Practice: Word Choice

Read the following sentence:

"How could you do this?" the painter screeched. "How could you paint that wall blue. It is clearly supposed to be orange."

How would the meaning of the sentence change if the author used to the "whimpered" instead of "screeched"?

• The painter would seem more pathetic.

• The painter would seem more powerful.

• The painter would seem more joyful.

• The painter would seem more intelligent

Read the sentences below. What is the difference between "surprised" and "astounded"?

A) Julie was surprised to find that her grandma was coming for a visit.

B) Julie was astounded to find out that her grandma was coming for a visit.

• "Surprised" is an antonym of "astounded."

• "Astounded" is more intense than "surprised" and implies that Julie was even more shocked.

• "Surprised" is more intense than "astounded" and implies that Julie was even more shocked.

• "Surprised" and "astounded" have different denotations.

The denotation is the __________ meaning of a word.

• Emotional

• Literal

• Incorrect

• Opposite

Which sentence most strongly implies that the woman loves her work?

• I won't bother her now because she is really occupied with her work.

• I won't bother her now because she is really absorbed with her work.

Which sentence most strongly implies they are working on something unpleasant?

• We all worked together on the same task.

• We all worked together on the same chore.

Read the following sentence:

The hedgehog was ecstatic--she had found a hole to burrow into, and she happily settled beneath the ground, excited to sleep the day away.

Based on the context clues, what is the denotation of the word "ecstatic" in the passage?

• overly intelligent

• greatly impressed

• extremely happy

• often late

Read the following sentences. What is the difference between the words "mortified" and "embarrassed"?

A) Sam was mortified when he was called to come up onstage during the assembly.

B) Sam was embarrassed when he was called to come up onstage during the assembly.

• "Mortified" is an antonym of "embarrassed."

• "Embarrassed" is more intense and has a more negative connotation than "mortified"

• "Mortified" is more intense and has a more negative connotation than "embarrassed"

• "Mortified" and "embarrassed" have different denotations.

Read the following passage:

"He's very influential in the clowning community," she whispered to her friend, pointing to the tall man in loose pants and rainbow suspenders striding across the room. "He's a great artist. Balloon animals have never been the same."

How does the author intend the word "influential" to be taken in this passage?

• positive

• negative

• neutral

• extremely negative

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.7.4

Read the following passage:

After winning the spelling bee, Bridget became confident. "I can spell any word in the universe," she insisted loudly, even in places where it was not required to spell things. Like at the movies with her friends.

Her best friend, annoyed, said, "I bet you can't spell a word in German." Bridget did not speak German.

"I probably can," she insisted,"I mean, how hard can it be, right?"

How does the author intend the word "confident" to be taken in this passage?

• positive

• negative

• neutral

• extremely positive

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.6

CCSS.RI.7.9

CCSS.RI.8.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

Read the following passage:

My grandmother is thrifty. She never throws out old clothes and saves all her jars to reuse as glasses.

How would the meaning of the sentence change if the author used "cheap" instead of the word "thrifty"?

• The writer would seem unafraid

• the grandmother would seem unknown

• the writer would seem uncertain

• the grandmother would seem ungenerous