Common Core: 7th Grade English Language Arts : Use Context Clues to Determine Word Meanings: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.4.A

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All Common Core: 7th Grade English Language Arts Resources

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Example Question #81 : Common Core: 7th Grade English Language Arts

Read the sentences and determine which part(s) help you determine the meaning of the underlined word.

Canadian Geese are migratory birds that have a wide range of travel. During the cold Canadian winters, they can be seen sunning themselves on the shores of Florida lakes as well as other states throughout the Southern United States. They are favorites of bird watchers all over the country and Canada.

Which words or phrases from the passage best help you determine the meaning of the word migratory?

Possible Answers:

Bird, sunning, shores, watchers

Wide range, sunning themselves, bird watchers

Travel, Florida, Southern United States, all over the country

Canadian, Canada

Correct answer:

Travel, Florida, Southern United States, all over the country

Explanation:

Migratory means travels from one place to another and it is usually seasonal. The words in the correct answer choice help readers to understand the birds are traveling from Canada to the Southern United States and they have a wide habitat.

Example Question #82 : Common Core: 7th Grade English Language Arts

Read the following sentences and determine the meaning of the underlined word using context clues or your prior knowledge.

My uncle is a peevish sort of man. It only takes the slightest annoyance or misstep to upset him.

What does the word peevish mean?

Possible Answers:

Overly excited

Constantly late

Easily irritated

Hard to understand

Correct answer:

Easily irritated

Explanation:

Peevish people are easy to annoy or anger and are ill-tempered in nature. The clues in this sentence that it only takes a slight annoyance or misstep to upset him let us know that it doesn’t take much to irritate or bother him. The context clues would not allude to any of the other answer choices.

Example Question #83 : Common Core: 7th Grade English Language Arts

Read the following sentences and determine the meaning of the underlined word using context clues or your prior knowledge.

Allison went away to computer camp over the summer and came back excited to share what she had learned. Her prowess with design and coding was amazing! Before she left for camp she was a beginner like I was, now I feel like she is lightyears ahead of me.

What does the word prowess mean?

Possible Answers:

Lack of courage or firmness of purpose

Personal bravery

Brooding ill humor

A superior skill learned by study and practice

Correct answer:

A superior skill learned by study and practice

Explanation:

In this text the readers learn that Allison went away for the summer to computer camp as a beginner at design and coding but is now far ahead of her peers. She has an impressive skill or talent and she studied at camp to increase her knowledge. Bravery and courage don’t fit with the context of the passage. There is no mention of anything related to humor, ill or otherwise, to allude to the answer choice “brooding ill humor”.

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All Common Core: 7th Grade English Language Arts Resources

1 Diagnostic Test 49 Practice Tests Question of the Day Flashcards Learn by Concept
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