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?

   • thrifty and not wasteful; -ical describes how the plan saves
   • the system of money, work and trade in a place, as in a town's economy
   • in a thrifty way; -ly makes it an adverb, telling how the council chose
   • having to do with the town's economy; -ic describes money and trade
2. 2.

   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.
3. 3.

   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?

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

4. Read this first

   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)

5. 4.

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

   • a person who examines faces closely and tries to understand them
   • able to be examined closely and understood; easy to read
   • not able to be examined or understood; impossible to read
   • serious and stern, as a judge's face would be during a trial
6. 5.

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

   • The treaty's third article was significant because it moved the border.
   • The treaty's third article was significance because it moved the border.
   • The treaty's third article moved the border significant.
   • The treaty's third article significance that the border would move.
7. 6.

   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?

   • important enough to be remembered in history; -ic makes history an adjective
   • 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
8. 7.

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

   • The ad was worded deceptive so buyers would think the fabric waterproof.
   • The ad relied on deceptive to persuade buyers that the fabric was waterproof.
   • The ad's deception wording persuaded buyers that the fabric was waterproof.
   • The ad's deceptive wording persuaded buyers that the fabric was waterproof.
9. 8.

   After the match, the two captains returned to their respective teams to hear the coaches' notes. Ren reads a sentence in a school paper. Which meaning fits the word, and what does the ending change?

   • a feeling of admiration and regard for someone
   • in each case separately; the adverb respectively matches the pairs
   • belonging to each one separately, captain by captain
   • showing proper regard for others, as in respectful

10. Sentence

    The marker left an indelible stain on the old map, and no cleaner could lift it. Strip: in (not) | del (erase) | ible (able to be)

11. 9.

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

    • not able to be erased or removed
    • dark and ugly against the old paper
    • to erase or wipe out
    • able to be erased easily
12. 10.

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

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