All SSAT Middle Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #51 : Synonyms: Roots
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
PANDEMONIUM
Orderliness
Bliss
Mayhem
Misery
Discovery
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 #52 : Synonyms: Roots
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
INCONGRUOUS
Social
Ill-fitting
Dangerous
Protective
Jaunty
Ill-fitting
"Incongruous" means inappropriate, out of place, or ill-fitting, so "ill-fitting" is the correct answer.
Example Question #53 : Synonyms: Roots
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
INTERMEDIATE
Intentional
Elite
Bottom
Priceless
Middle
Middle
"Intermediate" means middle.
Example Question #54 : Synonyms: Roots
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
PREDISPOSITION
Tendency
Disinclination
Repudiate
Mar
Renounce
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 #55 : Synonyms: Roots
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
PHILANTHROPIC
Parsimonious
Insolent
Bemused
Charitable
Impressive
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 #56 : Synonyms: Roots
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
UNEXPECTED
Announced
Forced
Reached
Sudden
Planned
Sudden
"Unexpected" means sudden or unplanned for, so "sudden" is the correct answer.
Example Question #57 : Synonyms: Roots
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
AMBIVALENT
Unwieldy
Vexing
Unsettling
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 #58 : Synonyms: Roots
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
OMNIPRESENT
Omnivore
All-knowing
Ubiquitous
Carnivore
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 #59 : Synonyms: Roots
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
GRIEVANCE
Review
Stipulation
Complaint
Explanation
Support
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 #60 : Synonyms: Roots
Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.
EGOIST
Professional performer
Calm spectator
Diminutive child
Self-centered person
Preeminent politician
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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