Question

vocabulary: use context clues to understand meaning
when you dont understand a word or phrase in a text, look for context clues, or the words and sentences around it. to use context clues to understand a word or phrase, follow these steps:

1. look for words that connect ideas in the text.

• and connects similar ideas. (unhappy and sad)
• but connects different ideas. (tired but happy)
• or connects a similar word or phrase. (to be mean or to say something unkind)

1. look for examples and descriptions. examples may begin with the words for example or for instance.
2. guess the meaning of the word or phrase from the context.
3. reread the text again to check your new understanding. use a dictionary if you are still unsure.

examples:
some young people arent very nice to their brothers and sisters or to their classmates at school. they call them names, pick on them, or try to ruin their fun. they might pretend to be your friend and then say very unkind things behind your back. it seems like all they want is for other people to feel small and stupid.
i dont know what pick on means. ill look at the words and sentences around it. i see the words \or try to ruin their fun\. i also see \they call them names.\ all of this describes how people arent very nice. i think pick on means \to be mean to someone\.
i dont understand the word small in this paragraph. i see the words \and stupid\. after i reread, i think small is a negative word like stupid. i think \to feel small\ is to feel bad about yourself.
practice read the excerpt from the text you will read, and write answers to the questions below.
people who are actually strong and confident are almost always gentle and kind to others. if someone is mean, it may be because at home, or in the past, something or someone has frightened them. maybe they have an older brother who picks on them.

1. what word helps you understand the meaning of confident? ____________
2. what word helps you understand the meaning of gentle? ____________
3. what example helps you understand frightened? ____________
4. what do you think frightened means? ____________

Explanation:

1. In the sentence "People who are actually strong and confident are almost always gentle and kind to others", "strong" is a related - positive trait word that can help understand "confident" as they are both positive qualities often associated with a certain personality type.
2. "Kind" helps understand "gentle" as they are similar positive - behavior words.
3. The example "Maybe they have an older brother who picks on them" shows a situation that can cause fear, helping to understand "frightened".
4. Based on the context of someone being mean possibly because of being in a situation like having an older brother who picks on them, "frightened" means to be afraid or scared.

Answer:

1. strong
2. kind
3. Maybe they have an older brother who picks on them.
4. to be afraid or scared