Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Words
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This analogy checks understanding of the relationship between reference tools and the information they organise. The pair “Calendar : Dates” shows that a calendar is a structured tool that displays and organises dates. Similarly, a dictionary is a reference book that organises certain items. The task is to select which of the given options best represents what a dictionary organises, maintaining the same type of relationship.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
A calendar is designed to organise days, weeks, and months, and the key items it displays are dates. A dictionary is designed to organise and list units of language in a systematic order, usually alphabetical. The fundamental units in a dictionary are individual words, each accompanied by definitions, pronunciations, and usage information. Thus the relationship is “reference tool : basic items listed”. For a dictionary, that core element is words.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Clarify the calendar relationship.
A calendar structures time into months and days and shows specific dates on which events occur.
Step 2: Clarify the role of a dictionary.
A dictionary lists words in an organised manner, usually alphabetically, and provides their meanings and other details.
Step 3: Examine each option in relation to dictionary.
Words: These are the basic entries in a dictionary and are exactly what the dictionary is structured around.
Books: A dictionary is itself a type of book; it does not list books inside it as its primary content.
Language: A dictionary describes a language, but it does this through entries on individual words rather than listing all languages.
Vocabulary: This refers to the collection of words that a person knows, but the immediate, concrete items listed in a dictionary are individual words.
Step 4: Conclude that Words is the closest parallel to Dates in the first pair.
Verification / Alternative check:
We can restate the analogy in the form “tool for reference : fundamental entries in that tool”. A calendar has dates as entries; a dictionary has words as entries. Vocabulary is more abstract and refers to a personal or collective set of words rather than the direct content listing inside the reference book. Therefore, Words mirrors Dates most precisely in this context.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
• Books: A dictionary does not mainly list books; it is one book among others.
• Language: Too broad; the dictionary is about a language but does not list languages as entries.
• Vocabulary: Refers to a person's word knowledge, not to the explicit entries printed in the dictionary.
Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may be attracted to Vocabulary because it sounds academic and is related to a dictionary. However, the question focuses on the direct one to one relationship, just as dates are the individual entries on a calendar. Remember to choose the term that names the specific items listed, not the general concept or outcome associated with the book.
Final Answer:
The word that correctly completes the analogy is Words.
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