Context Clues 2

The neighbors were gone for the whole summer and they hired me to take care of their goldfish, and to keep the plants watered.  Their goldfish was doing well, but I was worried about one of the potted plants.  Its leaves were turning yellow and were starting to droop.  I hoped it would stop deteriorating and would make a comeback.

• improve
• becoming worse
• rotting

My dad just found out that the company he worked for was closing down and he would lose his job.  I knew this would definitely add to my dad's stress level.  Even though my dad would look for work right away, just the thought of losing his job was a burden for him.

• something that is heavy
• a worry
• the main responsibility

Last spring, our principal had long brown hair.  At the beginning of this school year, I saw her welcoming students back to school and I was shocked to see how much she had changed.  Not only was her hair now blonde, but it was cut in a drastic way.  I almost didn't recognize her!

• small amount of effect
• medium amount of effect
• extreme effect

I used to play soccer all of the time.  I was even on a competitive team that traveled to tournaments on the weekends.  When I broke my leg during one game, everything changed.  I had to learn to walk again using crutches.  I even had to adapt the way I put on clothes.  I couldn't wait for my leg to get better.

• to do something in a new way
• to change a text for filming or stage
• to get used to

Yesterday we went to an amusement park.  The first ride we went on was an extreme roller coaster.  The recording at the beginning reminded us to stay seated during the entire duration of the ride.

• hard work
• a whole day
• the time something continues

My parents used to set my bedtime at 8:30.  Since I'm getting older and have more homework, as well as more after school activities, sometimes it's hard to fit everything in.  I decided to go to my parents and try to negotiate a later bedtime.

• disagree
• to find a way over a difficult path
• reach an agreement

After my family moved out of the big city, my dad started working on his dream of farming.  He planted rows of strawberries in the rich brown soil on our land.  He felt confident that he would be able to cultivate the strawberries and make a good profit.

• to try to develop something
• raise a lot of plants
• prepare the soil for planting

My friend Olivia practices her violin for hours every single day.  She plays in the honor orchestra and her ambition is to go to London, England to play in the Philharmonic Orchestra when she gets older.

• greedy desire for power
• desire for success
• laziness

Every time I ask my mom to do something, she tells me that she will be there to help me in "five minutes".  I have learned over the years that her five minutes is not a literal five minutes of tie, but means that she'll be there as soon as she can.

• the actual meaning
• using figurative language
• an exaggeration

The haunted house was very creepy.  Besides all of the people in zombie or monster costumes, they used a lot of dry ice, which added a spooky feel to the rooms.  In fact, the smoke from the dry ice seemed to linger throughout the house, even in the rooms that didn't have a dry ice machine.

• leave quickly
• slow to die
• stay a long time