SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Determining Meaning from Type of Relationship

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SSAT Middle Level Verbal

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Example Questions

Example Question #41 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Fruit is to pear as __________.

Possible Answers:

cereal is to bowl

bee is to honey

apple is to orchard

planet is to Mars

fruitful is to ineffective

Correct answer:

planet is to Mars

Explanation:

A pear is an example of a fruit, so we need to pick out another answer choice in which the first word is a category and the second word is an item that falls into that category. While" fruitful is to ineffective" may look like a good answer choice because it uses the word "fruitful" and our first set of words included the word "fruit," "fruitful" and "ineffective" are antonyms, not a category and an item in that category, so "fruitful is to ineffective" cannot be the correct answer. Similarly, "apple is to orchard" may also sound like a good answer because like "fruit is to pear," it mentions fruit; however, "apple is to orchard" represents an item and a place where it is produced, not a category and an item in that category, so "apple is to orchard" is not the correct answer either. However, in the answer "planet is to Mars,"  Mars is an example of a planet, just like a pear is an example of a fruit, so "planet is to Mars" is the correct answer.

Example Question #42 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Orchid is to flower as ruby is to __________.

Possible Answers:

mine

necklace

red

gold

gemstone

Correct answer:

gemstone

Explanation:

Since an orchid is a kind of flower, we need to pick out an answer choice that describes what red is a kind of. While "red" might look like a good answer because "ruby" can refer to a color that is a deep shade of red, we're not looking for a pair of synonyms, but a category into which "ruby" falls. Since a ruby is a kind of gemstone, "gemstone" is the correct answer.

Example Question #43 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Calculus is to mathematics as chemistry is to __________.

Possible Answers:

religious studies

biology 

science 

psychology

history 

Correct answer:

science 

Explanation:

"Calculus" is a type of mathematics, so to solve this analogy you have to determine to which of these subjects chemistry belongs. The correct answer is “science.”

Example Question #43 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Waltz is to dance as jazz is to __________.

Possible Answers:

steps

symphony

repetition

music

rock

Correct answer:

music

Explanation:

A “waltz” is a type of “dance,” just as "jazz" is a type of "music." To clarify the other terms, “repetition” is the act of doing things over and over again; a "symphony" is a long musical composition.

Example Question #44 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Tree is to deciduous as cat is to __________.

Possible Answers:

long-haired

animal

feline

canine

tiger

Correct answer:

long-haired

Explanation:

Since "deciduous" is a word that describes certain kinds of trees, we need to pick out a word that describes certain kinds of house cats. While "feline" and "long-haired" both seem to be potentially correct answers, "feline" describes all cats, not just certain kinds, so it can't be the correct answer. "Long-haired" is the correct answer because just as certain trees are deciduous, certain cats are long-haired.

Example Question #46 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Virtue is to generosity as vice is to __________.

Possible Answers:

sympathy

honesty 

empathy

greed 

kindness 

Correct answer:

greed 

Explanation:

"Generosity," which means kindness, is generally considered a "virtue," or a positive characteristic. So, to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the answer choices is considered a "vice," or a negative attribute. "Greed" is the only answer choice that has a negative connotation, so the correct answer is that “greed” is a vice.

Example Question #45 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

America is to Republic as Saudi Arabia is to __________.

Possible Answers:

None of these answers

nation 

oil 

Middle East 

monarchy 

Correct answer:

monarchy 

Explanation:

America is governed as a Republic, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which answer choice describes the government of Saudi Arabia. The test would never ask you to recall specific historical or political facts like this, so you can be sure when you see questions like this that everything you need to solve the analogy is in the analogy. You might not know that Saudi Arabia is governed as a monarchy, but you can probably determine that monarchy is the only answer choice that is a system of government. You need to know the relationship of the first two words!

Example Question #48 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Pungent is to olfactory as bright is to __________.

Possible Answers:

honest

dark

visual

clever

silent

Correct answer:

visual

Explanation:

“Pungent” means strong-smelling and “olfactory” means related to the sense of smell. So something that is "pungent" is detected by your "olfactory" sense. Similarly, something that is “bright” is detected by your “visual” sense.

Example Question #46 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Dinosaur is to pterodactyl as dessert is to __________.

Possible Answers:

damage

water

brownie

sweetness

insect

Correct answer:

brownie

Explanation:

A pterodactyl is a kind of dinosaur, so we need to pick out an answer choice that consists of a kind of dessert. While both "water" and "brownie" may look like potentially correct answer choices because each can be consumed by humans, "brownie" is the correct answer, because while "water" is not a kind of a desert, "brownie" is.

Example Question #50 : Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Dog is to domesticated as wolf is to __________.

Possible Answers:

predatory

dangerous

vicious

frightening

feral

Correct answer:

feral

Explanation:

“Domesticated” is an adjective that means tame, and “dog” is an example of tame animal. Since “wolf” is an example of untamed animal, we’re looking for a word that has the closest meaning to “untamed.” And while wild animals can often be “dangerous,” “predatory,” “frightening,” or “vicious,” only “feral” is an adjective that means wild and untamed.

Of the answer choices, “feral” is the best choice.

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