Determining Meaning or Part of Speech from Context

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SSAT Middle Level Verbal › Determining Meaning or Part of Speech from Context

Questions 1 - 10
1

Complete this analogy.

Tango is to dance as __________.

jazz is to music

paint is to painting

painting is to impressionism

building is to architecture

poem is to sonnet

Explanation

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.

2

Complete this analogy.

Tango is to dance as __________.

jazz is to music

paint is to painting

painting is to impressionism

building is to architecture

poem is to sonnet

Explanation

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.

3

Complete this analogy.

Pincushion is to pin as quiver is to __________.

arrow

shake

berry

hair

leaf

Explanation

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 means tremble , 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 means the storage case for arrows used by archers, so because a quiver holds arrows just like a pincushion holds pins, “arrow” is the correct answer.

4

Complete this analogy.

Pincushion is to pin as quiver is to __________.

arrow

shake

berry

hair

leaf

Explanation

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 means tremble , 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 means the storage case for arrows used by archers, so because a quiver holds arrows just like a pincushion holds pins, “arrow” is the correct answer.

5

Complete this analogy.

Arrest is to begin as virtue is to __________.

vice

disbelief

prosperity

sacrifice

merit

Explanation

The word "arrest" most commonly means catch a criminal and charge him or her with a crime; however, in this instance, you have to know the secondary meaning of "arrest," which is stop something. “Arrest” can mean stop whilst “begin” means start, so you need to pick out an answer choice that is an opposite of “virtue.” “Virtue” is a morally good character trait whereas “vice” is a morally bad character trait. To help, “disbelief” is mental rejection of something as untrue;“prosperity” is the state of being successful; “sacrifice” is the act of giving up something you want to keep; and “merit” is excellence or worth.

6

Complete this analogy.

Arrest is to begin as virtue is to __________.

vice

disbelief

prosperity

sacrifice

merit

Explanation

The word "arrest" most commonly means catch a criminal and charge him or her with a crime; however, in this instance, you have to know the secondary meaning of "arrest," which is stop something. “Arrest” can mean stop whilst “begin” means start, so you need to pick out an answer choice that is an opposite of “virtue.” “Virtue” is a morally good character trait whereas “vice” is a morally bad character trait. To help, “disbelief” is mental rejection of something as untrue;“prosperity” is the state of being successful; “sacrifice” is the act of giving up something you want to keep; and “merit” is excellence or worth.

7

Complete this analogy.

Weather is to storm as champion is to __________.

cause

sports

undermine

football

discord

Explanation

In this analogy, you need to know two secondary definitions of words. If "weather" is read as a noun meaning atmospheric 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 to endure it, as in the phrase "weather a storm." Similarly, "champion" is being used as a verb meaning promote. Just as you "weather" (endure) a storm, you promote a cause, so the correct answer is “cause.”

8

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Wend is to stationary as dock is to __________.

depart

herb

doctor

enclosure

pier

Explanation

To “wend” is to move from one place to another,whereas “stationary” is the opposite: staying in one place or position. To “dock” is to haul or guide into or alongside a usually wooden pier used as a landing place or moorage for boats;the opposite of this is to “depart” or to set sail. An “enclosure” is like a fence, something used to contain something else. A “pier” is another work for “dock.”

9

Complete this analogy.

Tournament is to compete as play is to __________.

act

game

drive

insist

surpass

Explanation

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 mean a drama and one might “act” (perform a role) in a play, just as one might compete in a tournament, so “act” is the correct answer.

10

Complete this analogy.

Weather is to storm as champion is to __________.

cause

sports

undermine

football

discord

Explanation

In this analogy, you need to know two secondary definitions of words. If "weather" is read as a noun meaning atmospheric 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 to endure it, as in the phrase "weather a storm." Similarly, "champion" is being used as a verb meaning promote. Just as you "weather" (endure) a storm, you promote a cause, so the correct answer is “cause.”

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