How a word changes with its ending, and what its root means

Grade 9 Reading Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   The council chose the economical heating plan because it used less fuel and cost less each winter. Ari reads a sentence in a school paper. Which meaning fits the word, and what does the ending change?

   • in a thrifty way; -ly makes it an adverb, telling how the council chose
   • the system of money, work and trade in a place, as in a town's economy
   • having to do with the town's economy; -ic describes money and trade
   • thrifty and not wasteful; -ical describes how the plan saves

2. Read this first

   Sentence

   The council's vote was irrevocable, so the road could not be reopened later. Strip: ir (not) | re (back) | voc (call) | able (able to be)

3. 2.

   Luz builds a strip for a word in a history-club report. What does the whole word mean here?

   • a call or a voice
   • able to be called back and undone
   • a person who cannot call a vote back
   • not able to be called back or undone
4. 3.

   Tala checks four sentences for a school newspaper. Which sentence uses the right form of the word?

   • She rewrote the grant letter persistent until the board finally agreed.
   • In spite of the cold, the volunteers persistence until the fence was done.
   • Her persistent in rewriting the grant letter finally convinced the board.
   • Her persistence in rewriting the grant letter finally convinced the board.
5. 4.

   The faucet's continual drip kept the library staff awake, though it stopped for a minute now and then. Jun reads a sentence in a school paper. Which meaning fits the word, and what does the ending change?

   • to keep going or start again
   • happening again and again, with pauses between
   • going on without any break
   • again and again; the adverb continually

6. Sentence

   The judge's face was inscrutable, so the lawyers could not guess what she thought. Strip: in (not) | scrut (examine) | able (able to be)

7. 5.

   Pia builds a strip for a word in a history-club report. What does the whole word mean here?

   • not able to be examined or understood; impossible to read
   • serious and stern, as a judge's face would be during a trial
   • able to be examined closely and understood; easy to read
   • a person who examines faces closely and tries to understand them
8. 6.

   Bo checks four sentences for a school newspaper. Which sentence uses the right form of the word?

   • The treaty's third article significance that the border would move.
   • The treaty's third article moved the border significant.
   • The treaty's third article was significance because it moved the border.
   • The treaty's third article was significant because it moved the border.
9. 7.

   The mayor called the signing of the treaty a historic moment, one that would be taught in classrooms for decades. Milo reads a sentence in a school paper. Which meaning fits the word, and what does the ending change?

   • in a way tied to history; the adverb historically tells how it was signed
   • the record of past events, which classes study in school
   • belonging to the past, as in the historical records kept in the town archive
   • important enough to be remembered in history; -ic makes history an adjective

10. Sentence

    The principal made a unilateral decision, and no one else was asked. Strip: uni (one) | later (side) | al (relating to)

11. 8.

    Zee builds a strip for a word in a history-club report. What does the whole word mean here?

    • side, as in the side of a building
    • done by one side alone, without the others
    • a person who stands on one side
    • made by a school leader after careful thought
12. 9.

    Kira checks four sentences for a school newspaper. Which sentence uses the right form of the word?

    • The ad's deceptive wording persuaded buyers that the fabric was waterproof.
    • The ad relied on deceptive to persuade buyers that the fabric was waterproof.
    • The ad was worded deceptive so buyers would think the fabric waterproof.
    • The ad's deception wording persuaded buyers that the fabric was waterproof.
13. 10.

    Noah checks four sentences for a school newspaper. Which sentence uses the right form of the word?

    • The two schools competition for the regional trophy every spring.
    • The two schools compete for the regional trophy every spring.
    • The two schools played competitive for the regional trophy every spring.
    • Every spring brings competitive for the regional trophy.