Analogies

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SSAT Middle Level Verbal › Analogies

Questions 1 - 10
1

Select the answer choice that is closest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

DOTING

Indulgent

Hateful

Adorable

Envious

Content

Explanation

"Doting" means indulgent, affectionate or loving.

"Content" means happy or satisfied.

"Envious" means having envy, or desiring a trait possessed by someone else.

"Adorable" means sweet and cute or lovable.

"Hateful" means nasty, cruel or despicable.

2

Complete this analogy.

Bog is to                      as perfume is to cologne.

swamp

rivulet

islet

estuary

peak

Explanation

"Perfume" and "cologne" are synonyms of one another, both words mean something sprayed onto one's body to make one smell nicer. Although colloquially "perfume" is used for women and "cologne" for men. So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is a synonym of "bog." Well, a "bog" is wet, muddy ground that is difficult to traverse. This is very similar in meaning to "swamp." Additionally, a "rivulet" is a small river, a tributary or offshoot of a river; an "islet" is a small island; an "estuary" is the mouth of a river, where the river meets the ocean; "peak" means summit, the top of a mountain.

3

Select the word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters.

FELICITY

Happiness

Misery

Jealousy

Despondency

Fortune

Explanation

"Felicity" is a noun used to describe happiness and contentment or something that creates happiness and contentment. For clarification, "despondency" is a feeling of hopelessness.

4

Complete this analogy:

Wolf is to pack as                     .

geese is to gaggle

herd is to reptiles

farm is to pig

wolf is to dog

child is to school

Explanation

A group of wolves is called a pack. Similarly, a group of geese is called a gaggle.

None of the other analogies have this specific relationship.

Groups of children are not called a school, although groups of children do go to school.

Wolf and dog are related, but the analogy does not fit the relationship of single animal to group of that animal.

Groups of pigs do live on farms, but the order of the words is incorrect: a group of farms is not called a pig.

A group of reptiles is not called a herd; a herd typically refers to a group of hoofed animals.

5

Complete this analogy:

Wolf is to pack as                     .

geese is to gaggle

herd is to reptiles

farm is to pig

wolf is to dog

child is to school

Explanation

A group of wolves is called a pack. Similarly, a group of geese is called a gaggle.

None of the other analogies have this specific relationship.

Groups of children are not called a school, although groups of children do go to school.

Wolf and dog are related, but the analogy does not fit the relationship of single animal to group of that animal.

Groups of pigs do live on farms, but the order of the words is incorrect: a group of farms is not called a pig.

A group of reptiles is not called a herd; a herd typically refers to a group of hoofed animals.

6

Complete this analogy.

Furnace is to heat as generator is to                     .

electricity

water

cold

guidance

narratives

Explanation

The purpose of a "furnace" is to provide "heat." So, to solve this analogy you need to determine what the purpose of a "generator" is. Well, a "generator" generates "electricity," so this is the correct answer.

7

Complete this analogy.

Fruitless is to successful as                      is to forgiving.

vindictive

flippant

tenacious

opulent

reckless

Explanation

"Fruitless" means not achieving the desire result, unsuccessful. It is an antonym of "successful," so to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is an antonym of "forgiving." The correct answer is "vindictive," which means having a strong desire to enact cruel revenge. Additionally, "opulent" means luxurious, lavish, grand, magnificent; "reckless" means acting rashly, doing something without considering the consequences; "flippant" means acting disrespectful; "tenacious" means determined, hard-working.

8

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Undulating is to wavy as fatigued is to                       .

tired

night

awake

starved

breakfast

Explanation

If something is “undulating,” it is wavy. If someone is “fatigued,” they are tired. To clarify, “starved” means very hungry.

9

Xylophone is to instrument as                     .

pear is to fruit

game is to chess

wax is to candle

lock is to key

cloud is to sky

Explanation

A xylophone is an example of an instrument, so we need to pick out an answer choice that consists of two nouns, where the first is an example of the second. While “pear is to fruit” and “game is to chess” might each look like a potentially correct answer, “game” is not an example of a “chess,” so “game is to chess” cannot be the correct answer. A pear is an example of a fruit, however, just as a xylophone is an example of an instrument, so “pear is to fruit” is the correct answer.

10

Complete this analogy.

Clippers is to barber as                               .

paintbrush is to artist

mattress is to bed

computer is to student

picture is to wall

flash is to camera

Explanation

The correct answer is "paintbrush is to artist."

This analogy explores the relationship of a tool and the user of the tool. Clippers are used by a barber to perform the task of cutting hair; likewise, a paintbrush is used by an artist to paint.

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