SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Abilities

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Abilities

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Trickle is to stream as meander is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Water 

Dam 

Ocean 

River 

Lake 

Correct answer:

River 

Explanation:

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.

Example Question #2 : Abilities

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

King is to abdicate as army is to __________.

Possible Answers:

tactic 

skill 

worship 

lose 

surrender 

Correct answer:

surrender 

Explanation:

“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.

Example Question #2 : Abilities

Complete this analogy.

Tangible is to feel as __________.

Possible Answers:

audible is to see

see is to visible

snag is to rip

warn is to caution

odorous is to smell

Correct answer:

odorous is to smell

Explanation:

“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.

Example Question #3 : Abilities

Complete this analogy.

Illegible is to read as incomprehensible is to __________.

Possible Answers:

taste

repeat

understand

smell

hear

Correct answer:

understand

Explanation:

“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.

Example Question #5 : Abilities

Complete this analogy.

Melt is to liquid as __________ is to gas.

Possible Answers:

fabricate

evaporate

eradicate

prognosticate

truncate

Correct answer:

evaporate

Explanation:

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.

Example Question #4 : Abilities

Complete this analogy.

Legible is to __________ as visible is to see.

Possible Answers:

read

talk

catch

find

hear

Correct answer:

read

Explanation:

"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."

Example Question #5 : Abilities

Complete this analogy.

Doctor is to relief as _________________.

Possible Answers:

car is to transportation

singer is to entertainment

sunlight is to sunshine

wall is to separation 

lotion is to moisture 

Correct answer:

singer is to entertainment

Explanation:

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).

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