Context Clues
What does "frugal" mean and how do you know?
Thrifty, or careful with money. You know because they explain that the mother demonstrates being frugal by shopping sales and clipping coupons to save money.
Many people think of dinosaurs as the only prehistoric creatures, but there were actually other prehistoric animals. Megalodons were giant shark-like creatures living in oceans around the world that measured about 50 feet long. Like a shark, the megalodon had huge, sharp teeth to bite their prey. In fact, one megalodon tooth was as big as a human hand!
What can you infer about what megalodons ate? A) They ate dinosaurs B) They ate plankton like, like modern whales C) Their prey swam fast D) They ate meat, and they were likely large animals
D) They ate meat, and they were likely large animals
Do you want to be an artist? Just enroll in "The Awesome Artists" program. Don't let this opportunity or your talent slip away. We guarantee you will be painting like the masters in two weeks for a low cost of $59.95.
What is the author's purpose? A) To entertain you with a story about artists B) To inform you about how artists become famous C) To persuade you to attend an art program D) To explain how to paint like a pro
C) To persuade you to attend an art program
Emilio took the cap off his head, dropped the baseball bat, and rested his elbows on the fence. It's not that he couldn't find the ball. It was sitting right in the middle of the lawn, just beyond the fence. The fence was not very high, either. Emilio could probably get a running start, grab the top of the fence, and flip right over it. But the low growl coming from the bushes made him rethink whether he REALLY needed his ball back.
What can you infer about the problem Emilio is facing?
That there is a large dog in the yard, and he is afraid to get the ball because he doesn't want to get bitten.
He was a skinny, black-haired, bespectacled boy who had the pinched, slightly unhealthy look of someone who has grown a lot in a short space of time.
Use context clues to explain what "bespectacled" means. A) Ordinary looking B) Not very healthy looking C) Wears eyeglasses D) Skinny
C) Wears eyeglasses
"Doctors recommend that everyone exercise every day, particularly those who spend many hours doing SEDENTARY activities like reading, watching television, or playing video games."
Use context clues to define "sedentary." What context clues helped you come to that definition?
To spend a lot of time seated or without exerting energy. The clue is giving the examples of "...like reading watching television or playing video games."
Parents should be there to help their kids deal with difficult or stressful situations, but there is a big difference between solving their problems for them and solving their problems with them. In the report of the study on bullying, Professor Wolke says, “children need to deal with stressful situations in mild doses to learn how to cope.” I think this is accurate, parents shouldn’t be leaving their kids to figure it all out on their own, but shielding them off from all difficulty makes for a person who is unable to handle hardship and will cause lots of problems later on in their life. Raising a child is not easy, and there are many lessons that you have to teach your kids to grow into strong young people, but dealing with difficulties is a part of life. As they grow older, no matter how protective you are through their youth, they will be confronted with these realities. There is a need for young kids to have some independence in their problem solving and social interaction so they can deal with whatever life throws at them. The overprotective coddling parenting styles of today’s age stifle the learning in young people and cause them to be unprepared for challenges they will face later in life. Still, it is hard to manage that balance of being overbearing and letting the leash too loose. So, how do we allow kids to learn things independently yet keep them safe and healthy? It’s hard to say the best way to promote independence while still upholding a safety leash.
The reader can infer that the author believes children need to experience some hardship. Which detail from the text best supports this inference? A) solving their problems for them and solving their problems with them B) parents shouldn’t be leaving their kids to figure it all out on their own C) shielding them off from all difficulty makes for a person who is unable to handle hardship and will cause lots of problems later on in their life
C) shielding them off from all difficulty makes for a person who is unable to handle hardship and will cause lots of problems later on in their life
The Food Group Pyramid tells how to eat healthy. It shows how food is divided into six groups. It is important to eat foods that belong to each group every day. The pyramid helps show how much of each you should eat.
What is the author's purpose? A) To entertain you with a story about food. B) To inform you about the Food Pyramid C) To persuade you to eat vegetables D) To explain what foods you should get when you go shopping.
B) To inform you about the Food Pyramid
Sara was on her way home after picking up her little sister, Andrea. She was looking forward to working on her science homework that night. Suddenly, she remembered something which made her stop in her tracks. “What is it, Sara?” Andrea asked. Sara frantically opened her backpack. “We have to go back to school!” Sara yelled. “Mrs. Chapman is going to be so mad at me tomorrow in science otherwise.”
Make an inference about what Sara remembered.
Sara forgot her science homework/project at school and has to go back to get it.
When I got to high school, I took a course in botany, a course that was all about plants. Most students selected the course in biology, but I took the course on plants. As part of our course, we went into the park and identified different species. It was amazing to find that there were at least 27 different kinds of plants in our neighborhood park. In fact, there were about 12 different kinds of trees. Some were deciduous. We were there in the spring, so they had their leaves. Others were evergreen—they kept their leaves all year, although they had a cycle in which they grew in spring and summer and were dormant in winter.
Using context clues, what does "deciduous" mean? A) A kind of environment B) A kind of animal that eats plans C) A kind of tree that loses leaves in fall D) A kind of habitat where plants live.
C) A kind of tree that loses leaves in fall
When the usual silence came, I sighed and slumped back on the cot of the cell's corner. Like everything else in my new home, the cot was colorless and stark. Yeah. I really was starting to wish I had a real dungeon. Rats and cobwebs would have at least given me something to watch. I stared upward and immediately had the disorienting feeling I always did in here: that the ceiling and walls were closing in around me. Like I couldn't breathe.
What does the word "stark" mean? A) Impossible to avoid B) White in color C) Bare in appearance D) Completely blank.
C) Bare in appearance
In the weeks since public schools across the country closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, parents have repeatedly asked educators: How will this affect my child’s academic career? The short answer is that no one knows for sure. The long answer: Because school districts have never suddenly closed campuses on this scale before, researchers have not studied such a disruption. Education experts can make predictions, however, based on what they know about how students responded to shorter or more localized shutdowns in the past. We asked for insights from F. Chris Curran, who co-directs the Education Policy Research Center at the University of Florida. Curran recommends journalists read academic articles that examine school closures caused by infectious disease outbreaks, natural disasters, or severe weather. Journalists also should review research focusing on student absenteeism — missing class because of sickness or injury, for example. Another area of inquiry worth looking into: How scheduled school closures each summer can slow — and even reverse — student progress. Decades of research document what educators refer to as “summer learning loss.” Based on the literature, Curran predicts school closures due to the pandemic will be harmful to student achievement.
What inference can be made about the author’s opinion on public school closures? A) She feels it will negatively affect student learning. B) She feels it will follow a normal trend. C) She feels it will only affect certain students. D) She feels it is too difficult to predict.
A) She feels it will negatively affect student learning.
What is the author's purpose of the following passage?
Breathing is largely driven by the muscular diaphragm at the bottom of the thorax. The contraction of the diaphragm pulls the bottom of the cavity in which the lung is enclosed downward. Air enters through the oral and nasal cavities; it flows through the larynx and into the trachea, which branches out into bronchi. Relaxation of the diaphragm has the opposite effect, passively recoiling during normal breathing. During exercise, the diaphragm contracts, forcing the air out more quickly and forcefully. The rib cage itself is also able to expand and contract to some degree, through the action of other respiratory and accessory respiratory muscles. As a result, the air is sucked into or expelled out of the lungs, always moving down its pressure gradient. Lungs have a tremendous reserve volume as compared to the oxygen exchange requirements when at rest.
To inform
At the age of four, she could read fast and well and she naturally began hankering after books. The only book the whole of this enlightened household was something called Easy Cooking, belonging to her mother, and when she had read this from cover to cover and had learned all the recipes by heart, she decided she wanted something more interesting.
From this passage, what can you infer about the family? A) They are a family who really likes cooking B) They are a family that values books C) The family does not put value on books and knowledge D) The girl is going to grow up to be a chef.
How do you know?
C) The family does not put value on books and knowledge
It uses "enlightened" ironically/sarcastically, noting that there are really no books in the whole house. The supporting text is, "The only book the whole of this enlightened household was something called Easy Cooking, belonging to her mother, and when she had read this from cover to cover and had learned all the recipes by heart, she decided she wanted something more interesting." This shows that this is the only book available, and the child read it repeatedly until she memorized it.
When you see a plant you can discern a lot about its environment. If the plant has extensive leaves and flowers, that tells you where it lives. It lives in a warm environment. That plant needs warm sunny days to grow, and it needs water, too. So that environment will be wet and warm. Those are part of the climate. Climate is what the weather is all year, how warm or cold the place is in winter, spring, summer, and fall. Wind is part of climate, too. There are constant changes in the wind, it seems, but actually there are patterns. For example, the wind in the United States usually tends to move towards the east from Chicago, so if you are traveling by plane from Chicago to the east your plane’s journey will be faster than when you return because you’ll be traveling against the wind.
Using context clues, what does "discern" mean? How do you know?
It means to understand, or figure out. To use your senses or intellect to understand.
"I don't believe it -- not seven planets."
"At least seven. She started on the Origin."
"Really? The Origin?"
"Quiet, please!" Fords interrupted. "If you cannot observe professionally and silently, then I will have to ask you to remove yourselves."
Abashed, the six students fell silent and edged away from one another.
What does the word abashed mean? A) Criticized for your actions B) An atmosphere of surprise C) Cause to feel embarrassed D) To attack those younger.
C) Cause to feel embarrassed
Breathing is largely driven by the muscular diaphragm at the bottom of the thorax. The contraction of the diaphragm pulls the bottom of the cavity in which the lung is enclosed downward. Air enters through the oral and nasal cavities; it flows through the larynx and into the trachea, which branches out into bronchi. Relaxation of the diaphragm has the opposite effect, passively recoiling during normal breathing. During exercise, the diaphragm contracts, forcing the air out more quickly and forcefully. The rib cage itself is also able to expand and contract to some degree, through the action of other respiratory and accessory respiratory muscles. As a result, the air is sucked into or expelled out of the lungs, always moving down its pressure gradient. Lungs have a tremendous reserve volume as compared to the oxygen exchange requirements when at rest.
What inference can be made about the author’s opinion on the lungs? A) The author feels the diaphragm does the most work. B) The author feels the lungs are more important than other systems. C) The author feels air should be forced out more quickly. D) The author feels the lungs bring in a large volume of oxygen.
A) The author feels the diaphragm does the most work.
When the usual silence came, I sighed and slumped back on the cot of the cell's corner. Like everything else in my new home, the cot was colorless and stark. Yeah. I really was starting to wish I had a real dungeon. Rats and cobwebs would have at least given me something to watch. I stared upward and immediately had the disorienting feeling I always did in here: that the ceiling and walls were closing in around me. Like I couldn't breathe.
What is the author's purpose? A) To persuade the reader that this place is boring B) To explain the differences between dungeons and this new house C) To entertain the reader with an interesting story D) To inform the reader about the mental state of the author.
C) To entertain the reader with an interesting story
Jarod was waiting in front of the corner store at 3:56. His muscles were tense and he was sweating a bit more than usual. The other kids gathered in front of the little storefront were much more relaxed, even playful. They joked back and forth lightly to each other but for Jarod, time slowed. 3:57. “Don’t worry, Jarod. He ain’t even gonna show up.” Jarod hoped that he wouldn’t. A black four-door Camry with tinted windows pulled up and parked across the street. Kelvin gulped. 3:58. A group of teenagers piled out of the car. Kelvin was in the front. “Hi-ya, Jarod. Glad you could make it,” Kelvin said. Jarod felt smaller.
Make an inference to answer the question: Why is Jarod so nervous?
He's waiting for a fight and he's nervous about it.
The cactus is the most prominent plant there. It has adapted to that hot, dry climate. Birds live there, too. Some birds live in the Saguaro cactus. They make holes in the side of the cactus. The Saguaro cactus cannot live in Illinois or Florida. It has adapted to the hot dry desert climate. Desert plants and animals exemplify how to adapt to a hot dry climate. They do not just survive. They thrive.
Use context clues to define "exemplify." What clues help you come to that definition?
To show a perfect example of. Clues could be how their adaptions show that "They not just survive. They thrive."
At the age of four, she could read fast and well and she naturally began hankering after books. The only book the whole of this enlightened household was something called Easy Cooking, belonging to her mother, and when she had read this from cover to cover and had learned all the recipes by heart, she decided she wanted something more interesting.
From this passage, use context clues to define the word "hankering." A) Good ability B) To like C) A strong desire D) Intelligent
C) A strong desire
Alloys are basically a mixture of two or more metals. Don't forget that there are many elements on the periodic table. Elements like calcium and potassium are considered metals. Of course, there are also metals like silver and gold. You can also have alloys that include small amounts of non- metallic elements like carbon. Metals are the key thing to remember for alloys. The main idea with alloys is that they are better as a mixture than any of the metals could be alone. Metallurgists (people who work with metals) sometimes add chromium or nickel to steel. While steel is already an alloy that is a very strong metal, the addition of small amounts of the other metals help steel resist rusting. Depending on what element is added, you could create Stainless Steel or Galvanized Steel. It's always about improving the specific qualities of the original. Another good example of an alloy happens when metallurgists add carbon to steel. A tiny amount of carbon (a non-metallic element) makes steel stronger. These special carbon-steel alloys are used in armor plating and weapons.
1- Part A- What inference can be made about metals? A) They are not a strong element. B) They are usually the strongest material. C) They are better left alone. D) They are better mixed with others.
#2- Part B: Which detail from the text best supports your answer in part A? 1) Alloys are basically a mixture of two or more metals. 2) Metals are the key thing to remember for alloys. 3) The main idea with alloys is that they are better as a mixture than any of the metals could be alone.
Part A: D) They are better mixed with others.
Part B: 3) The main idea with alloys is that they are better as a mixture than any of the metals could be alone.
What is the author's purpose of the following text?
In the weeks since public schools across the country closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, parents have repeatedly asked educators: How will this affect my child’s academic career? The short answer is that no one knows for sure. The long answer: Because school districts have never suddenly closed campuses on this scale before, researchers have not studied such a disruption. Education experts can make predictions, however, based on what they know about how students responded to shorter or more localized shutdowns in the past. We asked for insights from F. Chris Curran, who co-directs the Education Policy Research Center at the University of Florida. Curran recommends journalists read academic articles that examine school closures caused by infectious disease outbreaks, natural disasters, or severe weather. Journalists also should review research focusing on student absenteeism — missing class because of sickness or injury, for example. Another area of inquiry worth looking into: How scheduled school closures each summer can slow — and even reverse — student progress. Decades of research document what educators refer to as “summer learning loss.” Based on the literature, Curran predicts school closures due to the pandemic will be harmful to student achievement.
To persuade/argue their point of view
When the usual silence came, I sighed and slumped back on the cot of the cell's corner. Like everything else in my new home, the cot was colorless and stark. Yeah. I really was starting to wish I had a real dungeon. Rats and cobwebs would have at least given me something to watch. I stared upward and immediately had the disorienting feeling I always did in here: that the ceiling and walls were closing in around me. Like I couldn't breathe.
What can you infer about what life event has just happened, and how does the character feel about it?
They just moved to a new home, and they're not happy about it.
At a glance, Morgan appeared blasé to the childish fight breaking out between the actors on the stage. However, anyone who knew her could see that she was extremely irritated at the behavior.
Using context clues, what does the word blasé mean? A) Immature B) Annoyed C) Angry D) Indifferent
D) Indifferent