SSAT Upper Level Verbal : Analogies

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

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #7 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Complete this analogy.

Xenophobia is to foreigners as zoophobia is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Men 

Children

Death

Animals

Women 

Correct answer:

Animals

Explanation:

Xenophobia is the fear of foreigners, so to solve this analogy you have to determine what zoophobia is a fear. This question is a little easier than most phobia analogy questions because the prefix zoo- is such a dead giveaway. The correct answer is that zoophobia is the fear of animals.

Example Question #8 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Complete this analogy.

Arachnophobia is to spiders as triskaidekaphobia is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Clowns 

The afterlife

The number thirteen 

The outdoors

Outlandish behavior 

Correct answer:

The number thirteen 

Explanation:

Arachnophobia, as you might have gathered from the prefix arach- and the suffix -phobia, is the fear of spiders; therefore, in order to solve this problem you have to determine what exactly triskaidekaphobia is the fear of. This is a tough question, but there are some clues in the word to help you determine the answer. The prefix tri­- suggests it might have something to do with the number three, and the inclusion of deka (think decathlon) suggests it might have something to do with the number ten. In the absence of any other clues it seems logical to guess the correct answer is triskaidekaphobia is fear of the number thirteen. Now, good luck trying to pronounce it.

Example Question #9 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots

Complete this analogy.

Eighty is to octogenarian as seventy is to _________

Possible Answers:

Septuagenarian

Pentagenarian

None of these answers 

Nonagenarian

Pretty old 

Correct answer:

Septuagenarian

Explanation:

An octogenarian is somebody in his or her eighties, so to solve this analogy you have to determine what name is given to somebody in his or her seventies. The prefix sept- is commonly used to refer to the number seven or things composed of seven parts; therefore the correct answer is “septuagenarian.” For clarification, a nonagenarian is somebody in his or her nineties, and pentagenarian is not a word.

Example Question #1 : Analogies: Prefixes From Latin

Complete this analogy.

Cartographer is to map as vintner is to __________.

Possible Answers:

coffee

shoes 

hats 

wine 

soda 

Correct answer:

wine 

Explanation:

A cartographer is someone who makes maps, so in order to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the items is produced by a vintner. The prefix "vin-" might clue you in that the answer choice has to be wine (from the Latin for wine, vino).

Example Question #81 : Ssat Upper Level Verbal

Complete this analogy.

Aquaphobia is to water as chronophobia is to __________.

Possible Answers:

loneliness

time

love 

insects 

poverty 

Correct answer:

time

Explanation:

Aquaphobia is the fear of water. Whenever you see the prefix ­­"aqua-," you can assume that the word will have something to do with water. So to solve this analogy, you have to determine what chronophobia is a fear of. Chronophobia has the same prefix as the word "chronological" (which has to do with the passage of time), so it would be reasonable to assume that the prefix "chrono-" implies a relationship to time. This line of thinking would lead you to the correct answer, that chronophobia is the fear of time or the passage of time.

Example Question #41 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Antecedent is to predecessor as postscript is to __________.

Possible Answers:

preface

prologue

descendant

signature

afterword

Correct answer:

afterword

Explanation:

"Ante-" and "pre-" both mean "before;" both words refer to things that come before other things. "Post" means "after" and "script" refers to writing, so a postscript is an afterword.

Example Question #83 : Ssat Upper Level Verbal

The words in these verbal analogies are based on the understanding and use of common Latin and Greek word roots. 

Anhydrous is to water as analgesic is to __________.

Possible Answers:

ocean

pain

sand

land

water

Correct answer:

pain

Explanation:

Anhydrous means without water ("an" = without, "hydro" = water), and analgesic means without pain ("an" = without, "algesia" = pain).

Example Question #84 : Ssat Upper Level Verbal

Complete this analogy.

Hydrodynamics is to water as thermodynamics is to __________.

Possible Answers:

peace

wealth

sound

feel

heat

Correct answer:

heat

Explanation:

The Greek prefix hyrdo- means related to water. "Hydrodynamic" means a branch of science concerned with the movement of water and other fluids. To solve this analogy you need to consider the meaning of the Greek prefix therm- which means heat, temperature. "Thermodynamics" is therefore a branch of science concerned with heat, temperature and their relationship to movement and energy. The correct answer is therefore "heat." You might also have noticed that the root -dynam- means related to energy.

Example Question #11 : Analogies: Prefixes From Latin

Complete this analogy.

Septuagenarian is to __________ as octogenarian is to eighty.

Possible Answers:

sixty

forty

fifty

ninety

seventy

Correct answer:

seventy

Explanation:

The key to solving this analogy is to know that the prefix sept- means seven and the prefix oct- means eight. So, a "septuagenarian" is someone who is in their seventies and an "octogenarian" is someone who is in their eighties.

Example Question #12 : Analogies: Prefixes From Latin

Complete this analogy.

Aquarium is to octopus as __________ is to snake.

Possible Answers:

arboretum

reptarium

terrarium

hive

reptilian

Correct answer:

terrarium

Explanation:

An "aquarium" is a place where ocean-dwelling creatures are housed and displayed. So, to solve this analogy you have to determine which of these words describes an enclosure where a land-based creature (such as a snake) might be housed. It can be helpful when solving this problem to consider your Latin prefixes. "Terr-" means of or related to the Earth. So, a "terrarium" is the correct answer. Additionally, an "arboretum" is a place where trees are grown; "reptilian" means relating to the qualities of reptiles (like snakes and alligators).

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors