Well, that is how books teach analogies. When I was in school, we never had instruction in analogies, but now I see it in my son's various courses. The exercises ask the child to identify the type of analogy (part to whole; synonyms, antonyms, etc.), and then give the answer. I don't think that's different from explaining to a three year old what they are. There's a difference b/n saying it's the bread and saying how are they related, part to whole, etc. In any event, the whole situation is out of control. I have friends applying to 12 kindergartens for their children, hoping to get into one. (They also ask me what I did to make DS so smart, lol) I feel badly for everyone in this situation and I see it starting to move from the city to the suburbs. btw, where we live, some private school admissions seems to be as much about the parents as about the kids - in my opinion, of course. I really don't begrudge the parents for trying, but I feel sorry for everyone involved, except for the test prep companies which are preying on the parents' insecurities, and the admissions offices which create the hysteria in the first place. I have to say - that's one of the most amazing things about the DYS program, having dealt with private schools around here - they're looking for reasons to admit kids, not deny them.