All SSAT Elementary Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Changes In Intensity
Analogies: Complete this analogy.
Happy is to overjoyed as rain is to __________.
Snow
Downpour
Tide
Leash
Gosling
Downpour
“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 #1 : Changes In Intensity
Complete this analogy.
Big is to gigantic as __________.
shiny is to dull
small is to minuscule
weekend is to Saturday
hardy is to weak
progressive is to regressive
small is to minuscule
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 __________.
fire
cold
ice
breeze
heat
cold
"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 __________.
burgundy
white
yellow
orange
grey
grey
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 __________.
white is to light
cool is to cold
calm is to serene
black is to night
wet is to water
cool is to cold
"Dark" is a more extreme degree of dim. "Cold" is a more extreme degree of cool.
Example Question #181 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity
Complete this analogy.
Gross is to disgusting as sad is to __________.
troubling
happy
mediocre
depressing
maleficent
depressing
"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 #5 : Changes In Intensity
Complete this analogy.
Flurries are to blizzard as __________.
clouds are to sun
pound is to ounce
insertion is to deletion
drizzle is to downpour
sprinkling is to barren
drizzle is to downpour
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 #6 : Changes In Intensity
Complete this analogy.
Happy is to elated as __________.
surprised is to papyrus
confused is to pompous
sad is to trite
angry is to furious
disgusted is to engrossed
angry is to furious
"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 #7 : Changes In Intensity
Complete this analogy.
Pond is to lake as hill is to __________.
forest
cave
mountain
river
plateau
mountain
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 #185 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity
Complete this analogy.
Mild is to extreme as __________.
average is to large
horses are to pasture
temperature is to thermometer
median is to mean
rose is to red
average is to large
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."