Vocabulary Lesson 2 Q2

Context Clues

Standards

ELACC8RL4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including connotative meanings

ELACC8L4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase

Naysayer (n.)

A person who expresses a negative point of view; a person who opposes an opinion.

Ex. Naysayers will tell you that having iPods in the classroom will cause distractions, but I say that they will actually prevent distractions.

Naysay, Naysayers

Task

• Each of the follow sentences or sentence groups contains a word from this unit’s vocabulary list. Look at the way each word is used and use the context to determine the word’s meaning and part of speech. Later, we will confirm or add to the definition.

Unsurpassed (adj.)

Ex. Yellow fever was an epidemic unsurpassed in the deaths it caused in the city of Philadelphia.

Ex. Michael Phelps holds a record for medals earned in the Olympics that is unsurpassed by any other athlete.

Ex. I doubt anyone will be able to surpass the record.

Surpass, surpassed

Exceedingly (adv.)

• In Philadelphia, the winters can be exceedingly cold.

• Many students exceed their teachers’ expectations.

exceed; exceeds; exceeding

Accolade (n.)

• The characters in Fever 1793 believe that Thomas Jefferson is deserving of accolades.

• Taylor Swift has earned just about every accolade country music has to offer.

Accolades

Commendable (adj.)

• Mattie’s desire to stay and see her mother through her sickness is commendable, but in the end, it is impossibly unsafe.

• Students at RMS are commended for their high grades.

• Commend; commended; commends

Standards

ELACC8RL4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including connotative meanings

ELACC8L4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase