analogies

							An interesting PowerPoint despite
  the annoying title animation
           What is an analogy?
• Analogies test you on your vocabulary and your
  reasoning.
• In the analogy section, you need to determine
  relationships between words.
• A sample GRE analogy gives you a word pair,
  followed by five other word pairs in lowercase
  letters.
• You need to find the answer pair that expresses a
  relationship similar to the capitalized word pair.
             What is an analogy?
• Compared to the antonym sections, you are much more
  likely to recognize the words in these questions.
• The task in this section is to identify the relationship
  correctly .
• This is not always easy; the test developers do go out of
  their way to make you work on the harder questions.
• The answers must be strong, necessary, and quite specific.
   – A strong relationship is the result of answering specific
     questions about the meaning of each word. It includes words
     like “always” and “must.”
   – A weak relationship uses words like “can” and “sometimes” and
     phrases like “I can see how” and “they’re both.”
              What is an analogy?

               APPLE : FRUIT :: carrot : vegetable

          APPLE is to FRUIT as carrot is to vegetable

1. APPLE : FRUIT ::
a. carrot : vegetable
b. pit : plum
c. brush : painter
d. bedroom : house
e. dinner : food
         Sample Analogy
SAW : CARPENTER ::
a. ****: ****
                             STEP 1:
b.**** : ****        STOP: don’t read any of
                      the lowercase words!
c. **** : ****
d.**** : ****
e.****: ****
         Sample Analogy
SAW : CARPENTER ::
a. ****: ****                 STEP 1:
                       Try to figure out the
b.**** : ****
                     relationship of the first
c. **** : ****          capitalized words
d.**** : ****
e.****: ****
         Sample Analogy
SAW : CARPENTER ::
a. ****: ****               STEP 2:
                     Create a sentence that
b.**** : ****
                        expressions that
c. **** : ****            relationship
d.**** : ****
e.****: ****
                     A CARPENTER uses a SAW
                           in his work.
           Sample Analogy
SAW : CARPENTER ::
a. scissors : tailor               STEP 3:
                            Test the choices and
b. wagon : farmer
                         eliminate those that don’t
c. brush : painter                  work
d. typewriter : author
e. cider : apple
                          A CARPENTER uses a SAW
                                in his work.
           Sample Analogy
SAW : CARPENTER ::
a. scissors : tailor               STEP 3:
                            Test the choices and
b. wagon : farmer
                         eliminate those that don’t
c. brush : painter                  work
d. typewriter : author
e. cider : apple
                          A tailor uses scissors in his
                                     work.
           Sample Analogy
SAW : CARPENTER ::
a. scissors : tailor               STEP 3:
                            Test the choices and
b. wagon : farmer
                         eliminate those that don’t
c. brush : painter                  work
d. typewriter : author
e. cider : apple
                           A farmer uses a wagon in
                                  his work.
           Sample Analogy
SAW : CARPENTER ::
a. scissors : tailor               STEP 3:
                            Test the choices and
b. wagon : farmer
                         eliminate those that don’t
c. brush : painter                  work
d. typewriter : author
e. cider : apple
                         A painter uses a brush in his
                                    work.
           Sample Analogy
SAW : CARPENTER ::
a. scissors : tailor               STEP 3:
                            Test the choices and
b. wagon : farmer
                         eliminate those that don’t
c. brush : painter                  work
d. typewriter : author
e. cider : apple
                          An author uses a typewriter
                                 in his work.
           Sample Analogy
SAW : CARPENTER ::
a. scissors : tailor               STEP 3:
                            Test the choices and
b. wagon : farmer
                         eliminate those that don’t
c. brush : painter                  work
d. typewriter : author
e. cider : apple
                          A apple uses a cider in his
                                    work.
           Sample Analogy
SAW : CARPENTER ::
a. scissors : tailor               STEP 3:
                            Test the choices and
b. wagon : farmer
                         eliminate those that don’t
c. brush : painter                  work
d. typewriter : author
e. cider : apple
                          An apple uses a cider in his
                                    work.
           Sample Analogy
SAW : CARPENTER ::
a. scissors : tailor              STEP 4:
                         If you are left with more
b. wagon : farmer
                         than one answer—refine
c. brush : painter             your sentence
d. typewriter : author
e. cider : apple
                          A CARPENTER uses a SAW
                                in his work.
           Sample Analogy
SAW : CARPENTER ::
a. scissors : tailor              STEP 4:
                         If you are left with more
b. wagon : farmer
                         than one answer—refine
c. brush : painter             your sentence
d. typewriter : author
e. cider : apple
                          A CARPENTER uses a SAW
                          to cut things in his work.
           Sample Analogy
SAW : CARPENTER ::
a. scissors : tailor              STEP 4:
                         If you are left with more
b. wagon : farmer
                         than one answer—refine
c. brush : painter             your sentence
d. typewriter : author
e. cider : apple
                          A CARPENTER uses a SAW
                          to cut things in his work.
           Sample Analogy
SAW : CARPENTER ::                 STEP 5:
a. scissors : tailor      Try to fit the lowercase
                          words in your sentence
b. wagon : farmer        again. If there is only one
                           answer, you are done,
c. brush : painter          else repeat the steps
d. typewriter : author              again.

e. cider : apple
                          A CARPENTER uses SAW
                          A tailor uses scissorsato cut
                               things in in work.
                           to cut thingshis his work.
         Common Analogy Types
•   Various sources list between 5-11
    “common” analogy types found on the
    GRE.
•   Becoming familiar with these types will
    help you to create defining sentences
    quickly .
•   The more advanced questions are not as
    simple as these analogy types and must
    be defined more precisely (we’ll see how
    to do this)
•   There will be questions that don’t fit in
    any of these categories!
•   View these as “Rules of Thumb”
     1. Characteristic or Attribute
• A common analogy gives a characteristic or attribute of
  something.

             GENEROSITY : PHILANTHROPIST

       GENEROSITY is a defining characteristic of a
                    PHILANTHROPIST

• If you were to look “philanthropist” in a dictionary, you
  most likely would find generosity or something similar
  in its definition.
      1. Characteristic or Attribute
PROSAIC :: MUNDANE
a. obdurate : foolish
b.ascetic : austere            Being austere is a
                            Being MUNDANE is a
                           defining characteristic of
c. clamorous : captive         an ascetic
                              a PROSAIC person


d.loquacious : taciturn
e.peremptory : spontaneous
               prosaic adj. adj.
               peremptory
               obdurate adj.
                  Offensively or imaginative
               1. Not fancifulself-assured or given to exercising usually
               1. Stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
                  unwarranted imagination
               2. Lacking wit orpower
               2. Showing unfeeling resistance to tender feelings
               2.      allowing contradiction or refusal
               3. Not challenging; dull and lacking excitement
 2. Lacking Characteristic or Attribute
• A subtype of the “Characteristic or Attribute”
  category is the “Lacking Characteristic” category
• It is similar to a definition, but defines a word
  based on what it is lacking

                 POVERTY : FUNDS

  A defining characteristic of POVERTY is a lack of
                        FUNDS
 2. Lacking Characteristic or Attribute
APATHETIC : EMOTION ::
a. eloquent : precision
b.lenient : permanence                    A glib person lacks
                                         An APATHETIC person
                                                sincerity
                                            lacks EMOTION
c. perceptive : awareness
d.zealous : passion
e.glib : sincerity
            glib adj.
            1. Marked by lack of intellectual depth
            2. Having only superficial plausibility
            3. Artfully persuasive in speech
          3. Degree / Intensity
• X is a better/worse/stronger/nicer/weaker
  form of Y:

                BREEZE: GALE

    A GALE is more powerful than a BREEZE
          3. Degree / Intensity
MARATHON : RACE ::
a. victory : competition
b.sprint : finish                             MARATHON a long
                                            A A filibuster isis a long
                                                      RACE
                                                     speech
c. filibuster : speech
d.novel : author
e.deposition : question
             filibuster n.
             1. A legislator who gives long speeches in an effort to
                  delay or obstruct legislation that he (or she) opposes
             2. (law) a tactic for delaying or obstructing legislation by
                  making long speeches
          4. Component / Part
• Or “part to whole”

             MOVEMENT: SONATA

       A MOVEMENT is part of a SONATA
         4. Component / Part
MUSICIAN : ORCHESTRA ::
1.mechanic : car
2.songwriter : lyrics
                            A player is a a person
                          A MUSICIAN is person
3.desk : office               who is part of a
                             who is part of an
                                   team
                                ORCHESTRA
4.player : team
5.actor : screen
           5. Type of/Category
• X is a type of Y

                SWORD : WEAPON

         A SWORD is a type of WEAPON
          5. Type of/Category
LIMERICK : POEM ::
a. monologue : chorus
b.sonnet : offering
                        A LIMERICK is a type of
c. waltz : tango               POEM

d.skull : skeleton
e.aria : song
  6. Sequence or cause and effect
• X precedes Y; X causes/produces Y

            FORWARD : APPENDIX

    In books, a FORWARD comes before the
                   APPENDIX
  6. Sequence or cause and effect
FURNACE :: SLAG
a. vegetable : garbage
b.factory : goods
                                           A fire produces
                                        A FURNACE produces
c. fire : ashes                           ashes as a leftover
                                          SLAG as a leftover
                                        product of its process
d.automobile : gasoline
e.silo : grain
            slag n.
            1. The scum formed by oxidation at the surface of molten
                metals
            2. Stony waste matter, or material of similar appearance
     7. Tool or function/purpose
• X is a tool used by Y
• X is used to make something Y happen.

            PAINTBRUSH : ARTIST

   A PAINTBRUSH is a tool used by an ARTIST
     7. Tool or function/purpose
CHISEL : CARVE ::
a. athlete : compete
b.courtroom : judge      CHISEL
                       A scalpel is a tool that can
                           be used to CARVE
                           be used to operate
c. artist : sculpt
d.rake : forage
e.scalpel : operate
     7. Tool or function/purpose
CARET : INSERT::
a. colon : sever
                          A CARET (^ - used by
b.pie : exponentiate   editors) is a tool that can
                       A CHISEL is a symbol used
                           be used to CARVE
                          to indicate where to
c. gun : lance            INSERT [something]

d.period : stop
e.scalpel : delete
                 8. “Sign of”
• Action and Significance: In this type of analogy
  one word describes an action and the other
  word indicates the significance of the action.

                GRIMACE : PAIN

          A GRIMACE is a sign of PAIN
               8. “Sign of”
CURTSY : REVERENCE ::
a. assume : disguise
b.bestir : deferment     A CURTSY is a sign of
                             REVERENCE
c. fret : contentment
d.forgo : diversion
e.fidget : uneasiness
  Things to remember from antonym
               section
• The most likely answer is the most correct
  answer.
  – This is not creative writing. Do not try to “fit” or
    “reason” how an apple can be used as a tool
  – Don’t fall into the pit of overthinking!
• The test creators will write trick questions. On
  purpose.
• We went over several of the “tricks” in the
  antonym section.
             Tricky questions . . .
• Be on the look out for homonyms and alternate definitions
• The word types of the analogies will match. This can clue
  you in to some alternate definitions (or help when you
  don’t know the meaning of a word):
   VERB : VERB
   1. verb : verb
   2. verb : verb
    ...
   NOUN : VERB
   1. noun : verb
   2. noun : verb
   ...
             Tricky questions. . .
CORRAL : LIVESTOCK ::
a. fence : posts    VERB : NOUN


b.capture : thieves VERB : NOUN     thieves need toplace
                                     A CORRAL is a to be
                                   LIVESTOCK needbe (or
                                   LIVESTOCK need to be
                                   are often) captured by
                                    where LIVESTOCK are
                                  (or are often) CORRALED
c. nest : birds     VERB : NOUN   (or are often) CORRALED
                                          someone
                                             kept
                                         by someone

d.devise : plans    VERB : NOUN


e.fire : employees VERB : NOUN
           Tricky questions. . .
• Category confusion

PASSENGERS : AIRPLANE ::
a. audience : theater             [Function]
                                [Component]
b. birds : nest            A submarine transports
                           PASSENGERS are found
                           An AIRPLANE transports
                                 PASSENGERS
                                    sailors
                             inside an AIRPLANE
c. sailors : submarine
d. freight : warehouse
e. students : classroom
            Tricky questions. . .
• Eye-catchers

                             If you don’t know the answer on a
EXCERPT : NOVEL ::              For example, a be careful about
                             harder question, “manuscript” is
a. critique : play            choosing an answer that “seems
                                      be given a answer
                           You may similar toanNOVEL. choices
                            like” the original pair. (However, on
                           that reminds you of the original pair.
b. review : manuscript     easy other answer may be an “eye-
                           These are sometimes be correct!—
                           Whatquestions, it mayused as traps.
                                           separates
                               that’s whatcatcher”? easy from
c. swatch : cloth                      hard questions.)
d. foreword : preface
e. recital : performance
                             An EXCERPT is a smaller
                                 part of a NOVEL
            Tricky questions. . .
• Eye-catchers
                               Here’s a more difficult questions.
EXORCISM : DEMON ::
                               ANGEL seems to go with DEMON,
a. matriculation : induction              right?
b. banishment : member
                                       And spirit, also?
c. qualm : angel
d. heuristic : method
e. manifesto : spirit
            Tricky questions. . .
• Eye-catchers
                                  Here’s a more difficult questions.
EXORCISM : DEMON ::
                                 ANGEL seems to go with DEMON,
a. matriculation : induction                right?
b. banishment : member
                                          And spirit, also?
c. qualm : angel
d. heuristic : method
e. manifesto : spirit
                               An EXORCISM is used to
                                 get rid of a DEMON
          Tricky questions. . .
• Do not choose answers based on the
  meanings of words.
• A word pair based on livestock may have an
  answer dealing with computers.
• Finally, do not eliminate answers choices
  when you do not know the meaning of the
  words.
                 Summary
• The answers must be strong, necessary, and
  often quite specific.
• NEVER, NEVER choose an answer before reading
  all the choices.
• The more precise the defining sentence, the
  better.
• Do not choose answers based on the meanings of
  words.
• Do not eliminate answers choices when you do
  not know the meaning of the words.
                            Summary
• Common analogy types:
    1.   characteristic/attribute
    2.   lacking characteristic/attribute
    3.   degree/intensity
    4.   component/part
    5.   type of/category
    6.   sequence/cause and effect
    7.   tool or function/purpose
    8.   sign of

• Be on the look out for “tricks”
    –    homonyms/look-alikes
    –    category confusion
    –    eye-catchers
            Sample Questions
• Swiped from the ets.org website, sample
  analogy questions (total of 11 questions).
1. COLOR : SPECTRUM
a. tone : scale
b. sound : waves       A SPECTRUM is made up
                           of a progressive,
c. verse : poem           graduated series of
                               COLORS.
d. dimension : space
e. cell : organism
2. HEADLONG : FORETHOUGHT ::
a. barefaced : shame
b. mealymouthed : talent      Someone who is
                           HEADLONG does things
c. heartbroken : emotion   without FORETHOUGHT

d. levelheaded : resolve
e. singlehanded : ambition
3. SEDATIVE : DROWSINESS ::
a. epidemic : contagiousness
b. vaccine : virus
c. laxative : drug             A SEDATIVE will cause
                                   DROWSINESS
d. anesthetic : numbness
e. therapy : psychosis
4. LAWYER : COURTROOM ::
a. participant : team
b. commuter : train
                           A LAWYER prepares to do
c. gladiator : arena          his main work in the
                                  COURTROOM
d. senator : caucus
e. patient : ward
5. CURIOSITY : KNOW ::
a. temptation : conquer
b. starvation : eat
                          Someone with CURIOSITY
c. wanderlust : travel     wants to KNOW, but it’s
                            not essential to their
d. humor : laugh                   survival

e. survival : live
6. FRUGAL : MISERLY ::
a. confident : arrogant
b. courageous : pugnacious                         Someone with the good
                                                   quality of being FRUGAL
c. famous : aggressive                             can be accused of being
                                                    MISERLY (though they
d. rash : foolhardy                               may not necessarily be so)

e. quiet : timid
     pugnacious adj.
     Eager or quick to quarrel or fight; given to fighting or
     arguing; belligerent, contentious.

     Latin pugnare to fight [pugilist - someone who fights with
     his fists for sport]
7. ANTIDOTE : POISON ::
a. cure : recovery
b. narcotic : sleep
c. stimulant : relapse                          Use an ANTIDOTE to
                                                counteract POISON
d. tonic : lethargy
e. resuscitation : breathing
     tonic n.
     1.Lime- or lemon-flavored carbonated water containing quinine
     2.A sweet drink containing carbonated water and flavoring
     3.(music) the first note of a diatonic scale
     4.A medicine that strengthens and invigorates
8. STYGIAN : DARK ::
a. abysmal : low
b. cogent : contentious                         A STYGIAN place is very
                                                        DARK
c. fortuitous : accidental
d. reckless : threatening
e. cataclysmic : doomed
     abysmal adj.
     Stygian adj.
     fortuitous adj.
     cataclysmic adj.
     1.Very great; limitless
     1.Having no cause or apparent cause
     1.Dark and dismal as of the rivers Acheron and Styx in Hade
     2.Resembling an abyss in depth; so deep as to be unmeasurable
     1.Severely destructive
     2.Occurring
     2.Hellish by happy chance
     3.Very bad
9. WORSHIP : SACRIFICE
a. generation : pyre
b. burial : mortuary                                A SACRIFICE can be used
                                                     as a form of WORSHIP
c. weapon : centurion
d. massacre : invasion
e. prediction : augury
    augury n.
    1.The practice of divining from the flight of birds, etc.; divination.
    2.Skill in divining from omens; prophetic skill.
10. EVANESCENT : DISAPPEAR ::
a. transparent : penetrate
                              Something that is
b. onerous : struggle      EVANESCENT is likely to
                                DISAPPEAR
c. feckless : succeed
d. illusory : exist
e. pliant : yield
      evanescent adj.
      1. That is on the point of vanishing or becoming imperceptible
      2. That quickly vanishes or passes away; having no permanence.
      Latin vanus empty, insubstantial [vain, vanish]
11. UPBRAID : REPROACH ::
a. dote : like
                                                 UPBRAIDING is a more
b. lag : stray                                     excessive form of
                                                    REPROACHING
c. vex : please
d. earn : desire
e. recast : explain
    upbraid v.
    reproach v.
    1. to criticize severely : find fault with
    1. a mild rebuke or criticism
    2. to reproach severely : scold vehemently