SSAT Elementary Level Verbal : Analogies

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SSAT Elementary Level Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #231 : Analogies

Welcome is to excluded as prepared is to . . .

Possible Answers:

limited

ready

unready

burdened

beautiful

Correct answer:

unready

Explanation:

"Welcome," when used as an adjective, means "of a guest or new arrival: gladly received," and "excluded" is an adjective that means "deny (someone) access to or bar (someone) from a place, group, or privilege," so the two words are antonyms. That means that we need to pick out an answer choice that consists of two antonyms. "Ready" cannot be the correct answer, then, because "ready" is a synonym, not an antonym, of "prepared." "Unready," however, is an antonym of "prepared," just like "welcome" is an antonym of "excluded," so "unready" is the correct answer.

Example Question #231 : Analogies

Friend is to enemy as . . .

Possible Answers:

quiet is to silent

justice is to fairness

confidence is to shyness

ponder is to think

wriggle is to writhe

Correct answer:

confidence is to shyness

Explanation:

“Friend” and “enemy” are nouns that are opposites, or antonyms, so we need to pick out an answer choice that consists of two nouns which are also opposites. While “confidence is to shyness” and “justice is to fairness” might each look like a potentially correct answer, “justice” is a noun that means “the quality of being fair and reasonable,” so “justice” and “fairness” are synonyms, not antonyms, and “justice is to fairness” cannot be the correct answer. “Confidence,” however, is a noun that means “a feeling of self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of one’s own abilities or qualities,” while “shyness” is a noun that means “the quality of feeling nervous and uncomfortable about meeting and talking to people.” So, because “confidence” is an antonym of “shyness” just as “friend” is an antonym of “enemy,” “confidence is to shyness” is the correct answer.

Example Question #233 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Active is to inactive as amateur is to  __________. 

Possible Answers:

lazy 

income 

professional

taxes 

employed 

Correct answer:

professional

Explanation:

"Active" means energetic and lively and is an antonym of "inactive." To solve this analogy, you need to figure out the best available antonym of "amateur." Someone who is an "amateur" is not paid for their work, so the only acceptable antonym is “professional.” None of the other answer choices are antonyms of "amateur": "employed" means having a paid job, "income" is the money one earns by working; and "taxes" are the portion of money that the government takes from your income.

Example Question #2 : Antonyms

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Remember is to forget as prevent is to __________.

Possible Answers:

fix

enigmatic

allow

forbid

mysterious

Correct answer:

allow

Explanation:

"Remember" is an antonym of "forget." So, to solve this analogy, you have to figure out the best antonym of "prevent." "Prevent" means to stop someone from doing something, so the best antonym is “allow,” which means to let someone do something. To help you, "enigmatic" means mysterious, and "forbid" means the same thing as "prevent", or in other words, they are synonyms.

Example Question #232 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Cowardly is to brave as ignorant is to __________.

Possible Answers:

wise 

strong 

timid 

meek 

vulnerable 

Correct answer:

wise 

Explanation:

"Cowardly" is an antonym of "brave," so to solve this analogy, you have to figure out the best antonym of "ignorant." Someone who is "ignorant" is stupid, and does not know very much. The word that is the best opposite of "ignorant" is “wise,” which means very intelligent. To help you, "vulnerable" means in danger, and "timid" and "meek" both mean shy.

Example Question #233 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Happy is to sad as greedy is to __________.

Possible Answers:

smiling 

generous 

envious 

laughing 

jealous 

Correct answer:

generous 

Explanation:

"Happy" is the opposite of "sad," so to solve this analogy, you have to figure out which of these answer choices is an opposite of "greedy." To be greedy means selfish and keeping things for oneself instead of sharing them, so "generous" has the opposite meaning and is the correct answer. As for the other answer choices, "envious" and "jealous" both mean desiring something that belongs to someone else.

Example Question #234 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Dead is to alive as awake is to __________.

Possible Answers:

asleep 

lonely 

nighttime 

awaken 

daytime 

Correct answer:

asleep 

Explanation:

"Dead" is the opposite of "alive," so to solve this analogy, you have to figure out which of these answer choices is an opposite of "awake." The opposite of awake is “asleep," so "asleep" is the correct answer. For clarification, "lonely" is a feeling of sadness caused by being alone and desiring to be around other people.

Example Question #235 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Wet is to dry as hot is to __________.

Possible Answers:

cold 

boiling 

warm 

temperature

wetter

Correct answer:

cold 

Explanation:

"Wet" is the opposite of "dry," so "wet" and "dry" are antonyms. So, to solve this analogy, you have to figure out the best antonym of "hot." "Cold" is the answer choice that is the best opposite of "hot, "so "cold" is the correct answer. To help you, "warm" means slightly elevated in temperature, and "boiling" means very hot.

Example Question #236 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Easy is to difficult as attack is to __________.

Possible Answers:

allow 

pursue 

protect 

permit 

prohibit 

Correct answer:

protect 

Explanation:

"Easy" is an opposite, or antonym, of "difficult," so to solve this analogy, you have to figure out the best antonym of "attack." The answer is “protect.” To help you, "pursue" means to chase after, "permit" means allow, and "prohibit" means forbid or outlaw and is an antonym, or opposite, of "permit."

Example Question #237 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Up is to down as __________.

Possible Answers:

music is to headphones

ground is to sky

left is to right

cloud is to water

legend is to map

Correct answer:

left is to right

Explanation:

Up and down are polar opposite directions, just like left and right are, so "left is to right" is the correct answer.

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