Context Clues and
Meanings of Words
Meanings of Words
But some buttons we regularly rely on to get results are mere artifices — placebos that promote an illusion of control but that in reality do not work.
What does the word artifices mean as it is used in paragraph 15?
A. objects
B. mistakes
C. tools
D. tricks
what is D. tricks
“The city breathed beneath a blanket of smog, its heartbeat muffled and distant.”
What is the most accurate interpretation of the figurative language in the sentence?
A. The city is literally alive and struggling to breathe.
B. The smog is being described as a physical blanket covering the city.
C. The author uses personification to suggest the city feels suffocated and lifeless.
D. The city is experiencing a peaceful and calm atmosphere despite pollution.
C. The author uses personification to suggest the city feels suffocated and lifeless.
The central message or lesson about life expressed in a text.
Theme
“Despite repeated warnings about the environmental damage, the company continued expanding its operations. Rivers nearby darkened, fish populations declined, and residents began reporting unusual illnesses. Still, profits soared, and executives dismissed concerns as ‘unverified claims.’”
What is the central idea of the excerpt?
A. Environmental concerns are often exaggerated by local residents.
B. Corporate profit is frequently prioritized over environmental and human health.
C. Industrial expansion always improves the economy and community health.
D. Scientific evidence is often unreliable in environmental studies.
B. Corporate profit is frequently prioritized over environmental and human health.
Words or phrases in a text that help determine the meaning of an unknown word.
Context Clues
Think about the last time you were about to interview for a job, speak in front of an audience, or go on a first date. To quell your nerves, chances are you spent time preparing — reading up on the company, reviewing your slides, practicing yourcharming patter. People facing situations that induce anxiety typically take comfort in engaging in preparatory activities, inducing a feeling of being back in control and reducing uncertainty.
What does the word quell mean as it is used in paragraph 7?
A. calm
B. ignore
C. question
D. acknowledge
what is A. Calm
“Time, the relentless thief, stole their youth one quiet year at a time, leaving only memories behind.”
How does the figurative language most effectively contribute to the meaning of the passage?
A. It emphasizes that time passes quickly and cannot be controlled, highlighting loss.
B. It suggests that time is a literal criminal that should be punished.
C. It shows that the characters actively chose to give away their youth.
D. It implies that memories are more valuable than actual lived experiences.
A. It emphasizes that time passes quickly and cannot be controlled, highlighting loss.
A brief, unbiased retelling of the text that includes only key points.
Objective Summary
A short story follows a character who loses a high-paying job but reconnects with family, discovers new purpose, and becomes happier than before.
Which theme is best supported by the story?
A. Financial success is the only path to happiness
B. Loss always leads to permanent failure
C. Personal fulfillment often comes from relationships and meaning rather than wealth
D. Career success should always be prioritized over family
C. Personal fulfillment often comes from relationships and meaning rather than wealth
A poem begins with calm imagery of nature, gradually shifts into chaotic weather descriptions, and ends with silence after the storm.
What is the most effective explanation of how the structure impacts meaning?
A. The structure shows that nature is unpredictable and destructive without warning
B. The structure mirrors an emotional journey from peace to turmoil and resolution
C. The structure suggests the poem is about seasonal weather patterns only
D. The structure makes the poem easier to summarize but less meaningful
B. The structure mirrors an emotional journey from peace to turmoil and resolution
In 1887, Bly became a reporter for the New York World. There, she pioneered investigative journalism, or, as it was often called, “muckraking” — exposing corruption, crime, and abuse . . Despite her vivid writing, her courageous muckraking, and the reforms her articles inspired, Bly is best remembered for mimicking the feat described in Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days. With her newspaper’s support, she left New York on her 24,899-mile trip on November 14, 1889. She circled the globe, and was back in New York in 72 days, six hours, 11 minutes, and 14 seconds — a new record. The highly publicized trip allowed newspaper readers to follow her travel day by day and made Bly an international celebrity.
In paragraphs 4 and 5, what are words like pioneered and courageous intended to suggest to the reader?
A. concern for Nellie Bly’s safety
B. astonishment at Nellie Bly’s behavior
C. admiration for Nellie Bly’s activities
D. criticism of Nellie Bly’s occupation
C. admiration for Nellie Bly’s activities
“He carried the weight of the world on his shoulders after the announcement.”
What does the figurative expression most likely mean?
A. He physically lifted something extremely heavy.
B. He felt overwhelmed by emotional or mental pressure.
C. He was training to become a professional weightlifter.
D. He was responsible for making decisions about the planet.
B. He felt overwhelmed by emotional or mental pressure.
The author’s attitude toward the subject or audience.
Tone
“Social media platforms have changed the way people communicate. Messages can be sent instantly across the world, allowing people to maintain relationships despite distance. However, studies show that excessive use may also contribute to feelings of isolation and reduced face-to-face interaction.”
What is the main idea of the paragraph?
A. Social media is harmful and should be avoided
B. Social media has both positive and negative effects on communication
C. Face-to-face communication is no longer important
D. People use social media only to stay isolated from others
B. Social media has both positive and negative effects on communication
To judge the effectiveness or value of something.
To Evaluate
But when the whistle blew and they were on the pier, and I was on the Augusta Victoria, which was slowly but surely moving away from all I knew, taking me to strange lands and strange people, I felt lost. My head felt dizzy and my heart felt as if it would burst. Only seventy-five days! Yes, but it seemed an age and the world lost its roundness and seemed a long distance with no end, and — well, I never turn back.
What does Bly mean when she writes “the world lost its roundness” in paragraph 15?
A. The distance she had to travel seemed shorter in real life.
B. She felt like she would forever be journeying away from home.
C. The experience was challenging things that she had long believed.
D. She feared that actually experiencing other lands might be disappointing.
B. She felt like she would forever be journeying away from home.
Read this excerpt from line 3 of the drama. OLYMPOS: Well, I was en route with the treaties, and someone smelled them out—true Acharnian elders, they were: the real thing, hearts of oak, ribs of rock . . .
The author uses these metaphors to indicate that the Acharnians are
M. good at cultivating the earth.
P. very resistant to change.
R. prejudiced against outsiders.
S. physically imposing in person.
P. very resistant to change.
Narrator knows thoughts of all characters.
Third Person Omniscient
A novel shows a protagonist who repeatedly faces betrayal but ultimately learns to trust again after forming meaningful relationships.
Which statement best distinguishes the theme from the central idea?
A. The central idea is about betrayal, while the theme is about communication skills
B. The central idea summarizes events, while the theme expresses a broader life lesson about trust and resilience
C. The central idea is always longer than the theme
D. The theme is only found in nonfiction texts, while central idea is found in fiction
B. The central idea summarizes events, while the theme expresses a broader life lesson about trust and resilience
Had he travelled? It was likely, for no one seemed to know the world more familiarly; there was no spot so secluded that he did not appear to have an intimate acquaintance with it. He often corrected, with a few clear words, the thousand conjectures advanced by members of the club as to lost and unheard-of travellers, pointing out the true probabilities, and seeming as if gifted with a sort of second sight, so often did events justify his predictions. He must have travelled everywhere, at least in the spirit.
Which word is closest in meaning to conjectures, as used in paragraph 5?
M. circumstances
P. calculations
R. questions
S. speculations
S. speculations
Which wanders idly through the nodding ferns.
What does the word idly mean as used in line 24?
A. loudly
B. leisurely
C. subtly
D. sadly
B. leisurely
Read the excerpt:
“Her words were daggers wrapped in silk, cutting softly but deeply into the room.”
What is the intended meaning of the metaphor?
A. Her words were physically dangerous and could harm others.
B. Her words sounded soft but carried hidden emotional harm.
C. She was speaking gently and trying not to offend anyone.
D. She was literally carrying sharp objects while speaking politely.
B. Her words sounded soft but carried hidden emotional harm.
The reason the author wrote the text (inform, persuade, entertain).
Author's Purpose
Two texts are presented:
Text A: A documentary explains how automation is replacing jobs but increasing productivity.
Text B: A personal essay describes a worker who loses a job to automation but retrains for a new career.
What central idea is shared across both texts?
A. Automation only creates negative outcomes for workers
B. Technology has no impact on employment trends
C. Automation changes the workforce in both positive and challenging ways
D. Workers are unable to adapt to technological change
C. Automation changes the workforce in both positive and challenging ways
Same as theme, but focused on factual/main idea instead of life lesson.
Central Idea