10th grade vocabulary

Example

Use the word parts to choose the best definition. circumnavigate (circum = around, nav = ship)

1. Etymology (word origins) helps you decode sophisticated vocabulary.
2. So the answer is: sail all the way around

Answer: sail all the way around

Example

What does the prefix "hypo" mean? (as in hypothermia, hypodermic, hypothesis)

1. Knowing what a prefix means helps you work out unfamiliar words that contain it.
2. hypo means "under, below", as in hypothermia, hypodermic, hypothesis.
3. So the answer is: under, below

Answer: under, below

Example

Which figure of speech matches this description? The opposite of hyperbole: playing something down for effect.

1. These figures play with meaning: euphemism softens, oxymoron joins opposites, paradox seems impossible but is true, understatement plays things down.
2. understatement: Deliberately presenting something as much smaller or less serious than it is.
3. So the answer is: understatement

Answer: understatement

Example

Which verb most precisely describes what the author does? The author guesses about a possible cause without firm evidence.

1. Precise reporting verbs (concede, refute, assert, speculate) show exactly how a writer handles ideas.
2. So the answer is: speculates

Answer: speculates

Example

Choose the correct word. The ___ of the school greeted every visitor.

1. These pairs look or sound alike but differ in meaning; spell-checkers won't catch the mistake.
2. 'Principal' = head or main.
3. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The principal of the school greeted every visitor."
4. So the answer is: principal

Answer: principal