Shades of Meaning Quiz

Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the best answer. Remember that words with similar meanings can create different pictures in a reader's mind. A character in a story just received terrible news about a family member. Which word would best show the strongest emotional reaction?

• disappointed

• sad

• devastated

• upset

Tags

CCSS.L.1.6

CCSS.L.3.6

CCSS.L.4.6

CCSS.RL.1.4

Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the best answer. Remember that words with similar meanings can create different pictures in a reader's mind. An author wants to show that a character is moving very carefully and quietly through a dark house. Which verb creates the most vivid picture?

• walked

• crept

• moved

• went

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5

CCSS.L.5.5

CCSS.L.6.5

CCSS.L.7.5

CCSS.L.8.5

Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the best answer. Remember that words with similar meanings can create different pictures in a reader's mind. In the sentence "The crowd _____ when the home team scored the winning goal," which word shows the most intense excitement?

• clapped

• cheered

• erupted

• responded

Tags

CCSS.L.1.5D

CCSS.L.2.5B

CCSS.L.3.5C

CCSS.L.K.5D

Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the best answer. Remember that words with similar meanings can create different pictures in a reader's mind. A writer describes weather to create a spooky mood in a horror story. Which word choice would be most effective?

• raining

• drizzling

• pouring

• storming

Tags

CCSS.L.4.5

CCSS.L.5.5

CCSS.L.6.5

CCSS.L.7.5

CCSS.L.8.5

Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the best answer. Remember that words with similar meanings can create different pictures in a reader's mind. Which sentence uses the most precise word to show someone eating hungrily after not eating all day?

• "She ate her sandwich quickly."

• "She devoured her sandwich."

• "She munched her sandwich."

• "She nibbled her sandwich."

Tags

CCSS.L.1.5D

CCSS.L.2.5B

CCSS.L.3.5C

CCSS.L.K.5D

Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the best answer. Remember that words with similar meanings can create different pictures in a reader's mind. A character discovers something amazing that changes everything in the story. Which word best shows their extreme happiness?

• pleased

• happy

• cheerful

• ecstatic

Tags

CCSS.L.1.6

CCSS.L.3.6

CCSS.L.4.6

CCSS.RL.1.4

Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the best answer. Remember that words with similar meanings can create different pictures in a reader's mind. An author wants to show that a sound was so loud it hurt people's ears. Which word creates the strongest image?

• loud

• noisy

• deafening

• thunderous

Tags

CCSS.L.1.5D

CCSS.L.2.5B

CCSS.L.3.5C

CCSS.L.K.5D

Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the best answer. Remember that words with similar meanings can create different pictures in a reader's mind. In a mystery story, a detective needs to examine clues very carefully. Which verb shows the most intense, focused looking?

• glanced

• looked

• watched

• scrutinized

Tags

CCSS.L.1.5D

CCSS.L.2.5B

CCSS.L.3.5C

CCSS.L.K.5D

Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the best answer. Remember that words with similar meanings can create different pictures in a reader's mind. A character is trying not to wake anyone while leaving the house early in the morning. Which word best shows how quietly they spoke?

• said

• whispered

• murmured

• called

Tags

CCSS.L.3.2F

Directions: Read each question carefully and choose the best answer. Remember that words with similar meanings can create different pictures in a reader's mind. An author describes the size of a mountain to show how small the characters feel next to it. Which word creates the most dramatic effect?

• big

• large

• huge

• colossal

Tags

CCSS.L.1.5D

CCSS.L.2.5B

CCSS.L.3.5C

CCSS.L.K.5D