Question

When using a newspaper article for a shared reading activity, no students in the class can explain the meaning of the word "absence" in the following passage.

Sam was chosen because he is considered the best investigator of mechanical failures. The bridge collapsed overnight, yet the video shows no people, animals, or warnings of a problem. Sam read the report twice, yet he still could not overcome the absence of cause and gain a clear understanding about the factors that explained the disaster.

Based on the passage, which of the following teacher-directed questions is most appropriate for students learning to identify the meaning of unknown words?
A. Which definition in the dictionary explains the meaning of the word "absence"?
B. Was Sam confused because there were no people or animals near the bridge?
C. How would you use the word "absence" in a sentence?
D. Do the surrounding words offer a clue about the meaning of the word "absence"?

Answer 1

In order to determine the meaning of the word 'absence' in the passage, students can use the surrounding words as a clue. The most appropriate question for students learning to identify the meaning of unknown words would be option D: 'Do the surrounding words offer a clue about the meaning of the word 'absence'?'.

Step-by-step explanation:

In order to determine the meaning of the word 'absence' in the passage, students can use the surrounding words as a clue. The passage states that Sam read the report twice, yet he still could not overcome the absence of cause. This suggests that the word 'absence' is used to describe the lack of something, in this case, the lack of a cause for the disaster.

The most appropriate question for students learning to identify the meaning of unknown words would be option D: 'Do the surrounding words offer a clue about the meaning of the word 'absence'?'

By analyzing the context and the words around the unknown word, students can often determine the meaning without relying solely on a dictionary definition.