SSAT Middle Level Verbal : SSAT Middle Level Verbal

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #53 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Dermatology is to skin as optometry is to __________

Possible Answers:

eyes

hair 

brain 

hands 

heart 

Correct answer:

eyes

Explanation:

The prefix derma- means related to skin, so “dermatology” is medicine focused around skin-treatment. To solve this analogy you need to determine which part of the body is covered by “optometry.” The prefix opt- means to do with sight or looking so “optometry” is medicine focused around eyesight or “eyes.” 

Example Question #51 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Luddite is to technophobe as memoir is to __________.

Possible Answers:

protagonist

antagonist

account

technophile

narrative

Correct answer:

account

Explanation:

A “luddite” is a name given to someone who is fearful or distrusting of new technology. The prefix techno- means related to technology, and the suffix -phobe means someone who fears. So a “technophobe” means the same thing as a “luddite.” To solve this analogy you need to determine the best available synonym for “memoir.” The prefix mem- is related to memory, recalling the past so a “memoir” is an account of what took place in one person’s past. As such, it is closest in meaning to an “account.” You might have picked “narrative;” however that more closely means story and suggests fiction, whereas an “account” is a telling of something that has happened. To provide further help, a “technophile” loves new technology; a “protagonist” is a hero and an “antagonist” is a villain, observe the relationship between the prefixes pro- and ­­­anti-

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 #53 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Anthropology is to man as climatology is to __________

Possible Answers:

Climbing

Climate

Amphibians

Hormones

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 #11 : Suffixes From Greek

Complete this analogy.

Pressure is to barometer as temperature is to __________

Possible Answers:

odometer

audiometer

micrometer

thermometer

altimeter

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 #12 : Suffixes From Greek

Complete this analogy.

Anglophile is to England as Grecophile is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Greek 

Love 

English 

Greece 

German 

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 #131 : Ssat Middle Level Verbal

Complete this analogy.

Bibliophile is to books as zoophile is to ___________.

Possible Answers:

circuses

parties

animals

humans 

monkeys 

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 #132 : Ssat Middle Level Verbal

Complete this analogy.

Introvert is to extrovert as underpopulated is to __________.

Possible Answers:

populated

overpopulated

repopulated 

unpopulated 

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.

Example Question #1 : Part/Whole, Part/Part, Example/Category, And Cause/Effect

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Green is to blue as sad is to __________.

Possible Answers:

tears

angry

smile

blue

frown

Correct answer:

angry

Explanation:

The relationship between "green" and "blue" is an uncommon one: they are both types of colors. Since "sad" is an emotion, we must look for another word that is an emotion. The only choice that shares this relationship with "sad" is "angry." "Blue" is a color and unrelated in this regard. "Smile" and "frown" are facial expressions that accompany certain emotions. "Tears" can also be considered an expression of sadness, but is not an appropriate choice because "tears" are not an emotion themselves.

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