Dictionary, glossary and thesaurus skills

Grade 9 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   “The two teams alternate turns at the whiteboard.”

   alternate (AWL-tur-nayt) verb to take turns, one after the other. alternate (AWL-tur-nit) adjective happening every second time. alternate (AWL-tur-nit) noun a person who takes another's place. Key: a as in cat, ah as in father, ay as in cake, e as in bed, ee as in see, ih as in sit, y as in my, oh as in go, oo as in moon, uh as in but, ur as in turn, aw as in saw. Capital letters mark the stressed syllable.

2. 1.

   Ari reads the sentence above. Which respelling shows how to say alternate here?

   • AWL-tur-nayt
   • AWL-tur-nit
   • awl-TUR-nayt
   • AL-tur-nayt

3. General dictionary

   Mean adjective unkind or unfair to others. mean noun a middle point between two extremes. Statistics glossary: mean (statistics) noun the sum of a set of values divided by how many values there are. symbol x-bar. See also median.

4. 2.

   Bo reads the field entry above. Which part gives the meaning of mean in statistics?

   • The line “symbol x-bar,” which shows how the quantity is written
   • The line “See also median,” which points to another entry
   • “the sum of a set of values divided by how many values there are”
   • The label “(statistics),” which names the subject area

5. Use this

   “The jury will deliberate until it reaches a verdict.”

   deliberate (dih-LIB-uh-rayt) verb to think about something carefully, often by talking it over, before deciding. deliberate (dih-LIB-ur-it) adjective done on purpose; slow and careful. Key: a as in cat, ah as in father, ay as in cake, e as in bed, ee as in see, ih as in sit, y as in my, oh as in go, oo as in moon, uh as in but, ur as in turn, aw as in saw. Capital letters mark the stressed syllable.

6. 3.

   Jun reads the sentence above. Which respelling shows how to say deliberate here?

   • dih-LIB-uh-rayt
   • dih-LIB-uh-rit
   • dih-LYB-uh-rayt
   • dih-LIB-ur-it

7. Use this

   “The principal ___ the assembly.”

   cancel verb canceled or cancelled; canceling or cancelling (the forms with one l are preferred in American usage, the forms with two in British usage) to call off; to mark so that it cannot be used again.

8. 4.

   Luz writes a news story for a United States audience. Which form does the entry give as the main American spelling for the blank?

   • canceled
   • caneled
   • canceling
   • cancelled

9. Use this

   “The author seems to intimate that the plan is not finished.”

   intimate (IN-tuh-mayt) verb to hint at something without saying it outright. intimate (IN-tuh-mit) adjective very close or private; known in detail. Key: a as in cat, ah as in father, ay as in cake, e as in bed, ee as in see, ih as in sit, y as in my, oh as in go, oo as in moon, uh as in but, ur as in turn, aw as in saw. Capital letters mark the stressed syllable.

10. 5.

    Milo reads the sentence above. Which respelling shows how to say intimate here?

    • IN-tuh-mayt
    • EEN-tuh-mayt
    • IN-tuh-mit
    • in-TUH-mayt

11. Use this

    osmosis (biology) noun the movement of water through a thin membrane from a weaker solution to a stronger one. adjective osmotic. Compare diffusion.

12. 6.

    Noah reads the biology glossary entry above. Which part shows that the word has a related adjective?

    • The line “Compare diffusion,” which points to another entry
    • The definition, “the movement of water through a thin membrane”
    • “adjective osmotic”
    • The label “(biology),” which names the subject area

13. Use this

    “The report ends with an ___ of the volunteers.”

    acknowledgment noun (also acknowledgement) a statement that admits something is true or gives thanks; a note saying that something was received.

14. 7.

    Pia fills the blank in a United States school report. Which spelling does the entry list first, as its main form?

    • acknowledge
    • acknowledgement
    • acknowledgment
    • acknowlegment

15. Use this

    “The referee ruled the goal invalid because the whistle had already blown.”

    invalid (in-VAL-id) adjective not correct or not allowed; having no force under the rules. invalid (IN-vuh-lid) noun a person made weak by illness or injury. Key: a as in cat, ah as in father, ay as in cake, e as in bed, ee as in see, ih as in sit, y as in my, oh as in go, oo as in moon, uh as in but, ur as in turn, aw as in saw. Capital letters mark the stressed syllable.

16. 8.

    Ren reads the sentence above. Which respelling shows how to say invalid here?

    • in-VAY-lid
    • in-VAL-id
    • IN-vuh-lid
    • in-vuh-LID

17. Use this

    moment (physics) noun the turning effect of a force about a point, equal to the force times its distance from the point. plural moments. symbol M. unit newton-meter (N·m).

18. 9.

    Tala reads the physics glossary entry above. Which part tells what to write after the number in an answer?

    • The label “(physics),” which names the subject area
    • “symbol M,” which shows how the quantity is written in equations
    • The form “plural moments,” which shows how to write more than one
    • “unit newton-meter (N·m)”

19. Use this

    “The club meets in the school ___ on Fridays.”

    theater noun (also theatre, chiefly British, and kept in some American names) a building for plays or films; the art of the stage; a place where events take place.

20. 10.

    Zee writes about the drama club for a United States newspaper. Which spelling does the entry make the main form?

    • theater
    • theatre
    • theatr
    • theatrical