associated,” while “ashamed” means “embarrassed or guilty because of one’s actions, characteristics, or associations.” So, because “proud” is an antonym of “ashamed” just like “angular” is an antonym of “rounded,” “proud is to ashamed” is the correct answer.
Example Question #38 : Antonyms
Complete this analogy.
Potent is to weak as __________.
formal is to casual
unoriginal is to imitative
electricity is to light bulb
silly is to goofy
start is to begin
formal is to casual
“Potent” is an adjective that means powerful or effective, so it is an antonym of “weak.” That means that we need to pick out an answer choice that also consists of a pair of antonyms. While “formal is to casual,” “unoriginal is to imitative,” and “silly is to goofy” might each look like a potentially correct answer choice, “unoriginal” is an adjective that means not original, while “imitative” is an adjective that can mean imitating a previous work and therefore not original. The two words are synonyms, not antonyms, and “unoriginal is to imitative” cannot be the correct answer. Similarly, “silly” and "goofy" are adjectives that each mean foolish, so “silly” and “goofy” are also a pair of synonyms and “silly is to goofy” cannot be the correct answer either. “Formal,” however, is an adjective that can mean done according to rules or stately, while “casual” can mean in a manner that lacks formality. Because “formal” and “casual” are antonyms just as “potent” and “weak” are antonyms, “formal is to casual” is the correct answer.
Example Question #38 : Antonyms
Complete this analogy.
Sparse is to dense as limited is to __________.
sordid
finite
endless
fortunate
morbid
endless
“Sparse” is an adjective that can mean scattered, while “dense” is an adjective that can mean compact or crowded together. So, “sparse” and “dense” are antonyms, and we need to pick out an answer choice that is an antonym of “limited,” an adjective that means restricted. So, that means that “finite” cannot be the correct answer, because “finite” is an adjective that can mean having limits, making it a synonym, not an antonym, of “limited.” “Endless,” however, is an adjective that can mean having no end or seeming to have no end. Because “limited” is an antonym of “endless” just like “sparse” is an antonym of “dense,” “endless” is the correct answer.
Example Question #39 : Antonyms
Complete this analogy.
Rise is to fall as facilitate is to __________.
adorn
pardon
hinder
encourage
boast
hinder
“Rise” and “fall” are antonyms, so we need to pick out an answer choice which means the opposite of “facilitate,” a verb that means make a process easier. That means that “encourage” cannot be the correct answer, because "encourage" means help, support, or inspire, making it a synonym, not an antonym, of “facilitate.” “Hinder,” however, is a verb that means create delays in some process, and because “hinder” is an antonym of “facilitate” just as “rise” is an antonym of “fall,” “hinder” is the correct answer.
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