SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Suffixes

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #52 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Astronomy is to space as gastronomy is to __________.

Possible Answers:

atmosphere

volcanoes

food

earth

air

Correct answer:

food

Explanation:

The suffix -onomy usually means the study of, and the prefix astro- means related to space, so “astronomy” is the study of space. To solve this analogy you need to determine what “gastronomy” is the study of. The prefix gastro- means related to food or digestion, so “gastronomy” is the study of food.

Example Question #56 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Autocracy is to dictator as oligarchy is to __________.

Possible Answers:

democrats

representatives

technocrats

monarchs

aristocrats

Correct answer:

aristocrats

Explanation:

An “autocracy” is a government ruled by one man, a government ruled by a dictator. A “dictator” is someone who has absolute control over a group of people. The prefix auto- usually means self, and so an “autocracy” is rule by one-self. The prefix dic- means say, command, so a “dictator” is someone who says and commands the rules of a country. To solve this analogy you have to determine what system of government an “oligarchy” is, and also who would be likely to run the government. The prefix olig- means few, or little, so an “oligarchy” is rule by a select wealthy few. This tells us that an “oligarchy” is ruled by “aristocrats.” If it was not yet clear, the suffixes -crat and -cracy mean rule, power. To provide further help, a “monarch” is a king or queen; a “representative” is someone tasked with representing the will of the people in government; a “technocrat” is someone who rules through technology.

Example Question #51 : Suffixes

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Anthropology is to man as climatology is to __________

Possible Answers:

Climate

Hormones

Amphibians

Climbing

Viruses

Correct answer:

Climate

Explanation:

The root "anthro-" means related to mankind and the suffix "-ology" means the study of, so “anthropology” is the study of man. To solve this analogy, you have to determine what “climatology” is the study of. The correct answer is "climate." None of the other answer choices make sense in the blank as they have nothing to do with climate.

Example Question #52 : Suffixes

Complete this analogy.

Pressure is to barometer as temperature is to __________

Possible Answers:

altimeter

micrometer

audiometer

odometer

thermometer

Correct answer:

thermometer

Explanation:

The suffix "-meter" means related to measurement. A “barometer” is an instrument used to measure pressure, since the prefix "bar-" means related to pressure. To solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the answer choices is the name of an instrument that measures temperature. The correct answer is a “thermometer"; if you did not know this, you could use the prefix "thermo-" as a context clue, as "thermo-" means having to do with heat and temperature. To provide further help, an “odometer” is the instrument found in a car that measures how many miles the car has travelled; an “altimeter” is an instrument that measures height; a “micrometer” is a device that measures very small distances; an “audiometer” is a device that measures the loudness of noise.

Example Question #53 : Suffixes

Complete this analogy.

Anglophile is to England as Grecophile is to __________.

Possible Answers:

German 

Greece 

Greek 

Love 

English 

Correct answer:

Greece 

Explanation:

The suffix -phile means love and the prefix Anglo­- means related to England or the English. So Anglophile describes someone who loves the English. To solve this analogy, you have to determine which country a Grecophile loves. You might have guessed, based on the first few letters, that the correct answer is “Greece.” It is Greece, the country, not Greek, the nationality, because the word "England" was used in the first comparison, not "English."

Example Question #54 : Suffixes

Complete this analogy.

Bibliophile is to books as zoophile is to ___________.

Possible Answers:

parties

circuses

monkeys 

animals

humans 

Correct answer:

animals

Explanation:

The suffix "-phile" means lover of and the prefix "bibl-" means related to books, so we can see that “bibliophile” means a lover of books. To solve this analogy, you need to determine what a “zoophile” is a lover of. The correct answer is “animals.” The prefix "zoo-" means related to animals, so whenever you see it in a word, it is reasonable to assume that the word will have something to do with animals.

Example Question #55 : Suffixes

Complete this analogy.

Introvert is to extrovert as underpopulated is to __________.

Possible Answers:

unpopulated 

overpopulated

populated

repopulated 

depopulated

Correct answer:

overpopulated

Explanation:

“Introvert” and “extrovert” are antonyms; they are complete opposites of each other. We can tell this from their prefixes, "intro-," which means having to do with the inside of something, and "extro-," which means having to do with the outside of something. An “introvert” is someone who keeps to themselves, while an “extrovert” likes to be outgoing. This tells us that we should look for the opposite of “underpopulated.” The opposite of "under-" (not enough) is "over-" (too much), so the answer is “overpopulated.” Similarly, “depopulated” means the opposite of “repopulated” just as “unpopulated” means the opposite of “populated.” To help, a place which is “populated” has people living on or in it; for example New York is populated.

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