NES ELA (391)

Which of the following strategies is most effective for vocabulary building?

• Memorizing dictionary definitions

• Using new words in sentences

• Reading words in isolation

• Focusing on synonyms only

The word "gregarious" most nearly means:

• Solitary

• Sociable

• Aggressive

• Miserly

In the sentence "Despite the cacophony, the seasoned diplomat remained unflappable," the word "unflappable" most likely means:

• Irritable

• Calm

• Confused

• Excited

When trying to determine the meaning of an unknown word, it is NOT helpful to look at:

• The prefix or suffix

• The words surrounding it

• The word's language of origin

• The word's font style

Which of the following is an example of using context clues to understand the meaning of the word "dilapidated"?

• Looking up the word in the dictionary

• Knowing that "dilapidated" comes from Latin

• Reading that the house was dilapidated, with broken windows and a sagging porch

• Asking a friend what "dilapidated" means

Inferencing can best be described as:

• The act of looking up words in a dictionary

• The process of making an educated guess based on evidence

• The practice of reading aloud

• The method of memorizing vocabulary

Which of the following sentences uses inferencing to understand the protagonist's feelings?

• "John was sad."

• "Despite his smile, the way John's eyes didn't light up told a different story."

• "John said, 'I'm feeling sad today.'"

• "John looked up the definition of 'sad' in the dictionary."

Identify the sentence that effectively uses context clues to define "ephemeral."

• The ephemeral joy of summer was soon replaced by the gloom of winter.

• Many people do not know what "ephemeral" means.

• Ephemeral is an adjective that means lasting for a very short time.

• She looked up "ephemeral" in an online dictionary.

Which of the following is NOT a useful strategy for vocabulary building?

• Creating flashcards with words and definitions

• Writing original sentences using new vocabulary words

• Focusing solely on the pronunciation of new words

• Engaging with new words in various contexts

The ability to infer meaning from a text is most closely related to which of the following skills?

• Phonemic awareness

• Reading comprehension

• Word recognition

• Spelling accuracy