Verbal analogy — choose the option pair that mirrors the same relationship as the given pair. Given pair: SLAPSTICK : LAUGHTER

Introduction / Context:
Verbal analogy questions test whether you can identify the relationship between two words and find another pair with the same relationship. The pair SLAPSTICK : LAUGHTER shows a cause-and-effect relationship in which a type of comedic performance (slapstick) commonly produces a specific emotional response (laughter).

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Slapstick is a form of physical comedy.
• Laughter is the typical reaction to successful comedy.
• We seek another pair where the first reliably elicits the second.

Concept / Approach:
Identify the semantic link in the stem (cause leads to effect) and look for an option where a category of art or stimulus evokes a characteristic emotional response. Avoid pairs that are merely associated, unrelated, or antonymous.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Ask whether replacing the colon with “causes” reads naturally. “Slapstick causes laughter” and “Horror causes fear” both read naturally, reinforcing the mapping.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• fallacy : dismay — a fallacy is an error in reasoning; it does not typically cause dismay.
• genre : mystery — genre is a category; mystery is a genre itself, not an effect.
• satire : anger — satire can provoke many reactions (laughter, critique), not specifically anger.
• mimicry : tears — mimicry is imitation; tears is an outcome not specifically tied to it.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing “often associated with” for “characteristically causes,” and accepting loose associations instead of the dominant effect the first word evokes.

Final Answer:
horror : fear