Understanding Analogies
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Julius MondayUnderstanding Analogies
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Julius MondaySTALLION
CONSULTANTS LTD.
"Scaling the heights"
UNDERSTANDING ANALOGIES
The relationships that are found in analogy questions fall into several general types.
■ Part to Whole. In this type of question, a pair of words consists of a part and a whole.
For example, spoke : wheel. A spoke is part of a wheel.
■ Type and Category. These questions use pairs of words in which one word is a specific
type in a general category. For example, orange : citrus. An orange is a type of citrus.
■ Degree of Intensity. These questions test your ability to discern nuance of meaning
among pairs of words. For example, shower : monsoon. A shower is light rainfall and a
monsoon is heavy rainfall.
■ Function. These questions pair words that are related through function. For example,
hammer : build. A hammer is used to build.
■ Manner. This type of analogy describes the manner, way, or style by which an action is
accomplished. For example shamble : walk. Shamble means to walk in an awkward manner.
■ Symbol or representation. These questions pair words in which one word is the symbol
of the other. For example, dove : peace. A dove is a symbol of peace.
■ Action and significance. In this type of analogy one word describes an action and the
other word indicates the significance of the action. For example, cry : sorrow. To cry
signifies sorrow.
Analogy questions can also be used to test word knowledge and factual content. Word
knowledge questions are generally pairs of synonyms or pairs of antonyms. For example,
tardy : _____ :: liberal : generous. Liberal and generous are synonyms, therefore you would
look for a synonym of tardy among the answer choices.
There is another type of analogy question that is purely a logic test. These questions pair
seemingly unrelated words. The relationship is found in the arrangement of the letters. For
example: about : bout :: ______ : mend
a. amend
b. near
c. tear
d. dismiss
In this case, the answer is amend because that is the word formed by adding an “a” in front
of mend. You will also find scrambled words and anagrams in this category of analogies.
ANALOGY EXERCISE
1. mend : sewing :: edit : ______ 9. ______ : climb :: recession : withdrawal
a. darn a. ascent
b. repair b. absence
c. manuscript c. dollar
d. makeshift d. absorption
2. abet : ______ :: alone :: lone 10. myopic : farsighted :: ______ : obscure
a. bet a. benevolent
b. loan b. famous
c. wager c. turgid
d. single d. wasted
3. 80 : 40 :: 2 : ______ 11. shallot : ______ :: scallop : mollusk
a. 8 a. shark
b. 4 b. muscle
c. 1 c. dessert
d. 20 d. onion
4. piercing : ______ :: hushed : whisper 12. conjugate : pair :: partition : ______
a. diamond a. divide
b. watch b. consecrate
c. siren c. parade
d. ears d. squelch
5. segregate : unify :: repair : ______ 13. ______ : excerpt :: exercise : maneuver
a. approach a. exception
b. push b. passage
c. damage c. routine
d. outwit d. cause
6. congeal : solidify :: ______ : char 14. alphabetical : ______ :: sequential : files
a. conceal a. sort
b. singe b. part
c. evaporate c. list
d. charge d. order
7. ______ : marsupial :: monkey : primate 15. tacit : implied :: ______ : inferior
a. opossum a. shoddy
b. ape b. taciturn
c. honeybee c. forthright
d. moose d. superior
8. principle : doctrine :: living : ______ 16. implement : rule :: ______ : verdict
a. will a. propose
b. dead b. render
c. likelihood c. divide
d. livelihood d. teach
17. vaunt : boast :: skewer : ______ 25. ______ : oyster :: paddy : rice
a. flaunt a. aphrodisiac
b. criticize b. mollusk
c. prepare c. bed
d. avoid d. sandwich
18. gambol : ______ :: gamble : bet 26. cicada : ______ :: collie : canine
a. skip a. fruit
b. win b. mineral
c. bat c. cat
d. worship d. insect
19. rotation : earth :: ______ : top 27. huckster : ______ :: gangster : crime
a. planet a. corn
b. spinning b. trucking
c. sun c. policeman
d. expanding d. advertising
20. gall : vex :: hex : ______ 28. ______ : bedrock :: cement : foundation
a. fix a. mica
b. jinx b. water
c. index c. lava
d. vixen d. sand
21. monarch : ______ :: king : cobra 29. dolorous : ______ :: sonorous : loud
a. queen a. woozy
b. butterfly b. weepy
c. royal c. dull
d. venom d. sleepy
22. iota : jot :: ______ : type 30. lapidary : ______ :: dramaturge : plays
a. one a. cows
b. ilk b. gems
c. tab c. rabbits
d. jet d. movies
23. ______ : subject :: veer : path 31. penurious : ______ :: deep : significant
a. object a. generous
b. prove b. stingy
c. math c. decrepit
d. digress d. cavernous
24. pan : ______ :: ban : judge 32. somnolent : nap :: truculent : ______
a. band a. sleepwalker
b. critic b. journey
c. author c. war
d. lawyer d. mood