3.

1 Understanding Text Without Looking Up Every Word

Sometimes it's important to check a dictionary while reading, but in most situations, the more
learners practice reading without one, the more they’ll improve both their comprehension and
enjoyment of the text.

There are several strategies students can use to get better at figuring out the meaning of what
they read on their own.

One effective strategy is learning how to notice key features of English. Understanding the five
main areas covered in Unit 2 can help make reading easier and more meaningful. These areas
are:

1. Sentence structure (syntax)

2. Word forms and endings
3. Word parts, such as prefixes and suffixes
4. Word combinations (collocations)
5. How words sound and how sentences are punctuated

Being aware of these elements can lead to what we call 'horizontal learning'—that is, building
on what you already know to express the same idea in new or clearer ways.

In addition, here are three practical methods students can use to work out meaning while reading:

1. Understanding word origins:

Many English words have Latin or Greek roots. Knowing these can help you guess the
meaning of unfamiliar words.
For example, the root 'aud' means 'to hear'. So if you read the word auditorium, and you
know that people gather there to listen to performances or speeches, you can guess that it
has something to do with hearing.

2. Using similar words (synonyms):

Native speakers often avoid repeating words and instead use other words with the same
meaning. This helps keep their writing natural and varied. Consider the following email:

Dear Sarah,

Thank you for the helpful advice you shared about staying organized. I’ve forwarded it to my
team, and many of them found your suggestions quite valuable.

If I come across anything that I think might be helpful to you, I’ll be sure to send it along.

Best wishes,
Alex
Notice how the phrases helpful, valuable, and be helpful to you all carry a similar meaning.

Exercise 1: Try to guess the meaning of the bolded words or phrases in each sentence and
explain how you figured it out.

1. After years of training, the athlete was finally able to qualify for the Olympics.
➤ Guess: ____________________
➤ How I guessed: ________________________________________
2. I couldn’t believe how spectacular the fireworks display was last night.
➤ Guess: ____________________
➤ How I guessed: ________________________________________
3. The lawyer tried to persuade the jury that her client was innocent.
➤ Guess: ____________________
➤ How I guessed: ________________________________________
4. During the meeting, James made a very relevant point that helped us reach a decision.
➤ Guess: ____________________
➤ How I guessed: ________________________________________
5. The old castle had a mysterious feel, especially when fog surrounded it at night.
➤ Guess: ____________________
➤ How I guessed: ________________________________________
6. That movie was so hilarious that I couldn’t stop laughing.
➤ Guess: ____________________
➤ How I guessed: ________________________________________
7. Lisa is very generous—she always shares her snacks with everyone.
➤ Guess: ____________________
➤ How I guessed: ________________________________________
8. It was a chaotic scene at the airport after all flights were cancelled due to the storm.
➤ Guess: ____________________
➤ How I guessed: ________________________________________
9. I was completely astonished when they threw me a surprise party.
➤ Guess: ____________________
➤ How I guessed: ________________________________________
10. Can you guess what the Spanish word "libro" means, based on this sentence?
"I borrowed a libro from the library to read over the weekend."
➤ Guess: ____________________
➤ How I guessed: ________________________________________
Exercise 2: Guess the meaning of the following bolded words or phrases from the
paragraphs below. Use context clues to help you.

1. At 42, Maria was an entrepreneur who had recently launched her second online
business. She worked long hours but found the process rewarding. She enjoyed building
something from scratch and didn’t mind the uncertainty. Even though her income varied
from month to month, she loved the freedom it gave her compared to her old job at a law
firm.

entrepreneur = ___________________________________________
Clues I used: _______________________________________________

2. Jonathan’s clumsiness was well-known among his friends. He once spilled coffee on his
teacher’s laptop and another time walked into a glass door at a restaurant. Still, his
cheerful attitude made it hard for anyone to stay mad at him.

clumsiness = ____________________________________________
Clues I used: _______________________________________________

3. Elena’s voice was so soothing that people often asked her to read aloud in class. Even
during stressful moments, her calm tone helped others feel relaxed. One teacher even
suggested she try meditation podcasts or voice acting.

soothing = _____________________________________________
Clues I used: _______________________________________________

4. After three hours of hiking up the steep mountain trail, the group was exhausted. They
sat on rocks, breathing heavily and drinking water. Some of them lay down on the grass,
not even speaking.

exhausted = ____________________________________________
Clues I used: _______________________________________________

5. Though the café was small and quiet, it had a charming atmosphere. The walls were
decorated with local artwork, and soft jazz played in the background. Customers often
said it felt like a cozy place from an old movie.

charming = _____________________________________________
Clues I used: _______________________________________________
Unit 3.2: Unlocking Word Origins

Understanding Word Roots

Did you know that about 50% of English words come from Latin or Ancient Greek? These root
languages gave us what are known as derivatives—words that originate from earlier forms.
Although learning every root word is tough, being familiar with some common ones can really
boost your vocabulary and reading skills.

By recognizing the original root of a word, readers can often guess its meaning, even if they’ve
never seen it before. This is especially useful when trying to figure out unfamiliar words in
reading passages. Think of it like solving a puzzle—knowing the root gives you a big piece of
the answer.

Take the Latin root "cred", which means "to believe". Many English words are built from this
root. Let’s explore how this can help you decode meanings in context:

Try This:

What do you think the bolded words mean in these sentences? Use the root 'cred' to guide
your thinking.

1. The witness gave a credible account of what happened during the robbery.
→ (Meaning: believable, trustworthy)

2. Emma’s tears gave credence to her explanation about the broken vase.
→ (Meaning: support or belief in her story)

3. The college only accepted students from accredited institutions.

→ (Meaning: officially recognized or approved)
Common Latin & Greek Root Words

Here are some popular root words and their meanings:

Root Meaning
cent one hundred
mort death
pre before
post after
geo Earth
aqua water
litera writing or letters
therm heat
loc place
bi two
pan all, every
ann/enn year

New Examples Using These Roots

 Centennial (cent): a 100-year anniversary

 Immortal (mort): never dying
 Prehistoric (pre): before recorded history
 Postgraduate (post): after graduating
 Geography (geo): study of Earth
 Aquarium (aqua): a water tank for sea creatures
 Literary (litera): related to writing
 Thermometer (therm): measures heat
 Dislocate (loc): move from its place
 Bicycle (bi): a two-wheeled vehicle
 Pandemic (pan): affects all people globally
 Anniversary (ann): a yearly celebration

Exercise 1: Try to guess the meaning of the following bolded words:

1. The ancient castle was built nearly a millennium ago.

✎ Guess: _______________________________________________
2. The city hosted a large bicentennial celebration to mark its founding.
✎ Guess: _______________________________________________
3. After graduating, she found a job as a pediatrician.
✎ Guess: _______________________________________________
 4. The epidemic spread rapidly through the village, causing fear.
✎ Guess: _______________________________________________
5. I'm trying to retrieve some old emails from my archive.
✎ Guess: _______________________________________________
6. The documentary explored life in post-revolutionary France.
✎ Guess: _______________________________________________
7. Iceland produces most of its power using geothermal resources.
✎ Guess: _______________________________________________
8. He was happy to receive his first salary from his new job.
✎ Guess: _______________________________________________
9. She felt pre-performance anxiety before her piano recital.
✎ Guess: _______________________________________________
10. He spends his weekends doing aquatic exercises at the pool.
✎ Guess: _______________________________________________

Exercise 2:

In groups organized by your teacher, please find an article or write a paragraph of around 500–
700 words that contains at least ten root words. The following words may help, but you are
encouraged to find some root words of your own as well.

milli (meaning thousand) bi (meaning two) ped (meaning child)

epi (meaning upon/among) trieve (meaning bring back) post (meaning after)
geo (meaning earth) sal (meaning salary/wages) pre (meaning before)
aqua (meaning water)

Some examples of useful words:

 Millennium
 Bilingual
 Pediatric
 Epidemic
 Retrieve
 Postwar
 Geothermal
 Salary
 Preview
 Aquatic

Tip: Underline or highlight each root word you find or use in your article!

3.3 Word Twins and Opposites

Understanding how certain words share similar meanings (called synonyms) or have completely
opposite meanings (known as antonyms) is a powerful tool in improving reading comprehension
and vocabulary. Recognizing these word relationships helps readers figure out meanings without
always needing to look up a dictionary.

Similar Words (Synonyms)

Writers often use different words with the same or similar meanings to make their writing more
interesting and avoid sounding repetitive. Here's another news story example to show how this
works:

Firefighters worked tirelessly to put out a blaze that broke out in a downtown apartment block
late Sunday night. The fire quickly spread to neighboring buildings, causing major damage.
Thankfully, all residents were safely evacuated from the affected area.

From this story, we can see that the words blaze and fire are synonyms—they both refer to
something burning. Similarly, damage relates closely to destruction or harm, and evacuated
means people were removed for safety.

Exercise 1: Identify the Synonyms in the News Stories Below

Please read the following short news excerpts and underline or highlight the words that have
similar meanings. You can write the synonym pairs next to each paragraph just like in the
previous exercise.

1. Lena Morales turned 100 years old last week and was honored with a party by her local
community center. The centenarian was thrilled to receive a video message from her great-
grandchildren who live overseas.

2.A young boy in Tokyo was left speechless after discovering that his drawing had been selected
to appear on the cover of a national art magazine. “I was completely amazed!” he said.

3.After a long drought, farmers in the valley were relieved when it finally rained for three days
straight. Many described their feelings as thankful and hopeful for the next planting season.

4.A rescue team worked through the night to save a group of hikers who had become trapped in
a remote cave. All the stranded individuals were brought to safety by morning.
5.Michael credits his success to years of hard work and persistence. “I wasn’t born into wealth,”
he explained. “I had to struggle and earn every bit of what I have today.”
Synonym pair: hard work – struggle

In everyday English conversations, people often use different words with similar meanings
instead of repeating the same ones. This helps make conversations more natural and interesting.
By recognizing these synonyms, you can better understand what's being said even when different
words are used.

Exercise 2: Please identify any synonyms in the following conversation:

Instructions:

 Underline or highlight the synonyms in the dialogue.

 Match each pair of synonyms from the conversation.

Jenna: Did you hear about the new space documentary on Mars exploration? It was absolutely
captivating.

Leo: Yeah, I watched it too. It was totally gripping—I couldn’t look away!

Emma: One of my professors at university was involved in the project. He’s one of the main
researchers working with NASA.

Leo: That’s incredible! So your professor is one of the key scientists on the mission?

Emma: Exactly. He’s also pretty well-known in the field of astrophysics.

Jenna: What’s it like having such a renowned teacher? Is he really strict or more easygoing?

Emma: Oh, he’s super laid-back. Even though he’s respected, he’s actually very humble and
always treats students kindly.

Leo: That’s awesome. Some famous people can be really modest, and others can be the
complete opposite.
Opposite Words (Antonyms)

Compared to synonyms, antonyms are often easier to recognize while reading. This is because
writers usually include clues or words that clearly show a contrast or opposite idea. These
contrasts might come from specific words or from the context of a situation.

Additionally, when people talk about something negative in English, especially if they are
agreeing with someone, they often use phrases like “not very” or “not so” followed by a positive
adjective to express the opposite meaning in a softer way.

Exercise 3: Please identify the word or phrase used in each sentence to introduce a contrast
(antonym)

1. I usually enjoy staying indoors, whereas my brother always wants to be outside.

2. My aunt is very serious. In contrast, her husband is playful and always cracking jokes.
3. Unlike the busy city, the countryside was quiet, peaceful, and calm.
4. We thought the hike would be easy. However, the trail turned out to be steep and
exhausting.
5. The morning started off rainy and gloomy. On the other hand, the afternoon was bright
and cheerful.

Exercise 4: Please identify adjectives and their antonyms in the following conversation:

Marcus: Hey, Leila! Did you like the new book you were reading?

Leila: At first, I found it a bit boring, but it got really interesting later on.

Marcus: That’s good! I was afraid it might be too predictable.

Leila: Not at all! The plot twists were totally unexpected. You should definitely read it.

Marcus: Nice! I’ll borrow it after I finish this one. It’s really long, though, and a little hard to
get into.

Leila: This new one is much more short and simple—definitely a quicker read.

Marcus: Perfect. I prefer books that are not so complicated anyway.