All SSAT Middle Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 :Distinguishing Between Multiple Definitions
Complete this analogy.
Petals are to rose as teeth are to__________.
jacket
movie
toothbrush
dentistry
zipper
zipper
A rose typically has or consists of many petals, so we need to pick out an answer choice that describes a noun which typically has or consists of many teeth. “Dentistry” and “toothbrush” might each look like potentially correct answers because “teeth” can meanthe bony, enamel-covered units in contained in the mouth and used for chewing. However, neither “dentistry” nor “toothbrush” are things that consist of many teeth, so neither can be the correct answer; however, “teeth” can also meanindividual parts that project on a comb, gear, or saw. Considering it as falling under this definition, “zipper” makes sense as an answer, because the individual bits of a zipper that interlock are called "teeth." So, just as a rose consists of petals, a zipper consists of teeth, so “zipper” is the correct answer.
Example Question #61 :Ssat Middle Level Verbal
Complete this analogy.
Arrest is to begin as virtue is to__________.
vice
disbelief
prosperity
merit
sacrifice
vice
The word "arrest" most commonly meanscatch a criminal and charge him or her with a crime; however, in this instance, you have to know the secondary meaning of "arrest," which isstop something. “Arrest” can meanstopwhilst “begin” means开始, so you need to pick out an answer choice that is an opposite of “virtue.” “Virtue” isamorally good character traitwhereas “vice” isamorally bad character trait. To help, “disbelief” ismental rejection of something asuntrue;“prosperity” isthe state of being successful; “sacrifice” isthe act of giving up something you want to keep; and “merit” isexcellenceorworth.
Example Question #1 :Determining Part Of Speech
Complete this analogy.
Carp is to complain as__________.
passive is to active
forget is to remember
trout is to fish
speak is to utter
rose is to petal
speak is to utter
Since one meaning of "carp" iscomplain in an annoying way, "carp" and "complain" are synonyms. We thus need to pick out another answer choice in which the two words are synonyms. While "trout is to fish" may look like a potentially correct answer choice because "carp" as a noun refers to a type of fish and "trout" is also a type of fish, "trout is to fisherman" cannot be the correct answer because "trout" and "fisherman" are not synonyms. "Speak" and "utter" are synonyms, though, so the correct answer is "speak is to utter."
Example Question #2 :Determining Part Of Speech
Complete this analogy.
Tango is to dance as__________.
jazz is to music
painting is to impressionism
poem is to sonnet
paint is to painting
building is to architecture
jazz is to music
Since tango is a style or form of dance, we need to pick out an answer in which the first word is a style or form of the second word. While "painting is to impressionism" and "poem is to sonnet" may both look like correct answers, the words in these answers appear in the wrong order; instead of having the style come first and the category come second, they have the category come first and the style come second. "Jazz is to music," however, has its words in the correct order (style is to category), and since jazz is a style or kind of music, "jazz is to music" is the correct answer.
Example Question #3 :Determining Part Of Speech
Complete this analogy.
Whisper is to quiet as__________.
murmur is to blaring
yell is to shout
chat is to converse
holler is to loud
sleepwalk is to asleep
holler is to loud
“Whisper” is a word that as a verb meansspeak very softlyand as a noun meansa very quiet act of speaking.So, if one whispers, one is being quiet, and we need to pick out an answer choice in which the first word is a manner of speaking and the second word an adjective describing that manner of speaking. While “holler is to loud” and “murmur is to blaring” might each look like a potentially correct answer, “murmur” is a word that when used as a verb meanssay something in a quiet, almost indistinct voicewhile “blaring” is an adjective that meansloud. So, because “murmur” is not accurately described by “blaring,” “murmur is to blaring” cannot be the correct answer. “Holler,” however, when used as a verb, is used of a person and meansshout, so “loud” is an accurate descriptor of “holler” just like “quiet” is an accurate descriptor of “whisper.” So, “holler is to loud” is the correct answer.
Example Question #1 :Determining Meaning Or Part Of Speech From Context
Complete this analogy.
Weather is to storm as champion is to__________.
sports
discord
football
cause
undermine
cause
In this analogy, you need to know two secondary definitions of words. If "weather" is read as a noun meaningatmospheric phenomena like rain and snow, a storm is a type of weather, but none of the answer choices present a type of champion. "Weather" is here being used as a verb instead; to "weather" something means toendureit, as in the phrase "weather a storm." Similarly, "champion" is being used as a verb meaningpromote. Just as you "weather" (endure) a storm, you promote a cause, so the correct answer is “cause.”
Example Question #1 :Determining Part Of Speech
Complete this analogy.
Bottle is to cork as jar is to__________.
ajar
lid
glass
cupboard
jam
lid
One could read "cork" as a verb, as one can "cork a bottle," to shut it, but in that case, none of the answer choices would work as verbs meaningclose a jar. "Cork" can also be read as a noun meaningthe small stopper that closes up a bottle. Using this definition, we need to pick out an answer choice that describes what closes up a jar. While "jam" might look like a good answer choice because a jar may be filled with jam, jam does not close up a jar, but instead represents potential contents of a jar. Since a lid closes up a jar just like a cork closes up a bottle, "lid" is the correct answer.
Example Question #1 :Determining Part Of Speech
Complete this analogy.
Bestow is to award as__________.
forget is to remember
climb is to mountain
type is to keyboard
wood is to carve
seed is to tree
climb is to mountain
"Bestow" is a verb that meansconfer, and "award" is either the thing bestowed on something, or a synonym of "bestow" if it is used as a verb meaninggive an award.We need to pick out an answer choice in which the first word either describes what one typically does with the second word, a noun, or is a synonym of the second word, a verb. Since none of the potential answer choices are pairs of synonyms, we will need to look for an answer choice in which the first word describes what one typically does with the second, a noun. While "type is to keyboard" might look like a potentially correct answer, one uses a keyboard to type—one does not "type a keyboard." So, "type is to keyboard" cannot be the correct answer. One does climb a mountain just like one bestows an award, however, so the correct answer is "climb is to mountain."
Example Question #1 :Determining Meaning Or Part Of Speech From Context
Complete this analogy.
Pincushion is to pin as quiver is to__________.
hair
berry
shake
leaf
arrow
arrow
Pins are stored in pincushions, so we need to pick out an answer choice that describes what objects are stored in a quiver. “Quiver” can be used as a verb that meanstremble,so “shake” might look like a potentially correct answer, but because “pincushion” and “pin” are not synonyms, we are not looking for an answer choice that is a synonym of “quiver,” so “shake” cannot be the correct answer. When “quiver” is used as a noun, as in this case, it meansthe storage case for arrows used by archers, so because a quiver holds arrows just like a pincushion holds pins, “arrow” is the correct answer.
Example Question #1 :Determining Meaning Or Part Of Speech From Context
Complete this analogy.
Tournament is to compete as play is to__________.
game
drive
insist
surpass
act
act
One might participate in a tournament by competing in it, so we need to pick out an answer choice that is a verb describing what one might do in a play. While “game” might look like a potentially correct answer because one might play in a game, we need to consider “play” as the noun, because it is the first word in the sequence, like “tournament,” a noun. So, “game” cannot be the correct answer, because one does not “game” in a play. “Play” as a noun can meana dramaand one might “act” (perform a role) in a play, just as one might compete in a tournament, so “act” is the correct answer.
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