SSAT Upper Level Verbal : SSAT Upper Level Verbal

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #351 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Generous is to donation as ancillary is to __________.

Possible Answers:

audacious

aid

amenable

servile

amiable

Correct answer:

aid

Explanation:

A person who is generous is likely to give a donation to some cause. Thus, the analogy could be read as, “As a generous person is likely to give a donation, so something that is ancillary is likely to provide or give X.” The word “ancillary” comes from the Latin “ancilla,” meaning female servant. In English, something "ancillary" is something that provides secondary support or aid to an operation or undertaking. Thus, among the options provided, “aid” is the best.

Example Question #24 : Other Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Tactile is to touch as olfactory is to __________.

Possible Answers:

idea

smell

sight

sound

taste

Correct answer:

smell

Explanation:

“Tactile” is an adjective that means “dealing with the sense of touch” or “perceptible by touch.” So, something that is perceptible via the sense of touch is tactile, and we need to pick out an answer choice that describes with what sense something “olfactory” is perceptible. While all of the potential answer choices except for “idea” are connected with specific senses, “olfactory” is an adjective that means “relating to the sense of smell,” so “smell” is the correct answer.

Example Question #741 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Lottery is to ticket as __________.

Possible Answers:

scratch is to card

vote is to ballot

poker is to ante

travel is to voucher

money is to gamble

Correct answer:

vote is to ballot

Explanation:

You need a ticket to engage in the lottery, and a ballot to make a vote. The second item is the piece of paper that lets you take part in the activity.

Example Question #742 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Telephone is to voice as __________.

Possible Answers:

flashlight is to bright

television is to movie

stroller is to walking

letter is to writing

walk signal is to button

Correct answer:

letter is to writing

Explanation:

When we use a telephone, we communicate using our voice. Similarly, when we write a letter, we communicate using our writing.

Example Question #743 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Yellow is to caution as red is to __________.

Possible Answers:

read

deer

green

stop

tops

Correct answer:

stop

Explanation:

Yellow is the color of signs that mean caution, and red is the color of signs that mean stop. 

Example Question #744 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Spa is to asp as stink is to __________.

Possible Answers:

snake

smell

kinks

knits

skink

Correct answer:

knits

Explanation:

This is a word game analogy. The second word in each pair is an anagram of the first. Spa anagrams to asp and stink anagrams to knits.

Example Question #661 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Flora is to plants as __________ is to animals.

Possible Answers:

evolved

mammals

nature

extinct

fauna

Correct answer:

fauna

Explanation:

"Flora" and "fauna" are the scientific names for plants and animals, respectively. So, "flora" are plants and "fauna" are animals. This is the only information you need to solve this analogy.

Example Question #662 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Corroborate is to story as __________ is to testimony. 

Possible Answers:

amplify

vilify 

atrophy 

verify 

denigrate 

Correct answer:

verify 

Explanation:

To begin with "corroborate" means offer evidence in support of a claim made by another person and "testimony" is a formal statement given about how something happened. One can "corroborate" a story, so to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is an action that one can do to "testimony." The correct answer is "verify" which means prove as true, prove to be valid. In the context of this sentence "corroborate" and "verify" are also synonyms of one another. Additionally, "denigrate" means criticize harshly, make fun of unfairly; "atrophy" means weaken due to lack of use; "amplify" means make louder, make more intense; "vilify" means portray as a villain, demonize

Example Question #663 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Cartography is to maps as seismology is to __________.

Possible Answers:

weather patterns

mathematics

earthquakes

religious belief

animals

Correct answer:

earthquakes

Explanation:

"Cartography" is the science of map-making, the art of making maps. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these answer choices "seismology" is concerned with. The correct answer is "earthquakes."

Example Question #664 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Invoice is to delinquent as _______________.

Possible Answers:

letter is to stamped

check is to void

account is to opened

book is to overdue

bank is to robbed

Correct answer:

book is to overdue

Explanation:

An "invoice" is a bill. "Delinquent" means not paid at the desired or directed time. So an invoice that is late is "delinquent." (There is another definition of "delinquent," a person who frequently does illegal or immoral things.)

A "check" that is late is not called "void." (To "void" a check means to render it unpayable, so there is a sort of connection between "check" and "void," but not the best connection out of all the answer choices.)

Is a late account opened? No, that makes no sense. An "account" (as in a checking account) is "opened" (created), but that has nothing to do with being late.

Is a "book" that is late overdue? Yes. If you check out a book from a library and do not turn it in by its due date, it is termed overdue. So "book is to overdue" is the answer.

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