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 #729 : Ssat Middle Level Verbal

Complete this analogy.

Funeral is to somber as wedding is to __________.

Possible Answers:

gloomy

depressing 

despondent 

jubilant 

impertinent 

Correct answer:

jubilant 

Explanation:

A "funeral" is a somber occasion, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which of these answer choices best captures the occasion of a wedding. A "wedding" is generally a jubilant time, so the correct answer is “jubilant,” which means celebratory and happy. For clarification, "despondent," "depressing," and "gloomy" are all synonyms of one another; "impertinent" means rude and impudent.

Example Question #3 : Qualities And Features

Complete this analogy.

Glutton is to greedy as philanthropist is to __________.

Possible Answers:

penurious 

selfish 

parsimonious 

charitable 

miserly 

Correct answer:

charitable 

Explanation:

A characteristic of a glutton is to be greedy, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which of these answer choices is a characteristic commonly associated with a philanthropist. A "philanthropist" is someone who gives to charity, so the correct answer is “charitable.” For clarification, "penurious" means destitute, or very poor; "selfish," "miserly," and "parsimonious" are all synonyms that mean not generous, particularly with money.

Example Question #2 : Qualities, Features, Abilities, And Other Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Stubborn is to mule as sly is to __________.

Possible Answers:

dog 

lizard 

elephant 

shark 

fox 

Correct answer:

fox 

Explanation:

A common saying in English is “as stubborn as a mule.” As such obstinacy has come to be associated with mules. Another common saying is “as sly as a fox.”  To solve this analogy you had to determine which animal is generally associated with slyness. The correct answer is “fox.”

Example Question #4 : Qualities And Features

Complete this analogy.

Orator is to eloquent as priest is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Pious 

Remorseful

Despondent

Miserable 

Forlorn 

Correct answer:

Pious 

Explanation:

An orator is a public speaker and someone who is eloquent is adept at speaking. A characteristic associated with an orator is eloquence, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which of the answer choices is a characteristic associated with priests. Priests are generally pious, as pious means deeply religious. For clarification, remorseful means full of guilt and regret; forlorn, despondent and miserable are all loosely synonyms that mean to be sad and without hope.

Example Question #4 : Qualities, Features, Abilities, And Other Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Strong is to ox as quiet is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Parrot

Lion 

Woodpecker

Mouse 

Seagull

Correct answer:

Mouse 

Explanation:

“As strong as an ox” is a famous English expression. However, even if you have never heard of this expression, you can still solve the analogy by realizing that "strong" is an adjective that someone might use to describe an ox. So, to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the answer choices' words is an animal that is quiet. A "mouse" is a quiet animal, so "mouse" is the correct answer.

Example Question #5 : Qualities And Features

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Skyscraper is to tall as elephant is to ___________.

Possible Answers:

large

tusk

small

ivory

Africa

Correct answer:

large

Explanation:

The relationship between "skyscraper" and "tall" is that "tall" is a common characteristic of skyscrapers. The best choice is "large," as an elephant's size is a characteristic that is commonly associated with these animals. "Small" does not apply, as elephants are not typically thought of as small creatures. A "tusk" is a part of an elephant and "ivory" is the name of the material that the tusk is made out of. "Africa" is where many elephants live. The most appropriate chioce is "large."

Example Question #6 : Qualities And Features

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Analog is to digital as pocket-watch is to __________.

Possible Answers:

time

climate

knife

computer

pocket

Correct answer:

computer

Explanation:

Something that is “analog” is of or relating to a device or process in which data is represented by physical quantities that change continuously. Something which is “digital” is of, relating to, or being data in the form of especially binary digits. So a “pocket-watch” can be seen as “analog,” whereas a computer is “digital.” The key to this question is your understanding of the word “digital” and that you relate it to “computers.” To clarify, a “climate” is the weather of an area of the world, so India has a hot and tropical “climate,” while New Jersey has a mild and temperate “climate.”

Example Question #591 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Tapestry is to woven as __________.

Possible Answers:

ice is to freeze

hearth is to fireplace

sculpture is to carved

sharpen is to pencil

bow is to violin

Correct answer:

sculpture is to carved

Explanation:

Since "woven" describes how a tapestry is constructed, we need to pick out another pair of words in which the second word describes how the first word is constructed. Both "sculpture is to carved" and "ice is to freeze" appear to be potentially correct answers, but "sculpture is to carved" is the better answer. This is because tapestries and sculptures share the feature of both being traditional types of art, a feature ice does not share, and "woven" and "carved" are both past participles whereas "freeze" is an infinitive. (The answer choices might be more comparable if instead of "ice is to freeze" we had "ice is to frozen").

Example Question #592 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Leaves are to floral as __________.

Possible Answers:

fur is to mammalian

aquatic is to fish

fur is to bear

wooden is to table

scales are to ursine

Correct answer:

fur is to mammalian

Explanation:

Leaves form a constituent part of many floral things, so we need to find another pair of words in which the first word is a constituent part of many things in the category the second word represents. While "aquatic is to fish" may seem like the correct answer, but since "aquatic" is an adjective that describes many fish, it does not represent a constituent part of fish, so it can't be correct. Also, while "scales are to ursine" appears to be in the correct answer format, "ursine" means having to do with bears or bear-like, and since bears do not have scales, "scales are to ursine" can't be the correct answer either. In "fur is to mammalian," however, fur is a constituent part of (many) animals which are mammalian, just as leaves are a constituent part of many plants which are floral. So, the correct answer is "fur is to mammalian."

Example Question #593 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Lie is to deceitful as __________.

Possible Answers:

relax is to uptight

flee is to courageous

sleep is to energetic

dirty is to hygienic

insist is to persistent

Correct answer:

insist is to persistent

Explanation:

If someone lies, other people will likely consider them to be "deceitful," or often intentionally misleading others. So, we need to pick out an answer choice in which the first word is a verb, and the second word is an adjective describing someone who does what the verb conveys. Someone who relaxes is probably not going to be called “uptight” (anxious), and similarly, someone who sleeps is not going to be characterized as "energetic." Someone who is "dirty" is probably not going to be known to be "hygienic" (sanitary), and someone who flees probably isn’t the most "courageous"; however, someone who insists on something is very likely "persistent" (tenacious or determined), just as someone who lies is "deceitful," so “insist is to persistent” is the correct answer.

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