SSAT Upper Level Verbal : Analogies

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #701 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Plutocrat is to moneyed as optimist is to _____________.

Possible Answers:

craven

sanguine

obfuscating

extenuating

pusillanimous

Correct answer:

sanguine

Explanation:

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.

Possible Answers:

forgotten

quiet

emotional

modern

firm

Correct answer:

emotional

Explanation:

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 __________.

Possible Answers:

unattractive

supercilious 

pernicious 

abstruse 

circumspect 

Correct answer:

unattractive

Explanation:

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 __________.

Possible Answers:

holy

quaint 

irate 

docile 

fair 

Correct answer:

holy

Explanation:

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 __________.

Possible Answers:

feel is to sentient

fingernail is to finger

see is to blind

protect is to defensible

arrange is to scatter

Correct answer:

feel is to sentient

Explanation:

"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 __________.

Possible Answers:

text

newsprint

write

pencil

speech

Correct answer:

text

Explanation:

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 __________.

Possible Answers:

respiration

cognition

nutrition

childbirth

locomotion

Correct answer:

respiration

Explanation:

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 __________.

Possible Answers:

hearing

mouth

waves

speaking

ear

Correct answer:

speaking

Explanation:

"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 __________

Possible Answers:

read

eyes

books

draw

sing

Correct answer:

read

Explanation:

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.

Possible Answers:

Imbibe

Abbreviate

Consume

Burgeon

Galvanize

Correct answer:

Abbreviate

Explanation:

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.

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