Finding word meaning from context

Introduction

The forgoing covers understanding (guessing the meaning of) new words and simple phrases

Firstly,  you should know that context is information, ideas or clues given in the sentence, and other sentences in the paragraph or text as a whole. Clues from the whole text come from: the title, subheadings, the main topic, thesis statement and topic sentences.

Example of context:

He hated all animals and insects, so he was really rattled when his found a sea of ants in his bedroom.

From the context, from he hated all animals and insects you can guess rattled means not happy, upset or scared.

To understand a text you will probably need to understand some new vocabulary. But did you know you can get meaning of new words from the passage your are reading, or looking more closely at the word itself? It is a very important and useful skill to be able to glean (get) meaning of new words from context and other clues. This way you will not need to look up every word you don’t know. If reading is easier for you you will probably read more and learn more.

You can learn new vocabulary from the context (the words and sentences nearby) together with other clues.  But you will need to look carefully for the clues. When you find them you will probably be able to guess correctly the meaning of pronouns, new words or new phrases.

You may use a dictionary to find the mean of some words. For all of the following exercises, YOU MAY NOT USE A DICTIONARY, A TRANSLATOR OR ASK ANYONE to help find the meaning of the underlined words.

The reading component (part) of your exam will include questions that ask the meaning of new words (and pronouns within the text). You will need to use context and other clues. So understanding how to find the clues, and practicing the skill of getting meaning from context (i.e. background or other information)  will help in the exam.  During your exam, you will not be able to ask anyone about vocabulary or use a translator app or dictionary during your exam. So you should practice getting meaning from context. Do the quizzes on this page.

IMPORTANT! You will need to be able to find the meaning of new words or phrases (words or phrases that do not appear in your textbook, the exam specification or the exam vocabulary list)

Look at this example:

“Ahmed made a new acquaintance yesterday.  That is just like him. He is always meeting new people.“

What does “made a new acquaintance” mean?

Choose a. or b. below. Use the clue (in red) to help you.

a. made an appointment

b. met someone for the first time.

The correct answer is b.

You need to use various clues to help understand new words. The following can help you get the meaning of a new word:

1. knowing the part of speech (noun, verb, adjective…)
2. knowing the meaning of prefixes and suffixes
3. looking for context clues, like background or other information in the text
4. you will also need to use you general knowledge

PART 1 – Using part of speech to help get meaning of new vocabulary

What are parts of speech?

Parts of speech include noun, verb, adjective and adverb.

Click here to review parts of speech https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/parts-of-speech-table.htm . If you need some practice to help you understand parts of speech,  go here: https://helpyourselfenglish.wordpress.com/parts-of-speech/

Using part of speech as a clue to meaning.

Look at the part of speech. Is the word  a verb (e.g. write), noun (e.g.pen) or adjective (nice)? The part of speech will give you a big clue as to the meaning of the new word. Then look at the sentences around the new word for more clues as to the meaning.

Example 1 -verb

The Prince motioned with his hand for everyone to sit down.

You might guess motioned  is a past tense verb, because it ends in ed and it comes after the subject (the Prince). The Prince did something, He did some kind of action. You can see  he used his hand. Maybe he wrote something. Maybe he picked something up. However, from the clue with his hand for everyone to sit down you might guess he moved, or waved his hand, to show (or signal) that he wanted everyone  to sit down. So motioned means waved or signaled.

Example 2 -noun

All his friends loved the taste of Stilton. They ate every last bit. The Prince would not eat it.He hated blue cheese. 

All his friends loved the taste shows that it is something that can be eaten. it’s food and it’s a a noun. He hated blue cheese tells you what kind of food it is. So Stilton is a kind of blue cheese.

Example 3-adjective

He sat down at the end of an enormous table. He joined the other 29 people already seated.

Enormous is an adjective (it comes before the noun, it describes the noun). It describes the table. From this sentence enormous might mean big, long, small, old etc. You will also need to look for other clues to get closer to the meaning of enormous. You might guess from the sentence He joined the other 29 people already seated that enormous means big.

Example 4-adverb

Everyone seated at the huge table waited for the prince to begin the feast. He reluctantly started to eat. It was blue cheese. He hated blue cheese.

Reluctantly is an adverb as it describes the verb. The word reluctantly refers to how the person is eating. He might might be eating quickly, slowly, or without pleasure (enjoyment). Again, you will also need to look for other clues to get closer to the meaning. You might guess from the sentences  It was blue cheese. He hated blue cheese that the Prince did not want to eat the cheese. He did not like blue cheese, so he ate it unwillingly, without enjoyment. .

Example 5-noun phrase

The Mark Dyson website lists (shows) his many amazing innovations. They include a driverless flying car,  a solar (sun) powered motorbike and a smartphone that never needs charging.

“His many amazing innovations“  is a noun phrase. Noun phrases usually contain an adjective+noun and often other words too.  The examples: driverless flying car,  a solar (sun) powered motorbike and a smartphone that never needs charging suggest (give the idea) that innovations are new products (man-made things) never seen before.

Noun phrase practice quiz: http://www.englishgrammar.org/noun-phrases-exercise/

Example 6 – phrasal verb (idiomatic, and there is no literal sense)

“His bedroom was so messy. Has he  tidied and cleaned his room yet?” asked his aunt.  His mother replied (said) “Yes, it’s not messy now. He had been very busy with important college work, so he didn’t get around to it until last night.

Get around to (something) is a phrasal verb. It means do, as you might have guessed. The clues are: it’s not messy now and until last night.

Example 7 – phrasal verb (there is a literal and a idiomatic sense) Is he shooting off bullets? It the example in bold literal or idiomatic?

You’ve missed him. He went five  minutes ago. He said “sorry”.  He had to shoot off on urgent business.

Shoot off here is not literal. There is nothing being shot. It means leave quickly. The clue is: on urgent business.

Example 8 -passive verb

A car came around the bend much too fast, lost control, span (went) across the road and smashed head-on into David’s car. He was injured in the crash. He broke both arms and both legs.

“Was injured” is a passive verb. Was+verb+ed shows something happened to him. He did not do the injuring. In a crash a person can get cut, get hurt (damaged), be helped or be killed. An injury is something that can happen to you in a crash. Can you guess what injured means? The examples He broke both arms and both legs show he was hurt, so injured means hurt.

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PART 2 – Using prefixes, roots and suffixes for meaning of new vocabulary.

This is only and introduction.

You can get an idea of the meaning of a new word if you look at the prefix, root and suffix.

helpful: ful is the suffix and it shows the word in an adjective.

disable (verb): dis is the prefix. Dis means no/not/make not. So if a programme on you computer has been disabled is is not working.

revisiting: visit is the root: Re means again. Ing here shows it is a progressive (continuous) verb

The prefix or suffix changes the meaning of a word. For example,  the PC is disconnected from  the Internet has the opposite meaning to the PC is connection to the Internet  

Go here for a more detailed explanation, more examples, and quizzes (Scroll down to prefixes, roots and suffixes). https://helpyourselfenglish.wordpress.com/reading-longer-words/

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PART 3 – Six kinds of context clues.

Framework clues:

That guy always makes us laugh. His stories are hilarious.

What does hilarious mean?

The background clue, that guy always makes us laugh, shows he’s a funny guy. So what kind of stories does he tell?

What dies hilarious mean? Choose the best answer:

a..scary,      b. very funny,     c.true

The answer is: b. funny

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Definition, example and framework clues

Here we look at three types of clues: definition, example and framework  clues. The clues are shown in italics.

Definition clue (in blue), example clue (in green) and framework clue (in red).

1. A bungalow is a one story (level) house.
2. Amphibious animals live part of their life in/on water and part on land.
3. There are many kinds of furniture. For example, tables, chairs, bookcase and sofa.
4. Carnivores such as lions, tigers, snakes and birds of prey (eagle, falcon etc.) …
5. Our cat Timmy left home for 6 months. I think it was upset because we got another cat. We had thought Timmy would like the company of another cat, it seems he didn’t.  When Timmy returned he would not let us touch him. He had turned a little feral.
6. The winner of the gold medal was so strong against his weaker opponents. He was omnipotent.

NOTE: with many framework clues you will also need to draw on your general knowledge. To help find the meaning of feral it helps to know that house cats can sometimes behave like wild cats.

Ex.1. Find the meaning of the underlined words from the examples above

1. bungalow =     a. low house     b. tall house    c. nice house
2. amphibious =   a. not clear    b. land+water  animal   c. lays eggs
3. furniture =   a. only chairs    b.  kind of food   c.  movable things used to make a room or building OK for living or working
4. carnivore =  a. insect eaters   b. meat eater   c. does not eat meat
5. feral =  a. wild       b. happy       c. dangerous
6. omnipotent =  a.  weak   b. powerful   c. dangerous

Acknowledgements:

5 and 6 Retrieved (and adapted) from http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-context-clues.html

Answers:

6. powerful      5. wild    4. meat eater   3.  movable things used to make a room or building OK for living or working        2. land+water  animal       1. low house

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Punctuation, contrast and comparison clues

We now look at three more different kinds of context clues: punctuation clues, contrast clues, comparison clues.

Punctuation clues

1. There are many kinds of deciduous trees, ones that lose their leaves each season.

2. The subconscious mind, or part of the mind of which one is not fully aware, often control the way we feel and act.(exercise coming soon).

Contrast clues

3. Peter was obese, but now he isn’t very overweight, just he should lose some more weight to be healthy.

4. John was studious, while his brother Paul did not study at all.

Comparison clues

5.  Taking out the garbage was an onerous task; likewise (similarly), washing dishes can be a hard job.

6.  The unsubstantial story was as if (like) she were retelling a dream.

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Exercise  1

Find the meaning/synonym of the underlined words in the 6 sentences above.

1. deciduous        =     a. leaves fall    b. choosing    c. tall
2. subconscious  =     a. awake    b. asleep    c. unaware
3. studious           =     a. does not study   b. smart   c. studies hard
4. onerous            =      a. difficult     b. easy    c. for somone esle to do
5. obese                 =     a. very thin    b.very sporty    c. fat
6. unsubstantial  =     a. short/small    b. weak/thin    c. long/tall

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Answers:

unsubstantial      =   b. weak/thin                   obese                      =  c. fat

onerous                =   a. difficult                         studious                =  c. studies hard

subconscious      =   c. unaware                        deciduous           =    a. leaves fall

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Acknowledgements:

5.  adapted from http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/lessons/index.pl?read=1141

6. adapted from http://edhelper.com/language/Context_Clues605.html

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Context clues summary

These are the types of clues that will help you (there are 6 in all):

1. framework based clue (the meanings of surrounding words, background information you find in the text, your experience  and common sense).
2. punctuation clues.
3. definition clues.
4. contrast clues.
5. comparison clues.
6. example clues.

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Exercise 2.a 

What kind of clue is given? The words in bold show the kind of clue.

1. The seasonal wind of the Indian Ocean and southern Asia is a monsoon.
2. Nicotine, a coloruless and oily drug in tobacco, stains the teeth of chain smokers.
3. My sister is extremely neat in appearance while she is slovenly in her housekeeping.
4. Birds are oviparous; similarly, fish and reptiles lay eggs that hatch outside of the body.
5. Various means (ways) of conveyance–for example, cars, subways, and ships are used worldwide.
6. The angry driver shouted vehemently during his fight with the other driver.

Acknowledgment

Retrieved from: http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/lessons/index.pl?read=1141

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Answers

6. Framework based clue 5.  Example clue   4.Comparison clue

3. Contrast clue   2. Punctuation clue   1 Definition clue

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Exercise 2.b

Find the meaning or synonym of the underlined words in Ex 2a. Choose the closest meaning.

1. monsoon = type of tree, type of weather, name of a sea, area between Indian Ocean and Southern Asia
2. nioctine = a brand of cigarette, engine oil, a drug, a kind of tobacco
3. slovenly = neat, untidy, housekeeper, good
4. oviparous = egg layer,  dangerous,  can fly, eats eggs
5. conveyance = escalator, conveyor belt, manufacture,   transport
6. vehemently = strongly, weakly, slowly, kindly

Answers

6. strongly    5. transport   4. egg layer    3. untidy   2. a drug    1. type of weather

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Meaning of phrasal verbs from context

Common phrasal verbs with multiple meanings

What do the words in bold mean? Choose the best answer.

1.The plane will take off in 30 minutes. You should go to the boarding gate now

a. imitate (copy)     b.get off the ground     c. remove     d. leave.

2.You must be warm in that jacket.Why don’t you take it off?

a. imitate (copy)     b.get off the ground     c. remove     d. leave

3.So you want to talk about your idea for combating (fighting) terrorism. I can give you twenty minutes of my time now if that OK, but I have been asked to be ready to take off at a moment’s notice. If there is an emergency, I may have leave quickly and see the chief officer.

a. imitate (copy)     b.get off the ground     c. remove     d. leave

4. When I was young I liked to run through the fields.

a. move fast across     b.start and continue until the end     c.put a knife in someone    d. give information about

5. I need to run you through  the new fire safety regulations (rules).

a. move fast across     b.start and continue until the end     c.put a knife in someone    d. give information about

6. The German soldier was determined (set) to kill me. Since had no bullets left, he tried to run me through. I managed to shoot him before it was too late.

a. move fast across     b.start and continue until the end     c.put a knife in someone    d. give information about

Answers

1. b. get off the ground     2. c. remove    3  d. leave

4. a. move fast across     5. d. give information about   6. c.put a knife in someone

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Meaning of phrasal verbs using the 6 types of context clues

What do the words in bold mean? Choose the best answer.

1.Framework clue

I’m not sure right now how we can fix (resolve) this. You damaged my car, but I’m sure we can work something out.

a. remove something    b. find a resolution (agreeable result)  c.  fix (repair) the car together

2.Definition clue

I will not put up with your bad behavior. I will not tolerate (accept) it.

a. endure (stay with)    b. increase    c.  resist (fight)

3. Examples clue

Person A   “I must get on top of my homework”

Person B.”Why not (I suggest) do the most important homework tonight? I will stay and help you. Forget about any homework where there are no grade points at stake (to be awarded). Then make sure you do one hour homework every night.”

a.  to gain control of a difficult situation      b. climb on top of homework books     c. get the highest  possible grade

4. Comparison clue

Andy stands up for himself.  He similar to  his brother Jack. Jack can and will defend himself with words if he needs to.

a.  stand up tall      b. never asks others to stand up     c. defend with words

5. Contrast clue

I though he’d grown out of going drifting. It seems he hasn’t. He’s like a teenager, he goes drifting almost every night.

a.  become wiser        b. stopped, due to being older or wiser      c. become too fat or tall to fit

6. Punctuation clue

“Why are you sitting watching boring TV every night, ignoring your problem? You really need to visit the doctor, Maria. Why put it off again?” Putting important things off, delaying necessary action or response, can cause pain and stress. It can even damage your health.

a.  switch off the TV       b. cancel an appointment    c. delaying  action

Answers:     1. b.    2. a.   3. a    4. c.   5. b    6.c.

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Meaning of passives from context

What do the words in bold mean? Choose the best answer.

1. Contrast clue

Tea is harvested all year round, whereas outdoor grown oranges are available for picking only half the year.

a. brought in from the fields             b. drunk or eaten            c. planted out in the fields

2. Comparison clue.

After Bonzo, Emma’s dog, did so much damage to her Mum’s new villa, it was confined to the garden for a month.  Emma was made to stay somewhere too, in her room, for the whole weekend. Her mother was angry with for not exercising the dog enough.

a. destroyed             b. made to stay           c. made smaller

3. Framework clue

We are staying with my parents,  while our house is being renovated. It was looking old and tired. It really needs a lot of work done.  Their place (house) has plenty (lots) of space and lots of spare bedrooms.

a. returned to a new condition            b. made bigger          c. made safer

4. Punctuation clue

We went back to see the old house I used to live in as a child. I was disappointed. It‘d  been demolished, flattened and swept away,  like it had never existed.

a. imaginary           b. returned to a new condition        c. pulled down

5. Examples clue

was snatched

6. Definition clue

were forgiven

Answers:

1.a. brought in from the fields     2. b. made to stay   3.a. returned to a new condition

4.c. pulled down

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Quick Practice

Exercise 1

Find the meaning/synonym of the underlined words.

1. Another component, or part, of blood is red blood cells.
2. Kangaroos, opossums, and other marsupials usually carry their young in a pouch.
3. Bob hiked the forests of Maine in October because he wanted to see the fall foliage.
4. In contrast to how stiff it got in the refrigerator, the dough became pliable when the baker rolled it out.
5. Bees and flowers have a symbiotic relationship; in other words, they each help the other to survive.
6. A megalopolis is an enormous city.
7. Somnambulism, or sleepwalking, can be dangerous.

Quiz:

1. component = a. person  b. computer   c. part
2. marsupials = a. insects   b. flightless birds   c. animals that usually carry their young in a pouch
3. foliage = a. trees  b. leaves  c.branches
4. pliable = a. hard as iron  b. strong/unbreakable  c. soft/bendy 
5. symbiotic =  a. simple medicine  b. living things  helping each other to live c. like a machine
6. megalopolis  = a. small town  b. medium sized city  c.very big city
7. somnambulism =  a. ambulance   b. walking in one’s sleep  c. not many

Answers:

7. walking in one’s sleep  6. very big city  5.  living things helping each other to live.   4. soft/bendy  3. leaves  2. animals that usually carry their young in a pouch  1.  part

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Exercise 2

Find the meaning of underlined word in each sentence.

1. Mark is obsessed with dogs; he likes them better than people!

A. preoccupied B. excited about

2. Roger is obnoxious, just like his dog that never stops barking.

A. encouraging B. unpleasant

3. No one comes into my yard because my dog is vehement about protecting us.

A. fierce B. sweet

4. Joel is ambivalent about dogs, he can’t decide whether he wants one or not.     A. unhappy B. unsure

5. Aaron asked if he could have a dog, but his parents rejected the idea.

A. refused B. liked

6. My dog Sparky needs constant reassurance because he is so insecure.

A. lacking confidence B. lacking security

7. We think George will be a good dog trainer because he has so much composure.

A. experince B. patience

8. Harvey doesn’t like other dogs. He is so antisocial.

A. not social B. overly social

9. Spot never gets sick because he has an extremely healthy constitution.     A. thinking  B. physical state

10. I was very dissatisfied when Fluffy failed dog obedience.     A. pleased B. not pleased

Answers:

1. A  2.B   3.A   4.B   5.A   6. A  7. B  8.A   9. B  10.B

Acknowledgement:

Adapted from: http://www.englishworksheetsland.com/grade2/readfoundation/9/4mansbest.pdf

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More quick practice

http://www.softschools.com/quizzes/language_arts/context_clues/quiz1539.html

http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=word-meaning-wwwrhlschoolcom

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/dynamic_multiple_choiceB2.html

https://www.quia.com/quiz/3804250.html

http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0073123587/student_view0/chapter3/context_clues__exercise_1.html

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Reading Passages

Banana Smoothies

Find the meaning of the bold words

Banana smoothies first appeared in the 1930s. Since then, they have become very popular across the world. Not only is the banana smoothie delicious, but it has many of the nutrients our bodies need to function (work / be well).

Banana smoothies are made from fresh bananas using an electric blender. The fresh fruit gives it that chunky but creamy look. The ice keeps it cool in the hot summer heat. Bananas have a lot of healthy carbohydrates which makes them a perfect food for athletes and people with active lifestyles.

Smoothies help to give energy after a difficult workout.  Doctors recommend bananas to  who have heart problems and high blood pressure, as they lower the risk of stroke and heart attacks. Another good thing about this wonderful fruit is that it protects against depression and keeps you in a good mood.  Banana smoothies, when mixed with yogurt and other fruits like apples or mangos, protect you from stomach ulcers and help your digestive system.

Bananas are a low-calorie food; there are about 100 calories in a medium sized banana. They make you feel full, so if you eat a banana, you will avoid snacking between meals. This is beneficial because it helps you to reach your weight loss goals. But make sure you don’t put sugar in your smoothie. Bananas are sweet enough

1. they (in paragraph 1)               = A. people  B. nutrients  C.banana smoothies
2. nutrients (in paragraph 1)      = A. things within food you need in order to live   B. banana smoothies    C. yellow fruit
3. it ( (in paragraph 2)                  = A. electric blender    B. a smoothie    C. ice
4. risk    (in paragraph 3)               =  A.  bananas     B. chance    C.  impossible                         
5. depression    (in paragraph 3)   =  A.  good heath    B. low mood     C. high spirits (mood)
6. ulcers   (in paragraph 3)            = A. stomach sores   B.bad people   C.sugar
7. digestive system  (in paragraph 3)      = A. parts of the body that help you breathe  B. banana smoothies  C. parts of the body that help change food to energy.
8. beneficial (in paragraph 4)      =  A. low-calorie  B. sweet tasting  C. helpful

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Answers:

8. beneficial (in paragraph 4)                = helpful

7. digestive system   (in paragraph 3)    = parts of the body that help change food to energy

6. ulcers     (in paragraph 3)                    =  stomach sores

5. expression  in paragraph 3)                   =  low mood

4. risk    (in paragraph 3)                           =  chance   

3. it ( (in paragraph 2)                             = a smoothie

2. nutrients (in paragraph 1)                  = things within food you need in order to live

1. they (in paragraph 1)                           =  banana smoothies

Acknowledgement: adapted from KSU exam preparation material.

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Improving Your English

Find the meaning of the bold words

Today, millions of people want to learn or improve their English but it is difficult to find the best method. Is it better to study in Britain or America or to study in your own country?

The advantages of going to Britain seem obvious. Firstly, you will be able to listen to the language all the time you are in the country. You will be surrounded completely by the language wherever you go. Another advantage is that you have to speak the language if you are with other people. In Italy, it is always possible, in the class, to speak Italian if you want to and the learning is slower.

On the other hand, there are also advantages to staying at home to study. You don’t have to make big changes to your life. As well as this, it is also a lot cheaper than going to Britain but it is never possible to achieve the results of living in the UK. If you have a good teacher in Italy, I think you can learn in a more concentrated way than being in Britain without going to a school.

So, in conclusion, I think that if you have enough time and enough money, the best choice is to spend some time in the UK. This is simply not possible for most people, so being here in Italy is the only viable option. The most important thing to do in this situation is to maximise your opportunities: to speak only English in class and to try to use English whenever possible outside the class.

Retrieved from http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/3r1-learn-english-reading.php

1. method  → school, language, teacher, way.
2. obvious → impossible to see, difficult to see or understand, easy to see, difficult
3. surrounded   → everywhere around, surprised, not next to, speaking
4. advantages  → bad things, good things, difficult things, easy things
5. achieve → not get, get, stop, give away
6. concentrated → focused, confused, diffiult, relaxing
7. viable → easy, workable, legal, clear
8. situation → urgent, place or circumstances, emergency, exam or test
9. maximise your opportunities → improve your accent,  avoid mistakes by not trying, make the most of your chances,  learn Italian

Answers

1. method  →  way.
2. obvious → easy to see or understand
3. surrounded   → everywhere around
4. advantages  → good things
5. achieve →  get
6. concentrated → focused
7. viable → workable
8. situation → place or circumstances
9. maximise your opportunities → make the most of your chances

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When the Ground Shakes

Use a dictionary to find the meaning of these words (if you don’t know them already): panic,  hurricane, flood, surge, earthquake, obstacles,  regardless, approach, distressing

Find the meaning of the bold words without a dictionary

Earthquakes are often devastating, killing people and destroying buildings. One of the most important things to remember when calamity strikes (hits) is not to panic. A panicky person cannot think clearly. A person who panics cannot maneuver through the obstacles presented by a disaster, such as a tornado or hurricane. Each kind of disaster requires a different action. For example, a tornado requires (needs) people to go to the center of a building (preferably a room with no windows) or a basement and to cover their heads. A hurricane, on the other hand, requires evacuation because the storm surge can flood areas. If the storm surge rises too high, people will be stranded on rooftops and unable to get to safety. In the event of an earthquake, people should get outside or stand in doorways for protection. Seismic activity causes the ground to shake and buildings to come toppling down in some cases. Regardless of the kind of natural disaster, a calm approach will allow you to think things through and act appropriately for the situation.

Adapted from

Click to access ccslh_g6_lv_8_3b_link3.pdf

Exercise: choose the correct or closest meaning if there is no correct meaning.

devastating →      exciting,    enormous,   highly destructive or damaging,   ground shaking.

calamity →  damaging or distressing event,   memorable or important event,   earthquake, death

maneuver →  destroy completely,  move around,  plan ahead.  live dangerously

evacuation →  drying out,   patience,    courage,   moving out

stranded →  can’t understand,  can’t move,   can’t communicate,  living

seismic → rescure,  building,  hurricane,  earthquake

toppling →  falling,   slowly,   eventually,  gently

appropriately →  in a fitting way ,  not exactly correctly,  without panic,   proceeding (going) cautiously

Answers:

devastating →      highly destructive or damaging

calamity →  damaging or distressing event

maneuver →  move around

evacuation →   moving out

stranded →  can’t move

seismic → earthquake

toppling →  falling

appropriately →  in a fitting way

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