All HSPT Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #151 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Tease is to ridicule as hurt is __________.
irritate
torment
damage
mock
wound
torment
When someone ridicules another person, he or she mocks that person, often in a manner accompanied by nasty laughter. Thus, one can say that “ridicule” is a strong and more hurtful kind of teasing. While the word “hurt” already carries a negative connotation with it, the answer “torment” does similarly express this increased strength and harm. To torment someone is to create great suffering for that person. Thus, among the answers provided, it is the best option, as it expresses the same kind of increase in degree.
Example Question #152 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Insulated is to naïve as cosmopolitan is to __________.
fashionable
rustic
ornate
wiked
sophisticated
sophisticated
The word “insulated” is likely familiar, describing the material in your house’s walls, used to regulate the temperature. The word originally comes from “island” in Latin, and “insulation” can be understood as making a barrier like water around an island, protecting the inside of your house like water surrounding a small landmass. When the word “insulated” is used to describe a person, it means that he or she has been kept from outside influence. Such a person is likely to be naïve, that is, lacking experience and perhaps innocent. Someone who is cosmopolitan is wise in the ways of the world. The word means “comfortable and free in any nation” and could be expressed by someone as saying, “The world is my city.” Such a person is wise in the ways of the world and likely sophisticated. Thus, the analogy holds: “As an insulated person is likely naïve, so is a cosmopolitan person likely sophisticated.”
Example Question #153 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Terse is to brevity as vituperative is to __________.
abusiveness
forceful
mean
angry
nasty
abusiveness
Someone who is terse uses very few words to express himself or herself. Such a person would be known for being “brief in speech” and, hence, would be known for “brevity.” The analogy could be written, “As a terse person would be known for brevity, so would something vituperative be known for X.” A vituperative speech or action is one that is very negative, abusive, and nasty. Among the options provided, “abusiveness” best captures the sense of what something vituperative would be “known for”—as is needed for this analogy.
Example Question #62 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity
Choose the word that best completes each comparison.
Donated is to bequeathed as pilfered is to __________.
hopeless
bizarre
broken
borrowed
stolen
stolen
"Donated" and "bequeathed" are synonyms, as are "pilfered" and "stolen."
Example Question #166 : Analogies
Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.
Concern is to worry as jealousy is to __________.
envy
conflagration
generosity
satisfaction
honor
envy
"Concern" and "worry" are both synonyms; therefore "jealousy" and "envy" are a similar pair of words.
Example Question #154 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Select the word that best completes the comparison.
Forlorn is to miserable as cheerful is to __________.
deathly
optimistic
sorrowful
exhausted
aggravated
optimistic
"Forlorn" and "miserable" mean roughly the same thing; therefore a synonym for "cheerful" is "optimistic."
Example Question #167 : Analogies
Answer the question by selecting the word that best completes the comparison.
Principle is to standard as regulation is to __________.
inviolable
amiss
decay
detour
rule
rule
"Principle" and "standard" are synonyms, just as "regulation" and "rule" have similar meanings.
Example Question #155 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Answer the question by selecting the word that best completes the analogy.
Strict is to stern as lenient is to __________.
tolerant
undefined
austere
oppressive
uptight
tolerant
"Strict" and "stern" are synonyms, just as "lenient" and "tolerant" have similar meanings.
Example Question #156 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Answer the question by selecting the word that best completes the analogy.
Sympathetic is to compassionate as insensitive is to __________.
vicarious
kindly
rental
cruel
embarassed
cruel
"Sympathetic" and "compassionate" are synonyms, just as "insensitive" and "cruel" have similar meanings.
Example Question #157 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Tepid is to blazing as chilled is to __________.
blustery
freezing
heated
sleet
icebox
freezing
Something that is “tepid” is lukewarm. The word can be used to describe barely warm water as well as a personality or action that is not very enthusiastic. The first part of the analogy can be read as, “As being barely hot is to something extremely hot.” The second half of the analogy is best matched by the word “freezing,” for this is a greater degree of the coolness implied in “chilled.” Thus, the whole analogy would run, “As something blazing is hotter to a greater degree than something tepid, so too is something freezing cooler to a greater degree than something chilled.”
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