HSPT Verbal : HSPT Verbal Skills

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #451 : Hspt Verbal Skills

Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.

Minerals are to mine as timber is to __________.

Possible Answers:

chainsaw

lumber

construction

forest

wooden

Correct answer:

forest

Explanation:

"Minerals" are extraceted from a "mine," much like "timber" is extracted from a "forest."

Example Question #451 : Hspt Verbal Skills

Choose the word that best completes each comparison.

Ivory is to elephants as pearl is to __________.

Possible Answers:

necklace

crystal

ocean

jewelry

oysters

Correct answer:

oysters

Explanation:

"Ivory" is a precious material that comes from "elephants," just as valuable "pearls" come from "oysters.

Example Question #452 : Hspt Verbal Skills

Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.

Orchard is to apples as vineyard is to __________.

Possible Answers:

farmers

wine

grapes

trees

oranges

Correct answer:

grapes

Explanation:

"Orchards" are the place where "apples" are grown; therefore "vineyards" are where "grapes" are grown.

Example Question #453 : Hspt Verbal Skills

Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.

Ore is to steel as sap is to __________.

Possible Answers:

rubber

famous

gelatinous

tree

sticky

Correct answer:

rubber

Explanation:

"Steel" is made of raw "ore," just as "rubber" is made from "sap."

Example Question #4 : Product And Producer

Complete this analogy.

Painter is to portrait as composer is to __________.

Possible Answers:

trumpets

musician

euphonious

instrument

symphony

Correct answer:

symphony

Explanation:

In days past, a portrait would be painted by a painter. It was the thing created by the painter; therefore, this analogy is one of “maker to thing made,” as though to say, “As the painter makes a portrait, so a composer makes X.” Among the options provided, only “symphony” describes what a composer would make. He would write the musical score for the symphony, which can just be called “a symphony” indicating the musical score itself.

Example Question #5 : Product And Producer

Complete this analogy.

Scribe is to manuscript as cobbler is to __________.

Possible Answers:

shoe

repairman

pastry

baker

pie

Correct answer:

shoe

Explanation:

A scribe is a person who writes a text by hand. The word “scribe” is not only related to the “script” found in “manuscript” but also to “scribble,” “ascribe,” and “inscribe.” It comes from the Latin for to write. The analogy could be read, “As a scribe works on a manuscript, so a cobbler works on X.” The only option here is “shoe,” for the other words are attempting to have you think of a simple synonym for the dessert known as “cobbler” or a description of a cobbler as a repairman. Although we generally say that scribes produce manuscripts and that cobblers merely repair shoes, the analogy does hold when we use the broader sense noted above, namely that of “working on.”

Example Question #454 : Hspt Verbal Skills

Ruler is to measure as wrench is to 

Possible Answers:

tighten

break

tool

length

Correct answer:

tighten

Explanation:

A ruler is a tool that allows you to measure.  So we must look at the second part as "wrench is a tool that allows you to _____". The main purpose of a wrench is to tighten or loosen nuts and bolts.  So either tighten or loosen would be correct answers, and tighten is the only word present here.

Example Question #455 : Hspt Verbal Skills

"Knife" is to "cut" as "pencil" is to __________.

Possible Answers:

instrument

paper

writer

write

graphite

Correct answer:

write

Explanation:

The sense of this analogy is that as a knife is used for cutting, so a pencil is used for writing. The other options are wrong for a number of reasons. Graphite is what allows the pencil to write, not the act one does with the pencil. The pencil is an instrument, but that doesn’t describe the action. Not even “writer” is appropriate, for that would describe who would use the pencil, not what one does with it. Finally, paper is that upon which you write, not the actually act itself.

Example Question #456 : Hspt Verbal Skills

"Vehicle" is to "transport" as "tractor" is to __________.

Possible Answers:

trailer

haul

fields

crops

agriculture

Correct answer:

haul

Explanation:

Since it is safe to say that the general purpose of a vehicle is to transport things, we can say that the general purpose of a tractor is to haul. Now, you might think of the general uses and location of tractors on agricultural lands and become confused. First, note that the word “tractor” comes from Latin roots meaning “to pull” or “drag.” To “extract” something is to “pull it out.” None of the other words describe an action performed by a tractor. Certainly tractors are used in fields, to haul crops, in agricultural activity, and often have trailers attached. However, none of these words are verbs or directly descriptive of action.

Example Question #457 : Hspt Verbal Skills

"Vault" is to "protect" as "icebox" is to __________.

Possible Answers:

spoilage

meat

basement

chilling

food

Correct answer:

chilling

Explanation:

The purpose of a vault is to protect items, so the analogy implies that we need to pick the best description of the purpose of an icebox. The best option here is “chilling,” for that describes the actual thing “done” in or by iceboxes. While they are used to protect food and prevent spoilage, neither of these options describe the actual purpose of the box. Perhaps if the word “preserve” were an option, it would be difficult to choose between chilling and preserving. This is not an issue here, as no other action is offered as a potential answer.

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