SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Subject and Object

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Subject And Object

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Discard is to trash as consume is to __________.

Possible Answers:

sleep 

rebellion

emotion 

travel 

food 

Correct answer:

food 

Explanation:

"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 __________.

Possible Answers:

army is to soldier

doctor is to vaccine

quilt is to fabric

patient is to hospital

pilot is to plane

Correct answer:

doctor is to vaccine

Explanation:

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 __________.

Possible Answers:

sun

water

paper

ashes

fire

Correct answer:

paper

Explanation:

"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 __________.

Possible Answers:

destitution

concussion

head

cut

bicycle

Correct answer:

concussion

Explanation:

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 __________.

Possible Answers:

parent 

politician

student 

officer 

nurse 

Correct answer:

student 

Explanation:

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 __________.

Possible Answers:

clean

tile

brick

clothing

water

Correct answer:

clothing

Explanation:

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 __________.

Possible Answers:

ruse

regretful

retirement

wistful

excitement

Correct answer:

excitement

Explanation:

"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 __________.

Possible Answers:

monitor is to eyes

bracelets are to wrists

socks are to feet

gloves are to hands

necklace is to neck

Correct answer:

monitor is to eyes

Explanation:

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 __________.

Possible Answers:

supportive

true

gregarious

nebulous

wild

Correct answer:

true

Explanation:

"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 __________.

Possible Answers:

length

texture

volume

taste

color

Correct answer:

length

Explanation:

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.

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