Suffixes from Greek

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SSAT Middle Level Verbal › Suffixes from Greek

Questions 1 - 10
1

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Andocentric is to men as geocentric is to __________.

Earth

women

sun

ocean

children

Explanation

The prefix "ando_-_" means related to men, so in this instance, the word “andocentric” means having a world view centered around men and masculine ways of viewing things. “Geocentric” means having to do with an astronomical model that centers around the preeminence of the Earth. The prefix "geo-­" means related to the Earth. So, the correct answer is "Earth."

2

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Hippophile is to horses as Grecophile is to __________.

Greece

gold

giraffes

gardening

monsters

Explanation

A “hippophile” is a lover of horses. The prefix "hippo_-"_ is taken from Greek and means related to horses. To solve this analogy, you have to determine what a “Grecophile” is loves. The correct answer is “Greece.” The prefix ­"Greco_-_" means related to Greece or the Greek people.

3

Complete this analogy.

Sinophobe is to China as Francophobe is to ­__________.

France

French

Chinese

love

fear

Explanation

The suffix, -phobe, (or -phobia), means fear, and the prefix, Sino-, means related to China or the Chinese. So a "Sinophobe" is someone who is afraid of China; in order to solve this analogy you have to determine which country a "Francophobe" is afraid of. The correct answer is “France.” The prefix, Franco-, means related to France or the French.

4

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Ergophobia is to work as pyrophobia is to __________.

Fire

Lightning

Wolves

Sunlight

Darkness

Explanation

The suffix "-phobia" means fear of and the root "ergo" means having to do with work, so the word "ergophobia" means the fear of work. To solve the analogy, you need to pick out the answer choice that is the thing that someone with "pyrophobia" is afraid of. The root "pyro" means having to do with fire, as seen in “pyromaniac” or “pyrotechnic.” Someone who suffers from “pyrophobia” therefore is someone who is afraid of fire, making "fire" the correct answer.

5

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Autocracy is to dictator as oligarchy is to __________.

aristocrats

monarchs

technocrats

democrats

representatives

Explanation

An “autocracy” is a government ruled by one man, a government ruled by a dictator. A “dictator” is someone who has absolute control over a group of people. The prefix auto- usually means self, and so an “autocracy” is rule by one-self. The prefix dic- means say, command, so a “dictator” is someone who says and commands the rules of a country. To solve this analogy you have to determine what system of government an “oligarchy” is, and also who would be likely to run the government. The prefix olig- means few, or little, so an “oligarchy” is rule by a select wealthy few. This tells us that an “oligarchy” is ruled by “aristocrats.” If it was not yet clear, the suffixes -crat and -cracy mean rule, power. To provide further help, a “monarch” is a king or queen; a “representative” is someone tasked with representing the will of the people in government; a “technocrat” is someone who rules through technology.

6

Complete this analogy.

Introvert is to extrovert as underpopulated is to __________.

overpopulated

repopulated

depopulated

populated

unpopulated

Explanation

“Introvert” and “extrovert” are antonyms; they are complete opposites of each other. We can tell this from their prefixes, "intro-," which means having to do with the inside of something, and "extro-," which means having to do with the outside of something. An “introvert” is someone who keeps to themselves, while an “extrovert” likes to be outgoing. This tells us that we should look for the opposite of “underpopulated.” The opposite of "under_-" (not enough) is "over-"_ (too much), so the answer is “overpopulated.” Similarly, “depopulated” means the opposite of “repopulated” just as “unpopulated” means the opposite of “populated.” To help, a place which is “populated” has people living on or in it; for example New York is populated.

7

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Ergophobia is to work as arachnophobia is to __________.

spiders

insects

flying

loneliness

fire

Explanation

The suffix -phobia means related to fear, and the prefix ergo- means related to work, so “ergophobia” is a fear of work. To solve this analogy you need to determine what “arachnophobia” is the fear of. The prefix arach- means related to spiders, so the correct answer is fear of “spiders.”

8

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Luddite is to technophobe as memoir is to __________.

account

narrative

technophile

antagonist

protagonist

Explanation

A “luddite” is a name given to someone who is fearful or distrusting of new technology. The prefix techno- means related to technology, and the suffix -phobe means someone who fears. So a “technophobe” means the same thing as a “luddite.” To solve this analogy you need to determine the best available synonym for “memoir.” The prefix mem- is related to memory, recalling the past so a “memoir” is an account of what took place in one person’s past. As such, it is closest in meaning to an “account.” You might have picked “narrative;” however that more closely means story and suggests fiction, whereas an “account” is a telling of something that has happened. To provide further help, a “technophile” loves new technology; a “protagonist” is a hero and an “antagonist” is a villain, observe the relationship between the prefixes pro- and ­­­_anti-_.

9

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Dermatology is to skin as optometry is to __________.

eyes

hair

brain

heart

hands

Explanation

The prefix derma- means related to skin, so “dermatology” is medicine focused around skin-treatment. To solve this analogy you need to determine which part of the body is covered by “optometry.” The prefix opt- means to do with sight or looking so “optometry” is medicine focused around eyesight or “eyes.”

10

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Astronomy is to space as gastronomy is to __________.

food

volcanoes

earth

atmosphere

air

Explanation

The suffix -onomy usually means the study of, and the prefix astro- means related to space, so “astronomy” is the study of space. To solve this analogy you need to determine what “gastronomy” is the study of. The prefix gastro- means related to food or digestion, so “gastronomy” is the study of food.

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