All SSAT Elementary Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #11 : Changes In Intensity
Complete this analogy.
Pink is to red as __________.
reptile is to mammal
meal is to dessert
hard is to soft
warm is to hot
origin is to birth
warm is to hot
This analogy compares two terms where one is the more extreme form of the other. Red is higher than pink on a "gradient of redness," although the color pink exhibits characteristics of "redness." Likewise, hot is higher than warm on a "gradient of temperature," although the concept of warmth entails characteristics of heat.
Example Question #12 : Changes In Intensity
Complete this analogy.
Sad is to miserable as angry is to __________.
irritated
calm
furious
inactive
pious
furious
To be "miserable" means to be very sad, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of these answer choices is a more intense form of being "angry." The correct answer is therefore "furious," which means very angry. To provide further help, "inactive" means not active or not moving; "pious" means very religious; and "irritated" means annoyed or mildly angry.
Example Question #13 : Changes In Intensity
Complete this analogy.
Blue is to navy as red is to __________.
scarlet
purple
burgundy
orange
pink
burgundy
"Navy" is a darker version of the color blue, therefore the answer must be a darker version of the color red. That immediately eliminates "purple" and "orange." "Pink" is a lighter shade of red, so it is eliminated. "Scarlet" is a bright red, but it is not dark. The best choice is "burgundy," which is a dark shade of red.
Example Question #14 : Changes In Intensity
Complete the analogy.
Wet is to drenched as __________.
dry is to desert
tornado is to wind
step is to stair
upset is to angry
page is to book
upset is to angry
"Drenched" is a more intense version of "wet," just as "angry" is a more intense version of "upset." A "page" is a part of a "book" and a "step" is a part of a "stair," so those can be eliminated since they don't fit the type of analogy. While a "desert" is very "dry," it is not a more intense version of the same word. If "tornado" and "wind" were reversed and read "wind is to tornado," this analogy would work. As it is written, however, it is the opposite of the first pair.
Example Question #15 : Changes In Intensity
Analogies: Complete this analogy.
Cry is to sob as walk is to __________.
work
run
pause
joke
sit
run
To "sob" is to cry intensely, to cry for a long time. "Sob" is therefore a more intense version of the word "cry." To solve this analogy you need to consider which one of these words represents a more intense version of "walk," and the correct answer is obviously "run."
Example Question #16 : Changes In Intensity
Pretty is to exquisite as ugly is to __________.
attractive
grotesque
plain
similar
safe
grotesque
"Pretty" and "exquisite" are synonyms, but the relationship is one of a heightened degree. Something that is exquisite is very pretty. Likewise, "grotesque" refers to something that is very ugly.
Example Question #17 : Changes In Intensity
Complete this analogy.
Cottage is to house as sapling is to __________.
person
store
train
mountain
tree
tree
A "cottage" is a small, usually rural, house. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine what a "sapling" is a smaller version of. The correct answer is that a "sapling" is a small "tree."
Example Question #18 : Changes In Intensity
Complete the analogy.
Clean is to spotless as ______________.
dirty is to filthy
pen is to writing
trashcan is to trash
laundry is to washer
mop is to floor
dirty is to filthy
To complete the analogy, you must determine the relationship between the first two words. "Clean" and "spotless" are synonyms of increasing intensity, so the answer must be two synonyms of increasing intensity. "Filthy" is a more intense version of dirty, so that must be the correct answer.
Example Question #19 : Changes In Intensity
Complete the analogy.
Wet is to soaked as _______________.
yellow is to green
desert is to barren
ocean is to beach
car is to carwash
dry is to arid
dry is to arid
What is the relationship between the given words? "Wet" and "soaked" are synonyms of increasing intensity, so the answer must be two synonyms of increasing intensity. "Arid" is a more intense version of dry, so that must be the correct answer.
Example Question #20 : Changes In Intensity
Complete this analogy.
Strong is to strongest as ___________________.
weak is to weaker
quiet is to whisper
loud is to loudest
bright is to light
tough is to inflexible
loud is to loudest
Since strongest is the greatest intensity of the word "strong," we are looking for an answer choice that has one word (e.g., strong) and the other word functions as the greatest intensity of that first word (e.g., strongest). The only answer choice that fits this criterion is "Loud is to loudest."
"Weak is to weaker" is not the best answer choice because weaker is not the greatest intensity of the word "weak," weakest would make this answer choice correct.
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