Name : Ningsih Ramadani

NIM : 20018082
Class : K1 English Education

CHAPTER 9

DETERMINE MEANING OF WORDS

SKILL 8: FIND DEFINITIONS FROM STRUCTURAL CLUES

To determine the meaning of a word in the reading section it is possible (1) that the passage
provides information about the meaning of the word, and (2) that there are structural clues to tell
you that the definition of a word is included in the passage. As can be seen in the following
questions:

What is the meaning of "X" in line Y?

The word "X" in line Y is closest in meaning to ...
The word "X" in line Y could best be replaced by ...

Information to help you determine what something means will generally be found after the
punctuation clue, the restatement clue (or, that is, in other words, i.e), or the example clue.( such
as, for example, e.g.).To answer the questions, you should :

1. Find the word in the passage.

2. Locate any structural clues.
3. Read the part of the passage after the structural clue carefully.
4. Eliminate any definitely wrong answers and choose the best answer from the remaining
choices.

Example from the Paper TOEFL Test

The passage:

One of the leading schools of psychological thought in the twentieth century is

behaviorism–the belief that the role of the psychologist is to study behavior, which is
observable, rather than conscious or unconscious thought, which is not. Probably the best-known
proponent of behaviorism is B.F. Skinner, who is famous for his research on how positive and
negative reinforcement influence behavior. He came to believe that positive reinforcement such
as praise, food, or money were more effective in promoting good behavior than negative
reinforcement, or punishment.
The question:

In "behaviorism" in line 2, a psychologist is concerned with

(A) conscious thought patterns
(B) unconscious thought patterns
(C) observable actions
(D) unobservable actions

This question asks about the meaning of the word behaviorism. To answer this question, you
should look at the part of the passage following the word behaviorism. The dash punctuation (–)
indicates that a definition or further information about behaviorism is going to follow. In the
information following the dash, you should see that the behaviorist is interested in behavior,
which is observable, so the best answer to this question is answer (C).

SKILL 9: DETERMINE MEANINGS FROM WORD PARTS

To determine the meaning of a long word that you do not know in the reading section, it is
sometimes possible to determine the meaning of the word by studying the word parts , as shown
below

A SHORT LIST OF WORD PARTS

PART MEANING EXAMPLE PART MEANING EXAMPLE

Bi Two Bimonthly In/il/im not dictate

Micro Small Microscope Mono One Monocle
Poly Many Polygon Semi Half Semicircle
Tri Three Triangle Uni One Unicycle
A Not Asymmetrical Anti Against Antiwar
Against, Apart, away,
Contra Contradict Dis Disagree
opposite not
No Not Nonfiction VIV (live) revive

Example

The passage:
 Ring Lardner was born into a wealthy, educated, and cultured family. For the bulk of his
career, he worked as a reporter for newspapers in South Bend, Boston, St. Louis, and Chicago.
However, it is for his short stories of lower middle- class Americans that Ring Lardner is
perhaps best known. In these stories, Lardner vividly creates the language and the ambiance of
this lower class, often using the misspelled words, grammatical errors, and incorrect diction that
typified the language of the lower middle class.

The question:

The word "vividly" in line 6 is closest in meaning to

(A) in a cultured way
(B) in a correct way
(C) in a lifelike way
(D) in a brief way
This question asks about the meaning of the word vividly. To answer this question, you should
notice that the word vividly contains the word part viv-, which means life. Answer (C) is
therefore the best answer to this question.

SKILL 10: PARTS USE CONTEXT TO DETERMINE MEANINGS OF DIFFICULT

WORDS

To determine the meaning of a difficult word in a reading passage, a word that you are not
expected to know may be asked, as the following questions:

What is the meaning of “X” in line Y?

The word “X” in line Y is closest in meaning to...
Look at the word X in paragraph Y. Click on another word that is close in meaning to X. Click
on the word in paragraph Y that is closest in meaning to X

In this case, the passage will probably give you a clear indication of what the word means.
Look at a multiple-choice example from the paper TOEFL test where the context helps you to
understand the meaning of an unknown word.
Information to help you understand the meaning of an unknown word can often be found in the
context surrounding the unknown word. To answer the questions, you should
1. find the word in the passage.
2. read the sentence that contains the word carefully.
3. look for context clues to help you understand the meaning.
4. choose the answer that the context indicates.

Example from the Paper TOEFL Test

The passage:

In a government election, the incumbent generally has a strong advantage over a

newcomer. A person who is already in office and thus has a certain degree of prominence has a
better chance of being elected than does someone who is unknown to the electorate. History
has shown a strong proclivity in elections at all levels of government to return the incumbent to
office.

The question:

An “incumbent” in line 1 is most likely

(A) a special type of election
(B) a political party
(C) a beneficial comment
(D) a current office-holder

This question asks about the meaning of the word incumbent. In this question, you are not
expected to know the meaning of the word incumbent. Instead, you should understand from the
context a person who is already in office that an incumbent is a current office-holder. Answer
(D) is therefore the best answer to this question.

SKILL 11: USE CONTEXT TO DETERMINE MEANINGS OF SIMPLE WORDS

To determine the meaning of a simple word in a reading passage, a word that you see often in
everyday English may be asked, as the following questions

In this type of question, you should not give the normal, everyday meaning of the word; instead,
a secondary meaning of the word is being tested, so you must determine the meaning of the word
in this situation. Look at a multiple-choice example from the paper TOEFL test where a
secondary meaning is the best answer to the question

What is the meaning of “X” in line Y?

The word “X” in line Y could best be replaced by...
Look at the word X in paragraph Y. Click on another word that could best be replaced by...
Click on the word in paragraph Y that could best be replaced by...

Information to help you understand the secondary meaning of a simple word can often be found
in the context surrounding the word. To answer the question, you should

1. find the word in the passage.

2. read the sentence that contains the word carefully.
3. look for context clues to help you understand the meaning.
4. choose the answer that the context indicates

Example from the Paper TOEFL Test

The passage:

Faced with serious threats to its future, the company is taking steps to improve its
outlook. The company has brought in a new crop of trainees to staff some of its empty positions.
In addition, the company has created a new committee to research various proposals and has
appointed a key member of its management team to chair the committee.

Example from the Paper TOEFL Test

The passage:

Faced with serious threats to its future, the company is taking steps to improve its
outlook. The company has brought in a new crop of trainees to staff some of its empty positions.
In addition, the company has created a new committee to research various proposals and has
appointed a key member of its management team to chair the committee.

The question:

The word “steps” in line 1 could best be replaced by

(A) stairs
(B) walks
(C) actions
(D) footprints
 In this question, you are asked to choose a word that could replace steps. You should understand
that steps is a normal, everyday word that is not being used in its normal, everyday way. Because
the primary meaning of steps is stairs, this answer is not the correct answer. To answer this type
of question, you must see which answer best fits into the context in the passage. You cannot say
that a company is taking stairs, or walks, or footprints, but you can say that a company is taking
actions. Answer (C) is therefore the best answer to this question.

TOEFL EXERCISE

TOEFL EXERCISE 8: Study each of the passages and choose the best answers to the questions
that follow.

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-4)

The teddy bear is a child's toy, a nice soft stuffed animal suitable for cuddling. It is, however, a
toy with an interesting history behind it.
Theodore Roosevelt, or Teddy as he was commonly called, was president of the United States
from 1901 to 1909. He was an unusually active man with varied pastimes, one of which was
Line
hunting. One day the president was invited to take part in a bear hunt; and inasmuch as Teddy
(5) was president, his hosts wanted to ensure that he caught a bear. A bear was captured, clanked over
the head to knock it out, and tied to a tree; however, Teddy, who really wanted to hunt a bear,
refused to shoot the bear and, in fact, demanded that the bear be extricated from the ropes; that
is, he demanded that the bear be set free.
The incident attracted a lot of attention among journalists. First a cartoon –drawn by Clifford K.
(10) Berryman to make fun of this situation– appeared in the Washington Post, and the cartoon was
widely distributed and reprinted throughout the country. Then toy manufacturers began producing
a toy bear which they called a "teddy bear." The teddy bear became the most widely recognized
symbol of Roosevelt's presidency.

1. According to line 1of the passage, what is a "teddy bear"?

(A) A ferocious animal
(B) The president of the United States
(C) A famous hunter
(D) A plaything

2. Look at the word pastimes in paragraph 2. This word could best be replaced by
past occurrences
previous jobs
hunting trips
leisure activities
 3. Look at the word extricated in paragraph 2. Click on another word or phrase in paragraph
2 that is close in meaning to extricated
Set Free

4. In line 10, a "cartoon" could best be described as

(A) a newspaper
(B) a type of teddy bear
(C) a drawing with a message
(D) a newspaper article

PASSAGE TWO (Questions 5-8)

A supernova occurs when all of the hydrogen in the core of a huge star is transformed to iron
and explodes. All stars die after their nuclear fuel has been exhausted. Stars with little mass die
gradually, but those with relatively large mass die in a sudden explosion, a supernova. The sudden
flash of light can then be followed by several weeks of extremely bright light, perhaps as much light
Line as twenty million stars.
(5) Supernovae are not very common; they occur about once every hundred years in any galaxy,
and in 1987 a supernova that could be seen by the naked eye occurred in the Magellan Cloud, a
galaxy close to the Milky Way. Scientists periodically detect supernovae in other galaxies; however,
no supernovae have occurred in the Milky Way (the galaxy that includes Earth) since 1604. One
very impressive supernova occurred in the Milky Way on July 4, 1054. There was a great explosion
(10) followed by three months of lighted skies, and historical chronicles of the time were full of
accounts and unusual explanations for the misunderstood phenomenon –many people believed that it
meant that the world was coming to an end.

5. A "supernova" in line 1 is which of the following?

(A) The iron component of a star
(B) The core of a star
(C) The hydrogen in a star
(D) The explosion of a star

6. According to the passage, which of the following best describes the "Magellan Cloud" in
line 7?
(A) A galaxy inside the Milky Way
(B) A cloud composed of hydrogen
(C) A galaxy near Earth's galaxy
 (D) A cloud in the sky above the Earth

7. Look at the expression Milky Way in paragraph 2. The Milky Way is

part of Earth
a galaxy close to Earth
the galaxy that is home to Earth
a creamy-colored cloud in the sky

8. Click on the word in paragraph 2 that is closest in meaning to "unusual occurrence."

Phenomenon

TOEFL EXERCISE 9: Study each of the passages and choose the best answers to the questions
that follow.

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-5)

Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was a Portuguese –born explorer who is credited with the exploration of
the coast of what is today the state of California. Sketchy military records from the period show that
early in his career he served with the Spanish army from 1520 to1524 in Spain's quest for
subjugation of the people in what are today Cuba, Mexico, and Guatemala. Little is known of his
Line
activities over the next decades, but apparently he succeeded in rising up through the ranks of the
(5)
military; in 1541, he was ordered by Antonio de Mendoza, the Spanish ruler of Mexico, to explore
the western coast of North America. Cabrillo set out in June of 1542 in command of two ships, the
San Salvador and the Victoria; he reached San Diego Bay on September 28, 1542, and claimed the
terrain for Spain. The peninsula where he landed is today named Cabrillo Point in his honor; the
area has been established as a national monument and park, and local residents each year hold a
(10) celebration and reenactment of Cabrillo’s landing.
From San Diego, Cabrillo continued northward for further exploration of the spectacular California
coastline. By November 1542, he had reached as far north as San Francisco Bay, although he
missed the entrance of the bay due to a huge storm. Soon after, with the approach of winter, he
veered south and turned back to Mexico. He made it as far south as the Channel Islands off the
coast of what is today Santa Barbara. Cabrillo who died on San Miguel Island in the Channel
(15) Islands, never made it back to Mexico.

1. The word “subjugation” in line 4 is closest in meaning to

(A) religion
(B) flag
(C) control
(D) agreement
 2. Look at the word decades in paragraph 1. This word is closest in meaning to
months
centuries
long epoch
ten-year periods
3. In line 9, the word “terrain” is closest in meaning to
(A) land
(B) population
(C) minerals
(D) prosperity

4. Look at the word spectacular in paragraph 2. This word is closest in meaning to which of
the following?
Ruggedly handsome
Visually exciting
Completely uneven
Unendingly boring

5. Look at the word veered in paragraph 2 Click on another word in paragraph 2 that is
close in meaning to veered.
turned

PASSAGE TWO (Questions 6-10)

Checks and balances are an important concept in the formation of the U.S. system of
government as presented in the Constitution of the United States. Under this conception of
government, each branch of government has built-in checks and limitations placed on it by one
Line or more different branches of government in order to ensure that any one branch is not able to
(5) usurp total dominance over the government. Under the Constitution, the United States has a
tripartite government, with power divided equally among the branches: the presidency, the
legislature, and the judiciary. Each branch is given some authority over the other two branches to
balance the power among the three branches. An example of these checks and balances is seen in
the steps needed to pass a law. Congress can pass a law with a simple majority, but the president
(10) can veto such a law. Congress can then counteract the veto with a two-thirds majority. However,
even if Congress passes a law with a simple majority or overrides a presidential veto, the Supreme
Court can still declare the law unconstitutional if it finds that the law is contradictory to the
guidelines presented in the Constitution.

6. The expression “dominance over” in line 5 is closest in meaning to

 (A) understanding of
(B) dispute over
(C) authority over
D) rejection of

7. Look at the word tripartite in the passage. This word suggests that something is
divided into three
totally democratic
powerfully constructed
8. The “judiciary” in line 7 is
evenly matched
(A) the electorate
(B) the authority
(C) the legal system
(D) the government

9. Look at the word counteract in the passage. This word is closest in meaning to
vote for
debate
surpass
work against

10. “Contradictory to” in line 12 is closest in meaning to which of the following expressions?
(A) In agreement with
(B) Opposite to
(C) Supported by
(D) Similar to

TOEFL EXERCISE 10: Study each of the passages and choose the best answers to the questions
that follow.

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-4)

The black widow is the most dangerous spider living in the United States. It is most common in the
southern parts of the country, but it can be found throughout the country. The black widow got
its name because the female has been known to kill the male after mating and, as a result, becomes
a widow.
Line
The black widow is rather distinctive in appearance; it has a shiny globular body, the size and
(5)
shape of a pea, and is marked on its underbelly with a red or yellow spot. The female is
considerably more ample than the male, roughly four times larger on the average.
If a human is bitten by a black widow, the spider’s poison can cause severe illness and pain. Black
widow bites have occasionally proved deadly, but it is certainly not the norm for black widow
bites to be mortal.
(10)
 1. In line 3, the word “widow” means
(A) a type of poison
(B) the dead male spider
(C) the human victim of the spider
(D) a female whose mate has died

2. Click on the word in paragraph 2 that is closest in meaning to “spherical.”

3. The word “ample” in line 7 indicates that the spider is

(A) feminine
(B) large
(C) dotted with colors
(D) normal

4. Look at the word deadly in paragraph 3. Click on another word in paragraph 3 that is
close in meaning to deadly.

PASSAGE TWO (Questions 5-8)

Tornadoes occur throughout the world, but for reasons that scientists are not fully able to discern,
the great majority occur in the United States. Approximately 700 tornadoes a year occur within the
United States, and this comprises three-quarters of the worldwide total. Most of the U.S.
tornadoes take place in the Midwest and in the southern states that border the Gulf of Mexico.
Line In general, a tornado cuts a path of a few hundred yards and lasts less than an hour; an average
(5) tornado might propel itself at a speed of 15 or 20 miles per hour and therefore cover a distance of
20 or so miles. Tornadoes, however, can be much worse than average. The most devastating
tornado on record occurred on March 18,1925, in the states of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. The
path of this tornado was more than 200 miles long and a mile wide. Traveling at an average speed
of 60 miles per hour, the winds at the center of the storm swirled around at considerably more than
(10) 200 miles per hour. A total of 689 people died, and countless more were injured, at the hands of
this killer storm.

5. Click on the word in paragraph 1 that is closest in meaning to “understand.”

Discern

6. The word “propel” in line 7 could best be replaced by

(A) move
 (B) develop
(C) destroy
(D) inhibit

7. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “devastating” in line 9?

(A) Described
(B) Delicate
(C) Destructive
(D) Determined

8. Look at the word swirled in paragraph 2. This word is closest in meaning to

decreased
rose
settled
circled

TOEFL EXERCISE 11: Study each of the passages and choose the best answers to the questions
that follow.

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-3)

The “piece of eight” was the nickname of the Spanish “peso,” which was the rough equivalent of
the American dollar in early America; the peso was accepted coin in much of the Americas,
particularly during the period when the stores of Spanish ships were regularly stripped by pirates on
the waters off the Americas and “redistributed” throughout coastal towns. The nickname “piece of
Line
eight” derived from the fact that the peso was equal to eight “reals” and therefore had the numeral 8
(5)
stamped on it. The “piece of eight” was sometimes actually cut into pieces, or bits, and one popular
size was one-quarter of a “piece of eight,” or two bits. As a consequence, the U.S. quarter of a
dollar is sometimes referred to today as two-bits, particularly in the western part of the country. A
visitor to that area, if told “It’ll be two-bits,” should take it that the price of an item is being
given.
(10)

1. The word “rough” in line 1 is closest in meaning to

(A) unsmooth
(B) mean
(C) approximate
(D) heavy

2. Look at the word stores in the passage. Stores are probably

departments
markets
shops
supplies
z
 3. Look at the expression take it in the passage. This expression could best be replaced by

hold
understand
PASSAGE possess TWO (Questions 4-7)
grab
Although Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith appeared in 1776, it includes many of the ideas
thatA
4. economists stillline
“school” in consider
3 is the foundation of private enterprise. The ideas put forth by
Smith compose the basis of the philosophies of the school of thought called classical
(A) a common belief
economics.
(B) a college
According to Smith’s ideas, free competition and free trade are vital in fostering the growth
Line of an(C) a university
economy. The role of government in the economy is to ensure the ability of companies
(5) to compete freely.
(D) an educational institution

Smith, who was himself a Scot, lived during the period of the revolutions in America and in
France. During this epoch, the predominant political thought was a strong belief in freedom
(10) and independence in government. Smith embraced economic ideas of free trade and
competition which are right in line with these political ideas.

5. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word "free" in line 4?

(A) Cheap
(B) No cost
(C) Uncontrolled
(D) Democratic

6. Look at the word embraced in paragraph 3. This word could best be replaced by
hugged
believed in
encircled
handed over

7. Click on the word in paragraph 3 that could best be replaced by “agreement” line
 TOEFL REVIEW EXERCISE (Skills 8-11): Study each of the passages and choose the best
answers to the questions that follow.

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-5)

Cardamom is not as widely used as a spice in the United States as it is in other parts of the world.
This fruit of the ginger plant provides an oil that basically has been used solely as a stimulant in
American and English medicines. Other cultures have recognized the multipurpose benefits of this
Line aromatic fruit. In Asia it is used to season sauces such as curry; in Middle Eastern countries it is
steeped to prepare a flavorful, golden-colored tea; in parts of Northern Europe it is used as a spice
(5)
in 1.
various types
Click of pastry.
on the word in the passage that could best be replaced by “only.” solely

2. The word “multipurpose” in line 3 is closest in meaning to

(A) health
(B) singular
(C) recognized
(D) varied

3. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “season” in line 4?

(A) Divide
(B) Forecast
(C) Spice
(D) Put a time limit

4. Look at the word curry in the passage. Curry is

the fruit of the ginger plant
a spicy type of sauce
a culture in the area of the Middle East
a type of golden-colored tea

5. Click on the word in the passage that could best be replaced by “steamed.”
seeped

PASSAGE TWO (Questions 6-13)

The life span of an elephant that dies from natural causes is about sixty-five years. Of course, an
elephant can perish from a number of “unnatural causes”; e.g., it can be killed by hunters, most
probably for the valuable ivory in its tusks; it can die from diseases that spread throughout an
Line elephant herd;atorthe
6. Look it can die from
word perishdrought or from 1.
in paragraph theClick
lack ofonfood that almost
another word certainly
in paragraph 1 that is
accompanies the inadequate supply
close in meaning to perish. of water.
(5)
If, however, an elephant survives these disasters, it falls prey to old age in its mid-sixties. Around
this age, the cause of death is attributed to the loss of the final set of molars. When this last set of
teeth is gone, the elephant dies from malnutrition because it is unable to obtain adequate
nourishment. In old age, elephants tend to search out a final home where there is shade for
comfort from the sun and soft vegetation for cushioning; the bones of many old elephants have
(10) been found in such places.
 7. The word “unnatural” in line 2 is closest in meaning to
(A) wild
(B) violent
(C) domesticated
(D) abnormal

8. Look at the word drought in paragraph 1. A drought means

a drowning
a lack of food
9. Whichan
of inadequate
the following could
supply ofbe used to replace the word “survives” in line 6?
water
(A) Rises to
an overabundance of animals
(B) Succumbs to
(C) Denies
(D) Lives through

10. Look at the word molars in paragraph 2. Click on the word in paragraph 2 that is close in
meaning to molars. teeth

11. In line 8, “malnutrition” is used to describe a condition related to

(A) good health
(B) illness
(C) poor eating
(D) dental problems

12. Look at the expression a final home in paragraph 2. This expression is closest in meaning
to
a place to die
a comfortable house
a place for sale
the only remaining place to live

13. The word “shade” in line 10 is closest in meaning to

(A) color
(B) heat
(C) diminished light
(D) a front porch

PASSAGE THREE (Questions 14-21)

The American flag is the end product of a long evolution. Each of its component parts has its
own history.
The very first American flag was hoisted in the skies over Boston on January 1, 1776, by the
American forces there. This first flag consisted of thirteen red and white stripes representing the
Line
number of American colonies. It also included the British Cross of St. George and Cross of St.
(5) Andrew. It could be considered rather ironic that these symbols of British rule were included on
the American flag in that the American colonists were fighting for independence from the
British.
 taken from the flag of Rhode Island, or they could have been taken from the coat of arms of the
(10) Washington family. According to legend, this first flag with stars was sewn by Betsy Ross, a
Philadelphia seamstress who was famous for her clever needlework. This version of the flag
contained thirteen stars and thirteen stripes, one for each of the thirteen colonies battling for
independence.

The original idea was to add one star and one stripe for each state that joined the new, young
country. However, by 1818, the number of states had grown to twenty, and it did not work well to
keep adding stripes to the flag. As a result, Congress made the decision to revert to the original
thirteen stripes representing the thirteen original colonies and adding a star each time a new state
was admitted. This has been the policy ever since.

14. The word “product” in line 1 is closest in meaning to

(A) goods
(B) merchandise
(C) banner
(D) result

15. Look at the word hoisted in paragraph 2. Something that is hoisted is

created
found
raised
made
16. The word “ironic” in line 6 could most easily be replaced by
(A) steellike
(B) normal
(C) unexpected
(D) nationalistic

17. Look at the word Obscure in paragraph 3. Click on another word in paragraph 3 that is
opposite in meaning to obscure. clear

18. In line 12, the word “seamstress” is used to describe someone who
(A) works at home
(B) sews
(C) is a part of high society
(D) practices medicine

19. Click on the word in paragraph 4 that could best be replaced by “function.”
work

20. Click on the word in paragraph 4 that could best be replaced by “continue.”
keep
 21. The expression “revert to” in line 17 means
(A) return to
(B) add to
(C) rejoice over
(D) forget about

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