Dictionary and thesaurus skills

Grade 7 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   Fortnight (FORT-nyt) noun a period of two weeks. Usage: chiefly British. Example: The ferry runs once a fortnight. Kira reads the entry for fortnight. A student in Ohio is writing a school report for local readers. What does the label suggest?

   • The word means exactly fourteen days in Britain and something else in the U.S.
   • The word is a place name, so a report must name a British city
   • The word is formal, so it fits a legal paper but not a school report
   • Many American readers say two weeks, so fortnight may sound unfamiliar to them

2. Read this first

   Dictionary entry

   Isotope (EYE-suh-tohp)
   noun (chemistry) one of two or more forms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons.
   Example: Carbon-14 is an isotope of carbon.

3. 2.

   Zee reads the entry for isotope. What does the label (chemistry) tell the reader?

   • The label shows how to say the word aloud
   • The meaning given is the one used in the subject of chemistry
   • The word can be used inside a chemistry class, not outside it
   • The word is slang that chemists use when they talk with friends

4. Dictionary entry

   Refuse (REF-yoos)
   noun garbage; trash.
   refuse (ri-FYOOZ)
   verb to say no to; to decline.
   Example: The crew hauled the refuse to the dump.

5. 3.

   Ari reads: “The crew hauled the refuse to the dump.” Which pronunciation and part of speech fit the sentence?

   • ri-FYOOZ, a verb
   • REF-yoos, a verb
   • ri-FYOOZ, a noun
   • REF-yoos, a noun

6. Dictionary entry

   Conduct (KAHN-dukt)
   noun the way a person behaves.
   conduct (kun-DUKT)
   verb 1 to carry out or manage. 2 to lead or guide. 3 to carry (heat or electricity).
   Example: Scientists conduct experiments.

7. 4.

   Bo reads: “Scientists conduct experiments.” Which pronunciation and part of speech fit?

   • kun-DUKT, a verb
   • KAHN-dukt, a verb
   • kun-DUKT, a noun
   • KAHN-dukt, a noun

8. Dictionary entry

   Permit (PUR-mit)
   noun an official paper that allows a person to do something.
   permit (per-MIT)
   verb to allow.
   Example: Students need a permit to park on campus.

9. 5.

   Luz reads: “Students need a permit to park on campus.” Which pronunciation and part of speech fit?

   • PUR-mit, a noun
   • per-MIT, a verb
   • per-MIT, a noun
   • PUR-mit, a verb

10. Dictionary entry

    Foundation (fown-DAY-shun)
    noun 1 the solid base a building stands on.
    noun 2 the basic idea or fact that something rests on.
    noun 3 an organization that gives money to help a cause.
    noun 4 a first layer of makeup.
    Example: The new bridge has a deep foundation.

11. 6.

    Tala reads: “The survey provided a foundation for the club's argument.” Which numbered meaning fits foundation?

    • the basic idea or fact that something rests on
    • a survey that the club ran
    • the solid base a building stands on
    • an organization that gives money to help a cause

12. Dictionary entry

    Issue (ISH-oo)
    noun 1 a topic that people discuss, debate or worry about.
    noun 2 one copy of a magazine or newspaper in a series.
    noun 3 the act of giving something out.
    verb 4 to give out officially.
    Example: Litter is an issue in the park.

13. 7.

    Jun reads: “The magazine's May issue has a story about owls.” Which numbered meaning fits issue?

    • a topic that people discuss, debate or worry about
    • to give out officially
    • the act of giving something out
    • one copy of a magazine or newspaper in a series

14. Dictionary entry

    Reference shelf:
    Dictionary: spellings, pronunciations, parts of speech, numbered meanings and word origins.
    Thesaurus: lists of words with related meanings, grouped by shade of meaning.
    Glossary in a math textbook: terms from math, with the meaning the book uses.
    Atlas: maps and place names.
    The word in question: jubilant.

15. 8.

    Milo wants a word that shows a stronger feeling than “happy” for a sentence about winning a trophy. Which reference helps most?

    • The atlas, because it lists places where people feel happy
    • The dictionary, because it lists spellings and meanings of the word happy
    • The math glossary, because it lists the terms from one book
    • The thesaurus, because it groups words with related meanings by strength

16. Dictionary entry

    Reference shelf:
    Dictionary: spellings, pronunciations, parts of speech, numbered meanings and word origins.
    Thesaurus: lists of words with related meanings, grouped by shade of meaning.
    Glossary in a math textbook: terms from math, with the meaning the book uses.
    Atlas: maps and place names.
    The word in question: quinoa.

17. 9.

    Pia sees the word quinoa on a menu and wants to say it aloud correctly. Which reference helps most?

    • The thesaurus, because it shows how words sound
    • The atlas, because food names come from places
    • The math glossary, because it explains special terms
    • The dictionary, because it gives the pronunciation

18. Dictionary entry

    Reference shelf:
    Dictionary: spellings, pronunciations, parts of speech, numbered meanings and word origins.
    Thesaurus: lists of words with related meanings, grouped by shade of meaning.
    Glossary in a math textbook: terms from math, with the meaning the book uses.
    Atlas: maps and place names.
    The word in question: resilient.

19. 10.

    Noah wants to know the part of speech and the origin of the word resilient. Which reference helps most?

    • The dictionary, because it gives the part of speech and the origin
    • The atlas, because it shows where the word began
    • The thesaurus, because it lists the parts of speech of related words
    • The math glossary, because it explains how words are built