SSAT Upper Level Verbal : Qualities, Features, Abilities, and Other Analogies

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Other Analogies

Complete this analogy 

Undulation is to wave as meander is to __________.

Possible Answers:

Ocean 

Current 

River 

Circuit 

Lake 

Correct answer:

River 

Explanation:

Undulation describes the movement of a wave so to solve this analogy you have to identify what the word meander is typically used to describe the movement of. Meander means to follow an indirect route with a series of twists and turns. This most accurately describes the movement of a river.

Example Question #635 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Infuriating is to angry as nauseating is to __________.

Possible Answers:

sickly 

passionate 

profound 

healthy 

amorous 

Correct answer:

sickly 

Explanation:

Something you find "infuriating" (to make furious) is also likely to make you "angry." To solve this answer you have to determine which answer choice is similar in meaning to "nauseating," which means to have been made nauseous, so the correct answer is “sickly.” For clarification, "amorous" means expressing or feeling deep love; "profound" means deep and meaningful; "passionate" means possessing great desire.

Example Question #636 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Ventriloquism is to sound as __________.

Possible Answers:

boring is to asleep

mirage is to sight

sweet is to taste

tactile is to touch

painting is to color

Correct answer:

mirage is to sight

Explanation:

“Ventriloquism” is a noun that means “the art of projecting your voice so that it seems to come from another source.” So, ventriloquism is a kind of illusion that has to do with sound, and we need to pick out an answer choice in which the first word is a kind of illusion or trick and the second word is the sense that that illusion is associated with. While “sweet is to taste,” “tactile is to touch,” and “mirage is to sight” might each look like a potentially correct answer, neither “tactile” nor “sweet” are nouns that refer to illusions, so neither “tactile is to touch” nor “sweet is to taste” can be the correct answer. A “mirage,” however, is “an optical illusion caused by atmospheric conditions.” So, because mirages are a type of illusion associated with sight just as ventriloquism is a type of illusion associated with sound, “mirage is to sight” is the correct answer.

Example Question #637 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Complete this analogy.

Rustic is to country as cosmopolitan is to __________.

Possible Answers:

tribe 

village 

hamlet

city 

desert island 

Correct answer:

city 

Explanation:

A quality typically associated with the country is to be rustic. Rustic means a plain and simple lifestyle. To solve this analogy you have to determine what time of community is best described as cosmopolitan. Cosmopolitan means culturally diverse and the correct answer is therefore “city.”

Example Question #6 : Other Analogies

November is to January as __________.

Possible Answers:

January is to September

December is to October

February is to July

March is to September

May is to July

Correct answer:

May is to July

Explanation:

January is either two months after November or ten months before it. The only answer choice that has two months with the same relationship, in the correct order, is "May is to July."

Example Question #641 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Surgeon is scalpel as __________.

Possible Answers:

baseball bat is to baseball player

tutu is to ballerina

handcuffs are police officer

barber is to razor

samurai is to sword

Correct answer:

barber is to razor

Explanation:

The relationship here is one of utility. Surgeons use scalpels. There are a few answer choices that fit this relationship. Baseball bat is to baseball player could work, because baseball players use baseball bats, but they don't really use baseball bats in the same way that surgeons use scalpels. Surgeons use scalpels for cutting. That leaves us with "Samurai is to sword" and "Barber is to razor." The best choice is "Barber is to razor," because barbers use razors to help people. Samurais use them to hurt people, even if they are doing it to protect others.

Example Question #4 : Other Analogies

Horse is to zebra as __________.

Possible Answers:

whale is to dolphin

wolf is to hyena

monkey is to ape

cat is to tiger

dog is to Dalmatian

Correct answer:

cat is to tiger

Explanation:

A zebra is a horse-like animal with a striped coat; a tiger is a cat-like animal with a striped coat.

Example Question #641 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Recommendation is to law as __________.

Possible Answers:

counselor is to judge

prescription is to enforcement

suggest is to order

advice is to legal

rights are to Constitution

Correct answer:

suggest is to order

Explanation:

A recommendation is something someone would suggest that you do (but do not require), while a law is something you are ordered to do.

Example Question #6 : Other Analogies

Harp is to trumpet as __________.

Possible Answers:

arpeggio is to taps

guitar is to flute

string is to brass

heaven is to hell

halo is to cornet

Correct answer:

string is to brass

Explanation:

The harp is a string instrument, and the trumpet is a brass instrument. "Guitar is to flute" is a tempting choice, but the flute is a woodwind.

Example Question #643 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Type Of Relationship

Crate is to square as __________.

Possible Answers:

orange is to circle

globe is to sphere

box is to cube

triangle is to pyramid

three is to two

Correct answer:

orange is to circle

Explanation:

A crate is a rectangular solid: a three-dimensional object that may be made out squares, a two-dimensional shape. Of the available choices, only the orange is a three-dimensional object, roughly spherical, matched with the corresponding 2D shape (a circle). "Triangle is to pyramid" gets the relationship backwards, moving from a two-dimensional to a three-dimensional object.

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