Context Clues
The ARID desert had almost no rainfall, so only cacti and lizards could survive,”
The word arid most likely means this.
Answer: What is dry (or lacking moisture)?
What does cutting corners mean?
Doing something poorly in order to save time or money
This word can mean to hit something lightly or a faucet that provides water.
Answer: What is tap?
“Maya had always felt nervous about speaking in front of groups. When her English teacher assigned a five-minute presentation on a topic of her choice, she chose renewable energy and began preparing right away. She researched solar and wind power, created simple slides, and practiced her speech out loud every night for a week. On the day of the presentation she still felt her heart racing, so she took several deep breaths before she started. She spoke clearly, made eye contact, and answered two questions from classmates. Afterward her teacher praised her organization and her classmates applauded. Maya later said the experience made her more confident about future presentations.”
Answer: What is “Maya overcame her fear of public speaking by researching renewable energy, practicing for a week, using deep breathing, and successfully delivering a clear presentation that earned praise”?
There was a heavy thunderstorm, the wind snorted outside, rattling my windowpanes.
What type of figurative language is it?
Personification
After weeks of practice, Maya finally mastered the difficult piano piece” —
Using context clues, what does mastered mean?
Answer: What is learned it completely / became skilled at it?
What does go back to the drawing board mean?
Start over
This word can mean to stop briefly or a button on a remote control.
Answer: What is pause?
Read the passage and give a summary that includes the main idea and at least three supporting details:
“Recycling programs help communities reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. When residents separate paper, plastic, glass, and metal, those materials can be processed and turned into new products instead of being thrown away. Many cities report that regular recycling also lowers energy use because making items from recycled materials requires less energy than starting with raw resources. In addition, recycling decreases pollution linked to mining and manufacturing. Some schools and neighborhoods have started collection contests to encourage more participation and have seen measurable drops in the volume of trash collected each month.”
What is “Recycling reduces landfill waste by turning paper, plastic, glass, and metal into new products, saves energy compared with using raw materials, lowers pollution, and can be increased through community contests”?
Paula's prancing pony out-performed all the others.
What type of figurative language is it?
Alliteration
Even though the movie received mediocre reviews, many people still enjoyed watching it.”
Using context clues, what does Mediocre mean?
Answer: What is average / ordinary / not great but not terrible?
What does on the ball mean?
Doing something good
This word can mean a round object used in sports or a formal dance.
Answer: What is ball?
Read the passage and summarize the main idea along with at least three key details:
“Jamal wanted to raise his grade in biology before the end of the semester. He began reviewing his class notes for twenty minutes every day after school and highlighted important vocabulary. Twice a week he met with a study group where students quizzed one another and explained difficult concepts such as cell division and ecosystems. He also completed all of the optional practice worksheets his teacher posted online. By the final exam his scores had improved by more than fifteen points, and he reported feeling more confident answering questions in class. His teacher noted that consistent daily review and peer discussion had made the biggest difference.”
What is “Jamal improved his biology grade by reviewing notes daily, joining a study group twice a week, completing extra worksheets, and gaining confidence, which raised his scores by over fifteen points”?
This house of cards is as sturdy as an oak.
What type of figurative language is it?
Simile
The reluctant student finally agreed to present after his teacher offered extra credit.”
From the context, what does reluctant mean?
Answer: What is unwilling / hesitant?
What does a perfect storm mean?
the worst possible situation
Give two meanings for the word patient
1. a person receiving medical care” (the patient in a hospital).
2.
Read the passage and provide a summary with the main idea and at least three supporting details:
“Social media platforms allow people to stay in touch with friends and family who live in other cities or countries through messages, photos, and video calls. At the same time, researchers have found that spending several hours a day scrolling can increase feelings of stress and anxiety for some teenagers. Heavy use may also reduce time spent in face-to-face conversations and outdoor activities. Many mental-health experts therefore recommend setting daily time limits, turning off notifications during homework, and taking regular breaks from screens. Schools that have taught these strategies report that students often feel more focused and less overwhelmed.”
What is “Social media helps people stay connected across distances but can increase stress and reduce in-person time, so experts recommend time limits, turning off notifications, and taking breaks, which schools say help students feel more focused”?
Her long hair was a flowing golden river.
What type of figurative language is it?
Metaphor
Because the evidence was only circumstantial, the lawyer argued that it did not directly prove her client’s guilt.”
Using context clues, what does Circumstantial mean?
Answer: containing information, especially about a crime, that makes you think something is true but does not completely prove it:
What does add insult to injury mean?
to make a bad situation worse
Give two meanings for the word date?
1. a particular point in time
2. An appointment to meet for a social event.
Answer: What is “Aisha’s experiment showed that plants grow taller with more sunlight; she tested three light levels, measured height weekly for three weeks, found the brightest plant grew most, and presented the results in a bar graph”?
The road ahead was a ribbon stretching across the desert.
What type of figurative language is it?
Metaphor