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Unit 3 Guessing Meaning of Vocabulary from Context | ||||||||||||
| Input In order to understand what you are reading from an English text, you need to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words (words you do not know) from the context. This will help you read faster and easier. Do Exercise 1 before studying how you can guess the meaning of vocabulary from context. | ||||||||||||
Exercise 1 Find the meaning of the underlined word in each sentence. Choose the best answer for each question.1. She had often come into conflict with her mother-in-law.
2. The old woman’s blunt questions embarrassed her, making her momentarily tongue-tied.
3. We just need a couple more chairs so everyone can sit down.
4. Please, Uncle Jack, give me a piggyback! a) a ride on someone back or shoulder b) a small bag c) people who arrived to settle in Bangkok 2000 5. Ladda does not like to eat papaya or carrots, which is high in vitamin A, so she lacks it. Her mother keeps telling her that an inadequate supply of vitamin A can lead to blindness.
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Language Focus Now you will learn how to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words or new words by looking around the words to find clues. These clues will help you to find their meanings; then you will better understand what you are reading. There are many ways to help you guess the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context. Read the explanation below and study the examples. 1. Definition A definition gives the meaning of words. The writer may use words, phrases, or statements to define something. The writer will use key words, or signal words to identify a definition so you need to look for them. See examples of key words below.
signal word = is the definition = a rise in the general level of prices you pay for everything you buy. signal words = is known as definition = someone who explores and studies caves | ||||||||||||
| Exercise 2 Use signal words as your clues to find the meaning of the underlined words. Circle signal words and write their meaning in the space provided.1. The encyclopedia defines astrology as “the ancient art or science of divining the fate and future of human beings from indications given by the positions of stars and other heavenly bodies.” astrology means______________________________________ 2. Sales literature means printed matters that contain information on the goods. Sales literature means_________________________________ 3. The part at the back of the car used for holding luggage is called the car boot in United Kingdom, whereas Americans would refer to this as the car’s trunk. car boot means______________________________________ | ||||||||||||
2. Restatement The writer may use other words, phrases, or sentences to provide the meaning of difficult words. We call this restatement; the writer describes it again or in a different way. Signal words for restatement are in the “Key words box” below.
signal word = or meaning = large flat areas | ||||||||||||
| Exercise 3 Use signal words as your clues to find the meaning of the underlined words. Circle signal words and write the meaning in the space provided.1. According to Indian custom, a great dowry of money and objects is given to the bridegroom, in other words, it is a dot. dot = ______________________________________ 2. There are several types of aerosol cans. Simple ones contain a liquefied gas, called the propellant, in which material is dissolved, i.e., melt. dissolved =__________________________________ 3. Our youth nowadays should not engage in intoxicating things such as alcohol, cigarettes, and tranquilizers, that is to say, they should not ingest them. engage =___________________________________ | ||||||||||||
3. Punctuation marks Punctuation is used to describe the meaning of unfamiliar words. The writer will write unfamiliar words and then use punctuation, words, phrases, or sentences to explain the meaning of the new words. Such punctuation is in the “Key words box” below.
signal punctuation = ( ) meaning : cyan = a light blue and magenta = a light purple signal punctuation = , , meaning : handle text = word processing | ||||||||||||
| Exercise 4 Use signal words as your clues to find the meaning of the underlined words. Circle signal words and write the meaning in the space provided.1. Both facsimile (known as fax) and electronic mail (email) are ways of sending documents. Facsimile =______________________________________ Electronic mail =__________________________________ 2. An FM radio DJ (disk jockey) broadcasts over the airwaves. DJ =___________________________________________ 3. Infection ? becoming ill through contact with bacteria ? of the respiratory system such as the nose, the throat, and the chest is among the most common of all diseases. Infection =______________________________________ | ||||||||||||
4. Examples Examples help us to understand the meaning of new words. See key words or signal words used for showing examples in the “Key words box”.
signal word = such as meaning = buttons on computer program that are used for turn on pages | ||||||||||||
Exercise 5 Use signal words as your clues to find the meaning of the underlined words by choosing the best answer for each question. Circle signal words.1. Some people in the North of Thailand do wickerwork, for example, they make elephants, turtles, plates, beds, and chairs, from teak trees for earning money.
2. The Savanna grasslands are the home of grazing animals such as elephants, giraffes, antelopes and zebras. Lions, leopards and hyenas also live there.
3. A tourist guide advised them to see the elephant round up. There was racing, colorful war procession, marching, kicking a ball and tug-of-war between men and elephants.
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5. Contrast You can guess the meaning of new words by using signal words of contrast. They will show the opposite meaning of the new words. See key words or signal words of contrast in the “Key words box”.
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Exercise 6 Use signal words as your clues to find the meaning of the underlined words by choosing the best answer for each question. Circle signal words.1. Ladda was promoted to be the chief secretary of the manager of the company, whereas her colleague, Somechai, was penalized.
2. Although small pox has almost been eradicated. Malaria is prevalent in Kanchanaburee, Thailand. A policeman just died from the PF (Plasmodium Falsiparum) malaria last month.
3. The plane is scheduled to leave for Phuket at 7:00 am but the plane departure has been postponed for two hours. That is to say, it will leave at 9:00 am instead.
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| 6. Similarity You can guess the meaning of new words by using signal words of similarity. They will display the same meaning of the new words. See key words or signal words of similarity in the “Key words box”.
What does the words “the same products” mean? ___________________________ What is your clue? ___________________________________________________ | ||||||||||||
| Exercise 7 Use signal words as your clue to find the meaning of the underlined words. Circle signal words and write the meaning in the space provided.1. Learning should not be limited to the classroom or with teachers. We can learn by ourselves about things that are not taught by teachers. Similarly, “self-learning” is encouraged for our education system. What does the words “self-learning” mean? __________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 2. Thailand and South Korea have made a break-through in developing a new technology that enables high-speed Internet connections, just as phone service links are made efficiently through electric power lines. Both countries have joined hands to do business. What do the words “high-speed Internet connections” mean? _____________________ _____________________________________________________________________ | ||||||||||||
7. Surrounding words If you cannot find any signal words or key words as stated before, you may look around new words or unfamiliar words and try to guess them. The surrounding words may help you to understand the new words. See examples below. e.g.Children are too young to understand that swallowing gum can cause medical problems and so they shouldn't be allowed to chew it, doctors say. unfamiliar words: swallowing and chew What do these words mean? How do you guess their meaning? | ||||||||||||
Exercise 8 Find the meaning of the underlined word by choosing the best answer for each question.1. Professor Boonmee of the Thai Business Commerce School (TBC), Bangkok, had to do a presentation in Khonkaen and Bangkok on the same day, to be sure that he would be back to Bangkok on time, he bought a round trip ticket.
2. In Bangkok on Monday morning, most streets are very crowded, so Penporn came to school late because she was trapped in traffic.
3. The accountant clerks are responsible to check for false signatures, thus they needed to verify all cheques with the original signature before paying the money.
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Part B: Directions: The five types of context clues are definition (synonym/restatement), contrast, examples, general sense of the sentence, and clue from another sentence. For each sentence below, use the context to help you determine the meaning of the italicized word.
1 Because there was so little precipitation this year, the crops dried up and died.
A) fertilizer
B) planting
C) rain
2 Although I was unable to understand all of the details of the presentation, I did get the gist of it.
A) humor
B) main point
C) notes
3 At a special ceremony, the police chief gave the officer a commendation for bravery.
A) an award for an outstanding achievement
B) an object designed to bring good luck
C) a lecture
4 One brother is an erudite professor; the other brother, however, has never shown any interest in books or learning.
A) old; elderly
B) well-educated; well-read
C) snobbish; stuck up
5 Night is the time when many animals forage, or search, for food.
A) come out at night
B) sleep
C) search for food
6 The waiter was so brusque that we left only a small tip. He was impolite and impatient, and seemed annoyed whenever we asked for something.
A) acting or speaking in a rude, abrupt manner
B) frightening looking
C) knowledgeable and skilled
7 The store specializes in cutlery, such as forks and knives, that has unique designs.
A) spices and seasonings
B) plates, bowls, and cups
C) silverware; eating utensils
8 My sister loathes broccoli, but she loves spinach.
A) dislikes intensely
B) eats eagerly
C) prepares and cooks
9 Psychologists have conducted research on altruism, which can be defined as "putting the needs and welfare of others above one's own needs and well-being."
A) psychologists who conduct research
B) research conducted by psychologists
C) putting the needs and welfare of others above one's own needs and well-being
Practice Context Clues
Read each sentence below and write down the closest meaning type of context clue (contrast/antonym, restatement/synonym, example or general knowledge) that helps you define the meaning of the key term.1. Joan loves to buy exotic foods: vegetables and herbs from China, spices from India, olives from Greece, and cheeses from France.
expensive seasonings
2. Emotionally disturbed people may be troubled by morbid thoughts. For instance, they may often think about suicide or murder.
rare from other laces
3. At first, the surgery seemed to be successful. But several hours later, the patient’s condition began to deteriorate, and it continued to worsen over the next few days.
disturbing dealing with death psychologically ill scary
4. In Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three spirits who changed him into a generous man.
stabilize surprise everyone change decay or decline
5. Raul is an indulgent father. For instance, he lets his daughter stay up as late as she likes and he never insists that she does her homework.
cheapskate single and elderly unhappy wealthy
6. Languages evolve over time, as you can see if you open a page of The Canterbury Tales, written about six hundred years ago by the English poet Chaucer. It is barely recognizable as English today.
lazy and caring stupid and kind strict and mean lenient and tolerant
7. The decision Veronica made to study instead of going out for pizza with her friends was prudent. She got an A on the exam, while her friends all got D’s.
develop age increase complexity regress
8. Whenever something bad happens to Jane, she ways it’s the fault of destiny. But I prefer to take charge of my own life rather than simply blaming fate.
anti-social careful and wise selfish calculating
9. My father died when I was a baby, but Mom told me so many stories about him that I feel I knew him well. For example, one anecdotewas about how he cried with joy when I was born.
bad luck evil caused by someone poor planning event that happens regardless
10. Ivan is a wonderful piano player. But Jerri is more versatile; she sings, acts, paints and writes poetry, and also plays the piano.
medicine or cure biographical account example joke
11. This third grade was full of precocious children. One child had learned to read at two and another could do algebra at age 6.
talented show off superior skills many abilities
12. I expected truthfulness from a doctor; I was shocked by his mendacity.
backward active ahead pretty
13. When my grandfather meets someone with that much knowledge in a field, he finds that their erudition frightens him and he is inclined to withdraw.
duplicity meanness candidness knowledge
14. When going to an office party you should show your best decorum, for example, dress your best, drink and eat moderately, and be sure to thank the host before you leave.
rudeness scholarliness illiteracy age
15. We thought that the mother would be very distraught at hearing of her husband's accident; however, she took the news quite calmly.
civility decorations party moves rudeness
16. It is refreshing to see students so excited, so zealous in doing their homework.
tranquil angry disgusted anxious
zany dedicated indifferent jealous
Exercise
1. The ocean's salinity, or salt content, varies from place to place.
Clue: …………………………………………………..
Salinity means …………………………………………………..
2. Very few plants will flourish, or grow very well, without water.
Clue: …………………………………………………..
flourish means …………………………………………………..
3. Newspaper headlines often show the bias, or feeling, of the writer about the news story.
Clue: …………………………………………………..
Bias means …………………………………………………..
4. The big cities need new sources of revenue, or income.
Clue: …………………………………………………..
A revenue is an …………………………………………………..
5. There was a lot of furor -many complaints- about the traffic jam.
Punctuation clues: …………………………………………………..
Furor means …………………………………………………..
6. The pigs crowded around the trough ( a long, narrow container) after the boy had filled it with food.
Punctuation clues: …………………………………………………..
A trough is a …………………………………………………..
7. The edifice, the large building, on Petchburi Road was built in 1979.
Punctuation clues: …………………………………………………..
An edifice is a …………………………………………………..
8. You can take an escalator, or a moving staircase to go down to the platform.
Punctuation clues:…………………………………………………….
escalator is…………………………………………………………
9. The cobra moved sinuously, twisting and turning through the rocky field.
Punctuation clues: …………………………………………………..
Sinuously means …………………………………………………..
10. Manuel lives in an area that is arid or very dry.
Clue: …………………………………………………..
An arid place is a …………………………………………………..