HSPT Verbal : HSPT Verbal Skills

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #105 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Choose the word that best completes each comparison.

Composed is to agitated as urgent is to __________.

Possible Answers:

immediate

emergency

broken

unimportant

senile

Correct answer:

unimportant

Explanation:

"Composed" and "agitated" are antonyms, as are "urgent" and "unimportant."

Example Question #341 : Hspt Verbal Skills

Choose the word that best completes each comparison.

Proud is to humble as silence is to __________.

Possible Answers:

reverence

clamor

haughty

wasteful

overbearing

Correct answer:

clamor

Explanation:

"Proud" and "humble" are strong opposites, just as "silence" and "clamor" are antonyms.

Example Question #342 : Hspt Verbal Skills

Choose the word that best completes each comparison.

Unsure is to certain as enlightened is to __________.

Possible Answers:

ignorant

wise

deceitful

illuminated

noble

Correct answer:

ignorant

Explanation:

"Unsure" and "certain" are clearly antonyms; therefore the opposite of "enlightened" is "ignorant."

Example Question #211 : Analogies

Choose the word that best completes each comparison.

Disturbed is to pacific as troubled is to __________.

Possible Answers:

enraged

delinquent

tranquil

prudent

sarcastic

Correct answer:

tranquil

Explanation:

"Disturbed" and "troubled" are both antonyms of "pacific" and "tranquil."

Example Question #112 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.

Arid is to moist as fertile is to __________.

Possible Answers:

abundant

fetid

lush

barren

lurid

Correct answer:

barren

Explanation:

"Arid" and "moist" are antonyms; therefore the strongest opposite of "fertile" is "barren."

Example Question #212 : Analogies

Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.

Serene is to agitated as violent is to __________.

Possible Answers:

pacific

dessicated

uncontrollable

deadly

foreign

Correct answer:

pacific

Explanation:

"Serene" and "agitated" are opposites; therefore "violent" and "pacific" are antonyms.

Example Question #111 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.

Traditional is to irregular as occupied is to __________.

Possible Answers:

ghostly

oceanic

liberated

busy

fallow

Correct answer:

liberated

Explanation:

"Traditional" and "irregular" are strong antonyms; therefore "occupied" and "liberated" have opposite definitions.

Example Question #112 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Perfunctory is to thorough as hardy is to __________.

Possible Answers:

frail

strong

meaty

virulent

cancerous

Correct answer:

frail

Explanation:

When something is done in a “perfunctory” manner, it is done with little thought, meaning, and / or effort. For instance, someone could say, “Please do not give me a perfunctory phone call. If you want to talk to me call me. Otherwise, don’t even bother.” In comparison with “thorough,” we could consider the meaning of “perfunctory” as being used in the sense of  “doing with little effort.” This is the opposite of doing something in a thorough manner. Given the potential answers, this is best understood as an analogy that expresses a pair of antonyms. The word “hardy” is best opposed to “frail.” All of the other options are either distant synonyms or unrelated words that are only tempting if you over-think the question. Thus, we can say, “As something done in a perfunctory manner is not done in a thorough manner, so too is something that is hardy not frail.”

Example Question #113 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.

Tepid is to enthusiastic as formidable is to __________.

Possible Answers:

unimpressive

astounded

fortunate

informal

humanitarian

Correct answer:

unimpressive

Explanation:

"Tepid" and "enthusiastic" are strong antonyms, much like "formidable" and "unimpressive" are opposite in meaning.

Example Question #217 : Analogies

Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.

Astounded is to unimpressed as hopeful is to __________.

Possible Answers:

knowledgable

fortuitous

obscure

curious

desperate

Correct answer:

desperate

Explanation:

"Astounded" is the opposite of "unimpressed," much like "hopeful" and "desperate" are antonyms. 

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