SKILL 1: DETERMINING WORD MEANINGS

Prefixes and suffixes are parts of some words. A prefix appears at the beginning of a word. A suffix appears at the end of a word. Both prefixes and suffixes affect the meaning of words. You can use them to help figure out the meaning of a word.

Mount Mazama is a volcano in Oregon. It has been inactive for years. The edges of the crater have fallen in. The crater has filled up with water. It is now known as Crater Lake.
1 In this paragraph, the word inactive means —
A upset.
B quiet.
C alive.
D stubborn.
Hint: "In-" is a prefix. It means not.

The porcupine fish can make itself look very odd. If it senses danger, it takes a breath of air and puffs out its body. Then it looks like a spine-covered ball. When the danger passes, the fish deflates itself.
2 What happens when a balloon deflates?
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Hint: "De-" is a prefix. It means to reverse the action of, or to undo.

The Maya Indians once built great cities. They lived in an area that stretched from southern
Mexico to Central America. Then the Maya began to evacuate the large cities. They moved to farms or small towns. The reason they left the cities is still unknown.

3 In this paragraph, the word evacuate means —
F sweep
G build
H join
J leave
Hint: "E-" is a prefix. It means out.

When John found the stray cat, its fur was so wet and dirty that he could see its ribs. He tried to give it some milk, but it was too sick to drink any. He could not bear to watch it suffering and took it to the animal shelter.
4 In this paragraph, the word suffering means —
A drooling.
B experiencing pain.
C having stitches.
D experiencing pleasure.
Hint: The suffix "-ing" means the act of.

Sometimes you can figure out the meaning of a new or difficult word by using the words around it as clues.

Have you ever seen a sea monster? People in northern Scotland believe a sea monster lives in Loch Ness, a nearby lake. Many people have reported seeing the creature. Observers say that it has flippers, a hump, and a long, thin neck.
5 In this paragraph, the word observers means —
F police.
G watchers.
H campers,
J doctors.
Hint: You get a clue about what the word means by reading sentences 3 and 4.

Bedrich Smetana wrote music. When he was fifty years old, he became totally deaf. But he did not let this check his interest in music. He wrote some of his finest pieces after going deaf.
6 In this paragraph, the word check means —
A mark.
B nail.
C stop.
D open.
Hint: You get a clue about what the word means by reading sentences 3 and 4.

The space shuttle needs extra power to be launched. To get this power, the shuttle is connected to a large fuel reservoir and two rocket boosters. These fall off as the shuttle climbs into space.
7 What is a fuel reservoir?
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Hint: You get a clue about what the word reservoir means by reading sentences 1 and 2.

Many plants grow in places that do not have the minerals they need. The plants must adapt to their surroundings. One of these plants is the pitcher plant. It traps and eats insects for the minerals it needs to grow properly.
8 In this paragraph, the word adapt means —
F enjoy.
G answer.
H adjust.
J hatch.
Hint: You get a clue about what the word adapt means by reading sentences I and 2.

Specialized or technical words are words used in specific subjects, such as science and social studies. can use all the other information in the text to help determine the meaning of these words.

Most animals use some kind of respiration to stay alive, A water spider gets air from large bubbles in the water. Whales, however, must come to the surface of the water to get air for their lungs.
9 In this paragraph the word respiration means —
A food,
B breathing.
C water.
D trick.
Hint: The word respiration is a technical word. You get a clue about what it means by reading the entire paragraph.

Plants can be attacked by insects or destroyed by bad weather. Sometimes plants are struck by an epidemic. Then many plants get sick and die.
10 What is an epidemic?
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Hint: Epidemic is a technical word. You get a clue about what it means by reading the entire paragraph.

The moon appears to change its shape over a period of about thirty days. For that reason the moon can be used to measure the passing of time. That's why people long ago developed lunar calendars.

11 In this paragraph the word lunar means —
F of the time.
G of long ago.
H of the moon.
J of the people.
Hint: Lunar is a technical word. You get a about what it means by reading the entire paragraph.

On July 11,1991, the people in Hawaii had a thrilling experience. The earth, moon, and sun lined up. This made the sun seem to disappear. This eclipse of the sun lasted over seven minutes.
12 In this paragraph the word eclipse means —
A darkening.
B coloring.
C brightness.
D heat.
Hint: The word eclipse is a technical term. 'You get a clue about what eclipse means by reading sentences 2 and 3.

Richard Leakey was born in Kenya, Africa, in 1944. He has found many important fossils of early humans. He discovered some skulls that are thought to be over one million years old!
13 In this paragraph the word fossilsmeans —
F bones.
G dinosaurs.
H tribes.
J photographs.
Hint: The word fossils is a technical term. You get a clue about what fossils means by reading sentences 2 and 3,

When ducks migrate south each fall, many of them pass over Stuttgard, Arkansas. So the people there hold a duck-calling contest. As the ducks fly by, the people quack away!
14 What does the word migrate mean in this paragraph?
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Hint: The word migrate is a technical term. You get a clue about what the word migrate means by reading the entire paragraph.

Answers
1. B 2. The balloon will get smaller since the air es¬capes when it deflates. 3. J 4. B 5. G 6. C 7. The fuel reservoir holds gasoline. It is the tank. 8. H 9. B 10. An epidemic is when many people, animals, or plants get sick. 11. H 12. A 13. F 14. to travel