Barron's GRE, 18th Edition (2009)

Part 2. VERBAL ABILITY: TACTICS, REVIEW, AND PRACTICE

Chapter 5. Analogy Questions

Here are the directions for answering analogy questions that you will find on the GRE: “In the following question, a related pair of words or phrases is followed by five lettered pairs of words or phrases. Select the lettered pair that best expresses a relationship similar to that expressed in the original pair.”

Analogy questions ask you to determine the relationship between a pair of words and then recognize a similar or parallel relationship between a different pair of words. You are given one pair of words and must choose from the five answer choices another pair that is related in the same way. The relationship between the words in the original pair will always be specific and precise, as will the relationship between the words in the correct answer pair.

Analogies come from a wide variety of fields. You need to know that musicians study in conservatories and ministers in seminaries, that panegyrics praise and elegies lament. You need to be aware of catalysts and conundrums, augers and auguries, and know in which contexts these words are found. You are not, however, dealing with these words in isolation; you are always dealing with them in relationship to other words.

Note how a GRE analogy question is set up. First you have the two capitalized words linked by a symbol. Take a look at a few examples.

FRESCO : WALL

A fresco is related to a wall. How? By definition, a fresco or mural painting is painted on a wall.

STAMMER : TALK

Stammer is related to talk. How? To stammer is to talk haltingly, even inarticulately. It is to talk in a defective or faulty manner.

TILE : MOSAIC

Tile is related to mosaic. How? A mosaic is made up of tiles. Notice the wording of the last sentence. You could also have said “Tiles are the pieces that make up a mosaic” and maintained the word order of the analogy. Sometimes, however, it is easier to express a relationship if you reverse the order of the words.

Next you come to the five answer choices. See if you can tell which pair best expresses a relationship similar to the relationship of tile to mosaic.

EXAMPLE

TILE : MOSAIC ::
(A) hoop : embroidery
(B) wick : candle
(C) whalebone : scrimshaw
(D) easel : painting
(E) knot : macrame

The correct answer is Choice E: macrame is made up of knots. Just as the tiles in a mosaic make a pattern, so too the knots in a piece of macrame make a pattern.

Some of the analogy questions on the GRE are as clear-cut as this. Others are more complex. To answer them correctly involves far more than knowing single meanings of individual words: it involves knowing the usual contexts in which they are found, and their connotations as well. Master the tactics that immediately follow. Then proceed to the practice exercises containing both relatively simple and challenging analogies at the chapter’s end.

Testing Tactics

 Before You Look at the Choices, Try to State the Relationship Between the Capitalized Words in a Clear Sentence

In answering an analogy question, your first problem is to determine the exact relationship between the two capitalized words. Before you look at the answer pairs, make up a sentence that illustrates how these capitalized words are related. Then test the possible answers by seeing how well they fit in your sentence.

Try this tactic on the following two questions.

EXAMPLE

TORRENT : DROPLET ::
(A) water : eddy
(B) swamp : desert
(C) downpour : puddle
(D) avalanche : pebble
(E) hurricane : wreckage

torrent (violent downpour or rushing stream) is made up of droplets. An avalanche or sudden fall of rocks, snow or earth is made up of pebbles. Choice D is correct.

Don’t let Choice C fool you: while a downpour, like a torrent, is a violent rain, it is not made up of puddles; rather, it leaves puddles in its aftermath.

EXAMPLE

PHILATELY : STAMPS ::
(A) calligraphy : pens
(B) cartography : maps
(C) chronology : events
(D) numismatics : coins
(E) geriatrics : ailments

Philately is the study and collecting of stampsNumismatics is the study and collecting of coins. Choice D is correct.

Note how difficult this question would be if you did not know that philately involved collecting stamps. You might have guessed that philately primarily involves working with stamps (as, for example, calligraphy involves working with pens) or even making stamps (as cartography involves making maps). Knowing the primary relationship between the capitalized words, however, you can go through the answer choices eliminating any pairs that do not express the same relationship. Thus, you can eliminate Choice A: someone who practices calligraphy may possibly collect pens, but calligraphy’s primary, dictionary-defined role is the art of penmanship, the production of beautiful handwriting. Similarly, you can eliminate Choice E: geriatrics certainly involves studying ailments, but the ailments of the elderly, not ailments in general; furthermore, while it studies the ailments of the elderly, it certainly doesn’t collect any such ailments. You can eliminate Choice C as well: chronology involves arranging events in the order in which they occur. This process of elimination leaves you with two relatively unfamiliar words — numismatics and cartography — and a fifty percent chance of guessing the answer correctly.

If you are not sure of the answer, always rule out answer choices that you know cannot be correct, and then guess among the choices that are left.

Remember, you have to do your best to answer the question on your screen before you can move on to the next.

 If More Than One Answer Fits the Relationship in Your Sentence, Look for a Narrower Approach

When you try to express the relationship between the two capitalized words in sentence form, occasionally you come up with too simple a sentence, one that fails to include enough details to particularize your analogy. In such cases, more than one answer may fit the relationship, and you will have to analyze the original pair again.

Consider this analogy question.

EXAMPLE

PSEUDOPOD : AMOEBA ::
(A) branch : tree
(B) minnow : fish
(C) bristle : hedgehog
(D) tentacle : octopus
(E) shell : snail

“A pseudopod is part of an amoeba.” You have stated a relationship between the capitalized words in a sentence, but you have not stated a relationship that is precise enough. After all, branches are parts of trees, bristles are parts of hedgehogs, tentacles are parts of octopuses, and shells are parts of snails. You need to focus on some aspect of the relationship between the words in the original pair that corresponds to an aspect of only one of the answer pairs. Go back to the original pair of words for more details. How does an amoeba use a pseudopod? What function does it serve? “An amoeba uses a pseudopod for grasping.” Try the answer choices in this new test sentence. “A tree uses a branch for grasping.” False. “A hedgehog uses a bristle for grasping.” False. “A snail uses its shell for grasping.” False. “An octopus uses a tentacle for grasping.” Choice D clearly is best.

In answering analogy questions on the GRE, pay special attention to how a dictionary would define the words involved. Do not settle for what “may be” a good relationship. Precision is important in analogies: a pseudopod is not just part of an amoeba, it is the part that the amoeba uses for grasping. Strive to identify the relationship that exists “by definition.”

 Consider Secondary Meanings of Words as Well as Their Primary Meanings

Frequently, the test-makers attempt to mislead you by using familiar words in relatively uncommon ways. When an apparently familiar word seems incongruous in a particular analogy, consider other definitions of that word.

See how this tactic applies to the following examples.

EXAMPLE

PAN : CAMERA ::
(A) ban : book
(B) tune : radio
(C) charge : battery
(D) filter : lens
(E) rotate : periscope

Before you can answer this question, you have to know the definition of pan. You’re not dealing with a frying pan or a gold miner’s pan or a dish pan; pan here is a verb, not a noun. You can tell because the first word of each answer choice is also a verb. The verb ending -ate at the end of rotate gives that away.

The verb pan, however, has several meanings:

The miner panned for gold. (The miner washed gravel to separate out the gold.)

The chef panned the carrots. (The chef cooked the carrots in a pan with a small amount of fat or water.)

The critic panned the comedy. (The critic severely criticized the comedy.)

None of these is the meaning you want.

Think how pan relates to camera. When someone pans a camera, what happens? The cameraperson rotates the camera on its axis so that he or she can film a panoramic scene (or a moving person or object). Similarly, a submarine crew member rotates or revolves a periscope on its axis so that he or she can make a panoramic observation. The correct answer is Choice E.

EXAMPLE

NEBULOUSNESS : DEFINITION ::
(A) apathy : zeal
(B) impetuosity : intuition
(C) penetration : depth
(D) rectitude : somberness
(E) rigidity : homogeneity

What relationship exists between nebulousness and definitionNebulousness means haziness or indistinctness; a nebulous idea lacks clarity or sharpness. But what does haziness have to do with definition? After all, a definition is a statement of the meaning of a word or phrase.

Look closely at the term definition. When you define a word, you distinguish its essential characteristics; you make its features clear. Definition in fact possesses a secondary meaning: “sharp demarcation of outlines or limits; distinctness of outline or detail.” With this meaning in mind, you can state the essential relationship between the capitalized words: nebulousness is a lack of definition. Analogously, apathy (indifference, lethargy) is a lack of zeal or enthusiasm. The correct answer is Choice A.

EXAMPLE

EMBROIDER : FABRIC ::
(A) fret : wood
(B) spin : yarn
(C) refine : ore
(D) sculpt : chisel
(E) glaze : glass

Ostensibly, this is a simple analogy. One embroiders fabric to ornament it, embellishing it with needlework. The relationship between the capitalized words is clear. However, the bulk of the examinees responding to this question would answer it incorrectly. The problem lies not in the original analogy but in the answer pairs.

Consider the answer choices closely. Choices B, C, D, and E are clear enough: one spins yarn, forming it out of threads (or one spins a yarn, fabricating or inventing a story); one refines ore, purifying it; one sculpts with a chisel; one glazes or fills a window with glass. Several of these straightforward choices have something to do with embellishment, but none seems precisely right. But how does one fret wood? Certainly not the way one frets a parent! Among the straightforward answer choices, Choice A seems strangely out of place.

When an item in an analogy strikes you as out of place, take a second look. Remember that, if you are a very good test-taker, the computer-adaptive GRE will give you increasingly difficult questions throughout the test. Therefore, if one of the final analogy questions on your screen looks simple, suspect a trap. In this case, the trap is a double one. Choice B, spin : yarn is an eye-catcher: because embroidery and spinning both are related to cloth, Choice B has an immediate appeal. Choose it and you fall into the test-makers’ trap. Choice A, the odd-seeming choice, is the real answer: fret, as used here, means to mark decoratively, ornamenting a surface with interlaced designs, as cabinet makers decorate wood with interlaced patterns; fretting wood, thus, is directly analogous to embroidering fabric.

 Watch Out for Errors Caused by Eye-Catchers

When you look at answer choices, do you find that certain ones seem to leap right off the screen? For instance, when you were looking for an analogy similar to EMBROIDER : FABRIC, did the terms related to stitchery catch your eye? These words are eye-catchers. They look good — but not if you take a second glance.

In an analogy you have two capitalized words that relate in a particular way. In creating eye-catchers, the test-makers tempt you with pairs of words that are related, but in a grammatically or logically different way. See how eye-catchers work in the following example.

EXAMPLE

MENTOR : GUIDE ::
(A) medium : advise
(B) mediator : disagree
(C) mercenary : demand
(D) mendicant : beg
(E) merchant : consume

Just as there are many possible relationships linking word pairs, there are many possible ways an eye-catcher may attract your eye. First, an answer choice may somehow remind you in subject matter of one or both of the terms in the original pair. Thus, Choice A is an eye-catcher: advise reminds you of guide; both words feel as if they belong in the same set of words, the same semantic field. Second, the answer choice may masquerade as a clear-cut, precise, dictionary-perfect analogy and yet not be one. Thus, Choice C is an eye-catcher: while there can be a clear relationship between the adjective mercenary and the noun demand, there is no such clear relationship between the noun mercenary and the verb demand. See how this works:

CLEAR ANALOGY (Adjective/Noun)

MERCENARY : DEMAND :: RAVENOUS : APPETITE

mercenary demand is greedy by definition. A ravenous appetite is greedy by definition as well.

VAGUE ANALOGY (Noun/Verb)

mercenary demands.

A mercenary (professional soldier) insists or requires? The sentence makes little sense. Mercenaries work for hire; they may or may not make demands. The relationship is vague. Eliminate vague analogies when you find them; their only function is to catch your eye.

You have ruled out Choice C; you are suspicious of Choice A. How do you determine the correct answer? In this case, ask yourself who is doing what to whom. A mentor (teacher or counselor) by definition guides students or proteges. You can eliminate Choices A, B, and E because no necessary, dictionary-supported relationship links the words in these pairs. Mediums represent themselves as channels of communication between the living and the dead; they do not by definition advise. Mediators attempt to reconcile disagreeing parties; they do not by definition disagree. Merchants buy and sell goods that others consume; they do not by definition consume. The correct answer is Choice D. Just as a mentor by definition guides, a mendicant or beggar by definition begs.

 Look at the Answer Choices to Determine a Word’s Part of Speech

Look at the capitalized words. What parts of speech are they? Words often have several forms. You may think of flag as a noun, for example, but in the phrases “to flag a taxi” and “to flag from exhaustion,” flag is a verb.

If you suspect that a capitalized word may represent more than one part of speech, don’t worry. Grammatical information built into the question can help you recognize analogy types and spot the use of unfamiliar or secondary meanings of words. In GRE analogy questions, the relationship between the parts of speech of the capitalized words and the parts of speech of the answer choices is identical. If your capitalized words are a noun and a verb, each of your answer pairs will be a noun and a verb. If they are an adjective and a noun, each of your answer pairs will be an adjective and a noun. If you can recognize the parts of speech in a single answer pair, you know the parts of speech of every other answer pair and of the original pair as well. See how this tactic works in a somewhat difficult question.

EXAMPLE

SAP : VITALITY ::
(A) persevere : fortitude
(B) bore : tedium
(C) examine : opinion
(D) drain : resolve
(E) enhance : allure

At first glance, you might think that both sap and vigor were nouns; sap, after all, is a common noun (maple syrup comes from the sap of the maple tree), and vitality ends in -ity, a common noun suffix. However, persevere is clearly a verb. Simply from looking at the first answer choice, you know sap is a verb, not a noun.

What occurs when someone’s vitality is sapped? It decreases and becomes weak. When vitality is sapped, it is undermined. Think of a fortress being undermined by military engineers; “sappers,” the British army called them. Only one answer choice conveys this sense of something strong weakening: Choice D. If one’s resolve (resolution, determination) is drained, it is depleted or undermined.

 Familiarize Yourself with Common Analogy Types

Analogies tend to fall into certain basic types. If you can discover no apparent relationship between the two capitalized words, try establishing a relationship between them based on those types commonly used on this test.

COMMON ANALOGY TYPES

Definition

REFUGE : SHELTER
refuge (place of asylum or sanctuary) by definition shelters.

TAXONOMIST : CLASSIFY
taxonomist, a person who specializes in classification, by definition classifies.

HAGGLER : BARGAIN
haggler, a person who argues over prices, by definition bargains.

Defining Characteristic

TIGER : CARNIVOROUS
tiger is defined as a carnivorous or meat-eating animal.

ENTOMOLOGIST : INSECTS
An entomologist is defined as a person who studies insects.

APIARY : BEE
An apiary is defined as a home for bees.

Class and Member

AMPHIBIAN : SALAMANDER
salamander is an example of an amphibian.

METAPHYSICS : PHILOSOPHY
Metaphysics belongs to (is a branch of) the field of philosophy.

SONNET : POEM 
sonnet is a specific kind of poem.

Antonyms

Antonyms are words that are opposite in meaning. Both words belong to the same part of speech.

CONCERNED : INDIFFERENT
Concerned is the opposite of indifferent.

WAX : WANE
Wax, to grow larger, and wane, to dwindle, are opposites.

ANARCHY : ORDER
Anarchy is the opposite of order.

Antonym Variants

In an Antonym Variant, the words are not strictly antonyms; their meanings, however, are opposed. Take the adjective nervous. A strict antonym for the adjective nervous would be the adjective poised. However, where an Antonym would have the adjective poised, an Antonym Variant analogy has the noun poise. It looks like this:

NERVOUS : POISE
Nervous means lacking in poise.

INIQUITOUS : VIRTUE
Something iniquitous (wicked) lacks virtue. It is the opposite of virtuous.

ABSTINENT : GORGE
To be abstinent or sparing in eating is the opposite of being inclined to cram or gorge.

Synonyms

Synonyms are words that have the same meaning. Both words belong to the same part of speech.

MAGNIFICENT : GRANDIOSE
Grandiose means magnificent.

RATIOCINATE : THINK
To ratiocinate is to think.

RECIDIVIST : BACKSLIDER
recidivist or habitual offender is a backslider.

Synonym Variants

In a Synonym Variant, the words are not strictly synonyms; their meanings, however, are opposed. Take the adjective willful. A strict synonym for the adjective willful would be the adjective unruly. However, where a Synonym would have the adjective unruly, a Synonym Variant analogy has the noun unruliness. It looks like this:

WILLFUL : UNRULINESS
Willful means exhibiting unruliness.

VERBOSE : WORDINESS
Someone verbose is wordy; he or she exhibits wordiness.

SOLICITOUS : CONCERN
Someone solicitous is concerned; he or she shows concern.

Degree of Intensity

FOND : DOTING
Fond is less extreme than doting.

FLURRY : BLIZZARD
flurry or shower of snow is less extreme than a blizzard.

GRASPING : RAPACIOUS
To be grasping is less extreme than to be rapacious.

Part to Whole

ISLAND : ARCHIPELAGO
Many islands make up an archipelago.

SHARD : POTTERY
shard is a fragment of pottery.

CANTO : POEM
canto is part of a poem.

Function

ASYLUM : REFUGE
An asylum provides refuge or protection.

BALLAST : STABILITY
Ballast provides stability.

LULL : STORM
lull temporarily interrupts a storm.

Manner

MUMBLE : SPEAK
To mumble is to speak indistinctly.

STRUT : WALK
To strut is to walk proudly.

STRAINED : WIT
Wit that is strained is forced in manner.

Action and Its Significance

WINCE : PAIN
wince is a sign that one feels pain.

BLUSH : DISCOMFITURE
blush signifies discomfiture or embarrassment.

PROSTRATION : SUBMISSIVENESS
Prostration (assuming a prostrate position, face to the ground) is a sign of submissiveness or abasement.

Worker and Article Created

POET : SONNET
poet creates a sonnet.

ARCHITECT : BLUEPRINT
An architect designs a blueprint.

MASON : WALL
mason builds a wall.

Worker and Tool

PAINTER : BRUSH
painter uses a brush.

SICKLE : REAPER
reaper uses a sickle to cut the grain.

CARPENTER : VISE
carpenter uses a vise to hold the object being worked on.

Worker and Action

ACROBAT : CARTWHEEL
An acrobat performs a cartwheel.

FINANCIER : INVEST
financier invests.

TENOR : ARIA
tenor sings an aria.

Worker and Workplace

MUSICIAN : CONSERVATORY
musician studies at a conservatory.

SCULPTOR : ATELIER
sculptor works in an atelier or studio.

MINER : QUARRY
miner works in a quarry or pit.

Tool and Its Action

DRILL : BORE
drill is a tool used to bore holes.

CROWBAR : PRY
crowbar is a tool used to pry things apart.

SIEVE : SIFT
sieve is a tool used to strain or sift.

LESS COMMON ANALOGY TYPES

Cause and Effect

SOPORIFIC : SLEEPINESS
soporific (sleep-inducing medicine or drug) causes sleepiness.

Sex

DOE : STAG
doe is a female deer; a stag, a male deer.

Age

COLT : STALLION
colt is a young stallion.

Time Sequence

CORONATION : REIGN
The coronation precedes the reign.

Spatial Sequence

ROOF : FOUNDATION
The roof is the highest point of a house; the foundation, the lowest point.

Symbol and Quality It Represents

DOVE : PEACE
dove is the symbol of peace.

Practice Exercises

Directions: Each of the following analogy questions presents a related pair of words linked by a colon. Five lettered pairs of words follow the linked pair. Choose the lettered pair of words whose relationship is most like the relationship expressed in the original linked pair.

Analogy Exercise A

1. MASON : WALL ::
(A) artist : easel
(B) fisherman : trout
(C) author : book
(D) congressman : senator
(E) sculptor : mallet

2. FIRE : ASHES ::
(A) accident : delay
(B) wood : splinters
(C) water : waves
(D) regret : melancholy
(E) event : memories

3. GOOSE : GANDER ::
(A) duck : drake
(B) hen : chicken
(C) sheep : flock
(D) dog : kennel
(E) horse : bridle

4. CARPENTER : SAW ::
(A) stenographer : typewriter
(B) painter : brush
(C) lawyer : brief
(D) seamstress : scissors
(E) runner : sneakers

5. CAPTAIN : SHOAL ::
(A) lawyer : litigation
(B) pilot : radar
(C) soldier : ambush
(D) doctor : hospital
(E) corporal : sergeant

6. HORNS : BULL ::
(A) mane : lion
(B) wattles : turkey
(C) antlers : stag
(D) hoofs : horse
(E) wings : eagle

7. JUDGE : COURTHOUSE ::
(A) carpenter : bench
(B) lawyer : brief
(C) architect : blueprint
(D) physician : infirmary
(E) landlord : studio

8. HELMET : HEAD ::
(A) pedal : foot
(B) gun : hand
(C) breastplate : chest
(D) pendant : neck
(E) knapsack : back

9. GULLIBLE : DUPED ::
(A) credible : cheated
(B) careful : cautioned
(C) malleable : molded
(D) myopic : misled
(E) articulate : silenced

10. DUNGEON : CONFINEMENT ::
(A) church : chapel
(B) school : truancy
(C) asylum : refuge
(D) hospital : mercy
(E) courthouse : remorse

11. HERMIT : GREGARIOUS ::
(A) miser : penurious
(B) ascetic : hedonistic
(C) coward : pusillanimous
(D) scholar : literate
(E) crab : crustacean

12. MENDACITY : HONESTY ::
(A) courage : cravenness
(B) truth : beauty
(C) courage : fortitude
(D) unsophistication : ingenuousness
(E) turpitude : depravity

13. MARATHON : STAMINA ::
(A) relay : independence
(B) hurdle : perseverance
(C) sprint : celerity
(D) jog : weariness
(E) ramble : directness

14. NAIVE : INGENUE ::
(A) ordinary : genius
(B) venerable : celebrity
(C) urbane : sophisticate
(D) crafty : artisan
(E) modest : braggart

15. RETOUCH : PHOTOGRAPH ::
(A) hang : painting
(B) finger : fabric
(C) retract : statement
(D) compose : melody
(E) refine : style

16. INDIGENT : WEALTH ::
(A) contented : happiness
(B) aristocratic : stature
(C) smug : complacency
(D) emaciated : nourishment
(E) variegated : variety

17. SHALE : GEOLOGIST ::
(A) catacombs : entomologist
(B) aster : botanist
(C) obelisk : fireman
(D) love : philologist
(E) reef : astrologer

18. DIDACTIC : TEACH ::
(A) sophomoric : learn
(B) satiric : mock
(C) reticent : complain
(D) chaotic : rule
(E) apologetic : deny

19. HACKNEYED : ORIGINAL ::
(A) mature : juvenile
(B) trite : morbid
(C) withdrawn : reserved
(D) evasive : elusive
(E) derivative : traditional

20. AUGER : CARPENTER ::
(A) studio : sculptor
(B) awl : cobbler
(C) seam : seamstress
(D) cement : mason
(E) apron : chef

Analogy Exercise B

1. MUSTER : CREW ::
(A) convene : committee
(B) demobilize : troops
(C) dominate : opposition
(D) cheer : team
(E) dismiss : jury

2. DWELL : DENIZEN ::
(A) shun : outcast
(B) inherit : heir
(C) squander : miser
(D) obey : autocrat
(E) patronize : protégé

3. MEANDERING : DIRECTNESS ::
(A) menacing : ambition
(B) affable : permissiveness
(C) digressive : conciseness
(D) circuitous : rotation
(E) aboveboard : openness

4. CEMENT : TROWEL ::
(A) lawn : rake
(B) conflagration : match
(C) paint : brush
(D) floor : polish
(E) wallpaper : ladder

5. PIGHEADED : YIELD ::
(A) lionhearted : retreat
(B) lily-livered : flee
(C) dogged : pursue
(D) featherbrained : giggle
(E) eagle-eyed : discern

6. ALARM : TRIGGER ::
(A) prison : escape
(B) tunnel : dig
(C) criminal : corner
(D) fright : allay
(E) trap : spring

7. QUOTATION : QUOTATION MARKS ::
(A) remark : colon
(B) sentence : period
(C) aside : parentheses
(D) clause : semicolon
(E) interjection : exclamation point

8. SIGNATURE : ILLUSTRATION ::
(A) byline : column
(B) alias : charge
(C) credit : purchase
(D) note : scale
(E) reference : recommendation

9. SCALES : JUSTICE ::
(A) weights : measures
(B) laws : courts
(C) torch : liberty
(D) laurel : peace
(E) balance : equity

10. SURPRISE : EXCLAMATION ::
(A) insolence : bow
(B) dismay : groan
(C) happiness : grimace
(D) deference : nod
(E) contentment : matter

11. APOSTATE : RELIGION ::
(A) potentate : kingdom
(B) traitor : country
(C) bureaucrat : government
(D) jailer : law
(E) teacher : education

12. FOX : CUNNING ::
(A) dog : playful
(B) hyena : amusing
(C) beaver : industrious
(D) vixen : cute
(E) colt : sturdy

13. PERJURY : OATH ::
(A) plagiarism : authority
(B) embezzlement : trust
(C) disrespect : age
(D) testimony : court
(E) jury : vow

14. EULOGY : BLAME ::
(A) elegy : loss
(B) satire : mockery
(C) tirade : abuse
(D) simile : likeness
(E) benediction : curse

15. PRIDE : LIONS ::
(A) gaggle : geese
(B) honor : thieves
(C) snarl : wolves
(D) arrogance : kings
(E) lair : bears

16. RANGE : MOUNTAINS ::
(A) atlas : maps
(B) plain : prairie
(C) string : beads
(D) novel : short stories
(E) sea : rivers

17. EXCESSIVE : MODERATION ::
(A) extensive : duration
(B) arbitrary : courage
(C) impulsive : reflection
(D) distinguished : reverence
(E) expensive : cost

18. DEADBEAT : PAY ::
(A) killjoy : lament
(B) spoilsport : refrain
(C) daredevil : risk
(D) diehard : quit
(E) turncoat : betray

19. MENDICANT : IMPECUNIOUS ::
(A) critic : quizzical
(B) complainer : petulant
(C) physician : noble
(D) liar : compulsive
(E) philanthropist : prodigal

20. SNICKER : DISRESPECT ::
(A) whimper : impatience
(B) chortle : glee
(C) frown : indifference
(D) sneer : detachment
(E) glower : cheerfulness

Analogy Exercise C

1. MYTH : LEGENDARY ::
(A) sermon : lengthy
(B) anecdote : witty
(C) fable : didactic
(D) epic : comic
(E) allegory : obscure

2. TIRADE : ABUSIVE ::
(A) monologue : lengthy
(B) aphorism : boring
(C) prologue : conclusive
(D) encomium : laudatory
(E) critique : insolent

3. EXPEDITIOUS : SPEED ::
(A) astute : wisdom
(B) decorous : impropriety
(C) thoughtful : inanity
(D) haggard : sturdiness
(E) portable : frailty

4. ANNOTATE : TEXT ::
(A) enact : law
(B) prescribe : medication
(C) caption : photograph
(D) abridge : novel
(E) censor : film

5. DRUDGERY : IRKSOME ::
(A) encumbrance : burdensome
(B) journey : wearisome
(C) ambivalence : suspicious
(D) compliance : forced
(E) dissonance : harmonious

6. IMPROMPTU : REHEARSAL ::
(A) practiced : technique
(B) makeshift : whim
(C) offhand : premeditation
(D) glib : fluency
(E) numerical : calculation

7. ELISION : SYLLABLES ::
(A) contraction : letters
(B) thesis : ideas
(C) diagnosis : symptoms
(D) almanac : facts
(E) abacus : numbers

8. STICKLER : INSIST ::
(A) mumbler : enunciate
(B) trickster : risk
(C) haggler : concede
(D) laggard : outlast
(E) braggart : boast

9. DETRITUS : GLACIER ::
(A) thaw : snowfall
(B) snow : ice cap
(C) silt : river
(D) range : mountain
(E) foliage : tree

10. DESCRY : DISTANT ::
(A) mourn : lost
(B) whisper : muted
(C) discern : subtle
(D) destroy : flagrant
(E) entrap : hostile

11. HORSE : CORRAL ::
(A) oyster : reef
(B) dog : muzzle
(C) sheep : flock
(D) pig : sty
(E) deer : stag

12. RUBBER : ELASTIC ::
(A) paper : brittle
(B) diamond : hard
(C) satin : sheer
(D) metal : heavy
(E) dust : allergic

13. REAM : PAPER ::
(A) carton : milk
(B) statue : marble
(C) tablet : clay
(D) ink : pen
(E) cord : wood

14. HOBBLE : WALK ::
(A) gallop : run
(B) stammer : speak
(C) stumble : fall
(D) sniff : smell
(E) amble : stroll

15. DETECTIVE : INFORMER ::
(A) spy : counterspy
(B) reporter : source
(C) author : editor
(D) architect : draftsman
(E) sailor : mutineer

16. SCULPTOR : STONE ::
(A) essayist : words
(B) painter : turpentine
(C) composer : symphony
(D) logger : timber
(E) etcher : acid

17. MASTHEAD : NEWSPAPER ::
(A) footnote : essay
(B) credits : film
(C) spine : book
(D) ream : paper
(E) advertisement : magazine

18. FRAYED : FABRIC ::
(A) thawed : ice
(B) renovated : building
(C) frazzled : nerves
(D) watered : lawn
(E) cultivated : manner

19. INDOLENT : WORK ::
(A) decisive : act
(B) gullible : cheat
(C) perceptive : observe
(D) theatrical : perform
(E) taciturn : speak

20. INFALLIBLE : ERROR ::
(A) irreversible : cure
(B) invulnerable : emotion
(C) impeccable : flaw
(D) intolerable : defect
(E) immovable : choice

Analogy Exercise D

1. INFRACTION : LAW ::
(A) interruption : continuity
(B) renovation : structure
(C) establishment : order
(D) enactment : amendment
(E) punishment : crime

2. LACHRYMOSE : TEARS ::
(A) effusive : requests
(B) ironic : jests
(C) morose : speeches
(D) profound : sighs
(E) verbose : words

3. MOISTEN : DRENCH ::
(A) enclose : confine
(B) prick : stab
(C) disregard : ignore
(D) scrub : polish
(E) heat : chill

4. WITCH : COVEN ::
(A) ogre : castle
(B) seer : prophecy
(C) actor : troupe
(D) fairy : spell
(E) doctor : medicine

5. CONTINENT : ISLAND ::
(A) ocean : lake
(B) isthmus : peninsula
(C) cape : cove
(D) river : canal
(E) plateau : plain

6. SKINFLINT : STINGY ::
(A) daredevil : alert
(B) braggart : carefree
(C) blackguard : protective
(D) spendthrift : weak
(E) diehard : stubborn

7. STORY : BUILDING ::
(A) plot : outline
(B) rung : ladder
(C) cable : elevator
(D) foundation : skyscraper
(E) spire : church

8. CANONIZE : SAINT ::
(A) train : athlete
(B) guard : dignitary
(C) deify : sinner
(D) lionize : celebrity
(E) humanize : scholar

9. STARE : GLANCE ::
(A) participate : observe
(B) scorn : admire
(C) hunt : stalk
(D) gulp : sip
(E) confide : tell

10. PERFORATE : HOLES ::
(A) speckle : spots
(B) evaporate : perfume
(C) decorate : rooms
(D) filter : water
(E) repent : sins

11. PUGNACIOUS : BATTLE ::
(A) timorous : beg
(B) loquacious : drink
(C) tenacious : persist
(D) veracious : lie
(E) wicked : survive

12. CLEARSIGHTED : PERSPICACITY ::
(A) daring : temerity
(B) reserved : impulsiveness
(C) transparent : opacity
(D) severe : clemency
(E) lethargic : energy

13. PLEAD : SUPPLIANT ::
(A) disperse : rioter
(B) shun : outcast
(C) revere : elder
(D) beg : philanthropist
(E) translate : interpreter

14. EPIGRAM : PITHY ::
(A) allegory : lengthy
(B) saga : heroic
(C) anecdote: humorous
(D) elegy : satiric
(E) proverb : modern

15. BOLT : FABRIC ::
(A) lock : key
(B) book : paper
(C) roll : film
(D) needle : thread
(E) light : lamp

16. PROOF : ALCOHOL ::
(A) cream : milk
(B) canteen : water
(C) tanker : oil
(D) octane : gasoline
(E) pulp : juice

17. INCUBATOR : INFANT ::
(A) henhouse : chicken
(B) greenhouse : plant
(C) archives : document
(D) cooler : wine
(E) hive : bee

18. CITADEL : DEFENSE ::
(A) chapel : refreshment
(B) gazebo : refuge
(C) marina : contemplation
(D) warehouse : storage
(E) rampart : supervision

19. RANCID : TASTE ::
(A) tepid : temperature
(B) glossy : look
(C) rank : smell
(D) dulcet : sound
(E) savory : odor

20. TRYST : CLANDESTINE ::
(A) reverie : dreamy
(B) acquaintanceship : brief
(C) expectation : hopeless
(D) glance : resentful
(E) journey : leisurely

Analogy Exercise E

1. WHISPER : SPEAK ::
(A) brush : touch
(B) skip : walk
(C) listen : hear
(D) request : ask
(E) whimper : whine

2. ELUSIVE : CAPTURE ::
(A) persuasive : convince
(B) elastic : stretch
(C) headstrong : control
(D) sensible : decide
(E) gullible : trick

3. LINEAGE : PERSON ::
(A) foliage : tree
(B) derivation : word
(C) adolescence : child
(D) title : book
(E) landscape : portrait

4. IMPANEL : JUROR ::
(A) accuse : defendant
(B) convict : culprit
(C) testify : witness
(D) enroll : student
(E) involve : bystander

5. PECCADILLO : TRIFLING ::
(A) pariah : popular
(B) diagnosis : accurate
(C) notion : farfetched
(D) squabble : petty
(E) pursuit : trivial

6. PHYSIQUE : STURDY ::
(A) intellect : noble
(B) punctuality : tardy
(C) investment : sound
(D) fabric : worn
(E) technique : inept

7. TRAILER : MOTION PICTURE ::
(A) truck : cargo
(B) theater : play
(C) edition : novel
(D) commercial : product
(E) libretto : opera

8. SIGN : ZODIAC ::
(A) poster : billboard
(B) letter : alphabet
(C) prediction : prophecy
(D) signal : beacon
(E) rhyme : almanac

9. LUMINARY : ILLUSTRIOUS ::
(A) zealot : intense
(B) miser : prodigal
(C) atheist : devout
(D) dignitary : conceited
(E) celebrity : wealthy

10. BUFFOON : DIGNITY ::
(A) braggart : modesty
(B) blackguard : strength
(C) laughingstock : ridicule
(D) imposter : identification
(E) gambler : risk

11. ROUT : DEFEAT ::
(A) ovation : applause
(B) triumph : failure
(C) grief : loss
(D) pathway : ruin
(E) memory : oblivion

12. METAPHOR : FIGURATIVE ::
(A) fable : contemporary
(B) adage : paradoxical
(C) precept : instructive
(D) irony : dramatic
(E) epic : literal

13. CALUMNY : ASPERSIONS ::
(A) approbation : praise
(B) slander : mockery
(C) approval : criticism
(D) expectation : threats
(E) satire : lamentations

14. LAST : SHOE ::
(A) cuff : trousers
(B) finale : curtain
(C) pattern : glove
(D) buckle : belt
(E) strap : slip

15. INDOLENT : SLOTH ::
(A) wrathful : ire
(B) arrogant : acuity
(C) covetous : enigma
(D) gluttonous : loyalty
(E) impatient : apathy

16. GROVEL : SERVILITY ::
(A) titter : arrogance
(B) fume : anger
(C) yawn : civility
(D) preen : modesty
(E) snivel : hypocrisy

17. DELICATE : FASTIDIOUS ::
(A) hard-working : diligent
(B) altruistic : mercenary
(C) demonstrative : effusive
(D) deceptive : fallacious
(E) blithe : melancholy

18. RICOCHET : BULLET ::
(A) soar : falcon
(B) aim : crossbow
(C) pierce : dart
(D) carom : ball
(E) catapult : missile

19. JUGGERNAUT : INEXORABLE ::
(A) cosmonaut : worldly
(B) colossus : gigantic
(C) demagogue : liberal
(D) philistine : cultivated
(E) despot : immaculate

20. APOCRYPHAL : AUTHENTICITY ::
(A) nefarious : wickedness
(B) dogmatic : assertiveness
(C) hypocritical : integrity
(D) perspicacious : discernment
(E) deceptive : artifice

ANSWER KEY

Analogy Exercise A

  1. C

  6. C

11. B

16. D

  2. E

  7. D

12. A

17. B

  3. A

  8. C

13. C

18. B

  4. D

  9. C

14. C

19. A

  5. C

10. C

15. E

20. B

Analogy Exercise B

  1. A

  6. E

11. B

16. C

  2. B

  7. C

12. C

17. C

  3. C

  8. A

13. B

18. D

  4. C

  9. C

14. E

19. B

  5. A

10. B

15. A

20. B

Analogy Exercise C

  1. C

  6. C

11. D

16. A

  2. D

  7. A

12. B

17. B

  3. A

  8. E

13. E

18. C

  4. C

  9. C

14. B

19. E

  5. A

10. C

15. B

20. C

Analogy Exercise D

  1. A

  6. E

11. C

16. D

  2. E

  7. B

12. A

17. B

  3. B

  8. D

13. E

18. D

  4. C

  9. D

14. B

19. C

  5. A

10. A

15. C

20. A

Analogy Exercise E

  1. A

  6. C

11. A

16. B

  2. C

  7. D

12. C

17. C

  3. B

  8. B

13. A

18. D

  4. D

  9. A

14. C

19. B

  5. D

10. A

15. A

20. C