SSAT Middle Level Verbal › Qualities and Features
Complete this analogy.
Leaves are to floral as __________.
fur is to mammalian
aquatic is to fish
wooden is to table
fur is to bear
scales are to ursine
Leaves form a constituent part of many floral things, so we need to find another pair of words in which the first word is a constituent part of many things in the category the second word represents. While "aquatic is to fish" may seem like the correct answer, but since "aquatic" is an adjective that describes many fish, it does not represent a constituent part of fish, so it can't be correct. Also, while "scales are to ursine" appears to be in the correct answer format, "ursine" means having to do with bears or bear-like, and since bears do not have scales, "scales are to ursine" can't be the correct answer either. In "fur is to mammalian," however, fur is a constituent part of (many) animals which are mammalian, just as leaves are a constituent part of many plants which are floral. So, the correct answer is "fur is to mammalian."
Analogies: Complete this analogy.
Skyscraper is to tall as elephant is to ___________.
large
small
tusk
ivory
Africa
The relationship between "skyscraper" and "tall" is that "tall" is a common characteristic of skyscrapers. The best choice is "large," as an elephant's size is a characteristic that is commonly associated with these animals. "Small" does not apply, as elephants are not typically thought of as small creatures. A "tusk" is a part of an elephant and "ivory" is the name of the material that the tusk is made out of. "Africa" is where many elephants live. The most appropriate chioce is "large."
Complete this analogy.
Indigo is to blue as __________ is to red.
crimson
vermilion
obsidian
color
hue
"Indigo" is a color that is somewhat "blue" and somewhat purple. So, to solve this analogy you merely need to determine which of these is a similar color to "red." The correct answer is "crimson." Additionally, "vermilion" is yellow; "obsidian" is black; "hue" refers to the shade of something.
Complete this analogy.
Feeler is to __________ as hand is to human.
insect
dog
whale
crab
octopus
A "hand" is what a "human" uses to feel and touch things, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which of these uses a "feeler" to feel and touch things. The correct answer is an "insect."
Complete this analogy.
Bat is to nocturnal as outcast is to __________.
rejected
welcomed
fortunate
juvenile
lithe
"Nocturnal" means awake at night, asleep during the day. A quality associated with "bats" is that they are "nocturnal." So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a quality of an "outcast." Well, an "outcast" is someone who has been shunned by society, someone who is treated as an outside and not welcomed by a society. So, the correct answer is "rejected." Additionally, "fortunate" means lucky; "juvenile" means immature; "lithe" means graceful, nimble, capable of making quick and flexible movements.
Complete this analogy.
Hymn is to __________ as anthem is to patriotic.
religious
lenient
meek
robust
elusive
An "anthem" is a song associated with a group of people that is collectively sung. A quality of an "anthem" is that it is "patriotic." So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a quality of a "hymn." Well, a "hymn" is a song sung as part of a religious service. So, the correct answer is "religious." Additionally, "elusive" means hard to catch, hard to find; "robust" means strong and healthy; "lenient" means not strict, tolerant; "meek" means shy, not assertive, lacking confidence.
Complete this analogy.
__________ is to whale as agile is to monkey.
Colossal
Mediocre
Juvenile
Illustrious
Deranged
It is a quality of a "monkey" to be "agile" (able to move quickly and with good balance). So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a quality of a "whale." Well, "whales" are famously big, so the correct answer is "colossal," which means huge. Additionally, "illustrious" means famous, storied, well-known; "deranged" means insane, crazy, mentally ill; "mediocre" means average in a bad way; "juvenile" means immature, childish.
Complete this analogy.
Wood is to flammable as locust is to __________.
destructive
jubilant
gigantic
obsolete
pliant
"Flammable" means able to be lit on fire, likely to catch fire. A quality of "wood" is that it is "flammable." So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a quality of a "locust." The correct answer is that "locusts" are "destructive." A "locust" is a small-winged insect that moves in large swarms and has been known to completely destroy crops and livestock leading to loss of human and animal life. Additionally, "jubilant" means very happy; "obsolete" means out-dated, no longer useful; "gigantic" means very large; "pliant" means flexible, capable of being easily bent into a different shape.
Complete this analogy.
Vinegar is to acidic as soda is to __________.
carbonated
handmade
gallant
intrepid
rambunctious
A quality generally associated with "vinegar" is that it is "acidic," meaning that it has a sharp, acid-like taste, more technically it means it has a pH lower than seven. To solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a quality generally associated with "soda." The correct answer is that it is "carbonated" or fizzy. Additionally, "rambunctious" means hard to control and badly behaved; "intrepid" means adventurous; "gallant" means brave, chivalrous, noble; "handmade" means not made by a machine, made by human-hand.
Jungle is to humid as desert is to __________.
arid
oasis
sandy
hot
barren
“Humid” is an adjective that means having a lot of moisture in the air. We’re looking for an adjective that describes “desert” in terms of moisture, the way that “humid” describes “jungle.” While “sandy,” “hot,” and “barren” are all characteristics of the desert, none of these words are related to moisture. “Oasis” is a noun that means an area of the desert where water is found. Although it's related to moisture, “oasis” is a noun and we’re looking for an adjective. “Arid” is an adjective that means having little rain or water
Of the answer choices, “arid” is the best choice.