SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Analogies

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Qualities, Features, Abilities, And Other Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Cigarette is to detrimental as apple is to _________.

Possible Answers:

helpful 

injurious 

deleterious

harmful 

hurtful 

Correct answer:

helpful 

Explanation:

A quality associated with cigarettes is that they are “detrimental” to your health. "Detrimental" means not helpful, causing negative consequences. To solve this analogy you have to determine what impact an apple would likely have on someone’s health. The correct answer is that an apple is “helpful.” For clarification, the other four answer choices are synonyms of one another and of detrimental.

Example Question #2 : Qualities, Features, Abilities, And Other Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Funeral is to somber as wedding is to __________.

Possible Answers:

jubilant 

despondent 

impertinent 

gloomy

depressing 

Correct answer:

jubilant 

Explanation:

A "funeral" is a somber occasion, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which of these answer choices best captures the occasion of a wedding. A "wedding" is generally a jubilant time, so the correct answer is “jubilant,” which means celebratory and happy. For clarification, "despondent," "depressing," and "gloomy" are all synonyms of one another; "impertinent" means rude and impudent.

Example Question #3 : Qualities, Features, Abilities, And Other Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Glutton is to greedy as philanthropist is to __________.

Possible Answers:

penurious 

charitable 

selfish 

miserly 

parsimonious 

Correct answer:

charitable 

Explanation:

A characteristic of a glutton is to be greedy, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which of these answer choices is a characteristic commonly associated with a philanthropist. A "philanthropist" is someone who gives to charity, so the correct answer is “charitable.” For clarification, "penurious" means destitute, or very poor; "selfish," "miserly," and "parsimonious" are all synonyms that mean not generous, particularly with money.

Example Question #4 : Qualities, Features, Abilities, And Other Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Stubborn is to mule as sly is to __________.

Possible Answers:

shark 

lizard 

fox 

dog 

elephant 

Correct answer:

fox 

Explanation:

A common saying in English is “as stubborn as a mule.” As such obstinacy has come to be associated with mules. Another common saying is “as sly as a fox.”  To solve this analogy you had to determine which animal is generally associated with slyness. The correct answer is “fox.”

Example Question #711 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Orator is to eloquent as priest is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Forlorn 

Pious 

Miserable 

Remorseful

Despondent

Correct answer:

Pious 

Explanation:

An orator is a public speaker and someone who is eloquent is adept at speaking. A characteristic associated with an orator is eloquence, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which of the answer choices is a characteristic associated with priests. Priests are generally pious, as pious means deeply religious. For clarification, remorseful means full of guilt and regret; forlorn, despondent and miserable are all loosely synonyms that mean to be sad and without hope.

Example Question #6 : Qualities, Features, Abilities, And Other Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Strong is to ox as quiet is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Woodpecker

Mouse 

Parrot

Lion 

Seagull

Correct answer:

Mouse 

Explanation:

“As strong as an ox” is a famous English expression. However, even if you have never heard of this expression, you can still solve the analogy by realizing that "strong" is an adjective that someone might use to describe an ox. So, to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the answer choices' words is an animal that is quiet. A "mouse" is a quiet animal, so "mouse" is the correct answer.

Example Question #712 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Skyscraper is to tall as elephant is to ___________.

Possible Answers:

tusk

Africa

large

ivory

small

Correct answer:

large

Explanation:

The relationship between "skyscraper" and "tall" is that "tall" is a common characteristic of skyscrapers. The best choice is "large," as an elephant's size is a characteristic that is commonly associated with these animals. "Small" does not apply, as elephants are not typically thought of as small creatures. A "tusk" is a part of an elephant and "ivory" is the name of the material that the tusk is made out of. "Africa" is where many elephants live. The most appropriate chioce is "large."

Example Question #2 : Qualities, Features, Abilities, And Other Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Analog is to digital as pocket-watch is to __________.

Possible Answers:

time

knife

climate

computer

pocket

Correct answer:

computer

Explanation:

Something that is “analog” is of or relating to a device or process in which data is represented by physical quantities that change continuously. Something which is “digital” is of, relating to, or being data in the form of especially binary digits. So a “pocket-watch” can be seen as “analog,” whereas a computer is “digital.” The key to this question is your understanding of the word “digital” and that you relate it to “computers.” To clarify, a “climate” is the weather of an area of the world, so India has a hot and tropical “climate,” while New Jersey has a mild and temperate “climate.”

Example Question #11 : Qualities, Features, Abilities, And Other Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Tapestry is to woven as __________.

Possible Answers:

sharpen is to pencil

sculpture is to carved

bow is to violin

ice is to freeze

hearth is to fireplace

Correct answer:

sculpture is to carved

Explanation:

Since "woven" describes how a tapestry is constructed, we need to pick out another pair of words in which the second word describes how the first word is constructed. Both "sculpture is to carved" and "ice is to freeze" appear to be potentially correct answers, but "sculpture is to carved" is the better answer. This is because tapestries and sculptures share the feature of both being traditional types of art, a feature ice does not share, and "woven" and "carved" are both past participles whereas "freeze" is an infinitive. (The answer choices might be more comparable if instead of "ice is to freeze" we had "ice is to frozen").

Example Question #12 : Qualities, Features, Abilities, And Other Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Leaves are to floral as __________.

Possible Answers:

scales are to ursine

fur is to mammalian

aquatic is to fish

wooden is to table

fur is to bear

Correct answer:

fur is to mammalian

Explanation:

Leaves form a constituent part of many floral things, so we need to find another pair of words in which the first word is a constituent part of many things in the category the second word represents. While "aquatic is to fish" may seem like the correct answer, but since "aquatic" is an adjective that describes many fish, it does not represent a constituent part of fish, so it can't be correct. Also, while "scales are to ursine" appears to be in the correct answer format, "ursine" means having to do with bears or bear-like, and since bears do not have scales, "scales are to ursine" can't be the correct answer either. In "fur is to mammalian," however, fur is a constituent part of (many) animals which are mammalian, just as leaves are a constituent part of many plants which are floral. So, the correct answer is "fur is to mammalian."

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