RL.6.4 Meanings
In the sentence, “The truth slipped through his fingers like water,” what deeper meaning does the figurative language convey?
A. He never cared about the truth.
B. He tried to hold onto something that could not be kept.
C. He didn’t understand the information.
D. The truth was physically wet.
B. He tried to hold onto something that could not be kept.
In the sentence, “The population declined steadily over the decade,” the word “declined” MOST nearly means—
A. moved in patterns
B. decreased
C. disappeared suddenly
D. rose quickly
B. decreased
Which context clue BEST helps determine the meaning of “inevitable”?
A. “every attempt to stop it failed”
B. “people waited patiently”
C. “the day grew longer”
D. “she wanted the storm to come”
A. “every attempt to stop it failed”
Which word has the MOST positive connotation?
A. thin
B. skinny
C. slender
D. scrawny
C. slender
Which revision uses the MOST academic vocabulary?
Original: “The plants grew fast.”
A. The plants grew really fast.
B. The plants grew at a rapid rate.
C. The plants grew quickly.
D. The plants grew a lot.
B. The plants grew at a rapid rate.
A narrator describes a character’s fear as “a shadow that followed him everywhere.”
Which idea is MOST supported by this metaphor?
A. The fear was only temporary.
B. The fear was a constant presence.
C. The character feared the dark.
D. The shadow protected him.
B. The fear was a constant presence.
Which phrase BEST helps determine the meaning of “stabilized”?
A. “after several unpredictable shifts”
B. “the results stayed consistent afterward”
C. “the students wrote observations”
D. “the scientist restarted the test”
B. “the results stayed consistent afterward”
Which strategy would BEST help determine the meaning of the word “reconstruct”?
A. Look for the prefix
B. Guess based on sound
C. Skip the word entirely
D. Change it to another verb
A. Look for the prefix (prefix re = again)
Which sentence contains figurative language?
A. The snow covered the field.
B. The snow whispered secrets as it fell.
C. The snow fell last night.
D. The snow was cold.
B. The snow whispered secrets as it fell.
Which sentence uses precise language?
A. The animal did stuff to survive.
B. The animal used specific behaviors to survive harsh conditions.
C. The animal survived.
D. The animal did things because it had to.
B. The animal used specific behaviors to survive harsh conditions.
Read the excerpt:
“Her patience frayed at the edges as the hours dragged on.”
Which sentence BEST explains the figurative meaning?
A. She became slightly tired.
B. Her patience weakened slowly over time.
C. She felt like her clothes were tearing.
D. Her patience improved as the day continued.
B. Her patience weakened slowly over time.
Read the excerpt:
“The glacier’s retreat has accelerated, meaning it is shrinking more rapidly each year.”
Which strategy is used to determine “accelerated”?
A. Example
B. Definition
C. Compare/contrast
D. Cause and effect
B. Definition
In the sentence, “His comment was ambiguous, leaving everyone unsure of his meaning,”
What does “ambiguous” mean?
A. rude
B. unclear
C. helpful
D. unnecessary
B. unclear
Read the sentence:
“Worry prowled at the edges of her mind.”
What does the personification suggest?
A. She forgot about her problem.
B. Her worry felt active and threatening.
C. She was literally being followed.
D. Her worry was weak and fading.
B. Her worry felt active and threatening.
What is the MOST academic replacement for “got better”?
A. improved
B. got good
C. got fixed
D. got okay
A. improved
In a story, the author writes, “The argument lit a spark inside her.”
Which interpretation MOST accurately reflects the figurative meaning?
A. She became inspired or motivated to act.
B. She caught on fire.
C. She stopped talking.
D. She calmed down immediately.
A. She became inspired or motivated to act.
What does “essential” MOST likely mean in the sentence:
“Clean water is essential for maintaining community health.”
A. Optional
B. Required
C. Expensive
D. Convenient
B. Required
What is the BEST meaning of “preliminary findings” in a science report?
A. final results
B. early results before the study ends
C. results rejected by researchers
D. results only used in textbooks
B. early results before the study ends
Which sentence BEST analyzes the figurative meaning of “His excitement bubbled over”?
A. He was boiling water.
B. He became overwhelmed with excitement.
C. He stopped talking.
D. He became nervous.
B. He became overwhelmed with excitement.
Which sentence demonstrates the strongest academic vocabulary for argumentative writing?
A. I think this is good.
B. This is important because it matters.
C. This evidence strongly supports the conclusion.
D. The topic is interesting.
C. This evidence strongly supports the conclusion.
An author uses the phrase “his words were anchors” when the character speaks during a crisis.
Which interpretation BEST analyzes the metaphor?
A. His words were heavy and hard to understand.
B. His words kept others steady during a stressful moment.
C. His words dragged people into danger.
D. His words were boring.
B. His words kept others steady during a stressful moment.
Which context clue MOST strongly supports an accurate definition of “sporadic”?
A. “appearing only at irregular intervals”
B. “recorded in the data table”
C. “compared to last year’s results”
D. “approved by officials”
A. “appearing only at irregular intervals”
A student reads, “The evidence was substantial, strongly supporting the claim.”
What strategy MOST accurately determines the meaning of “substantial”?
A. Using the descriptive clue “strongly supporting”
B. Guessing because it sounds formal
C. Removing the suffix
D. Looking only at the sentence before it
A. Using the descriptive clue “strongly supporting”
An author uses the phrase “an avalanche of information” to describe a presentation.
Which interpretation BEST explains the connotation?
A. The information was small and harmless.
B. The information was overwhelming and difficult to manage.
C. The information was cold and about mountains.
D. The information came slowly over time.
B. The information was overwhelming and difficult to manage.
A student revises: “The results were weird, and nobody understood them.”
Which revision BEST meets L.6.6 expectations?
A. The results were weird, and they confused us.
B. The results were unexpected and required additional analysis.
C. The results were weird, and we didn’t know why.
D. The results were so weird they surprised everyone.
B. The results were unexpected and required additional analysis.