UNIT 26 SKILL 8

FIND DEFINITIONS FROM

STRUCTURAL CLUES

Windy Ardianita Sari, S.Hum. M.Hum.

 Vocabulary Questions
In Reading Comprehension section of the TOEFL test, there
will be a number of vocabulary questions. To answer this type of
question, it is of course helpful if you know the meaning of the word
that the TOEFL test is testing.
However, it is not always necessary for you to know the
meaning of the word; often there are skills that you can use to help
you find the correct answer to the question:
Cont’d
Finding definitions from structural clues
Determining meanings from word parts
Using context clues to determine meanings
STRUCTURAL CLUES
 How to Identify the Question

What is…?
What is the meaning of….?
What is true about…?
 Types of Clues

Punctuation: comma, parentheses, dashes

Restatement: or, that, is, in, other, i.e.
Example: such as, for example, for instance, e.g.
 Where to find the answer

Information to help determinate what something means will generally

be found after the punctuation clue, the restatement clue, or the
example clue.
 How to answer the question

Read the part of the

Find word in the passage after the Eliminate any
passage structural clue definitely wrong
carefully answer from the
Locate any
remaining choices
structural
clues
 When you are asked to determine the meaning of a word
in the Reading Comprehension section of the TOEFL
test, it is possible:

1 2
That the passage provides That there are structural clues to
information about the meaning tell you tat the definition of a
of the word word is included in the passage
EXAMPLE
 Discussion No. 1

To answer the first question, you should look at the part of the
passage following the word behaviorism. The dash punctuation (—)
indicates that a definition or further information about behaviorism
is going to follow. In the information following the dash, you should
see that the behaviorist is interested in behavior, which is observable,
so the best answer to this question is answer C.
 Discussion No. 2

To answer the second question, you should look at the part of the
passage following the expression positive reinforcements. The
expression such as indicates that examples of positive reinforcement
are going to follow. Your job is to look at the examples of positive
reinforcement and draw a conclusion about what positive
reinforcement might be. Since praise, food, and money might be given
in return for a job well done, then positive reinforcement must be a
reward. The best answer to this question is therefore B.
 Discussion No. 3

To answer the third question, you should look at the part of the
passage following the expression negative reinforcement. The word or
following negative reinforcement tells you that the idea is going to be
restated in different words. You can see in the passage that another
word for negative reinforcement is punishment, so answer D is the best
answer to this question.
 Now, do the TOEFL
Exercise on page 146-
147 properly by
yourself.

Answer key will be uploaded later 

THANKS!
Any questions?
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