Lesson 4 — Activity 3: Analyzing Meaning
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Lesson 4 — Activity 3: Analyzing Meaning
When we have some understanding about how paragraphs are set up and some reading strategies, we are better able to analyze the meaning of what we are reading. That is, when our understanding is clear, we can start to think about what we read and whether or not it is believable, useful, or valuable information.
There are several strategies we can use to think about the meaning and value of the messages we receive.
One helpful way is to discover the definitions of any new or unfamiliar words. This will help us to expand our vocabulary and gain a better understanding of the material we read. A common strategy is to try to understand a word's meaning through the context in which it is used. Another strategy is to look up the word in the dictionary.
One helpful way is to discover the definitions of any new or unfamiliar words. This will help us to expand our vocabulary and gain a better understanding of the material we read. A common strategy is to try to understand a word's meaning through the context in which it is used. Another strategy is to look up the word in the dictionary.
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Context: Refers to the setting of
communication. Context can also apply to finding the meaning of a word. When we look at the sentence or paragraph where we find an unfamiliar word, we can sometimes figure out its meaning by looking at the words around it.
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Dictionary: The dictionary can be a very helpful tool when we are learning new words. It is not always convenient to look up words in the dictionary, but sometimes, especially when we are dealing with technical language or jargon, it is a good idea to
be absolutely sure we understand the terms being used.
- Context: Refers to the setting of communication. Context can also apply to finding the meaning of a word. When we look at the sentence or paragraph where we find an unfamiliar word, we can sometimes figure out its meaning by looking at the words around it.
- Dictionary: The dictionary can be a very helpful tool when we are learning new words. It is not always convenient to look up words in the dictionary, but sometimes, especially when we are dealing with technical language or jargon, it is a good idea to be absolutely sure we understand the terms being used.
Another way we can help analyze what we read is to consider the source of the message. If we know where the message comes from, we will have a better idea of how truthful the message may be. A newspaper story states that the age for having a driver's
licence should be raised to 19 because people under 19 are more likely to be in car accidents than people over 19. A thoughtful reader will want to know where that fact came from, or if it is a fact at all. Just as when we are listening to someone,
when we read, we need to think about the source of the information and whether or not it is reliable.
When we learn new words or think about familiar words, we may notice a difference between the denotation and the connotation of a word. Denotation refers to the literal or actual definition of a word. Connotation refers to the emotions or feelings we may associate with a word. There are pairs of words that have similar denotations (definitions or meanings), but very different connotations. Consider the following sentences:
Isn't it great to be a kid?
You are such a child!
While kid and child have similar denotations (meanings) — being young — the connotation or emotion associated with the words is very different in the two sentences. The first sentence expresses a much more positive message about youth than the second.