SSAT Middle Level Verbal : User and Tool

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : User And Tool

Complete this analogy.

Sculptor is to clay as __________.

Possible Answers:

paint is to canvas

water is to watercolor

writer is to typewriter

melody is to musician

painter is to paint

Correct answer:

painter is to paint

Explanation:

Since a sculptor creates works of art out of clay, we need to pick out another set of words in which the first word describes someone who creates art using the second word as their medium. While "painter is to paint" and "writer is to typewriter" may both look like good answers, a typewriter is not a writer's medium, but the tool they use to write. (Words or text would be a writer's medium.) "Painter is to paint" is the correct answer because a painter creates works of art out of paint (and canvas), just like a sculptor creates works of art out of clay.

Example Question #611 : Analogies

Complete this analogy:

Carpenter is to hammer as __________.

Possible Answers:

captain is to boat

baton is to policeman

metalworker is to welding torch

chef is to food

bird is to egg

Correct answer:

metalworker is to welding torch

Explanation:

A carpenter uses a hammer to build wooden objects, so we need to find a similar relationship in the analogies. A "metalworker" uses a "welding torch" to build metal objects. "Metalworker" and "welding torch" have the same relationship as carpenter and hammer.

A captain uses a boat, but the boat is not simply a tool for the captain, it is the captain's home. 

Birds hatch from eggs, there is no user or tool in this analogy.

Chefs make food, but food is not the tool of the chef.

The policeman is not the tool of the baton, but vice versa. Analogies must match conceptually, so if you have a user paired with a tool, you need to find an answer that also has a user and a tool.

 

Example Question #611 : Analogies

Complete the analogy:

Mechanic is to car as __________.

Possible Answers:

driver is to limo

filmmaker is to movies

plumber is to toilet

cowboy is to horses

salesman is to car

Correct answer:

plumber is to toilet

Explanation:

Mechanics repair cars. Similarly, "plumbers" fix "toilets."

None of the other analogies have this relationship:

Drivers drive limos but typically do not repair them. Filmmakers make movies. Cowboys ride horses. A salesman sells cars.

Example Question #612 : Analogies

Complete the analogy:

Chauffeur is to car as __________.

Possible Answers:

lawyer is to court

oarsman is to steamship

painter is to photography

pilot is to plane

runner is to race

Correct answer:

pilot is to plane

Explanation:

"Chauffeurs" drive "cars" as their occupation. Similarly, "pilots" fly "planes" as their occupation. 

None of the other analogies have this relationship:

A lawyer works in the court, but does not operate the court in the same way that a pilot or a chauffeur operate a plane or a car. Painters paints pictures, while photography is the art of taking pictures with a camera. Runners run races; there are no tools in this analogy. An oarsman rows a boat, but a steamship has no oarsmen as it is steam-powered, thus the oarsman does not operate the steamship as his profession.

Example Question #493 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Pen is to author as __________.

Possible Answers:

chalk is to teacher

hotdog is to bun

ornament is to Christmas

plant is to garden

mother is to baby

Correct answer:

chalk is to teacher

Explanation:

The correct answer is "chalk is to teacher."

This analogy expresses a user and tool relationship. 

A pen is a tool that an author uses to do his or her job. Therefore, we need to find an identical relationship for the second half of the analogy. 

A teacher uses chalk to perform (specific tasks) his or her job. 

Example Question #494 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Statistician is to __________ as geologist is to rocks.

Possible Answers:

data

romance

geography

literature

history

Correct answer:

data

Explanation:

A "geologist" is someone who studies rocks, someone who examines rocks. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these answer choices is studied or examined by a "statistician." A "statistician" is primarily concerned with statistics, or "data." To provide extra help, "data" is facts collected and analyzed.

Example Question #495 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Mason is to __________ as grocer is to food.

Possible Answers:

stone

water

iron

wood

money

Correct answer:

stone

Explanation:

A "grocer" is someone who sells food, and other household products for a living. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a product made or sold by a "mason." The correct answer is "stone." A "mason" is someone who cuts and shapes stone and marble for a living.

Example Question #3 : User And Tool

Complete this analogy.

Chiropractic is to __________ as acupuncturist is to needles.

Possible Answers:

vaccination

sorcery

massage

surgeon

hospital

Correct answer:

massage

Explanation:

An "acupuncturist" is someone who uses "needles" to treat a patient. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is something at a "chiropractor" might use. Well, a "chiropractor" is someone who treats back problems. So, the correct answer is "massage." Additionally, a "surgeon" is a doctor operates on people; "sorcery" is magic; "vaccination" is inoculation, treating someone with a small amount of a disease to prevent them from contracting a more serious version of the disease.

Example Question #2 : User And Tool

Complete the analogy.

Doctor is to thermometer as __________.

Possible Answers:

screwdriver is to repair

lion is to prey

wind is to blow

singer is to sing

actor is to script

Correct answer:

actor is to script

Explanation:

The correct answer is "actor is to script."

This analogy expresses a user/tool relationship. A doctor uses a thermometer to perform his or her job. An actor uses a script to perform his or her job.

Example Question #3 : User And Tool

Complete this analogy.

Clippers is to barber as _______________.

Possible Answers:

flash is to camera 

paintbrush is to artist

computer is to student

picture is to wall

mattress is to bed

Correct answer:

paintbrush is to artist

Explanation:

The correct answer is "paintbrush is to artist."

This analogy explores the relationship of a tool and the user of the tool. Clippers are used by a barber to perform the task of cutting hair; likewise, a paintbrush is used by an artist to paint.

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