All SSAT Middle Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #34 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots
Complete this analogy.
Microeconomics is to small as macroeconomics is to __________.
large
academics
business
finance
smaller
large
"Microeconomics" is the study of economics on a small scale, and "macroeconomics" is the study of economics on a large scale, so the correct answer is “large.” To solve this analogy, it is important to be aware of the meaning of the prefixes "micro-" and "macro-". "Micro-" means small and "macro-" means big.
Example Question #35 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots
Complete this analogy.
Triangle is to three as pentagon is to __________.
five
four
shape
triple
six
five
A triangle is a three-sided shape, which you can infer because the prefix "tri-" means three. So, to solve this analogy, you have to determine how many sides a pentagon has. The prefix "penta-" means five, so the correct answer is “five.”
Example Question #36 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots
Complete this analogy.
Terrestrial is to earth as celestial is to __________.
atmosphere
hell
ocean
city
space
space
The prefix "terra-" means related to the Earth and the prefix "celes-" means related to heaven, the sky, or outer space. As “terrestrial” is to Earth, so “celestial” is to space, so "space" is the correct answer. For clarification, “terrestrial” means of this Earth or observed on this Earth, and “celestial” means of space or observed in space or the heavens.
Example Question #37 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots
Complete this analogy.
Double is to two as quadruple is to __________.
two
five
four
three
six
four
If you "double" something, you increase it by two-fold. The prefix "quad-" means related to the number four, so when you quadruple something, you increase it by four-fold. So, the correct answer is "four."
Example Question #95 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Before is to prelude as after is to __________.
legislate
epilogue
catalogue
mandatory
laborious
epilogue
The prefix "pre-" usually suggest that the word will come before something or designate some beginning. In this instance, a “prelude” is an introductory event or piece of music. To solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the answer choices is something that comes after something else. The correct answer is an “epilogue,” which is the name given to a piece of writing that comes after the main narrative. None of the other answer choices make sense in the blank: “mandatory” means required; “laborious” means hard-work or exhausting; “legislate” means make laws; and “catalogue” means document and list some group of things when used as a verb and a booklet produced by a business showcasing the products that they are currently selling when used as a noun.
Example Question #38 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots
Complete this analogy.
Ill-will is to malevolent as goodwill is to __________.
malfeasance
malicious
benevolent
beneficial
malcontent
benevolent
The prefix "mal-" means evil or bad, and the prefix "ben-" means helpful or good. So someone who is “malevolent” is wicked and has a great deal of ill-will and someone who is “benevolent” is good-natured and has a lot of goodwill. So, the correct answer is "benevolent." None of the other answer choices make sense in the blank: “beneficial" means helpful; “malicious" means cruel and spiteful; “malcontent" means unhappy or not content; and “malfeasance" means something bad that someone does or a crime.
Example Question #39 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots
Complete this analogy.
Visible is to seen as audible is to __________.
touched
heard
felt
tasted
spoken
heard
The suffix "-ible" means able to be and the roots "vis" and "aud" mean related to seeing and related to hearing or sound, respectively. “Visible” thus means able to be seen and “audible” means able to be heard, so "heard" is the correct answer.
Example Question #91 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Falsify is to deceive as magnify is to __________.
achieve
enlarge
reduce
diminish
grant
enlarge
The prefix "fall-" or "fals-" means having to do with lying, deception and dishonesty, and the prefix "mag-" means having to do with largeness and grandness. “Falsify” means change something in order to deceive, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine how “magnify” changes something. The correct answer is that “magnify” means make bigger or make appear bigger; just think of what a "magnifying glass" does. "Enlarge" also means make bigger, so "enlarge" is the correct answer. As for the other answer choices, “diminish” means make smaller, as does “reduce," and “grant” means give.
Example Question #99 : Analogies
Analogies: Fill in the blank(s) to complete this analogy.
Dysfunctional is to inability as cosmopolitan is to __________.
perilous
feral
worldly
innate
focused
worldly
The prefixes dys- and in- carry negative meanings that take their words and cause them to mean the opposite. So “dysfunctional” means not working, and “inability” means lack of ability. Something that has an “inability” to do something is also “dysfunctional,” so these terms are loosely synonyms. To solve this analogy then you need to determine which word is closest in meaning to “cosmopolitan.” “Cosmopolitan” means international, exhibiting cultural diversity or knowledge; therefore the best answer choice is “worldly.” To provide further help, “innate” means natural; “focused” means not distracted; “feral” means wild; “perilous” means dangerous.
Example Question #43 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots
Complete this analogy.
Anglophobia is to English as Francophobia is to __________.
Finnish
Italian
Spanish
Scottish
French
French
The prefix "anglo-" means of or related to the English; the prefix "franco-" means of or related to the French. The suffix "–phobia" means fear. So "Anglophobia" is the fear of English people and "Francophobia" is the fear of French people.
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