Vocabulary in Context Quiz

Grade 7 · English · Quiz

Demonstrate your ability to determine word meanings using context clues, word parts, and knowledge of connotation.

Questions

  1. Read: 'The scientist's hypothesis — her educated guess about the experiment's outcome — proved correct.' What is the meaning of 'hypothesis'?

    1. Final result of an experiment
    2. An educated guess or prediction
    3. A scientific law
    4. A piece of laboratory equipment
    Show answer

    Answer: An educated guess or prediction

    The dash introduces a direct restatement: 'her educated guess about the experiment's outcome' defines hypothesis.

  2. The suffix '-less' as in 'hopeless' or 'careless' means:

    1. Full of
    2. Without
    3. Before
    4. Again
    Show answer

    Answer: Without

    The suffix '-less' means 'without' — hopeless means without hope, careless means without care.

  3. Read: 'He was loquacious at the party, talking to everyone for hours, unlike his usually quiet self.' What does 'loquacious' most likely mean?

    1. Shy and reserved
    2. Angry and confrontational
    3. Very talkative
    4. Elegant and well-dressed
    Show answer

    Answer: Very talkative

    The contrast clue 'unlike his usually quiet self' tells us loquacious means the opposite of quiet — very talkative.

  4. The word 'house' and the word 'home' have the same denotation but may have different connotations.

    Show answer

    Answer: True

    Both 'house' and 'home' denotatively mean a dwelling place, but 'home' often carries warmer, more personal connotations of belonging and comfort.

  5. Which word has the most POSITIVE connotation?

    1. Cheap
    2. Frugal
    3. Stingy
    4. Miserly
    Show answer

    Answer: Frugal

    'Frugal' means spending carefully and wisely, which has a positive connotation. The other words all suggest being unpleasantly miserly with money.

  6. The root word 'port' means 'to carry.' Which word uses this root correctly?

    1. Portrait
    2. Portable
    3. Portal
    4. Portion
    Show answer

    Answer: Portable

    'Portable' uses the root 'port' (to carry) + the suffix '-able' (able to be) = able to be carried. 'Portrait,' 'portal,' and 'portion' share spelling similarity but derive from different roots.

  7. The prefix 're-' as in 'rewrite' or 'rebuild' means ______.

    Show answer

    Answer: again

    The prefix 're-' means again or back — rewrite means to write again, rebuild means to build again.

  8. Read: 'She felt apprehensive before the speech — nervous, worried, and unsure of herself.' The context clue used here is a:

    1. Contrast clue
    2. Example clue
    3. Definition clue
    4. Inference clue
    Show answer

    Answer: Definition clue

    The phrase after the dash ('nervous, worried, and unsure of herself') directly restates what apprehensive means — this is a definition clue.

Get a personalized course on Vocabulary in Context built around your child.