Category Membership Analogies
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SSAT Upper Level: Verbal › Category Membership Analogies
Haiku is to verse as fable is to
lesson
animal
moral
story
Explanation
A haiku is a specific form of verse, just as a fable is a specific type of story. This demonstrates category membership in literary forms where particular formats belong to broader narrative categories. Moral is the message of fables, animal characters often appear in fables, and lesson is what fables teach, but story is the literary category.
Hamburger is to food as convertible is to
engine
roof
driving
vehicle
Explanation
A hamburger is a specific type of food, just as a convertible is a specific type of vehicle. Both demonstrate category membership where particular items belong to broader functional categories. Driving is what you do with convertibles, roof is the convertible's distinguishing feature, and engine powers the convertible, but vehicle is the transportation category.
Sonnet is to poem as waltz is to
partner
music
dance
ballroom
Explanation
A sonnet is a specific form of poem, just as a waltz is a specific type of dance. This shows the category membership relationship between a particular variety and its broader classification. Ballroom is where waltzes are performed, music accompanies the waltz, and partner is needed for dancing, but dance is the category.
Trumpet is to brass as violin is to
music
bow
string
orchestra
Explanation
A trumpet belongs to the brass family of instruments, just as a violin belongs to the string family of instruments. This shows category membership within musical instrument classifications. Orchestra is where both might be played, bow is used to play the violin, and music is what both create, but string is the instrument family category.
Granite is to rock as cotton is to
plant
fiber
clothing
fabric
Explanation
Granite is a specific type of rock, just as cotton is a specific type of fiber. Both show category membership where particular materials belong to broader material classifications. Fabric is what cotton can be woven into, plant is what cotton grows on, and clothing is what cotton fabric becomes, but fiber is the material category.
Microscope is to tool as hurricane is to
weather
coast
wind
damage
Explanation
A microscope is a specific type of tool, just as a hurricane is a specific type of weather phenomenon. Both show the relationship between a particular item and its broader category. Wind is a component of hurricanes, damage is what hurricanes cause, and coast is where hurricanes often make landfall, but weather is the meteorological category.
Tennis is to sport as novel is to
chapter
author
literature
library
Explanation
Tennis is a specific type of sport, just as a novel is a specific type of literature. This analogy shows category membership relationships. Author is the person who writes novels, chapter is a part of a novel, and library is where novels are stored, but literature is the broader category that novels belong to.
Leopard is to feline as eagle is to
flight
raptor
talon
predator
Explanation
A leopard is a specific type of feline, just as an eagle is a specific type of raptor. Both show category membership within animal classifications based on shared characteristics and behaviors. Predator describes eagle's hunting behavior, flight is eagle's method of movement, and talon is eagle's hunting tool, but raptor is the bird category.
Trilogy is to series as duet is to
concert
harmony
ensemble
singer
Explanation
A trilogy is a specific type of series (three-part), just as a duet is a specific type of ensemble (two-person). Both show category membership where particular numerical configurations belong to broader organizational categories. Harmony is what duets create, concert is where duets perform, and singer is who performs in duets, but ensemble is the group category.
Impressionism is to art movement as jazz is to
improvisation style
saxophone music
performance art
music genre
Explanation
Impressionism is a specific type of art movement, just as jazz is a specific type of music genre. Both show category membership within cultural and artistic classifications. Saxophone music is too narrow, improvisation style describes technique rather than category, and performance art is a different artistic medium, but music genre is the correct categorical classification.