All SSAT Middle Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #32 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Complete this analogy.
Peony is to flower as __________.
bat is to mammal
color is to purple
mark is to indicate
computer is to electricity
seed is to germinate
bat is to mammal
A "peony" is a type of flower, and we need to pick out an answer choice in which the first word is a type or example of the second. While “color is to purple” and “bat is to mammal” might each seem like a potentially correct answer, “color is to purple” cannot be the correct answer because “color” is not an example of a “purple.” A bat is an example of a mammal, however, just as a peony is an example of a flower, so “bat is to mammal” is the correct answer.
Example Question #41 : Part/Whole, Part/Part, Example/Category, And Cause/Effect
Complete this analogy.
Fruit is to pear as __________.
bee is to honey
fruitful is to ineffective
apple is to orchard
cereal is to bowl
planet is to Mars
planet is to Mars
A pear is an example of a fruit, so we need to pick out another answer choice in which the first word is a category and the second word is an item that falls into that category. While" fruitful is to ineffective" may look like a good answer choice because it uses the word "fruitful" and our first set of words included the word "fruit," "fruitful" and "ineffective" are antonyms, not a category and an item in that category, so "fruitful is to ineffective" cannot be the correct answer. Similarly, "apple is to orchard" may also sound like a good answer because like "fruit is to pear," it mentions fruit; however, "apple is to orchard" represents an item and a place where it is produced, not a category and an item in that category, so "apple is to orchard" is not the correct answer either. However, in the answer "planet is to Mars," Mars is an example of a planet, just like a pear is an example of a fruit, so "planet is to Mars" is the correct answer.
Example Question #161 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Orchid is to flower as ruby is to __________.
red
gold
gemstone
necklace
mine
gemstone
Since an orchid is a kind of flower, we need to pick out an answer choice that describes what red is a kind of. While "red" might look like a good answer because "ruby" can refer to a color that is a deep shade of red, we're not looking for a pair of synonyms, but a category into which "ruby" falls. Since a ruby is a kind of gemstone, "gemstone" is the correct answer.
Example Question #162 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Calculus is to mathematics as chemistry is to __________.
biology
science
history
psychology
religious studies
science
"Calculus" is a type of mathematics, so to solve this analogy you have to determine to which of these subjects chemistry belongs. The correct answer is “science.”
Example Question #163 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Waltz is to dance as jazz is to __________.
repetition
steps
symphony
music
rock
music
A “waltz” is a type of “dance,” just as "jazz" is a type of "music." To clarify the other terms, “repetition” is the act of doing things over and over again; a "symphony" is a long musical composition.
Example Question #164 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Tree is to deciduous as cat is to __________.
tiger
feline
animal
long-haired
canine
long-haired
Since "deciduous" is a word that describes certain kinds of trees, we need to pick out a word that describes certain kinds of house cats. While "feline" and "long-haired" both seem to be potentially correct answers, "feline" describes all cats, not just certain kinds, so it can't be the correct answer. "Long-haired" is the correct answer because just as certain trees are deciduous, certain cats are long-haired.
Example Question #165 : Analogies
Analogies: Complete this analogy.
Virtue is to generosity as vice is to __________.
sympathy
kindness
honesty
empathy
greed
greed
"Generosity," which means kindness, is generally considered a "virtue," or a positive characteristic. So, to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the answer choices is considered a "vice," or a negative attribute. "Greed" is the only answer choice that has a negative connotation, so the correct answer is that “greed” is a vice.
Example Question #166 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
America is to Republic as Saudi Arabia is to __________.
oil
nation
Middle East
monarchy
None of these answers
monarchy
America is governed as a Republic, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which answer choice describes the government of Saudi Arabia. The test would never ask you to recall specific historical or political facts like this, so you can be sure when you see questions like this that everything you need to solve the analogy is in the analogy. You might not know that Saudi Arabia is governed as a monarchy, but you can probably determine that monarchy is the only answer choice that is a system of government. You need to know the relationship of the first two words!
Example Question #167 : Analogies
Analogies: Complete this analogy.
Pungent is to olfactory as bright is to __________.
visual
honest
dark
clever
silent
visual
“Pungent” means strong-smelling and “olfactory” means related to the sense of smell. So something that is "pungent" is detected by your "olfactory" sense. Similarly, something that is “bright” is detected by your “visual” sense.
Example Question #163 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Dinosaur is to pterodactyl as dessert is to __________.
sweetness
insect
damage
water
brownie
brownie
A pterodactyl is a kind of dinosaur, so we need to pick out an answer choice that consists of a kind of dessert. While both "water" and "brownie" may look like potentially correct answer choices because each can be consumed by humans, "brownie" is the correct answer, because while "water" is not a kind of a desert, "brownie" is.
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