STAAR Vocabulary Practice Questions

At the opening ceremonies of the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, teams of elite athletes from around the world enter the stadium under the flag of their home nation. They represent their country's finest examples of physical prowess, endurance, and discipline. The athletes are ready to compete. Their faces beam with pride as they smile and wave to the world.

Which words from the paragraph help the reader understand the meaning of the word elite?

• country's finest examples

• are ready to compete

• enter the stadium

• beam with pride

"Everyone else ie enjoying the festival," I thought to myself as I wistfully watched excited festival attendees walk by the deli window en route to the parade.

What is the meaning of wistfully in the paragraph?

• with sadness

• with relief

• with anxiety

• with curiosity

Now, six years later, Michelle was attempting to capture a sunset for a local photography contest. She groaned as storm clouds rolled in before the sun had a chance to cast its vibrant colors across the sky.

Read the dictionary entry.

capture \'kap-cher\ v

1. to gain control by force 2. to hold someone's interest 3. to take an opponent's piece in a game 4. to preserve a mood, scene, or quality

Which definition best matches the way capture is used in the paragraph?

• Definition 1

• Definition 2

• Definition 3

• Definition 4

Kyle and Kristin hauled me up and supported me on each side as I slipped and stumbled. After a while I was able to balance on my own. I figured out howt to push off and glide too. By the end of the day, I was able to make tiny, tentative turns on the ice.

The word tentative comes from the Latin word tentare which means "to feel or try". What does tentative mean in the paragraph?

• cautious

• exciting

• multiple

• enjoyable

I watched Uncle Roy make his way back to the barn. He was right. Grandma loved me so much that I couldn't bear to keep anything from her.

Read the dictionary entry below.

bear \'ber\ v

1. to make a product 2. to give a statement as a witness 3. to tolerate a burden 4. to possess a certain characteristic

Which definition best matches the meaning of bear as it is used in the paragraph?

• Definition 1

• Definition 2

• Definition 3

• Definition 4

One step --

firm, familiar,

the next step --

shaky, strange

As used in the stanza, what does the word strange mean?

• out of the ordinary

• not of one's own choice

• previously unknown

• unusual or striking in appearance

Athena and Arachne set up their looms and selected colorful threads as crowds of fascinated people gathered to watch the competition. Each talented artisan would create an original tapestry, and the villagers would decide the winner. Soon, the fingers of the weavers were gliding across the looms as the competitors worked effortlessly, interlacing the multi-hued yarn.

Which word from the paragraph helps the reader understand what multi-hued means?

• fascinated

• talented

• colorful

• original

As a Duchess of Cambridge, I was honored to serve as an official ambassador for the Olympic Games when they were held in London this year. William and I attended many of the events, including an equestrian competition in which William's cousin, Zara Phillips, won a silver medal. She proudly represented the British riding team in the show jumping event.

In this paragraph, the word equestrian, which is based on a Latin root, means related to --

• medals

• athletics

• observations

• horses

Another, though more costly, method of organic soil recovery is the common earthworm, often called "the farmer's best friend". The earthworm enriches the soil by eating plant material and excreting castings rich in vital nutrients. The farmer's best friend also constantly burrows. The tunnels made by the earthworm aerate the soil and make oxygen available to the roots. This action also loosens the packed dirt, enabling the growth of delicate new roots.

Which word from the paragraph helps the reader know what aerate means?

• enriches

• nutrients

• oxygen

• loosens

The history and natural environment of a region influence the construction of homes. These two factors impact people and their considerations when providing shelter for their families. Consequently, the distinctive abodes or Iceland, China, and Thailand are unlike any others on Earth.

What is the meaning of construction as it is used in this paragraph?

• environment

• comfort

• building

• sheltering