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Have you ever seen a word in a novel, but you didn’t know what it meant? Context clues can help you with that. A context clue is a type of information such as a definition, synonym, antonym, or illustration that is close to a word or phrase and offers direct or indirect clues about its meaning. The word is often challenging in nature. Taking this quiz on context clues can be a novel idea. Have fun!
Questions and Answers
1.
Joan loves to buy exotic foods: vegetables and herbs from China, spices from India, olives from Greece, and cheeses from France.
expensive
seasonings
rare
from other places
Explanation The correct answer is "from other places." This answer accurately describes the variety of foods that Joan loves to buy, as they come from different countries and regions around the world. It suggests that Joan enjoys exploring and trying foods from different cultures and is open to experiencing new flavors and ingredients.
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2.
Emotionally disturbed people may be troubled by morbid thoughts. For instance, they may often think about suicide or murder.
disturbing dealing with death psychologically ill scary
Explanation This answer is correct because the statement in the question mentions that emotionally disturbed people may often think about suicide or murder, which are both related to death. Therefore, "dealing with death" accurately captures the idea that emotionally disturbed individuals may be troubled by morbid thoughts about death.
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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.
stabilize surprise everyone change decay or decline
Explanation The given correct answer "decay or decline" accurately describes the patient's condition in the scenario. Initially, the surgery seemed successful, but the patient's condition deteriorated over time and continued to worsen. This suggests a decline or decay in their health.
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4.
It is refreshing to see students so excited, so zealous in doing their homework.
zany dedicated indifferent jealous
Explanation The word "refreshing" suggests that the speaker finds the students' excitement and enthusiasm for doing their homework to be positive and enjoyable. The word "dedicated" means fully committed and devoted to a task, which aligns with the students' behavior of being excited and zealous in doing their homework. Therefore, "dedicated" is the most appropriate choice as it accurately describes the students' attitude towards their homework.
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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.
lazy and caring stupid and kind strict and mean lenient and tolerant
Explanation Raul's behavior of letting his daughter stay up late and not insisting on her doing her homework indicates that he is lenient and tolerant. He is not strict or mean as he does not enforce rules or expectations on his daughter. Instead, he allows her to make her own choices and gives her freedom. This behavior shows that he is indulgent and permissive, displaying a lenient and tolerant parenting style.
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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.
develop age increase complexity regress
Explanation The passage states that languages evolve over time, and provides an example of how English has changed over six hundred years. Therefore, the most appropriate word to complete the sentence would be "develop," as it reflects the idea of language progressing and changing over time.
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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.
anti-social careful and wise selfish calculating
Explanation Veronica's decision to study instead of going out for pizza with her friends can be considered prudent because it was careful and wise. By choosing to prioritize her studies, she was able to achieve a positive outcome by getting an A on the exam. In contrast, her friends who did not prioritize their studies received poor grades (D's). This suggests that Veronica's decision was a thoughtful and intelligent one, as it led to a successful result.
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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.
bad luck evil caused by someone poor planning event that happens regardless
Explanation This answer suggests that the correct explanation for the given statement is that Jane believes that bad things happen to her regardless of her actions or choices. She attributes these events to destiny or fate. In contrast, the speaker prefers to take control of their own life and not blame external forces for their misfortunes.
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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 anecdote was about how he cried with joy when I was born.
medicine or cure biographical account example joke
Explanation The given passage talks about the narrator's father and how their mother told them stories about him. This indicates that the passage is a personal account or a biography of the narrator's father, making "biographical account" the correct answer.
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10.
Ivan is a wonderful piano player. But Jerri is more versatile; she sings, acts, paints and writes poetry, and also plays the piano.
talented show off superior skills many abilities
Explanation Jerri is described as having many abilities because she is not only a piano player like Ivan, but she also sings, acts, paints, and writes poetry. This implies that Jerri has a diverse range of talents and skills, making her more versatile and multi-talented compared to Ivan.
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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.
backward active ahead pretty
Explanation The word "active" describes the children in the given sentence. The sentence states that the third grade was full of precocious children, indicating that the children were advanced for their age. The fact that one child had learned to read at two and another could do algebra at age 6 shows that they were actively engaging in learning and displaying advanced abilities at a young age. Therefore, "active" is the correct answer.
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12.
I expected truthfulness from a doctor; I was shocked by his mendacity.
duplicity meanness candidness knowledge
Explanation The sentence states that the speaker expected truthfulness from a doctor but was shocked by his mendacity. Mendacity refers to the act of lying or being deceitful. Duplicity, which means deceitfulness or double-dealing, is the most appropriate word that captures the idea of the doctor's behavior. Meanness, candidness, and knowledge do not convey the same meaning as duplicity and are not suitable in this context.
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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.
rudeness scholarly knowledge illiteracy age
Explanation The given passage states that the grandfather is frightened by someone with "that much knowledge in a field." This suggests that the person's extensive knowledge in a particular subject, which is referred to as "scholarly knowledge," is what intimidates the grandfather. The other options, such as rudeness, illiteracy, and age, do not align with the information provided in the passage. Therefore, the correct answer is scholarly knowledge.
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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.
civility decorations party moves rudeness
Explanation The correct answer is "civility" because the passage suggests that when going to an office party, it is important to show good manners and behave appropriately. This includes dressing well, moderating one's consumption of food and drinks, and expressing gratitude to the host. "Civility" refers to the act of being polite, respectful, and courteous, which aligns with the behavior expected at an office party.
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15.
We thought that the mother would be very distraught at the hearing of her husband's accident; however, she took the news quite calmly.
tranquil angry disgusted anxious
Explanation The given sentence states that the mother remained calm upon hearing the news of her husband's accident, which is unexpected considering the situation. The word "anxious" refers to a feeling of worry or unease, which would be a more appropriate response to such news. Therefore, "anxious" is the correct answer as it aligns with the unexpected reaction of the mother.
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