GUESS THE MEANING 1
Some owls have long, vicious TALONS. They use them to catch mice to eat. They also use them to defend their nests against enemies.
a. eyes b. knives c. heads d. claws
D. CLAWS
Plennie Wingo was a PEDESTRIAN who liked to do things differently. He once walked eight thousand miles. He went backward all the way.
a. tribe b. walker c. pitcher d. flyer
B. WALKER
Paul Revere is known as a patriot. But not many people know that he is some EXOTIC things. Some of the strangest ones were making false teeth and shipping ice to hot countries.
a. silver b. warm c. unhappy d. unusual
D. UNUSUAL
People often think that the song about Casey Jones is not true. But the railroad BALLAD tells of a real person. A man named John Luther Jones really saved many lives during the railroad wreck.
a. shipping company b. poem that was sung
c. unsolved mystery d. bravery
B. A POEM THAT WAS SUNG
Nothing HUMILIATES a young man more than having his voice break. These sudden changes from a low voice to a high, squeaky voice occur when a young man grows thicker, longer muscles in his vocal cords.
a. embarrasses b. grows c. jokes d. voices
A. EMBARRASSES
On the ocean, distance is measured in NAUTICAL miles. This kind of mile is about 800 feet longer than the mile used for measuring land.
a. sea b. whale c. shorter d. probably untrue
A. SEA
The tall buildings called skyscrapers might not have been built without the Chicago Fire of 1871. The fire DEVASTATED the wooden buildings of the city. The first skyscraper was built on the ruins of the fire.
a. built b. designed c. destroyed d. sold
C. DESTROYED
Eli Whitney was INGENIOUS. Not only did he invent the cotton gin, but he also produced the first working model of it in only ten days.
a. unhappily married b. born in the South c. a cloth maker d. very clever
D. VERY CLEVER
The creature known as daddy longlegs is not a true spider. Its legs are too long and slender. Its body isn't divided into two SEGMENTS like the body of a true spider.
a. leaves b. sections c. legs d. eyes
B. SECTIONS
It is not against the law to MUTILATE coins or paper money. But it is against the law to use money that has been marked or damaged.
a. cut up or change b. spend
c. save in banks d. play cards with
A. CUT UP OR CHANGE
Scientists have wondered how the moon came to be. More and more facts REINFORCE the idea that the moon was probably created by a tremendous crash. A planet the size of Mars hit Earth, and the moon broke off from the Earth.
a. plan b. send c. trim d. support
D. SUPPORT
The king cobra is a very dangerous snake. Its bite can kill an elephant in three hours. Most animals attack only when threatened. But the king cobra will attack without being PROVOKED.
a. rescued b. given a reason c. affected d.poisoned
B. GIVEN A REASON
Cinderella is a UNIVERSAL story that exists in many languages. Only in the French tale is the slipper made of glass. In other languages the show is made of fur.
a. gloomy b. capital c. sneaky d. worldwide
d. WORLDWIDE
One of the most dangerous FICTIONS people still believe is that a drowning person will rise three times. This belief cost the life of a swimmer in trouble.
a. untruths b. toys
c.lifesaving devices d. swimming holes
A. UNTRUTHS
No snowflake is like any other snowflake. Each one has a UNIQUE shape of its own.
a. clear b. usual c. different d. high
C. DIFFERENT
Someday a computer in your car may tell you where you're going. An arrow will move across the computer map, showing where the car is. You won't see many of these computers in cars soon, however. Their car is PROHIBITIVE.
a. lost all the time b. too high c. cheap d. fast
B. TOO HIGH
The Declaration of Independence is dated July 4, 1776, But it wasn't UNANIMOUSLY approved on that day. It wasn't until later that all members of Congress voted for it.
a. 100% agreed b.happily c. without help d. in any way
A. 100% AGREED
Eating ice cream on a hot day may give you the ILLUSION of cooling you off. But in spite of this feeling, eating ice cream only makes you hotter.
a. misktaken idea b. best way c. stains d. inventor
A. MISTAKEN IDEA
There will always be CONTROVERSY about whether hot food is better than cold food. In terms of food value, there is no argument. Both are equally good for you.
a. cooks b. mistake
c. regions in France d. difference in opinion
D. DIFFERENCE IN OPINION
The killer whale deserves its name in the wild. There it destroys dolphins, birds, and fish. But a captured killer whale is MEEK and friendly to people.
a. necessary b. mean
c. quietly obedient d. easily discouraged
C. QUIETLY OBEDIENT
Lincoln's PROCLAMATION ending slavery had no immediate effect. His announcement was made in the middle of the Civil War. The South ignored the order.
a. secret message b. official, public order
c. review of the war d. loud voice
B. OFFICIAL, PUBLIC ORDER
Many people think that black cats bring bad luck. But in some fishing towns in England, people say they are good OMENS. Women keep the cats to bring good luck to the men at sea.
a. laughter b. mysteries c. signs d. fish
C. SIGNS
Lord Byron was a famous poet. He died in Greece during a war for independence. He didn't die of wounds, though. His INCOMPETENT doctors bled him to death.
a. genuine b. poorly skilled c. independent d. lazy
B. POORLY SKILLED