All HSPT Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #282 : Analogies
Speak is to bellow as cry is to __________.
tear
weep
lament
simper
rage
lament
A “bellow” is a very strong type of speech, often loud and caused by pain. The general sense of this analogy is that a bellow is a louder and stronger type of enunciation than speech. A way to form a bridge sentence would be, “As bellowing is much stronger and louder than speaking, so too is X much stronger than crying.” Among the options, “lament” best describes this kind of “extreme crying,” for a “lamentation” (an act of lamenting) is a very passionate kind of crying. All of the other options are too weak and do not express this sense of “really crying.” “Rage,” though strong, does not deal with crying but instead with anger.
Example Question #283 : Analogies
Pleasing is to exhilarating as thin is to __________.
emaciated
fit
svelte
gargantuan
tawny
emaciated
Something “exhilarating” is often thought of as being very “fun” or “exciting.” In general, the term means “something causing great joy or pleasure.” In the parts of speech provided, we can say that the analogy’s sentence form is, “As something exhilarating is very pleasing, so too is something X very thin.” Among the options provided, “emaciated” means “very thin” (perhaps malnourished). The other options do not express this sense of extreme thinness.
Example Question #3 : Changes In Intensity
Ability is to expertise as strength is to __________.
muscle
fastidious
sturdy
weakling
puissance
puissance
Someone who has expertise in a given subject has a great deal of ability in it. Therefore, we are looking for a word that will express the state of having a great deal of strength. Although the word “puissance” is a bit out of date, it does mean “having great power.” It is related to words like “potent” and “potentate,” which indicate power. Even if you did not know this word, you should be able to tell that none of the other options express either great strength or even (in the case of “weakling” and “fastidious”) anything related to strength (except perhaps negatively in the case of “weakling”).
Example Question #412 : Hspt Verbal Skills
Sadness is dolor as feeling is to __________.
reflective
agitation
vehemence
emotion
passive
vehemence
Dolor is an emotion of great sadness. Therefore, the analogy represents a stronger form in comparison to a more general term. The bridge sentence could be constructed like, “As dolor is a type of great sadness, so X is a type of great or strong feeling.” When someone “vehemently” does something, he or she does it with great force or passion. Sometimes, we will say, “I vehemently disagree with you,” meaning by this, “I totally disagree with you and believe you are utterly wrong!” The option “vehemence” is thus the best option, as it means “having a strong feeling.”
Example Question #413 : Hspt Verbal Skills
Greed is to avarice as fat is to __________.
hibernation
storage
obese
chunky
plump
obese
Avarice is excessive or extreme greed, so the bridge sentence for this analogy would be something like, “As an avaricious person is excessively greed, so is a(n) X thing excessively fat.” To be obese is to be exceedingly fat. For this reason, this is the best option among the others, which either do not connote excess or are totally unrelated.
Example Question #414 : Hspt Verbal Skills
Old is to ancient as large is to __________.
big
gargantuan
impressive
magnificent
delightful
gargantuan
Something that is ancient is very old. When someone speaks of “ancient times,” he or she means “long ago.” For that reason, we are looking for a word that means “very large.” Although something very large might be “impressive” or “magnificent,” neither of these mean “very large” in a strict sense as does the word “gargantuan,” which is the best option among those given. Big is merely synonymous, not giving the additional sense of “to a great extent.”
Example Question #415 : Hspt Verbal Skills
Happy is to exultant as good is to __________.
excellent
desirable
joyful
beatific
fine
excellent
When someone “exults,” he or she or she expresses great joy. The word “exultant” is the an adjectival form of this verb. We could thus say that someone who is “exultant” is “extremely happy.” Thus, we are looking for a word that means “extremely good.” Among the options, only “excellent” has this sense of “extreme goodness.” Both “desirable” and “fine” are not strong enough to answer to the needed notion of “great” or “extreme.”
Example Question #284 : Analogies
Inquire is to delve as reflect is to __________.
mull
consider
stare
gaze
mirror
mull
To “inquire” after something is to look into it or to ask questions regarding it. Likely, you know the word “inquiry,” which means a process of formal questioning (perhaps in a legal case, though other options are possible). When someone “delves” into something, he or she “digs” into it very deeply. The word’s first meaning is “to reach into,” though it is often used metaphorically to mean “to dig into” or “excavate.” It likewise can mean “to research very thoroughly.” Thus, our bridge sentence is, “As delving is a form of deep and detailed inquiry, so too is X a deep and detailed form of reflecting (or reflection).” To “mull over” something is not merely to dally and consider it. It means “to think deeply and for a long time over something.” For this reason, it is the best option among those provided.
Example Question #271 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Sufficient is to satiating as draining is to __________.
tired
hole
weary
outlet
exhausting
exhausting
When we say that something “satisfies,” it fulfills an expected need. Something that is “satiating” completely fills a need, and thus in this analogy could be said to mean “beyond adequate,” in comparison with “adequate,” which is implied by “sufficient.” Thus, our bridge sentence could be constructed, “As something that is satiating is more than sufficient (or sufficient to a great degree), so too is something X draining to a great degree.” Something “exhausts” when it literally drains everything out. It comes form the Latin literally meaning “drawing water out.”
Example Question #272 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Plain is to austere as ornate is to __________.
beautiful
amazing
baroque
fortuitous
miraculous
baroque
Likely, you know the term “austere” as meaning strict or perhaps something like serious or “grave.” While these meanings are acceptable, the word can also mean “extremely plain, without frills or luxuries;” therefore, our analogy is one of increasing intensity. Think of the bridge sentence as being, “Just as something austere is very plain, so also is something X very ornate.” The word “baroque” is not merely the name of a period of history or music but can likewise mean “very elaborate or ornamented.” The word is taken from the ornamented style of the art of the period, though here applied more generally.
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