Word Meanings | Answer Keys

Student Concept Worksheet Answers

Question	Answer
1	"Fragile" means easily broken or damaged Context clue type: Inference clue - "even a slight touch could cause it to crumble" suggests something delicate
2	Autobiography = a written account of one's own life; self-written life story auto (self) + bio (life) + graph (write) = writing about one's own life
3	"Assertive" - Circle this word "Assertive" has a positive connotation, suggesting confident and respectful self-expression. "Pushy" has a negative connotation, suggesting someone who is annoyingly forceful and doesn't respect others' boundaries.
4	Spectators = people who watch; audience members From the root "spect" (to see/look), spectators are people who watch or observe something (in this case, a sports event)

Practice Worksheet Answers

Question	Answer
1	B. Famous and respected Context clue: "research had been published in scientific journals around the world" suggests widespread recognition.
2	Bioluminescence = the production of light by living things; life-light Bio (life) + lumin (light) + escence (process/state) = the biological process of producing light.
3	B. "descended for hours through crushing pressure and complete darkness" suggests it was difficult
4	C. Delicate, heavenly, and otherworldly Context describes glowing creatures creating a beautiful display in darkness - suggesting something supernatural and dreamlike.
5	"Awe" has a POSITIVE connotation in this passage. Dr. Martinez is experiencing wonder and amazement at something beautiful ("so beautiful that no words can adequately describe it"). The context shows she feels privileged and moved, not afraid or overwhelmed negatively.
6	"Assertive" has a POSITIVE connotation (confident, standing up for yourself respectfully) while "aggressive" has a NEGATIVE connotation (pushy, intimidating, disrespectful). Both relate to being forceful, but assertive suggests healthy confidence while aggressive suggests harmful behavior.
7	B. To frighten or make someone feel threatened
8	B. Being able to express ideas clearly and effectively In communication context, articulate means joining words together skillfully to express ideas well.
9	"Illuminate" (from "lumin" = light) means to shed light on, to make clear, to enlighten. "Diminish" (with "di-" = away) means to make smaller, to reduce, to take away from. Ms. Williams is saying: use words to bring light/clarity to your own ideas (positive), not to make your opponents seem smaller or lesser (negative). It's about building up ideas vs. tearing down people.
10	B. Discovered something hidden "Un-" (remove from) + "earth" (the ground) = to dig up or discover something that was hidden/buried.
11	Illegible = not able to be read; unreadable Il- (not) + leg (read) + ible (able to be) = not able to be read. Context confirms: "the ink having blurred with age."
12	"Magnitude" means greatness, importance, or size. Context clues: The ancestor "crossed an ocean with nothing but hope and determination" - this was a huge, significant journey. The discovery is called "invaluable," suggesting the story within has great importance.
13	B. Copy the writing from the old journal to preserve it Trans- (across) + scribe (write) = to write across, to copy in writing. She wants to copy the journal's contents to preserve them before the pages deteriorate further.
14	"Invaluable" means priceless - so valuable it cannot be measured. The prefix "in-" here intensifies rather than negates (like "inflammable"). "Cheap" would have a negative connotation suggesting little worth. Using "invaluable" emphasizes that the journal's worth goes beyond money - its family history and emotional significance make it literally priceless.

FAST Format Quiz Answers

Question	Answer
1	B. Very careful and precise Context: "extreme attention to every detail" and "A careless mistake could obliterate evidence" - showing the opposite of meticulous work.
2	C. Something that has never happened before; completely new
3	B. To prove that it is genuine and real
4	B. "Meticulous" is more positive because it suggests professional precision rather than annoying fussiness.
5	B. Nervous and anxious Context contrasts with "felt something different" and "tranquility," suggesting apprehensive was her previous negative state about performing.
6	B. Without any faults; perfect
7	B. Very deep or intense In this context, "profound silence" means an intense, meaningful silence - not related to knowledge or physical depth.
8	B. "Tranquility" suggests peaceful calm (positive); "boredom" suggests dull, uninterested calm (negative). The author chose "tranquility" to show Mia's confidence.
9	See rubric and sample response below.
10	See rubric and sample response below.

Question 9 Scoring Rubric

Score	Criteria
2	Correctly breaks down "revolutionize" into word parts, explains each part's meaning, AND connects to the context of the passage
1	Attempts to break down the word but with incomplete or partially incorrect analysis, OR correctly defines but doesn't explain word parts
0	Does not break down word parts correctly or provides an incorrect definition

Sample 2-Point Response for Question 9:
"Revolutionize" can be broken into parts: "revolut" comes from "revolve" (to turn around completely, like a revolution), and "-ize" is a suffix meaning "to make or cause." Together, "revolutionize" means to cause a complete turnaround or dramatic change. In the passage, the archaeological discovery could "revolutionize our understanding of ancient civilizations" - meaning it could completely change or transform what we know about the past. The word suggests that this discovery is so significant it could turn our current knowledge completely around.

Question 10 Scoring Rubric

Score	Criteria
2	Identifies TWO words with positive connotations from the passage AND explains how each contributes to the uplifting tone
1	Identifies two words but with weak explanation of how they affect tone, OR thoroughly explains only one word
0	Does not identify words with positive connotations or does not connect them to tone

Sample 2-Point Response for Question 10:
Two words with positive connotations that contribute to the uplifting tone are "tranquility" and "extraordinary." "Tranquility" suggests a peaceful, calm feeling rather than just "not nervous" - it shows Mia has achieved a state of confident peace before performing. This contributes to an uplifting tone by showing her positive mental state. "Extraordinary" means beyond ordinary - exceptional and remarkable. The judge using this single word to describe Mia's performance creates an uplifting, triumphant tone because it's the highest praise possible. Both words make the reader feel happy for Mia's success and create a positive, inspiring mood throughout the passage.

Quick Reference: Context Clue Types