Understanding Analogies: Soldiers and Musicians

The question asks us to find a relationship between two pairs of words that is the same for both pairs. This is a type of verbal analogy question. We are given the first pair: SOLDIERS : ARMY. We need to find a word that completes the second pair: MUSICIANS : ? such that the relationship between MUSICIANS and the missing word is the same as the relationship between SOLDIERS and ARMY.

Analyzing the First Pair: Soldiers and Army

Let's look closely at the relationship between SOLDIERS and ARMY.

• A SOLDIER is an individual person who is part of a military force.
• An ARMY is a large organized group of SOLDIERS, typically for fighting on land.

So, the relationship is that an ARMY is a collection or group of SOLDIERS. An ARMY is the collective noun for a large number of SOLDIERS.

Applying the Relationship to Musicians

Now, we need to find a word that represents a collection or organized group of MUSICIANS, just as ARMY represents a collection of SOLDIERS. We need to look at the given options.

Evaluating the Options

Let's examine each option and see if it fits the relationship.

• Option 1: FLOCK

  A FLOCK is a group of birds or sheep. This word is not used to describe a group of MUSICIANS.

• Option 2: GANG

  A GANG is typically used for a group of criminals or people who associate together, often for negative activities. This word is not used for MUSICIANS.

• Option 3: COLONY

  A COLONY is a group of animals (like ants or bees) living together, or a group of people who settle in a new place. This word is not used for MUSICIANS.

• Option 4: BAND

  A BAND is defined as a small group of MUSICIANS who play popular music. It can also refer to a larger group of instrumentalists, such as a marching band or concert band. This word specifically describes a group of MUSICIANS.

Comparing the relationship in the first pair (SOLDIERS : ARMY, where ARMY is a group of SOLDIERS) with the options for the second pair (MUSICIANS : ?), we see that a BAND is a standard term for a group of MUSICIANS. Therefore, the relationship holds: MUSICIANS : BAND, where BAND is a group of MUSICIANS.

Conclusion

Based on the analysis, the word that completes the analogy is BAND. The relationship between SOLDIERS and ARMY is the same as the relationship between MUSICIANS and BAND: a collective noun for the individuals listed.

Revision Table: Checking Your Understanding

Review the key terms and their relationships:

Additional Information: Collective Nouns

This type of analogy question often tests knowledge of collective nouns. A collective noun is a word that refers to a group of individuals or things. Here are some other examples of collective nouns:

• Teachers : Faculty
• Students : Class
• Birds : Flock
• Sheep : Flock
• Cattle : Herd
• Fish : School
• Lions : Pride
• Stars : Constellation
• Trees : Forest

Understanding common collective nouns can help solve many analogy questions.