AFOQT Verbal Analogies

School is the principal as office is to

a. manager

b. secretary

c. computer

d. teacher

e. building

a. The head of a school is its principal and the head of an office is its manager. Although a secretary works in a office, he or she is not the head of the office, so choice b is incorrect. Choice c is incorrect because a computer is a tool used in an office. Choice d is incorrect because a teacher works in a school, not an office, and is not the head of either. A building is where schools and offices are located and does not explain who the head of an office is, so choice e is incorrect.

Paint is to brush as clay is to

a. dough

b. mold

c. sculpture

d. artist

e. rock

b. A painter manipulates paint by brushing it and a sculptor manipulates clay by molding it. Choices a and e are incorrect because they describe other substances a sculptor can mold. Choice c is wrong because it describes the end result of molding clay but fails to address how the clay is manipulated. Choice d is incorrect because it describes the person who works with clay.

Knife is to slice as spoon is to

a. fork

b. stab

c. stir

d. cereal

e. handle

c. A function of a knife is to slice and a function of a spoon is to stir. Choice a is incorrect because a fork is just another kind of kitchen utensil. Choice b is wrong because it just describes another function of a knife. Choice d is something one might eat with a spoon and choice e is a part of a spoon, so these are incorrect as well.

Proud is to brag as despairing is to

a. sing

b. exult

c. sad

d. depress

e. weep

e. Brag is the action of a person who is proud and weep is the action of a person who is despairing. A person who is despairing, or sad, is not likely to sing (a) or to exult (b). Choice c is incorrect because sad has a similar meaning to despairing but does not describe what a despairing person does. To depress is to have a despairing effect on someone, so choice d is incorrect.

Excited is to thrilled as angered is to

a. amused

b. enraged

c. disinterested

d. sleepy

e. delayed

b. Thrilled is an intensified form of excited and enraged is an intensified form of angered. Choice a, c, d, and e are incorrect because they do not describe intensified forms of angered.

String is to guitar as key is to

a. score

b. organ

c. orchestra

d. song

e. drum

b. The string is the part of the guitar that produces sound and the key is the part of the organ that produces sound. Choices a, c, d, and e all refer to music without specifying the instrument that uses keys to produce its sound.

Thesaurus is the synonyms as dictionary is to

a. words

b. reference

c. book

d. volume

e. definitions

e. A thesaurus is a book of synonyms and a dictionary is a book of definitions. Both books focus on words and both are reference books, so a more specific answer than choices a, b, c, and d is required.

Pedestal is to bust as tripod is to

a. film

b. figure

c. leg

d. adjust

e. camera

e. A bust sits atop a pedestal and a camera sits atop a tripod. Choices a, b, c, and d are incorrect because none of them explain what sits atop a tripod.

Beautician is to salon as

a. follicle is to hair

b. musician is to concert hall

c. scissors is to blow dryer

d. cinematographer is to movie

e. cosmetologist is to makeup

b. A beautician works in a salon; a musician works in a concert hall.

Stall is to engine as

a. drive is to motor

b. race is to heart

c. block is to progress

d. freeze is to computer

e. mechanical is to functional

d. An engine stalls when it ceases to function; a computer freezes when it ceases to function.

Leave is to bolt as

a. dance is to shuffle

b. toss is to hurl

c. drive is to race

d. play is to frolic

e. shine is to glisten

c. To bolt is to leave quickly; to race is to drive quickly.

Disseminate is to gather as

a. puncture is to prod

b. resist is to tempt

c. distinct is to dissimilar

d. rip is to mend

e. adjoined is to conjoined

d. Disseminate and gather are antonyms; rip and mend are antonyms.

Enjoy is to adore as

a. love is to desire

b. spend is to waste

c. burn is to sear

d. care is to concern

e. dislike is to loathe

e. Adore is an intensified form of enjoy; loathe is an intensified form of dislike.

Gaggle is to goose as

a. leap is to kangaroo

b. stripe is to tiger

c. barracuda is to fish

d. mane is to lion

e. flock is to sheep

e. A group of geese is a gaggle; a group of sheep is a flock.

Science fiction is to novel as

a. tale is to story

b. horror is to frightening

c. country is to western

d. rhythm and blues is to album

e. style is to book

d. Science fiction is a genre of literature one might read in a novel; rhythm and blues is a genre of music one might listen to on an album.

Carpenter is to constructive as

a. farmer is to crops

b. conservationist is to environment

c. employee is to duty

d. critic is to judgmental

e. instructor is to lesson

d. Constructive is a trait of a carpenter; judgmental is a trait of a critic.

Carelessness is to mistake as

a. destruction is to damage

b. meticulous is to perfection

c. process is to result

d. watchfulness is to sight

e. reflective is to intelligence

b. Carelessness can lead to a mistake; meticulousness can lead to perfection.

Cautious is to heedless as

a. oblivious is to negligent

b. wary is to trusting

c. alert is to cagey

d. shameful is to abhorrent

e. scorn is to react

b. Cautious and heedless are antonyms; wary and trusting are antonyms.

Surprised is to jump as

a. relaxed is to seated

b. amused is to chuckle

c. stunned is to disturbed

d. energy is to sprint

e. perplexed is to wonder

b. To jump is the physical reaction to being surprised; to chuckle is the physical reaction to being amused.

Brace is to bolster as

a. revert is to rectitude

b. convert is to manifest

c. accelarate is to hasten

d. fulcrum is to level

e. halt is to increase

c. Brace and bolster are synonyms; accelerate and hasten are synonyms.

Spider is to arachnid as

a. lobster is to crustacean

b. arthropod is to insect

c. ant is to cricket

d. octopus is to squid

e. porpoise is to fish

a. A spider is a kind of arachnid; a lobster is a kind crustacean.

Psychology is to mind as

a. think is to cerebral cortex

b. physiology is to science

c. methodology is to study

d. anatomy is to body

e. cognizant is to perceptive

d. Psychology is the study of the mind; anatomy is the study of the body.

Cardiologist is to heart as

a. surgeon is to general practitioner

b. neurologist is to brain

c. epidermis is to endoctine system

d. orthodontist is to braces

e. dermatologist is to podiatrist

b. A cardiologist is a doctor specializing in the heart; a neurologist is a doctor specializing in the brain.

Bushel is to peas as

a. core is to apple

b. bunch is to bananas

c. skin is to grape

d. juice is to orange

e. stem is to carrot

b. A group of peas of a bushel; a group of bananas is a bunch.

Apathy is to disinterest as

a. tenacity is to resolve

b. insincerity is to candor

c. sobriety is to indulgence

d. affection is to relationship

e. believability is to reality

a. Apathy and disinterest are synonyms; tenacity and resolve are synonyms.