Cause to Effect or Effect to Cause

Help Questions

SSAT Elementary Level Verbal › Cause to Effect or Effect to Cause

Questions 1 - 10
1

Complete this analogy.

Yawn is to tired as __________.

smile is to happy

teeth are to mouth

party is to cake

soup is to spoon

wooden is to floor

Explanation

Someone who is tired may yawn, so we're looking for an answer where the first word describes an action someone might do if they currently feel the emotion the second word describes. If someone is happy, they might smile, just as if they are tired, they might yawn, so "smile is to happy" is the correct answer.

2

Complete this analogy.

Circus is to __________ as decoy is to distract.

entertain

refrain

pity

relent

deplore

Explanation

A "decoy" is something used to mislead, distract, or trap someone. So, the purpose of a "decoy" is to "distract." What is the purpose of a "circus?" The correct answer is to "entertain" (provide fun, laughter, and amusement). Additionally, "deplore" means hate; "pity" means feel sorry for; "refrain" means stop oneself from doing, not allow oneself to do; "relent" means give up.

3

Complete this analogy.

Noise is to startle as __________.

lullaby is to soothe

please is to gift

toothbrush is to toothpaste

pirate is to treasure

boot is to shoe

Explanation

A noise might startle someone, as “startle” means “to cause a feeling of sudden alarm.” So, we need to pick out an answer choice in which the first word is a noun and the second word is a verb that describes what that noun might do to someone. While “please is to gift” and “lullaby is to soothe” might each look like a potentially correct answer, a please does not gift someone, so “please is to gift” cannot be the correct answer. A lullaby might soothe someone, however, as “lullaby” means “a quiet, gentle song sung to send a child to sleep” and “soothe” means “gently to calm someone.” So, because a noise might startle someone just as a lullaby might soothe someone, “lullaby is to soothe” is the correct answer.

4

Complete the analogy.

Writer is to novel as __________.

runner is to race

sculpture is to sculptor

painting is to painter

bread is to baker

newspaper is to article

Explanation

To complete the analogy, you first need to determine the relationship between the initial pairing. A "writer" writes a novel; a writer completes a novel. There is a sense of cause and effect. You should therefore look for that type of relationship in the possible answers. A runner runs a race; a runner completes a race. No other answers fulfill the relationship in this way.

5

Complete this analogy.

Clumsy is to broken as forgetful is to __________.

lost

found

fixed

graded

destroyed

Explanation

Someone who is clumsy is someone who falls over and drops things often, and therefore someone who might cause something to break. To solve this analogy, you have to determine what someone who is forgetful might cause to happen to something. Being forgetful means you often forget things or lose them, so the correct answer is "lost." To provide further help, "repaired" means fixed, and "destroyed" means broken.

6

Complete this analogy.

Punch is to pain as embrace is to __________.

comfort

frustration

bewilderment

shame

exhaustion

Explanation

When you “punch” someone, you are likely to cause “pain,” so to solve this analogy, you need to determine what would likely be caused by “embracing” someone. To “embrace” means to hug, so you could reasonably infer that an “embrace” would be likely generate “comfort” for someone. To provide further help, “shame” means embarrassment.

7

Complete this analogy.

Exhausted is to sleep as famished is to __________.

eat

drink

laugh

run

relax

Explanation

“Exhausted” means very tired, so when you are “exhausted” you need to “sleep." To solve this analogy, you need to figure out what it is that you need to do when you are “famished.” “Famished” means very hungry, so when you are “famished” you need to “eat.”

8

Complete this analogy.

Swimming is to wet as running is to __________.

tired

race

runner

sprinting

young

Explanation

If you go swimming you are likely to find yourself wet afterward, since swimming most often involves being in water. To solve this analogy, then, you have to determine which of these answer choices is an effect of going running; the correct answer is therefore "tired."

9

Engagement is to fiancé as wedding is to ____________.

spouse

parent

child

guest

priest

Explanation

When one has an "engagement," one becomes a "fiancé." Likewise, when one has "a wedding," one becomes "a spouse."

10

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Smile is to happy as frown is to __________.

sad

laugh

joke

loud

silence

Explanation

A "smile” is an expression we make when we are "happy," just as a "frown" is an expression we make when we are "sad."

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