Changes in Intensity - HSPT Language Skills

If someone spurns another person, he or she rejects that person with contempt. Thus, in a sense, “to spurn” is a stronger sense of “to reject.” When something is held in contempt, it is believed to be so worthless that it is not worth being considered at all. When something is condemned, it is not merely disapproved but is completely disapproved, often being publicly denounced and perhaps even made illegal. For this reason, it is related to disapprove as spurn is to reject.

To be filthy is to be soiled to a great degree. Therefore, the notion that bridges these two terms is the idea of increase. One could say, “Just as something filthy is very soiled, so to something that is X is very wet.” Among the options provided, “drenched” best matches this usage, for it means completely soaked. Do not be tricked by “typhoon.” A typhoon is not an adjective describing wetness as is "drenched."

When someone is engrossed in something, he or she has all of his or her attention focused on that thing. Thus, “engrossed” could be said to mean “very interested.” We are therefore looking for a word that increases the intensity of the given word “cut.” Among the options provided, “lacerated” means “being cut very deeply.” This is the best option among those provided, for none of the others express this intensification.

Freezing is a more forceful kind of chilling action than merely cooling something. Among the options provided, “enrage” provides the best example of a more forceful kind of action of angering. To enrage is literally to “place rage into” someone, to make someone very angry. Just as freezing is a more powerful action than cooling, so too enraging is something far stronger than mere angering.

Although we often use the word “illuminating” to describe something that is informative or interesting, the word’s original meaning is merely “shining light,” as in “illumination” from a lamp in a room. The word “dazzling” represents a stronger form of lighting, for something that is dazzling is so bright that it nearly blinds those looking at it. With regard to “shocking,” the only option that means “very shocking” is “horrifying.” Options like “frightening” and “sickening,” do not really give this sense of a “stronger shock.”

When a woman is “stunning” in appearance, she is considered “very attractive.” (The metaphorical sense is that she is so attractive that it stops—i.e. stuns—those who see her.) Therefore, we are looking for a word that represents “very tempting.” Something that is irresistible is so tempting that one cannot avoid it. For instance, an “irresistible urge to eat a piece of pie” is an urge that is so tempting that you must give into it. None of the other options express this sense of “very tempting.”

Something “astonishing” is very surprising (and perhaps also amazing). The sense of this analogy is, “Something astonishing is very surprising, as something X is very easy.” Among the options, “vapid is the best.” The word originally comes from a usage meaning “having little flavor.” However, it has come to mean, “being completely unchallenging or not stimulating.” Sometimes, we will refer to “vapid music” that really just repeats several very simple chords over and over. It is “easy” for the listener, requiring little musical knowledge or thought. We could say by extension that something that is “vapid” is something that is very easy.

"Evolve" and "develop" are similar in meaning; therefore a synonym of "stagnate" is "stall."

Something that is “overwhelming” is so extremely challenging that it “defeats” the person attempting it (or overcomes them by its force / difficulty). The bridge sentence is a bit difficult here, for you need to read “dislike” not as a verb but as a noun. We do this when we say something like, “He had a strong dislike for pizza.” A “strong dislike” is an “aversion,” which is one of our options. None of the other potential answers capture the same sense of disliking something greatly.

A “bellow” is a very strong type of speech, often loud and caused by pain. The general sense of this analogy is that a bellow is a louder and stronger type of enunciation than speech. A way to form a bridge sentence would be, “As bellowing is much stronger and louder than speaking, so too is X much stronger than crying.” Among the options, “lament” best describes this kind of “extreme crying,” for a “lamentation” (an act of lamenting) is a very passionate kind of crying. All of the other options are too weak and do not express this sense of “really crying.” “Rage,” though strong, does not deal with crying but instead with anger.

Something “exhilarating” is often thought of as being very “fun” or “exciting.” In general, the term means “something causing great joy or pleasure.” In the parts of speech provided, we can say that the analogy’s sentence form is, “As something exhilarating is very pleasing, so too is something X very thin.” Among the options provided, “emaciated” means “very thin” (perhaps malnourished). The other options do not express this sense of extreme thinness.

Someone who has expertise in a given subject has a great deal of ability in it. Therefore, we are looking for a word that will express the state of having a great deal of strength. Although the word “puissance” is a bit out of date, it does mean “having great power.” It is related to words like “potent” and “potentate,” which indicate power. Even if you did not know this word, you should be able to tell that none of the other options express either great strength or even (in the case of “weakling” and “fastidious”) anything related to strength (except perhaps negatively in the case of “weakling”).

Dolor is an emotion of great sadness. Therefore, the analogy represents a stronger form in comparison to a more general term. The bridge sentence could be constructed like, “As dolor is a type of great sadness, so X is a type of great or strong feeling.” When someone “vehemently” does something, he or she does it with great force or passion. Sometimes, we will say, “I vehemently disagree with you,” meaning by this, “I totally disagree with you and believe you are utterly wrong!” The option “vehemence” is thus the best option, as it means “having a strong feeling.”

Avarice is excessive or extreme greed, so the bridge sentence for this analogy would be something like, “As an avaricious person is excessively greed, so is a(n) X thing excessively fat.” To be obese is to be exceedingly fat. For this reason, this is the best option among the others, which either do not connote excess or are totally unrelated.

Something that is ancient is very old. When someone speaks of “ancient times,” he or she means “long ago.” For that reason, we are looking for a word that means “very large.” Although something very large might be “impressive” or “magnificent,” neither of these mean “very large” in a strict sense as does the word “gargantuan,” which is the best option among those given. Big is merely synonymous, not giving the additional sense of “to a great extent.”

"Scandal" and "rumor" are synonyms, just as "commendation" and "praise" have similar meanings.

When someone “exults,” he or she or she expresses great joy. The word “exultant” is the an adjectival form of this verb. We could thus say that someone who is “exultant” is “extremely happy.” Thus, we are looking for a word that means “extremely good.” Among the options, only “excellent” has this sense of “extreme goodness.” Both “desirable” and “fine” are not strong enough to answer to the needed notion of “great” or “extreme.”

To “inquire” after something is to look into it or to ask questions regarding it. Likely, you know the word “inquiry,” which means a process of formal questioning (perhaps in a legal case, though other options are possible). When someone “delves” into something, he or she “digs” into it very deeply. The word’s first meaning is “to reach into,” though it is often used metaphorically to mean “to dig into” or “excavate.” It likewise can mean “to research very thoroughly.” Thus, our bridge sentence is, “As delving is a form of deep and detailed inquiry, so too is X a deep and detailed form of reflecting (or reflection).” To “mull over” something is not merely to dally and consider it. It means “to think deeply and for a long time over something.” For this reason, it is the best option among those provided.

Someone who is “iniquitous” is very immoral or wicked. Therefore, our bridge sentence is, “Just as something iniquitous is very immoral, so too is something X very possible.” Among the options provided, “probable” is the only word providing a sense of being “very possible.” The options “feasible” and “viable,” while they do connote that something is indeed a possible option, do not connote the sense of being “very possible.”

When we say that something “satisfies,” it fulfills an expected need. Something that is “satiating” completely fills a need, and thus in this analogy could be said to mean “beyond adequate,” in comparison with “adequate,” which is implied by “sufficient.” Thus, our bridge sentence could be constructed, “As something that is satiating is more than sufficient (or sufficient to a great degree), so too is something X draining to a great degree.” Something “exhausts” when it literally drains everything out. It comes form the Latin literally meaning “drawing water out.”