Context Clues
After Lily left home for college, her dad tried to sell the computer games she had played when she was little. However he soon discovered they were OBSOLETE. The word OBSOLETE means:
a. too easy
b. out of date
c. boring
b. out of date
The children danced to the music with merry JUBILATION. What does JUBILATION mean?
a. delight
b. distress
c. surprise
a. delight
Julia wasn't sure exactly what time they would arrive, but she thought the APPROXIMATE time would be around 5:00. What does APPROXIMATE mean?
a. estimated
b. unknown
c. exact
a. estimated
The principal DICTATED that all students would be required to follow the school dress code. What word would be a synonym for DICTATED?
a. asked
b. knew
c. commanded
c. commanded
Mia is AMBITIOUS, but her little brother Noah is lazy. What is the best meaning of the word AMBITIOUS?
a. tired
b. determined to succeed
c. unmotivated
b. determined to succeed
a. comforted
b. reminded
c. forced
a. comforted
The substitute teacher felt EXASPERATED because she could not get the students to stop talking and listen. What does EXASPERATED mean?
a. lonely
b. frustrated
c. depressed
b. frustrated
Dad thought the spaghetti sauce was too BLAND, so he added more garlic. What does BLAND mean?
a. salty
b. spicy
c. mild
c. mild
The full moon ILLUMINATED the sky so much that we did not need our flashlights. What would be a synonym for ILLUMINATED?
a. lit
b. darkened
c. filled
a. lit
Unlike animals that hunt during the day, NOCTURNAL animals must find their way in the darkness. Which is the best definition of NOCTURNAL?
a. occurring or active during the day
b. occurring or active at night
c. active both in the daytime and at night
b. occurring or active at night
The meadow was full of wildflowers. There were not many large plants, and tress were SPARSE. What does SPARSE mean?
a. many
b. few
c. large
b. few
Arnold approached the snake CAUTIOUSLY. He thought it was dead, but he didn't know for sure. What does CAUTIOUSLY mean?
a. quickly
b. carefully
c. carelessly
The black plague swept through Europe in the Middle Ages killing millions of people. In some villages, half the population PERISHED. What does PERISHED mean?
a. got sick
b. died
c. escaped
b. died
Mrs. Olsen used to love to play the piano. But since she started to lose her hearing, she SELDOM plays anymore. What would be a synonym for SELDOM?
a. often
b. usually
c. rarely
c. rarely
She thinks the house is valuable, but that is incorrect. The house is WORTHLESS.
Which is the best definition for worthless?
a. costing a lot of money
b. having no value
c. ugly
b. having no value
The artist had used VIVID colors in the painting, which made it stand out in the otherwise drab room. What does VIVID mean?
a. dull
b. tinted
c. bright
c. bright
Susie could smell the AROMA of freshly baking bread as soon as she walked into the kitchen. What does AROMA mean?
a. scent
b. sound
c. stink
a. scent
That movie had an INTENSE effect on me. I could not stop thinking about it! What does INTENSE mean?
a. powerful
b. mild
c. bad
a. powerful
Even though Paul was excited about the project, he wanted the other kids to think he was cool, so he answered the teacher's question in a NONCHALANT tone. What would be a synonym for NONCHALANT?
a. relaxed
b. enthusiastic
c. angry
a. relaxed
Stacey was suspicious when the clown handed them a box, but her GULLIBLE little sister opened it anyway. Which is the BEST definition for GULLIBLE?
a. trusting
b. sad
c. careful
a. trusting
Adrian liked his new laptop computer because it was light and PORTABLE. He took it with him everywhere! What does PORTABLE mean?
a. small
b. moveable
c. high-tech
Luke was COMPENSATED for the yard work he had done over the summer. He spent the money he had earned on a new bike. What does COMPENSATED mean?
a. thanked
b. complimented
c. paid
c. paid
Angela knew that there were NUMEROUS reasons why she should take the job, but she just did not want it. What does NUMEROUS mean?
a. a few
b. many
c. none
b. many
Tanya's mother drives slowly when she gets close to the school and is careful to watch for PEDESTRIANS. What would be a synonym for PEDESTRIANS?
a. people walking
b. pretty scenery
c. fruit stands
She was an AGILE dancer, although her partner was quite clumsy. Which is the BEST definition for AGILE?
a. quiet
b. shy
c. nimble
c. nimble