All SSAT Upper Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Other Specific Terminology
Complete this analogy.
Fourth is to press as second is to __________.
tycoons
bourgeoisie
proletariat
nobility
clergy
nobility
Answering this question requires you to know a little French revolutionary history which you will have likely covered in school. The so-called "estates" system of pre-revolution France included the First Estate - Clergy; Second Estate; "Nobility"; Third Estate - Common people. In the nineteenth century the term "the Fourth Estate" was coined to reflect the growing influence and size of the press (media). Additionally, "proletariat" is a collective name for the working class, especially within the realm of Marxism and socialism; "bourgeoisie" means the middle class, again particularly when the conversation involves Marxist political thought.
Example Question #371 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Complete this analogy.
Mother is to __________ as teacher is to substitute.
daughter
surrogate
mediator
midwife
professor
surrogate
A replacement "teacher" is called a "substitute teacher." Solving this analogy therefore requires you to consider what a "replacement" mother is called. The correct answer is "surrogate." A "surrogate" is a woman who carries another woman's baby. Additionally, a "midwife" is a nurse who especially attends to births and cares for new born babies and post-partem mothers; a "mediator" is someone who helps settle a dispute between two or more parties.
Example Question #373 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Complete this analogy.
Molt is to hair as hemorrhage is to __________.
air
nerves
skin
blood
tissue
blood
The verb for to lose hair, to shed hair is "molt." So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these answer choices would be lost if one was "hemorrhaging." The correct answer is "blood." To "hemorrhage" is to lose blood, to bleed.
Example Question #374 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship
Complete this analogy.
Rivulet is to river as __________ is to island.
estuary
peninsula
islet
isthmus
stream
islet
A "rivulet" is a small river, so to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a word for a small island. The correct answer is "islet." This is a reasonably easy problem because of the identical suffixes in "rivulet" and "islet." Additionally, an "isthmus" is a narrow section of land surrounded on both sides by water; a "peninsula" is a piece of land that is surrounded by water on every side; an "estuary" is the tidal mouth of a river, where the river runs into the ocean.
Example Question #1 : Other Specific Terminology
Complete this analogy.
Emphysema is to __________ as cardiomyopathy is to heart.
spleen
lungs
brain
kidneys
bladder
lungs
Whenever you see the word "cardio" it means related to heart or exercise of the heart. So, "cardiomyopathy" is a disease that affects the heart, specifically the muscle. To solve this analogy you need to determine which of these parts of the body is primarily affected by the disease "emphysema." "Emphysema" is a disease that affects the "lungs." It is often caused by smoking!
Example Question #1 : Other Specific Terminology
Complete this analogy.
Egest is to __________ as depose is to ruler.
assistant
labor
partner
food
employee
food
To begin with "depose" means remove from position of power. A "ruler" is someone who might be "deposed." So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these might be "egested." The correct answer is "food," because "egest" means to defecate, to get rid of unused food and energy.
Example Question #2 : Other Specific Terminology
Complete this analogy.
Subsequent is to after as __________ is to before.
retrogressed
antecedent
manifest
concocted
undue
antecedent
To begin with "subsequent" means occurring after, coming after something else. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these words means occurring before, coming before something else. The correct answer is therefore "antecedent." Additionally, "undue" means inappropriate, excessive; "concocted" means prepared, made-up, assembled, put-together; "manifest" means diverse and varied; "retrogressed" means gone back to an earlier, usually inferior, condition.
Example Question #2 : Other Specific Terminology
Complete this analogy.
Anatomy is to body as _____________.
kidney is to organ
poetry is to rhyme
medic is to hospital
captain is to crew
meteorology is to weather
meteorology is to weather
"Anatomy" is the branch of science focused on the human body. The correct answer will exhibit a similar relationship branch and field of study. "Meteorology" is the branch of science focused on weather and atmospheric conditions.
Example Question #4 : Other Specific Terminology
Complete this analogy.
Kinetic is to __________ as penal is to punishment.
anger
time
motion
distance
age
motion
"Penal" means of or related to jail or punishment, so to solve this analogy, you need to determine what the word "kinetic" is used in relation to. The correct answer is that "kinetic" means related to motion or movement, so "motion" is the correct answer.
Example Question #5 : Other Specific Terminology
Complete this analogy.
Pediatrician is to __________ as veterinarian is to animals.
blindness
women
elderly
men
children
children
A veterinarian is a doctor who specializes in treating animals. So, to solve this analogy, you need to determine who or what it is that a "pediatrician" treats. Well, the prefix "ped-" refers to children or kids. So, the correct answer is that a "pediatrician" is a doctor who specializes in treating children, making "children" the correct answer.
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