Using Context Clues
Definition of "verbatim"
Ex.: "When the teacher spoke the directions verbatim, she also had the exact same thing written on the worksheet she gave to each student."
A. loudly
B. word for word
C. clearly
D. angrily
What is "B. word for word"?
Why does Jack think it isn’t easy going through life with the name Jack Russell?
A. because it is also the name of a president.
B. because it is also the name of a famous actor.
C. because it is also the name of a type of dog.
D. because it is also the name of a video game.
What is "C. because it is also the name of a type of dog."?
Read the following sentence: “Amy, the more realistic of the two, did a quick estimate, thumbing through the wad of cash.”
In this sentence, the word realistic means:
A. seeing things as they really are
B. having an adventurous spirit
C. knowing how to hold a conversation
D. older and having more experience
What is "A. seeing things as they really are"?
A. the brain’s ability to make language
B. the link between the brain and body
C. the brain’s ability to adapt
D. the brain’s ability to read
What is "C. the brain’s ability to adapt"?
Definition of "Conspicuous"
Ex.: "The conspicuous man wore a purple wig and large sunglasses."
A. beautiful
B. sleepy
C. easily noticed
D. upbeat
What is "C. easily noticed"?
Synonym for "Tactic".
Ex. "His dad, who hadn’t minded being Jack Russell III, had a different tactic. He tried to make him proud of the name with stories about the original Jack Russell - sailor, war hero, and inventor."
A. story
B. punishment
C. strategy
D. goal
What is "C. strategy"?
How much money did Amy and Charlie find?
A. hundreds of dollars
B. a hundred dollars
C. more than a million dollars
D. thousands of dollars
What is "D. thousands of dollars"?
The author describes how neurons in your brain are activated in a pattern when you do a certain task, which makes the connections between those neurons stronger. What example does the author give to support this idea?
A. When you throw a ball, your brain remembers how to do that task, so it’s easier the next time.
B. When you meet a new person, your brain has lots of stored information about how to talk to new people.
C. Your brain can remember facts and figures, like the year that a war started, so that memorizing dates becomes easier.
D. When you learn how to swim, your brain remembers that pattern of action so that it can avoid it in the future.
What is "A. When you throw a ball, your brain remembers how to do that task, so it’s easier the next time"?
Define "precariously".
Ex.: "The scared rock climber balanced precariously on the edge of the cliff."
A. gracefully
B. dangerously
C. hopefully
D. lazily
What is "B. dangerously"?
How did Jack Russell’s name make him feel about bizarre names of places?
A. confused, because none of them made sense
B. upset, because he would refuse to visit any of them
C. excited, because he would name his toys after them
D. interested, because he loved to learn about them
What is "D. interested, because he loved to learn about them"?
Which of the following conclusions about the wallet is supported by the passage?
A. Amy purposely hid a wallet in a flowerbed so that Charlie could find it.
B. Charlie knew the person who lost the wallet but didn’t want to tell Amy.
C. The wallet was filled with counterfeit money that looked like real money.
D. Amy and Charlie were originally planning to keep the wallet.
What is "D. Amy and Charlie were originally planning to keep the wallet"?
Synonym for "activate".
Ex.: "As a result, it becomes easier for your brain to activate the same pattern in the future."
A. translate
B. determine
C. initiate
D. cancel
What is "C. initiate"?
Definition of "Sedentary".
Ex. "Doctors recommend that everyone exercise every day -- particularly those who spend many hours doing sedentary activities like reading, watching television, or playing video games."
A. energetic
B. difficult/vigorous
C. inactive/stationary
D. boring
What is "C. inactive/stationary"?
Why is it funny when Ciara says “Wow! That’s my dog’s name!”?
A. because Jack had changed his name to Harry so he would no longer have a dog’s name
B. because Ciara had a Jack Russell Terrier that she named Jack Russell, the same as the boy’s name
C. because Ciara did not have a dog but she said that because she wanted to make fun of Jack
D. because Harry is another type of dog and Jack hadn’t realized that when he changed his name
What is "A. because Jack had changed his name to Harry so he would no longer have a dog’s name"?
Which statement best describes the main idea of this passage?
A. Two friends find a wallet and try to decide what to do next.
B. A sister and brother talk about their dreams for the future.
C. Two people have a secret and don’t want to share it with anyone.
D. Someone drops a wallet on the sidewalk and can’t find it.
What is "A. Two friends find a wallet and try to decide what to do next"?
What is the relationship between your mindset and the way your brain functions?
A. Your mindset is not related to how the brain functions.
B. Your mindset can impact how the brain expands its capabilities.
C. Your mindset can confuse the brain and make it shut down.
D. Your mindset can make it harder for the brain to remember certain numbers.
What is "B. Your mindset can impact how the brain expands its capabilities"?
Definition of "adroit".
Ex. "Mike always had terrible aim, but after two summers at a baseball camp, he is now an adroit pitcher."
A. careless
B. inexperienced
C. lazy
D. skillful
What is "D. skillful"?
What is one theme of this text?
A. Don’t change based on what others think, because people have many different perspectives.
B. You should always judge people based on what they do, and never on what they say.
C. You should make sure to stay friends with the people who know how to make you laugh.
D. If something doesn’t work the first time, don’t give up, and keep trying until it does.
What is "A. Don’t change based on what others think, because people have many different perspectives"?
What is the effect of Amy and Charlie finding the wallet?
A. They become angry at each other and argue about what to buy.
B. They feel excited and later worry about what to do.
C. They get scared that someone saw them pick up the wallet.
D. They are happy that they can return the wallet to the owner.
What is "B. They feel excited and later worry about what to do"?
What is the main idea of this text?
A. Neuroplasticity is the idea that neurons, which are the building blocks of the human brain and nervous system, can adapt.
B. A growth mindset is the name for an approach to life where you view mistakes as opportunities to learn.
C. Sometimes, making mistakes can be dangerous, and in those situations, the brain can’t learn from mistakes.
D. Because of neuroplasticity, the brain can strengthen certain neural connections as it learns from mistakes.
What is "D. Because of neuroplasticity, the brain can strengthen certain neural connections as it learns from mistakes"?