Q.5 _____ is to surgery as writer is to ________
Which one of the following options maintains a similar logical relation in
the above sentence?
(A) Plan, outline
(B) Hospital, library
(C) Doctor, book
(D) Medicine, grammar

Analogies test your ability to identify relationships between concepts, a key skill in exams like GRE, SAT, or competitive tests in India such as SSC or UPSC. The puzzle here—”_____ is to surgery as writer is to ________”—requires finding the pair that mirrors the logical connection.

The core relationship links a tool or instrument to its primary use or activity. Surgery is the activity performed with a scalpel (a precise cutting tool). Similarly, the writer uses a pen or keyboard for writing. This “tool : activity” or “implement : profession’s core task” analogy fits perfectly.

Correct Answer: (A) Plan, Outline

Why (A) Plan, outline is correct:
A plan serves as the preparatory blueprint for surgery, much like an outline structures a writer’s work. Both represent the planning framework : execution relationship. Surgeons rely on detailed plans (surgical plans) before operating; writers use outlines to organize ideas before drafting. This maintains a precise parallel: preparatory tool to the main activity.

Why Other Options Fail

• (B) Hospital, library: Hospital is the location where surgery happens, and library is where writers might work or research. This “place : activity” link doesn’t match the direct tool-to-task dynamic. It’s too indirect—no specific implement involved.

• (C) Doctor, book: Doctor performs surgery (person : activity), while book is the writer’s output (product of activity). The directions mismatch—one is agent-to-action, the other action-to-product. No consistent parallel.

• (D) Medicine, grammar: Medicine aids surgery (supportive substance : activity), but grammar governs writing (rule set : activity). While both are enablers, medicine is consumable/physical, grammar abstract/rules-based. The relationship feels forced and not as tight as planning tools.

Mastering these helps in logical reasoning questions, analogy exercises, and exam strategies. Practice by flipping pairs: e.g., “Outline is to writer as plan is to _____?” (surgeon/surgery).