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

5. Use this

   “Good ___ comes from experience.”

   judgment noun (also judgement, chiefly British) the ability to decide well; an opinion formed after thought; a ruling by a court.

6. 3.

   Esme writes a school paper for a United States audience. Which spelling does the entry make the main form for the blank?

   • judgement
   • jugdment
   • judging
   • judgment

7. 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.

8. 4.

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

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

9. Use this

   tort (law) noun a wrongful act, other than breaking a contract, that harms another person and for which the injured person may sue for money. plural torts. See also negligence.

10. 5.

    Kira reads the legal glossary entry above. Which part tells the reader where to look for a related term?

    • The definition, “a wrongful act, other than breaking a contract”
    • The form “plural torts,” which shows how to write more than one
    • “See also negligence”
    • The label “(law),” which names the subject area

11. 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.

12. 6.

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

    • cancelled
    • caneled
    • canceled
    • canceling

13. 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.

14. 7.

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

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

15. 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.

16. 8.

    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

17. 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.

18. 9.

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

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

19. 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).

20. 10.

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

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