Name: ______________________________________________________Period: _____
Context Clue Practice
Directions: Read the word and then read the sentence from the text. Circle the best definition for each of the vocabulary words from “Charles” by Shirley Jackson. Remember to use context clues!
Test taking strategy: substitute each of the choices for the underlined vocabulary word to see which one makes the most sense.
Vocabulary word: insolently
Sentence from text: “At lunch he [Laurie] spoke insolently to his father, spilled his baby sister’s milk, and remarked that his teacher said we were not to take the name of the Lord in vain.”
a. nicely
b. respectfully
c. pleasantly
d. disrespectfully
Another Clue: look at Laurie’s actions in the sentence!
Name: ______________________________________________________Period: ____
Context Clue Practice
Directions: Read the word and then read the sentence from the text. Circle the best definition for each of the vocabulary words from “Charles” by Shirley Jackson. Remember to use context clues!
Test taking strategy: substitute each of the choices for the underlined vocabulary word to see which one makes the most sense.
Vocabulary word: insolently
Sentence from text: “At lunch he [Laurie] spoke insolently to his father, spilled his baby sister’s milk, and remarked that his teacher said we were not to take the name of the Lord in vain.”
a. nicely
b. respectfully
c. pleasantly
d. disrespectfully
Another Clue: look at Laurie’s actions in the sentence!
Name: ______________________________________________________Period: ____
Context Clue Practice
Directions: Read the word and then read the sentence from the text. Circle the best definition for each of the vocabulary words from “Charles” by Shirley Jackson. Remember to use context clues!
Test taking strategy: substitute each of the choices for the underlined vocabulary word to see which one makes the most sense.
Vocabulary word: Incredulously
Sentence from text: “’Charles...gave the crayons around and he picked up the books afterward and the teacher said he was her helper.’ ‘What happened?’ I asked incredulously.”
a. believingly
b. calmly
c. disbelievingly
d. finally
Another Clue: look at Charles’s actions in the sentence! Recall from the story—how did Charles normally act in kindergarten?
Name: ______________________________________________________Period: ____
Context Clue Practice
Directions: Read the word and then read the sentence from the text. Circle the best definition for each of the vocabulary words from “Charles” by Shirley Jackson. Remember to use context clues!
Test taking strategy: substitute each of the choices for the underlined vocabulary word to see which one makes the most sense.
Vocabulary word: Incredulously
Sentence from text: “’Charles...gave the crayons around and he picked up the books afterward and the teacher said he was her helper.’ ‘What happened?’ I asked incredulously.”
a. believingly
b. calmly
c. disbelievingly
d. finally
Another Clue: look at Charles’s actions in the sentence! Recall from the story—how did Charles normally act in kindergarten?
Name: ______________________________________________________Period: ____
Context Clue Practice
Directions: Read the word and then read the sentence from the text. Circle the best definition for each of the vocabulary words from “Charles” by Shirley Jackson. Remember to use context clues!
Test taking strategy: substitute each of the choices for the underlined vocabulary word to see which one makes the most sense.
Vocabulary word: cynically
Sentence from text: “During the third and fourth weeks it looked like a reformation [or improvement] in Charles; Laurie reported grimly at lunch on Thursday of the third week, ‘Charles was so good today the teacher gave him an apple.’ ‘Can this be true, about Charles?’ I asked my husband that night. ‘Wait and see’, my husband said cynically. ‘When you’ve got a Charles to deal with, this may mean he’s only plotting.’”
a. happily
b. doubtfully
c. sensibly
d. sincerely
Name: ______________________________________________________Period: ____
Context Clue Practice
Directions: Read the word and then read the sentence from the text. Circle the best definition for each of the vocabulary words from “Charles” by Shirley Jackson. Remember to use context clues!
Test taking strategy: substitute each of the choices for the underlined vocabulary word to see which one makes the most sense.
Vocabulary word: cynically
Sentence from text: “During the third and fourth weeks it looked like a reformation [or improvement] in Charles; Laurie reported grimly at lunch on Thursday of the third week, ‘Charles was so good today the teacher gave him an apple.’ ‘Can this be true, about Charles?’ I asked my husband that night. ‘Wait and see’, my husband said cynically. ‘When you’ve got a Charles to deal with, this may mean he’s only plotting.’”
a. happily
b. doubtfully
c. sensibly
d. sincerely