SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Analogies

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #31 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Altitude is to height as tonnage is to __________.

Possible Answers:

length 

depth 

breadth 

weight

height 

Correct answer:

weight

Explanation:

"Altitude" is the height of a mountain. Just as "altitude" is a specific measure of "height," we need to pick out the quality of which "tonnage" is a specific measure. “Tonnage” refers to how much something, particularly a ship, weighs, so "weight" is the correct answer. The other four answer choices are different measurements of length.

Example Question #32 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Elongate is to lengthen as abbreviate is to __________.

Possible Answers:

widen 

shorten 

deepen

exacerbate 

remonstrate 

Correct answer:

shorten 

Explanation:

If you “elongate” something you make it longer, or “lengthen” it. To solve this analogy you need to determine the best available synonym for “abbreviate.” To “abbreviate” means to shorten something. To provide further help, “widen” means make wider; “deepen” means make deeper; “exacerbate” means make worse; “remonstrate” means argue with, protest

Example Question #33 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Eloquent is to loquacious as fluently is to __________.

Possible Answers:

loosely

gingerly

smoothly

excessively

tightly

Correct answer:

smoothly

Explanation:

The prefix, or word fragment, loq- means to do with speech. Someone who is “eloquent” is good at speaking and someone who is “loquacious” is good with words, talented at speaking. This means these two words are synonyms of one another, so to solve this analogy you need to identify the best available synonym for “fluently.” Something done “fluently” is done “smoothly” without interruption. To provide further help, “excessively” means extremely, too much; “gingerly” means nervously.

Example Question #34 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Kleptomania is to stealing as pyromania is to __________.

Possible Answers:

protect

dogs

wind

assault

fire

Correct answer:

fire

Explanation:

The suffix, or word fragment, -mania means madness. The prefix klept- means related to stealing. Someone who suffers from “kleptomania” has a madness that causes him or her to steal compulsively. To solve this analogy then you have to determine what kind of madness is described by “pyromania.” The prefix pyro­- means related to fire, so a “pyromaniac” is someone who does crazy things with fire, someone who compulsively starts fires

Example Question #35 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Affliction is to illness as conflict is to __________

Possible Answers:

Feign 

Fiction 

Clash 

Accord 

Pact 

Correct answer:

Clash 

Explanation:

The root "flict" means to strike,as in to strike with illness in “affliction” or to strike in battle as in “conflict.” Since an “affliction” is an illness, to solve this analogy you need to figure out the best synonym of “conflict,” which means battle or fight. The correct answer is “clash," which when used as a noun means confrontation or a mismatch. To provide further help, an “accord” is the same thing as a "pact” or an agreement, and “feign” is a verb that means pretend.

Example Question #36 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Endless is to end as peerless is to __________.

Possible Answers:

peers

infinity

alone

perfection

finish

Correct answer:

peers

Explanation:

The relationship has to do with the suffix "-less." This suffix takes a noun (like "end" or "peer") and changes it into an adjective that means without [noun]s. Similar to how "endless" means without end, "peerless" means without peers.

Example Question #37 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

One is to monologue as two is to __________.

Possible Answers:

diadem 

dialogue 

bifurcate 

diagram 

bicentennial 

Correct answer:

dialogue 

Explanation:

The prefix "mono-" means one, and the suffix "-logue" means spoken about or a conversation, so a “monologue” is a one-sided conversation, or in other words, an extended speech given by one person in a play or film. To solve this analogy, you have to determine what a conversation between two people is called; the correct answer is “dialogue"; the prefix "di-" means two. To provide further help, “diagram” means draw each of a system's component parts; a “diadem” is a crown; “bicentennial” means happening every two hundred years or a celebration of something being two hundred years old; and “bifurcate” means split or break up into two sections or things.

Example Question #38 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Nutritious is to nutrition as __________.

Possible Answers:

fictitious is to fiction

unhealthy is to health

filling is to food

cereal is to breakfast

malice is to malicious

Correct answer:

fictitious is to fiction

Explanation:

The relationship here has to do with the suffix "-ious." This suffix takes a noun (like "nutrition" or "fiction") and makes it into an adjective meaning full of or characterized by [noun]. Similar to how "nutritious" means full of or characterized by nutrition, "fictitious" means full of or characterized by fiction.

Example Question #39 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Alphabetical is to alphabet as chronological is to __________.

Possible Answers:

chronology

chaos

organization

numerical

list

Correct answer:

chronology

Explanation:

The relationship has to do with the suffix "-ical," which can be used to describe organizational systems based off of the root word. "Alphabetical" means organized in the order of the alphabet, and "chronological" means organized by the order in which things happened in time, or according to a chronology.

Example Question #40 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Water is to dehydrated as food is to __________.

Possible Answers:

famished

satiated

frenetic

corporeal

corpulent

Correct answer:

famished

Explanation:

The root "hydra" means having to do with water, and the prefix "de-" means (away) from or opposite of. Something that is “hydrated” has been given water so something that is “dehydrated” requires water. To solve this analogy, then, you need to determine which of these answer choices is a word used to describe someone who requires food. The correct answer is “famished,” which means starving. To provide further help, “corporeal” means bodily in contrast to spiritual; “corpulent” means fat (notice the prefix "corp-" and its relationship to the body). Additionally, “frenetic” means fast-paced and “satiated” means satisfied and/or full of food.

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