Lesson 9: Analyzing Word Meaning

Why do authors choose specific words in their writing?

• To fill space

• To convey technical, connotative, or figurative meanings

• To confuse readers

• To make the text longer

What is a technical meaning?

• A meaning that is humorous

• A meaning that is precise and related to a specific field

• A meaning that is vague

• A meaning that is emotional

What is the genre of the passage Prime Time for Cicades?

• Fiction

• Scientific Account

• Historical Fiction

• Fantasy

What is the tone of the phrase "Don't Let the Bedbugs Bite"?

• Humorous

• Serious

• Sad

• Joyful

What sound does a Goliath beetle make when it flies?

• Buzzing like a bee

• Whirl of a helicopter propeller

• Chirping like a cricket

• Humming like a hummingbird

What is the color of the markings on some Goliath beetles?

• Blue and green

• Yellow, red, gray, or brown

• Black and white

• Purple and pink

Which of the following is an example of the author using words that have a violent connotation?

• She describes the vertical black bands on the elytron that cover Goliath beetles’ wings.

• She compares the Goliath beetle cocoons to suits of protective armor.

• The author details the four stages of the Goliath beetle’s life cycle.

• She writes that Goliath beetles use their jaws to slash, impale, and chomp food.

What genus do periodical cicadas belong to?

• Insecta

• Magicicada

• Cicadidae

• Arthropoda

What is a unique feature of periodical cicadas?

• They can fly at night

• They appear every year

• They appear every 17 years

• They are silent

What is the climate condition when Magicicada first appeared?

• Tropical

• Desert-like

• Unpredictable

• Arctic