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2.03Context Clues

Part A

Directions: Read each sentence below. Add another sentence after the semicolon that clearly demonstrates your understanding of the italicized word as it is used in this context.

Example: The lizard was so lethargic that I wasn’t sure if it was alive or dead; it didn’t even blink.

  1. John was stupefied when saw how many problems he missed on the exam;
  2. The farmer, wrangling the cows, chasing the pigs, and delivering the hay, was stout;
  3. The movie star’s large and beautiful home was palatial;
  4. Slavery was abolished in the U.S. after the Civil War;
  5. The frigid water made Elizabeth’s teeth chatter;

Part B

Directions: Using the context clues in the sentence, write your own definition for the underlined word. Then write the synonym from the words in the box.

  1. I would not just be glad if I won the lottery; I would be ecstatic.

Definition:

Synonym:

  1. Nature has endowed hummingbirds with the ability to fly backward.

Definition:

Synonym:

  1. Opponents of the death penalty say it has never actually deterred anyone from committing murder.

Definition:

Synonym:

  1. Around the age of two or three, small children like to badger their parents with endless questions beginning with the word why.

Definition:

Synonym:

  1. 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.

Definition:

Synonym:

Part C

Directions: Underline (Ctrl + u) the letter of the word that most closely matches the underlined word in the sentence. Use the other words in the sentence for clues to the correct meaning.

  1. The lost campers sweltered in the heat of the desert sun.
  2. ate
  3. burned
  4. slept
  5. sunbathed
  6. The scared rock climber balanced precariously on the edge of the cliff.
  7. gracefully
  8. lazily
  9. dangerously
  10. hopefully
  11. We often travel to Gatlinburg in the autumn to see the bright colors of the fall foliage.
  12. hurricane
  13. plays
  14. snow
  15. leaves
  16. When he didn’t understand the instructions, the student asked the teacher to clarify them.
  17. remove
  18. call
  19. explain
  20. stop
  21. Cold rain fell all day, making it a dismal Saturday afternoon.
  22. gloomy
  23. red
  24. shining
  25. fun