Learn on PengiVocabulary for the High School Student (Grade 7)Chapter 1: Learning New Words From the Context

Lesson 2: Contexts With Similar Words

In this Grade 7 vocabulary lesson from Vocabulary for the High School Student, students learn how to use context clues by identifying similar words or expressions within a sentence to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. The lesson introduces a set of vocabulary terms and guides students through exercises where a nearby synonym or restatement in the same sentence reveals the target word's definition. This strategy helps students independently decode new vocabulary encountered in reading.

Section 1

Hiding, Praising, and Arguing

This first set of words deals with places for hiding, ways to give praise, and terms for absolute rulers and arguments.

Key Words

cache (n.)commend (v.)commendable (adj.)
cur (n.)despotic (adj.)despotism (n.)
dispute (v.)disputatious (adj.)edifice (n.)

Example Usage

  • My brother found the cache where I kept my secret snacks, so now I need a new hiding place.
  • The manager wanted to commend the employees for their excellent work, so she praised them at the meeting.
  • The club's leader was so despotic, running it like a dictatorship, that no one dared to disagree with him.

Section 2

Time, Beginnings, and Entrances

Let's journey through time, witness new beginnings, and stand before impressive entrances with these words.

Key Words

era (n.)initiate (v.)initiation (n.)
Jolly Roger (n.)multitude (n.)multitudinous (adj.)
perceive (v.)perception (n.)portal (n.)

Example Usage

  • The invention of the internet initiated a new era of global communication.
  • From the hilltop, I could perceive a multitude of people gathered in the town square below.
  • The grand castle featured enormous oak portals that served as the main entrance.

Section 3

Behavior, Anatomy, and Accounts

Here we have words that describe personality, the body's structure, and different ways of telling a story.

Key Words

reserved (adj.)restrain (v.)retract (v.)
spine (n.)spineless (adj.)stroll (n.)
timorous (adj.)tuition (n.)version (n.)

Example Usage

  • After making the false claim, he had to retract his statement to avoid further trouble.
  • My little cousin is very timorous and is afraid of even the smallest dogs.
  • Her version of the event was completely different from the account I heard from our friends.

Section 4

Conflict and Coming Together

Explore the dynamics of conflict and cooperation with words for attackers, disasters, and friendly gatherings.

Key Words

aggressor (n.)aggression (n.)altitude (n.)
calamity (kə-'la-mə-tē)calamitous (adj.)congregate (v.)
convene (v.)convention (n.)cordiality (n.)

Example Usage

  • The nation that fires the first shot in a war is considered the aggressor.
  • After the fire alarm, students were instructed to congregate in the parking lot.
  • Despite their disagreement, the two leaders treated each other with cordiality during the meeting.

Section 5

Friends, Actions, and Predictions

This set of words describes close friends, careful actions, and looking into the future.

Key Words

cordial (adj.)crony (n.)deliberately (adv.)
dispense (v.)dubious (adj.)extremity (n.)
forecast (v.)hibernate (v.)host (n./v.)

Example Usage

  • He is close friends with the mayor, but I am not a crony of any politician.
  • I am dubious about the success of this plan; it seems too risky to work.
  • The weather report forecasts snow for this weekend, so we should prepare for cold temperatures.

Section 6

Fear, Thought, and Endurance

Our final group covers influencing others through fear, the process of careful thinking, and the ability to put up with things.

Key Words

intimidate (v.)preface (n./v.)recoil (v.)
reflection (n.)relinquish (ri-'liŋ-kwish)tolerate (v.)
tolerable (adj.)

Example Usage

  • The bully tried to intimidate the smaller kids, but they weren't frightened by his threats.
  • After careful reflection, I've decided to accept the job offer.
  • I cannot tolerate his constant complaining; I find it completely unbearable.

Book overview

Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.

Continue this chapter

Chapter 1: Learning New Words From the Context

  1. Lesson 1

    Lesson 1: Contexts With Contrasting Words

    LearnPractice
  2. Lesson 2Current

    Lesson 2: Contexts With Similar Words

    LearnPractice
  3. Lesson 3

    Lesson 3: Commonsense Contexts

    LearnPractice
  4. Lesson 4

    Lesson 4: Mixed Contexts

    LearnPractice

Lesson overview

Expand to review the lesson summary and core properties.

Expand

Section 1

Hiding, Praising, and Arguing

This first set of words deals with places for hiding, ways to give praise, and terms for absolute rulers and arguments.

Key Words

cache (n.)commend (v.)commendable (adj.)
cur (n.)despotic (adj.)despotism (n.)
dispute (v.)disputatious (adj.)edifice (n.)

Example Usage

  • My brother found the cache where I kept my secret snacks, so now I need a new hiding place.
  • The manager wanted to commend the employees for their excellent work, so she praised them at the meeting.
  • The club's leader was so despotic, running it like a dictatorship, that no one dared to disagree with him.

Section 2

Time, Beginnings, and Entrances

Let's journey through time, witness new beginnings, and stand before impressive entrances with these words.

Key Words

era (n.)initiate (v.)initiation (n.)
Jolly Roger (n.)multitude (n.)multitudinous (adj.)
perceive (v.)perception (n.)portal (n.)

Example Usage

  • The invention of the internet initiated a new era of global communication.
  • From the hilltop, I could perceive a multitude of people gathered in the town square below.
  • The grand castle featured enormous oak portals that served as the main entrance.

Section 3

Behavior, Anatomy, and Accounts

Here we have words that describe personality, the body's structure, and different ways of telling a story.

Key Words

reserved (adj.)restrain (v.)retract (v.)
spine (n.)spineless (adj.)stroll (n.)
timorous (adj.)tuition (n.)version (n.)

Example Usage

  • After making the false claim, he had to retract his statement to avoid further trouble.
  • My little cousin is very timorous and is afraid of even the smallest dogs.
  • Her version of the event was completely different from the account I heard from our friends.

Section 4

Conflict and Coming Together

Explore the dynamics of conflict and cooperation with words for attackers, disasters, and friendly gatherings.

Key Words

aggressor (n.)aggression (n.)altitude (n.)
calamity (kə-'la-mə-tē)calamitous (adj.)congregate (v.)
convene (v.)convention (n.)cordiality (n.)

Example Usage

  • The nation that fires the first shot in a war is considered the aggressor.
  • After the fire alarm, students were instructed to congregate in the parking lot.
  • Despite their disagreement, the two leaders treated each other with cordiality during the meeting.

Section 5

Friends, Actions, and Predictions

This set of words describes close friends, careful actions, and looking into the future.

Key Words

cordial (adj.)crony (n.)deliberately (adv.)
dispense (v.)dubious (adj.)extremity (n.)
forecast (v.)hibernate (v.)host (n./v.)

Example Usage

  • He is close friends with the mayor, but I am not a crony of any politician.
  • I am dubious about the success of this plan; it seems too risky to work.
  • The weather report forecasts snow for this weekend, so we should prepare for cold temperatures.

Section 6

Fear, Thought, and Endurance

Our final group covers influencing others through fear, the process of careful thinking, and the ability to put up with things.

Key Words

intimidate (v.)preface (n./v.)recoil (v.)
reflection (n.)relinquish (ri-'liŋ-kwish)tolerate (v.)
tolerable (adj.)

Example Usage

  • The bully tried to intimidate the smaller kids, but they weren't frightened by his threats.
  • After careful reflection, I've decided to accept the job offer.
  • I cannot tolerate his constant complaining; I find it completely unbearable.

Book overview

Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.

Continue this chapter

Chapter 1: Learning New Words From the Context

  1. Lesson 1

    Lesson 1: Contexts With Contrasting Words

    LearnPractice
  2. Lesson 2Current

    Lesson 2: Contexts With Similar Words

    LearnPractice
  3. Lesson 3

    Lesson 3: Commonsense Contexts

    LearnPractice
  4. Lesson 4

    Lesson 4: Mixed Contexts

    LearnPractice