HSPT Verbal Skills

Help Questions

HSPT Language Skills › HSPT Verbal Skills

Questions 1 - 10
1

Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

INNOCUOUS

Harmless

Vaccine

Indicate

Invariably

Conglomerate

Explanation

"Innocuous" is an adjective meaning innocent and harmless. For example: "The innocuous bull snake is often mistaken for the deadly rattlesnake."

"Invariably" is an adverb meaning always.

"Conglomerate" is a noun meaning distinct items that can be put together make a whole with distinct parts. A space station might be an example of a conglomerate.

"Vaccine" is a noun meaning a substance that makes the antibodies which inoculates a person against disease.

"Indicate" is a verb which means to point out or to show.

"Harmless" is an adjective which means innocent and inoffensive. Harmless has the most similar meaning to "innocuous."

2

Ice is to cold as sun is to __________.

bright

sky

morning

daytime

diurnal

Explanation

This analogy is relatively simple, all you have to note is that “cold” describes ice. Thus, you are looking for something that describes the sun. All of the incorrect options are related to the “location” of the sun (i.e. “in” the sky) or when it is in the sky (“morning,” “daytime,” “diurnal”). None of these pertain to a description of the sun itself. Though simple, the best option is “bright.”

3

"Abhor" most nearly means __________.

despise

covet

desire

instigate

enhance

Explanation

To "abhor" something is to loathe, despise or hate it. You might "abhor" violence and refuse to watch TV shows that promote violence. "Covet" and "desire" both mean to want something, so these are antonyms of abhor. "Instigate" means to start something and "enhance" means to make better.

4

Choose the word that best completes each comparison.

Lucky is to fortuitous as drab is to __________.

dreary

radiant

curtains

fortunate

costly

Explanation

"Lucky" and "fortuitous" mean roughly the same thing, just as "drab" is another word for "dreary."

5

Complete this analogy.

Painter is to portrait as composer is to __________.

symphony

instrument

euphonious

trumpets

musician

Explanation

In days past, a portrait would be painted by a painter. It was the thing created by the painter; therefore, this analogy is one of “maker to thing made,” as though to say, “As the painter makes a portrait, so a composer makes X.” Among the options provided, only “symphony” describes what a composer would make. He would write the musical score for the symphony, which can just be called “a symphony” indicating the musical score itself.

6

Gory is to bloody as saturated is to __________.

wet

clogging

chained

fatty

overwhelming

Explanation

Something is gory when it is covered with blood, often shed because of violence. Thus, “bloody” is either a synonym or at least a characteristic of something that is “gory.” When something is “saturated,” it is completely filled. This word is most frequently used to mean “completely filled with water,” like a sponge that is fully saturated. The word is used in scientific expressions like “saturated fats” because these compounds are completely full of a particular kind of bond—they are saturated with them.

7

FORLORN

Miserable

Ecstatic

Arrogant

Informed

Significant

Explanation

"Forlorn" means miserable or sad. "Ecstatic" is the antonym; it means extremely happy. "Arrogant" means conceited or full of oneself. "Informed" means having knowledge or information regarding a topic. "Significant" means important or noteworthy.

8

Choose the best answer that completes the comparison.

Advance is to retreat as ascend is to __________.

descend

rise

sprint

break

shout

Explanation

"Advance" is the opposite of "retreat," so therefore the opposite of "ascend" would be "descend," or to go down.

9

Complete this analogy.

Water is to ice as magma is to __________.

stone

crust

subterranean

molten

circulating

Explanation

When water cools, it becomes ice; therefore, this analogy requires that which magma becomes when it cools. Magma is the liquid stone that flows under the earth’s crust. When this cools, it becomes stone again. This is the only option that fits among those provided.

10

Choose the best answer that best completes the comparison.

Balcony is to railing as road is to __________.

guardrail

street

car

city

railroad

Explanation

A "balcony" has a "railing" to keep people safe, much like a "road" has a "guardrail" to keep cars and their drivers safe.

Page 1 of 100