HSPT Verbal : Location, Time, or Context
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Verbal
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Location, Time, Or Context
Italian is to occident as Chinese is to __________.
alien
foreign
orient
unknown
developing
orient
The words “occident” and “orient” describe the West and the East respectively. The word “occident” comes from the Latin for “setting” in the sense of the sun’s evening “setting.” Since the sun sets—goes down—in the West, the West became called the “occident”—the land of the setting sun. The east, on the other hand, is the land of the rising sun. The Latin from which “orient” comes means “to rise.” The Christmas song, “We Three Kings” speaks of them as being from the “Orient.” The implication is that the kings came “from the east.” As something Italian is “western” (occidental) so is something Chinese “oriental.”
Example Question #2 : Location, Time, Or Context
Season is to year as week is to __________.
month
division
fourfold
lunar
hebdomadal
month
A season is a subdivision of the year, so the bridge sentence for this analogy could be written, “As a season is a subdivision of the year, so is the week a subdivision of X.” Although a week can be said to subdivide a year, it more closely subdivides a month. In any event, this is the only option provided, so it is the acceptable answer for this question.
Example Question #3 : Location, Time, Or Context
Monastery is to silence as metropolis is to __________.
politics
roads
democracy
theatre
racket
racket
At least in theory, monasteries are supposed to be places of silence. This analogy is very specific, but a bridge sentence could be written, “As the sound in a monastery is in a state of silence, so is it in a state of X in a metropolis.” A metropolis is the most important city in a region, hence one that is very busy and developed. Such an area would be known for its racket—loud sounds—among other things. Even if you read “silence” as a general characteristic for monasteries, none of the other options provide a general characteristic word for metropolis, so “racket” would be the only acceptable option.
Example Question #4 : Location, Time, Or Context
Choose the word that best completes each comparison.
Hungary is to Europe as Thailand is to __________.
America
temples
country
Earth
Asia
Asia
"Hungary" is a country on the continent of "Europe," just as "Thailand" is a country in "Asia."
Example Question #5 : Location, Time, Or Context
Choose the word that best completes each comparison.
Metropolitan is to city as pastoral is to __________.
transportation
suburbs
reverent
dense
farmland
farmland
"Metropolitan" is often used to describe "cities," just as "pastoral" can be used to describe "farmland."
Example Question #6 : Location, Time, Or Context
Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.
Chicago is to Illinois as Houston is to __________.
Dallas
San Antonio
urban
rockets
Texas
Texas
"Chicago" is a large city in the state of "Illinois", much like "Houston" is a city in "Texas."
Example Question #7 : Location, Time, Or Context
Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.
Solar is to sun as lunar is to __________.
obscure
landing
moon
night
freezing
moon
"Solar" pertains to the "sun," just as "lunar" pertains to the "moon."
Example Question #8 : Location, Time, Or Context
Choose the best answer that completes the comparison.
Napoleon is to France as Caesar is to __________.
general
Rome
salad
Greece
dictator
Rome
"Napoleon" was a general from "France," just as "Caesar" was also a general and leader from "Rome". . . and also a salad, but that is an incorrect comparison.
Example Question #9 : Location, Time, Or Context
Choose the word that best completes the comparison.
Paris is to France as Tokyo is to __________.
Japan
volcano
Asia
skyscrapers
sushi
Japan
"Paris" is the capital city of "France," therefore "Tokyo" is the capital city of "Japan."
Example Question #10 : Location, Time, Or Context
Answer the question by choosing the word that best completes the comparison.
India is to country as Africa is to __________.
safari
nation
Botswana
continent
Japan
continent
"India" is a "country," just as "Africa" is a "continent" (not a country!).
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