SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Determining Meaning from Type of Relationship

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

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #611 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Caution is to wary as __________.

Possible Answers:

ambition is to lazy

cleverness is to sagacious

disinterest is to obsessed

anger is to pacified

slip is to fall

Correct answer:

cleverness is to sagacious

Explanation:

“Wary” is an adjective that means cautious and on the lookout for danger, so someone is wary if they demonstrate caution. That means that we need to pick out an answer choice in which the first word is a noun conveying a quality, and the second word an adjective describing someone who demonstrates that quality. While “cleverness is to sagacious,” “anger is to pacified,” and “disinterest is to obsessed” may all look like potentially correct answers, “pacify” is a verb that means make less angry, so someone who is pacified is no longer angry, meaning that “anger is to pacified” cannot be the correct answer. Similarly, “obsess” is a verb that means preoccupy, so someone that is obsessed with something is not demonstrating disinterest in that thing, and “disinterest is to obsessed” cannot be the correct answer either. However, someone who is "sagacious" (shrewd) demonstrates cleverness, just as someone who is wary demonstrates caution, so “cleverness is to sagacious” is the correct answer.

Example Question #612 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Famine is to food as drought is to __________.

Possible Answers:

disaster

water

river

shelter

desert

Correct answer:

water

Explanation:

Since a famine is a type of disaster in which there is a lack of food, we need to pick out the item there is a lack of in a drought. While "water" and "shelter" both look like potentially correct answers because a lack of either of them would be disastrous, a drought is specifically a lack of water, so "water" is the correct answer.

Example Question #613 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Tome is to long as snippet is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Successful

Worse 

Better 

Longer 

Brief 

Correct answer:

Brief 

Explanation:

A "tome" is a long and ponderous book. A characteristic of a tome is to be long, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the answer choices is characteristic of a snippet. A "snippet" is a terse presentation of information, and "terse" means short or brief, so "brief" is the correct answer.

Example Question #614 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Laudatory is to praise as deplorable is to _________.

Possible Answers:

jealousy 

hatred 

envy 

attachment 

affection

Correct answer:

hatred 

Explanation:

"Laudatory" means deserving of praise, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of these answer choices is similarly related to the word "deplorable." "Deplorable" means deserving of hatred, so "hatred" is the correct answer. For clarification, "envy" and "jealousy" are synonyms, "attachment" means physical point of connection or closeness with someone or something else, and "affection" means emotional warmth.

Example Question #615 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Jungle is to humid as desert is to __________.

Possible Answers:

oasis

sandy

arid

barren

hot 

Correct answer:

arid

Explanation:

“Humid” is an adjective that means having a lot of moisture in the air. We’re looking for an adjective that describes “desert” in terms of moisture, the way that “humid” describes “jungle.” While “sandy,” “hot,” and “barren” are all characteristics of the desert, none of these words are related to moisture. “Oasis” is a noun that means an area of the desert where water is found. Although it's related to moisture, “oasis” is a noun and we’re looking for an adjective. “Arid” is an adjective that means having little rain or water

Of the answer choices, “arid” is the best choice.

Example Question #616 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Analogies: Complete this analogy. 

Priest is to religious as musician is to __________.

Possible Answers:

judicious 

assuming 

unkind 

eloquent 

artistic 

Correct answer:

artistic 

Explanation:

A characteristic of a priest is to be religious, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of these answer choices is a common characteristic of a musician. The correct answer is “artistic,” because musicians are generally artistic. For clarification, someone who is "eloquent" is well-spoken, and someone who is "judicious" is fair.

Example Question #617 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Telegraph is to obsolete as fridge is to __________.

Possible Answers:

stifling

extroverted

introspective

miraculous

commonplace

Correct answer:

commonplace

Explanation:

"Obsolete" means no longer in use, 'out of date.' It is a quality of the "telegraph" to be "obsolete" because it is no longer in use. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these words describes a quality of a "fridge." The correct answer is "commonplace" which means ordinary, normal, found everywhere. Additionally, "stifling" means uncomfortable hot, oppressive; "miraculous" means occurring as a result of a miracle, caused by divine power; "introspective" means prone to looking inwardly at one's own personality, thoughtful about oneself; "extroverted" means confident, outgoing, stimulated by social activity.

Example Question #618 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

__________ is to pig as conniving is to fox.

Possible Answers:

Gigantic

Gaunt

Corpulent

Emaciated

Minuscule

Correct answer:

Corpulent

Explanation:

It is a quality of a "fox" to be "conniving," which means cunning and manipulative, sneaky and clever. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a quality typically associated with "pigs." The correct answer is "corpulent," which means fat. Additionally, "gigantic" means very large; "minuscule" means very small; "emaciated" and "gaunt" both mean very thin, skinny to the point of being unhealthy, skeletal.

Example Question #619 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Lighter is to __________ as rollercoaster is to exhilarating.

Possible Answers:

adjacent

composed

bashful

indispensable

flammable

Correct answer:

flammable

Explanation:

A function of a "rollercoaster" is to be "exhilarating," which means exciting, making one feel active, happy and full of energy. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a function or quality of a "lighter." Well, "lighters" are "flammable" (able to light on fire, likely to light on fire) so this is the correct answer. Additionally, "bashful" means shy, timid, easily embarrassed; "adjacent" means next to; "indispensable" means vital, needed, essential; "composed" means calm and under control in an otherwise stressful situation.

Example Question #620 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

__________ is to whale as agile is to monkey.

Possible Answers:

Deranged

Colossal

Illustrious

Mediocre

Juvenile

Correct answer:

Colossal

Explanation:

It is a quality of a "monkey" to be "agile" (able to move quickly and with good balance). So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a quality of a "whale." Well, "whales" are famously big, so the correct answer is "colossal," which means huge. Additionally, "illustrious" means famous, storied, well-known; "deranged" means insane, crazy, mentally ill; "mediocre" means average in a bad way; "juvenile" means immature, childish.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors