OLNA Reading: Vocabulary in Context 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Read this sentence: 'The politician's speech was ambiguous — it could be interpreted in at least two different ways.' What does 'ambiguous' mean?
- Very long and detailed
- Clear and straightforward
- Open to more than one interpretation (Correct answer)
- Honest and transparent
Correct answer: Open to more than one interpretation
'Ambiguous' means having more than one possible meaning, which the sentence confirms by saying 'it could be interpreted in at least two different ways.'
Question 2: Which type of context clue involves the author directly explaining the meaning of a word?
- Inference clue
- Definition clue (Correct answer)
- Antonym clue
- Example clue
Correct answer: Definition clue
A definition clue occurs when the author directly states the meaning of an unfamiliar word, often using phrases like 'which means' or setting off the definition with commas or dashes.
Question 3: Read this sentence: 'The community came together to alleviate the suffering caused by the flood, donating food and clothing to those in need.' What does 'alleviate' mean?
- To make worse
- To ignore completely
- To reduce or lessen (Correct answer)
- To document carefully
Correct answer: To reduce or lessen
'Alleviate' means to make something less severe, supported by the action of donating supplies to reduce suffering.
Question 4: In the sentence 'The ancient artifact was so fragile that museum staff wore gloves when handling it,' what does 'fragile' mean?
- Very valuable and expensive
- Easily broken or damaged (Correct answer)
- Extremely old and faded
- Heavy and difficult to move
Correct answer: Easily broken or damaged
'Fragile' means easily broken or damaged, which is supported by the precaution of wearing gloves when handling the artifact.
Question 5: A word's 'denotation' is best described as:
- The emotional associations the word has
- The word's literal dictionary definition (Correct answer)
- The word's origin in another language
- The way the word is pronounced
Correct answer: The word's literal dictionary definition
Denotation refers to the literal, dictionary definition of a word, without any emotional associations or implied meanings.
Question 6: Read this passage: 'Despite the arduous journey through the mountains — filled with steep climbs and difficult terrain — the hikers finally reached the campsite.' What does 'arduous' mean?
- Short and easy
- Requiring great effort and difficulty (Correct answer)
- Scenic and enjoyable
- Dangerous and life-threatening
Correct answer: Requiring great effort and difficulty
'Arduous' means requiring great effort and difficulty, supported by the description of steep climbs and difficult terrain.
Question 7: Which sentence uses the word 'chronic' correctly based on its meaning of 'persisting for a long time'?
- She suffered from a chronic headache that lasted about an hour.
- He had chronic back pain that had bothered him for over ten years. (Correct answer)
- The chronic storm passed quickly and left little damage.
- They took a chronic vacation that lasted only three days.
Correct answer: He had chronic back pain that had bothered him for over ten years.
'Chronic' correctly describes a condition that persists over a long period, making back pain lasting over ten years the accurate example.
OLNA Reading: Vocabulary in Context 2
Read this sentence: 'The politician's speech was ambiguous — it could be interpreted in at least two different ways.' What does 'ambiguous' mean?