*MUST READ
The meaning of unknown words which you come across
in your reading sometimes can be known by their surroundings, that is, their
contexts. The context of the sentence can tell us the part of speech of the
unknown word. Using the context of the paragraph to define unknown words can
also helpful.
Although it takes practice, it is the easiest and
most efficient way to identify words. Often, using the context is the only way
to figure out the meaning of the word as it is used in the sentence, passage,
or chapter.
Consider the word "bar". Bar is a common
word. But without surrounding words, you don't know if it describes soap, a
place that serves beer, a sand formation at the beach, a way to lock the door,
or...
Readers often have trouble because they identify
the literal but incorrect meaning of a word when they should identify the way
it was used in the passage. The following sections will give you more
explanation and some exercises on how to get help on the meaning of unknown
words by checking their part of speech and their place in context.
A. Using The Part of Speech of the unknown word as
a help in reading.
One consideration in using the context is to
determine the unknown word's part of speech. The words around the unknown word
give you clues. Once you know if the word is a noun or if it is an adjective,
it often is enough for you to continue reading intelligently without having to
stop to look up the meaning of the word. After coming across the word a few
more times, you will know its meaning more firmly than if you had just looked
it up.
In the following sentences, identify the part of
speech of the italicized words by writing N if the word is a noun, V if the
italicized word is a verb, Adj if the italicized word is an adjective, or Adv
if the italicized word is an adverb.
Example: She liked to wear red and always wore
jewelry made of carnelian. Ans. N
1. The dirty old man gave the young woman a
salacious look.
2. The president prayed for the sagacity to make
the right decision in the face of many alternatives.
3. The man looked at the rusty old gadget and
wondered how its mechanism worked.
4. The dying man designated his son to receive his
property.
5. The brindled dog barked loudly.
6. The father caressed his crying child with great
tenderness.
7. "Don’t patronize us; we are not
children!" said the angry indigenous leaders to the politicians.
8. John was a good emanuensis, always taking
dictation correctly and typing up all of his employer’s correspondence.
9. The boy was disappointed by the paltry amount he
received as an inheritance when his grandfather died.
10. The young boy ran clumsily down the hill with
his arms and legs flapping all over.
B. USING OTHER CLUES GOTTEN FROM THE TEXT
ITSELF
Knowing the part of speech of the unknown word is
not the only way to figure out its meaning. There are other clues to the
meanings of unknown words. They are found directly within a sentence,
paragraph, passage, or chapter. Being able to recognize these clues helps you
define new words in context. These clues are found right in the text and can be
words or punctuation marks or specific words or phrases.
You use them to compare words or to identify
unknown words that mean the same or the opposite of words you already know. The
clues can also be used to define unknown words that are examples of a
group.
There are five other clues that will help you: 1.
Punctuation clues, 2. Definition clues, 3. Contrast clues, 4.Comparison clues,
and 5. Example clues.
Of these types, the most important are the Contrast
clues and the Comparison Clues. The other clues are very obvious and are given
here just for the sake of completeness. The reader should concentrate on the
Contrast and the Comparison clues.
The five text based clues are useful but the most
powerful tool is the Framework based clue. This is the use of information from
your own experience, common sense, and the context in which you find the
difficult word. There will be examples of this tool at the end of the
paper.
1. Punctuation Clues
Punctuation clues are given when the unknown word
is set off by commas, parentheses, brackets, or dashes. The information
contained within the punctuation marks sometimes means the same or nearly the
same as the unknown words. Or, the unknown word might be set off from its
meaning by punctuation marks. Information set off by punctuation marks may
clarify rather than define the word. Finding these clues is not
foolproof.
Example of Punctuation Clue: Nicotine, a colorless
and oily drug in tobacco, stains the teeth of chain smokers. Explanation: The
words between the commas-a colorless and oily drug in tobacco-define nicotine
.
Punctuation Exercise: Underline the punctuation
clue that tells you the meaning of the italicized word.
1. The soldiers advanced down the small deep-sided
gulch (a narrow valley) into an ambush.
2. The philosopher Descartes helped to establish
dualism (the separation of mind and body).
3. Metamemory -knowledge about one's memory
processes-is helpful in helping us store and recall information.
4. Adjunct aids-techniques used to assist students'
comprehension of reading materials-have been found to be quite useful.
5. The deluge, a flood of rain, threatened to drown
the little town.
2. Definition Clues
Definition clues join the unknown word with the
word(s) that rename it or tell its meaning. The clues precede or follow words
that are or act like linking verbs. A linking verb shows no action but
indicates being.
Examples of these verbs are: is, was, are, means,
i.e. (that is), involves, is called, that is, or resembles.
For example: The mansion's piazza resembled a large
uncovered patio. Explanation: The word resembled joins piazza with its meaning
so it is a clue that lets us know that a piazza is a large uncovered
patio.
Definition Exercise: Use definition text-based
clues to find the meaning of the italicized word. Underline the word (or words)
that tells you the meaning of the italicized word.
1. The art, science, or profession of teaching is
called pedagogy.
2. Divergent thinking is generating many different
ideas in order to solve a problem.
3. Conservative behavior involves cautious or
conventional actions.
4. The seasonal wind of the Indian Ocean and
southern Asia is a monsoon.
5. Criterion means a standard or rule by which a
judgment is formed.
6. A souk is an open-air marketplace in North
Africa.
3. Contrast Clues
With contrast clues, you use the opposite of known
information to determine the unknown word. Connecting words like however, yet,
on the other hand, instead of, but, while, and although join the unknown word
with another word that is its opposite.
Example of Contrast Clue:
My sister is extremely neat in appearance while she
is slovenly in her housekeeping.
Explanation: The word "while" indicates
that slovenly means the opposite of neat. Thus, slovenly means sloppy or
messy.
Contrast Exercise: Determine the meaning of the
italicized word by using contrast text-based clues. Exercise Example: Although
the patron asked for a solemn poem, the poet wrote doggerel.
1.The tumor was benign; nevertheless, the doctor
decided to treat it as if it could injure the patient.
2.Some business disputes can be settled out of
court; on the other hand; others require litigation.
3. At first the labor union leaders and the factory
owners argued about pay schedules and benefits; however, they finally came to a
compromise.
4. Gina's leg muscles continued to atrophy because
of her injury, but she exercised to build up their strength.
5. Carlos acquiesced to Jane's demands instead of
standing his ground and defending his viewpoint.
4. Comparison Clues
Comparison clues indicate that two or more things
are alike. A comparison is possible because the known and unknown words have
similarities. Words like similarly, as well as, both, and likewise show you
that comparisons can be made.
Examples of Comparison Clue:
Miss Johnson is a prim, modest woman; likewise,
many of her friends are very proper.
Explanation: Likewise is used to compare prim to
proper. Proper means respectable. Thus, prim has a similar meaning.
1. The Greek vase was made of alabaster; similarly,
the Roman lamp was also of a translucent, white stone.
2. Taking out the garbage was an onerous task;
likewise, washing dishes can be a hard job.
3. Repartee, as well as other kinds of humorous
conversation, kept the talk show from becoming boring.
4. Birds are oviparous; similarly, fish and
reptiles lay eggs that hatch outside of the body.
5. Both accountants and CPA’s are necessary for a
large company’s financial office.
6. The old chair was protected by both handmade
antimacassars and other coverings.
5. Example Clues
Example clues tell you an example of an unknown
word follows. You derive the meaning of the unknown word by determining what
the examples have in common. Example clues are usually introduced by the
following words and phrases: such as, such, other, for example, and like.
Example of "Example" Clue:
Potentates-such as kings, queens, and emperors-are very powerful and wealthy
people. Explanation: Since kings, queens, and emperors are the rulers of
countries, potentates are rulers.
"Example" Clue EXERCISE: Underline the
words that explain the italicized words.
Canines, such as collies, pugs, and poodles, are
good pets.
Edifices, such as skyscrapers and condominiums, are
found in cities.
Various means of conveyance-for example, cars,
subways, and ships are used worldwide.
Nickels, dimes, dollars, and other kinds of legal
tender are used to purchase goods.
Many people enjoy eating mollusks, like clams and
snails.
Fiduciaries, like lawyers and bankers, were chosen
to manage the young heir's money.
Framework Based Clues
To find meanings from text-based clues (like
contrast clues, comparison clues, definition clues, example clues), you looked
for clues in the sentence itself. A second kind of clue does not rely on specific
words or punctuation marks to indicate meaning. This kind of context clue is
called framework-based
Your knowledge of the meanings of surrounding words
helps you discover the meaning of a word or of a sentence. The background
information you find in these frameworks helps you get the meanings of new
words. Common sense and your knowledge of the parts of speech also help in
defining unknown words. You combine your experience with what the text contains
to determine meaning.
Framework Based Clue Example: The angry driver
shouted vehemently during his fight with the other driver. What does vehemently
mean? You know what angry means, and you know how people feel when they argue.
From this, you can figure out that vehemently has something to do with strong
emotion or intense feeling. This is an example of using framework-based context
to find the meanings of new words. The meaning you find comes from your
personal experience.
Sometimes it takes a bit more detective work to
puzzle out the meaning of an unfamiliar word. In such cases, you must draw
conclusions based on the information given with the word. Asking yourself
questions about the passages may help you make a fairly accurate guess about
the meaning of the unfamiliar word. Each of the sentences below is followed by
a question. Think about each question; using your common sense and asking
yourself a question about the sentence you should be able to know the correct
meaning of the italicized word.
1. A former employee, irate over having been fired,
broke into the plant and deliberately wrecked several machines. (What would be
the employee's state of mind?)
2. John always praised his bosses; he always agreed
with what they said. He said he was just a good employee but his friends said
he was a sycophant. (What behaviors were his friends describing with the word
they put on John?)
3. The car wash we organized to raise funds was a
fiasco -it rained all day.
(How successful would a car wash be on a rainy
day?)
The first sentence provides enough evidence for you
to guess that irate means very angry. Sycophant in the second sentence means
sweet-talker. And a fiasco is a complete disaster. (These are not exact
dictionary definitions of the words. But by using context clues, but you will
often be accurate enough to make good sense of what you are reading. And the
good thing is that you save time in your reading because you don’t have to look
up every word!)
Try to answer the question that follows each item
of the list on the other side of this page. Then use the logic of each answer
to help you circle the letter of the meaning you think is correct. Note that
some of these sentences have been taken from college textbooks. This should
prove to you that your new skills in reading will help you in your college
studies. In the future you will be able to make up your own questions to help
you.
1. Jamal didn't want to tell Tina the entire plot
of the movie, so he just gave her the gist of the story. (What would Jamal say
to Tina?)
Answer the question: …………………………………………………………………
Meaning of the word:
…………………………………………………………………
2. The lizard was so lethargic that I wasn't sure
if it was alive or dead. It didn't even blink. (How active is this
lizard?)
Answer the question:
…………………………………………………………………
Meaning of the word:
…………………………………………………………………
3. After the accident, I was angered when the other
driver told the police officer a complete fabrication about what happened. He
made it seem that I was the only person at fault. (How truthful was the other driver's
information?)
Answer the question:
…………………………………………………………………
Meaning of the word:
…………………………………………………………………
4. The public knows very little about the covert
activities of CIA spies. (What kind of activities would the CIA spies be
involved in that the public wouldn't know much about?)
Answer the question:
…………………………………………………………………
Meaning of the word:
…………………………………………………………………
5. Whether or not there is life in outer space is
an enigma. We may never know for sure until we are capable of space travel or
aliens actually land on our planet. (What would we call something to which we
have no answer?)
Answer the question:
…………………………………………………………………
Meaning of the word:
…………………………………………………………………
6. Suicide rates tend to fluctuate with the seasons,
with much higher rates in the winter than in the summer. (What happens to the
suicide rate from season to season?)
Answer the question:
…………………………………………………………………
Meaning of the word:
…………………………………………………………………
7. Human beings are resilient creatures-they can
often bounce back from negative experiences and adjust well to life. (What
point is the author making about the nature of human beings ?
Answer the question:
…………………………………………………………………
Meaning of the word:
…………………………………………………………………
8. A major accomplishment of the field of sociology
is dispelling the myths and prejudices that groups of people have about each
other. (What would teachers of sociology do to "myths and prejudices"
that could be considered a "major accomplishment"?)
Answer the question:
…………………………………………………………………
Meaning of the word:
…………………………………………………………………
9. When he first heard the news that he had lost
the job, Peter showed a pugnacious attitude. But later when other alternatives
were explained to him, he became less hostile. (What attitude would you feel
when you lose your job?
Answer the question:
…………………………………………………………………
Meaning of the word: …………………………………
LESSONS
TWO
At first sight, reading comprehension tests look challenging especially if
you are given long essays to answer only two to three questions. While
reading, youA might notice your attention wandering, or you may feel sleepy. Do
not be discouraged because there are various tactics and long
range strategies that make comprehending even long, boring essays easier.
Your friends before your foes. It
is always best to tackle essays or passages with familiar subjects rather than
those with unfamiliar ones. This approach applies the same logic as tackling
easy questions before hard ones. Skip passages that do not interest you and
leave them for later when there is more time.
Don’t use
‘special’ reading techniques. This
is not the time for speed-reading or anything like that – just plain
ordinary reading – not too slow and not too fast.
Read
through the entire passage and the questions
before you do anything. Many
students try reading the questions first and then looking for answers in the
passage thinking this approach is more efficient. What these students do not
realize is that it is often hard to navigate in unfamiliar roads. If you do not
familiarize yourself with the
passage first, looking for answers become not only time consuming
but also dangerous because you might miss the context of the answer you
are looking for. If you read the questions first you will only confuse yourself
and lose valuable time.
Familiarize
yourself with reading comprehension questions.
If you are familiar with the common types of reading questions, you are able to
take note of important parts of the passage, saving time. There are six major
kinds of reading questions.
• Main Idea– Questions that ask for the central
thought or significance of the passage.
Reading 29
• Specific Details –
Questions that asks for explicitly
stated ideas.
• Drawing Inferences –
Questions that ask for a statement’s
intended meaning.
• Tone or Attitude –
Questions that test your ability to
sense the emotional state of the author.
• Context Meaning –
Questions that ask for the meaning
of a word depending on the context.
• Technique –
Questions that ask for the method of
organization or the writing style of the author.
Read.
Read. Read. The best preparation for
reading comprehension
tests is always to read, read and read. If you are not used to reading
lengthy passages, you will probably lose concentration. Increase your
attention span by making a habit out of reading.
Reading Comprehension tests become
less daunting when you have trained yourself to read and understand fast.
Always remember that it is easier to understand passages you are interested in.
Do not read through passages hastily. Make mental notes of ideas that you think
might be asked.
Reading Strategy
When facing the reading
comprehension section of a standardized test, you need a strategy to be
successful. You want to keep several steps in mind:
• First,
make a note of the time and the number of
sections. Time your work
accordingly. Typically, four to
five minutes per section is sufficient. Second, read the
directions for each selection thoroughly before beginning
(and listen well to any additional verbal instructions, as they will often
clarify obscure or confusing written guidelines). You must know exactly how to
do what you’re about to do!
• Now you’re ready to begin reading the selection.
Read the passage carefully, noting significant characters or events on a
scratch sheet of paper or underlining on the test sheet. Many students find
making a basic list in the margins helpful. Quickly jot down or
underline one-word summaries of characters, notable happenings, numbers, or key
ideas. This will help you better retain information and focus wandering
thoughts. Remember, however, that your main goal in
doing this is to find the information that answers the questions. Even if you
find the passage interesting, remember your goal and work fast but stay on
track.
• Now read
the question and all the choices. Now
you have read the passage, have a general idea of the main ideas, and have
marked the important points. Read the question and all the choices. Never
choose an answer without reading them all! Questions are often designed to
confuse – stay focused and clear. Usually the answer choices will focus on one
or two facts or inferences from the passage. Keep these clear in your
mind.
• Search
for the answer. With a very general idea of
what the different choices are, go back to the passage and scan for the
relevant information. Watch for big words, unusual or unique words. These make
your job
easier as you can scan the text for the particular word.
• Mark the
Answer. Now you have the key
information the question is looking for. Go back to the question, quickly
scan the choices and mark the correct one. Understand and practice the
different types of standardized reading comprehension tests. See the list above
for the different types. Typically, there will be several questions
dealing
with facts from the selection, a couple more inference questions dealing with
logical consequences of those facts, and periodically an
application-oriented question surfaces to force you to make connections with
what you already know.
Some students prefer to answer the
questions as listed, and feel classifying the question and then ordering is
wasting precious time. Other students prefer to answer the different types of
questions in order of how easy or difficult they are.
The choice is yours and do whatever
works for you. If you want to try answering in order of difficulty, here is a
recommended order, answer fact questions first; they’re easily found within the
passage. Tackle inference problems next, after re-reading the question(s) as
many times as you need to. Application or ‘best guess’ questions usually take
the
longest, so, save them for last.
Main Idea and Supporting Details
Identifying the main idea, topic and
supporting details in a passage can feel like an overwhelming task. The
passages used for standardized tests can be boring and seem difficult – Test
writers don’t use interesting passages or ones that talk about things most
people are familiar with.
Despite these obstacles, all
passages and paragraphs will have the
information you need to answer the questions. The topic of a passage or
paragraph is its subject. It’s the general idea and can be summed up in a word
or short phrase. On some standardized tests, there is a short description of
the passage if it’s taken from a longer work. Make sure you read the
description as it might state the topic of the passage. If not, read the
passage and ask yourself, “Who, or what is this about?” For example:
Over the years, school uniforms have been hotly debated. Arguments are
made that students have the right to show individuality and express themselves
by choosing their own clothes. However, this brings up social and academic
issues. Some kids cannot afford to wear the clothes they like and might be
bullied by the “better dressed” students. With attention drawn to clothes and
the individual, students will lose focus on class work and the reason they are
in school. School uniforms should be mandatory.
Ask: What is this paragraph about?
Topic: school uniforms
Once you have the topic, it’s easier
to find the main idea. The main idea is a specific statement telling what
the writer wants you to know about the topic. Writers usually state the main
idea as a thesis statement. If you’re looking for the main idea of a single paragraph,
the main idea is called the
topic sentence and will probably be the first or last sentence.
If you’re looking for the main idea
of an entire passage, look for the thesis statement in either the first or
last paragraph. The main idea is usually restated in the conclusion. To
find the main idea of a passage or paragraph, follow these steps:
1. Find the topic.
2. Ask yourself, “What point is the author trying to make about the topic?”
3. Create your own sentence summarizing the author’s point.
4. Look in the text for the sentence closest in meaning to yours.
Look at the example paragraph again.
It’s already established that the topic of the paragraph is school uniforms.
What is
the main idea/topic sentence?
Ask: “What point is the author trying to make about school uniforms?”
Summary: Students should wear school uniforms.
Topic sentence: School
uniforms should be mandatory.
Main Idea: School uniforms
should be mandatory.
Each paragraph offers supporting
details to explain the main idea. The details could be facts or reasons, but
they will always answer a question about the main idea. What? Where? Why?
When? How? How much/many? Look at the example paragraph again. You’ll notice
that more than one
sentence answers a question about the main idea. These are
the supporting details.
Main Idea: School uniforms should be mandatory.
Ask: Why? Some kids cannot
afford to wear clothes they like and could be bullied by the “better dressed”
kids.
Supporting
Detail
With attention drawn to clothes and
the individual, Students will lose focus on class work and the reason they are
in school.
Supporting Detail
What if the author doesn’t state the
main idea in a topic sentence? The passage will have an implied main idea.
It’s not as difficult to find as it might seem. Paragraphs are always
organized around ideas. To find an implied main idea, you need to know the
topic and then find the relationship between the supporting details. Ask
yourself, “What is the
point the author is making about the relationship between the details?”
Cocoa is what makes chocolate good
for you. Chocolate comes in many varieties. These delectable flavors include
milk chocolate, dark
chocolate, semi-sweet, and white chocolate.
Ask: What is this paragraph about?
Topic: Chocolate
Ask: What? Where? Why?
When? How? How much/many?
Supporting details: Chocolate
is good for you because it is made of cocoa, Chocolate is delicious,
Chocolate comes in different delicious flavors
Ask: What is the relationship between the details and what
is the author’s point?
Main Idea: Chocolate is
good because it is healthy and it tastes good.
Testing Tips for Main Idea
Questions
1. Skim
the questions – not the answer choices –
before reading the passage.
2. Questions about main idea might use
the words “theme,” “generalization,” or “purpose.”
3. Save questions about the main idea
for last. On standardized tests like the SAT, the answers to the
rest of the questions can be found in order in the passage.
3. Underline topic sentences in the
passage. Most tests allow you to write in your testing booklet.
4. Answer the question in your own
words before looking at the answer choices. Then match your answer
with an answer choice.
5. Cross out incorrect answer choices
immediately to prevent confusion.
6. If two of the answer choices mean
the same thing but use different words, they are BOTH incorrect.
7. If a question asks about the whole
passage, cross out the answer choices that apply to only part of it.
8. If only part of the information is
correct, that answer choice is incorrect.
9. An answer choice that is too broad
is incorrect. All information needs to be backed up by the passage.
10. Answer choices with extreme wording
are usually incorrect.
Drawing Inferences And Conclusions
Drawing inferences and making
conclusions happens all the time. In fact, you probably do it every time
you read—sometimes without even realizing it! For example, remember the first
time that you saw the movie “The Lion King.” When you meet Scar for the first
time, he is trapping a helpless mouse with his sharp claws preparing to eat it.
When you see this
action you guess that Scar is going to be a bad character in the movie.
Nothing appeared to tell you this.
No caption came across the bottom of the screen that said “Bad Guy.” No red
arrow pointed to Scar and said “Evil Lion.” No, you made an inference about his
character based on the context clue you were given. You do the same thing when
you read!
When you draw an inference or make a
conclusion you are doing the same thing, you are making an educated guess based
on the hints the author gives you. We call these hints “context clues.” Scar
trapping the innocent mouse is the context clue about Scar’s character. Usually
you are making inferences and drawing conclusions the entire time that you are
reading.
Whether you realize it or not,
you are constantly making educated guesses based on context clues. Think about
a time you were reading a book and something happened that you were expecting
to happen. You’re not psychic! Actually, you were picking up on the context clues
and making inferences about what was going to happen next!
Let’s try
an easy example. Read the following sentences
and answer the questions at the end of the passage.
Shelly really likes to help people.
She loves her job because she gets to help people every single day. However,
Shelly has to work long hours and she can get called in the middle of the night
for emergencies. She wears a white lab coat at work and usually she carries a
stethoscope.
What is
most likely Shelly’s job?
a. Musician
b. Lawyer
c. Doctor
d. Teacher
This probably seemed easy. Drawing
inferences isn’t always this simple, but it is the same basic principle.
How did you know Shelly was a doctor? She helps people, she works long hours,
she wears a white lab coat, and she gets called in for emergencies at night.
Context Clues! Nowhere in the
paragraph did it say Shelly was a doctor, but you were able to draw that
conclusion based on the information provided in the paragraph. This is how it’s
done!
There is a catch, though. Remember
that when you draw inferences based on reading, you should only use the
information given to you by the author. Sometimes it is easy for us to make
conclusions based on knowledge that is already in our mind—but that can lead
you to drawing an incorrect inference.
For example, let’s pretend there is
a bully at your school named Brent. Now let’s say you read a story and the main
character’s name is Brent. You could NOT infer that the character in the story
is a bully just because his name is Brent. You should only use the information
given to you by
the author to avoid drawing the wrong conclusion.
Let’s try another example. Read the passage below, and answer the question.
Social media is an extremely popular new form of connecting and communicating
over the internet. Since Facebook’s original launch in 2004, millions of people
have joined in the social media craze. In fact, it is estimated that almost 75%
of all internet users aged 18 and older use some form of social media. Facebook
started at Harvard University as a way to get students connected. However, it
quickly grew into a worldwide phenomenon and today, the founder of Facebook,
Mark Zuckerberg has an estimated net worth of 28.5 billion dollars.
Facebook is not the only social
media platform, though. Other sites such as Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat
have since been invented and are quickly becoming just as popular! Many social
media users actually use more than one type of social media. Furthermore, most
social media sites
have created mobile apps that allow people to connect via social media
virtually anywhere in the world!
What is
the most likely reason that other social media sites like Twitter and
Instagram were created?
a. Professors at Harvard University made it a class
project.
b. Facebook was extremely popular and other people
thought they could also be successful by designing
social media sites.
c. Facebook was not connecting enough people.
d. Mark Zuckerberg paid people to invent new social
media sites because he wanted lots of competition.
Here, the correct answer is B.
Facebook was extremely popular and other people thought they could also be
successful by designing social media sites. How do we know this? What are the
context clues? Take a look at the first paragraph. What do we know based on
this paragraph? Well, one sentence refers to Facebook’s original launch. This
suggests that Facebook was one of the first social media sites. In addition, we
know that the founder of Facebook has been extremely successful and is worth
billions of dollars.
From this we can infer that other
people wanted to imitate Facebook’s idea and become just as successful as Mark
Zuckerberg.
Let’s go through the other answers.
If you chose A, it might be because Facebook started at Harvard University, so
you drew the conclusion that all other social media sites were also started at
Harvard University. However, there is no mention of class projects, professors,
or students designing social media. So there doesn’t seem to be enough support
for choice A. If you chose C, you might have been drawing your own
conclusions based on outside information. Maybe none of your friends are on
Facebook, so you made an inference that Facebook didn’t connect enough people,
so more sites were invented. Or maybe you think the people who connect on
Facebook are too old, so you don’t think Facebook connects enough people your
age. This might be true, but remember
inferences should be drawn from the information the author
gives you! If you chose D, you might be using the information that
Mark Zuckerberg is worth over 28 billion dollars. It would
be easy for him to pay others to design new sites, but remember,
you need to use context clues! He is very wealthy, but that statement was
giving you information about how successful Facebook was—not suggesting that he
paid others to design more sites!
So remember, drawing inferences and
conclusions is simply about using the information you are given to make an
educated guess. You do this every single day so don’t let this concept scare
you. Look for the context clues, make sure they support your claim, and you’ll
be able to make accurate inferences and conclusions!
Meaning From Context
Often in reading comprehension
questions, you are asked for the definition of a word, which you have to
infer from the surrounding text, called “meaning in context.” Here are a few
examples with step-by-step solutions, and a few tips and tricks to answering
meaning from context questions.
There are literally thousands and
thousands of words in the English language. It is impossible for us to know
what every single one of them means, but we also don’t have time to Google a
definition every time we read a word we don’t understand! Even the
smartest person in the world comes across words they don’t know, but luckily we
can use context
clues to help us determine what things actually mean.
Context clues are really just little
hints that can help us determine the meaning of words or phrases and honestly,
the easiest way to learn how to use context clues is to practice!
Let’s
start with a few basic examples.
In some countries many people are
not given access to schools, teachers, or books. In these countries, people
might be illiterate.
You might not know what the word
illiterate means, but let’s use the clues in the sentence to help us. If people
are not given access to schools, teachers, or books, what might happen? They
probably don’t learn what we learned in school so they might not know some of
the things that we learned from our teachers! Illiterate actually means “unable
to read
or write.” This makes sense based on the context clues!
Let’s work
through another example.
We have so much technology today! So
much technology that many people have started using tablets and computers
to read ebooks instead of paper
books! In fact, some of these people actually think that reading paper books is
archaic!
Let’s look for the context clues. Well, what do we know from this paragraph? We
have a lot of technology and sometimes people read ebooks instead of paper
books. From this we can draw the conclusion that ebooks are beginning to
replace paper books because ebooks are newer and better.
So if ebooks are newer and better, it must mean that paper books are older.
Archaic actually means “very old or old fashioned,” which again we determined
from the context clues.
Let’s see if you can try a few on your
own now.
Cody noticed the strawberries in his
refrigerator were old and moldy, so he abstained and threw them away.
What does abstained most likely
mean?
a. chose not to consume
b. washed
c. shared
d. cut into pieces
The correct answer here is A. The
context clues told you the strawberries were old and moldy and told you that
Cody did something and then threw them away. If the strawberries were moldy,
and Cody abstained, it makes sense that he didn’t eat them—which is choice A.
You may have chosen answer B. If the strawberries were old and moldy, Cody
could have washed them. But use ALL of the context clues. After he abstained,
he threw them away. Why would Cody wash them and then throw them away?
That doesn’t make sense! In
addition, why would he share them if they were old and moldy? Finally, I
suppose Cody could have cut them into pieces, but why would he need to do that
before throwing them away? It doesn’t make as much sense, so choice A is the
correct answer!
Let’s do
one more.
Scott had a disdain for Lily ever
since she lied to their boss and got him fired.
a. Compassion
b. Hate
c. Remorse
d. Money
The correct answer is B. Scott was
fired because Lily lied. Can you imagine if this happened to you? I think you
would have some pretty strong feelings just like Scott! It’s simple! By
understanding the context, you can determine the meaning of even the hardest of
words!
Labels: Educative Article
