Context Clues

Context Clues

By Sarah Carl

Multiple Choice

Read the passage and then answer the question.

Franklin Roosevelt became president of the United States in 1933. It was a time of great troubles. Thirteen million Americans had lost their jobs, and many were running out of money. Americans were worried. Roosevelt quelled people's fears by talking about his plans for America, explaining them so that people felt comfortable. He gave talks, called "fireside chats," on the radio. These chats helped Roosevelt become one of the most popular presidents in history.

What is the meaning of quelled as used in the passage?

• calmed

• discovered

• added to

• heard about

Draw

Highlight words and sentences that help you know that quelled means calmed.

Multiple Choice

The vulture is a large bird with an unusual diet. Humans generally avoid eating spoiled food. But to a vulture, nothing is better than a large helping of rotting meat. They will gather around a dead animal and eat it with gusto. Scientists aren't sure why, but vultures don't get sick from eating spoiled meat. It may be that something in the vultures' bodies keeps them healthy. Whatever it is, it lets vultures do an important job. They get rid of wormy, rotten stuff that could make people ill.

What is the meaning of gusto as used in the passage?

• shyness

• enjoyment

• humor

• wisdom

Draw

Highlight words and sentences that help you know that gusto means with enjoyment.

Multiple Choice

No other living things talk the way people do. But after babies are born, it takes many months before they can speak. For the first few weeks, they mostly cry. After a few months, though, they'll probably start to jabber. At this point, they are just learning to make sounds and having fun. The babies' throats and mouths are getting used to working. The babies are also hearing what other people are saying. They'll start saying back what they hear. They might make sounds that are almost words. Then one day they'll finally put it all together, and they'll be talking.

What is the meaning of jabber as used in the passage?

• talk a lot without making sense

• sleep for many hours

• scream and shout loudly

• chew on soft things

Draw

Select the text from the paragraph that best helps you understand that jabber means talk a lot without making sense.

Multiple Choice

Marian Anderson was a great American singer. People often said that a voice like hers was heard once in a hundred years. That was because her voice was so versatile. She could sing many kinds of music, perfectly hitting all the highest and lowest notes. In 1935, she was invited to perform at the White House. She was the first African American to do so. She was also the first African American member of the New York City Metropolitan Opera. Her successes helped pave the way for other African American performers after her.

What is the meaning of versatile as used in the passage?

• out of tune

• so high as to be ear-splitting

• able to do many different things

• set, not changing

Draw

Select the text from the paragraph that best helps you understand that versatile means able to do many different things. There may be more than one correct choice.

Multiple Choice

Your nose plays an important role in keeping you safe. If food is fragrant, then it is probably good to eat. If food smells bad, however, then it might be spoiled. Bad odors can come from molds and bacteria growing on the food. Many molds and bacteria can make you sick if you eat them. However, not all molds and bacteria give off odors. So make sure you don't eat food if you don't know that it's safe. When in doubt, throw it out!

What is the meaning of fragrant as used in the passage?

• hot or spicy

• burnt

• bitter or terrible smelling

• pleasant or sweet smelling

Draw

Select the text from the paragraph that best helps you understand that fragrant means pleasant or sweet-smelling. There may be more than one correct choice.