All SSAT Upper Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #701 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Plutocrat is to moneyed as optimist is to _____________.
craven
sanguine
obfuscating
extenuating
pusillanimous
sanguine
A "plutocrat" is a wealthy person who holds power within society. A quality of a "plutocrat" is to be "moneyed" (wealthy, affluent, rich). So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a quality of an "optimist." Well, an "optimist" is someone who believes the best case scenario is likely to happen, someone who feels good about the future. A quality of an "optimist" is to be "sanguine," which means positive, optimistic even in the face of stress or calamity. Additionally, "pusillanimous" means cowardly; "craven" means cowardly, pathetic, and wicked; "extenuating" means (of circumstances) excusable; "obfuscating" means confusing.
Example Question #702 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Rhapsody is to __________ as serpent is to sibilant.
forgotten
quiet
emotional
modern
firm
emotional
A "serpent" is a snake. One quality of a "serpent" is to be "sibilant," which means to speak with a hissing sound, to have the qualities of a snake. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a quality of a "rhapsody." Well, a "rhapsody" is a highly passionate, poetic, or "emotional" phrase or expression.
Example Question #703 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Stoic is to placid as eyesore is to __________.
unattractive
supercilious
pernicious
abstruse
circumspect
unattractive
A "stoic" is a person who can endure difficulty, boredom, or suffering without complaint. A quality of a "stoic" is to be "placid," which means even-tempered, not easily disturbed or angered. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a quality of an "eyesore." Well, an "eyesore" is something that is unattractive to look at, a building or feature of the land that is unattractive. So, a quality of an "eyesore" is to be "unattractive," which means ugly and offensive. Additionally, "abstruse" means (of knowledge) hard to understand and known by a privileged few, esoteric; "circumspect" means thoughtful; "supercilious" means arrogant, disdainful, acting as if you are better than other people; "pernicious" means harmful, having a negative impact over time.
Example Question #704 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Killjoy is to complain as Sabbath is to __________.
holy
quaint
irate
docile
fair
holy
A "killjoy" is someone who is always negative and says things that take away from the fun of others. A quality of a "killjoy" is to "complain," which means express discontent with, worry about. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a quality of the "Sabbath." Well, the "Sabbath" is a day reserved for religious observance. So, the correct answer is "holy." Additionally, "irate" means very angry, furious; "docile" means tame, easily controlled, obedient; "quaint" means cute and attractive in an old-fashioned way.
Example Question #705 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Walk is to ambulatory as __________.
feel is to sentient
fingernail is to finger
see is to blind
protect is to defensible
arrange is to scatter
feel is to sentient
"Ambulatory" is an adjective that means either having to do with walking or physically able to walk. So, someone or something who is ambulatory is able to walk, and we need to pick out an answer choice in which the second word is an adjective that means one is able to do what the first word describes. While "protect is to defensible" might look like a potentially correct answer, something that can protect is not necessarily itself defensible (able to be defended). So, "protect is to defensible" cannot be the correct answer. "Feel is to sentient" is the best answer choice because just as someone or something ambulatory is able to walk, something that is sentient is able to feel, as "sentient" means able to feel things.
Example Question #706 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Edible is to food as legible is to __________.
text
newsprint
write
pencil
speech
text
Edible means able to be consumed as food, and food is what is eaten. We're looking to recreate this same relationship between "legible," which means able to be read, and another word. We know that word will be a noun, since it needs to represent what is read, and "food" is a noun. So, we can ignore "write," a verb. While "newsprint" seems like a good choice, it is the material upon which words are printed, and is not itself read, so it's not the best answer. Considering the remaining nouns, "text" is the best answer choice as text is the thing that is read, just as food is the thing that is eaten.
Example Question #707 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Stomach is to digestion as lung is to __________.
respiration
cognition
nutrition
childbirth
locomotion
respiration
The stomach is a bodily organ that engages in digestion, and the lung is an organ that engages in respiration.
Example Question #7 : Actor And Action
Complete this analogy.
Blindness is to sight as mute is to __________.
hearing
mouth
waves
speaking
ear
speaking
"Blindness" is the lack of ability to see, thus this analogy is merely looking for that which is lacking to one who is mute. Used as a noun, a “mute” is a person who is unable to speak. Even if used as an adjective, “mute” can describe someone who is not speaking at a given time: “He remained mute, refusing to speak a word while his ‘friend’ screamed at him.” The mute setting on a television is so called because it stifles the sound.
Example Question #708 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Deaf is to hear as illiterate is to __________.
read
eyes
books
draw
sing
read
Since someone who is "deaf" is unable to hear, we need to pick out a word that describes what someone who is "illiterate" is unable to do. Since "illiterate" means unable to read or write due to not knowing how, "read" is the correct answer.
Example Question #6 : Abilities
Complete this analogy.
__________ is to short as elongate is to long.
Imbibe
Abbreviate
Consume
Burgeon
Galvanize
Abbreviate
The verb "elongate" means to make longer, so which of these answer choices means to make smaller? The correct answer is "abbreviate." Additionally, "consume" means use completely, eat; "imbibe" means drink; "galvanize" means motivate, inspire to action; "burgeon" means blossom, grow, flourish.