SSAT Upper Level Verbal : Analogies

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Analogies: Determining Part Of Speech

Complete this analogy.

Bad situation is to weather as good situation is to __________.

Possible Answers:

provoke

castigate 

degrade 

implore 

revel

Correct answer:

revel

Explanation:

Weather, as used here, means to endure or survive. A bad situation is something that you are likely to need to endure so to solve this analogy you have to identify which of the answer choices would be an appropriate response to a good situation. This should lead you to “revel” which means to enjoy the moment. For clarification, "provoke" means to illicit a reaction; "castigate" means to condemn; "implore" means urge; "degrade" means to make worse or dirty

Example Question #1 : Analogies: Determining Meaning Or Part Of Speech From Context

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Hammer is to carpenter as tome is to __________.

Possible Answers:

chef

architect

attorney

scholar

doctor

Correct answer:

scholar

Explanation:

Although "hammer" can mean several things, as it can be used as a noun or as a verb, in this case, we know that it is a noun because it is being compared to "tome," which means a scholarly book. A hammer is a tool used by a carpenter, so we need to pick out an answer choice that describes an occupation in which someone would use a tome. A tome is a tool used by a scholar, just as a hammer is a tool used by a carpenter, so "scholar" is the correct answer.

Example Question #31 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Affix is to post as __________.

Possible Answers:

grow is to wilt

cheese is to cheddar

car is to drive

verify is to substantiate

explanation is to demand

Correct answer:

verify is to substantiate

Explanation:

“Affix” is a verb that means fasten to something, while “post” is a word that can be used as a noun meaning a stable pole in the ground or a verb that means display a notice. So, the example either consists of a pair of synonyms, if “post” is being used as a verb, or a verb and a noun to which one might do that verb (one could affix something to a post). To pick between these interpretations, we will need to consider the potential answer choices. None of the potential answer choices fit the model of “a verb and a noun to which one might do that verb,” so we will need to consider the example to consist of a pair of synonyms, and pick out a pair of synonyms as the correct answer. While “explanation is to demand” and “verify is to substantiate” might each look like a potentially correct answer, “explanation” is not a verb, but a noun, so “explanation is to demand” cannot be the correct answer. “Verify,” however, is a verb that means make sure something is true, while “substantiate” is a verb that means provide evidence in favor of something, so the two words are synonyms, just as “affix” and “post” are synonyms, so “verify is to substantiate” is the correct answer.

Example Question #3 : Analogies: Determining Meaning Or Part Of Speech From Context

Complete this analogy.

Tote is to lug as __________.

Possible Answers:

despondency is to determination

rat is to flea

nag is to pester

scale is to heaviness

proportionate is to size

Correct answer:

nag is to pester

Explanation:

“Tote” is a word that when used as a verb means carry something heavy, while “lug” is a verb that also means carry something heavy; so, that means that “tote” and “lug” are synonyms, and that we need to pick out an answer choice which also consists of a pair of synonyms. While “despondency is to determination” and “nag is to pester” might each look like a potentially correct answer, “despondency” is a noun that means a lack of optimism and courage, while “determination” is a noun that means resoluteness, so the two words are antonyms and “despondency is to determination” cannot be the correct answer. (Also, the two words are nouns, while the example consists of two verbs.) “Nag,” however, when used as a verb, means annoy someone by constantly asking about something, while “pester” means annoy someone by interrupting them often. So, “nag” is a synonym of “pester” just as “tote” is a synonym of “lug,” making “nag is to pester” the correct answer.

Example Question #1 : Analogies: Prefixes From Latin

The words in these verbal analogies are based on the understanding and use of common Latin and Greek word roots.

Unilateral is to side as monorail is to __________.

Possible Answers:

front

track

pass

line

decision

Correct answer:

track

Explanation:

"Uni-" and "mono-" are both prefixes that mean "one" or "single." A unilateral decision is made by only one side of a dispute; a monorail is a train that runs on a single track.

Example Question #32 : Analogies

The words in these verbal analogies are based on the understanding and use of common Latin and Greek word roots.

Bicameral is to branches as duet is to __________.

Possible Answers:

bicycles

camels

singers

trees

music

Correct answer:

singers

Explanation:

"Bi-" and "duo-" are prefixes that both mean "two." A bicameral government is one with two branches, and a duet is a musical performance by two singers.

Example Question #33 : Analogies

Theology is to religion as genealogy is to __________.

Possible Answers:

God 

justice 

families 

politics 

science 

Correct answer:

families 

Explanation:

Theology is the study of religion so to solve this analogy you need to determine what genealogy is the study of. The prefix gene- should provide a clue that it likely describes the study of families or family history. The correct answer is therefore families.

Example Question #34 : Analogies

Cow is to bovine as dog is to __________.

Possible Answers:

feline 

lupine 

equine 

cat

canine 

Correct answer:

canine 

Explanation:

The adjective bovine is used to describe characteristics displayed by or attributed to cows. To solve this analogy you have to identify the adjective used to describe characteristics displayed by or attributed to dogs. This leads to the correct answer which is canine. Cow is to bovine as dog is to canine as cat is to feline, etc.

Example Question #35 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

One is to unity as three is to __________.

Possible Answers:

triangle 

infinity 

trisect 

trinity 

bipedal 

Correct answer:

trinity 

Explanation:

Unity means the state or condition of being one or as one so to solve this analogy you have to identify which answer choice means the state or condition of being three parts working together. The prefix tri- usually describes something to do with the number three, such as triangle or tripod. From the suffix -ity in unity you might well have guessed at the correct answer which is “trinity.”

Example Question #36 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Misogynist is to women as Luddite is to __________.

Possible Answers:

animals

technology 

men 

environmentalism

politics 

Correct answer:

technology 

Explanation:

Someone who is a misogynist hates women, so to solve this analogy you have to determine what it is that a Luddite dislikes. The Luddites were a nineteenth-century organization in Britain, dedicated to fighting the introduction of life changing technology during the Industrial Revolution; as such, the word has come to be used to describe all disdain for “technology” in the contemporary era. The prefix mis- is often used to describe the dislike of something.

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