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Worksheets

Word Origins and Choices

Total questions: 12

Worksheet time: 12mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Read the following sentence:

The baby was very clever. It already knew how to crawl into a room without making a sound.


How would the meaning of the sentence change if the author used "cunning" instead of the word "clever"?

a)

The baby would seem sneakier

b)

The baby would seem cuter

c)

The baby would seem stupider

d)

The baby would seem louder

2.

Read the following passage:

"He's very influential in the clowning community," she whispered to her friend, pointing to the tall man in loose pants and rainbow suspenders striding across the room. "He's a great artist. Balloon animals have never been the same."


How does the author intend the word "influential" to be taken in this passage?

a)

positive

b)

negative

c)

neutral

d)

extremely negative

3.

Read the following sentence:

The hedgehog was ecstatic-- She had found a hole to burrow into, and she was happily settled beneath the ground, excited to sleep the day away.

Based on the context clues, what is the denotation of the word "ecstatic" in the passage?

a)

overly intelligent

b)

greatly impressed

c)

extremely happy

d)

often late

4.

unicorn

a)

latin for one horn

b)

greek for one horn

c)

norman for one horn

5.

gaffe or mistake

a)

From French

b)

From Scothish

c)

Form Russian

6.

cup

a)

French

b)

German

c)

Latin

7.

What does the word autograph mean in the sentence below?


Lacy waited in line for the singer to autograph her picture.

a)

paint

b)

sell

c)

sign

d)

take

8.

What does the word automatic mean in the sentence below?


An automatic car wash opened on the corner.

a)

self-powered

b)

wind-powered

c)

hand-powered

d)

human-powered

9.

What does the word telescope mean in the sentence below?


Rick studied the world through his telescope.

a)

a device for looking at small things

b)

a device for looking at shiny things

c)

a device for looking at moving things

d)

a device for looking at things far away

10.

Read the sentence below. The word dinky has a ________ connotation.

My mom only let me eat a dinky scoop of ice cream.

a)

positive

b)

negative

11.

Read the sentence below. What is the denotation of the word superior?

My old computer kept running out of batteries. My new one is superior.

a)

better

b)

positive

c)

worse

d)

negative

12.

Read the sentences. What is the difference between the words mortified and embarrassed?

a. Sam was mortified when he was called to come up onstage during the assembly.

b. Sam was embarrassed when he was called to come up onstage during the assembly.

a)

"mortified" is an antonym of "embarrassed"

b)

"mortified" is more intense and has a more negative connotation than "embarrassed"

c)

"Embarrassed" is more intense and has a more negative connotation than "mortified"

d)

"mortified" and "embarrassed" have different denotations