All SSAT Middle Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Subject And Object
Analogies: Complete this analogy.
Discard is to trash as consume is to __________.
sleep
rebellion
emotion
travel
food
food
"Trash" is a noun, and "discard" (which means to throw away) is an action that one typically does with that noun. To complete this analogy, you have to determine which object matches with the action "consume." To "consume" means take in or eat, so the correct answer is “food," because just as one typically discards trash, one typically consumes food.
Example Question #2 : Subject And Object
Complete this analogy.
Teacher is to exam as __________.
army is to soldier
doctor is to vaccine
quilt is to fabric
patient is to hospital
pilot is to plane
doctor is to vaccine
The relationship between "teacher" and "exam" is that a teacher is the person who administers or gives an exam. So, we need to pick out an answer choice in which the first word describes a person who administers or gives the second word. "Doctor is to vaccine" and "Pilot is to plane" may each look like potentially correct answer choices because the first word in each choice is an occupation, but since a pilot does not administer or give a plane, but flies it instead, "pilot is to plane" cannot be the correct answer. Because doctors administer or give vaccines just like teachers administer or give exams, "doctor is to vaccine" is the correct answer.
Example Question #3 : Subject And Object
Complete this analogy.
Corrode is to metal as burn is to __________.
sun
water
paper
ashes
fire
paper
"Corrode" is a verb that means destroy a metal via a chemical reaction, and metal is something that can be corroded. So, because the next verb is "burn," we need to pick out an answer choice that is a noun indicating something flammable. "Ashes" might look like a potentially correct answer, because many things are reduced to ash when burnt, but ashes themselves are not flammable, so "ashes" cannot be the correct answer. While "fire" and "sun" also have to do with burning, "paper" is the only answer choice that is a noun that indicates a flammable object. So, "paper" is the correct answer, because just as metal can be corroded, paper can be burned.
Example Question #4 : Subject And Object
Complete this analogy.
Vaccination is to disease as helmet is to __________.
destitution
concussion
head
cut
bicycle
concussion
A "vaccination" is an inoculation intended to prevent one from getting a specific disease, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of these answer choices is prevented by a helmet. The correct answer is “concussion,” or confusion or unconsciousness caused by one's head being hit. For clarification, "destitution" is another word for excessive poverty.
Example Question #5 : Subject And Object
Complete this analogy.
Doctor is to patient as teacher is to __________.
parent
politician
student
officer
nurse
student
A doctor helps patients, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of these answer choices is a group of people helped by teachers. The correct answer, of course, is “student.”
Example Question #6 : Subject And Object
Complete this analogy.
Vacuum is to carpet as washer is to __________.
clean
tile
brick
clothing
water
clothing
One uses a vacuum to clean carpet, so we need to pick out an answer choice that describes what type of material or objects a washer is used to clean. Of the five answer choices, three are tangible objects: “clothing,” “tile,” and “brick.” Because a washer is used to clean clothing just like a vacuum is used to clean carpet, “clothing” is the correct answer.
Example Question #7 : Subject And Object
Complete this analogy.
Past is to nostalgia as future is to __________.
ruse
regretful
retirement
wistful
excitement
excitement
"Nostalgia" is a positive feeling related to the past or a fond memory of the past. To solve this analogy, you need to consider which of the answer choices relates to a positive feeling about the future. Feeling "regretful" means not being happy about choices made in the past, so that cannot be the correct answer. Likewise, "wistful" is a synonym of "nostalgia" and relates to a feeling about the past. A "ruse" is a deception, a trick. The correct answer is "excitement," which is a feeling of happiness about something that is going to happen in the future. You might consider that a "retirement" is something that might happen to you in the future; however, it does not match with the specific relationship established in this analogy.
Example Question #8 : Subject And Object
Complete this analogy.
Speakers are to ears as __________.
monitor is to eyes
bracelets are to wrists
socks are to feet
gloves are to hands
necklace is to neck
monitor is to eyes
The best answer choice is "monitor is to eye," as information is being passed from a device to one's sensory organs, just like speakers pass information to ears. The other choices pair articles of clothing or accessories to body parts.
Example Question #9 : Subject And Object
Complete this analogy.
Refute is to false as concede is to __________.
supportive
true
gregarious
nebulous
wild
true
"Refute" is a verb that means "prove (a statement or theory) to be wrong or false; disprove." One would likely refute something that is false, so we need to pick out an answer choice that describes something that one might concede. "Concede" is a verb that means "admit that something is true or valid after first denying or resisting it." "True" is a potential answer choice, so "true" is the correct answer because just as one might refute something that is false, one might concede something that is true.
Example Question #10 : Subject And Object
Complete this analogy.
Protractor is to angle as ruler is to __________.
length
texture
volume
taste
color
length
A "protractor" is defined as "an instrument for measuring angles, typically in the form of a flat semicircle marked with degrees along the curved edge," so since protractors measure angles, we need to pick out an answer choice that describes what a ruler measures. While "volume" might look like a potentially correct answer, rules don't measure volume directly, but can help one collect data in order to calcite the volume of something. "Length" is the correct answer because just as protractors measure angles, rulers measure length.