All SSAT Middle Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #503 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Happy is to elated as sad is to __________.
miserable
ungrateful
cantankerous
ebullient
parsimonious
miserable
"Elated" means very happy, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which of the answer choices means very sad. The correct answer is “miserable.” For clarification, "cantankerous" means grumpy; "parsimonious" means not generous; ebullient means cheerful.
Example Question #304 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity
Complete this analogy.
Big is to bigger as bad is to __________.
worser
None of these are correct
worse
badder
better
worse
The word “bigger” is used to compare something that is “more big” than another something. We cannot say “more big” because it is incorrect use of language, so we say “bigger.” Likewise, we cannot say “more bad” as that too is incorrect use of English. To solve this analogy you have to determine which word is used to describe something that is “more bad.” The correct answer is “worse.” “Badder” is not a word.
Example Question #305 : Synonyms, Antonyms, And Changes In Intensity
Analogies: Complete this analogy.
Breeze is to hurricane as pretty is to __________.
gorgeous
ugly
average
person
happy
gorgeous
The relationship in "breeze is to hurricane" is an increase in degree. A hurricane is made up of much stronger winds than a breeze. The best choice is "gorgeous," as the word means very pretty, showing that same increase in degree. "Ugly" is an antonym of "pretty" and a "person" is someone who might be pretty. The other two choices, "average" and "happy," are completely unrelated to "pretty."
Example Question #504 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Enraged is to angry as __________.
pierce is to spear
ecstatic is to happy
vain is to sleepy
sad is to miserable
waist is to belt
ecstatic is to happy
“Enraged” is an adjective that means “very angry; furious,” so we need to pick out an answer choice that consists of two adjectives describing emotion, with the first one being a more extreme version of the second one. While “sad is to depressed,” “vain is to sleepy,” and “ecstatic is to happy” all consist of two words describing moods or emotions, “sad” is not a more extreme version of “miserable” (“of a person: wretchedly unhappy or uncomfortable”), so “sad is to miserable” has its words in the incorrect order compared to the example and thus cannot be the correct answer. “Vain” is an adjective that means “having or showing an excessively high opinion of one’s appearance, abilities, or worth,” not “very sleepy,” so “vain is to sleepy” cannot be the correct answer either. “Ecstatic,” however, is an adjective that means “feeling or expressing overwhelming happiness or joyful excitement.” Because “ecstatic” means “very happy” just as “enraged” means “very angry,” “ecstatic is to happy” is the correct answer.
Example Question #511 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Eating is to feasting as __________.
walking is to running
sky is to air
hopscotch is to game
sprinting is to running
nice is to kind
walking is to running
The relationship in "eating is to feasting" is that while "eating" and "feasting" both mean consuming food, the word "feasting" has a more intense meaning that that of "eating." "Eat" means to take in for nourishment while "feast" means to eat a lot, often at great expense. There is an increase in degree between the words "eat" and "feast." The pair that shares this relationship is "walking is to running," so it is therefore the best choice. "Sprinting is to running" has the appropriate relationship but is in the reverse order and shows a decrease in degree, because "sprinting" is a less intense action than is "running". Because of this, it is not the appropriate choice. Considering the other choices, the "sky" is made up of "air", "nice" and "kind" are synonyms, and "hopscotch" is a type of "game."
Example Question #512 : Analogies
Complete this analogy.
Hill is to mountain as pond is to __________.
canoe
rain
river
beach
lake
lake
Since a mountain can be thought of as a really large hill, we need to pick out a word that can be thought of as a really large pond. While "lake," "river," and "rain" all have to do with water, "lake" is the best answer because a river involves flowing water, which a pond doesn't, and rain involves water falling from the sky, which a pond doesn't either. Since a lake can be thought of as a large pond, "lake" is the best answer.
Example Question #1 : Changes In Intensity
Complete this analogy.
Gale is to wind as __________.
rewind is to fast forward
downpour is to rain
fact is to fiction
vigilant is to surprise
ashes are to fire
downpour is to rain
“Gale” is a noun that means “a very strong wind,” so we need to pick out an answer choice in which the first word represents a very strong version of the second word. While “ashes are to fire” and “downpour is to rain” might each look like a potentially correct answer, “ashes are to fire” cannot be the correct answer because “ashes” are defined as “the powdery residue left after the burning of a substance,” not “a large or powerful fire.” “Downpour,” however, when used as a noun, means “a heavy rainfall,” and because a downpour is a heavy rain just as a gale is a strong wind, “downpour is to rain” is the correct answer.
Example Question #2 : Changes In Intensity
Hungry is to ravenous as __________.
flu is to fever
angry is to furious
thirsty is to guzzle
happy is to satisfied
None of these answers accurately reflect the relationship.
angry is to furious
“Ravenous” is an adjective that means extremely hungry. Since “hungry” and “ravenous” are synonyms, and “ravenous” has a greater intensity than “hungry,” we’re looking for a pair of words that are synonyms, in which the second word has a higher intensity than the first.
Since “fever” is a symptom of the “flu,” the words have a cause-and-effect relationship. The words aren’t synonyms. We can rule out this choice.
“Guzzle” is a verb that means to eat or drink something greedily. Although “guzzle” has a higher intensity than “thirsty,” the words aren’t synonyms. We can rule out this choice.
“Satisfied” is an adjective that means pleased or content. Though “happy” and “satisfied” have similar meanings, they intensity is about equal, so we can rule out this choice.
“Furious” is an adjective that means extremely angry. It is a synonymous with angry” with a higher intensity.
Of the answer choices, “ANGRY is to FURIOUS” is the best choice.
Example Question #3 : Changes In Intensity
Like is to abhor as __________.
None of these answers accurately reflect the relationship.
compliment is to insult
hero is to villain
happy is to miserable
friend is to family
happy is to miserable
“Abhor” is a verb that means to hate or detest. Since “like” means to find agreeable or enjoyable, we’re looking for a pair of words in which the second word is opposite in meaning and higher in intensity.
“Compliment” and “insult” are antonyms with equal intensity, so we can rule out this choice.
“Hero” and “villain” are antonyms with equal intensity, so we can rule out this choice.
Although at times one might “like” their friends and “abhor” their family, “friend” and “family” are not antonyms. We can rule out this choice.
“Miserable” is an adjective that means wretchedly unhappy or uncomfortable. It is an antonym to “happy” with a higher intensity.
Of the answer choices, “HAPPY is to MISERABLE” is the best choice.
Example Question #4 : Changes In Intensity
Complete this analogy.
Trounce is to __________ as eradicate is to destroy.
cause
defeat
rectify
mend
argue
defeat
"Eradicate" means to completely destroy, to 'wipe something out.' It is a more intense version of the word "destroy." So, to solve this analogy you need to determine what "trounce" is a more intense version of. The correct answer is that "trounce" means to rout or to heavily "defeat." Additionally, "rectify" means to repair a situation, to fix a problem; "mend" means to repair a breakage, to fix something that is broken.