VOC 10C

Vocabulary in Context

Multiple Choice

In recommending Bao Phi’s collection Sông I Sing, a librarian noted that pieces by the spoken-word poet don’t lose their ______ nature when printed: the language has the same pleasant musical quality on the page as it does when performed by Phi.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

• jarring

• scholarly

• melodic

• personal

One common example of connotation is whether a word feels positive or negative.

​Connotation

The trick then is to match the word we're looking for with the equivalent idea in the other statement.

​Context

How should we determine the most "precise" word?

Context

In recommending Bao Phi’s collection Sông I Sing, a librarian noted that pieces by the spoken-word poet don’t lose their ______ nature when printed: the language has the same pleasant musical quality on the page as it does when performed by Phi.

We have two matching statements here:

The poems keep their _____ nature when printed.

The poems have the same pleasant musical quality when "on the page".

Connotation

• The basketball star's promising play this season suggests a bright future.

• The dark, ominous clouds on the horizon suggest a storm is coming.
  

Based on context clues like "bright" and "storm", it's clear where the positive and negative words are most appropriate.

Connotation

2. Identify the key word, phrase, or idea

1. Summarize the text in your own words

How to approach words in context questions

3. Select the word that matches

Test your skill!

Multiple Choice

The following text is from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel The Great Gatsby.

[Jay Gatsby] was balancing himself on the dashboard of his car with that resourcefulness of movement that is so peculiarly American—that comes, I suppose, with the absence of lifting work in youth and, even more, with the formless grace of our nervous, sporadic games. This quality was continually breaking through his punctilious manner in the shape of restlessness.

As used in the text, what does the word “quality” most nearly mean?

• Characteristic

• Standard

• Prestige

• Accomplishment

Multiple Choice

A suppressed memory of a traumatic incident may be recovered under hypnosis.

• an enlightening

• an invigorating

• a subliminal

• a shocking

Multiple Choice

The phrase "bound for" in line 6 is closest in meaning to _____

• belonged to

• destined for

• built by

• paid for

Multiple Choice

The boy misconstrued the girl’s friendly and social manner, so he was disappointed and confused when she denied his invitation to dinner and a movie.

• benefited from

• ignored

• appreciated

• interpreted wrongly

Multiple Choice

When I explained that aliens seized my homework, my teacher laughed incredulously and said, “No, seriously. Where is it?”

• angrily

• calmly

• skeptically

• boldly

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word 'season' in line 4?

• divide

• forecast

• spice

• put a time limit