Vocabulary Exercise

This test contains challenging vocabulary questions to help you prepare for SAT, GRE, CAT and MAT.

Questions 1 - 3. Select the set of words from the given options that best expresses a relationship similar to the set in capitals.

1. LIONS : PRIDE : FOREST

a) Geese: Gaggle : Sky
b) House : Colony : City
c) Fish : Shoal : Ocean
d) Paper : Ream : Press

Answer

c) Fish : Shoal : Ocean

Explanation

A collection of lions is called a pride of lions. And lions are found in forests. In the same way, a collection of fish is called a shoal of fish and fish are found in the oceans.

2. POET : VISION : PROPHET

a) Politician : Constituency : Terrorist
b) Killer : Violence : Terrorist
c) Student : School : Principal
d) Plant : Herbivore : Food-chain

Answer

b) Killer : Violence : Terrorist

Explanation

Vision is a certain quality that can be found in both poets and prophets. In the same way, violence is an attribute that can be associated with both killers and terrorists.

3. HORSE : NEIGH : STUD

a) Flowers : honey : bee
b) Rabbits : Squeak : Burrow
c) Ducks: Meat : Poultry
d) Children : Nursery : Society

Answer

b) Rabbits: Squeak : Burrow

Neigh is the sound that horses make and stud is where they live. In the same way, squeak is the sound that rabbits make and burrow is their home.

Questions: 4 - 9

Three pairs express the same relationship similar to that expressed by the capitalized pair. Select the pair not related in this way.

4. EDITOR : NEWSPAPER

a) Lecturer : University
b) Teacher : School
c) Nurse : Hospital
d) Architect : Design

Answer

d) Architect : Design

Explanation

Editor works at a newspaper. Lecturer works at a university or college. Teacher works at a school. Nurse works at a hospital. Architect does not work at design. This last pair shows some other relationship.

5. HORSE : STABLE

a) Hen : Coop
b) Monk : Hermit
c) Fish : Pond
d) Dog : Kennel

Answer

a) Monk : Hermit

Explanation

The nouns hermit and monk are synonyms. The other four pairs show another relationship. Horses live in stables. Hens live in coops. Fish live in ponds. Dogs live in kennel.

6. AEROPLANE : DRONE

a) Birds : Chirp
b) Paper : Crinkle
c) Silk : Rustle
d) Elephant : Tusk

Answers

d) Elephant : Tusk

Explanation

Drone is a sound associated with aeroplane. In the same way, Birds chirp, paper crinkle and silk rustle. Tusk, on the other hand, is an elongated pointed tooth present in elephants.

7. AMPLIFY : ARGUMENT

a) Redouble : Efforts
b) Exacerbate : Sales
c) Maximise : Profits
d) Enhance: Power

Answer

b) Exacerbate : Sales

Except for the second option, all other pairs are common word combinations or collocations.

See also

Vocabulary lessons and exercises