SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Determining Meaning from Type of Relationship

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #311 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Crafty is to guileless as inexplicable is to __________.

Possible Answers:

straightforward 

irritating 

peculiar 

terrific 

boring 

Correct answer:

straightforward 

Explanation:

Someone who is "crafty" is sneaking and cunning, whereas someone who is "guileless" is someone lacking guile or cunning. They are antonyms of one another, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine the best antonym of "inexplicable." "Inexplicable" means unable to be explained or complicated, and is an antonym of “straightforward," which means not complicatedplain, or easily understood. For clarification, "peculiar" means weird or strange, and "irritating" means annoying.

Example Question #312 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Sane is to crazy as fitting is to ___________.

Possible Answers:

absolute 

appalling

inappropriate 

justifiable

prodigious

Correct answer:

inappropriate 

Explanation:

"Crazy" means insane,and as such, is an antonym of "sane." To solve this analogy, you have to find the best available antonym of "fitting." "Fitting" means appropriate, so the best antonym is “inappropriate.” For clarification, "prodigious" means very large or very serious, "justifiable" means defensible, and "appalling" means dreadful or atrocious.

Example Question #231 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Vengeful is to forgiving as unkind is to ___________.

Possible Answers:

dogmatic 

covert

warm-hearted 

self-assured

untimely 

Correct answer:

warm-hearted 

Explanation:

"Vengeful" means seeking vengeance and is an antonym of "forgiving," which means merciful or lenient. To solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the answer choices is the best antonym of "unkind." The correct answer is “warm-hearted,” which means kind and affectionate. For clarification, "self-assured" means confident, "dogmatic" means doctrinaire or believing one's opinions to be both true and unable to be contradicted, "covert" means hidden or sneaky, and "untimely" refers to something that occurs at a bad time.

Example Question #231 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Saintly is to impious as tame is to ___________.

Possible Answers:

erratic 

berate 

castigate 

feral

effusive 

Correct answer:

feral

Explanation:

Saintly means religious or pious, and as such, is an antonym of "impious," which means not pious, as you may have been able to infer from the word's use of the negative prefix "im-," which means not. To solve this analogy, you have to determine the best antonym of "tame." "Tame" means domesticated, so "feral," which means living in the wild, especially after being previously domesticated is the correct answer. For clarification, "erratic" means unpredictable or unreliable, "effusive" means talkative or fulsome, and "berate" and "castigate" both mean to scold or to tell-off.

Example Question #234 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Tardy is to early as industrious is to __________.

Possible Answers:

guilty 

jolly 

virulent

lazy 

deadly

Correct answer:

lazy 

Explanation:

"Tardy" means late and as such is an antonym of "early." To solve this analogy, you have to determine the best available antonym of "industrious." "Industrious" means hard-working, so the best antonym is “lazy.” For clarification, "jolly" means happy or good-humored, and "virulent" means strong or powerful.

Example Question #235 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Demonstrative is to stoic as trivial is to __________.

Possible Answers:

unique 

important 

unknown

lacking 

deficient 

Correct answer:

important 

Explanation:

Demonstrative can mean indicative, or expressing emotions, and as such is an antonym of "stoic," which means not expressing emotions. To solve this analogy, you have to identify which of the answer choices is the best antonym of "trivial." "Trivial" means insignificant or not important, so the best antonym is “important.” For clarification, "deficient" means lacking, and "unique" means original.

Example Question #236 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Prudent is to foolish as frivolous is to __________.

Possible Answers:

sensible

momentous

incidental

foolish

comedic

Correct answer:

sensible

Explanation:

"Prudent" and "foolish" are antonyms. (Prudent means using good judgement.) Therefore, you are looking for an antonym of "frivolous" or a synonym of "prudent." "Sensible" fits! None of the other answer selections work.

Example Question #237 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Garner is to scatter as confiscate is to __________.

Possible Answers:

skiing

commandeer

return

sedative

outdoors

Correct answer:

return

Explanation:

“Garner” means to gather or collect. "Scatter” means to spread out and is the opposite of “garner.” If you “confiscate” something, you take something away, especially as punishment. The opposite of this would be to “return” something that you took. To clarify, “commandeer” is similar in meaning to “confiscate” and means taking over something large, like a vehicle or building, using force; a “sedative” is a medicine or drug which makes you calm or sleepy.

Example Question #238 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Muster is to demobilize as camp is to __________.

Possible Answers:

tent

cabin

mountain

decamp

fancy

Correct answer:

decamp

Explanation:

If you “muster” or rally troops, you gather them together and mobilize them for battle. If you “demobilize” troops you relieve them of their duties. So you need to look for the antonym of “camp.” If you “decamp” then you break camp which is the opposite of “to camp” or setting up camp. A “tent” is a part of a camp and can be seen as different to a “cabin” but these answers do not fulfil the analogy. “Fancy” means expensive or posh.

Example Question #239 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity

Complete this analogy.

Angular is to rounded as __________.

Possible Answers:

sweet is to dessert

archaic is to old

proud is to ashamed

formulaic is to clichéd

frozen is to ice

Correct answer:

proud is to ashamed

Explanation:

“Angular” is an adjective that refers to an object, outline, or shape, and means “having angles or sharp corners,” while “rounded” is an adjective that means “having a smooth, curved surface.” So, “angular” and “rounded” are antonyms, and we need to pick out an answer choice that also consists of a pair of antonyms. While “proud is to ashamed,” “archaic is to ancient,” and “formulaic is to conventional” might each look like a potentially correct answer, “formulaic” can mean “produced in accordance with a slavishly followed rule or style; predictable” and “clichéd” means “showing a lack of originality; based on frequently repeated phrases or opinions,” making the two words synonyms, not antonyms. So, “formulaic is to clichéd” cannot be the correct answer. Similarly, “archaic” is an adjective that means “very old or old-fashioned,” so it is a synonym, not an antonym, of “old,” and “archaic is to old” cannot be the correct answer either. “Proud,” however, is an adjective that means “feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one’s own achievements, qualities, or possessions or those of someone with whom one is closely associated,” while “ashamed” means “embarrassed or guilty because of one’s actions, characteristics, or associations.” So, because “proud” is an antonym of “ashamed” just like “angular” is an antonym of “rounded,” “proud is to ashamed” is the correct answer.

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