SSAT Upper Level Verbal : Example and Category

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #90 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Dessert is to course as calmness is to __________.

Possible Answers:

perturbation

sloth

relaxation

tranquility

trait

Correct answer:

trait

Explanation:

The relationship needs to be read together in order to make sense. A dessert is a course in the sense of being one part of a number of plates served at a meal. Thus, we could construct a bridge sentence like, “As a desert is a type of course, so calmness is a type of X.” This is perhaps a bit abstract, but the best answer is “trait.” One can have many different types of character traits, among which we can number calmness. Several of the other words are related to calmness or to other specific character traits; however, none of them are a general class—which is what we need, since “course” is the general class in relation to “dessert.”

Example Question #34 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Lynx is to cat as __________.

Possible Answers:

black is to white

bench is to seat

wheel is to car

dog is to coyote

animal is to mouse

Correct answer:

bench is to seat

Explanation:

The best option is "bench is to seat." The relationship between a "lynx" and a "cat" is that a lynx is a type of cat. Likewise, a bench is a kind of seat. Two other choices share this relationship: "animal is to mouse" and "dog is to coyote." However, the order of the words in each of those answer choices is reversed. Instead of being in the order of example to category as "lynx is to cat" is, the order of these two choices is category to example, which is inappropriate and incorrect. 

Example Question #35 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Money is to coin as __________.

Possible Answers:

clothing is to jacket

universe is to star

scientist is to medicine

website is to media

wealth is to career

Correct answer:

clothing is to jacket

Explanation:

One form of "money" is a "coin"; similarly, one form of "clothing" is a "jacket."

Example Question #36 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Telegram is to communication as carriage is to __________.

Possible Answers:

horse

outmoded

vehicle

train

aristocratic

Correct answer:

vehicle

Explanation:

A telegram is an antiquated mode of communication, using some mechanism of signal that would be translated into a written message to be delivered. The general relationship for this analogy is a specific type to a general class. You could make the bridge sentence, “As a telegram is a type of communication, so is a carriage a type of X.” Although all of the options bear some relationship to carriages, the only one that is a general class is “vehicle.” Even the option “train,” would at best be a whole of which a single carriage would be a part. This is not the same as a “member to a class” relationship.

Example Question #41 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Biologist is to scientist as senator is to __________.

Possible Answers:

politician

political

representing

elected

duplicitous

Correct answer:

politician

Explanation:

A biologist is a type of scientist, so our bridge sentence could be written, “As a biologist is a type of scientist, so a senator is at type of X.” While a senator might be an elected official, the word “elected” is not a class but an adjective to describe a person or institution. Likewise, "political," "representing," and even "duplicitous" all are adjectives, but none are a general class like “politician.” Though it seems simple, this is the best answer, for it describes the same “member of a class” relationship as does the relationship between biologist and scientist.

Example Question #42 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Colloquialism is to expression as pension is to __________.

Possible Answers:

aged

reduction

savings

senescent

payment

Correct answer:

payment

Explanation:

A “colloquialism” is a type of expression that is used in conversation though it is not used in formal speech. It comes from a form of the “cum-” or “con-” prefix (here “col-”) being placed on the “-loq-” base that means speech and other related meanings. (The “-loq-” comes from a Latin base meaning to speak and found in English words like “locution,” “eloquent,” and “colloquy”). For our purposes, merely note that a colloquialism is a specific type of expression. “Expression” is a general class into which “colloquialism” can be placed. Thus, we are looking for the general class into which “pension” can be placed. Strictly speaking, a "pension" is the payment that one receives, generally for retirement. It is not per se a savings, but instead is a payment promised by some organization or government to another person. We use the word to describe such payments as being used for retirement, though it used to be used to describe the types of payments that a patron would give to some artist or scholar to allow that person to continue his or her work.

Example Question #43 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Coin is to money as letter is to __________.

Possible Answers:

calligrapher

bill

paper

e-mail

document

Correct answer:

document

Explanation:

Although “coin” might at first glance appear to be synonymous with “money,” it is better described as being a type of money. Coins can be created for a number of reasons—commemorations, decoration, etc.—and money can come in many forms—paper, coins, electronic forms, checks, etc. The bridge sentence for the analogy could thus be expressed as, “As coins are a type of money, so are letters a type of X.” While several options might be tempting, “document” is the closest thing to a class into which letters can be assigned. Letters are written on paper, perhaps by calligraphers, but they are neither types of paper nor types of calligraphers.

Example Question #11 : Example And Category

Complete this analogy.

Epicurean is to hedonistic as abstemious is to __________.

Possible Answers:

arrangement 

apoplexy

asceticism

asinine 

austerity 

Correct answer:

asceticism

Explanation:

Someone who is epicurean is devoted to sensual pleasure, particularly the consumption of food. This is a type of hedonistic behavior. Hedonism is a school of thought directed towards the primacy of the pursuit of pleasure. So to solve this analogy you have to determine which of these answer choices matches with abstemious behavior. Abstemious means moderate and characterized by the denial of excessive food and alcohol consumption. This is a form of “asceticism” which is a type of behavior that focuses on self-denial of luxury. For clarification, "austerity" means severe, antiquated and plain; "apoplexy" means  a fit of anger; "asinine" is something ridiculous or pointless.

Example Question #45 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Pain is to sensation as fear is to __________.

Possible Answers:

control

emotion 

expression 

dismissal 

superstition 

Correct answer:

emotion 

Explanation:

Pain is a type of sensation; sensation being something experienced through the senses. So to solve this analogy you have to determine which answer choice fear is experienced through. This should lead you to the correct answer “emotion.” For clarification, "dismissal" means removal or decision not to consider; "superstition" refers to an irrational belief based on faith in the supernatural.

Example Question #46 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Red is to color as __________.

Possible Answers:

map is to paper

fruit is to banana

onion is to vegetable

pet is to rodent

fever is to illness

Correct answer:

onion is to vegetable

Explanation:

Color is a category, and one thing that falls into this category is red—that is, red is a type of color. The same relationship is true of 'onion' and 'vegetable': an onion is an item that falls under the category of vegetable.

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