HSPT Verbal : Analogies

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #401 : Analogies

Desperado is to reckless as puritan is to __________.

Possible Answers:

abstemious

Biblical

rebellion

Christian

worship

Correct answer:

abstemious

Explanation:

A desperado is a person who is completely desperate—hence the name—an therefore likely criminal and reckless in action. Having no hope, such a person will do anything to further his station. The option “reckless” describes a character trait of a desperado, so the analogy requires that you select a character trait for a puritan. Since the term is not being used with a capital “P,” it here means merely someone who is very strict and rigid in morality. This may often have been the case with the Puritans in early America, but they are no longer among us. Still, the term lives on. Such “puritanical” people are “abstemious,” that is, they abstain or do not indulge in many pleasures.

Example Question #402 : Analogies

Intuition is to instinctive as procedural is to __________.

Possible Answers:

advance

forward

computation

algorithm

plodding

Correct answer:

plodding

Explanation:

When someone “intuits” something, he or she understands or sees it instinctively; however, such a person cannot often provide a complete defense for what has been intuited. It is like a type of “hunch” that instinctually sees a truth or answer. Thus, the analogy could be expressed, “As an intuition is instinctive in character, so is something procedural X.” Something procedural is quite unlike something intuitive.  While something intuitive “cuts through” to the heart of some matter, something procedural follows step by step to the goal—like a careful procedure. This could be called plodding—at least that is the best option for this analogy.

Example Question #403 : Analogies

Libel is to untruth as report is to __________.

Possible Answers:

projected

informational

charted

researched

data

Correct answer:

data

Explanation:

When someone libels another person, he or she tells an untruth regarding that person (generally intending to ruin that other person’s reputation). The analogy could be written, “As a libel expresses an untruth, so a report expresses X.” The only answer that makes sense for “report” in this case is “data,” for this would be an object like “untruth” is with regard to libel.

Example Question #404 : Analogies

Lunacy is to insane as maturity is to __________.

Possible Answers:

senile

sensible

aged

elderly

rotten

Correct answer:

sensible

Explanation:

A lunatic is someone crazy, and such a person’s actions could be called “lunacy.” The word means “the state of being crazy.” Surprisingly, perhaps, the word comes from the same base as does the word “lunar,” namely from the Latin for “moon.” It was believed that the personalities / attitudes of lunatics varied with the moon. Hence, they were given this name. The analogy could be rewritten, “As lunacy is generally insane behavior, so is maturity a state of X behavior.”  Someone who is mature sees the world in a level-headed and generally wise manner. Such a person could be called “sensible,” that is “wise or prudent.”

Example Question #405 : Analogies

Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.

Stubborn is to obstinate as callous is to __________.

Possible Answers:

uncaring

stunted

deranged

sympathetic

impossible

Correct answer:

uncaring

Explanation:

"Stubborn" and "obstinate" are strong synonyms; therefore a synonym for "callous" is "uncaring."

Example Question #406 : Analogies

Segue is to immediate as eloquence is to __________.

Possible Answers:

lies

convincing

rhetoric

beauty

mendacity

Correct answer:

convincing

Explanation:

A “segue” is an immediate transition from one scene or song in a movie, musical, play, symphony, etc. It ultimately comes from the Latin for “to follow,” which we use in the phrase “non sequitur,” which means, “That does not follow from what went before it.” The analogy could be written, “As a segue is characterized by being immediate, so is eloquence characterized by X.” Eloquence is a persuasive form of speaking or writing. Often, the word is also used to describe a beautiful use of language. For our analogy, “convincing” best describes a characteristic of eloquence.

Example Question #407 : Analogies

Subsidiary is to aid as hindering is to __________.

Possible Answers:

lag

obstacle

behind

rear

annoying

Correct answer:

obstacle

Explanation:

The word “subsidiary” is literally derived from the prefix “sub-” meaning “below” and the base meaning “to sit.” The base is related to words like “sedentary” and “sediment.” A subsidiary company is one that is run by an over-arching parent company. More generally, the term can be used to describe something that is of lesser importance in comparison with something that is overarching and more important. This subsidiary thing generally supplements the larger enterprise, offering aid. Thus, the analogy could be written, “As something subsidiary offers aid, so does something hindering offer (etc) X.” Note that we need to have some flexibility regarding the verb in the second half of the analogy. The best verb will be “create” or “make,” but that cannot be known until you start attempting to provide answers. Among the options, only “obstacle” describes that which something hindering creates. To “hinder” is to make something difficult for someone else.

Example Question #408 : Analogies

Quagmire is to confusing as geniality is to __________.

Possible Answers:

extensive

specified

common

enjoyable

wartime

Correct answer:

enjoyable

Explanation:

A quagmire is literally a type of swampy area, though the term is often used metaphorically. In the latter usage, the term means “a complex and awkward situation.” (This would be like getting stuck in a bog, which would be a muck-covered, messy affair.) Something that is a quagmire could fairly be described as being confusing. We could potentially rewrite the analogy as stating, “As a quagmire can be characterized as being confusing, so can geniality be characterized as being X.” Something genial is friendly or cheerful. Such a thing would characteristically be enjoyable as well. This is the best option among those provided, since we are not looking for a direct synonym but an acceptable secondary characteristic.

Example Question #409 : Analogies

Heap is to jumbled as system is to __________.

Possible Answers:

organized

synthetic

edifying

historical

mixture

Correct answer:

organized

Explanation:

A heap is merely a jumbled and disorganized pile of items. It has no unity or order. Thus, our analogy could be written, “As a heap is characterized by being jumbled, so is a system characterized by being X.” Generally speaking, a system is an interconnected whole, organized and ordered in a careful manner according to rules or laws. Such a thing is fairly characterized as being organized, which is the best answer among those provided.

Example Question #410 : Analogies

Choose the answer that best completes the comparison.

Fluid is to liquid as warm is to __________.

Possible Answers:

water

frigid

oven

temperate

fever

Correct answer:

temperate

Explanation:

"Fluid" and "liquid" are both synonyms, just as "warm" and "temperate" mean roughly the same thing.

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