DEFINITIONS
IN
CONTEXT
SYNONYMS
ANTONYMS
FIGURATIVE
LANGUAGE
100
What word means "to rule as a king or queen"?

A. Guardian

B.  Navigate

C.  Reign

D. Protagonist

C. Reign

100
Robert was concerned when the other team won the coin toss.  The situation escalated when they scored three runs in the first inning.  What does "escalated" mean?

A.  Got better

B.  Concluded

C. Became worse

D.  Began

C. Became worse

100

What is a synonym for "identify"?

A.  Endanger

B.  Detect

C.   Taunt

D.  Deprive

B. Detect

To "detect" means to discover or identify the presence or existence of something.

100

What is an antonym for "reassure"?

A.  Feeble

B.  Revert

C.  Petrify

D.  Crave

C.  Petrify

To "petrify" is to scare, which is the opposite of to "reassure".

100

What word means "a comparison using like or as"?

A.  Simile

B.  Metaphor

C.  Personification

D.  Onomatopoeia

A. Simile

Example: 

Sara smiled like an angel.

200

A narrow valley between hills or mountains, typically with steep, rocky walls, and a stream running through it.

A. Preserve

B.  Tropical

C.  Altitude

D.  Gorge

D. Gorge

200

Brooke assumed her mother would be waiting for her when she exited the library, but she was wrong.What does the word “assumed” mean?

A.  To believe to be true without proof

B.  To become upset with a situation

C.  To wish something would happen

D.  To expect the worst of a situation

A. To believe to be true without proof

200

What is a synonym for "careful"?

A.  Exasperate

B.  Translate

C. Obsolete

D.  Thrifty

D. Thrifty

"Thrifty" means using money and other resources carefully and not wastefully.

200

Which is an antonym for "live"?

A.  Jubilation

B.  Perish

C.  Independent

D.  Intercept

B. Perish

To "perish" means to die, which is the opposite of to "live".

200

What word means "to take on human characteristics"?

A.  Simile

B.  Metaphor

C.  Personification

D.  Onomatopoeia

C.  Personification

Example:  The wind whistles through the trees.

300

What word means "no longer produced or used"?

A.  Obsolete

B.  Assume

C.  Perish

D.  Reassure

A. Obsolete

300

Jenna was a half-hour late for the movie.  Her mother didn’t believe her feeble excuse about washing her hair.  What does the word “feeble” mean?

A.  Late

B.  Weak  

C.  Annoying 

D.  Quiet 



B. Weak

300

What is a synonym for "change"?

A.  Preserve

B.  Apparent

C.  Alternate

D.  Solitary

C.  Alternate

To "alternate" means to change back and forth between conditions or actions.

300

What is an antonym for "ordinary"?

A. Convert

B.  Retire

C.  Challenge

D.  Impressive

D.  Impressive

To be "impressive" is to be awesome, which is the opposite of "ordinary".

300

Betsy sat quietly in her chair and read a book.  Her teacher said she was an angel.

1.  Which words represent the metaphor in this excerpt?

2.  What does this metaphor emphasize about Betsy?

1. The metaphor is "she was an angel".  A metaphor is a comparison where one thing "is" something else.

2.  The metaphor emphasizes that Betsy is being good.

400

To remove earth carefully and systematically from an area in order to find buried remains. What word does this define?

A.  Industrious

B.  Excavate

C.  Summit

D.  Exasperate

B. Excavate

400

The steak was so sparse that mother wondered if it would feed her family.  What does the word “sparse” mean?

A.  Thin

B.  Delicious 

C. Raw 

D. Overdone 

A. Thin

400

What is a synonym for "calm"?

A. Nonchalant

B. Translate

C. Exult

D. Approximate

A. Nonchalant

"Nonchalant" means feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed.

400

What is an antonym for "often"?

A.  Retain

B.  Bland

C. Seldom

D.  Complly

C. Seldom

Seldom means not very often

400

Tim exited the room.  Bam went the door!

1.  Which word represents the onomatopoeia in this excerpt?

2.   What does this example of onomatopoeia tell us about the way Tim is feeling?

1.  "Bam" is the onomatopoeia in this sentence.  Onomatopoeia devices are sound words that sound the way they are spelled like sizzle, boom, and bang.  

2.  This word tells us that Tim is angry because he slammed the door.

500

What word means "to walk in a slow, relaxed manner, without hurry or effort"?

A.  Saunter

B.  Challenge

C.  Preserve

D.  Resemble

A. Saunter

500

Brett was tempted to evade his brother’s question because he was unsure of the answer.  What does  the word “evade” mean?

A.  Examine

B.  Answer 

C.  Interrupt  

D.  Avoid  

D. Avoid

500

What is a synonym for "annoy"?

A.  Reliable

B.  Suffocate

C.  Exasperate

D.  Approximate

C.  Exasperate

To "exasperate" means to annoy or anger.

500

What is an antonym for "stationary"?

A.  Compensate

B.  Resemble

C.  Sever

D.  Portable

D. Portable

"Portable" means able to move, which is the opposite of "stationary".

500

Ella wanted to get out of work on time.  She filed all of the folders as quick as a bunny. She was a star worker.

1.  Which words represent the simile in this excerpt?

2.  What does the simile tell us about Ella?

1.  The simile is "as quick as a bunny". A simile is a comparison using "like" or "as".  "She was a star worker" is a metaphor, not a simile.

2.  The simile tells us that Ella is working very quickly.