SSAT Elementary Level Reading : How to Determine the Meaning of a Word from Its Context in a Fiction Passage
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SSAT Elementary Level Reading
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Example Questions
Example Question #101 : Fiction Passages
Adapted from "The Buffoon and the Countryman" in The Fables of Aesop by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1902)
At a country fair there was a Buffoon who made all the people laugh by imitating the cries of various animals. He finished off by squeaking so like a pig that the spectators thought that he had a porker concealed on him. But a Countryman who stood by said: "Call that a pig’s squeak! Nothing like it. You give me 'till tomorrow and I will show you what it's like." The audience laughed, but next day, sure enough, the Countryman appeared on the stage, and putting his head down squealed so hideously that the spectators complained and threw stones at him to make him stop. "You fools!" he cried, "see what you have been hissing," and held up a little pig whose ear he had been pinching to make him utter the squeals. Men often applaud a copy and boo the real thing.
The underlined word “concealed” most nearly means __________.
hidden
expressed
wanted
reported
displayed
hidden
The word “concealed” means hidden. In the context of the passage, the word is used in the statement, “he finished off by squeaking so like a pig that the spectators thought that he had a porker concealed on him.” From context, it makes sense that the audience would think the man had a pig hidden on him if he sounded like a pig. To help you, "displayed" means showed, "expressed" means said or indicated.
Example Question #101 : Prose Passages
Adapted from "Belling the Cat" by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1909)
Long ago, the mice had a general council to consider what measures they could take to outwit their common enemy, the Cat. Some said this and some said that; but at last a young mouse got up and said he had a proposal to make, which he thought would meet the case. "You will all agree," said he, "that our chief danger consists in the sly and treacherous manner in which the enemy approaches us. Now, if we could receive some signal of her approach, we could easily escape from her. I venture, therefore, to propose that a small bell be procured, and attached by a ribbon round the neck of the Cat. By this means we should always know when she was about, and could easily hide while she was in the neighborhood." This proposal met with general applause, until an old mouse got up and said: "That is all very well, but who is to bell the Cat?" The mice looked at one another and nobody spoke. Then the old mouse said: "It is easy to propose impossible remedies."
The underlined word “procured” most nearly means __________.
surprised
stolen
desired
hidden
gotten
gotten
The word “procured” means obtained or gotten. From the context of the sentence, you know that the mice want to “procure” a bell. It would hardly make sense for them to hide or surprise it, and there is no suggestion of them stealing it. So the answer must be “gotten.”
Example Question #21 : How To Determine The Meaning Of A Word From Its Context In A Fiction Passage
Adapted from "Belling the Cat" by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1909)
Long ago, the mice had a general council to consider what measures they could take to outwit their common enemy, the Cat. Some said this and some said that; but at last a young mouse got up and said he had a proposal to make, which he thought would meet the case. "You will all agree," said he, "that our chief danger consists in the sly and treacherous manner in which the enemy approaches us. Now, if we could receive some signal of her approach, we could easily escape from her. I venture, therefore, to propose that a small bell be procured, and attached by a ribbon round the neck of the Cat. By this means we should always know when she was about, and could easily hide while she was in the neighborhood." This proposal met with general applause, until an old mouse got up and said: "That is all very well, but who is to bell the Cat?" The mice looked at one another and nobody spoke. Then the old mouse said: "It is easy to propose impossible remedies."
The underlined word “remedies” most nearly means __________.
diseases
complications
problems
solutions
thoughts
solutions
A "remedy" is a cure or a solution to a problem. So, the correct answer is “solutions.” From the context of the passage, you know that the old mouse is chastising the young mouse for proposing an impossible solution. To help you, "complications" are things that go wrong and make something more difficult.
Example Question #24 : How To Determine The Meaning Of A Word From Its Context In A Fiction Passage
Adapted from "The Ant and the Grasshopper" by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1909)
In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, carrying a very heavy ear of corn to the nest.
"Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and tiring in that way?"
"I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same."
"Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper. "We have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants consuming every piece of corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: it is best to prepare for the days of necessity.
What does the underlined word “toil” most nearly mean?
Laugh
Exhausting
Hunt
Work
Play
Work
The word "toil" means work, so if you are “toiling away,” you are working hard. If you did not know the meaning of the word, you could figure out its meaning from the whole of the passage, since the ant is engaged in work and the grasshopper is being lazy. This would suggest that when the author describes the ant continuing “its toil,” it is continuing its work.
Example Question #21 : How To Determine The Meaning Of A Word From Its Context In A Fiction Passage
Adapted from "The Ant and the Grasshopper" by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1909)
In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, carrying a very heavy ear of corn to the nest.
"Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and tiring in that way?"
"I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same."
"Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper. "We have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants consuming every piece of corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: it is best to prepare for the days of necessity.
What does the underlined word “consuming” most nearly mean?
Throwing away
None of these answers
Storing
Saving
Eating
Eating
The passage describes how the ants are “consuming” every piece of food they have stored in the summer. This action taken by the ants is opposite to the action taken by the grasshopper. As you know, the grasshopper is starving, so it can be inferred that the ants must be eating. To consume means to eat, take in, or to use up.
Example Question #101 : Fiction Passages
Adapted from "The Man, the Boy and the Donkey" by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1909)
A Man and his son were once going with their Donkey to market. As they were walking along by its side a countryman passed them and said: "You fools, why do you not ride your donkey?" So the Man put the Boy on the Donkey and they went on their way. But soon they passed a group of men, one of whom said: "See that lazy youngster; he lets his father walk while he rides." So the Man ordered his Boy to get off, and got on himself. But they hadn't gone far when they passed two women, one of whom said to the other: "Shame on that lazy man to let his poor little son trudge along." Well, the Man didn't know what to do, but at last he took his Boy up before him on the Donkey. By this time they had come to the town, and the passers-by began to jeer and point at them. The Man stopped and asked what they were scoffing at. The men said: "Aren't you ashamed of yourself for overloading that poor donkey?" The Man and Boy got off and tried to think what to do. They thought and they thought, till at last they cut down a pole, tied the donkey's feet to it, and raised the pole and the donkey to their shoulders and carried the donkey with them. They went along amid the laughter of all who met them 'till they came to Market Bridge, when the Donkey, getting one of his feet loose, kicked out and caused the Boy to drop his end of the pole. In the struggle the Donkey fell over the bridge, and his fore-feet being tied together he was drowned. "That will teach you," said an old man who had followed them: "Please all, and you will please none."
The underlined word “trudge” most likely means __________.
jest
walk
run
stumble
fall
walk
The word “trudge” is used in the sentence “Shame on that lazy man to let his poor little son trudge along.” We know from the context of the passage that the son is walking alongside the donkey, so the word “trudge” must mean walk. To help you, "stumble" means trip or fall, and "jest" means joke.
Example Question #101 : Fiction Passages
Adapted from "The Box of Robbers" in American Fairy Tales by L. Frank Baum (1901)
No one intended to leave Martha alone that afternoon, but it happened that everyone was called away, for one reason or another. Mrs. McFarland was attending the weekly card party held by the Women's Anti-Gambling League. Sister Nell's boyfriend had called quite unexpectedly to take her for a long drive. Papa was at the office, as usual. It was Mary Ann's day out. As for Emeline, the maid, she certainly should have stayed in the house and looked after the little girl, but Emeline had a restless nature.
"Would you mind, miss, if I just crossed the alley to talk to Mrs. Carleton's girl?" she asked Martha.
"'Course not," replied the child. "You'd better lock the back door, though, and take the key, for I shall be upstairs."
"Oh, I'll do that, of course, miss," said the delighted maid, and ran away to spend the afternoon with her friend, leaving Martha quite alone in the big house, and locked in, into the bargain.
What does the underlined word “delighted” most likely mean?
Very sick
Very tired
Very happy
Very forlorn
Very lonely
Very happy
The word “delighted” means very happy. From the context of the passage, we can guess that the maid is very happy because she is being allowed to do what she wants to do. To help you, "forlorn" means very sad.
Example Question #21 : How To Determine The Meaning Of A Word From Its Context In A Fiction Passage
Adapted from "The Lion and the Mouse" by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1909)
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up and down on top of him; this soon woke up the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon the mouse, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but maybe I shall be able to assist you one of these days?" The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he lifted up his paw and let him go. Sometime after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was in, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse. “Little friends may prove great friends and a small mercy can go a long way.”
The underlined word “plight” most nearly means __________.
enjoyment
flight
trapped
trouble
plan
trouble
The word “plight” means difficulty, dilemma or trouble. If you were not aware of this, you would have to use the context of the passage to try and figure out the meaning of the word. The author describes how the mouse finds the lion tied down and “[sees] the sad plight in which the lion was in.” The word "sad" suggests that "plight" must be a bad thing, and the context of the rest of the passage tells you that the lion is in trouble.
Example Question #31 : Language In Literature Passages
Adapted from "The Lion and the Mouse" by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1909)
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up and down on top of him; this soon woke up the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon the mouse, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but maybe I shall be able to assist you one of these days?" The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he lifted up his paw and let him go. Sometime after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was in, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse. “Little friends may prove great friends and a small mercy can go a long way.”
The underlined word “assist” most nearly means __________.
explain
reward
help
order
kill
help
To “assist” someone means to help him or her. If you did not know this, you would have to use the context of the passage to try and figure out the meaning of the word. In the passage, the mouse says, “who knows but maybe I shall be able to assist you one of these days?" Which is then followed by the author describing how “the Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he lifted up his paw and let him go.” The word "assist" in the first quotation is linked to the word "help" in the second quotation.
Example Question #111 : Fiction Passages
Adapted from "The Lion and the Mouse" by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1909)
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up and down on top of him; this soon woke up the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon the mouse, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but maybe I shall be able to assist you one of these days?" The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he lifted up his paw and let him go. Sometime after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was in, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse. “Little friends may prove great friends and a small mercy can go a long way.”
The underlined word “tickled” most nearly means __________.
entertained
suspicious
encouraged
fearful
compassionate
entertained
The author describes how the lion is “tickled” by the idea of the mouse being able to help him and because of that lets the mouse go. This suggests that "tickled" must mean something positive, so it cannot be "suspicious" or "fearful." "Compassionate" means loving and kind, which might describe the lion’s actions, but does not describe his reaction. The correct answer is “entertained.” The lion is entertained by the idea of the mouse being able to help him.
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