"Everyone else ie enjoying the festival," I thought to myself as I wistfully watched excited festival attendees walk by the deli window en route to the parade.

What is the meaning of wistfully in the paragraph?

Now, six years later, Michelle was attempting to capture a sunset for a local photography contest. She groaned as storm clouds rolled in before the sun had a chance to cast its vibrant colors across the sky.

Read the dictionary entry.

capture \'kap-cher\ v

1. to gain control by force 2. to hold someone's interest 3. to take an opponent's piece in a game 4. to preserve a mood, scene, or quality

Which definition best matches the way capture is used in the paragraph?

Kyle and Kristin hauled me up and supported me on each side as I slipped and stumbled. After a while I was able to balance on my own. I figured out howt to push off and glide too. By the end of the day, I was able to make tiny, tentative turns on the ice.

The word tentative comes from the Latin word tentare which means "to feel or try". What does tentative mean in the paragraph?

One step --

firm, familiar,

the next step --

shaky, strange

As used in the stanza, what does the word strange mean?

Springtime brings more hours of sunshine each day. The sun brings warmth and light , which makes the plants begin to grow again. Animals return from migration and come out of hibernation.

Read the dictionary entry below.

light

1. a pale, soft color

2. opposite of dark

3. lamp

4. set on fire

Which meaning of light was used in the paragraph?

Use this dictionary entry to answer question.

pop, (verb)

1. to open wide 2. to move quickly 3. to make a short, sharp sound 4.to let go of

Read this sentence.

I could hear the car's tire pop when it drove over the nail.

Which dictionary entry gives the BEST meaning for the word pop?

Families could carry only those possessions that would fit in a prairie schooner, or covered wagon. Toys, furniture, books, extra linens and clothing—even family heirlooms—were sold to raise money for the trip.

Read the dictionary entry below.

raise \ı ra¯z\ v 1. to move something higher 2. to rear a child 3. to collect 4. to improve

Which definition matches the meaning of raise in the paragraph?

Read this dictionary entry.

nice \ınīs\

adj 1. kind and friendly 2. appealing or attractive 3. pleasing or satisfying 4. showing accuracy or skill

Paragraph 11

Thinking about it all, I am ready to burst into tears. If the auburn-haired girl wasn’t sitting in my compartment I would be able to close the door and have a nice cry. But instead, I choke back the tears.

Which definition most closely matches the way the word nice is used in paragraph 11?

If you come across a word you don't know on the STAAR reading test, and it is making it hard to understand the sentence/paragraph, what 2 things should you do?