Context Clues

The reports that a movie star had moved to my town turned out to be as much of a hoax as the rumors that Bigfoot had been sighted.

• a temporary situation

• an accurate guess

• exciting piece of news

• a false story

Timothy's movements were bellicose, like the motions of a boxer moving around the ring.

• aggressive

• elegant

• fast

• annoying

Freddy always dreamed of exploring the hinterland beyond his town, like Lewis and Clark traveling across the unknown West.

• nearby cities

• foreign countries

• wilderness

• beaches

Lorry will rue this decision, just like when she decided to take a walk during a thunderstorm and came home miserable.

• regret

• remember

• consider

• appreciate

The funds diminished like ice cubes in hot tea.

• warmed

• increased

• melted

• shrank

Anna will assimilate the information from her history book, just like a sponge in water.

• explain

• ignore

• write down

• take in

There were so many tomes in his house that it was as if he lived in a library.

• quiet students

• graves

• books

• computers

Alexander's impressive mettle reminded Mrs. Prichard of a racer working through a difficult marathon.

• intelligence

• victory

• haste

• endurance

The news dispirited Reginald, just like when his sister had told him that he should not bother trying to play the piano ever again.

• discouraged

• cried

• altered

• pleased

My latest faux pas was as bad as the time I put shampoo on my toothbrush when I was too sleepy.

• a choice

• a mistake

• an invention

• an experiment