SSAT Practice Test (Middle Level: Verbal)
OBEDIENT mean:
Correct answer: amenable
OBEDIENT means amenable
Finish the analogy.
Greyhound is to racing as retriever is to __________.
Correct answer: fetching
A "greyhound" is a dog that is primarily bred and used for "racing." So, to solve this analogy you need to figure out what it is that a "retriever" is used for. Well, the clue is in the name, "retrievers" retrieve things. The correct answer is therefore "fetching," which means to go and get something and bring it back.
OUTFOX mean:
Correct answer: Outwit
”Outfox” is a verb that means trick or defeat someone by being more clever than him or her, so we need to pick out a word that means trick using wits. While many of the answer choices also begin with "out," only ”outwit" has a meaning similar to "outfox." Since ”outwit" means to trick or win against someone by being more clever than him or her, it is the correct answer.
OPTIMAL mean:
Correct answer: Ideal
“Optimal" is an adjective describing a noun that is the best or as well—suited to something as can be. Of the answer choices, ”ideal" has the closest meaning.
COWARDICE mean:
Correct answer: fearfulness
COWARDICE means fearfulness
DEBRIS mean:
Correct answer: rubble
DEBRIS means rubble
ANTAGONIST closest meaning:
Correct answer: Opponent
“Antagonist" is defined as an adversary, rival, or foe. Of the answer choices, "opponent" has the closest meaning.
ADJACENT mean:
Correct answer: Abutting
“Adjacent“ is an adjective that means nearby or connected by a shared border so we need to pick out another adjective that also means near or sharing a border. While ”noncontiguous" may look like a correct answer, because ”contiguous" is used to describe two things that are right next to each other, the ”non—” prefix means not, so ”noncontiguous" means not immediately next to each other. So, "noncontiguous" is an antonym of "adjacent" and can't be the right answer. "Abutting," however, means bordering, and since ”abutting" is the answer choice closest in meaning to ”adjacent," ”abutting" is the correct answer.
DISCRIMINATE mean:
Correct answer: Differentiate
"Discriminate" means differentiate or make a biased decision about how you treat a group or a member of that group, so "differentiate" is the correct answer.
CONTAMINATE mean:
Correct answer: taint
CONTAMINATE means taint
PRAISE mean:
Correct answer: laud
PRAISE means laud
INNOVATIVE mean:
Correct answer: New
“Innovative" is an adjective that means original and unprecedented. Of the answer choices, the word with the closest meaning is "new."
SUCCOR mean:
Correct answer: Assistance
”Succor" is a noun that means aid or help, so we need to pick out a word that means something like aid. Since ”assistance" means aid, "assistance" is the answer choice closest in meaning to ”succor" and the correct answer.
SPUN mean:
Correct answer: Revolved
Something that "revolves" spins around. "Handcrafted" means made by hand, and "narrative" is the adjective form of narration (storytelling). "Sarcastic" and "sardonic" are synonyms, and both indicate the use of irony in order to mock.
WOEFUL mean:
Correct answer: wretched
WOEFUL means wretched
ENGRAVE mean:
Correct answer: inscribe
ENGRAVE means inscribe
FEEBLE mean:
Correct answer: Weak
“Feeble” is an adjective that means lacking strength. Of the answer choices, ”weak" has the closest meaning.
PRIME mean:
Correct answer: Main
”Prime" means main, so "main" is the correct answer. ”Secondary" means less important or crucial than something else. ”Last" means final. "Unimportant" means not important, as one can infer from the word being a combination of the negative prefix ”un—," which means not, and "important." "Average" means common or ordinary.
MEEK mean:
Correct answer: Timid
“Meek” means mild, cowed or shy, so the correct answer is “timid,” which means shy. For clarification, the other four answer choices are all synonyms that mean powerful, lively or energetic.
PRACTICAL mean:
Correct answer: having great usefulness
PRACTICAL means having great usefulness
HOSPITABLE mean:
Correct answer: welcoming
HOSPITABLE means welcoming
ALLEVIATE mean:
Correct answer: Ease
”Alleviate" is a verb that means to make something bad less intense. Of the answer choices, "ease” has the closest meaning.
DURABLE mean:
Correct answer: Sturdy
"Durable" is an adjective used to describe something that is difficult to break or damage. Of the answer choices, the word with the closest meaning is ”stable."
Preserve mean:
Correct answer: to conserve
"Preserve" means to conserve.
SCRUTINIZE mean:
Correct answer: examine carefully
SCRUTINIZE means examine carefully