SSAT Upper Level Verbal : Analogies: Determining Meaning from Type of Relationship

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #5 : Storage And Containers

Complete this analogy.

Synonym is to thesaurus as __________.

Possible Answers:

recipe is to cookbook

homework is to English

antonym is to dictionary

novel is to story

stone is to mountain

Correct answer:

recipe is to cookbook

Explanation:

The relationship between "synonym" and "thesaurus" is that a thesaurus is a compilation of synonyms. We see a parallel relationship in the correct answer: a cookbook is a compilation of recipes.

Example Question #32 : Measurement, Storage, Location, And Material Composition

Complete this analogy.

Tome is to library as tree is to __________.

Possible Answers:

peninsula

marina

arboretum

isthmus

estuary

Correct answer:

arboretum

Explanation:

A "tome" is a long and ponderous book. A library is the sort of place where one might find a "tome," where might one find a "tree"? The correct answer is an "arboretum" which means place where trees are grown. To provide further help, the Latin prefix arbor- means tree. Additionally, a "marina" is a harbor, a dockyard; an "estuary" is a mouth of a river, where the river meets the ocean; a "peninsula" is an area of land mostly surrounded by water; an "isthmus" is a narrow strip of land that connects two large landmasses, i.e. 'the Isthmus of Panama.'

Example Question #7 : Storage And Containers

Complete this analogy.

Reservoir is to water as __________ is to food.

Possible Answers:

palace

sanctuary

granary

monastery

auditorium

Correct answer:

granary

Explanation:

A "reservoir" is a place where water is stored for future use. So, which of these is a place where food is stored for future use? The correct answer is a "granary." Additionally, an "auditorium" is the part of a theater reserved for the audience; a "sanctuary" is an asylum, a haven, a safe place; a "monastery" is a place where monks and other religious adherents live and practice their faith.

Example Question #7 : Storage And Containers

Complete this analogy.

Flagon is to wine as perambulator is to __________.

Possible Answers:

baby

glass

handgun

tissue

sand

Correct answer:

baby

Explanation:

A "flagon" is a large container in which liquid is held and drunk from, typically something like beer or "wine." So, if a "flagon" holds "wine, what does a "perambulator" hold? Well, there is a clue in the word, the root -ambul- means walk, take steps. So, a "perambulator" is a "baby" carriage, a pram for short.

Example Question #1 : Location, Time, Or Context

Law is to court as medicine is to __________.

Possible Answers:

hospital

medication

doctor

school

library

Correct answer:

hospital

Explanation:

Since law is practiced in courts, we need to pick out an answer that describes a kind of building in which medicine is practiced. While "hospital," "doctor," and "medication" all have to do with medicine, only "hospital" refers to a building in which medicine is practiced, so "hospital" is the correct answer.

Example Question #642 : Ssat Upper Level Verbal

Complete this analogy.

Future is to prognosticate as past is to __________.

Possible Answers:

remember

delegate

symbolize

prepare

forget

Correct answer:

remember

Explanation:

“Prognosticate” is a verb that means foretell. So, “prognosticate” is a verb that is associated with knowing information that has to do with the future, and we need to pick out an answer choice that is a verb that is associated with knowing information that has to do with the past. While “forget” and “remember” might each look like potentially correct answer choices, only “remember” has to do with obtaining information about the past, so “remember” is the correct answer.

Example Question #2 : Location, Time, Or Context

Complete this analogy.

Car is to highway as __________.

Possible Answers:

movie is to theatre

traffic is to accident

boat is to ocean

runner is to marathon

scooter is to bicycle

Correct answer:

boat is to ocean

Explanation:

A car is a mode of transportation that can travel via the highway. We see a parallel relationship in the correct answer: a boat is a mode of transportation that can travel via the ocean.

Example Question #1 : Location, Time, Or Context

Complete this analogy.

Launch pad is to shuttle as __________.

Possible Answers:

dock is to boat

moon is to orbit

bus is to highway

flame is to hot air balloon

car is to gas

Correct answer:

dock is to boat

Explanation:

Since a shuttle takes off from a launch pad, we need to pick out an answer choice in which the first word is a noun indicating the location from which where the second word begins traveling. While "flame is to hot air balloon" might look like a good answer choice because hot air balloons can get nowhere without a flame, "dock is to boat" is the better answer because both launch pads and docks are locations, while a flame is not. Similarly, a flame is a component part of a hot air balloon that is present when the balloon is in motion, but launch pads are not part of shuttles after they are launched and boats do not bring their docks with them. Since boats embark from docks just like shuttles embark from launch pads, "dock is to boat" is the correct answer.

Example Question #4 : Location, Time, Or Context

Complete this analogy.

After is to guilt as before is to _________.

Possible Answers:

pride

confounded

complicit 

misgivings 

remorse 

Correct answer:

misgivings 

Explanation:

Guilt is something you might experience after an event, so to solve this analogy, you have to identify a negative feeling of concern before an event. This should lead you to the correct answer, “misgivings,” which describes concerns about not wanting to do something or participate in an approaching event. For clarification, "confounded" means puzzled, and "complicit" means involved in something bad.

Example Question #4 : Location, Time, Or Context

Bowl is to pin as dart is to __________.

Possible Answers:

rings

throw

aim

target

board

Correct answer:

board

Explanation:

When you go bowling, the pins are your target. When you play darts, the board is your target.

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