417-214 Reading Skills (2/2023) H#01: CONTEXT CLUES

1 Vocabulary in Context ↳- situation

Improving your vocabulary will make you a better reader and a better writer.
It would be nice if there were pills available for this purpose—with each pill
automatically adding, say, a hundred words to your vocabulary! But while there is
no instant cure for an underdeveloped vocabulary, there are steps you can take to
build word power.
Most of all, you need to read more. It’s a proven fact that the more you read,
the more words you will learn.
* In addition to reading more, you should learn how to understand vocabulary
in context to figure out the meanings of unfamiliar words. This chapter will show
you how to use different kinds of context clues in your reading.

Do you know the meaning of the word savor? Look at the following cartoon
and see if the sentences underneath (spoken by the older brother) help you choose
the correct answer.

Ambivalen

____ Savor (sΩ£v®r) means

·
A. enjoy.
B. wonder about.
C. forget.

“Eat it slowly so you can SAVORCV.)

the taste. If you eat it too fast, you
-

won’t fully appreciate the flavor.”

Hints 2 ค แนะ 1
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CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

The older brother is advising his younger brother to take enough time to appreciate
the taste of the candy. The context—the words surrounding the unfamiliar word—
tells us that savor means “appreciate” or “enjoy.” In this chapter, you will learn
how to use the context to figure out the meanings of words.

Understanding Vocabulary in Context

Do you know the meaning of the word vital? How about the word appropriate? Or
the word passive?
You may not know the meaning of one or more of these words. However,
if you saw these words in sentences, chances are you could come up with fairly
accurate definitions. For example, read each sentence below and see if you can
understand the meaning of the word in italics. In the space provided, write the letter
of the meaning you think is correct. Then read the explanation.
Do not use a dictionary for this work. Instead, in each sentence, try the word
you think is the answer. For example, put unimportant or necessary or surprising
into the sentence in place of vital to see which one makes the best sense.
____ 1. All animals share the same vital needs, such as food, water, and shelter.
Vital (v∆t£l) means
A. unimportant. B. necessary. C. surprising.
____ 2. In the United States, shaking hands is the appropriate way to greet
someone; in China, bowing is the right way.
Appropriate (®-pr˚£pr∂-µt) means
A. proper. B. artificial. C. insulting.
____ 3. Winners in life take an active role in making things happen, instead of
being passive and waiting for good luck.
Passive (p√s£µv) means
A. insincere. B. inactive. C. flexible.
In each sentence above, the context surrounding the unfamiliar word provides
clues to the word’s meaning. You may have guessed from the context that vital
means “necessary,” that appropriate means “proper,” and that passive means
“inactive.”
Using context clues to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words will help
you in three ways:
1 It will save you time when reading. You will not have to stop to look up
words in the dictionary. (Of course, you won’t always be able to understand
a word from its context, so you should have a dictionary nearby as you read.)
2 It will improve your “working vocabulary”—words you recognize as you
read and will eventually be able to use when you speak and write. You will
therefore add to your vocabulary simply by reading thoughtfully.

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CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

3 It will give you a good sense of how a word is actually used, including any
shades of meaning it might have.

Types of Context Clues

There are four common types of context clues:
1 Examples

/ 2 Synonyms
-

-
3 Antonyms
↳4 General sense of the sentence or passage
In the following sections, you will read about and practice each type. The
practices will sharpen your skills in recognizing and using context clues. They will
also help you add new words to your vocabulary.
Remember not to use a dictionary for these practices. Their purpose is
to help you develop the skill of figuring out what words mean without using a
dictionary. Pronunciations are provided in parentheses for the words, and a guide
to pronunciation is on page 30.

1 Examples
An unfamiliar word may appear with examples that reveal what the word means. For
instance, note the examples in this sentence from the previous page: “All animals
share the same vital needs, such as food, water, and shelter.” The examples—food,
water, and shelter—helped you figure out that the word vital means “necessary.”
Look at the cartoon below and see if the example helps you choose the correct
meaning of the word vague.

“When my folks ask when I’m going to get a job, I always

give some -
vague answer such as ‘Oh, sooner or later.’”
adi -

3
CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

____ Vague (vΩg) means

A. angry. B. humorous. C. unclear.
Notice that the example of a vague answer—“Oh, sooner or later”—helps you
understand that vague means “unclear.”

Check Your Understanding

Now read the items that follow. An italicized word in each sentence is followed
by examples that serve as context clues for that word. These examples, which are
boldfaced, will help you figure out the meaning of each word. On each line, write
the letter of the answer you think is correct. Then read the explanation that follows.
Note that examples are often introduced with signal words and phrases like for
example, for instance, including, and such as.
_____ 1. In our house, clothes hangers have various odd functions. For instance,
we use them to scratch backs and hold up plants in the garden.
Functions (f∫ngk£sh®nz) are
A. shapes. B. problems. C. uses.
Hint: Remember that in the exercises in this chapter, you can insert into
each sentence the word you think is the answer. For example, substitute
shapes, problems, or uses in sentence 1 in place of functions to see which
one fits.

_____ 2. Our baseball team’s pitcher has a few eccentric habits, such as throwing
exactly thirteen pitches when warming up and never wearing socks.
Eccentric (µk-sƒn£trµk) means
A. normal. B. strange. C. messy.
_____ 3. Throughout history, humans have built a wide variety of dwellings,
including simple mud huts, stone castles, and marble mansions.
Dwellings (dwƒl£µngs) are
A. homes. B. stores. C. churches.

Explanation
In each sentence, the examples probably helped you to figure out the meanings of
the words in italics:
1. The correct answer is C. In sentence 1, the examples of the odd functions
of hangers—scratching backs and holding up plants—may have helped
you to guess that functions means “uses.”
2. The correct answer is B. In sentence 2, the examples of strange habits
show that eccentric means “strange.”

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CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

3. The correct answer is A. The examples in sentence 3 indicate that dwellings

are homes.
Note that the examples in the sentences are introduced by the signal words for
instance, such as, and including.

PR ACTICE 1: Examples

Read each item below and then do two things:

1. Underline the examples that suggest the meaning of the word in italics.
2. Then write the letter of the word’s meaning on the answer line.
Note that the last five sentences have been taken from college textbooks.
track
_____ 1. The นdebris in the stadium stands included numerous paper cups, ticket
-

stubs, sandwich wrappings, and cigarette butts.

Debris (d®-br∂£) means
A.products. B. papers. ·
C. trash.

wit
_____ ·
2. For his weak stomach, Mario ate a bland diet of white bread, rice, and
mashed potatoes.
Bland (bl√nd) means
A. spicy. B. varied. ·C. mild.
ja
_____
c 3. New York, Boston, and Philadelphia are three of the oldest urban areas
in the United States.
Urban (ûr£b®n) means
A. empty. ·
B. city. C. country.
addition
_____ 4. =
Many people take dietary supplements—for example, extra calcium or
-

large doses of vitamin C—in the belief that they will cure or prevent
disease.
Supplements (s∫p£l®-m®nts) means
·
A. additions. B. losses. C. suggestions.
accident
_____ 5. My uncle often has embarrassing mishaps, such as backing his car into
the side of his boss’s Cadillac and trying to walk through a glass door.
Mishaps (mµs£h√psπ) means
A. clever moves. ·B. accidents. C. projects.

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CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

_____ 6. The death of a child and the death of a spouse are two of life’s most
traumatic experiences.
Traumatic (trou-m√t£µk) means
A. rare. B. painful. C. interesting.
_____ 7. A transaction, such as buying or selling a product, is the most basic part
of an economy.
Transaction (tr√n-s√k£sh®n) means
A. profit. B. loss. C. business deal.
_____ 8. Religious rituals like baptisms, church weddings, and funeral services
give many people a sense of peace and comfort.
Rituals (rµch£-®ls) means
A. lessons. B. ceremonies. C. prayers.
_____ 9. When discussing the Internet, professionals often use such jargon as
“adware,” “clickthrough rate,” and “spambot,” which others may not
understand.
Jargon (jär£g®n) means
A. special language. B. clear instructions. C. mean insults.
_____ 10. There are hundreds of different kinds of retailers, ranging from car
dealerships and department stores to frozen-yogurt stands and online
drugstores.
Retailers (r∂£tΩlπ®rs) means
A. customers. B. businesses that sell C. businesses that
directly to users. make products.

2 Synonyms
Context clues are often found in the form of synonyms: one or more words that
mean the same or almost the same as the unknown word. Look again at the sentence
on page 16: “In the United States, shaking hands is the appropriate way to greet
someone; in China, bowing is the right way.” Here the synonym “right” tells you
the meaning of appropriate. A synonym may appear anywhere in a sentence as a
restatement of the meaning of the unknown word.
Now look at the cartoon on the following page.

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CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

“I try to refrain from overeating,

but I can’t stop myself!”

Notice that the synonym for refrain—expressed in the dog’s words “stop myself”—
helps you understand that refrain (rµ-frΩn£) means “to hold oneself back.”

Check Your Understanding

Each item below includes a word or phrase that is a synonym of the italicized word.
Underline that synonym in each sentence. Then read the explanation that follows.
1. The cat soon found it useless to smack her paws against the front of the
fish tank; her effort to catch a fish was a futile (fyt£l) one.
2. My best friend squandered (skw≤n£d®rd) all his money; his drinking and
gambling wasted his earnings.
3. Because my boss runs the toy store like a tyrant (t∆£r®nt), all of the
employees call her “the little dictator.”

Explanation
In each sentence, the synonym given probably helped you understand the meaning
of the word in italics:
1. In the first sentence, the syno ym of futile is “useless.”
2. In sentence 2, the synonym of squandered is “wasted.”
3. In sentence 3, the synonym of tyrant is “dictator.”

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 CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

PRACTICE 2: Synonyms

Each item below includes a synonym of the italicized word. Write each synonym
<

in the space provided.

Note that the last five items have been taken from college textbooks.
self -importan
__________________ 1. Everyone turned to look at the -
arrogant (√r£®-g®nt)
customer who spoke to the manager in a self-important
voice.
-

Hint: What does the voice reveal about the customer?

paratel ady,
__________________ 2. The medicine that Nina is taking is very potent (p˚t£nt).
-

It is so powerful that she must not take it for more than a

-

week.
cloudy ล ธา
__________________ 3. After the heavy rains, the stream became murky
Ap
-

(mûr£k∂); in fact, the water was so cloudy you couldn’t

see the bottom.
secre ad,
__________________ 4. Some overweight people are called furtive (fûr£tµv)
-

eaters because they eat large quantities of food in secret.

believable เศน
__________________ 5. A con artist was apparentlydo,
ad"
very believable as he went
door to door telling a plausible (plô£z®-b®l) story about
-

having his wallet stolen and needing twenty dollars to

get home.
discussio
&

__________________ 6. The first step in reaching a peace agreement was to set

up a dialogท(d∆£®-l≤gπ) between the two sides. Without
-

discussion, peace was impossible.

force
-
บ
__________________ 7. You cannot coerce (k˚-ûrs£) people into learning. If they
-

are not interested, it is impossible to force them.

rich ad,
-

บ
__________________ 8. While Ved may not be affluen (√f£l-®nt) by American
&

standards, he is rich compared with most people in his

-

homeland of India.
#
preve
__________________ 9. Several tests are necessary to verify (vƒr£®-f∆π) that a
-

virus is present. One is never enough to prove a virus

exists.
ส
variety 10.
__________________ The diversity (dµ-vûr£sµ-t∂) of the population of the
-

United States is the result of accepting immigrants from

a wide variety of cultures and nations.
-

8
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CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

3 Antonyms
Antonyms—words and phrases that mean the opposite of a word—are also useful
as context clues. Antonyms are sometimes signaled by words and phrases such as
however, but, yet, on the other hand, instead of, and in contrast.
Look again at the sentence on page 16: “Winners in life take an active role in
making things happen, instead of being passive and waiting for good luck.” Here
the words instead of indicate that passive must be the opposite of active.
Now look at the cartoon below.

“What do you mean ‘unreasonable,’ Miss

Jones? I think this is a perfectly rational
way to keep myself organized.”

Notice that the antonym “unreasonable” helps you figure out that rational
(r√sh£®-n®l) must mean “reasonable.”

Check Your Understanding

In each of the following sentences, underline the word or phrase that means the
opposite of the italicized word. Then, on the answer line, write the letter of the
meaning of the italicized word. Finally, read the explanation that follows.
_____ 1. The coach takes every opportunity to reprimand his players, yet he
ignores every chance to praise them.
Reprimand (rƒp£r®-m√nd) means
A. approve of. B. criticize. C. choose.

9
CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

_____ 2. “I am having acute pains in my chest now,” said the patient, “but an hour
ago, all I felt was a dull ache.”
Acute (®-kyt£) means
A. sharp. B. weak. C. no.
_____ 3. Some teachers are too lenient. I’d rather have strict teachers who take
the class seriously.
Lenient (l∂£n∂-®nt) means
A. hard. B. easygoing. C. busy.

Explanation
In each sentence, the antonym given probably helped you understand the meaning
of the word in italics:
1. The correct answer is B. Reprimand is the opposite of praise, so the answer
to sentence 1 is criticize.
2. The correct answer is A. In sentence 2, the opposite of acute is dull, so acute
must mean “sharp.”
3. The correct answer is B. In sentence 3, “lenient” teachers are the opposite
of “strict” teachers, so lenient means “easygoing.”
Note that the antonyms of reprimand and acute are indicated by signal words: yet
and but.

PRACTICE 3: Antonyms

Each item below includes a word or phrase that is an antonym of the italicized
word. Underline each of those antonyms. Then, on the line, write the letter of the
meaning of the italicized word.
Note that the last five items have been taken from college textbooks.
_____ 1. After his accident, Brad expected an in-depth examination at the
hospital. Instead, a doctor gave him a quick, superficial checkup and
said, “You’re fine.”
Hint: What would be the opposite of an in-depth examination?
Superficial (sπp®r-fµsh£®l) means
A. lacking depth. B. complicated. C. satisfactory.

10
CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

_____ 2. A temporary cough is nothing to worry about, but a chronic one can be
a sign of a serious illness.
Chronic (kr≤n£µk) means
A. continuing. B. brief. C. mild.
_____ 3. When drinking was prohibited by the Nineteenth Amendment, alcohol
became more popular with some people than it had been when it was
allowed.
Prohibited (pr˚-hµb£µt-µd) means
A. permitted. B. defined. C. forbidden.
_____ 4. “What we need is an innovative idea!” cried the chairman. “All I’ve
heard so far are the same old ones.”
Innovative (µn£®-vΩπtµv) means
A. new. B. traditional. C. loud.
_____ 5. The class was in turmoil when only the substitute teacher was there, but
it quickly came to order once the principal entered the room.
Turmoil (tûr£moilπ) means
A. peace. B. confusion. C. attendance.
_____ 6. In ordinary life, people’s facial expressions are spontaneous. However,
actors must learn to use planned ways of showing emotion.
Spontaneous (sp≤n-tΩ£n∂-®s) means
A. varied. B. unplanned. C. hidden.
_____ 7. A computer novice is lucky if he or she knows someone who is an expert
and is willing to offer advice.
Novice (n≤v£µs) means
A. a child. B. a friend. C. a beginner.
_____ 8. Some patients drop out of drug therapy before it is completed. Instead of
making progress, they may then revert to previous bad habits.
Revert (rµ-vûrt£) means
A. say no. B. improve. C. go back.
_____ 9. Our Constitution would be in danger if all Americans were indifferent to
it. However, history has shown that concerned citizens will always come
forward to defend it.
Indifferent to (µn-dµf£®r-®nt t) means
A. insulted by. B. aware of. C. uninterested in.

11
CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

_____ 10. In warfare, as in chess, impulsive actions will fail. To win in either case,
carefully thought-out moves are needed.
Impulsive (µm-p∫l£sµv) means
A. fearful. B. unplanned. C. strong.

4 General Sense of the Sentence or Passage

Often, the context of a new word contains no examples, synonyms, or antonyms.
In such cases, you must do a bit more detective work; you’ll need to look at any
clues provided in the information surrounding the word. Asking yourself questions
about the passage may help you make a fairly accurate guess about the meaning of
the unfamiliar word.
Look at the cartoon below about a job interview.

“You’re exactly what we need—

someone who will be ruthless about cutting costs.”

There are no examples, synonyms, or antonyms in the woman’s statement.

However, the applicant’s costume—that of an executioner—and the huge axe he
carries suggest that ruthless (rth£lµs) means “showing no mercy.”

12
CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

Check Your Understanding

Each sentence below is followed by a question. Think about each question; then
write the letter of the answer you feel is the meaning of the italicized word.
_____ 1. The newlyweds agreed to be very frugal in their shopping because they
wanted to save enough money to buy a home.
(How would people shop if they wanted to save money?)
Frugal (fr£g®l) means
A. thrifty. B. wasteful. C. interested.
_____ 2. So many customers have complained about the noise in the restaurant
that the owners are trying to find ways to mute the noise.
(What would the restaurant owners probably want to do about noise?)
Mute (myt) means
A. increase. B. quiet. C. create.
_____ 3. Friends tried to dissuade ninety-year-old Mrs. Kellen from attending her
son’s trial, but she went anyway, to show her support.
(What would the elderly woman’s friends have tried to do to her if they didn’t want
her to go to her son’s trial?)
Dissuade (dµ-swΩd£) means
A. question. B. describe. C. discourage.

Explanation
In each sentence, your answer to the question should have helped you figure out the
meaning of the word in italics:
1. The correct answer is A. The first sentence provides enough evidence for you
to guess that frugal means “thrifty.” The newlyweds had to be thrifty if they
wanted to save money.
2. The correct answer is B. Mute in the second sentence means “quiet”; a
restaurant owner would probably want to reduce the noise.
3. The correct answer is C. Dissuade means “discourage”—Mrs. Kellen went
to the trial despite her friends’ attempts to discourage her.

If you use context clues, you may not get the exact dictionary definition of a
word, but you will often be accurate enough to make good sense of what you are
reading.

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CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

P RACTICE 4: General Sense of the Sentence or Passage

Figure out the meaning of the word in italics by looking at clues in the rest of the
sentence. First, try to answer the question in parentheses that follows each item
below. Then, on the basis of your answer, write the letter of the meaning you think
is correct.
Note that the last five items have been taken from college textbooks.
_____ 1. To reach a sound conclusion about an issue, you must carefully consider
all the facts involved.
(What kind of conclusion would you reach by carefully considering all the facts?)
Sound (sound) means
A. early. B. obvious. C. reasonable.
_____ 2. My mother refuses to divulge the secret ingredients she uses in her fried
chicken recipe.
(What would someone refuse to do with ingredients that are secret?)
Divulge (dµ-v∫lj£) means
A. reveal. B. hide. C. invent.
_____ 3. Because the nicotine in cigarettes is harmful, many people favor
stringent laws against their sale.
(What type of laws would be favored by people concerned about the harm of
nicotine?)
Stringent (strµn£j®nt) means
A. strict. B. weak. C. confusing.
_____ 4. Taking the expression “raining cats and dogs” literally, the child looked
for little animals on the ground after the storm.
(In what way did the child interpret the phrase “raining cats and dogs”?)
Literally (lµt£®r-®-l∂) means
A. symbolically. B. musically. C. as the real facts.
_____ 5. It’s too late to alter the plans for the party. The restaurant and band have
been reserved, and all the invitations have been sent out.
(If the plans have all been made, what is it too late to do to the plans?)
Alter (ôl£t®r) means
A. change. B. surprise. C. repeat.

14
CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

_____ 6. Organ transplants will not succeed unless the donor has the same blood
type as the person receiving the organ.
(Who would need to have the same kind of blood as the person receiving the
transplant?)
Donor (d˚£n®r) means
A. one who receives. B. one who gives. C. one who doubts.
_____ 7. Few American officials in Iraq were fluent in the Iraqi language, so all
communication had to be in English.
(What would an American have to be in order to communicate in the Iraqi
language?)
Fluent (fl£®nt) means
A. able to remember. B. able to teach. C. able to speak well.
_____ 8. The placing of a huge cable on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean in 1866
made it possible to transmit telegraph signals from Europe to North
America.
(What did the cable allow us to do with signals between Europe and North America?)
Transmit (tr√ns-mµt£) means
A. check. B. send. C. lose.
_____ 9. Over years, the movement of water in a stream will erode the surrounding
soil and rock. As a result, the stream will be wider and deeper.
(What does water do to soil and rock to enlarge a stream?)
Erode (µ-r˚d£) means
A. wear away. B. escape. C. build up.
_____ 10. In the 1950s, Americans felt that the Soviet Union was a menace
threatening their national security. As a result, Senator Joseph McCarthy
was able to persuade millions of people that the Soviets had secret agents
in the United States government.
(What would a country that threatened our national security be regarded as?)
Menace (mƒn£µs) means
A. puzzle. B. friend. C. danger.

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CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

An Important Point about Textbook Definitions

You don’t always have to use context clues or the dictionary to find definitions.
Very often, textbook authors provide definitions of important terms. They usually
follow a definition with one or more examples to make sure that you understand
the word being defined.
Here is a short textbook passage that includes a definition and an example.
Note that the term to be defined is set off in boldface type, and the definition then
follows.
1
The changing work force has changed lifestyles and needs. 2No wonder
many workers have found flextime a desirable choice. 3Instead of working the
standard nine-to-five day, five days a week, they choose their own hours. 4For
instance, they may decide to work four days at ten hours a day rather than five days
at eight hours.
Textbook authors, then, often do more than provide context clues: they set
off the terms they are defining in italic or boldface type, as above. When they
take the time to define and illustrate a word, you should assume that the material is
important enough to learn.

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 CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

REVIEW TEST 1

To review what you’ve learned in this chapter, answer the following questions by
filling in the blank or writing the letter of the correct answer.
1. Often, a reader can figure out the meaning of a new word without using
the dictionary—by paying attention to the word’s _________________.

_____ 2. In the sentence below, which type of context clue is used for the
italicized word?
A. example B. synonym C. antonym
You can’t take certain courses unless you’ve taken a prerequisite
(prƒ-rƒk' wµ-zµt); for instance, you can’t take Spanish Literature I unless
you’ve taken Spanish III.

_____ 3. In the sentence below, which type of context clue is used for the
italicized word?
A. example B. synonym C. antonym
There are thick pine forests at the foot of the mountain, but higher up,
the trees become sparse (spärs).

_____ 4. In the sentences below, which type of context clue is used for the
italicized word?
A. example B. synonym C. antonym
Talent may take years to surface. When Beethoven was a young child,
his great aptitude (√p' tµ-td' ) in music was not at all apparent to his
teachers.

5. Often when textbook authors introduce a new word, they provide you
with a _________________ and follow it with ___________________
that help make the meaning of the word clear.

17
 CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

REVIEW TEST 2

A. Look at the cartoon below, and then answer the questions which follow.

“I’m trying to curtail my coffee drinking by

cutting down to just one cup a day.”

_____ 1. Using the context clues in the cartoon, write the letter of the best
meaning of curtail (k®r-tΩl' ) in the space provided.
A. improve B. reduce C. supplement

_____ 2. What kind of context clue helps you understand the meaning of the
cartoon?
A. Examples clue B. Synonym clue C. Antonym clue

B. Using context clues for help, write the letter of the best meaning for each
italicized word. Use the space provided.
_____ 3. Nepotism (nƒp' ®-tµz' ®m) is commonplace where I work: the boss’s
daughter is vice-president of the company, her husband runs the
order department, and their son has just started working in the
warehouse.
A. good managerial practice C. arguments among employees
B. favoritism to relatives D. confusion among management

_____ 4. Because the professor’s explanation was nebulous (nƒb' y®-l®s),

several of the students asked him to make himself clear.
A. vague C. fascinating
B. boring D. brief

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 CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

_____ 5. The bank robber was apparently nondescript (n≤n' dµ-skrµpt' )—none
of the witnesses could think of any special characteristics that might
identify him.
A. poorly disguised C. memorable
B. lacking distinctive qualities D. cruel

C. Using context clues for help, write the definition for each italicized word. Then
write the letter of the definition in the space provided. Choose from the definitions
in the box below. Each definition will be used once.

A. discouraged B. doubtful C. nag

D. overjoyed E. provided

_____ 6. I would not just be glad if I won the lottery; I’d be ecstatic.
Ecstatic (ƒk-st√t' µk) means __________________________________.

_____ 7. Nature has endowed hummingbirds with the ability to fly backward.
Endowed (ƒn-doud' ) means __________________________________.

_____ 8. Opponents of the death penalty say it has never actually deterred
anyone from committing murder.
Deterred (dµ-tûrd') means ___________________________________ .

_____ 9. Around the age of two or three, small children like to badger their
parents with endless questions beginning with the word “why.”
Badger (b√j'®r) means ______________________________________ .

_____ 10. While four-year-old Mattie claimed she was going to stay up until
midnight on New Year’s Eve, her parents were dubious of her ability to
remain awake that late.
Dubious (d' b∂-®s) means _________________________________ .

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 CHAPTER ONE Vocabulary in Context

REVIEW TEST 3

A. Use context clues to figure out the meaning of the italicized word in each of the
following sentences, and write your definition in the space provided.
1. While it’s often not feasible to work full-time while going to school, it
may be practical to hold down a part-time job.
Feasible (f∂' z®-b®l) means __________________________________

2. It’s amazing that my neighbors always appear immaculate, yet their

apartment is often quite dirty.
Immaculate (µ-m√k' y®-lµt) means _____________________________ .

3. It’s against the law to ask people to divulge their ages at job interviews.
Divulge (dµ-v∫lj' ) means ____________________________________.

4. Doctors should alleviate the pain of terminally ill patients so that their
final days are as comfortable as possible.
Alleviate (®-l∂' v∂-Ωt' ) means ________________________________ .

5. When rain and sunshine are simultaneous, the rain is often described as
a sun shower.
Simultaneous (s∆' m®l-tΩ' n∂-®s) means _________________________ .

B. Use context clues to figure out the meanings of the italicized words in the
following textbook passages. Write your definitions in the spaces provided.
1
Although mysteries and science fiction may seem like very different kinds
of writing, the two forms share some basic similarities. 2First of all, both are action-
directed, emphasizing plot at the expense of character development. 3Possibly for
this reason, both types of literature have been scorned by critics as being merely
“entertainment” rather than “literature.” 4But this attack is unjustified, for both
mysteries and science fiction share a concern with moral issues. 5Science fiction
often raises the question of whether or not scientific advances are of benefit to
humanity. 6And a mystery story rarely ends without the culpable person being
brought to justice.

6. Scorned (skôrnd) means _____________________________________.

7. Culpable (k∫l' p®-b®l) means _________________________________ .

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