Context Clues
Just seconds after the engines lost power, the spaceship started to plunge toward Earth.
What does the word plunge mean in this sentence?
a) to fly gracefully
b) to explode
c) to push into something quickly
d) to fall suddenly from a high place
What is d) to fall suddenly from a high place
Choose the word that matches all three meanings below:
-a movement on the surface of water
-a movement of the hand
-to move in an air current
a) ripple
b) shake
c) wave
d) grab
What is c) wave
Erika was ________ with her little sister for getting them in trouble.
Complete the sentence with the strongest word.
a) annoyed
b)upset
c) angry
d) furious
What is d) furious
Hockey is a fast, physical game played on a solid ice surface. There are six players on the ice per team, including a goalie who tries to keep the other team from putting the puck in the net. Each team tries to score more goals than the other team. If a player breaks a rule, the referee can call a penalty. That player then has to go to the penalty box as a punishment!
This passage is mainly about:
a) the rules of hockey
b) the history of hockey
c) the toughness of hockey
What is a) the rules of hockey
Exercise is good for your health. Not exercising can lead to poor health. People don't have to play a sport or run for exercise. They can do very simple things like go for a walk every day or play catch with a friend. The important thing is to move your body regularly-whether you exercise in the morning, in the afternoon, or at night.
From the passage, I can infer that
a) the author exercises often
b) the author thinks people are unhealthy
c) the author thinks people should exercise
What is c) The author thinks people should exercise
Mickey tried to sit in the empty seat, but the woman at the table shook her head and said it was occupied.
What does the word occupied mean in this sentence?
a) available
b) not clean
c) being used by someone
d) new
What is c) being used by someone
Choose the word that matches all three meaning below:
-very thin
-very good
-elegant
a) short
b) tiny
c) fine
d) small
What is c) fine
Miriam knew her son would cling to her when she dropped him off at his new school.
Why does the author use the word cling instead of "hold on" in the sentence above?
a) to show that the child will hold his mother loosely
b) to show that the child will jump into his mother's arms
c) to show that the child will hold his mother playfully
d) to show that the child will grip his mother tightly
What is d) to show that the child will grip his mother tightly
Have you ever wondered what clouds are made of? Clouds are water floating in the sky! Every cloud is made of billions of tiny droplets of water or frozen ice crystals. If the droplets are close enough together, they form larger drops-and fall as rain or snow, depending on how cold the air is. Some clouds touch the ground as fog. Other clouds are as high up as 16,500 feet or more.
This passage is mainly about:
a) how clouds form fog
b) water and ice crystals
c) clouds
What is c) Clouds
Zebras are known for their black and white stripes. People used to think the stripes were a type of camouflage that made it difficult for other animals to hunt zebras. Others thought the stripes kept a zebra's temperature low. Many scientists now think the stripes keep blood-sucking flies away. How? Scientists are still trying to figure that out!
From the passage, I can infer:
a) zebras don't need camouflage
b) scientists are learning more about zebras
c) zebra stripes have no real purpose
What is b)scientists are learning more about zebras
Grandma stepped around the toys and books on the floor and asked, "Why is there so much clutter in your room?"
In this sentence, clutter is
a) something you can read
b) a mess
c) a normal part of your bedroom
d) furniture
What is b) a mess
For some reason, they built a _____ on the _____ of a river.
Choose the word that fits both blanks correctly.
a) house
b) road
c) stream
d) bank
What is d) bank
Not only did Ellen have a toothache, she also had measles, which just added to her misery.
Why does the author use the word misery instead of "unhappiness" in the sentence above.
a) to show that Ellen is recovering
b) to show that Ellen is really suffering
c) to show that Ellen uncomfortable
d) to show that Ellen is reading
b) to show that Ellen is really suffering
In addition to their value as jewels, diamonds are also the hardest known natural substance on Earth. They are so hard, diamonds are used to drill through rocks and metal! Diamonds are actually crystals of carbon that have been heated and squeezed under the ground for many, many years. The carbons that make up a diamond are strongly bonded together, giving the diamond its hardness.
This passage is mainly about:
a) jewels made of diamonds
b) the hardness of diamonds
c) using diamonds for drilling
What is b) the hardness of diamonds
Every year there is a hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean. Each of these giant storms gets a name. They are named in alphabetical order. For instance, in 2018, the storms will be named Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Debby, and so on, taking turns between a boy's name and a girl's name. If a hurricane causes enough damage, its name will never be used again.
From this passage, I can infer that the 10th hurricane in a season may be named:
a) Joyce
b) Kirk
c) Leslie
What is a) Joyce
Nancy has the talent and fierce ambition to become one of the best singers in the world.
What does the word ambition mean?
a) strong motivation and dedication
b) a set of skills
c) a strong dislike
d) a feeling of anger
What is a) strong motivation and dedication
We should check our tires before we leave town.
In which sentence is check used the same as above?
a) Make sure you check your work before you turn it in.
b) I have to check with my mom to see if I can spend the night.
c) He didn't have any cash, so he wrote a check.
d). Ian put a check next to everything on his list.
What is a) Make sure you check your work before turning it in.
Knowing the school bus would soon be arriving, Jasmine made one last frantic search for her homework.
Choose the word that means the same as frantic.
a) relaxed
b) honest
c) worried
d) useless
What is c) worried
Where do coins come from? New coins are punched out of metal sheets. At this point, the coins are called "blanks" because their surfaces are blank. The blanks are heated, washed, and dried. Next, they are squeezed along their edges to create tiny rims. Then, during the striking process, the blanks are stamped with designs. This turns them into coins! Finally, the coins are inspected, counted, and bagged.
Which set of words describes steps in the coin-making process in the correct order?
a) stamp, dry, count
b) heat, stamp, punch
c) punch, wash, strike
What is c, punch was, strike
Titanic was a huge passenger ship that sank on its first voyage in 1912. At the time, it was the largest ship ever built. At 11:40 p.m. on April 14, Titanic struck an iceberg in the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean. More than 2, 200 people were on board, but there were only enough lifeboats for 1,178. Within a few hours of hitting the iceberg, Titanic sank into the sea. More than 1,500 lives were lost.
It can be inferred that:
a) too many people were on board the Titanic
b) Titanic needed more lifeboats
c) lifeboats don't save lives.
What is b) Titanic need more lifeboats
Patti Jo says she will never go on a boat again. The last time she went, her face turned green, and she felt queasy during the whole trip!
What does queasy mean?
a) tired
b) calm
c) safe
d) sick
What is d) sick
Gill can barely hold his breath underwater for a second.
In which sentence does the word second have the same meaning that it does in the sentence above?
a) Our seats are in the second row.
b) James hit the winning shot with only one second left in the game.
c)Morgan got back in the lunch line to see if she could get a second helping.
d) Abe stole second base.
What is b) James hit the winning shot with only one second left in the game.
The man confessed to the detectives that he had robbed more than 15 banks.
Why does the author use the phrases "confessed to" instead of "told" in the sentence above?
a) to show the man is tired of talking
b) to show that the man didn't want to say he did anything wrong.
c) to show that the man admitted he did something wrong
d) to show that the man respects the detectives
Known as the "Big Ditch," the Panama Canal is a famous shipping waterway in Central America. It allows ships to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean-without having to sail thousands of miles around the tip of South America! The canal is about 51 miles long. It took about 10 years to dig and build. The canal was finally completed in 1914. Thousands of ships have sailed through it.
What is the purpose of the Panama Canal"
a) It allows ships to travel between two oceans.
b) It helps ships travel around South America
c) It saves 51 miles in travel.
a) It allows ships to travel between two oceans.
It is 1,135 miles from Los Angeles, California, to Seattle, Washington. Driving from Los Angeles, you will pass through many cities on your way to Seattle. You will drive through California's capital, Sacramento, before entering Oregon, home to cities like Eugene, Salem (its capital), and Portland. Then you will drive through Olympia, the capital of Washington. Finally, you will arrive in Seattle!
From the passage, I can infer that
a)Oregon has three main cities
b) Los Angeles is a bigger city than Seattle
c) Oregon is between California and Washington
What is c) Oregon is between California and Washington