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 #601 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Comedy is to humorous as tragedy is to _________.

Possible Answers:

gloomy 

romantic 

dramatic 

entertaining

horrifying

Correct answer:

gloomy 

Explanation:

A quality of a comedy is to be humorous, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the answer choices is a quality commonly associated with a tragedy. A tragedy is sad, so the correct answer is “gloomy," which means sad and disspirited.

Example Question #602 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy

Ungainly is to balance as lethargic is to __________.

Possible Answers:

energy 

money

friends 

time 

happiness

Correct answer:

energy 

Explanation:

"Ungainly" means clumsy, so someone who is ungainly lacks balance. To solve this analogy you have to determine which of these answer choices is lacking in someone who is lethargic. "Lethargic" means lazy or very tired, so the correct answer is “energy.”

Example Question #603 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Food is to starving as water is to ­__________.

Possible Answers:

eat

drink 

liquid 

thirsty 

compound

Correct answer:

thirsty 

Explanation:

When you are "starving" you eat food, when you are “thirsty” you drink water.

Example Question #604 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Dehydration is to water as scurvy is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Money 

Oxygen 

Paper

Love 

Fruit 

Correct answer:

Fruit 

Explanation:

"Dehydration" is a condition wherein someone or something chronically requires water. So, to solve this analogy, you have to determine what someone suffering from "scurvy" requires. "Scurvy" is a disease commonly experienced by sailors in years gone by, where the affected person becomes unhealthy due to a lack of fruit and vitamins. So, "fruit" is the correct answer.

Example Question #605 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Lethargic is to sleep as emaciated is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Exercise

Air

Water

Food 

Tired 

Correct answer:

Food 

Explanation:

"Lethargic" means tired and in need of sleep, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine what it is that someone who is "emaciated" needs. Someone who is "emaciated" would be very thin and unhealthy, so he or she would require “food.”

Example Question #606 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Ice is to frozen as water is to __________.

Possible Answers:

snow 

rain 

perspire 

drink 

melted 

Correct answer:

melted 

Explanation:

"Ice" is water molecules in their frozen state, so to solve this analogy you have to determine what state of matter water molecules are in when we refer to them simply as water. The correct answer is “melted.” For clarification, "perspire" means to sweat.

Example Question #607 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Guile is to sly as gumption is to ___________.

Possible Answers:

adamant 

capricious 

confident 

intelligent 

sagacious

Correct answer:

confident 

Explanation:

Someone who has "guile" is "sly," so to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the answer choices is a characteristic possessed by someone who has "gumption." If you have "gumption," you possess boldness and confidence, so "confident" is the correct answer. For clarification, "guile" means cunning or sneakiness, "adamant" means insistent or persistent, "capricious" means hard to predict, and "sagacious" means wise.

Example Question #608 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Synonyms: Select the one word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.

Winter is to frigid as summer is to __________.

Possible Answers:

cold 

whet 

stifling 

frosty 

glacial 

Correct answer:

stifling 

Explanation:

"Frigid" means very cold and describes temperatures common during "winter." To solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the answer choices describes temperatures common during summer. The correct answer is “stifling,” which means hot and restrictive. For clarification, "whet" means sharpen or stimulate, and "glacial," "frosty," and "cold" are all synonyms of "frigid" and antonyms of "stifling."

Example Question #609 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Fearless is to dread as guileless is to __________

Possible Answers:

temerity 

fortitude 

happiness 

eloquence 

cunning 

Correct answer:

cunning 

Explanation:

“Dread” means fear, and the suffix "-less"­ means without or not having, so someone who is “fearless” is brave and does not dread anything. To solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the answer choices is a characteristic least likely to be found in someone who is “guileless.” “Guile” means cunning, so someone who is “guileless” has no cunning, and "cunning" is the correct answer. None of the other answer choices make sense in the blank: “eloquence” is the ability to speak clearly and intelligently; “temerity” is nerve or audacity; and “fortitude” means strength or perseverance.

Example Question #610 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Color is to colorblind as melody is to __________.

Possible Answers:

musical

limping

silent

tone-deaf

agile

Correct answer:

tone-deaf

Explanation:

Someone who is colorblind cannot perceive color, so we need to pick out an answer that describes someone who cannot perceive “melody,” which means either a simple piece of music formed out of a series of notes. “Tone-deaf” is an adjective that is used of a person and means unable to differentiate different musical pitches, so, just as someone who cannot perceive color is colorblind, someone who cannot perceive melody is tone-deaf, making “tone-deaf” the correct answer.

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