HSPT Verbal : Part and Whole

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #4 : Part/Whole, Part/Part, Example/Category, And Cause/Effect

Syllable is to word as buckle is to __________.

Possible Answers:

fasten

secure

latch

belt

snap

Correct answer:

belt

Explanation:

A syllable is a component of a word, a single unit of sound. We say that words are comprised of a number of syllables; therefore, we could write a bridge sentence like, “Just as a syllable is part of a word, so is a buckle part of a X.” While a buckle could be said to latch, snap, fasten, or secure, it is a part of none of these words. It is a part of a belt, which is a whole thing that has a buckle on it; therefore, this is the best option among those provided.

Example Question #1 : Part/Whole, Part/Part, Example/Category, And Cause/Effect

Pane is to window as phase is to __________.

Possible Answers:

episode

portion

temporary

electrical

procedure

Correct answer:

procedure

Explanation:

The pane of a window is the glass portion that is placed in the window’s frame. It is not the whole window but merely part of it; therefore, you could write a bridge sentence like, “As a pane is part of a window, so a phase is part of a X.” A phase is a portion of some undertaking or procedure. For instance, a project could be said to be in “Phase 1,” “Phase 2,” “Phase 3,” etc, depending on how much of it has been completed thus far. A procedure is like a plan or outline for a project, and it can be broken up into phases.

Example Question #5 : Part/Whole, Part/Part, Example/Category, And Cause/Effect

Nail is to finger as crown is to __________.

Possible Answers:

aristocratic

ceremony

arrogant

regal

head

Correct answer:

head

Explanation:

While not all buildings have domes, all domes are placed upon the tops the buildings that have them. The best way to express this analogy is, “As a dome is on the top of a building, so is a capital on top of X.” While “capital” can mean the main city of nation or state, it likewise can mean the “head” of a column. Think of the columns that you have seen on some buildings. On the ends, there are designed “pedestals” of differing characters. These are the “capitals” on the columns. Just as a dome is on the top of a building, so is a capital on the top of a column. Do not be fooled by the other options that are tempting because of their general relationships to “capital.” None of them work correctly in the analogy.

Example Question #3 : Part And Whole

Dome is to building as capital is to __________.

Possible Answers:

legislature

money

suburb

column

city

Correct answer:

column

Explanation:

While not all buildings have domes, all domes are placed upon the tops the buildings that have them. The best way to express this analogy is, “As a dome is on the top of a building, so is a capital on top of X.” While “capital” can mean the main city of nation or state, it likewise can mean the “head” of a column. Think of the columns that you have seen on some buildings. On the ends, there are designed “pedestals” of differing characters. These are the “capitals” on the columns. Just as a dome is on the top of a building, so is a capital on the top of a column. Do not be fooled by the other options that are tempting because of their general relationships to “capital.” None of them work correctly in the analogy.

Example Question #3 : Part And Whole

Peak is to mountain as consummation is to __________.

Possible Answers:

prime

goal

undertaking

nadir

zenith

Correct answer:

undertaking

Explanation:

The peak is the highest point of a mountain, and the consummation is the point of completion of some task or undertaking. While the word “goal” and “zenith” are potential synonyms for the word, the only acceptable option is “undertaking,” for it is an undertaking that reaches its consummation, as a mountain is “completed” by its peak.

Example Question #4 : Part And Whole

Filament is to bulb as graphite is to __________.

Possible Answers:

writing

sharpened

scrawl

calligraphy

pencil

Correct answer:

pencil

Explanation:

A filament is a small fiber, thread, or wire. In the case of a “bulb” it must mean “wire,” particularly if “bulb” is understood as being short for “light bulb” (as it can be). Old-fashioned, incandescent light bulbs use a filament to produce light. Thus, the analogy could be written, “As a filament is used by a bulb to produce light, so is graphite used by X for its regular activity.” Graphite is the substance used in pencils for writing. The only instrument listed among the possible answers is “pencil,” so this is the correct choice.

Example Question #23 : Analogies

Choose the best answer that best completes the comparison.

Balcony is to railing as road is to __________.

Possible Answers:

car

guardrail

city

street

railroad

Correct answer:

guardrail

Explanation:

A "balcony" has a "railing" to keep people safe, much like a "road" has a "guardrail" to keep cars and their drivers safe.

Example Question #11 : Part/Whole, Part/Part, Example/Category, And Cause/Effect

Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.

Herd is to cattle as flock is to __________.

Possible Answers:

caribou

lions

mice

wolves

seagulls

Correct answer:

seagulls

Explanation:

A group of "cattle" is called a "herd;" similarly a group of "seagulls" is called a "flock."

Example Question #21 : Analogies

Country is to confederation as organelle is to __________.

Possible Answers:

cell

biological

petite

surgery

musical

Correct answer:

cell

Explanation:

A confederation is a type of union of smaller groups, often indicating political entities. In the United States, the “Articles of Confederation” were the first legal constructs by which the states were gathered together into a single united group (at least for certain tasks and undertakings). A confederation can also take place among separate countries, and that is what is indicated in this analogy. Thus, one can translate this analogy as stating, “As a country is a member (or part) of a confederation, so is an organelle part of X.” As you might know from biology, an organelle is one of the small parts of a cell such as a ribosome or mitochondria. The word literally means “little organ.”

Example Question #7 : Part And Whole

Iron is to ore as salt is to __________.

Possible Answers:

oxidize

preservative

base

brine

acidic

Correct answer:

brine

Explanation:

Ore is a type of stone-metal mixture from which metals and minerals can be extracted. The analogy could be written, “As iron can be extracted from its mixed state in ore, so salt can be extracted from its mixed state in X.” Among the options provided, only “brine” describes such a mixture. Brine is water that is saturated with salt. If someone wished, he or she could remove salt from brine as one would remove iron from ore.

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