Transcript VOCABULARY in CONTEXT - Caledonia Junior High School

Understanding Words
in CONTEXT
S-A-G-E
Unfamiliar Words
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One of the main reasons people dislike reading is
because of the difficulty in understanding
unfamiliar words.
If we can’t understand what we read, then we
can’t engage (connect) with what we read.
The result is that we simply read the words on
the page without understanding what it is we are
reading.
Words put into Context
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How do you usually find out what a word
means?
Words put into context, simply means to
understand what a word means by
understanding its context. So, what does
context mean?
Context refers to the words surrounding the
unfamiliar word, which provide clues to the
words meaning.
S-A-G-E
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ac·ro·nym [ak-ruh-nim] –
noun - a word formed from
the initial letters or groups of
letters of words in a set
phrase or series of words
Rather than looking in a dictionary, a reader can
save the time searching for a word, simply by
using for contextual clues to determine what a
word means.
S-A-G-E is an acronym for the S - synonym
four most common contextual
A - antonym
clues.
G - general sense
E - example
syn·o·nym [sin-uh-nim]
Noun- a word having the same or
S-YNONYM
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nearly the same meaning as
another in the language, as
joyful, elated, glad.
The meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words
may be understood by other similar words in
the sentence or sentences around it.
Example:
If we assess ourselves favorably, our selfesteem will be high, but if we judge ourselves
negatively, it will suffer.
A-NTONYM
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an·to·nym [an-tuh-nim]
noun- a word opposite in
meaning to another.
The meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words
may be understood by other dissimilar words
in the sentence or sentences around it.
Example:
Religions in North America are not static, but
changing, especially in this period of shifting
values.
G-ENERAL Sense of the Word
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The meaning of unfamiliar words may be
understood by the general sense of the word
and the sentence containing it—and by other
sentences around it.
Example:
A former employee, irate over having been
fired, broke into the plant and deliberately
wrecked several machines.
E-XAMPLE
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The meaning of unfamiliar words may be understood by
an example given by the author, either in the sentence
containing the word or in a sentence near it.
Many textbook authors make use of this context clue.
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Transitions like “for example,” “for instance,” “including”
and “such as” often introduce examples.
Example:
Nocturnal creatures, such as bats and owls, have
highly developed senses that enable them to
function in the dark.
Quick Review (I)
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Often, a reader can figure out the meaning of a new word
without using the dictionary—by paying attention to the
word’s ____.
In the sentences below, which type of context clue is
used for the italicized word?
You can’t take certain classes unless you’ve taken a prerequisite; for
instance, you can’t take Spanish II unless you’ve taken Spanish I.
A thick pine forest sat the foot of the mountain, but higher up, the
trees become sparse.
Talent may take years to surface. When LeBron James was a young
child, his great aptitude for basketball was not at all apparent to his
teachers.
Quick Review (II)
Directions: Identify the vocabulary word and use the context
clues to determine its meaning.
1. When people are broke, they find that many things which
seem indispensable are not so necessary after all.
2. It’s amazing that my neighbors always appear immaculate,
yet their apartment is often quite dirty.
3. Doctors should alleviate the pain of terminally ill patients
so that their final days are as comfortable as possible.
4. Rose thought selling cosmetics door-to-door would be a
lucrative part-time job, but in her first month she earned
only twenty dollars.
5. Working as a team, a coyote and a badger may
simultaneously attack an area crowded with squirrels. The
attack panics the squirrels, making them easier to catch.
On an Assessment
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It may be helpful to try substituting the
unfamiliar word with one that is more
familiar.
Example: The tiger was volatile; you
never knew how it would behave. For
instance, sometimes it was tame and
other times it was vicious.
unpredictable
The tiger was _____________.
Continued…On an
Assessment
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Furthermore, understanding your parts
of speech will help you choose the right
type of word to substitute.
For instance, you would only substitute
a noun for a noun, and a verb for a
verb…etc.
The tiger was volatile (adjective).
The tiger was unpredictable (adjective).