Determining Word Meaning

Bedbugs are a nuisance that spread quickly, so if you find bedbugs in your home, you owe it to yourself and others to take decisive and immediate action.

The scientific name for these tiny, bloodsucking insects is Cimex lectularius. They're called bedbugs because they mainly feed on blood at night while their hosts are asleep. They are like an army of minuscule vampires. Places like mattresses, couches, and chairs serve as luxurious havens in which thousands of them can live.

The bedbug inserts a syringe-like proboscis through the host's skin. it takes between three and ten minutes for the bug to drink its fill through this slender appendage. Its bite is small and painless, so the victim rarely wakes during this feeding time. Bedbugs are not known for disseminating disease, but the bumps they leave behind can become infected. Also, the saliva they release into the skin can make you itch so badly you'll want to scratch your skin off.

Select the words or phrases that help determine the meaning of "proboscis"

• "syringe-like"

• "through the host's skin"

• "drink its fill"

• "small and painless"

Tags

CCSS.L.2.4E

CCSS.L.3.4D

CCSS.L.6.4C

CCSS.L.7.4C

CCSS.L.8.4C

Read the passage and then answer the question. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Austria in 1756. When he was very young, he showed great musical aptitude, playing the keyboard by the age of three and writing musical compositions by the age of five. His father, a musician, gave Mozart lessons in piano and other instruments. After this early start, Mozart spent his life studying, playing, and composing music. Over the course of his life, he wrote more than six hundred musical works of many different types. His music is still popular and is performed often today. Select the meaning of the word, "aptitude".

• ability to do or learn something

• weariness of something

• enjoyment of something

• lack of interest in something

Tags

CCSS.L.2.4E

CCSS.L.3.4D

CCSS.L.6.4C

CCSS.L.7.4C

CCSS.L.8.4C

What does the word "flexibly" mean in the sentence: "She approached the problem flexibly, considering multiple solutions"?

• Rigidly

• Strictly

• Adaptively

• Hastily

Tags

DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept

In the sentence, "The committee will convene at noon," what does the word "convene" mean?

• Disperse

• Meet

• Argue

• Delay

Tags

DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept

Choose the best meaning of the word "multiple" in the sentence: "The student solved multiple problems in the math test."

• Single

• Few

• Many

• None

Tags

DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept

Read the sentence: "The explorer was determined to traverse the treacherous terrain." What does the word "traverse" most likely mean in this context?

• Avoid

• Cross

• Destroy

• Observe

Tags

DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept

Which of the following sentences uses the word "bark" as a verb?

• The bark of the tree was rough.

• The dog began to bark loudly.

• The bark was used to make medicine.

• The bark peeled off in large pieces.

Tags

DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept

In the sentence, "She had to clarify her statement to avoid any misunderstandings," what does the word "clarify" mean?

• Confuse

• Simplify

• Explain

• Complicate

Tags

DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept

Choose the best meaning of the word "engage" in the sentence: "The teacher tried to engage the students in the lesson."

• Ignore

• Involve

• Annoy

• Distract

Tags

DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept

In the sentence, "The artist's work was known for its intricate details," what does the word "intricate" mean?

• Simple

• Complex

• Boring

• Unfinished

Tags

DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept