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 #2 : Analogies

Above is to beneath as __________.

Possible Answers:

mile is to distance

flying is to airborne

near is to under

in is to out

flower is to tulip

Correct answer:

in is to out

Explanation:

“Above” is a preposition that means “ in extended space over and not touching,” while “beneath” is a preposition that means “extending or directly underneath, typically with close contact.” So, that means that we need to pick out an answer choice that consists of a pair of prepositions which are antonyms of each other. While “in is to out” and “far is to under” both consists of a pair of prepositions, “far” is not the opposite of “under,” so “far is to under” cannot be the correct answer. “In” is the opposite of “out,” however, just like “above” is the opposite of “beneath,” so “in is to out” is the correct answer.

Example Question #1 : Analogies

Hand is to grasp as arm is to __________.

Possible Answers:

run

reach

think

sing

bellow

Correct answer:

reach

Explanation:

One uses one’s hand to grasp things, or “seize and hold firmly,” so we need to pick out an answer choice that is a verb that one might use one’s arms to do. While all of the potential answer choices are verbs that one might do with the various parts of one’s body, only “reach,” a verb that means “stretch out an arm to touch or grasp something,” is something that one would do with one’s arm. So, because one reaches for things using one’s arm just as one grasps things with one’s hand, “reach” is the correct answer.

Example Question #1 : Analogies

Pizza is to pepperoni as ice cream is to __________.

Possible Answers:

quart

sprinkles

straw

summer

cone

Correct answer:

sprinkles

Explanation:

A pizza might be topped with pepperoni, so we need to pick out an answer choice that describes what might top ice cream. While “sprinkles” and “cone” might each look like a potentially correct answer, ice cream is often served in a cone, not topped with a cone, so “cone” cannot be the correct answer. Ice cream can be topped with sprinkles, however, just as a pizza can be topped with pepperoni, so “sprinkles” is the correct answer.

Example Question #3 : Analogies

War is to pacific as __________.

Possible Answers:

silence is to loud

fuzzy is to soft

determination is to willful

animal is to organism

fortunate is to unlucky

Correct answer:

silence is to loud

Explanation:

“Pacific” is a adjective that can mean either “peaceful in character or intent,” or when capitalized, “of or relating to the Pacific Ocean.” So, because the “pacific” in the question is not capitalized, we will need to assume that it means “peaceful in character or intent.” War is something that is definitely not pacific, so we need to pick out an answer choice in which the first word is a noun and the second word an adjective that describes the opposite of the noun. While “silence is to loud” and “determination is to willful” might each look like a potentially correct answer choice, “determination is to willful” cannot be the correct answer because “determination” is a noun that means “firmness of purpose,” and “willful” is an adjective that can mean “stubborn.” So, because “willful” might describe someone who has determination, not its opposite, “determination is to willful” cannot be the correct answer. “Loud,” however, describes something that is the opposite of silence, just as “pacific” describes something that is the opposite of war, so “silence is to loud” is the correct answer.

Example Question #1 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Xenophobia is to foreigners as zoophobia is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Love 

Outings 

People

Animals

Death 

Correct answer:

Animals

Explanation:

The suffix "-phobia" means related to a fear. "Xenophobia" is the fear of foreigners, which one can infer from the presence of the prefix "xeno-," which means having to do with foreigners, in the word. So, to solve this analogy, you have to determine what "zoophobia" is the fear of. The prefix "zoo-" means having to do with animals, so "zoophobia" is the fear of animals and "animals" is the correct answer.

Example Question #2 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Chemistry is to chemist as zoology is to __________.

Possible Answers:

zoologist

zoo

biologist

biology

animals

Correct answer:

zoologist

Explanation:

The suffix "-ist" means someone who practices the first part of the word. Therefore, "chemist" means one who practices chemistry. For the answer, we need something that means "one who practices zoology," which would be "zoologist."

Example Question #4 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Darkness is to dark as heaviness is to __________.

Possible Answers:

heave

weight

heavy

lightness

light

Correct answer:

heavy

Explanation:

This analogy makes a relationship using the suffix "-ness." This suffix changes an adjective, like "dark" or "heavy" into a noun that expresses the quality of that adjective. The noun "darkness" expresses the quality of being dark, and the noun "heaviness" expresses the quality of heavy.

Example Question #5 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Computer is to computerize as motor is to __________.

Possible Answers:

engine

car

abacus

motorize

motherboard

Correct answer:

motorize

Explanation:

The relationship here has to do with the suffix "-ize." This suffix takes an adjective or noun (such as "motor" or "computer") and makes it into a verb that means convert into that thing. If you add computers to something, you "computerize" it. If you add motors to something, you "motorize" it.

Example Question #11 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Present is to presentable as separate is to __________.

Possible Answers:

gift

other

separable

selfish

generous

Correct answer:

separable

Explanation:

The relationship here has to do with the suffix "-able." This suffix takes an a verb (such as "present" or "separate") and makes it into an adjective meaning able to be [verb]ed. Similar to how "presentable" means able to be presented, "separable" means able to be separated.

Example Question #12 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Music is to musical as myth is to __________.

Possible Answers:

classical

untrue

mythical

sound

reality

Correct answer:

mythical

Explanation:

The relationship has to do with the suffix "-ical." This suffix takes a noun (such as "music" or "myth") and creates an adjective meaning characterized by [noun]. Just like "musical" means characterized by music, "mythical" means characterized by myth.

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