Qualities, Abilities, and Other Analogies - HSPT Language Skills

The cardiologist is a specialist at studying the heart. The word itself as a root for “heart” in it—namely, “card-.” A “cardiac arrest” occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating. An “ecologist” is one who studies the environment, generally speaking. An ecosystem, for example, is the whole system of organisms and material environment in a given area. While each of the other options are part of the environment and animals therein, none of them is equivalent to the environment in general.

A musician performs a concert, so the answer must be something that a dancer performs. While you might think that “gyration” would work, this is a specific action, not a type of event (like concert). Thus, “ballet” is the best answer for this. Even though all dancers do not necessarily perform ballets, this option alone establishes a parallel with dancer in a manner similar to the relationship between musician and concert.

"Cardiovascular" is a medical term relating to the "heart," just as "pulmonary" refers to the "lungs."

"Stubborn" and "hardheaded" are both synonyms, just as "laid-back" and "easygoing" mean the same thing.

"Alabaster" is often used to describe "white," just as "jet" is often used to describe "black."

A "river" is filled with "fresh" water whereas an ocean is filled with "saline" (or salty) water.

"Ice" is a "solid," just as "vapor" is a "gas."

This analogy is relatively simple, all you have to note is that “cold” describes ice. Thus, you are looking for something that describes the sun. All of the incorrect options are related to the “location” of the sun (i.e. “in” the sky) or when it is in the sky (“morning,” “daytime,” “diurnal”). None of these pertain to a description of the sun itself. Though simple, the best option is “bright.”

“Intelligent” is ideally a description that applies to a scholar—one who studies a given topic with great learning and depth. Thus, the analogy requires that you select an answer that describes a craftsman. A craftsman is a person like a tailor, a baker, etc, who has a skill in some particular trade. Thus, the best option among those provided is “skilled.” The others name types of craftsmen and do not give a general description that applies to the notion of craftsman. The option “technique” describes what the craftsman is said to “have.” It is not, however, a descriptive adjective applicable to craftsmen in general.

An athlete can be described as being “fit,” that is being “in shape.” Thus, this analogy is looking for a word that would adequately describe a coward. This is not necessarily a synonym as much as it is a descriptive adjective. Among the options provided, it might be that a coward is unreliable or perhaps, for some ethicists at least, vicious (in the sense of having a vice); however, the only option that really describes the coward as a coward is “fearful.”

A saint is a person who is considered holy by some group. The word comes from the Latin “sanctus” meaning “consecrated,” “sacred,” or “holy.” The word “sanctify” means “to make holy.” Thus, the analogy is one of description, as though to say, “As a saint can properly be said to be holy, so a daredevil can be said to be X.” Now, the options “idiotic” and “insane” really import an additional judgment regarding the prudence of such daring people. They aren’t completely proper to the notion of being a daredevil (even if they do apply to some degree). “Stuntman” is a synonym, not a description. Thus, the best option is “fearless,” for a “daredevil” is so called because he or she dares to do quite fearful things.

The word “credence” means belief in the truth of something. If someone is "trustworthy," we are likely to give credence to his or her words or claims. Something "malicious" is evil or ill-intentioned and harmful. Such a thing or person deserves to be feared, which adequately fulfills the parallel for this analogy.

A virgin is someone who has never had sexual intercourse. If this is by choice, such a person is characteristically chaste. Thus, the analogy requires that you look for a characteristic that could be applied to a criminal. Among those mentioned, you could consider any of the options, but the only one that covers the situation most generally is “iniquitous.” A criminal has done something wrong, and an iniquity is a sin or wrongdoing; therefore, the best characteristic term among those provided is “iniquitous.” A criminal can get away with a lot and not be caught, and not all criminal actions are done in a slinking way; however, inasmuch as they are criminal, they are wrong, and hence, iniquitous. (This presumes, of course, that they are true crimes—as Thomas Aquinas said, an unjust law is no law at all. This, however, is not our concern! Take the simple case of someone who is justly called a criminal).

Congestion is the state of being blocked. The word is often used to describe traffic that has slowed because of the number of cars in a given area. It is likewise used to describe when one’s nose / air passages are filled with fluid or mucus. To be “obstructed” means “to be blocked.” Thus, we could say, “As congestion is by its nature obstructed, so is a cascade X.” A cascade is either a small type of waterfall or any type of continuous passing on of material or information. Thus, a cascade by its nature is something flowing.

A desperado is a person who is completely desperate—hence the name—an therefore likely criminal and reckless in action. Having no hope, such a person will do anything to further his station. The option “reckless” describes a character trait of a desperado, so the analogy requires that you select a character trait for a puritan. Since the term is not being used with a capital “P,” it here means merely someone who is very strict and rigid in morality. This may often have been the case with the Puritans in early America, but they are no longer among us. Still, the term lives on. Such “puritanical” people are “abstemious,” that is, they abstain or do not indulge in many pleasures.

Something “frivolous” is not serious, and when applied to a person, the term can mean carefree. Frivolous pleasures are really shallow, inconsequential pleasures. Thus, we could say, “Just as frivolity is shallow, so is gravity X.” Although “gravity” is often used in the sense of a physical force, it can likewise mean “weighty” in a metaphorical sense, as in “a grave, important manner.” Someone who has gravity (or as is often said in the media, “gravitas”) has a certain solemnity—or, “is solemn.”

A heap is merely a jumbled and disorganized pile of items. It has no unity or order. Thus, our analogy could be written, “As a heap is characterized by being jumbled, so is a system characterized by being X.” Generally speaking, a system is an interconnected whole, organized and ordered in a careful manner according to rules or laws. Such a thing is fairly characterized as being organized, which is the best answer among those provided.

When someone “intuits” something, he or she understands or sees it instinctively; however, such a person cannot often provide a complete defense for what has been intuited. It is like a type of “hunch” that instinctually sees a truth or answer. Thus, the analogy could be expressed, “As an intuition is instinctive in character, so is something procedural X.” Something procedural is quite unlike something intuitive. While something intuitive “cuts through” to the heart of some matter, something procedural follows step by step to the goal—like a careful procedure. This could be called plodding—at least that is the best option for this analogy.

When someone libels another person, he or she tells an untruth regarding that person (generally intending to ruin that other person’s reputation). The analogy could be written, “As a libel expresses an untruth, so a report expresses X.” The only answer that makes sense for “report” in this case is “data,” for this would be an object like “untruth” is with regard to libel.

A lunatic is someone crazy, and such a person’s actions could be called “lunacy.” The word means “the state of being crazy.” Surprisingly, perhaps, the word comes from the same base as does the word “lunar,” namely from the Latin for “moon.” It was believed that the personalities / attitudes of lunatics varied with the moon. Hence, they were given this name. The analogy could be rewritten, “As lunacy is generally insane behavior, so is maturity a state of X behavior.” Someone who is mature sees the world in a level-headed and generally wise manner. Such a person could be called “sensible,” that is “wise or prudent.”