Vocabulary Strategy: Context Clues - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

NameDateCOURSE: Destination Reading IVUNIT 27: Urban Legends: Tracking Modern MythsTMVocabulary Strategy: Context Clues(Connotative and Denotative Meanings)Complete the following items to practice the vocabularystrategy for this unit.For each sentence below, the four word options for each blankhave the same denotative meaning, but different connotativemeanings. Use context to choose the word that best fits the feelingor mood of the sentence.LearningObjective:• Use context cluesto decide whetherto use a word’sconnotativeor denotativemeaning.1. Look at those expensive clothes and jewels! Those people must be!© 2008 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.Your Turn is a trademark of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.A. richB. wealthyC. loadedD. prosperous2. Since we belong to different political parties, we often have ato argue political issues.A. chatB. conversationC. talkD. debateDestinationReading

NameDateTM3. After discovering that a piece of paper was stuck to her shoe, shewith embarrassment.A. chuckledB. giggledC. laughedD. snickered4. Our neighbor has been washing, waxing, and polishing his car all morning!Since he got a new sports car, he has beenabout keeping it clean.A. methodicalB. meticulousC. thoroughD. careful5. It’s no use! No matter what dress I wear, I still look like agirl with freckles!A. slenderB. skinnyC. slimD. fit6. The woman smiled at me with an innocent, smile.A. childlikeB. immatureC. childishD. juvenileDestinationReading© 2008 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.Your Turn is a trademark of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

NameDateTMIn each of the following sentences, the denotation of the bold word is given. Basedon the context, decide if the denotative or connotative meaning is used in thesentence. Write denotative or connotative on the line.1. Your mother is so polite. She is a real lady.Denotative meaning: a female human2. A chemical compound can often be identified by its odor.Denotative meaning: a smell or scent3. My father, ever the gentleman, kindly held the restaurant door open for mymother.Denotative meaning: a male human© 2008 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.Your Turn is a trademark of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.4. I think this bracelet is cheap enough that I can buy it with my allowance.Denotative meaning: something that is inexpensive or does not cost a lot ofmoney5. That blue home down the street is for sale.Denotative meaning: a person’s residence6. Do what the boss says, or you won’t get paid.Denotative meaning: an employer or supervisorDestinationReading

NameDateTM7. The mischievous-looking men loitered outside the convenience store.Denotative meaning: to stand in a public location without apparent purpose8. I didn’t eat breakfast or lunch, so by dinnertime, I was starving!Denotative meaning: dying of hunger9. The trees look barren now that they’ve lost their leaves to the autumn winds.Denotative meaning: bare of vegetation© 2008 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.Your Turn is a trademark of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.DestinationReading