Animal-related Terminology

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SSAT Middle Level Verbal › Animal-related Terminology

Questions 1 - 10
1

Complete this analogy.

Pig is to pork as cow is to __________.

beef

calf

grass

poultry

bull

Explanation

"Pig" is the name given to an animal, and "pork" the name given to the meat that animal provides. So, we need to pick out a word that is used to describe the meat a cow provides. While "beef," "calf," and "steer" all have to do with cows (a "calf" is a young cow and a "steer" a term for a male cow), "beef" is the correct answer, as meat from a cow is called "beef" just as meat from a pig is called "pork."

2

Complete this analogy.

Shark is to teeth as snake is to __________.

fangs

scales

sunshine

reptile

constrict

Explanation

A shark uses its teeth to bite things, so we need to pick out an answer that describes what part of a snake it uses to bite things. While “fangs” and “scales” might each look like a potentially correct answer because each refers to a part of a snake’s body, a snake uses its fangs, not its scales, to bite things. Because a snake uses its fangs to bite things just as a shark uses its teeth to bite things, “fangs” is the correct answer.

3

Complete this analogy.

Rabbit is to burrow as _________________.

lion is to den

donkey is to horse

desert is to sand

mammal is to paw

mother is to litter

Explanation

Rabbits live in burrows, so the correct answer will demonstrate a similar relationship between an animal and it's dwelling. Lions live in dwell, so that is the correct answer.

4

Complete this analogy.

Hawk is to mouse as frog is to __________.

dragonfly

heron

shark

pond

willow

Explanation

A rabbit could be the prey of a hawk, meaning that a hawk might eat a rabbit, so we need to pick out an answer choice that describes an animal that might be the prey of a frog, or is something that a frog might eat. While “dragonfly” and “heron” might each look like a potentially correct answer, “heron” cannot be the correct answer because a heron might eat a frog, but a frog would be very unlikely to eat a heron. A frog might eat a dragonfly, though, just as a hawk might eat a mouse, so “dragonfly” is the correct answer.

5

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Feline is to cat as simian is to __________.

monkey

primate

duck

gorilla

devil

Explanation

"Feline" is an adjective that means related to cats, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of these answer choices is the correct animal noun described by the adjective "simian." The correct answer is “monkey.” "Simian" is to "monkey" in the same way "feline" is to "cat."

6

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Dog is to canine as horse is to __________.

equine

jockey

feline

bovine

ursine

Explanation

"Canine" is an adjective that means of or pertaining to dogs, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which of the answer choices is an adjective related to horses. Equine means of or related to horses, so the correct answer is “equine.” For clarification, "feline" means of or related to cats, "bovine" means of or related to cows, and "ursine" means of or related to bears.

7

Complete this analogy.

Ship is to fleet as __________.

fish is to school

herd is to deer

bird is to pride

moose is to pack

goose is to bird

Explanation

A group of ships is called a "fleet," so we need to pick out an answer choice in which the second word is a noun describing a group of the first word’s noun. While both “herd is to deer” and “fish is to school” might look like potentially correct answers, “herd is to deer” cannot be the correct answer because a “deer” is not what one calls a group of "herds," but the other way around. A school is what one calls a group of fish, however, just like how a fleet is what one calls a group of ships, so “fish is to school” is the correct answer.

8

Complete this analogy.

Cygnet is to swan as foal is to __________.

horse

chicken

duck

cow

turkey

Explanation

A "cygnet" is a young "swan." So, to solve this analogy you merely need to determine which of these animals could be called a "foal." Well, a "foal" is a young "horse."

9

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Canine is to dog as feline is to ­­__________.

Cat

Monkey

Horse

Whale

Cow

Explanation

"Canine" is an adjective that means of or related to dogs. So to solve this analogy, you have to determine which animal the word "feline" relates to. "Feline" means of or related to cats, so the correct answer is “cat.”

10

Complete the analogy:

Pack is to wolf as __________.

herd is to bison

school is to children

swarm is to fox

forest is to bush

herd is to fish

Explanation

A group of wolves is called a "pack." Similarly, a group of "bison" is called "a herd."

None of the other analogies have this relationship:

"Herd is to fish": herd is not a word used to describe groups of fish.

"Forest is to bush": while there are often numerous bushes in a forest, a collection of bushes is not called a forest.

"Swarm is to fox": Swarm is a word meaning a large group of flying insects, thus foxes cannot form swarms, and a collection of foxes is called a troop or a lead.

"Children is to school": While groups of children are typically found in schools, a group of children is not called a school.

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