All SSAT Middle Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #14 : Part/Whole, Part/Part, Example/Category, And Cause/Effect
Complete this analogy.
Splinter is to wood as shard is to __________.
snow
wool
glass
fire
leather
glass
“Splinter” is a word that when used as a noun means a tiny, sharp piece of wood or glass. So, a splinter is a small piece of wood, and we need to pick out an answer choice that conveys the material that a shard can be made of. While “glass,” “wool,” and “leather” may each look like a potentially correct answer choice, because each refers to a tangible material, “shard” is defined as a small piece of broken glass or ceramic with sharp edges, and because “glass” is the only material mentioned in the definition of “shard,” “glass” is the correct answer.
Example Question #15 : Part/Whole, Part/Part, Example/Category, And Cause/Effect
Complete this analogy.
Apple is to core as peach is to __________.
juice
fruit
pit
fuzzy
rind
pit
“Core” can be used as a noun that means the tough part of a fruit found at its center, and apples have cores at their centers which people do not typically eat. So, we need to pick out an answer choice that describes a part of a peach which people do not eat, particularly one found in the center of a peach. While “pit” and “rind” may each look like a potentially correct answer, “rind” is a noun that means a fruit's tough exterior skin, but because peaches don’t have rinds, “rind” cannot be the correct answer. “Pit,” however, when used as a noun, can mean a fruit's stone, and because peaches contain pits just as apples contain cores, “pit” is the correct answer.
Example Question #16 : Part/Whole, Part/Part, Example/Category, And Cause/Effect
Complete this analogy.
Thesis is to essay as engine is to __________.
book
piston
car
oil
bike
car
A "thesis" is part of an "essay," so to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of these answer choices includes an "engine" as one of its parts. The correct answer is a "car."
Example Question #17 : Part/Whole, Part/Part, Example/Category, And Cause/Effect
Analogies: Complete this analogy.
Bishop is to church as baron is to __________.
tenure
media
democracy
oligarchy
aristocracy
aristocracy
A bishop is a ranking member of the church, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of these answer choices is an organization that includes barons amongst its members. The correct answer is “aristocracy,” which is the name given to an entrenched upper class system, like the royalty or nobility in England. For clarification, "oligarchy" is the name of the government ruled by a few, and "tenure" is the status of guaranteed employment achieved by faculty members, usually after a number of years.
Example Question #18 : Part/Whole, Part/Part, Example/Category, And Cause/Effect
Complete this analogy.
Symptom is to disease as clue is to __________.
distraction
suspense
mystery
detective
hint
mystery
“Symptom” is a noun that means an effect characteristic of a disease, so a doctor might consider a patient’s symptoms in order to figure out what disease the patient has. We need to pick out an answer choice that describes what a clue might help a person figure out. While “mystery” and “hint” might each look like a potentially correct answer, “hint” is a synonym of “clue,” not something a clue might help one figure out, so “hint” cannot be the correct answer. A clue might help someone figure out a mystery, however, just as a symptom might help a doctor figure out what disease a patient has, so “mystery” is the correct answer.
Example Question #19 : Part/Whole, Part/Part, Example/Category, And Cause/Effect
Complete this analogy.
Puzzle is to piece as couch is to _________.
seat
drawer
cushion
comfy
brown
cushion
The relationship in "puzzle is to piece" is whole to part. The best choice is "cushion," as a cushion is a part of a couch. Both "brown" and "comfy" are possible characteristics of couches. The choice "seat" would make the relationship categorical because a couch is a type of seat. The choice "drawer" is unrelated to the word "couch."
Example Question #20 : Part/Whole, Part/Part, Example/Category, And Cause/Effect
Complete this analogy:
Wolf is to pack as __________.
geese is to gaggle
child is to school
herd is to reptiles
farm is to pig
wolf is to dog
geese is to gaggle
A group of wolves is called a pack. Similarly, a group of geese is called a gaggle.
None of the other analogies have this specific relationship.
Groups of children are not called a school, although groups of children do go to school.
Wolf and dog are related, but the analogy does not fit the relationship of single animal to group of that animal.
Groups of pigs do live on farms, but the order of the words is incorrect: a group of farms is not called a pig.
A group of reptiles is not called a herd; a herd typically refers to a group of hoofed animals.
Example Question #11 : Part And Whole
Complete this analogy:
Triangle is to pyramid as circle is to __________.
sphere
oval
globe
round
cube
sphere
A pyramid is a three-dimensional version of the triangle. Similarly, a sphere is the three-dimensional version of the circle.
None of the other analogies have this relationship.
Globes are spherical, but refer specifically to spheres upon which three-dimensional maps of the Earth are depicted.
An oval is simply an elongated circle, also known as an ellipse.
Round is the quality of being non-linear, for either three-dimensional or two dimensional.
Cube is the three-dimensional version of the square.
Example Question #12 : Part And Whole
Complete this analogy.
Singer is to choir as player is to ____________.
uniform
bar
bat
shoe
team
team
This analogy shows a part to whole relationship.
A singer is part of a larger unit (the choir).
The correct answer is "player is to team." A player is part of a team (the team being the whole).
Example Question #13 : Part And Whole
Complete this analogy.
Museum is to __________ as orchard is to trees.
vocations
pestilence
weapons
artifacts
sailors
artifacts
An "orchard" is a group of "trees," particularly fruit "trees." So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is found in a "museum." The correct answer is "artifacts." A collection of "artifacts" is known as a "museum." An "artifact" is a man-made object of historical of cultural interest. Additionally, "pestilence" is disease; a "vocation" is an occupation, a job.
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All SSAT Middle Level Verbal Resources
