Qualities, Features, Abilities, and Other Analogies - SSAT Middle Level Verbal

“Tangible” is an adjective that can mean able to be physically touched, so if something is tangible, one can feel it. That means that we need to pick out an answer choice in which the first word is an adjective describing a quality, and the second word is a verb that conveys how one would experience that quality. “See is to visible” cannot be the correct answer, because “visible” would need to be the first word and “see” the second word to be correct. While “audible is to see” and “odorous is to smell” might each look like a potentially correct answer, one does not see things that are audible, one hears things that are audible, so “audible is to see” cannot be correct. One smells things that are odorous, however, just as one feels things that are tangible, so “odorous is to smell” is the correct answer.

“Illegible” is an adjective that consists of the negative prefix “il-“ and “legible,” so one might infer that it means “not readable.” That inference would be correct, as “illegible” means “not clear enough to be read,” so we need to pick out a verb that describes what you can’t do to something that is “incomprehensible.” “Incomprehensible” is a word that also consists of the negative prefix “in-“ and “comprehensible,” and because “comprehensible” means “able to be understood,” one might infer that “incomprehensible” means “not able to be understood.” That inference would be correct, as “incomprehensible” means “not able to be understood; not intelligible.” So, just as one cannot read something that is illegible, one cannot understand something that is incomprehensible, so “understand” is the correct answer.

When used as a noun, "trickle" means a slowly moving stream of a small amount of liquid, or when used as a verb, "trickle" can also refer to a small quantity of liquid and mean to move slowly. "Trickle" describes the movement of a stream, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine what body of water might be said to "meander." The correct answer is “river,” because "meander" means to move indirectly, following a twisting route, like a river.

“Abdicate” means give up a throne or position of power, so it is something a king could do_._ When an army does gives up power or withdraws from battle, it is said to "surrender," so "surrender" is the correct answer. As for the other answer choices, a “tactic” is an action or method used to achieve a goal, “lose” is to not win some competition or be defeated, a “skill” is an ability gained through training, and “worship” is the act of showing respect or admiration, especially to a deity in a religious context.

The process by which something turns from a solid into a "liquid" is called "melting." So, to solve this analogy you have to determine which of these words means to turn something into a "gas." The correct answer is "evaporate." Additionally, "truncate" means shorten; "eradicate" means completely destroy; "fabricate" means fake, make up a story; "prognosticate" means make a prediction about the future.

"Visible" means able to be "seen." So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these actions is described by "legible." Well, "legible" means (of writing) able to be "read."

The correct answer is "singer is to entertainment."

This analogy explores the relationship of what an individual provides through his or her occupation.

A doctor provides relief (from pain). A singer provides entertainment (to the general public).

Since an escalator is an automated moving staircase powered by electricity, we can think of it as an automated, electric version of a staircase. So, we need to pick out an answer choice which describes something we could think of as being an un-electrified, un-automated motorcycle. Since both bicycles and motorcycles are two-wheeled vehicles, but motorcycles have motors whereas bicycles are propelled by the rider's pedaling, "bicycle" is the correct answer.

“Eclipse” is a word that when used as a noun can mean the passage of one celestial object in front of the sun, partially or completely blocking its light from reaching Earth. So, because an eclipse obscures the sun, we need to pick out an answer choice that represents something that obscures a window. While “glass” might look like a potentially correct answer because windows are often made of glass, glass does not obscure windows, so “glass” cannot be the correct answer. Curtains, however, obscure windows just as an eclipse obscures the sun, so “curtains” is the correct answer.

A "cantata" is a piece of music for singers and instruments. A singer sings or navigates through a cantata. A driver navigates a racecourse. A driver controls an automobile, but not in the same way a singer sings a song. A singer sings a song, a driver drives a racecourse.

“Rode” and “road” are homonyms, since they sound the same but have different meanings. “Doe” means female deer and sounds the same as “dough” when pronounced.

A fake attack is known as a "feint." So, to solve this analogy you need to determine what fake "money" is known as. The correct answer is "counterfeit" which means a reproduced copy of something valuable, like money or property, designed to trick others into believing it is the real thing. Additionally, "equitable" means fair and equal; "ailing" means sick, unhealthy, unwell.

The correct answer is "jazz is to genre."

The first part of the analogy shows that basketball is a type of sport.

Jazz is a specific genre of music, making it the correct answer to complete the analogy.

To "grimace" is to express pain using one's face. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these words means to express happiness using one's face, to smile. The correct answer is "beam" which means intensely smile with joy. Additionally, "gape" means stare; "scowl" means frown in anger or frustration.

To "gape" means to stare in wonder or amazement. So, it is a physical manifestation of the feeling of "wonder." Which of these is a physical manifestation of the feeling of "fear?" The correct answer is to "tremble," which means to shake with fear or anxiety. Additionally, "sprint" means run fast; "leap" means jump high or far; "monitor" means watch, observe.

"Malnutrition" is a condition that results from too little "food," it is the lack of proper nutrition, an inadequate supply of food. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine what the condition "asphyxiation" results from too little of. "Asphyxiation" is choking and it results from a lack of "oxygen."

Someone without "clothes" is "naked." So, to solve this analogy you need to determine what it is that someone is lacking if they are described as "ignorant." Well, "ignorant" means not having knowledge of something. So, the correct answer is "education."

The correct answer is "play is to director."

This analogy discloses the relationship of an individual and leadership. A classroom is led by/directed by a teacher; a play is led by/directed by a director.

Leaves form a constituent part of many floral things, so we need to find another pair of words in which the first word is a constituent part of many things in the category the second word represents. While "aquatic is to fish" may seem like the correct answer, but since "aquatic" is an adjective that describes many fish, it does not represent a constituent part of fish, so it can't be correct. Also, while "scales are to ursine" appears to be in the correct answer format, "ursine" means having to do with bears or bear-like, and since bears do not have scales, "scales are to ursine" can't be the correct answer either. In "fur is to mammalian," however, fur is a constituent part of (many) animals which are mammalian, just as leaves are a constituent part of many plants which are floral. So, the correct answer is "fur is to mammalian."

Since "woven" describes how a tapestry is constructed, we need to pick out another pair of words in which the second word describes how the first word is constructed. Both "sculpture is to carved" and "ice is to freeze" appear to be potentially correct answers, but "sculpture is to carved" is the better answer. This is because tapestries and sculptures share the feature of both being traditional types of art, a feature ice does not share, and "woven" and "carved" are both past participles whereas "freeze" is an infinitive. (The answer choices might be more comparable if instead of "ice is to freeze" we had "ice is to frozen").