Question

WINNOW: CHAFF::

• A. ferment: alcohol
• B. skim: cream
• C. pare: fruit
• D. refine: oil
• E. filter: impurities

Hint:

Focus on the purpose of the action. The purpose of winnowing is purification. The purpose of filtering is also purification. This shared purpose makes them a strong analogical pair.

Answer 1

Answer: (E)

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This analogy relates an action (a verb) to the undesirable substance that is removed by that action.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Define the relationship: To "winnow" is a process of separating grain from "chaff" (the worthless husk). The chaff is the unwanted part that is removed. The relationship is "To X is to remove the undesirable Y."
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
Let's test this "To X is to remove Y" relationship:
- (A) To ferment is to produce alcohol, not remove it.
- (B) To skim is to remove cream. Cream is often the desired part (though not always), so this is a weak fit.
- (C) To pare is to trim something by cutting away its outer edges. You remove the skin, not the fruit itself.
- (D) To refine is to remove impurities from oil, not to remove the oil itself.
- (E) To filter is to pass a liquid or gas through a device to remove unwanted solid matter, i.e., "impurities." This is a perfect match. To filter is to remove impurities.
Let's refine the relationship: To winnow is to remove chaff from grain. To filter is to remove impurities from a substance. The core idea is purification by removal of an unwanted component.
Comparing (B), (D), and (E): Skimming removes cream from milk. Refining removes impurities from oil. Filtering removes impurities from a liquid/gas. "Chaff" and "impurities" are both general terms for unwanted material, making the relationship in (E) the strongest and most general parallel.
Step 4: Final Answer:
The action of winnowing is to remove the unwanted chaff, just as the action of filtering is to remove the unwanted impurities.