SSAT Upper Level Verbal : SSAT Upper Level Verbal

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #451 : Ssat Upper Level Verbal

Complete this analogy.

Florid is to plain as thrifty is to __________.

Possible Answers:

slovenly

torpid

enthralled

prodigal

acclaimed

Correct answer:

prodigal

Explanation:

"Florid" means ornate, excessively elaborate and decorated. It is therefore an antonym of "plain," so to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is an antonym of "thrifty." Well, "thrifty" means not inclined towards spending money, using money efficiently. So, the correct answer is "prodigal," which means wasteful, spending money freely and without concern. Additionally, "slovenly" means (of someone's appearance) messy and dirty, untidy, scruffy; "acclaimed" means widely praise; "enthralled" means captivated by and attracted to; "torpid" means lethargic, lacking energy.

Example Question #452 : Ssat Upper Level Verbal

Complete this analogy.

Negligence is to care as recidivism is to _____________.

Possible Answers:

willpower

timely

mourning

celebration

dominance

Correct answer:

willpower

Explanation:

"Negligence" means showing improper "care" for something, allowing something under one's care to fall into a poor condition. It is therefore an antonym of "care," so to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these words has the opposite meaning to "recidivism." Well, "recidivism" is falling back intro criminal or harmful behavior. It is therefore an antonym of "willpower." 

Example Question #411 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Immemorial is to __________ as conditional is to plenary.

Possible Answers:

perspicacious

modern

archaic

supreme 

ancient

Correct answer:

modern

Explanation:

"Conditional" means not absolute, subject to certain conditions or situations. Whereas, "plenary" means unqualified, not conditional, not subject to constraints. These two words are therefore antonyms, so to solve this analogy you need to determine the best available antonym for "immemorial." Well, "immemorial" means ancient, before the beginning of recorded history. So, the correct answer is "modern." Additionally, "archaic" means ancient and outmoded, no longer in contemporary use; "supreme" means best, greatest; "perspicacious" means discerning, having a keen insight into things, able to notice things

Example Question #412 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Phlegmatic is to __________ as quiescent is to energetic.

Possible Answers:

cerulean

mordant

volatile

salubrious

verdant

Correct answer:

volatile

Explanation:

"Energetic" means full of energy. Whereas, "quiescent" means at rest, in a state of inactivity. These two words are therefore antonyms, so to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these words has the opposite meaning to "phlegmatic." Well, "phlegmatic" means (of a person) calm and emotionally stable, composed and tranquil. So, the correct answer is "volatile," which means unstable, likely to change in a negative or even catastrophic fashion. Additionally, "cerulean" means having a sky-blue color; "verdant" means green, having the color of grass; "salubrious" means promoting good health, beneficial; "mordant" means (of humor) sarcastic, cutting, and scathing.

Example Question #453 : Ssat Upper Level Verbal

Complete this analogy.

Validate is to __________ as retard is to accelerate.

Possible Answers:

waive 

remonstrate 

quash

extirpate 

protrude 

Correct answer:

quash

Explanation:

"Retard" means to slow the progress of, to slow something down. It is therefore an antonym of "accelerate." So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is an antonym of "validate." Well, "validate" means demonstrate the validity of, prove to be true, substantiate. It is therefore an antonym of "quash," which means reject or make null and void. Additionally, "remonstrate" means protest passionately against; "extirpate" means destroy completely; "waive" means give away certain rights; "protrude" means stick out from.

Example Question #1 : Changes In Intensity

Complete this analogy.

Saccharine is to sweet as nosy is to __________.

Possible Answers:

prying

attention

interested

willful

neighbor

Correct answer:

interested

Explanation:

Since "saccharine" means overly sweet or sappy, we're looking for an adjective for which "nosy" describes the overabundance of that quality. Of the adjectives listed, "interested," "willful," and "prying," "willful" is not clearly related to "nosy," so we can ignore it as a possible choice. In choosing between "interested" and "prying," "interested" is the better choice, as "prying" has negative connotations and is closer to being a synonym of "nosy" than is "interested," which retains the positive connotations like "sweet" does when compared to "saccharine."  

Example Question #2 : Changes In Intensity

Complete this analogy.

Warm is to hot as amusing is to __________.

Possible Answers:

uproarious 

derivative 

eloquent 

despondent

parsimonious 

Correct answer:

uproarious 

Explanation:

"Warm" is a more mild form of temperature than is "hot," so to solve this analogy, you have to determine which answer choice is a more intense form of the word “amusing.” "Amusing" means moderately funny or entertaining, so the correct answer must mean very funny and entertaining. As a result, the correct answer is “uproarious” which means hilarious or extremely funny. For clarification, "despondent" means without hope; "parsimonious" means stingy with money; "eloquent" describes someone who speaks with style and control; and "derivative" describes something unoriginal.

Example Question #454 : Ssat Upper Level Verbal

Complete this analogy.

Dislike is to abhor as __________.

Possible Answers:

like is to loathe

snow is to blizzard

storm is to drizzle

shout is to yell

respect is to revere

Correct answer:

respect is to revere

Explanation:

The relationship of "dislike" to "abhor" is a relationship of intensification. To "abhor" someone is to dislike them to a very high degree—to hate them. The only relationships of intensification amongst the answer choices are "respect is to revere," "storm is to drizzle," and "snow is to blizzard." We can rule "storm is to drizzle" out, because the words are in the wrong order. That leaves us with two choices. "Respect is to revere" is the best choice because it is a relationship of intensification of a feeling that one can have for another person.

Example Question #4 : Changes In Intensity

Complete this analogy.

Proud is to supercilious as __________.

Possible Answers:

exhausted is to tired 

core is to apple

happy is to ecstatic

brush is to hair

sad is to furious

Correct answer:

happy is to ecstatic

Explanation:

Someone who is supercilious ("behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others") is extremely proud, so we need to pick out a pair of words in which the second word is an adjective meaning an extreme amount of the first adjective. While "happy is to ecstatic," "exhausted is to tired," and "sad is to furious" all look like potentially correct answers, only "happy is to ecstatic" and "sad is to furious" have their words in the correct order, and "sad is to furious" does not match up - someone who is furious is very angry, not very sad. So, the correct answer is "happy is to ecstatic."

Example Question #5 : Changes In Intensity

Complete this analogy.

Hungry is to ravenous as __________.

Possible Answers:

scared is to petrified

content is to dissatisfied 

starving is to skinny

myopic is to reclusive 

charming is to debilitating

Correct answer:

scared is to petrified

Explanation:

Ravenous means hungry but to a more extreme degree. Petrified means scared, but to a more extreme degree.  

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