Words with the same meaning but a different feel

Grade 9 Reading Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   Mild admiration, with no hint of bragging. Sentence: The student's ____ manner put the visiting speakers at ease. Pia needs a word that matches both the degree and the judgment. Which word fits the goal?

   • commanding
   • smug
   • assured
   • arrogant
2. 2.

   Strong, happy excitement. Sentence: When the final whistle blew, the fans were ____. Bo needs a word that matches both the degree and the judgment. Which word fits the goal?

   • restless
   • ecstatic
   • keen
   • frantic
3. 3.

   Strong praise. Sentence: The manager called the night nurse a ____ worker whose energy never ran out. Tala needs a word that matches both the degree and the judgment. Which word fits the goal?

   • plodding
   • tireless
   • compulsive
   • diligent
4. 4.

   The mayor said the budget was balanced. Revision: The mayor claimed the budget was balanced. Ari compares the draft and the revision. What changes when claimed replaces said?

   • Claimed is a more formal word, so the revision sounds more official but judges nothing about the budget.
   • The revision reports a different event, because the mayor must have said something new about the budget at the meeting.
   • The revision suggests doubt: claimed leaves open whether the budget really was balanced, while said just reports it.
   • Nothing changes, because said and claimed both report that the mayor spoke about the budget in public.

5. Read this first

   Draft

   Ms. Ortega said the permit had been lost in her office. Revision: Ms. Ortega admitted the permit had been lost in her office.

6. 5.

   Noah compares the draft and the revision. What changes when admitted replaces said?

   • Admitted is a legal term, so the revision says that Ms. Ortega broke a law by losing the permit.
   • The revision suggests Ms. Ortega accepts a fault she would rather not own; said simply reports it.
   • The revision adds a new fact: that the permit was later found, so the office was not at fault in the end.
   • Nothing changes, because said and admitted both report that the permit had been lost in her office.
7. 6.

   The senator agreed that the amendment had flaws. Revision: The senator conceded that the amendment had flaws. Luz compares the draft and the revision. What changes when conceded replaces agreed?

   • Nothing changes, because agreed and conceded both say the senator accepted that the amendment has flaws.
   • Conceded suggests giving up a point after resisting it; agreed suggests plain, willing agreement.
   • Conceded is the stronger word, so the revision says the flaws are more serious than the draft claims.
   • The revision says the amendment has more flaws than the draft does, since conceded is a bigger word.
8. 7.

   The spokesperson explained the delay. Revision: The spokesperson justified the delay. Esme compares the draft and the revision. What changes when justified replaces explained?

   • The revision says the delay was longer than the draft says, since justified is a bigger word.
   • Justified is a legal term, so the revision says the delay broke a rule that the spokesperson cited.
   • Justified suggests the delay needed defending as reasonable; explained simply tells how it happened.
   • Nothing changes, because explained and justified both say the spokesperson spoke about the delay.

9. Text

   The principal called the student's essay derivative. It used the same three examples as the textbook, in the same order, with a few words changed.

10. 8.

    Milo asks what derivative implies that new would not. Which implication fits the text?

    • That the essay is original and unlike anything else the textbook says.
    • That the student copied dishonestly and should be punished.
    • That the ideas came from another source instead of being the writer's own.
    • That the essay is hard to follow because it jumps between topics.

11. Text

    The report described the stream as trickling after the dry summer. In July it was ankle-deep; by September a person could cross on three stones.

12. 9.

    Jun asks what trickling implies that flowing would not. Which implication fits the text?

    • That the town wasted its water and caused the shortage.
    • That the stream was small and thin but still moving.
    • That the stream had dried up completely and held no water.
    • That the stream had become wide and fast after the summer.

13. Text

    The coach praised the freshman's play as scrappy. The freshman was small for the team but chased every loose ball and won most of them.

14. 10.

    Kira asks what scrappy implies that skilled would not. Which implication fits the text?

    • That the player is naturally gifted and rarely has to try very hard.
    • That the player starts fights and breaks the rules of the game.
    • That the player is careless and sloppy with the ball in close games.
    • That the player is undersized or outmatched but fights hard to compete.