SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Determining Meaning from Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #31 : Suffixes From Latin

Complete this analogy.

Falsify is to deceive as magnify is to __________.

Possible Answers:

diminish 

enlarge 

reduce 

grant 

achieve 

Correct answer:

enlarge 

Explanation:

The prefix "fall-" or "fals-" means having to do with lying, deception and dishonesty, and the prefix "mag-" means having to do with largeness and grandness. “Falsify” means change something in order to deceive, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine how “magnify” changes something. The correct answer is that “magnify” means make bigger or make appear bigger; just think of what a "magnifying glass" does. "Enlarge" also means make bigger, so "enlarge" is the correct answer. As for the other answer choices, “diminish” means make smaller, as does “reduce," and “grant” means give.

Example Question #32 : Suffixes From Latin

Analogies: Fill in the blank(s) to complete this analogy. 

Dysfunctional is to inability as cosmopolitan is to __________

Possible Answers:

worldly

feral 

innate

focused

perilous

Correct answer:

worldly

Explanation:

The prefixes dys- and in- carry negative meanings that take their words and cause them to mean the opposite. So “dysfunctional” means not working, and “inability” means lack of ability. Something that has an “inability” to do something is also “dysfunctional,” so these terms are loosely synonyms. To solve this analogy then you need to determine which word is closest in meaning to “cosmopolitan.” “Cosmopolitan” means international, exhibiting cultural diversity or knowledge; therefore the best answer choice is “worldly.” To provide further help, “innate” means natural; “focused” means not distracted; “feral” means wild; “perilous” means dangerous

Example Question #1 : Suffixes From Greek

Complete this analogy.

Anglophobia is to English as Francophobia is to __________.

Possible Answers:

French 

Spanish 

Scottish 

Finnish 

Italian 

Correct answer:

French 

Explanation:

The prefix ­"anglo-" means of or related to the English; the prefix "franco-" means of or related to the French. The suffix "–phobia" means fear. So "Anglophobia" is the fear of English people and "Francophobia" is the fear of French people.

Example Question #1 : Suffixes From Greek

Complete this analogy.

Sinophobe is to China as Francophobe is to ­__________.

Possible Answers:

love 

Chinese 

France 

fear

French 

Correct answer:

France 

Explanation:

The suffix, -phobe, (or -phobia), means fear, and the prefix, Sino-, means related to China or the Chinese. So a "Sinophobe" is someone who is afraid of China; in order to solve this analogy you have to determine which country a "Francophobe" is afraid of. The correct answer is “France.” The prefix, Franco-, means related to France or the French.

Example Question #2 : Suffixes From Greek

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Triskaidekaphobia is to thirteen as heliophobia is to __________.

Possible Answers:

animals 

spiders 

loneliness

sunlight 

darkness 

Correct answer:

sunlight 

Explanation:

Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number thirteen. The suffix "-phobia" describes a fear. So, to solve this analogy, you have to determine what "heliophobia" is the fear of. The correct answer is “sunlight,” as you may have determined from the prefix "helio-," which means related to the sun or sunlight and is found in other words like "heliocentric" (having the sun at the center, used to describe the modern view of the solar system). 

Example Question #3 : Suffixes From Greek

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Arachnophobia is to spiders as agoraphobia is to __________.

Possible Answers:

darkness

heights 

public spaces 

farm animals

bees

Correct answer:

public spaces 

Explanation:

The suffix "-phobia" means a fear of and the word "arachnid" is the Latin term for the biological family containing spiders, so “arachnophobia” is a fear of spiders. To solve this analogy, you have to determine what “agoraphobia” is the fear of. The correct answer is “public spaces,” as the prefix ­"agor-" means related to outside or open spaces. To help you remember this prefix, just think of an "agora," an open-air public space found in an ancient Greek city.

Example Question #41 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Agrizoophobia is to wild animals as dementophobia is to __________.

Possible Answers:

normality 

adolescence

insanity 

modernity

reality 

Correct answer:

insanity 

Explanation:

The suffix "phobia" means fear of, and the word fragment "zoo" means related to animals, so “agrizoophobia” means fear of wild animals. The prefix "dement-" means related to insanity or the loss of mental capabilities, as seen in words like “dementia” or “demented.” Someone who suffers from “dementophobia” can thus be said to be suffering from fear of insanity.

Example Question #6 : Suffixes From Greek

Analogies: Fill in the blank(s) to complete this analogy. 

Chronophobia is to time as panphobia is to __________.

Possible Answers:

nothing 

space 

breakfast 

everything 

sleep 

Correct answer:

everything 

Explanation:

The suffix -phobia means related to a fear, and the prefix chrono- means time so “chronophobia” means fear of time, or fear of the passage of time. To solve this analogy you therefore need to determine what “panphobia” is the fear of. The prefix pan- means everything, everywhere, so the word “panphobia” means fear of everything.

Example Question #7 : Suffixes From Greek

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Ergophobia is to work as arachnophobia is to __________.

Possible Answers:

insects

fire

loneliness

spiders

flying

Correct answer:

spiders

Explanation:

The suffix -phobia means related to fear, and the prefix ergo- means related to work, so “ergophobia” is a fear of work. To solve this analogy you need to determine what “arachnophobia” is the fear of. The prefix arach- means related to spiders, so the correct answer is fear of “spiders.”

Example Question #8 : Suffixes From Greek

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Ecclesiophobia is to church as pharmaphobia is to __________

Possible Answers:

Knowledge

Drugs

Politics 

People

Teenagers

Correct answer:

Drugs

Explanation:

The suffix "-phobia" means fear of. The root "ecclesi" means related to Christianity and its church, as seen in “ecclesiastical,” so “ecclesiophobia” is fear of the Christian church. To solve this analogy, you have to determine what "pharmaphobia" is a fear of. You may notice that "pharma" is also contained in the word "pharmacy," which is a place where you purchase drugs. The root "pharma" means related to drugs or medicine, and "pharmaphobia" is the fear of drugs.

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