SSAT Upper Level Verbal : Analogies

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #71 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Entomology is to insects as oncology is to __________.

Possible Answers:

minerals 

agriculture 

populations 

cancer 

hormones 

Correct answer:

cancer 

Explanation:

Entomology is the study of insects, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which of these answer choices is studied in oncology. "Oncology" is the study of cancer, so the correct answer is “cancer.”

Example Question #5 : Analogies: Roots From Latin

Complete this analogy.

Misanthropy is to people as misandry is to __________.

Possible Answers:

men

sports 

exercise 

animals

birds 

Correct answer:

men

Explanation:

Misanthropy describes the dislike of people or the human race, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which answer choice is disliked by someone who experiences misandry. The correct answer is “men,” people who experience misandry hate men and boys.

Example Question #72 : Analogies

Anthropology is to humans as pathology is to __________.

Possible Answers:

quests

poetry

disease

emotions

maps

Correct answer:

disease

Explanation:

Anthropology is the study of humans or humanity. Pathology is the study of disease.

Example Question #1 : Analogies: Roots

Complete this analogy.

Terrarium is to dirt as solarium is to __________.

Possible Answers:

hydrogen

solo

earth

moon

sunlight

Correct answer:

sunlight

Explanation:

"Terra" means earth and "sol" means sun. A terrarium is a container that holds earth (dirt), and a solarium is a room that is filled with sunlight.

Example Question #71 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Firmament is to sky as terra is to _________.

Possible Answers:

moon 

river 

earth 

sun

ocean 

Correct answer:

earth 

Explanation:

Firmament is a synonym for sky; so to solve this analogy you have to identify the best synonym for terra. Terra means of or related to the Earth so the correct answer is “earth.” Using the same system the word for sun would be solar and for moon would be lunar.

Example Question #71 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Suicide is to self as fratricide is to __________

Possible Answers:

friend

child

teacher

mother

brother

Correct answer:

brother

Explanation:

To solve this analogy you need to rely on your knowledge of Latin roots. The prefix sui- means self and the suffix -cide means kill, so "suicide" is to kill oneself. Additionally, the prefix frat- means brother, as in "fraternity." So, "fratricide" is killing one's brother.

Example Question #13 : Analogies: Roots From Latin

Complete this analogy.

Confidante is to trust as orator is to __________

Possible Answers:

listen 

accept 

speak 

arrest 

argue 

Correct answer:

listen 

Explanation:

To solve this analogy, you need to rely on your knowledge of Latin roots. The root "-fid-" that appears in words like "fidelity," "confide," and "faith" means trust or believe. So, a "confidante" is someone one trusts with one's secrets. If one "trusts" a "confidante," what does one do to an "orator"? Well, an "orator" is a public speaker, so one would "listen" to an orator. 

Example Question #72 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Submarine is to water as __________ is to land.

Possible Answers:

supersede

supplicate

subatomic

submersible 

subterranean

Correct answer:

subterranean

Explanation:

In solving this analogy you likely figured out that "submarine" means under water. The prefix sub- means under and the suffix -marine means related to the ocean. You would have likely therefore determined that the correct answer means under ground, underneath the land. To figure out which of these words matches this definition you need to consider roots of words. As mentioned earlier sub- means beneath, below, under, but more usefully the root -terra- means related to the Earth, related to land. So, the correct answer is that "subterranean" means underground, under the land. Additionally, a "submersible" is a vehicle that goes underwater, like a submarine; "supplicate" means entreat, beg for, humbly implore; "supersede" means replace; "subatomic" means smaller than an atom, (of particles) within an atom.

Example Question #15 : Analogies: Roots From Latin

Complete this analogy.

Misanthropy is to ______________ as misogyny is to women.

Possible Answers:

human

elderly 

men

children

animals

Correct answer:

human

Explanation:

"Misogyny" is the hatred for, or prejudice against, "women." The key root here is -gyn- which means related to women, as in "gynecologist." So, to solve this analogy you need to determine which of these is related to the word "misanthropy." In this instance the key root is -anthro- which means mankind, related to "humans." So, "misanthropy" is the hatred of "humans."

Example Question #75 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Pyromania is to fire as kleptomania is to __________.

Possible Answers:

abuse 

theft 

knowledge 

pain 

snow 

Correct answer:

theft 

Explanation:

The Greek root "pyr-" or "pyro-" refers to fire; you may have seen it before in such words as "pyrotechnics" (fireworks) or "pyre" (the mound of flammable matter on which a corpse is burned in a formal ceremony). The root "-mania" means madness. Putting these two roots together, we get "pyro-mania," or a term that in general means fire madness. "Pyromania" is an excessive and sometimes uncontrollable desire to start fires. Our second term also contains the root "-mania," so it is "madness" that has to do with whatever "klepto-" indicates. The root "klepto-" comes from the Greek for thief and means having to do with theft. Thus, "kleptomania" is an excessive and sometimes uncontrollable desire to commit theft. A "kleptomaniac" cannot help but steal things. "Theft" is thus the correct answer.

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