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Determine meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words Videos 10 videos
Wishing upon a star may help you pass your AP English Language and Composition test, but answering this question would be a safer bet.
AP English Language and Composition 4.1 Passage Drill. Which of the following does the speaker present as similar?
CAHSEE 1.3 Passage Drill. Which of the following is the best way to express the meaning of the word alumni in this sentence?
SAT Reading 3.6 Long Passages 171 Views
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Description:
SAT Reading: Long Passages Drill 3, Problem 6
- Foreign Language / Spanish Subtitled
- Foreign Language / Korean Subtitled
- Foreign Language / Arabic Subtitled
- Foreign Language / Chinese Subtitled
- Information and Ideas / Interpreting words and phrases in context
- Product Type / SAT Reading
- Vocabulary / Determine meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words
- Reading closely / Interpreting words and phrases in context
Transcript
- 00:03
This question has come down with an acute case of Shmoopitis.
- 00:12
It's baaa-aaack...
- 00:14
If you aren't completely sick of this thing by now...
- 00:19
Hit pause anyway and read it.
- 00:31
In line 45, "prolific" most nearly means... what?
Full Transcript
- 00:38
And here are the potential answers...
- 00:45
Context? We have lots of it. In the sentence
- 00:47
before "prolific" appears, we learn that Muir was writing for newspapers and becoming popular.
- 00:53
You know like a cheerleader...or something like that in those days.
- 00:56
Then the passage describes Muir as a "prolific writer" who started focusing on preservation
- 01:01
efforts.
- 01:03
Armed with this context we're now ready to embark on our quest to discover the meaning
- 01:07
of the word "prolific."
- 01:09
The prefix "intro" means "inward," which reminds us that the word "introvert"
- 01:15
refers to someone who's turned inward, or is kind of shy.
- 01:19
Knowing this, we ask ourselves: would it make sense to describe Muir as being shy while
- 01:23
he's skyrocketing in popularity?
- 01:26
Well, it wouldn't be the first time that an introverted writer got mega-famous...we're
- 01:32
looking at you J.D. Salinger...
- 01:36
But the word just doesn't fit here. The context surrounding the word "prolific"
- 01:41
is positive, so it would seem kind of weird to drop the idea that Muir was a forgetful dude.
- 01:46
Therefore we can cross out (B).
- 01:48
One thing's for sure: this guy was not underappreciated...
- 01:51
If the context of this passage is to be believed--which it kind of has to be--then this guy was the
- 01:56
toast of the town. Sure, being witty usually helps a guy become
- 02:02
popular, but there's nothing in the context that tells us that Muir was a comedian.
- 02:07
Get off the stage, choice (E)! We've now whittled our choices down to (D).
- 02:13
This definition of "prolific" makes a lot of sense given the context. Being a "highly
- 02:18
productive" writer can certainly be a big help in skyrocketing you to fame.
- 02:22
Of course, sometimes it's enough to write one super popular novel, a few short stories
- 02:26
and novellas, and then hide out in the woods for the rest of your life.
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