All HSPT Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #88 :Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Ingredient is to recipe as bristle is to__________。
fear
anger
offended
brush
shag
brush
The ingredients of a recipe are the parts of which it is comprised; therefore, one could fairly write the bridge sentence, “Just as ingredients are the parts of a recipe, so are bristles part of a X.” Now, “bristle” can meanto become angry, but this comes from the description of an animal that is “bristling,” that is, having its hair stand up out of anger or fear. Bristles are a type of stiff hair that are used in brushes, which would be the best option for the “larger thing” of which the bristles are a part.
Example Question #89 :Analogies
Complete this analogy.
District is to city as hour is to__________。
portion
measure
day
moment
time
day
区是一个给定的城市的一部分。例如, a city might have a “market district” in which a number of food salespeople have shops for selling bulk quantities to potential restaurants in town. There might be an “Italian district” in which a number of Italians live and have set up shops and restaurants, giving the area a distinctive Italian appearance and character. The analogy could thus be rewritten, “As a district is part of a city, so too is an hour part of X.” An hour is part of a day. While it is a period of time, a measure of time, a moment (in the grand scheme, at least), and even “a portion” (of a longer time), it is only part of a day. The analogy requires a part-whole relationship.
Example Question #41 :Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Citizen is to nation as branch is to__________。
unfurl
tree
photosynthesis
external
offshoot
tree
A citizen is a member of a nation and could justly be called a part thereof. Our bridge sentence could thus be written, “As a citizen is a part of a nation, so is a branch a part of a X.” Among the options provided, only “tree” gives the larger thing of which a branch is a part.
Example Question #42 :Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Atom is to molecule as minute is to__________。
stopwatch
clock
century
tiny
hour
hour
An atom is the basic part from which molecules are constructed; therefore, this is a part-whole analogy. A minute is part of a larger measure of time. Here, you have to be careful. Two options are justifiably tempting, namely “hour” and “century.” Now, “molecules” are the “first rung” of combined atoms. We could, of course, say that organs are made up of atoms; however, this could be stated as “organs are made up of tissues, which are made up of cells, which are made up of molecules, which are made up of atoms.” Notice that “molecule” is the immediate product of atoms, not a distant one (as in the case of organs in relation to elements). This means that “hour” is a better option than “century.”
Example Question #41 :Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Pocket is to shirt as lace is to__________。
knot
plait
seasoning
tie
shoe
shoe
This analogy is relatively simple. A pocket is part of a shirt, so you are looking for the that of which a lace is part. While lace can bea type of plaited fabric, here, the best option is to understand it as meaningthe long string used in things like shoes。花边是一个鞋的一部分as a pocket is part of a shirt.
Example Question #44 :Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Link is to chain as chapter is to__________。
portion
topic
division
meeting
book
book
A "link" isone of the small metal pieces in a longer chain。It also can mean any portion of a long “chain” of things (understood metaphorically). Hence, we speak of the “missing link” between apes and men—that is, the missing intermediary stage / being in the great chain of beings. The analogy could be written, “As a link is part of a chain, so is a chapter a part of X.” “Book” is the only option of something of which a chapter is a portion. (A chapter, of course, could be a part of a thesis, a novel, a report, etc.).
Example Question #45 :Analogies
Nucleus is to cell as core is to__________。
curriculum
fruit
receding
central
marrow
fruit
The word “nucleus” comes from the Latin for “kernel” or “nut.” In general, it can mean anything that is central in a given object. As you likely know from biology class, the nucleus is the name for the center of a cell. (It is, at least, “central” in a general manner. It does not necessarily need to be in exact center, of course). Just as a nucleus is the center of the cell, so is the “core” the center part of fruit, often containing the seeds.
Example Question #46 :Analogies
Knob is to door as burner is to__________。
heat
stove
准备
blaze
cooking
stove
A knob is a part of a door; therefore, you could translate this analogy as, “Just as a knob is part of a door, so is a burner a part of a X.” A burner is the heating surface on a stove. This is the only option that functions as a whole of which the burner is a part.
Example Question #1 :Example And Category
Camel is to fauna as whiskey is to __________.
gin
pleasure
drunkenness
prohibited
spirit
spirit
You have likely heard the expression “flora and fauna,” meaning something like “animals and plants (in a given area).” The analogy seems rather general, but there is a relationship between “camel” and “fauna,” namely that a camel is a member of the class of things we call fauna; therefore, we need to find the general class into which whiskey could be categorized. Although you could stretch a bit and attempt “pleasure,” so as to say that whiskey is a member of the class of pleasurable things, it is better to choose “spirit,” which not only has to do with immaterial beings but also is a word for strong alcoholic beverages (like whiskey). (“Wine and spirit stores” are ones that sell wine and stronger beverages as well).
Example Question #2 :Example And Category
Baron is to nobility as beggar is to __________.
deprived
underclass
wastrel
forgotten
petition
underclass
A baron is a type of noble and thus could be said to be a member of the general class of “nobility.” The bridge sentence for this analogy could be constructed, “As a baron is a member of the nobility, so is a beggar a member of the X.” The only general class among the options provided is “underclass,” which is the part of society that is greatly impoverished and without employment. A beggar could fairly be said to be a member of this broader group.