SSAT Elementary Level Verbal : Analogies

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #581 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Trudge is to slow as sprint is to __________.

Possible Answers:

slower 

dash

fast

start 

stop 

Correct answer:

fast

Explanation:

If you "trudge," it means you walk slowly, so you need to pick out an answer choice that describes your speed when you "sprint." If you sprint, it means that you run very quickly, so as trudged is to slow, sprinted is to “fast.”

Example Question #582 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Plug is to socket as __________.

Possible Answers:

key is to lock

foot is to yard

pie is to slice

shards are to glass

peanut butter is to chocolate

Correct answer:

key is to lock

Explanation:

Plugs fit into sockets, so we are looking for an answer in which the first word fits into the second word; thus, the best answer choice is "key is to lock," because a key fits into a lock.

Example Question #583 : Analogies

Basketball is to hoop as __________.

Possible Answers:

baseball is to sport

tennis is to racket

pool is to swimming

field is to football

game is to play

Correct answer:

tennis is to racket

Explanation:

Since you use a hoop to play basketball, we need to pick out another pair of words in which the second word describes something that you use to play the game that the first word describes. While "tennis" and "baseball" are each sports, "catch" is not something you use to play baseball—it can't be, as it's not a noun. "Racket," however, is something that you use to play tennis, so "tennis is to racket" is the correct answer.

Example Question #584 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Cat is to walking as fish is to __________.

Possible Answers:

ocean

shark 

fishing 

swimming 

drowning 

Correct answer:

swimming 

Explanation:

“Walking” is an action undertaken by a cat when it wants to get from one place to another. To solve this analogy, you need to figure out how a fish moves from one place to another. The correct answer is “swimming.” The key to solving analogy questions is to figure out the relationship between the first two words and then use that same relationship to figure out the missing word.

Example Question #581 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Priest is to preaching as professor is to __________.

Possible Answers:

church 

thinking 

university 

clergy 

teaching 

Correct answer:

teaching 

Explanation:

A “priest” is a religious leader, and someone who would be likely to be “preaching.” “Preaching” means speaking forcefully and giving advice on how to live one’s life. To solve this analogy, you need to figure out which of these answer choices is an action associated with being a “professor.” A “professor” is a well-educated teacher who works at a university, so you can assume that a “professor” is associated with “teaching.” To provide further help, “clergy” is a name for the group of all priests considered together, particularly in Christianity.

Example Question #582 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Student is to learn as teacher is to __________.

Possible Answers:

school

lesson

instruct

profession

class

Correct answer:

instruct

Explanation:

Students learn, so you need to pick out an answer choice that is a verb and describes what teachers do. Teachers "instruct," which means teach, so "instruct" is the correct answer. While the other answer choices are all words that you might use when talking about teachers and students, none of them are verbs, and because "learn" is a verb, we know that the word that goes in the blank needs to also be a verb. The incorrect answer choices are all nouns.

Example Question #583 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Oral is to mouth as nasal is to __________.

Possible Answers:

nose 

mouthwash 

clean 

ears

teeth 

Correct answer:

nose 

Explanation:

"Oral" is an adjective that means related to the mouth. To solve this analogy you need to pick out a noun that relates to the adjective "nasal." The correct answer is “nose," because "nasal" means related to the nose.

Example Question #587 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Syrup is to pancakes as __________.

Possible Answers:

icing is to cake

milk is to pasta

sour cream is to chocolate

ketchup is to mustard

egg is to egg whites

Correct answer:

icing is to cake

Explanation:

Syrup is commonly put on top of pancakes, so we are looking for an answer in which the first word is a popular topping put on the second word. Thus, the best answer choice is "icing is to cake" because many cakes have icing on them!

Example Question #588 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Blue is to green as __________.

Possible Answers:

gray is to white

brown is to black

purple is to blue

red is to orange

red is to yellow

Correct answer:

red is to orange

Explanation:

Blue is a component color of green. (Green is created with a combination of blue and yellow.) Thus, the correct answer would be one in which the first word is a color that when combined with the color yellow, results in the second color. 

When red is combined with yellow, the resulting color is orange. Therefore, "red is to orange" is the correct answer.

Example Question #584 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Tadpole is to frog as __________.

Possible Answers:

imagination is to creativity

addition is to division

paper is to drawing

water is to pool

batter is to cake

Correct answer:

batter is to cake

Explanation:

In this problem, a tadpole is the stage that a frog is in before it becomes a frog. Similarly, batter is the stage that a cake is in before it becomes a cake. While a tadpole must grown and develop, a cake must bake. In both cases, there is a developmental stage that has to happen between each of the two pairs of words. 

A tempting wrong answer is "addition is to division." While division is more complex than addition, there is not a stage of growth causes addition to become division.

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