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 #35 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

One is to unity as three is to __________.

Possible Answers:

triangle 

infinity 

trisect 

trinity 

bipedal 

Correct answer:

trinity 

Explanation:

Unity means the state or condition of being one or as one so to solve this analogy you have to identify which answer choice means the state or condition of being three parts working together. The prefix tri- usually describes something to do with the number three, such as triangle or tripod. From the suffix -ity in unity you might well have guessed at the correct answer which is “trinity.”

Example Question #36 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Misogynist is to women as Luddite is to __________.

Possible Answers:

animals

technology 

men 

environmentalism

politics 

Correct answer:

technology 

Explanation:

Someone who is a misogynist hates women, so to solve this analogy you have to determine what it is that a Luddite dislikes. The Luddites were a nineteenth-century organization in Britain, dedicated to fighting the introduction of life changing technology during the Industrial Revolution; as such, the word has come to be used to describe all disdain for “technology” in the contemporary era. The prefix mis- is often used to describe the dislike of something.

Example Question #4 : Analogies: Prefixes

Complete this analogy.

Xenophobia is to foreigners as zoophobia is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Men 

Animals

Women 

Death

Children

Correct answer:

Animals

Explanation:

Xenophobia is the fear of foreigners, so to solve this analogy you have to determine what zoophobia is a fear. This question is a little easier than most phobia analogy questions because the prefix zoo- is such a dead giveaway. The correct answer is that zoophobia is the fear of animals.

Example Question #81 : Ssat Upper Level Verbal

Complete this analogy.

Arachnophobia is to spiders as triskaidekaphobia is to __________.

Possible Answers:

The afterlife

The outdoors

Clowns 

The number thirteen 

Outlandish behavior 

Correct answer:

The number thirteen 

Explanation:

Arachnophobia, as you might have gathered from the prefix arach- and the suffix -phobia, is the fear of spiders; therefore, in order to solve this problem you have to determine what exactly triskaidekaphobia is the fear of. This is a tough question, but there are some clues in the word to help you determine the answer. The prefix tri­- suggests it might have something to do with the number three, and the inclusion of deka (think decathlon) suggests it might have something to do with the number ten. In the absence of any other clues it seems logical to guess the correct answer is triskaidekaphobia is fear of the number thirteen. Now, good luck trying to pronounce it.

Example Question #41 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Eighty is to octogenarian as seventy is to _________

Possible Answers:

Nonagenarian

Septuagenarian

Pentagenarian

Pretty old 

None of these answers 

Correct answer:

Septuagenarian

Explanation:

An octogenarian is somebody in his or her eighties, so to solve this analogy you have to determine what name is given to somebody in his or her seventies. The prefix sept- is commonly used to refer to the number seven or things composed of seven parts; therefore the correct answer is “septuagenarian.” For clarification, a nonagenarian is somebody in his or her nineties, and pentagenarian is not a word.

Example Question #82 : Ssat Upper Level Verbal

Complete this analogy.

Cartographer is to map as vintner is to __________.

Possible Answers:

coffee

hats 

shoes 

soda 

wine 

Correct answer:

wine 

Explanation:

A cartographer is someone who makes maps, so in order to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the items is produced by a vintner. The prefix "vin-" might clue you in that the answer choice has to be wine (from the Latin for wine, vino).

Example Question #11 : Analogies: Prefixes

Complete this analogy.

Aquaphobia is to water as chronophobia is to __________.

Possible Answers:

loneliness

insects 

love 

time

poverty 

Correct answer:

time

Explanation:

Aquaphobia is the fear of water. Whenever you see the prefix ­­"aqua-," you can assume that the word will have something to do with water. So to solve this analogy, you have to determine what chronophobia is a fear of. Chronophobia has the same prefix as the word "chronological" (which has to do with the passage of time), so it would be reasonable to assume that the prefix "chrono-" implies a relationship to time. This line of thinking would lead you to the correct answer, that chronophobia is the fear of time or the passage of time.

Example Question #12 : Analogies: Prefixes

Complete this analogy.

Antecedent is to predecessor as postscript is to __________.

Possible Answers:

afterword

descendant

signature

prologue

preface

Correct answer:

afterword

Explanation:

"Ante-" and "pre-" both mean "before;" both words refer to things that come before other things. "Post" means "after" and "script" refers to writing, so a postscript is an afterword.

Example Question #13 : Analogies: Prefixes

The words in these verbal analogies are based on the understanding and use of common Latin and Greek word roots. 

Anhydrous is to water as analgesic is to __________.

Possible Answers:

land

sand

pain

ocean

water

Correct answer:

pain

Explanation:

Anhydrous means without water ("an" = without, "hydro" = water), and analgesic means without pain ("an" = without, "algesia" = pain).

Example Question #14 : Analogies: Prefixes

Complete this analogy.

Hydrodynamics is to water as thermodynamics is to __________.

Possible Answers:

peace

wealth

sound

heat

feel

Correct answer:

heat

Explanation:

The Greek prefix hyrdo- means related to water. "Hydrodynamic" means a branch of science concerned with the movement of water and other fluids. To solve this analogy you need to consider the meaning of the Greek prefix therm- which means heat, temperature. "Thermodynamics" is therefore a branch of science concerned with heat, temperature and their relationship to movement and energy. The correct answer is therefore "heat." You might also have noticed that the root -dynam- means related to energy.

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