USE CONTEXT TO DETERMINE MEANING OF DIFFICULT WORDS
In the TOEFL test, you may be asked to determine meaning of
a difficult word in a reading passage, a word that you are not expected to
know. In this case, the passage will probably give you a clear indication of
what the word means.
How to Identify the question
ü
what is the meaning …
?
ü
which of the following
is closest in meaning …?
ü
the word is difficult
word, one that you probably do not know.
Where to
find the answer
Information
to help you understand the meaning of an unknown word can often be found in the
context surrounding the unknown word.
How to
answer the question
1.
Find the
word in the passage.
2.
Read the
sentence that contains the word carefully.
3.
Look for
context clues to help you understand the meaning.
4.
Choose the
answer that the context indicates.
Strategies to Get the
Meaning of Difficult Words
1.
Look at the Context
“Context,” or the sentence and environment in which the
word is being used, can be helpful in determining what it means.
2.
Sound It Out
Sometimes a printed word only looks unfamiliar, but if you
were to hear it said aloud, you’d recognize it
3.
Look at the Parts
Many English words are formed by tacking prefixes at the
beginning and suffixes at the end of simple words. Sometimes dissecting a
word—looking for familiar structures inside it—can help you decode it.
USE CONTEXT TO DETERMINE
MEANINGS OF SIMPLE WORDS
In the TOEFL test, you may be asked to determine meaning of a simple word in a reading passage, a word that you see often in everyday English. In this type of question, you should not give the normal, everyday meaning of the word; instead, a secondary meaning of the word is being tested, so you must determine the meaning of the word in this situation.
HOW
TO IDENTIFY THE QUESTION
·
What is the meaning of
“X” in line Y?
·
The word “X”
in line Y could best to replaced by….
·
what is the
meaning…?
·
which of the
following is closest in meaning to…?
·
the word is
a simple word, one that you see often in everyday english.
WHERE TO FIND THE ANSWER
- Information to help you understand the secondary meaning of a simple word can often be found in the context surrounding the word.
- the question usually tells you in which line of the passage the word can be found.
Steps to Determine Meaning From Context
HOW TO ANSWER THE QUESTION
1. Find the word in the passage.
2. Read the sentence that contains the
word carefully.
3. Look for context clues to help you
understand the meaning.
4. Choose the answer that the context
indicates.
Here are four simple
steps for determining the meaning from context when dealing with words that can
have more than one meaning.
Step 1: Look at the
words that surround your target word.
Step 2: Think about each
possible definition for your target word.
Step 3: Substitute a different word with the same meaning –
a synonym – of each possible definition of your target word. If you end up with
a tie, go for antonyms (words with
the opposite meaning) and see if what results make any sense or is in a totally
different ballpark.
Step 4: Using what you
discovered in Step 3, choose the pronunciation and definition of your target
word that creates the best fit for the context in which your target word is
being used.
Exercise :
The passage no1 : (BOBOT 50)
In a government election, the incumbent generally has a strong advantage over a newcomer. A person who is already in officeand thus has a certain degree of prominence has a better chance of being elected than does someone who is unknown to the electorate. History has shown a strong proclivity in elections at all levels of government to return the incumbent to office.
The question
1). An “incumbent” in line 1 is most likely
(A) a special type of election
(B) a political party
(C) a beneficial comment
(D) a current office-holder
The passage no2 : (BOBOT 50)
Faced with serious threats to its future, the company is taking stepsto improve its outlook. The company has brought in a new crop of trainees to staff some of its empty positions. In addition, the company has created a new committee to research various proposals and has appointed a key member of its management team to chair the committee.
Faced with serious threats to its future, the company is taking stepsto improve its outlook. The company has brought in a new crop of trainees to staff some of its empty positions. In addition, the company has created a new committee to research various proposals and has appointed a key member of its management team to chair the committee.
The question
2).The word “steps” in line 1 could best be replaced by
(A) stairs
(B) walks
(C) actions
(D) footprints
REFERENCES
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