MAKING ANALOGIES
BRAIN : CRANIAL CAVITY :: lungs : _______
b. dorsal cavity
c. lower ventral cavity
d. thoracic cavityHave you seen something like the box above on a test you have taken? This type of format is known as a verbal analogy. Analogies like these make comparisons between words to show the relationship between them. Using analogies can help you to improve your vocabulary and your verbal reasoning ability.
Notice the colons in the BRAIN: CRANIAL CAVITY analogy above. The single colon (:) is read as "is to." The double colon (::) is read as "as." You read an analogy by saying: Something is to something as something is to something else. In the analogy above, you would say, "brain is to cranial cavity as lungs are to . . ."
Analogy questions on standardized tests ask you to choose a word pair that is related in the same way as the given pair. For example, in the analogy above, the correct answer is d, thoracic cavity. The cranial cavity contains the brain; the thoracic cavity contains the lungs.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Learn to recognize the many different types of analogies. Here are eight of the most common ones you can expect to encounter in your reading and on standardized tests.
Antonyms
INHALATION : EXHALATION :: stimulant: depressant
Inhalation is the opposite of exhalation just as a stimulant (such as caffeine or cocaine) is the opposite of a depressant (such as barbiturates or tranquilizers).Synonyms
O2: OXYGEN:: CO2: carbon dioxide
O2 is another way of writing oxygen; CO2 is another way of writing carbon dioxide. The terms are synonyms, or the same.
Definition
CALORIE: UNIT OF HEAT:: melanin: pigment
A calorie is a unit of heat; melanin is a pigment found in the skin and hair. The second word in each pair defines the first word.
Part of a Larger Object
TEETH : MOUTH :: pharynx : respiratory system
Teeth are part of the mouth as the pharynx is part of the respiratory system.Object to Function
SKELETON : SUPPORT :: liver : bile
The function of the skeleton is to provide support; the function of the liver is to produce bile. Therefore, this analogy shows an object and its function.
Type or Example
PIVOT: JOINT :: bronchitis : inflammation
A pivot is a type, or example, of joint as bronchitis is a type, or example, of inflammation.Component
SKELETON : BONES :: vaccine : weakened pathogens.
The skeleton is made of bones in the same way that a vaccine is made from weakened pathogens.
Location
HEART : CHEST :: pineal gland: head
The heart is located in the chest; the pineal gland is located in the head.
TRY IT!
Complete the analogy by choosing the word that fits the type of relationship shown by the first pair of words.SALIVA : DIGESTION :: white blood cells :
a. clotting
b. transport
c. blood vessels
d. fighting disease
Click here to check your answers to TRY IT!
To practice what you've just learned, go to Worksheet 8.2
To learn about another reading strategy, go to Reading Strategy 8.1.
Reading Strategy 8.1 | Worksheet 8.1
Reading Strategy 8.2 | Worksheet 8.2
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