Analogies
2
The dictionary defines an analogy as a “similarity in some respects
between things that are otherwise dissimilar.” In each of the questions
contained in this section, you will find a pair of related words. These words
are separated by a colon, like this:
fish : scales
Read that to yourself as if the colon were the words “is to”—“fish is to
scales.” Then, as you read through the possible answers, add “as” to the begin-
ning of each answer—“fish is to scales as horse is to barn,” and so forth.
Look at those words and try to figure out how they are connected to
one another. For example, what is the connection between the words fish
and scales? Obviously, a fish is covered with scales; now think of two other
ANALOGY
Comparing two things that are not related in order to find simi-
larities. “A fish is covered with scales, as a bird is covered with
feathers.”
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words that share a similar relationship. A good example of this would be
bird and feathers. The similarity between these two unrelated pairs of words
is an analogy. The best way to approach an analogy question is to make up
a sentence that describes the relationship between the first two words and
find another pair in the choices that would fit into that same sentence. A
fish is covered with scales, as a bird is covered with feathers.
The answers to this section begin on page 29.
See how many of the following questions you can answer correctly.
60. BUTTER : BREAD
a. jam : jelly
b. paint : wood
c. toast : jelly
d. head : foot
e. yellow : blue
61. SHELF : BOOKCASE
a. arm : leg
b. stage : curtain
c. bench : chair
d. key : piano
e. lamp : bulb
62. FISH : SCHOOL
a. wolf : pack
b. tiger : jungle
c. herd : peacock
d. raven : school
e. dog : collie
63. SCALE : WEIGHT
a. yardstick : length
b. width : depth
c. length : width
d. size : area
e. mileage : speed
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64. WATERMELON : FRUIT
a. collar : leash
b. dog : companion
c. fish : bowl
d. Dalmatian : canine
e. apple : orange
65. FOOT : SKATEBOARD
a. tire : automobile
b. lace : shoe
c. ounce : scale
d. walk : jump
e. pedal : bicycle
66. STRETCH : EXTEND
a. tremble : roll
b. thirsty : drink
c. shake : tremble
d. stroll : run
e. stitch : tear
67. SHIELD : ARROW
a. bow : quiver
b. knight : horse
c. umbrella : rain drops
d. peony : flower
e. boy : girl
68. STARVING : HUNGRY
a. neat : thoughtful
b. towering : cringing
c. progressive : regressive
d. happy : crying
e. depressed : sad
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69. DERMATOLOGIST : ACNE
a. psychologist : neurosis
b. child : pediatrician
c. ophthalmologist : fracture
d. oncologist : measles
e. allergies : orthopedist
70. FRAME : PICTURE
a. display : museum
b. shelf : refrigerator
c. mechanic : electrician
d. nail : hammer
e. fence : backyard
71. SEARCH : FIND
a. sleep : wake
b. explore : discover
c. draw : paint
d. think : relate
e. walk : run
72. PHARMACY : DRUGS
a. mall : store
b. doctor : medicine
c. bakery : bread
d. supermarket : discount store
e. toys : games
73. LAYER : TIER
a. section : segment
b. dais : speaker
c. curtain : stage
d. chapter : verse
e. cotton : bale
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74. METROPOLITAN : URBAN
a. bucolic : rural
b. sleepy : nocturnal
c. agricultural : cow
d. autumn : harvest
e. agrarian : generous
75. TEACHER : SCHOOL
a. actor : role
b. mechanic : engine
c. jockey : horse
d. judge : courthouse
e. author : book
76. CAR : GASOLINE
a. truck : trailer
b. car : garage
c. bicycle : feet
d. boat : ocean
e. deck : house
77. RUN: JOG
a. trot : race
b. swim : dive
c. dance : ballet
d. juggle : bounce
e. rain : drizzle
78. RADIO : TELEVISION
a. electricity : lightning
b. up : down
c. ear : eye
d. nose : face
e. old : new
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79. TAILOR : SUIT
a. scheme : agent
b. edit : manuscript
c. revise : writer
d. mention : opinion
e. implode : building
80. CONDUCTOR : ORCHESTRA
a. jockey : mount
b. thrasher : hay
c. driver : tractor
d. skipper : crew
e. painter : house
81. CHICKEN : EGG
a. cow : milk
b. yesterday : today
c. boy : girl
d. toe : finger
e. hoof : mouth
82. COBBLER : SHOE
a. jockey : horse
b. contractor : building
c. mason : stone
d. cowboy : boot
e. potter : paint
83. PHOBIC : FEARFUL
a. finicky : thoughtful
b. cautious : emotional
c. envious : desiring
d. shy : familiar
e. ridiculous : silly
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84. INTEREST : OBSESSION
a. mood : feeling
b. weeping : sadness
c. dream : fantasy
d. plan : negation
e. highlight : indication
85. CAR : HEADLIGHT
a. bicycle : moped
b. tar : asphalt
c. mail : stamp
d. tree : branch
e. pen : pencil
86. SLAPSTICK : LAUGHTER
a. fallacy : dismay
b. genre : mystery
c. satire : anger
d. mimicry : tears
e. horror : fear
87. DOOR : HINGE
a. doorknob : door bell
b. wheel : axle
c. airplane : bicycle
d. root : soil
e. chair : step
88. SOUND : CACOPHONY
a. taste : style
b. touch : massage
c. smell : stench
d. sight : panorama
e. speech : oration
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89. CONVICTION : INCARCERATION
a. reduction : diminution
b. induction : amelioration
c. radicalization : estimation
d. marginalization : intimidation
e. proliferation : alliteration
90. UP : DOWN
a. boy : girl
b. burn : scald
c. steam : water
d. green : apple
e. shoe : nose
91. UMBRAGE : OFFENSE
a. confusion : penance
b. infinity : meaning
c. decorum : decoration
d. elation : jubilance
e. outrage : consideration
92. PROFESSOR : ERUDITE
a. aviator : licensed
b. inventor : imaginative
c. procrastinator : conscientious
d. overseer : wealthy
e. moderator : vicious
93. DEPENDABLE : CAPRICIOUS
a. fallible : cantankerous
b. erasable : obtuse
c. malleable : limpid
d. capable : inept
e. incorrigible : guilty
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94. FROND : PALM
a. quill : porcupine
b. blade : evergreen
c. scale : wallaby
d. tusk : alligator
e. blade : fern
95. METAPHOR : SYMBOL
a. pentameter : poem
b. rhythm : melody
c. nuance : song
d. slang : usage
e. analogy : comparison
96. DIRGE : FUNERAL
a. chain : letter
b. bell : church
c. telephone : call
d. jingle : commercial
e. hymn : concerto
97. HAT : HEAD
a. cold : hot
b. winter : snow
c. clothes : closet
d. basic : advanced
e. glove : hand
98. SPY : CLANDESTINE
a. accountant : meticulous
b. furrier : rambunctious
c. lawyer : ironic
d. shepherd : garrulous
e. astronaut : opulent
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99. SONG : VERSE
a. big : small
b. tune : sing
c. puzzle : piece
d. tuna : fish
e. Kalamazoo : Michigan
100. AERIE : EAGLE
a. capital : government
b. bridge : architect
c. unit : apartment
d. kennel : veterinarian
e. house : person
ANTONYMS
Words that mean the opposite of each other. A few examples:
come, go fast, slow
bad, good eager, hesitant
light, dark skilled, unskilled
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Answers
60. b. Butter covers bread; paint covers wood.
61. d. A shelf is a part of a bookcase; a key is a part of a piano.
62. a. A group of fish is called a school; a group of wolves is called a
pack.
63. a. A scale measures weight; a yardstick measures length.
64. d. Watermelon is a kind of fruit; Dalmatian is a kind of canine.
65. e. A foot propels a skateboard; a pedal propels
a bicycle.
66. c. Stretch and extend are synonyms; shake and tremble are syn-
onyms.
67. c. A shield protects from arrows; an umbrella protects from rain
drops.
68. e. Starving is an intensification of hungry; depressed is an intensifica-
tion of sad.
69. a. A dermatologist treats acne; a psychologist treats a neurosis.
70. e. A frame surrounds a picture; a fence surrounds a backyard.
71. b. One searches in order to find; one explores in order to discover.
72. c. A pharmacy sells drugs; a bakery sells bread.
73. a. Layer and tier are synonyms; section and segment are synonyms.
74. a. Metropolitan describes urban areas; bucolic describes rural areas.
75. d. A teacher works in a school; a judge works in a courthouse.
76. c. A car is powered by gasoline; a bicycle is powered by feet.
77. e. To jog is to run slowly; to drizzle is to rain slowly.
78. c. A radio uses one’s ears; a television uses one’s eyes.
79. b. To tailor a suit is to alter it; to edit a manuscript is to alter it.
80. d. A conductor leads an orchestra; a skipper leads a crew.
81. a. A chicken produces an egg; a cow produces milk.
82. b. A cobbler makes and repairs shoes; a contractor builds and repairs
buildings.
83. e. To be phobic is to be extremely fearful; to be ridiculous is to be
extremely silly.
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84. c. Obsession is a greater degree of interest; fantasy is a greater degree
of dream.
85. d. A headlight is part of a car; a branch is part of a tree.
86. e. Slapstick results in laughter; horror results in fear.
87. b. A door swings on its hinge; a wheel rotates on its axle.
88. c. A cacophony is an unpleasant sound; a stench is an unpleasant
smell.
89. a. A conviction results in incarceration; a reduction results in
diminution.
90. a. Up is the opposite of down; boy is the opposite of girl.
91. d. Umbrage and offense are synonyms; elation and jubilance are
synonyms.
92. b. Being erudite is a trait of a professor; being imaginative is a trait
of an inventor.
93. d. Dependable and capricious are antonyms; capable and inept are
antonyms.
94. a. A palm (tree) has fronds; a porcupine has quills.
95. e. A metaphor is a symbol; an analogy is a comparison.
96. d. A dirge is a song used at a funeral; a jingle is a song used in a com-
mercial.
97. e. A hat is worn on the head; a glove is worn on the hand
98. a. A spy acts in a clandestine manner; an accountant acts in a me-
ticulous manner.
99. c. A verse is part of a song; a piece is part of a puzzle.
100. e. An aerie is where an eagle lives; a house is where a person lives.
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