Clues in Sentences Investigation

Context Clues!

I've been practicing sincea very young age.

I traveled the world andsang “Bootylicious” on

stage.

I’m all grown up nowThey call me Queen BeeNot a “Single Lady” any

moreRide or die with Jay Z

.

Beyonce!!!

LET’S LOOK AT SOME MORE TYPES OF CONTEXT CLUES:

DefinitionRestatement or SynonymContrast or AntonymComparisonExampleList or SeriesCause and EffectDescription or Inference

The unknown word is explained by using a more familiar word or phrase

EXAMPLES:EXAMPLES:

““His wife had been commuting with their one year His wife had been commuting with their one year old baby to spend nights with a friend in old baby to spend nights with a friend in UshidaUshida, a , a suburb of the north.” Pg. suburb of the north.” Pg.

““Mr. Tanimoto had taken on the chairmanship of Mr. Tanimoto had taken on the chairmanship of his local his local tonarigumitonarigumi , or Neighborhood , or Neighborhood Association…”Association…”

““Dr. Masakazu Fugi, being prosperous, Dr. Masakazu Fugi, being prosperous, hedonistichedonistic, and at the time not too , and at the time not too busy, busy, had been allowing himself to had been allowing himself to sleep in until nine or nine thirty.sleep in until nine or nine thirty.” P. 9

The hospital “contained thirty rooms for thirty patients and their kinfolkkinfolk-- for according to Japanese custom… one or more of his family go and live one or more of his family go and live there with him there with him …” P. 9

Father Welhelm Klinsorge… felt the strain of being a foreigner in an increasingly xenophobic xenophobic Japan; even a German, since the defeat of the Fatherland, was unpopular.

The meaning is usually right after the unfamiliar word and often separated from the rest of the sentence with commas, dashes, or parentheses; sometimes, or that is, or in other words is used.

EXAMPLESEXAMPLES::**Meat eatersMeat eaters, , that isthat is carnivorescarnivores, are at the top of , are at the top of the food chainthe food chain..*The *The goslingsgoslings----those those fuzzy baby geesefuzzy baby geese----waddled waddled after their mother.after their mother.*She enjoyed *She enjoyed biologybiology ((the study of living thingsthe study of living things))..

The unfamiliar word is shown to be the same as or like another word; too, like, as, similar to, or in the same way may be used to signal the comparison.

EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:

*My brother is *My brother is enthralledenthralled by birds by birds similarsimilar toto the way that I am the way that I am fascinatedfascinated by by insects.insects.

The unfamiliar word is shown to be different from or unlike another word, and is often an opposite; but, however, although, otherwise, unless, instead, on the contrary, on the other hand, while, never, no, or not may be used to signal contrast.

EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:

**Mike’s parrot was Mike’s parrot was loquaciousloquacious, , butbut Maria’s said Maria’s said very littlevery little..

The meaning of an unfamiliar word is signaled by a cause-and-effect relationship between ideas in the text.

EXAMPLE:EXAMPLE:

** The monkey’s The monkey’s vociferousvociferous chatter chatter mademademe wish I had earplugsme wish I had earplugs

Read each sentence or paragraph and find the correct answer.

1. The archeologist carefully removed the tometome from its ancient resting place and proceeded to read the pages related to marriage

in ancient Greece. What does the word What does the word tometome probably mean? probably mean?

a. Pen b. weapon c. book d. sausage

2. The Navajo language is an unwritten language of extremecomplexity with no alphabet or symbols, and is spoken only onthe lands of the Navajo Nation in the American Southwest. DuringWorld War II a Navajo code was created for the U.S. Navy. This code was virtuallyvirtually undecipherable to anyone except Navajospeaking persons. What does the word What does the word virtuallyvirtually probably mean? probably mean?

a. pleasant b. almost c. never d. always

3. Lakes occupy less than two percent of the Earth’s surface, yetthey help sustainsustain life. For instance, lakes give us fish to eat, irrigate crops, and generate electrical power. What does the word sustainsustainprobably mean?

a. support b. obstruct c. prolong d. destroy

4. The ancient Greeks pioneeredpioneered many of the kinds of writing weconsider standard today. They wrote speeches, plays, poems, books about science and learning, long histories of the thingsthat happened to them. What does the word What does the word pioneeredpioneered probably probablymean?mean?

a. complicated b. developed c. destroyed d. explored

5. Fifty-five mostly prominentprominent, male delegates attended the Philadelphia Convention in 1787. About seventy-five percent of the delegates had served in Congress and others were important people in their home states. These men are often referred to as the Framers of the Constitution. What does the word prominentprominent probably mean?

a. unimportant b. unknown c. common d. important