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Flashcards: Finding Context-Dependent Meanings of Phrases in Narrative Humanities Passages
Passage adapted from "Of One Defect in Our Government" in Essays of Michael, Seigneur de Montaigne in The Complete Works of Michael de Montaigne (1580, trans. C. Cotton, ed. W. Hazlitt 1842)
My late father, a man that had no other advantages than experience and his own natural parts, was nevertheless of a very clear judgment, formerly told me that he once had thoughts of endeavoring to introduce this practice; that there might be in every city a certain place assigned to which such as stood in need of anything might repair, and have their business entered by an officer appointed for that purpose. As for example: I want a chapman to buy my pearls; I want one that has pearls to sell; such a one wants company to go to Paris; such a one seeks a servant of such a quality; such a one a master; such a one such an artificer; some inquiring for one thing, some for another, every one according to what he wants. And doubtless, these mutual advertisements would be of no contemptible advantage to the public correspondence and intelligence: for there are evermore conditions that hunt after one another, and for want of knowing one another's occasions leave men in very great necessity.
I have heard, to the great shame of the age we live in, that in our very sight two most excellent men for learning died so poor that they had scarce bread to put in their mouths: Lilius Gregorius Giraldus in Italy and Sebastianus Castalio in Germany: and I believe there are a thousand men would have invited them into their families, with very advantageous conditions, or have relieved them where they were, had they known their wants. The world is not so generally corrupted, but that I know a man that would heartily wish the estate his ancestors have left him might be employed, so long as it shall please fortune to give him leave to enjoy it, to secure rare and remarkable persons of any kind, whom misfortune sometimes persecutes to the last degree, from the dangers of necessity; and at least place them in such a condition that they must be very hard to please, if they are not contented.
My father in his domestic economy had this rule (which I know how to commend, but by no means to imitate), namely, that besides the day-book or memorial of household affairs, where the small accounts, payments, and disbursements, which do not require a secretary's hand, were entered, and which a steward always had in custody, he ordered him whom he employed to write for him, to keep a journal, and in it to set down all the remarkable occurrences, and daily memorials of the history of his house: very pleasant to look over, when time begins to wear things out of memory, and very useful sometimes to put us out of doubt when such a thing was begun, when ended; what visitors came, and when they went; our travels, absences, marriages, and deaths; the reception of good or ill news; the change of principal servants, and the like. An ancient custom, which I think it would not be amiss for every one to revive in his own house; and I find I did very foolishly in neglecting it.
Based on context, what is the meaning of the underlined clause “he ordered him whom he employed to write for him”?
the narrator's father ordered one of his servants to write for the narrator's father
the narrator's father's servant ordered the narrator's father to write for the narrator's father's servant
the narrator's father's servant ordered the narrator's father to write for the narrator
the narrator's father ordered one of his servants to write for himself
the narrator ordered one of the narrator's father's servants to write for the narrator's father
All SSAT Middle Level Reading Resources
Our SSAT Middle Level Reading Comprehension Flashcards each contain one question that might appear on the Middle Level Reading Comprehension section of the SSAT. You can use them to get a comprehensive overview of each topic covered by the SSAT Middle Level Reading Comprehension section one problem at a time, or to do problem drills that focus on particular problem types or content areas found on the SSAT Middle Level Reading Comprehension section.
Is your child taking the SSAT test soon? Make sure to encourage him or her to study for the Reading section of the test. Even if your child reads well, they need to get used to the format of this section of the test and work up their reading speed. The SSAT Middle Level Reading test will contain 40 questions that your child will have to answer in 40 minutes. The questions will assess their comprehension of several literary passages. They will have to ready quickly to make sure they have enough time as possible to concentrate on the questions.
To make preparing for this important section of the SSAT easier, Varsity Tutors' Learning Tools offers many SSAT Middle Level Reading study help activities, including free flashcards online. The flashcards offer a great way for your child to squeeze in a little test preparation when they don't have time to take a practice test or a full diagnostic test. Learning Tools Flashcards for SSAT Middle Level Reading can be accessed from any computer, tablet, or smartphone. That means that your child can study them when on-the-go between extracurricular activities, while riding to and from school, or any time they have a little unexpected downtime during their day.
The SSAT Middle Level Reading study flashcards were produced in a format similar to the reading question format on the SSAT. Each flashcard contains a passage your child must read, and then asks a question based on the passage.
The types of passages on the flashcards include literary fiction, poetry, science, social science, humanities, and several other types of passages that they may encounter on the SSAT. The questions they must answer after reading the passages include determining tone and purpose, making inferences, determining authorial attitude, determine the meaning of words based on context, and many more types of questions they may later encounter on the SSAT.
When helping your child with their SSAT Middle Level Reading review, you may also want to take advantage of the flashcards maker. This Learning Tool provides blank flashcard templates that can be filled out with additional literary passages and multiple-choice questions based on them. If your child is an avid reader, then find out what book they are currently reading for fun and what chapter they are on in it. Then, enter passages from the next chapter they haven't read yet and questions based on them. This can help them look forward to studying, because it allows them to read their favorite book as they learn!
An additional way you can use the flashcards creator is to simply pull the ready-made cards that your child needs to study most into a new, customized deck. Once you create a new deck of flashcards using either method, you can then save it, and your child can access it from their computer, tablet, or smartphone any time they want to study it until test day.
The SSAT Middle Level Reading test can be challenging, so encourage your child to study as much as
they can until test day. Practice reading passages and answering questions based on them can help your child improve their reading and comprehension skills.
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