SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Abilities

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

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例子Questions

例子Question #1 :Abilities

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Trickle is to stream as meander is to__________.

Possible Answers:

River

Ocean

Dam

Lake

Water

Correct answer:

River

Explanation:

When used as a noun, "trickle" meansa 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 meanto 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" meansto move indirectly, following a twisting route, like a river.

例子Question #2 :Abilities

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

King is to abdicate as army is to__________.

Possible Answers:

skill

tactic

surrender

lose

worship

Correct answer:

surrender

Explanation:

“Abdicate” meansgive up a throne or position of power, so it is something a king could do.When an army doesgives up powerorwithdraws frombattle, it is said to "surrender," so "surrender" is the correct answer. As for the other answer choices, a “tactic” isan action or method used to achieve a goal, “lose” isto not win some competitionorbe defeated, a “skill” isan ability gained through training,and “worship” isthe act of showing respect or admiration, especially to a deity in a religious context.

例子Question #3 :Abilities

Complete this analogy.

Tangible is to feel as__________.

Possible Answers:

snag is to rip

audible is to see

warn is to caution

see is to visible

odorous is to smell

Correct answer:

odorous is to smell

Explanation:

“Tangible” is an adjective that can meanable 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.

例子Question #4 :Abilities

Complete this analogy.

Illegible is to read as incomprehensible is to__________.

Possible Answers:

smell

repeat

understand

taste

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.

例子Question #5 :Abilities

Complete this analogy.

Melt is to liquid as__________is to gas.

Possible Answers:

truncate

prognosticate

fabricate

eradicate

evaporate

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 meansto turn something into a "gas." The correct answer is "evaporate." Additionally, "truncate" meansshorten; "eradicate" meanscompletely destroy; "fabricate" meansfake, make up a story; "prognosticate" meansmake a prediction about the future.

例子Question #6 :Abilities

Complete this analogy.

Legible is to__________as visible is to see.

Possible Answers:

talk

find

catch

hear

read

Correct answer:

read

Explanation:

"Visible" meansable 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."

例子Question #7 :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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