All HSPT Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #81 : Analogies
Answer the question by selecting the word that best completes the analogy.
Neon is to gas as titanium is to __________.
steel
chemistry
helium
metal
argon
metal
"Neon" is a type of elemental "gas," just as "titanium" is a type of "metal."
Example Question #71 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Answer the question by selecting the word that best completes the analogy.
Aspen is to tree as tulip is to __________.
handsome
daffodil
garden
software
flower
flower
An "aspen" is a type of "tree," just as a "tulip" is a type of "flower."
Example Question #83 : Analogies
Poppy is to flora as tabletop is to __________.
furniture
pedastal
surface
stool
resting
surface
You have likely heard the expression “flora and fauna,” meaning something like animals and plants (in a given area). The word “flora” is a bit more obvious that “fauna” since it is related to “flower,” which clearly brings to mind plants. A “poppy” is a type of flower, thus a member of the class of “flora.” Now, a tabletop is literally (and this is important) the top of the table—that is what is indicated by the word. This is important because a tabletop itself is not a member of the general class "furniture" as it is a type of surface. A bridge sentence can help to bring this out: “Just as poppies are types of flora, so too are tabletops types of surfaces.”
Example Question #84 : Analogies
Tent is to shelter as lieutenant is to __________.
army
officer
commissioned
respected
saluted
officer
A tent is a type of shelter, so the answer to this question will need to say what type of “thing” a lieutenant is. The bridge sentence could be constructed, “As a tent is a type of shelter, so is a lieutenant a type of X.” The only option that suffices is “officer.” The option “commissioned” might be tempting, as you are likely thinking “commissioned officer"; however, by itself, “commissioned” does not suffice to name a group. It is not sufficient to say, “A lieutenant is a commissioned . . .” You need to add to this a noun to explain what kind of commissioned thing he is. Note that if you were to read the analogy as, “just as a tent is used for sheltering, so is a lieutenant used for X,” there would be no option that fits. This indicates that the analogy must be read in the first way outlined above. (The option “saluted” does not work, as a lieutenant is not used for the sake of being saluted—even though it is quite proper to salute such a person).
Example Question #72 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Complete this analogy.
Stool is to furniture as hammer is to __________.
pounding
tool
handyman
nails
sledge
tool
While very simple seeming, this analogy does link the terms, namely by a member-to-class relationship. As stools are types of furniture, so are hammers types of tools. The other options among the answers are related to hammers—what they do, who uses them, of in other ways; however, none of the other options relates to “hammer” as a general class as “furniture” does to “stool.”
Example Question #5 : Example And Category
Complete this analogy.
Manuscript is to text as apartment is to __________.
housing
loft
rent
efficient
miniscule
housing
In its original usage, the word “manuscript” indicated a type of text written by hand. (The “manu-” portion is related to the word “manual,” which means related to the use of hands—think of “manual labor.” The “-script” portion is related not only to “script” but to “scribe,” “subscription,” and other such words). We now use the word to describe an unpublished version of an author’s work, e.g. the “manuscript” of a soon-to-be-published novel that is still being edited. “Manuscript” is related to “text” as a member to a class, as though to say, “as a manuscript is a type of text, so is an apartment a type of X.” While the word “loft” might seem appropriate, it is at best the opposite of what you need (if not totally unrelated). A “loft apartment” is a type of apartment—an apartment is not a type of loft! The best option, as simple as it might seem, is “housing,” for an apartment is a type of housing.
Example Question #73 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Complete this analogy.
Orangutan is to primate as pediatrician is to __________.
patients
medical
doctor
treatment
children
doctor
Primates are the general class of monkeys, apes, humans, and so forth into which we can include orangutans. Thus, we have a case of a specific type being related to its general class. You could think of your bridge sentence as being something like, “As orangutans are types of primates, so are pediatricians types of X.” The only relevant general category offered among your options is “doctor.”
Example Question #74 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Complete this analogy.
Dessert is to course as calmness is to __________.
tranquility
relaxation
sloth
perturbation
trait
trait
The relationship needs to be read together in order to make sense. A dessert is a course in the sense of being one part of a number of plates served at a meal. Thus, we could construct a bridge sentence like, “As a desert is a type of course, so calmness is a type of X.” This is perhaps a bit abstract, but the best answer is “trait.” One can have many different types of character traits, among which we can number calmness. Several of the other words are related to calmness or to other specific character traits; however, none of them are a general class—which is what we need, since “course” is the general class in relation to “dessert.”
Example Question #75 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Complete this analogy.
Telegram is to communication as carriage is to __________.
outmoded
aristocratic
horse
vehicle
train
vehicle
A telegram is an antiquated mode of communication, using some mechanism of signal that would be translated into a written message to be delivered. The general relationship for this analogy is a specific type to a general class. You could make the bridge sentence, “As a telegram is a type of communication, so is a carriage a type of X.” Although all of the options bear some relationship to carriages, the only one that is a general class is “vehicle.” Even the option “train,” would at best be a whole of which a single carriage would be a part. This is not the same as a “member to a class” relationship.
Example Question #76 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Complete this analogy.
Biologist is to scientist as senator is to __________.
representing
political
elected
politician
duplicitous
politician
A biologist is a type of scientist, so our bridge sentence could be written, “As a biologist is a type of scientist, so a senator is at type of X.” While a senator might be an elected official, the word “elected” is not a class but an adjective to describe a person or institution. Likewise, "political," "representing," and even "duplicitous" all are adjectives, but none are a general class like “politician.” Though it seems simple, this is the best answer, for it describes the same “member of a class” relationship as does the relationship between biologist and scientist.
Certified Tutor
Certified Tutor