Determine whether each statement below is literal or figurative. Write L if the statement is literal (i.e. there is no other meaning). Write F if the statement is figurative (i.e. there is an underlying meaning). 1. Berto was tasked by Delia to kill Berto‘s adopted dog. 2. Centipedes often scare people because of how they look. 3. Delia‘s resentment toward Eddie could be traced back to their mother‘s death. 4. Eddie saw his sister as a thorn on his side – something which should be plucked. 5. Eddie‘s feelings toward his sister could be compared to that of an overheated kettle. 6. Eddie‘s sister was stunned when she saw the centipede. 7. Even as a young boy, Eddie already had the instincts of a hunter. 8. For most of the story, Eddie and Delia were like oil and water. 9. Once, Eddie thought that Delia was extending the olive branch to him. 10. Their father often told Eddie and Delia to keep the peace.

1. Context Clues
When you come across a word
you don't know, don’t stop
reading. You can often figure out
the meaning of an unfamiliar
word by using the words around
it. The surrounding sentence or
paragraph is known as the
context.

2. Context Clues
Here's an example: Sue's boss was
a callous man. He did not react to
her tears and apologies.
From the context you know that
a callous man does not react to
tears and apologies. Callous means
“hard-hearted” or "insensitive to
emotion."

3. Task 2. Using Context Clues in
finding Synonyms
Encircle the letter of the
option that best approximates
the underlined word in each
sentence.
1. George could only stand in shock
as Lilian tramped across the field,
her angry eyes latched on to him.
A. tread heavily B. walked slowly

4. 2. The vendor, hoping to finish selling
his goods before noon, ambled
toward the group of clueless tourists.
A. crawled B. sold
C. walked D. limped
3. While Jonathan escaped the
accident with just a scratch on his
arm, his car was badly mangled.
A. spared B. scratched
C. returned D. ruined

5. 4. Lourdes watched the performance
with apprehension; she felt that anytime
now, someone would make a mistake
and the audience would laugh at her
class.
A. fascination B. dread
C. rapture D. listlessness
5. Kyla‘s lips started to quiver when she
heard that her daughter had been
kidnapped.
A. close B. open C. shrink D. tremble

6. 6. The mayor denounced the kidnapping of
the eight year old year, and vowed that he
would do everything in his power to get the
girl back and punish the kidnappers to the
fullest extent of the law.
A. condemned B. criticized
C. commented D. contorted
7. The prima ballerina snickered when she
saw her main rival stumbling over the new
dance steps.
A. laughed derisively B. coughed politely
C. commented D. parodied

7. Task 3. Literal or Figurative?
Determine whether each
statement below is literal or
figurative. Write L if the
statement is literal (i.e. there is
no other meaning). Write F if the
statement is figurative (i.e. there
is an underlying meaning).
1. Berto was tasked by Delia to kill Berto‘s
adopted dog.
2. Centipedes often scare people because of
how they look.

8. 4. Eddie saw his sister as a thorn on
his side – something which should be
plucked.
5. Eddie‘s feelings toward his sister
could be compared to that of an
overheated kettle.
6. Eddie‘s sister was stunned when
she saw the centipede.
7. Even as a young boy, Eddie already
had the instincts of a hunter.

9. 8. For most of the story, Eddie
and Delia were like oil and
water.
9. Once, Eddie thought that
Delia was extending the olive
branch to him.
10. Their father often told Eddie
and Delia to keep the peace.