Example and Category - SSAT Middle Level: Verbal

“Mice” belong to the group “rodent,” which include gnawing animals that have constantly growing incisors. A “possum” belongs to the group “marsupial,” which include animals that carry their babies in a pouch over the stomach. To further help you, a "pest" is something that is a nuissance.

“Pungent” means strong-smelling and “olfactory” means related to the sense of smell. So something that is "pungent" is detected by your "olfactory" sense. Similarly, something that is “bright” is detected by your “visual” sense.

A “waltz” is a type of “dance,” just as "jazz" is a type of "music." To clarify the other terms, “repetition” is the act of doing things over and over again; a "symphony" is a long musical composition.

Since "deciduous" is a word that describes certain kinds of trees, we need to pick out a word that describes certain kinds of house cats. While "feline" and "long-haired" both seem to be potentially correct answers, "feline" describes all cats, not just certain kinds, so it can't be the correct answer. "Long-haired" is the correct answer because just as certain trees are deciduous, certain cats are long-haired.

A pear is an example of a fruit, so we need to pick out another answer choice in which the first word is a category and the second word is an item that falls into that category. While" fruitful is to ineffective" may look like a good answer choice because it uses the word "fruitful" and our first set of words included the word "fruit," "fruitful" and "ineffective" are antonyms, not a category and an item in that category, so "fruitful is to ineffective" cannot be the correct answer. Similarly, "apple is to orchard" may also sound like a good answer because like "fruit is to pear," it mentions fruit; however, "apple is to orchard" represents an item and a place where it is produced, not a category and an item in that category, so "apple is to orchard" is not the correct answer either. However, in the answer "planet is to Mars," Mars is an example of a planet, just like a pear is an example of a fruit, so "planet is to Mars" is the correct answer.

Since an orchid is a kind of flower, we need to pick out an answer choice that describes what red is a kind of. While "red" might look like a good answer because "ruby" can refer to a color that is a deep shade of red, we're not looking for a pair of synonyms, but a category into which "ruby" falls. Since a ruby is a kind of gemstone, "gemstone" is the correct answer.

A pterodactyl is a kind of dinosaur, so we need to pick out an answer choice that consists of a kind of dessert. While both "water" and "brownie" may look like potentially correct answer choices because each can be consumed by humans, "brownie" is the correct answer, because while "water" is not a kind of a desert, "brownie" is.

A "peony" is a type of flower, and we need to pick out an answer choice in which the first word is a type or example of the second. While “color is to purple” and “bat is to mammal” might each seem like a potentially correct answer, “color is to purple” cannot be the correct answer because “color” is not an example of a “purple.” A bat is an example of a mammal, however, just as a peony is an example of a flower, so “bat is to mammal” is the correct answer.

A xylophone is an example of an instrument, so we need to pick out an answer choice that consists of two nouns, where the first is an example of the second. While “pear is to fruit” and “game is to chess” might each look like a potentially correct answer, “game” is not an example of a “chess,” so “game is to chess” cannot be the correct answer. A pear is an example of a fruit, however, just as a xylophone is an example of an instrument, so “pear is to fruit” is the correct answer.

A scull is a small boat, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which of the answer choices is a bigger version of a hamlet. A hamlet is a small community, like a village, so the correct answer is “town.”

A "virtue" is a good or righteous attribute in a person, and a "vice" is the opposite, a negative or bad attribute in a person. "Honesty" is a example of a virtue, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which of these answer choices is an example of a vice. "Mendacity" means dishonesty and is the best example of a vice that is available.

A "Dalmatian" is a type of "dog," so to solve this analogy, you have to determine what type of animal a "lynx" is. A lynx is a type of wild cat, so "cat" is the correct answer. While "lion" might look like a potentially correct answer because, like a lynx, a lion is a type of wild cat, "lion" cannot be the correct choice for this very reason. If the model relationship in the analogy were "Dalmation is to dachshund," then "lion" would be the correct answer, but because the second word of the model relationship is "dog," the category into which "dalmation" fits, "cat," the category into which "lynx" fits, is the correct answer.

Crimson is a shade of red, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine a color of which teal is a shade. Teal is a bluish-green color, so "blue" is the correct answer.

America is governed as a Republic, so to solve this analogy you have to determine which answer choice describes the government of Saudi Arabia. The test would never ask you to recall specific historical or political facts like this, so you can be sure when you see questions like this that everything you need to solve the analogy is in the analogy. You might not know that Saudi Arabia is governed as a monarchy, but you can probably determine that monarchy is the only answer choice that is a system of government. You need to know the relationship of the first two words!

"Vermillion" is a shade of red, so to solve this analogy you have to determine into which color lavender can be categorized. The correct answer is “purple.” For clarification, "shade" and "hue" are synonyms of one another.

"Generosity," which means kindness, is generally considered a "virtue," or a positive characteristic. So, to solve this analogy, you have to determine which of the answer choices is considered a "vice," or a negative attribute. "Greed" is the only answer choice that has a negative connotation, so the correct answer is that “greed” is a vice.

Judaism is a type of religion, so to solve this analogy, you have to determine what category socialism falls into. The correct answer is “government,” as socialism is a political system of communal ownership.

The relationship between "cockatoo" and "bird" is that a cockatoo is a type of bird. Likewise, a "frog" is a _type of "_amphibian." One choice that may seem similar is "whale is to fish," but whales are not fish; they are mammals. Therefore, there is no relationship between "whale" and "fish." The choice "mammal is to dolphin" shares the same relationship as a "dolphin" is a type of mammal, but the order of the words is category to example instead of example to category, as it is worded in the question. Therefore, "mammal is to dolphin" is an inappropriate choice. The relationship between "bird" and "sky" is that birds fly in the sky. The relationship between "plant" and "animal" is unclear.

“Scarlet” is a type or shade of red, or a bright red color. “Cerulean” is a type or shade of blue specifically meaning of the color blue of the sky.