Finding Out Word Meanings
What shall we do when we come across unfamiliar words in our reading? Many times we can figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word from clues provided by context. The context clues that might be helpful for you to recognize the meaning of a new word include:
1. Some sentences give the definition for a difficult word with the help of punctuation such as commas, dashes or parentheses.
2. Context sometimes gives examples to illustrate a difficult word rather than define it. We can use the examples to figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word.
3. Synonyms (同义词) are words or phrases that are similar in meaning. A synonym is one type of context clue that helps you to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words.
4. Antonym (反义词) clues. Antonyms are words or phrases that have opposite meanings to other words or phrases. Antonym clues can help you understand new words.
5. Sentences before or after a sentence that has a difficult word sometimes explain the meaning of the word.
6. Sometimes we can use our own experiences, or our knowledge about a certain topic, to find out the meaning of an unfamiliar word.
7. Word part clues. We can often figure out an unfamiliar word because we know the prefix or suffix attached to the root word, or the two words that make up a compound word.
Finding Out Word Meanings
The particular reading skill introduced for this unit is finding out word meanings through context clues. In the text we list as many as 7 different ways of finding out the meaning of an unfamiliar word. The context clues that might be helpful for you to recognize the meaning of a new word include:
1. Some sentences give the definition for a difficult word with the help of punctuation such as commas, dashes or parentheses.
2. Context sometimes gives examples to illustrate a difficult word rather than define it. We can use the examples to figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word.
3. Synonyms (同义词) are words or phrases that are similar in meaning. A synonym is one type of context clue that helps you to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words.
4. Antonym (反义词) clues. Antonyms are words or phrases that have opposite meanings to other words or phrases. Antonym clues can help you understand new words.
5. Sentences before or after a sentence that has a difficult word sometimes explain the meaning of the word.
6. Sometimes we can use our own experiences, or our knowledge about a certain topic, to find out the meaning of an unfamiliar word.
7. Word part clues. We can often figure out an unfamiliar word because we know the prefix or suffix attached to the root word, or the two words that make up a compound word.
Here we have picked out some examples from Reading Passage A to explain how this particular reading skill is used in practice.
Example 1
Context clue: We can often figure out an unfamiliar word because we know the prefix or suffix attached to the root word.
Example: The great majority of nations concern themselves with economic development, regardless of its effect on the global ecology. (Para.1, Passage A, Unit 2)
Explanation: We can find out the meaning of the new word global, because we know that this adjective is formed by adding the suffix -al to the noun globe.
Example 2
Context clue: Sentences before or after a sentence containing a difficult word sometimes explain the meaning of the word.
Example: The nations of Eastern Europe ... are considered the most polluted of all the world’s industrialized countries. Heavy metals from coal mining have contaminated much of the area’s waters. Rivers, land, and forests are so contaminated that many are now biologically dead. (Para. 14, Passage A, Unit 2)
Explanation: The sentence before and after the sentence which contains contaminated both help us to find out the meaning of the word, that is, polluted or made dirty.
Example 3
Context clue: Sentences before or after a sentence containing a difficult word sometimes explain the meaning of the word.
Example: Ghana’s population has been growing by 3.2 percent a year. This explosive growth has led to removal of forests in much of the country, and excessive use of existing farmland. (Para. 17, Passage A, Unit 2)
Explanation: The first sentence says: Ghana’s population has been growing by 3.2 percent a year. This clearly explains that “this explosive growth” in the second sentence means “rapid growth”.
Example 4
Context clue: Sometimes we can use our own experiences, or our knowledge about a certain topic, to find out the meaning of an unfamiliar word.
Example: Indonesians have traditionally favored large families, and their major religion, Islam, frowns on birth control. (Para. 20, Passage A, Unit 2)
Explanation: According to our knowledge about Islam (and what is said in the first part of the sentence), we know that frown on most probably means does not approve of.
Example 5
Context clue: We can often figure out an unfamiliar word because we know the prefix or suffix attached to the root word.
Example: Observers say the program has succeeded in strengthening the country’s agricultural base and bringing a new source of wealth to villagers. (Para. 18, Passage A, Unit 2)
Explanation: This noun is formed by adding the suffix -er to the already familiar verb observe, so we can find out the meaning of the word: someone who observes.