All SSAT Middle Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1311 : Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
PANDEMONIUM
Orderliness
Bliss
Mayhem
Discovery
Misery
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 #1312 : Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
INCONGRUOUS
Jaunty
Ill-fitting
Social
Dangerous
Protective
Ill-fitting
"Incongruous" means inappropriate, out of place, or ill-fitting, so "ill-fitting" is the correct answer.
Example Question #1313 : Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
INTERMEDIATE
Middle
Intentional
Bottom
Elite
Priceless
Middle
"Intermediate" means middle.
Example Question #533 : Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
PREDISPOSITION
Disinclination
Renounce
Mar
Repudiate
Tendency
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 #1314 : Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
PHILANTHROPIC
Insolent
Parsimonious
Bemused
Impressive
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 #1315 : Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
UNEXPECTED
Forced
Planned
Reached
Announced
Sudden
Sudden
"Unexpected" means sudden or unplanned for, so "sudden" is the correct answer.
Example Question #1316 : Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
AMBIVALENT
Unwieldy
Unsettling
Vexing
Unprepared
Unsure
Unsure
The prefix "ambi-" means both, as in “ambidextrous,” which means equally skilled with both hands. In this context, “ambivalent” means to be in two minds, to be in both minds, to be unsure. To provide further help, “vexing” means puzzling or confusing; something that is “unsettling” makes you nervous and uncomfortable; to be “unprepared” means to be not ready.
Example Question #1317 : Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
OMNIPRESENT
All-knowing
Ubiquitous
Carnivore
Omnivore
All-powerful
Ubiquitous
The prefix omni- means everywhere or everything, as in “omnipotent,” which means all-powerful or “omniscient,” which means all-knowing. The word “omnipresent” means present everywhere; this is closest in definition to “ubiquitous,” which means existing everywhere. To provide further help, a “carnivore” is a creature that only eats meat; an “omnivore” is a creature that eats meat and vegetables, that eats everything.
Example Question #1318 : Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
GRIEVANCE
Support
Explanation
Complaint
Review
Stipulation
Complaint
"Grieve" is a root word that signifies a problem or negative situation. A grievance most nearly means a complaint or alert someone to a problem.
Example Question #1319 : Synonyms
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
EGOIST
Diminutive child
Self-centered person
Preeminent politician
Professional performer
Calm spectator
Self-centered person
The root word "ego" indicates someone who is self-centered. An "egoist" is a person who is overly focused on their own interests. "Diminutive" means small. "Preeminent" means a notable or leading figure.
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