SSAT Upper Level Verbal : Analogies

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #6 : Qualities And Features

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Volcano is to volatile as lake is to __________.

Possible Answers:

predictable

commonplace

placid

opaque

large

Correct answer:

placid

Explanation:

The word "volatile" can be descriptive of a volcano's level of activity. Therefore, the correct answer will be able to describe a lake's level of activity. While the words "large" and "opaque" describe a lake's physical characteristics, they do not describe its level of activity. The words "predictable" and "commonplace" also fail to describe a lake's level of activity. The only word that does is "placid," the correct answer. Placid means calm.

Example Question #7 : Qualities And Features

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Stagecoach is to antiquated as automobile is to __________.

Possible Answers:

contemporary

forgotten

visionary

old

futuristic

Correct answer:

contemporary

Explanation:

Stagecoaches are antiquated forms of transportation. Therefore, the correct answer will be an adjective that relates to time and describes an automobile. As the most common form of modern transportation, the correct answer is that an automobile is "contemporary," which means current or modern.

Example Question #8 : Qualities And Features

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Cheetah is to fast as __________.

Possible Answers:

Santa is to jolly

cup is to drinking

huge is to elephant

cat is to meow

great dane is to dog

Correct answer:

Santa is to jolly

Explanation:

The best choice is "Santa is to jolly." The relationship between "cheetah" and "fast" is that speed is a characteristic that is commonly associated with cheetahs. There are two choices that share this relationship: "Santa is to jolly" and "huge is to elephant." "Santa is to jolly" is the correct choice because the order of the question is noun to characteristic. "Huge is to elephant" is in the incorrect order. Considering the other options, a cup is used for drinking (use), a great dane is a type of dog (category), and cats meow. The latter, "cat is to meow" is an uncommonly seen relationship in which the relationship is noun to action performed by that noun.

Example Question #6 : Actor And Action

Complete this analogy.

Oration is to spoken as transcript is to __________.

Possible Answers:

conversion

connected

rendition

observation

written

Correct answer:

written

Explanation:

An oration is a speech, often one given at a ceremony. It comes both from the Latin for to pray as well as more distantly from the word for mouth. (Think of words like “oral” and “adore.”) Thus, an oration is a type of spoken communication. We could write a bridge sentence like, “As an oration is something that is spoken, so is a transcript something that is X.” A transcript is a written version of some communication. For instance, a transcript of a television show is the written version made for people to read after the show has aired.

Example Question #684 : Ssat Upper Level Verbal

Complete this analogy.

Pedant is to tedious as transgressor is to __________.

Possible Answers:

guilty

forgiveness

judged

sentenced

unforgiving

Correct answer:

guilty

Explanation:

A pedant is a person who shows a great deal of learning to the point of being tedious and boring—going through every detail almost in a ridiculous fashion. Thus, “tedious” is an adequate description for a pedant. Someone who “transgresses” goes beyond the boundaries of the law. The “trans-” prefix means across (as in “transfer,” meaning, to carry across), and the “-gress” comes from the Latin for to step. It is related to many words like “grade,” “gradual,” “progress,” and “digress.” The options “judged” and “sentenced” might apply to a transgressor after a court case that acknowledges the guilt. In any case, a transgressor in general can be said to be guilty even before this is acknowledged in a court. This is the best description among those provided.

Example Question #641 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Hard of hearing is to aural as myopic is to __________.

Possible Answers:

visual

sleep

sight

tactile

smell

Correct answer:

visual

Explanation:

Since "hard of hearing" describes someone who can't hear sounds very well, and "aural" is an adjective that means having to do with hearing, we need to figure out what sense "myopic" is associated with, and find an adjective used to describe things associated with that sense. Since "myopic" means nearsighted, we can tell that the sense being referred to is sight; however, "sight" is not the answer—we need an adjective to complete the relationship, so "visual" is the correct answer.

Example Question #642 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Grain is to wood as __________.

Possible Answers:

mammal is to mouse

motif is to wallpaper

breed is to dog

contest is to prize

capitulate is to surrender

Correct answer:

motif is to wallpaper

Explanation:

“Grain” is a noun that can mean the way in which fibers are arranged in wood, so grain is a pattern that is found in wood and we need to pick out an answer choice in which the first word describes a visual feature of the second. While “breed is to dog” and “motif is to wallpaper” might each look like a potential correct answer, “breed” is synonymous with type of dog, and since “grain” does not mean type of wood, “breed is to dog” cannot be the correct answer; however, “motif” is a noun that means an ornamental pattern, and because a motif is a visual pattern found on wallpaper while grain is a visual pattern found on wood, “motif is to wallpaper” is the correct answer.

Example Question #687 : Ssat Upper Level Verbal

Complete this analogy.

Pedestrian is to walking as mariner is to __________.

Possible Answers:

sails

motor

circumnavigate

sailing

seafarer

Correct answer:

sailing

Explanation:

A pedestrian is someone who travels by walking. You likely use the word to describe people walking in a town in contrast to those who are using motor vehicles or bicycles. The word actually comes from the Latin for “foot” and is related to the similar sounding beginning of the word “podiatrist”—a doctor specializing in care of the foot. Thus the bridge sentence for our analogy could be written as, “Just as a pedestrian travels by walking, so a mariner travels by X.” A “mariner” is a sailor. The word is derived from the Latin for “sea” and is related to the English words “marine” and “submarine.” A sailor travels by sailing.

Example Question #643 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Frozen is to ice cream as porous is to __________.

Possible Answers:

pulley

air

dance

net

rock

Correct answer:

net

Explanation:

Since "frozen" is an adjective that correctly describes "ice cream," we need to pick out an answer choice that is something accurately described by the adjective "porous," which means having holes in it through which things may pass. While "rock" may seem like a potentially correct answer, only certain types of rocks are porous; however, all nets are porous, so "net" is the better answer, and the correct one.

Example Question #8 : Actor And Action

Complete this analogy.

Shy is to laconic as depressed is to __________.

Possible Answers:

lachrymose

joyous

thrilled

overwrought

angry

Correct answer:

lachrymose

Explanation:

Someone who is “laconic” uses few words. “Shy” is not necessarily synonymous with “laconic,” so a good way to understand this analogy is to form a sentence like, “As someone who is shy is likely to be laconic, so is someone who is depressed likely to be X.” The word “lachrymose” means tearful or likely to weep. The word is taken from the Latin for tear or to cry. The “tear ducts” that produce fluid in the eye are called the lacrimal glands. To be “depressed” is not synonymous with being “lachrymose,” but just like the case with shyness and being laconic, it is likely that someone who is depressed will be given to weeping.

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