MAKING READING CONNECTIONS Book E Provides instructional activities for 12 reading strategies Uses a step-by-step approach to achieve reading success Prepares student for assessment in reading comprehension CURRICULUM ASSOCIATES, Inc.
Table of Contents STRATEGY 1 Finding Main Idea................................ 4 STRATEGY 2 Recalling Facts and Details......................... 12 STRATEGY 3 Understanding Sequence........................... 20 STRATEGIES 1 3 Review........................................ 28 STRATEGY 4 Recognizing Cause and Effect....................... 32 STRATEGY 5 Comparing and Contrasting........................ 40 STRATEGY 6 Making Predictions............................... 48 STRATEGIES 4 6 Review........................................ 56 STRATEGY 7 Finding Word Meaning in Context.................... 60 STRATEGY 8 Drawing Conclusions and Making Inferences............ 68 STRATEGY 9 Distinguishing Between Fact and Opinion.............. 76 STRATEGIES 7 9 Review........................................ 84 STRATEGY 10 Identifying Author s Purpose........................ 88 STRATEGY 11 Interpreting Figurative Language.................... 96 STRATEGY 12 Summarizing.................................. 104 STRATEGIES 10 12 Review....................................... 112 STRATEGIES 1 12 Final Review................................... 116 Acknowledgments.................................................. 127
STRATEGY 7 Finding Word Meaning in Context PART ONE: Learn About Finding Word Meaning in Context Read this paragraph about a man named Haskell T. Duckworth. The word curmudgeon appears in the third sentence. As you read, use the underlined phrases as clues to help you figure out the meaning of the word curmudgeon. Haskell T. Duckworth is never in a good mood. If you said, The sun is shining brightly today, he would say, Too much sun can cause wrinkles. Being friends with a curmudgeon like Haskell T. Duckworth is not easy. But he doesn t mind. He often says, Friends are more trouble than they are worth. You can figure out the meaning of the word curmudgeon by looking at the words and phrases around it. The phrase is never in a good mood is one clue to the meaning of the word curmudgeon. The man s own statements are clues too: Too much sun can cause wrinkles and Friends are more trouble than they are worth. The meaning of the word curmudgeon is a disagreeable person. When you use clues in a reading passage to figure out the meaning of an unknown word, you are finding word meaning in context. The words and phrases around an unknown word often provide clues to the word s meaning. These clues are called context clues. Context clues are often in the sentence where the unknown word appears. They can also be in the sentences before and after the word. Clues about the meaning of an unknown word are often found by thinking about the way the word is used in the sentence. Clues about the meaning of an unknown word can be found by thinking about the facts and details in the paragraph where the word is found. 60 Finding Word Meaning in Context
Read the beginning of this mystery story. As you read the last sentence, ask yourself, What clues will help me figure out the meaning of the word plummeted? Then answer the questions. The Secret Tunnel Nick came upon the secret tunnel about a week after his family moved into their new house. His mother had asked him to clean out the closet under the basement stairs. Nick knew it was dark down there, so he brought a flashlight. The closet smelled musty and damp, and it held nothing except a few empty boxes. As Nick kicked the boxes out of the closet, he heard a faint noise. It sounded like a whistle, as if air was being sucked through a small opening. Nick let the light from his flashlight play along the walls, the wooden floor, and the ceiling. Along the back wall, Nick saw something that looked like a large button or a flat knob. He walked over and touched it. Then, for some reason, he grabbed the knob firmly and turned it. Nick heard a soft creak grow into a deep groan. He felt something move under his feet. The floor beneath him was spreading apart! Nick was losing his footing. With a fast beating heart, Nick quickly jumped out of the closet. Then he aimed his flashlight down to the place where he nearly fell. Nick let out a gasp when he realized that he had almost plummeted into a pit so deep that he could not see the bottom. 1. In the last sentence, the word plummeted probably means lost one s balance. shined a light upon. fell or dropped straight downward. understood to be true. 2. Which word gives a clue to the meaning of the word plummeted? jumped realized aimed fell Work with a partner.talk about your answers to questions 1 and 2. Tell why you chose the answers you did. Finding Word Meaning in Context 61
PART TWO: Check Your Understanding Remember: The words and phrases around an unknown word often give clues about the word s meaning. Look for context clues in the sentence where the unknown word appears. Look also in the sentences before and after the unknown word. Look for clues about the meaning of an unknown word by thinking about the way the word is used in the sentence. Look for clues about the meaning of an unknown word by thinking about the facts and details in the paragraph where the word is found. Read this article about proverbs. As you read, think about how you will figure out the meaning of any words you do not know. Then answer the questions. The Basic Truth A proverb is a familiar saying that expresses a basic truth. You may have heard the saying Many hands make light work. This saying is a proverb. This proverb suggests that it is best to have a lot of help when a big job needs to be done. Sometimes one proverb points out a basic truth, and another proverb challenges that truth. The proverb Too many cooks spoil the broth suggests that it is not always best to have help with a big job. This idea seems to contradict the proverb Many hands make light work. The proverb Time and tide wait for no man suggests that action should be taken quickly. But the proverb Look before you leap urges caution before taking action. Think about the proverbs The best things in life are free, and A heavy purse makes a light heart. Which one do you agree with more? 3. In paragraph two, you can tell that the word contradict means show support for. express the opposite of. have the same meaning of. show no respect for. 4. Which word gives a clue to the meaning of the word contradict? proverb truth challenges suggests 62 Finding Word Meaning in Context
Look at the answer choices for each question. Read why each answer choice is correct or not correct. 3. In paragraph two, you can tell that the word contradict means show support for. This answer is not correct. The article is mainly about proverbs that point out truths that do not support each other. express the opposite of. This answer is correct. The article is mainly about proverbs that express truths that have opposite meanings. The word challenges in paragraph two helps you figure out that contradict means express the opposite of. have the same meaning of. This answer is not correct. The article is mainly about proverbs that express truths that have opposite meanings, not the same meanings. show no respect for. This answer is not correct. There is nothing in the article to suggest that one proverb has a meaning that does not show respect for another meaning. The article does suggest that some proverbs express opposite meanings. This does not mean that there is no respect for each meaning. 4. Which word gives a clue to the meaning of the word contradict? proverb This answer is not correct. The word proverb is used to describe a familiar saying. This does not help you figure out the meaning of the word contradict. truth This answer is not correct. The word truth is used to explain the meaning of the word proverb. The word truth does not help you figure out the meaning of the word contradict. challenges This answer is correct. The first sentence of paragraph two says, Sometimes one proverb points out a basic truth, and another proverb challenges that truth. The paragraph then goes on to describe proverbs with opposite meanings. The word challenges helps you figure out the meaning of the word contradict. suggests This answer is not correct. The article describes the different ideas that proverbs suggest. These ideas do not help you figure out the meaning of the word contradict. Finding Word Meaning in Context 63
PART THREE: Learn More About Finding Word Meaning in Context Look for a synonym, a word with a similar meaning, near an unknown word in a reading passage. Look for an antonym, a word with an opposite meaning, near an unknown word in a reading passage. Once you think you know the meaning of an unknown word, read the sentence where the word appears, using this new meaning. Does the sentence still make sense? If so, you ve probably figured out the meaning of the word. Read this article about goose bumps. Then answer the questions. Imagine that the air is very cold and you are wearing only a T-shirt and shorts. What happens to the skin on your arms and legs? Most likely, your skin is covered with tiny bumps. These tiny bumps are called goose bumps. Goose flesh and goose pimples are other familiar terms. If you ve ever seen the textured skin of a plucked chicken or goose, then you can guess how the different expressions arose. Why do we get goose bumps? Humans are mammals. Almost all mammals have fur or hair, mainly to keep them shielded from the cold. At the base of each hair is a muscle. The muscle is relaxed when the air is warm. When the air is cold, the muscle becomes contracted and the fur or hair stands up. When the fur or hair stands up, warm air is trapped against the skin. This helps keep the mammal warm. Humans are among those few mammals that do not have a lot of hair to insulate and protect them. But cold air still causes tiny bumps to form at the root of each hair. The result is skin covered with goose bumps. 5. In paragraph one, which clue word is a synonym for expressions? bumps mammals pimples terms 6. In paragraph one, you can tell that the word textured means having a strange quality. having a particular look or feel. having a smooth quality. having the appearance of woven fabric. 7. In paragraph two, which clue word is an antonym for relaxed? trapped shielded covered contracted 8. In paragraph two, which clue word is a synonym for insulate? form skin protect root 64 Finding Word Meaning in Context
Read this article about the first permanent English colony in North America. Then answer the questions. Jamestown, Virginia Four hundred years ago, King James I of England was eager to spread English control to North America. He gave an English trading company a charter to set up a colony. In 1607, the company sent more than one hundred men from England to Virginia. The new settlement was named Jamestown, in honor of the king. Most of the colonists came to Virginia hoping to find gold and silver. They resisted doing hard labor. They did not want to do the necessary work of planting crops and building shelters. Their leader was Captain John Smith. He knew that such work was essential to survival. Smith made a rule. He told the men, He who will not work shall not eat. The colonists decided to work. Even with Smith s capable leadership, the colonists struggled. Six months after arriving, about half of the men were dead. The main causes were sickness and hunger. Jamestown almost failed. But as time passed, Captain John Smith more people arrived to join those who had survived. The colony began to grow and soon thrived. Jamestown became the first permanent English colony in North America. 9. In paragraph one, which clue word is a synonym for colony? charter company settlement control 10. In paragraph two, which clue word is a synonym for essential? hard necessary rule resisted 11. In paragraph three, you can tell that the word capable means able to do things well. lack of ability and strength. having or showing little sense. unable to help others. 12. In the last paragraph, which clue word is an antonym for thrived? arrived failed survived passed Finding Word Meaning in Context 65
PART FOUR: Prepare for a Test A test question about finding word meaning in context asks you about the meaning of a word from a reading passage. The word may or may not be familiar to you. The word might also be used in a new way. A test question about finding word meaning in context usually has several answer choices. If you have difficulty answering the question, try each answer choice in the sentence in which the word appears. Decide which answer choice makes the most sense in the reading passage. Here is a selection from a speech given by the Comanche leader Ten Bears in 1867. He is speaking to white agents of the United States government. Read the selection. Then do Numbers 13 and 14. You said that you wanted to put us upon a reservation, to build us houses and to make us Medicine lodges. I do not want them. I was born upon the prairie, where the wind blew free, and there was nothing to break the light of the sun. I was born where there were no enclosures, and where everything drew a free breath. I want to die there, and not within walls. I know every stream and every wood between the Rio Grande and the Arkansas. I have hunted and lived over that country. I lived like my fathers before me, and like them, I lived happily. When I was at Washington, the Great Father [President] told me that all the Comanche land was ours, and that no one should hinder us in living upon it. So why do you ask us to leave the rivers, and the sun, and the wind, and live in houses? Do not ask us to give up the buffalo for the sheep. The young men have heard talk of this, and it has made them sad and angry. Do not speak of it more. Finding Word Meaning in Context 13. In paragraph one, what is the best meaning of the word reservation? something that is taken away a place where the wind blows free an arrangement or purchase made in advance land set aside for a special purpose Finding Word Meaning in Context 14. In the last paragraph, you can tell that the word hinder means to get in the way of. to make rules against. to decide in favor of. to feel angry about. 66 Finding Word Meaning in Context
Here is a fable. Read the fable. Then do Numbers 15 and 16. The Old Man and the Donkey An old man and his young son were driving a donkey before them to sell in the market. A passer-by said to the old man, You should be ashamed of yourself. You have a donkey, yet you make the little boy walk. So the old man put the boy on the donkey s back and trudged along beside them. Another passer-by rebuked the boy, What a lazy boy you are! You make the old man walk, while you ride. So the old man took the boy off the donkey and climbed onto the animal s back himself. Soon another passer-by made a comment. How unfair that the old man rides and makes the child walk! So the old man lifted the boy up beside him, and both rode on the donkey s back. But soon another passer-by remarked, Imagine overloading a poor donkey like that! Do they want to kill the poor beast? The poor old man became bewildered by all the advice. He did not know what else to do, so he tied the donkey s legs together with some rope and tied the rope to a pole. He and the boy tried to march along with the donkey hanging on the pole, which they carried on their shoulders. Everyone laughed at such a ridiculous sight. The old man was so embarrassed by the jeers that he turned the donkey loose in a field. He and the boy went home instead of proceeding to market. The moral of this tale is: If you try to please everyone, you will end up pleasing no one, not even yourself. Finding Word Meaning in Context 15. In paragraph two, the word rebuked means spoke gently to. scolded in a sharp way. praised loudly. punished severely. Finding Word Meaning in Context 16. In paragraph five, what is the best meaning of the word bewildered? angered lost tired confused Finding Word Meaning in Context 67