SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Animal-related Terminology

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Animal Related Terminology

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Whale is to aquatic as sloth is to __________.

Possible Answers:

grounded 

terrestrial

mountainous 

amphibious 

arboreal 

Correct answer:

arboreal 

Explanation:

When a word contains the root “aqua,” it usually refers to something having to do with water, so you can tell that “aquatic” means living in or near water. Whales live in water. So, to solve this analogy, you need to pick out an adjective that describes where sloths live. Sloths spend most of their time in trees, so you need to find a word that means something like "living in or near trees." “Arboreal” means living in or near trees, which makes sense, as "arboreal" is derived from the Latin root "arbor," which means tree. “Amphibious” describes an animal that lives both in water and on land, whereas “terrestrial” refers to animals which only live on land. To help further, “grounded” can mean stuck on land or in one place whilst “mountainous” describes land or terrain that contains mountains.

Example Question #12 : Animal Related Terminology

Complete this analogy.

Hawk is to mouse as frog is to __________.

Possible Answers:

pond

heron

shark

willow

dragonfly

Correct answer:

dragonfly

Explanation:

A rabbit could be the prey of a hawk, meaning that a hawk might eat a rabbit, so we need to pick out an answer choice that describes an animal that might be the prey of a frog, or is something that a frog might eat. While “dragonfly” and “heron” might each look like a potentially correct answer, “heron” cannot be the correct answer because a heron might eat a frog, but a frog would be very unlikely to eat a heron. A frog might eat a dragonfly, though, just as a hawk might eat a mouse, so “dragonfly” is the correct answer.

Example Question #13 : Animal Related Terminology

Complete this analogy.

Pig is to pork as cow is to __________.

Possible Answers:

grass

bull

calf

beef

poultry

Correct answer:

beef

Explanation:

"Pig" is the name given to an animal, and "pork" the name given to the meat that animal provides. So, we need to pick out a word that is used to describe the meat a cow provides. While "beef," "calf," and "steer" all have to do with cows (a "calf" is a young cow and a "steer" a term for a male cow), "beef" is the correct answer, as meat from a cow is called "beef" just as meat from a pig is called "pork."

Example Question #14 : Animal Related Terminology

Complete this analogy.

Ewe is to ram as hen is to __________.

Possible Answers:

feathers

egg

seed

rooster

bird

Correct answer:

rooster

Explanation:

“Ewe” is a noun that means a female sheep, while “ram” is a word that when used as a noun can mean a male sheep. So, because “hen” is a noun that can mean a female chicken, we need to pick out an answer choice that means a male chicken. Both “rooster” and “bird” might look like potentially correct answers, but “bird” specifies a general category into which "hen" could fit, along with other types of birds besides chickens, and it could also refer to an organism of either sex, so it cannot be the correct answer because we’re specifically looking for a word that means a male chicken. “Rooster,” however, is a noun that means a male chicken, and because “rooster” is the name given to a male chicken while “hen” is the name given to a female chicken, just like “ram” is the name given to a male sheep and “ewe” the name given to a female sheep, “rooster” is the correct answer.

Example Question #15 : Animal Related Terminology

Complete this analogy.

Armada is to ships as flock is to __________.

Possible Answers:

dinosaurs

trees

seagulls

dreams

wolves

Correct answer:

seagulls

Explanation:

"Armada" is a noun that means "a large group of ships or boats," so we need to pick out a word that describes what, in a large group, constitutes a flock. "Seagulls," "wolves," and "dinosaurs" might all seem like potential answers because they are all animals, but since "flock" means "a number of birds of one kind feeding, resting, or traveling together," "seagulls" is the correct answer, since seagulls are a type of bird. 

Example Question #16 : Animal Related Terminology

Complete this analogy.

Lion is to pride as goose is to __________

Possible Answers:

murder

den 

school

gaggle

group 

Correct answer:

gaggle

Explanation:

A group of lions is called a “pride,” so to solve the analogy, we need to pick out an answer choice that is a term used to describe a group of geese. A group of geese is called a “gaggle,” so "gaggle" is the correct answer. 

Example Question #17 : Animal Related Terminology

Complete this analogy.

Dog is to leash as horse is to __________.

Possible Answers:

reins

support 

tether

rope 

saddle

Correct answer:

reins

Explanation:

A “leash” is a length of rope, leather, or chain attached to a dog's collar used to restrain and guide it. "Reins” are a leather straps attached to a horse's bridle used to restrain and guide it. So, just as a leash is used to restrain and guide a dog, reins are used to restrain and guide a horse, so "reins" is the correct answer.

Example Question #18 : Animal Related Terminology

Complete this analogy.

Ship is to fleet as __________.

Possible Answers:

herd is to deer

moose is to pack

fish is to school

goose is to bird

bird is to pride

Correct answer:

fish is to school

Explanation:

A group of ships is called a "fleet," so we need to pick out an answer choice in which the second word is a noun describing a group of the first word’s noun. While both “herd is to deer” and “fish is to school” might look like potentially correct answers, “herd is to deer” cannot be the correct answer because a “deer” is not what one calls a group of "herds," but the other way around. A school is what one calls a group of fish, however, just like how a fleet is what one calls a group of ships, so “fish is to school” is the correct answer.

Example Question #19 : Animal Related Terminology

Complete this analogy.

Shark is to teeth as snake is to __________.

Possible Answers:

reptile

constrict

scales

fangs

sunshine

Correct answer:

fangs

Explanation:

A shark uses its teeth to bite things, so we need to pick out an answer that describes what part of a snake it uses to bite things. While “fangs” and “scales” might each look like a potentially correct answer because each refers to a part of a snake’s body, a snake uses its fangs, not its scales, to bite things. Because a snake uses its fangs to bite things just as a shark uses its teeth to bite things, “fangs” is the correct answer.

Example Question #20 : Animal Related Terminology

Complete the analogy:

Pack is to wolf as __________.

Possible Answers:

herd is to bison

school is to children

forest is to bush

swarm is to fox

herd is to fish

Correct answer:

herd is to bison

Explanation:

A group of wolves is called a "pack." Similarly, a group of "bison" is called "a herd."

None of the other analogies have this relationship:

"Herd is to fish": herd is not a word used to describe groups of fish.

"Forest is to bush": while there are often numerous bushes in a forest, a collection of bushes is not called a forest.

"Swarm is to fox": Swarm is a word meaning a large group of flying insects, thus foxes cannot form swarms, and a collection of foxes is called a troop or a lead.

"Children is to school": While groups of children are typically found in schools, a group of children is not called a school.

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