Test Taking Vocabulary
Context Clues
Author's Purpose
Inferences
Misc.
100
What does "infer" mean?
Making an educated guess about something
100
What do context clues help you to do?
They help you to figure out the meaning of an unknown word
100
What does the author's purpose tell us?
Why the author is writing it
100
What can you infer about a the dog? One hot summer day a little dog sat shaking with his tail between his legs. He look around for his owner while whimpering.
The dog is lost or scared
100
What is the mood of the following sentences? Rain tricked slowly down the window as the wind whispered softly to the trees. Animals huddled in their hideaway homes and watched the cool breeze rustling the trees.
peaceful, calm, tired
200
What does it mean for a work to be "fictional"?
It means that it is not true or fake
200
What does the word prohibitive mean? I've wanted to purchase the new Game Box since it came out last November, but up until now the price has been prohibitive.
something that is too expensive or impossible to pay
200
What are the three purposes for writing?
To persuade, to inform, to entertain
200
What can you infer about how the author feels about his girlfriend's cat? My girlfriend has this brown and white fur ball that likes to beg for attention constantly. Also, I'm pretty sure that peed to my shoes the first time I met her.
He doesn't like the cat very much
200
What is the main idea of the following paragraph? Sir Isaac Newton was contemplating the universe in his garden one day in 1665 when he noticed an apple fall from a tree. Newton wondered to himself, “Why should the apple always fall to the ground? Why does it not go sideways or upwards but directly toward the Earth’s center?” After much contemplation Newton concluded that objects are pulled to the Earththrough a force that he called gravity, which means heaviness in Latin. On July 5th, 1687 Newtonformally expressed his law of universal gravitation in series of books called The Principia.
Sir Isaac Newton discovered gravity when he saw an apple fall from a tree.
300
What does it mean to "compare"?
to show how two things are similar
300
Bruce did not want to help clean up the trash by the river, but the principal told him that since he chose to skip classes on Friday, his participation in the event would be compulsory. What does the word compulsory mean?
mandatory or required
300
What purpose is the author writing for in the following sentences? Everyone should have a pet. They are fun and have even have stress reducing benefits as well.
Persuading
300
Mr. Johnson looked up at the sky. The insatiable sun drained the land of all moisture. He cursed the sun. Mr. Johnson ran his fingers through one of the rows of dirt and grabbed a handful. It was bone dry, almost powdery. Mr. Johnson put his hands on his hips and surveyedthe field. It was well seeded, that he knew. He had seeded it himself, yet nothing sprang from the dirt. What can we infer is Mr. Johnson's job?
a farmer
300
What is theme?
The main idea or big idea that a piece is about
400
What does it mean to make a "prediction"?
To say what you think will happen next?
400
The students were angry that the principal deprived everyone of prom because of the actions of a few individuals What does deprived mean?
lacking a particular benefit, took away the privilege
400
What is the author's purpose for writing the following sentences? Did you know that tomatoes are actually a part of the fruit family? Since they contain seeds and grow like fruits, they are not considered vegetables.
to inform
400
As we walked into the dusty library, I began to sneeze. My eyes started to water and my throat became scratchy. What can we infer about what was happening to me?
I was allergic to the dust.
400
What is the climax of a story?
the most suspenseful part of a story
500
What does it mean to "summarize"?
To retell the main idea of a story or article in your own words
500
When around his coworkers, Alan said that he agreed with the boss's new policy, but his candid opinion was that it would drive away customers. What does candid mean?
truthful
500
What is the author's purpose of the following sentences? Once upon a time a little girl went on a long walk in the forest and soon found herself lost. She was so scared and alone.
to entertain
500
When you are asked a question about making inferences, what is the first thing that you should do?
look back in the text for evidence
500
What are the sequence of events in a story called?
the plot
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