Analogy Question: Understanding Word Relationships

This question asks us to find a pair of words that share the same type of relationship as the given pair: Latent ∶ Dormant.

First, let's understand the relationship between "Latent" and "Dormant".

• Latent: Existing but not yet developed or obvious; concealed.
• Dormant: Temporarily inactive or inoperative.

These two words are very close in meaning. They are synonyms or near-synonyms, both referring to a state of being hidden or inactive.

Now, let's examine the relationships in the given options:

Analyzing the Options

1. Nice ∶ Demanding

   • Nice: Pleasant; agreeable; good-natured.
   • Demanding: Requiring much effort; difficult.

   These words have opposing or contrasting meanings. They are antonyms.

2. Picky ∶ Fussy

   • Picky: Choosing carefully; fastidious; selective.
   • Fussy: Hard to please; fastidious about small details.

   These words are very similar in meaning. Someone who is picky is often also described as fussy. They are synonyms.

3. Lathe ∶ Latex

   • Lathe: A machine tool used for shaping wood, metal, or other material.
   • Latex: A milky fluid found in many plants, especially rubber trees, or a synthetic rubber material.

   These words are unrelated in meaning or type. They are just two different nouns.

4. Pious ∶ Dainty

   • Pious: Devoutly religious.
   • Dainty: Delicately small and pretty; fastidious (especially about food).

   These words have completely different meanings and are unrelated.

Identifying the Similar Relationship

The relationship between "Latent" and "Dormant" is synonymy (meaning they have similar meanings).

Let's look at the relationships we found in the options:

• Nice ∶ Demanding: Antonyms
• Picky ∶ Fussy: Synonyms
• Lathe ∶ Latex: Unrelated
• Pious ∶ Dainty: Unrelated

Only the pair "Picky ∶ Fussy" exhibits the same relationship of synonymy as the original pair "Latent ∶ Dormant".

Conclusion: Finding the Correct Analogy

Based on the analysis of the relationships between the word pairs, the pair that best represents a similar relationship to "Latent ∶ Dormant" is "Picky ∶ Fussy" because both pairs consist of words that are synonyms.

The final answer is the word-pair Picky ∶ Fussy.

Revision Table: Word Analogy Concepts

Additional Information: Mastering Verbal Analogies

Verbal analogies are questions that test your ability to identify the relationship between a given pair of words and then recognize a similar relationship in another pair of words. To solve analogy problems effectively, consider the following tips:

• Read the initial pair carefully and try to determine the specific relationship between the two words. Is it synonymy, antonymy, part to whole, cause and effect, etc.?
• Express the relationship as a sentence. For example, for "Latent : Dormant", you might say "Latent means similar to dormant" or "Latent is a synonym of dormant".
• Test this sentence on each option. For "Picky : Fussy", you would say "Picky means similar to fussy" or "Picky is a synonym of fussy". If the sentence holds true and the relationship type matches, that's likely the correct answer.
• Eliminate options that clearly do not share the same type of relationship.
• Pay attention to the order of the words in the pair. The relationship should hold in the same order in the correct option.

Practicing with different types of analogies helps improve vocabulary and logical reasoning skills.