SSAT Upper Level Verbal : Specific Terminology

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #431 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Fox is to paws as dolphin is to __________.

Possible Answers:

blowhole

intelligent

flippers

mammal

marine

Correct answer:

flippers

Explanation:

“Paw” is a noun that means “an animal’s foot having claws and pads.” So, because a fox’s paws are its feet, we need to pick out a word that describes the equivalent body part that a dolphin would have. While “flippers” and “blowhole” each refer to a part of a dolphin’s body, a “flipper” is specifically “a broad flat limb without fingers, used for swimming by various sea animals such as seals, whales, and turtles.” So, because a dolphin has flippers where a fox has paws, “flippers” is the correct answer.

Example Question #432 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Horse is to equine as __________.

Possible Answers:

miser is to money

feline is to cat

water is to liquid

bear is to ursine

sleep is to pillow

Correct answer:

bear is to ursine

Explanation:

Since "equine" is an adjective that specifically means "of, relating to, or resembling horses," we need to find another word where the first word is a noun and the second is an adjective that means "relating to [that noun]." While "feline is to cat" might look like a good answer choice initially, since "feline" is an adjective that means "of, relating to, or resembling cats," the words appear in the wrong order in the answer; we need the noun to come before the adjective, and in "feline is to cat," the adjective comes before the noun, so it can't be the right answer. Both "bear is to ursine" and "water is to liquid" appear to be good answers, so we need to pick between them. "Bear is to ursine" is the better answer because bears and horses are both animals. Also, "equine" and "ursine" are each specific words referring to a single type of animal, while "liquid" is broader since it can refer to substances other than water. So, the correct answer is "bear is to ursine."

Example Question #433 : Analogies

Lupine is to wolf as equine is to __________.

Possible Answers:

cow 

monkey 

dog 

elephant 

horse 

monkey 

Correct answer:

horse 

Explanation:

Lupine is an adjective which means of or relating to wolves. To complete this analogy you therefore have to figure out which animal is described by the term equine. Equine means of, relating to, or affecting horses. There are many such relationships in the English language stemming from the Latin origin of many of our contemporary words. Equine is to horse as lupine is to wolf as bovine is to cow etc.

Example Question #434 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Bee is to stinger as __________.

Possible Answers:

tiger is to roar

cat is to claw

gun is to sheriff

badger is to snout

wolf is to danger

Correct answer:

cat is to claw

Explanation:

A stinger is an anatomical part of a bee used for self-defense: it stings. Claws, in the same way, are an anatomical part of a cat used to claw in self-defense.

Example Question #11 : Animal Related Terminology

Complete this analogy.

Swarm is to bee as __________ is to elephant.

Possible Answers:

tribe

party

memory

school

herd

Correct answer:

memory

Explanation:

A group of bees is collectively known as a "swarm." So, to solve this analogy you need to determine what a group of elephants is known as. The correct answer, amusingly, is a "memory." This is probably drawn from the old saying "an elephant never forgets."

Example Question #12 : Animal Related Terminology

Complete this analogy.

__________ is to dog as calf is to elephant.

Possible Answers:

Cygnet

Mare

Stallion

Kitten

Whelp

Correct answer:

Whelp

Explanation:

A baby elephant is called a "calf" so to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these answers is a name given to a baby dog, a puppy. The correct answer is "whelp" which means newly born dog. Additionally, a "mare" is a female horse and a "stallion" is a male horse; a "cygnet" is a baby swan.

Example Question #13 : Animal Related Terminology

Complete this analogy.

Pride is to lion as __________ is to rabbit.

Possible Answers:

school

hive

warren

pack

flock

Correct answer:

warren

Explanation:

group of lions is called a "pride." So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a word for a group of rabbits. The correct answer is a "warren."

Example Question #14 : Animal Related Terminology

Complete this analogy.

Stallion is to mare as pig is to __________

Possible Answers:

sow 

calf 

whelp 

mule 

bull 

Correct answer:

sow 

Explanation:

A "stallion" is a male horse and a "mare" is a female horse. To solve this analogy, you simply need to determine which of these is a female pig. The correct answer is "sow." Additionally, a "mule" is an animal that is half-donkey and half-horse, and a "whelp" is a newborn puppy

Example Question #15 : Animal Related Terminology

Complete this analogy.

__________ is to bird as colony is to ant.

Possible Answers:

Flock

Herd

Pride

School

Plumage

Correct answer:

Flock

Explanation:

A group of ants is called a "colony" so to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these words is used to describe a group of birds. The correct answer is a "flock." Additionally, "plumage" means the feathers of a bird.

Example Question #19 : Specific Terminology

Complete this analogy.

__________ is to mosquito as trot is to horse.

Possible Answers:

Float

Slither

Flit

Meander

Hop

Correct answer:

Flit

Explanation:

The verb "trot" is often used to describe the movement of a "horse." So, which of these answer choices is a verb that might be used to describe the movement of a mosquito? The correct answer is "flit" which means to dart, to move about very quickly.

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