Context Clues — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. "The voracious reader finished three books in one weekend." Voracious most likely means:
A) Slow
B) Eager and enthusiastic
C) Bored
D) Confused
The correct answer is B) Eager and enthusiastic. "The voracious reader finished three books in one weekend." Voracious most likely means: — the answer is Eager and enthusiastic.
2. "The summit was arduous to reach; every step was exhausting." Arduous means:
A) Easy
B) Short
C) Very difficult
D) Exciting
The correct answer is C) Very difficult. "The summit was arduous to reach; every step was exhausting." Arduous means: — the answer is Very difficult.
3. "The nocturnal owl hunted while daytime birds slept." What type of clue reveals the meaning of nocturnal?
A) Synonym clue
B) Definition clue
C) Example clue
D) Antonym clue
The correct answer is D) Antonym clue. "The nocturnal owl hunted while daytime birds slept." What type of clue reveals the meaning of nocturnal — the answer is Antonym clue.
4. "The impartial judge treated both sides equally." Impartial means:
A) Unfair
B) Angry
C) Fair and unbiased
D) Confused
The correct answer is C) Fair and unbiased. "The impartial judge treated both sides equally." Impartial means: — the answer is Fair and unbiased.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. In "The ample supply of food fed the entire village," ample means more than enough .
Feeding an entire village requires a large amount of food, so the context shows that ample means more than enough.
2. When two opposite ideas appear in the same sentence, look for an antonym clue.
Opposite ideas in one sentence create a contrast, and that contrast is called an antonym clue because the known word's meaning is the reverse of the unknown word.
3. In "The lethargic dog lay on the couch all day," lethargic means lazy and sluggish .
A dog that lies on the couch all day shows no energy, so the inference clue tells you lethargic means lazy and sluggish.
4. The phrase "that is" tells the reader a definition of the word will follow.
"That is" works like "which means" -- it signals that the word's definition is about to be stated directly in the sentence.
5. In "The elaborate costume had many detailed decorations," elaborate means complex and detailed .
Having "many detailed decorations" shows the costume was complex and carefully made, so elaborate means complex and detailed.