Grade: Grade 6 Subject: English Language Arts Unit: Academic Vocabulary Lesson: 3 of 6 SAT: Craft+Structure ACT: Reading

Text Practice with Academic Vocabulary

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Now that you have learned strategies for understanding unfamiliar words through context clues and word roots, it is time to apply these skills to real passages. Reading authentic texts helps you see how academic vocabulary works in context.

Why Practice with Real Texts?

Academic vocabulary appears across all subject areas. When you encounter these words in science articles, historical documents, or literary texts, you build stronger connections between words and their meanings.

Key Strategies for Text Practice

  • Read the full paragraph first - Get the overall meaning before focusing on individual words
  • Identify signal words - Look for clues like "however," "therefore," "in contrast," and "for example"
  • Use word parts - Break down unfamiliar words into prefixes, roots, and suffixes
  • Check your understanding - Substitute your definition to see if the sentence still makes sense
  • Note word families - Connect new words to related words you already know

Types of Academic Vocabulary

Academic vocabulary falls into three categories:

  1. General academic words - Words used across subjects (analyze, significant, evidence, contribute)
  2. Domain-specific words - Words specific to one subject (photosynthesis, democracy, variable)
  3. Multiple-meaning words - Words that change meaning by context (table, plot, cell, volume)

Examples

Read each passage and identify the meaning of the bolded vocabulary words using the strategies you have learned.

Example 1: Science Text

The scientist's hypothesis was substantiated by multiple experiments. Each trial produced consistent results, providing strong evidence that her initial prediction was correct.

Analysis: The word "substantiated" appears after "hypothesis" and before "by multiple experiments." The context tells us that experiments provided "strong evidence" confirming the prediction. The root "subst-" relates to "substance" or something solid. Therefore, substantiated means "supported with evidence" or "proven to be true."

Example 2: Social Studies Text

The colonists felt that the new tax was arbitrary. Unlike previous taxes, which had clear purposes, this one seemed to be imposed on a whim, without any logical reason or fair process.

Analysis: The text contrasts "arbitrary" with "clear purposes" and describes it as "on a whim" and "without any logical reason." Therefore, arbitrary means "based on random choice rather than reason."

Example 3: Literature

The character's resilience impressed everyone. Despite facing one setback after another, she refused to give up and continued pursuing her goals with determination.

Analysis: The context shows someone who "refused to give up" despite "setbacks." The root "resil-" comes from Latin meaning "to spring back." Therefore, resilience means "the ability to recover from difficulties."

Practice

Read each passage and determine the meaning of the underlined word. Use context clues and word parts to guide your answer.

Practice 1

The debate was contentious, with both sides arguing passionately and refusing to find common ground. The heated discussion lasted for hours.

Question: Based on the context, "contentious" most likely means:

  1. Boring and uninteresting
  2. Causing disagreement and argument
  3. Friendly and cooperative
  4. Quick and efficient

Practice 2

The author's claim was credible because she provided extensive research, cited reliable sources, and presented logical arguments that were difficult to dispute.

Question: The word "credible" most likely means:

  1. Impossible to understand
  2. Worthy of belief or trust
  3. Entertaining to read
  4. Too complicated to follow

Practice 3

The scientist had to replicate the experiment several times. Only by repeating the same steps and getting consistent results could she be confident in her findings.

Question: Based on the passage, "replicate" means:

  1. To change completely
  2. To repeat or duplicate
  3. To cancel or stop
  4. To simplify or reduce

Practice 4

The new policy had unprecedented effects. Nothing like it had ever happened before in the company's history, leaving managers unsure how to respond.

Question: The word "unprecedented" suggests something that is:

  1. Predictable and expected
  2. Never having happened before
  3. Unimportant and minor
  4. Illegal and prohibited

Practice 5

The teacher asked students to synthesize information from three different sources. Rather than just summarizing each one, they needed to combine the ideas into a unified analysis.

Question: To "synthesize" information means to:

  1. Copy it word for word
  2. Ignore the less important parts
  3. Combine elements into a unified whole
  4. Criticize and reject ideas

Practice 6

The politician's speech was meant to galvanize the crowd. By the end, people who had been sitting quietly were on their feet, cheering and ready to take action.

Question: In this context, "galvanize" means:

  1. To calm and soothe
  2. To confuse and mislead
  3. To shock into action or excitement
  4. To bore and disappoint

Practice 7

The evidence was compelling. The jury found it so convincing that they reached their verdict in less than an hour.

Question: Something "compelling" is:

  1. Weak and unconvincing
  2. Powerfully persuasive
  3. Complicated and confusing
  4. Boring and ordinary

Practice 8

The two theories were incompatible. Scientists realized they could not both be true because they directly contradicted each other on key points.

Question: If theories are "incompatible," they:

  1. Support and strengthen each other
  2. Cannot exist or work together
  3. Are identical in meaning
  4. Are too complex to understand

Practice 9

The historian's account was remarkably impartial. Unlike other writers who clearly favored one side, she presented both perspectives fairly and let readers draw their own conclusions.

Question: An "impartial" account is one that is:

  1. Incomplete and missing information
  2. Fair and unbiased
  3. Strongly opinionated
  4. Poorly researched

Practice 10

The changes to the law were incremental. Rather than making one dramatic shift, lawmakers added small improvements year after year until the policy was completely transformed.

Question: "Incremental" changes happen:

  1. All at once and suddenly
  2. In small, gradual steps
  3. Without any planning
  4. In reverse order

Check Your Understanding

1. When you encounter an unfamiliar word in a passage, what should you do first?

2. How can signal words like "however" or "in contrast" help you understand vocabulary?

3. What is the difference between general academic vocabulary and domain-specific vocabulary? Give an example of each.

4. Why is it important to check your definition by substituting it back into the sentence?

Next Steps

  • Review any vocabulary words from this lesson that were challenging
  • Practice identifying academic vocabulary in your textbooks and reading assignments
  • Keep a vocabulary journal to record new words and their meanings
  • Continue to the next lesson: Writing Application