SSAT Elementary Level Verbal : Changes in Intensity

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

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Example Questions

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Example Question #1 : Changes In Intensity

Analogies: Complete this analogy. 

Happy is to overjoyed as rain is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Downpour 

Tide 

Snow 

Gosling 

Leash 

Correct answer:

Downpour 

Explanation:

“Happy” and “overjoyed” are similar in meaning, but "overjoyed" is a more extreme form of "happy." “Rain” and “downpour” are also similar in meaning, but "downpour" is a more extreme form of "rain." To further help you, “gosling” is a baby goose; “leash” means tether or restraint; "tide" is the rise and fall of the ocean

Example Question #283 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Big is to gigantic as __________.

Possible Answers:

weekend is to Saturday

small is to minuscule

shiny is to dull

hardy is to weak

progressive is to regressive

Correct answer:

small is to minuscule

Explanation:

Since "gigantic" means "of very great size or extent; huge or enormous," we can think of it as meaning "really big." So, we need to pick out an answer choice in which the first word is an adjective, and the second word is an adjective that is a more extreme version of the first one. While "hardy is to weak" may look like a potentially correct answer, "hardy" actually means "robust; capable of enduring difficult conditions," so "hardy" is actually an opposite of "weak," and we're looking for two words with similar meanings. Since "minuscule" means "extremely small; tiny," "small is to minuscule" is the correct answer, because just like "gigantic" is a more extreme version of "big," "minuscule" is a more extreme version of "small."

Example Question #2 : Changes In Intensity

Complete this analogy.

Warm is to hot as cool is to __________.

Possible Answers:

heat

cold

ice

breeze

fire

Correct answer:

cold

Explanation:

"Warm" is a less intense version of "hot," so our answer should be a more intense version of "cool." "Cold" is thus the correct answer.

Example Question #3 : Changes In Intensity

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Red is to pink as black is to __________.

Possible Answers:

orange

yellow

grey

burgundy

white

Correct answer:

grey

Explanation:

The color "pink" is a lighter version of the color "red," just as the color "grey" is a lighter version of the color "black." Or, another way to think of this is that if you mix white paint with red paint, you get pink paint, and if you mix white paint with black paint, you get grey paint. Considering incorrect answers, "white" is the opposite of black, and not just simply a lighter version of the color. Furthermore, black and white are traditionally considered to be opposites, whereas red and pink are not, so "white" cannot be the correct answer. "Yellow" and "orange" are not lighter or darker versions of black. "Burgundy" may be appealing as it is a dark shade of red, but that is not the relation being asked for in this question.

Example Question #4 : Changes In Intensity

Complete this analogy.

Dim is to dark as __________.

Possible Answers:

cool is to cold

white is to light

wet is to water

calm is to serene

black is to night

Correct answer:

cool is to cold

Explanation:

"Dark" is a more extreme degree of dim. "Cold" is a more extreme degree of cool.

Example Question #5 : Changes In Intensity

Complete this analogy.

Gross is to disgusting as sad is to __________.

Possible Answers:

troubling

mediocre

depressing

happy

maleficent

Correct answer:

depressing

Explanation:

"Gross" and "disgusting" are synonyms, so we are looking for an answer choice that is a synonym of "sad." The best answer choice is "depressing."

Example Question #6 : Changes In Intensity

Complete this analogy.

Flurries are to blizzard as __________.

Possible Answers:

clouds are to sun

insertion is to deletion

pound is to ounce

drizzle is to downpour 

sprinkling is to barren

Correct answer:

drizzle is to downpour 

Explanation:

Both "flurries" and "blizzard" describe amounts of snow that falls, with "flurries" being another word for snowflakes, and thus a little snow, and "blizzard" being a large snowstorm, so a lot of snow. So, we need to look for an answer choice with the first word describing a small amount of something and the second word describing a larger amount of something. Thus, the best answer choice is "drizzle is to downpour," because a "drizzle" describes a small amount of rain, while a downpour describes an episode of very heavy rain.

Example Question #7 : Changes In Intensity

Complete this analogy.

Happy is to elated as __________.

Possible Answers:

disgusted is to engrossed

surprised is to papyrus

confused is to pompous

angry is to furious

sad is to trite

Correct answer:

angry is to furious

Explanation:

"Elated," which means ecstatically happy, is a more intense form of the general emotion, "happy." We are looking for an answer in which the first word is an emotion and the second word is a more intense form of that emotion; thus, the best answer choice is "angry is to furious," because "furious" means extremely angry.

Example Question #8 : Changes In Intensity

Complete this analogy.

Pond is to lake as hill is to __________

Possible Answers:

river 

mountain 

plateau 

forest 

cave 

Correct answer:

mountain 

Explanation:

A “pond” is a small body of fresh water and a “lake” is a large body of fresh water, so you could determine that a “lake” is essentially a large version of a “pond.” Therefore, to solve this analogy, you need to determine which of these answer choices is a large version of a “hill.” The correct answer is a “mountain.” To provide further help, a “plateau” is an area of land elevated above sea-level, but flat, not like a mountainous or hilly region.

Example Question #9 : Changes In Intensity

Complete this analogy.

Mild is to extreme as __________.

Possible Answers:

temperature is to thermometer

median is to mean

rose is to red

average is to large

horses are to pasture

Correct answer:

average is to large

Explanation:

This analogy compares degrees of magnitude, with the first term being "mild," meaning low in intensity or gentle. The second term is "extreme," which can mean intense. The only answer choice that follows this pattern is "average is to large."

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