Context Clues
The point guard was quick, sprinting down the court faster than anyone else on the team." What does quick mean?
Fast; moving with speed.
A telephone lets you talk to someone far away, and a telescope lets you see things far away. What does the root tele- mean?
Far or distant
"Her smile was as bright as the sun." Is this a simile or a metaphor, and what does it mean?
A simile (uses "as") — it means her smile was very bright and warm.
Which word means the same thing as "happy" — sad, glad, or tired?
Glad! Words that mean the same thing are called synonyms.
"Find the evidence in the story to prove your answer." Which word below is a synonym for "evidence" — proof, guess, or opinion?
Proof! Evidence means the facts or details that show something is true.
after missing the first three shots, she felt nervous about taking the last one." What does nervous mean?
Worried or uneasy about something.
A biology class is the study of living things, and your biography tells the story of your life. What does the root bio- mean?
Life.
"The gym was a furnace during the game." Is this a simile or a metaphor, and what does it mean?
A metaphor (says it IS the thing) — it means the gym was extremely hot
Which word means the opposite of "win" — lose, play, or score?
Lose! Words that mean the opposite are called antonyms
"Summarize the story in your own words." Does "summarize" mean to tell the WHOLE story word-for-word, or the MAIN parts in a short way?
The main parts in a short way! To summarize means to give a quick overview.
He was exhausted after running up and down the court for the whole game — he could barely lift his arms." What does exhausted mean?
Very tired.
An audience listens to a show, and something audible can be heard. What does the root aud- mean?
To hear.
"I've told you a million times to tie your shoes!" Did the coach really say it a million times?
: No! He's stretching the truth to make a point. This is called hyperbole.
"The team was excited after the big win." Which word below is a synonym for "excited" — thrilled, bored, or calm?
Thrilled! It means the same thing as excited.
"Compare the two basketball players." Are you looking for how they are the SAME, DIFFERENT, or BOTH?
Both! To compare means to look at how things are alike and different.
The team was confident going into the championship game because they had practiced so hard all season." What does confident mean?
Feeling sure of yourself and your abilities.
A portable speaker is easy to carry, and to transport something means to carry it somewhere else. What does the root port- mean
To carry.
"He ran like a cheetah down the court." Does this use "like" or "as" to compare two things?
: Yes — this is a simile. It means he ran very fast.
"The player was exhausted after the long game." Which word below is an antonym for "exhausted" — tired, sleepy, or energetic?
Energetic! It means the opposite of exhausted
"Predict what will happen next in the story." Does "predict" mean to guess based on clues, or to already know for sure?
Guess based on clues! To predict means to make a smart guess about what happens next.
"The new player was hesitant to take the last shot, unsure if he was ready for that much pressure." What does hesitant mean?
Unsure or slow to act because of doubt.
A spectator watches a game, and to inspect something means to look at it closely. What does the root spect- mean?
To look or see
"The whole team had to hit the books before the big test." Do you think they really hit their books?
No — "hit the books" just means to study hard. This is called an idiom.
"Her shot was accurate, right on target every time." Which word below is a synonym for "accurate" — precise, sloppy, or lucky?
Precise! It means the same thing as accurate.
"Analyze the character's actions in the story." Does "analyze" mean to just read it once, or to look closely and think about why something happens?
Look closely and think about why! To analyze means to study something carefully to understand it.