All SSAT Middle Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #141 : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots To Identify Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
PRESCIENCE
Foresight
Preliminary
Testing
Revision
Understanding
Foresight
“Prescience” means foresight or the ability to know what will or might happen in the future. This is closest to “foresight,” which means the ability to know about events before they happens. You can infer the meaning of these words from their prefixes: "pre-" and "fore-" both mean before. It is important not to get distracted by the word root "science" in "prescience," as it could lead you to choose “testing," an incorrect answer. “Revision” means editing (literally the act of looking at something again), and “preliminary” means initial or done first in order to prepare for something, which you may be able to infer from the word's use of the prefix "pre-," which means before. “Understanding” is similar to “prescience” in that it suggests knowing something, but “understanding” is not associated with knowing about future events before they happen.
Example Question #47 : Synonyms: Roots
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
DICTATE
Touch
Hear
Smell
Feel
Speak
Speak
The prefix "dict-" means related to speaking and speech, so “dictate” is closest in meaning to "speak." More specifically, "dictate" means speak aloud words that you wish someone else to write down. You might “dictate” something to your assistant to write down.
Example Question #48 : Synonyms: Roots
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
INSOMNIA
Sleeplessness
Inspection
Offense
Poem
Withering
Sleeplessness
"Insomnia" is related to the Latin root "somnus," meaning sleep. Adding the negative prefix "in-" makes "insomnia," the inability to sleep, which we also call "sleeplessness."
Example Question #49 : Synonyms: Roots
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
HOMOGENEOUS
Uniform
Corresponding
Attempted
Unique
Varied
Uniform
The prefix "homo-" means same, and in this instance, that is sufficient information; “homogenous” means of the same kind, so "uniform" (identical) is the best answer choice.
Example Question #51 : Synonyms: Roots
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
PANDEMONIUM
Bliss
Misery
Discovery
Mayhem
Orderliness
Mayhem
The prefix "pan-" means everything, and appears in words like “Pangaea” and “pandemic.” In this context, it means a state where everything is going wrong, or “mayhem." ("Pandemonium" was first used in Milton's Paradise Lost to mean "the place where all demons live," which one might be able to infer from the word's use of the root "demon.") To provide further help, “bliss” is happiness and contentedness; “orderliness” means tidiness and the quality of being well organized; and “misery” is great sadness.
Example Question #142 : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots To Identify Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
INCONGRUOUS
Social
Protective
Ill-fitting
Jaunty
Dangerous
Ill-fitting
"Incongruous" means inappropriate, out of place, or ill-fitting, so "ill-fitting" is the correct answer.
Example Question #143 : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots To Identify Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
INTERMEDIATE
Intentional
Middle
Elite
Priceless
Bottom
Middle
"Intermediate" means middle.
Example Question #144 : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots To Identify Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
PREDISPOSITION
Renounce
Tendency
Repudiate
Disinclination
Mar
Tendency
A “predisposition” is a tendency or liability to think or feel a certain way about something. For example, someone from a violent past might be “predisposed” to violence in the present. The correct answer is thus "tendency," as "tendency" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "predisposition."As for the other answer choices, a “disinclination” is the opposite of a “predisposition”— it is something you are not liable to do; “repudiate” and “renounce” both mean to reject or declare that something is wrong and stop participating in it; and “mar” is a verb that means ruin or make worse.
Example Question #145 : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots To Identify Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
PHILANTHROPIC
Impressive
Bemused
Insolent
Parsimonious
Charitable
Charitable
The root "anthro" means related to mankind, and the root "phil" means loving. The word “philanthropic” thus means something related to loving mankind. Of the five answer choices, something that suggests a love of man is “charitable.” Both “philanthropic” and “charitable” are used to describe someone who gives generously to others. None of the other answer choices are close in meaning to "philanthropic": “insolent” means rude; “bemused” means perplexed or confused; and “parsimonious” means selfish or not generous with others.
Example Question #141 : Using Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots To Identify Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
UNEXPECTED
Reached
Sudden
Announced
Forced
Planned
Sudden
"Unexpected" means sudden or unplanned for, so "sudden" is the correct answer.
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All SSAT Middle Level Verbal Resources
