The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is PARKING.
This question presents an analogy that relies on identifying the relationship between an action and an object. The relationship in the first pair, “DOCKING is to SHIP,” must be mirrored in the second pair, “? is to AUTOMOBILE.”
The action of docking involves a ship being carefully maneuvered into a specific, designated location, such as a dock or pier. It is the process of bringing the vessel to a stationary position to be secured, typically at the end of a journey or for a temporary stop. Docking is not the ship’s primary mode of transport, which would be sailing or cruising, but rather the specific act of securing it in a resting place.
To solve the analogy, we must find the equivalent action for an automobile. We need a term that describes maneuvering a car into a designated spot to be left stationary.
Looking at the options:
- DRIVING is the general act of operating a car, much like sailing is for a ship. It does not represent the specific act of securing it.
- SPEEDING and SLOWING describe the rate of movement, not the final act of placing the vehicle. While a car slows down to park, slowing is only a part of the complete action.
- FUELING is a maintenance activity, similar to bunkering a ship. It is not related to the vehicle’s movement or placement at the end of a trip.
PARKING is the perfect counterpart to docking. Parking is the specific action of maneuvering an automobile into a designated space, such as a parking spot or a garage, and leaving it stationary. Just as a ship docks at a pier, a car parks in a space. Both actions signify a precise maneuver to secure the vehicle in its intended resting location, concluding its movement for a period. Therefore, the relationship between parking and an automobile directly mirrors the relationship between docking and a ship.
