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 #2 : Other Specific Terminology

Complete this analogy.

Legal is to law as fiscal is to __________.

Possible Answers:

money

news

cities

countries

governmental

Correct answer:

money

Explanation:

"Legal" is an adjective that means having to do with the law, so we need to pick out a noun that describes what something fiscal is concerned with. Since "fiscal" means having to do with finances, especially of businesses or the government, "governmental" might sound like a good answer; however, "governmental" cannot be correct because it is an adjective and "law" is a noun. So, because fiscal things have to do with money just like legal things have to do with law, "money" is the correct answer.

Example Question #4 : Other Specific Terminology

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Oceanography is to oceans as geology is to __________.

Possible Answers:

animals 

architecture

space 

human history 

rocks 

Correct answer:

rocks 

Explanation:

"Oceanography" is the study of oceans and ocean-life, which you can infer from the word being a combination of the word "ocean" and the suffix "-ography," which means the study of. To solve this analogy, you have to determine what "geology" is the study of. The prefix "geo-" in "geography" might help you to pick out the correct answer. "Geo-"  means of or relating to the earth, and appears in other words like "geographic" and "geode." It makes sense, then, that "geology" is the study of rocks, so "rocks" is the correct answer.

Example Question #5 : Other Specific Terminology

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Sun is to solar as moon is to __________.

Possible Answers:

space 

sky 

lunar 

night 

earth

Correct answer:

lunar 

Explanation:

"Solar" means from or related to the sun, so to solve this analogy, you need to pick out a word that means from or related to the moon. "Lunar" means from or related to the moon, so it is the correct answer.

Example Question #6 : Other Specific Terminology

Complete this analogy.

Solar is to sun as lunar is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Mars

space

asteroid

moon

planet

Correct answer:

moon

Explanation:

"Solar" is an adjective that means either "of, relating to, or determined by the sun," or "relating to or denoting energy derived from the sun's rays." So, "solar" describes things related to the sun, and we need to pick out the answer choice that consists of a noun that "lunar" describes. While all of the answer choices have to do with astronomical phenomena, "lunar" specifically means "of, determined by, relating to, or resembling the moon," so "moon" is the correct answer because just as "solar" describes things that relate to the sun, "lunar" describes things that relate to the moon.

Example Question #431 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Quick is to quickly as fast is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Fastly 

Slow 

Fast 

None of these answers 

Slowly 

Correct answer:

Fast 

Explanation:

"Quick" is an adjective that means fast. "Quickly" is an adverb that means to do something fast. Although "quick" adds an “-ly” when it changes from an adjective to an adverb, "fast" does not; "fast" can be both an adjective and an adverb. So, the correct answer is "fast."

Example Question #8 : Other Specific Terminology

Complete this analogy.

Heresy is to church as sedition is to __________.

Possible Answers:

aliens

newspapers 

charities

government 

businesspeople

Correct answer:

government 

Explanation:

"Heresy" is rebellion against the church, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine which organization "sedition" rebels against. "Sedition" is actions or words intended to incite rebellion against a governmental authority, so the correct answer is the “government.”

Example Question #9 : Other Specific Terminology

Throne is to abdicate as __________.

Possible Answers:

president is to impeach

offer is to reject

building is to vacate

reject is to offer

position is to resign

Correct answer:

position is to resign

Explanation:

“Abdicate” is a verb that means to give up power or responsibility, usually in the context of royalty. Since “throne” is a noun that means a chair occupied by royalty, used to indicate power, we’re looking for a pair of words with an object-verb relationship in which the first word is a role and the second word is a verb that means to give up that role. 

“Vacate” is a verb that can mean either to leave or to give up a position. Since “building” is a place and not a position, we can rule out this choice.

“Impeach” is a verb means to charge with misconduct, sometimes forcing an official out of office as a result. Since, in this case, power is taken and not given up, we can rule out this choice.

“Reject” is a verb that means to dismiss as inadequate or to refuse to agree. And since an “offer” is only a proposal and not an actual role, we can rule out this choice. 

“Resign” is a verb that means to give up a position.

Of the answer choices, “POSITION is to RESIGN” is the best choice.

Example Question #4 : Other Specific Terminology

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Heretic is to religion as anarchist is to __________.

Possible Answers:

nomadic

literature 

friendship

government 

legislative 

Correct answer:

government 

Explanation:

A heretic is someone who goes against religious orthodoxy or someone who tries to overthrow the established religious order. So, to solve this analogy, you therefore have to determine what it is that an anarchist wishes to overthrow or go against. The correct answer is the “government,” because an "anarchist" is someone who believes in and fights for the abolition of government. While "legislative" might look like a potentially correct answer because the word is used to describe the part of the govenrment dealing with the creation of laws, "religion" is a noun in the example, so we need to pick out an answer that is also a noun, and "legislative" is an adjective.

Example Question #432 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Vernal is to __________ as autumnal is to fall.

Possible Answers:

winter

seasons

harvest

calendar

spring

Correct answer:

spring

Explanation:

You may have already known that another word for "fall" (as in the season after "summer") is "autumn." So, "autumnal" means related to the autumn, related to the fall. To solve this analogy then you need to determine which of these words is described by "vernal." The correct answer is "spring," because "vernal" means related to the spring.

Example Question #433 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Inter is to between as __________ is to within.

Possible Answers:

intra

hyper

uber

extra

outer

Correct answer:

intra

Explanation:

The prefix "inter" is generally used to mean between, among. As in "international." So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a prefix generally used to mean within. The correct answer is "intra," as in "intramural." 

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