Strategies for Unfamiliar Words
Strategies for Unfamiliar Words
The HESI A2 Reading Comprehension section often throws unfamiliar vocabulary your way. Don’t panic! There are a variety of strategies you can employ to decipher the meaning of these words and ensure you grasp the overall message of the passage. This chapter delves into techniques for utilizing context clues to define unfamiliar words and infer their meaning based on the surrounding text and passage topic.
Techniques for Utilizing Context Clues to Define Unfamiliar Words
Context clues are hints scattered throughout the passage that provide valuable information about the meaning of an unfamiliar word. By honing your skill at identifying and utilizing context clues, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle challenging vocabulary in the HESI A2 exam.
There are several ways context clues can help you define unfamiliar words:
- Definition: Sometimes, the author might directly define the unfamiliar word within the sentence or the following sentence. Look for phrases like “which means” or “in other words” that introduce a definition.
Example: The doctor suspected a pathological fracture, which means a broken bone caused by underlying disease.
- Synonym: The passage might introduce a synonym (word with similar meaning) for the unfamiliar term. Identify words or phrases that seem to explain or rephrase the unfamiliar word.
Example: The patient exhibited signs of tachycardia (rapid heart rate) and dyspnea (difficulty breathing) during the exercise test.
- Antonym: In some cases, the author might use an antonym (word with opposite meaning) to provide contrast and clarify the meaning of the unfamiliar word.
Example: While a benign tumor is generally harmless, a malignant tumor is cancerous and can spread to other parts of the body.
Utilizing these techniques requires careful reading and attention to detail. Pay close attention to the surrounding sentences and identify words or phrases that seem to offer clues about the meaning of the unfamiliar term.
Identifying Key Phrases and Surrounding Sentences for Context
Context clues are rarely presented in isolation. They are woven into the fabric of the passage, often within the sentence containing the unfamiliar word or the sentences immediately before and after it. Here’s how to identify key phrases and surrounding sentences for context:
- Focus on the Sentence: The sentence containing the unfamiliar word is the primary source of context clues. Look for synonyms, antonyms, or phrases that offer definitions or explanations.
Example: The nurse administered a hypnotic medication to help the patient relax before surgery. (Look for clues within the sentence itself – “medication to help the patient relax”)
- Analyze Surrounding Sentences: The sentences preceding and following the unfamiliar word can provide valuable context. Identify related ideas, explanations, or contrasts that can shed light on its meaning.
Example: The treatment plan included a combination of cytotoxic drugs, which target and destroy rapidly dividing cancer cells, and radiation therapy to shrink the tumor. (Look for the surrounding sentence that explains the function of “cytotoxic drugs”)
- Identify Transition Words: Transition words like “because,” “however,” or “similarly” can signal a shift in ideas or provide comparisons that offer context for an unfamiliar term.
Example: The patient’s prognosis (predicted outcome) was guarded due to the advanced stage of the disease; however, with aggressive treatment, there was still a chance for remission. (The transition word “however” introduces a contrasting idea that helps clarify the meaning of “prognosis”)
By actively analyzing the sentence containing the unfamiliar word and its surrounding context, you’ll be able to glean valuable clues about its meaning and enhance your overall comprehension of the passage.
Inferring Word Meaning Based on the Overall Passage Topic
The topic of the passage itself can also provide valuable context for inferring the meaning of unfamiliar words. Here’s how to leverage the passage topic:
- Background Knowledge: Activate your prior knowledge about the subject matter. What do you already know about the topic being discussed? Can you relate the unfamiliar word to any familiar concepts within that domain?
Example: If the passage is about diabetes, you might infer that the term “hyperglycemia” refers to a condition related to high blood sugar levels based on your general knowledge of the disease.
- Supporting Details: Look for details within the passage that support the main idea. Are there specific examples, statistics, or research findings that can shed light on the meaning of the unfamiliar word in the context of the topic?
Example: The passage discusses the importance of adherence (compliance) to medication regimens for successful disease management. By understanding the overall topic of medication management, you can infer that “adherence” refers to sticking to the prescribed medication
- Don’t Jump to the Dictionary: Resist the urge to immediately grab a dictionary for every unfamiliar word. Context clues are often more efficient and can help you make a well-educated guess about the meaning within the context of the passage.
- Consider the Part of Speech: Pay attention to the grammatical function of the unfamiliar word within the sentence. Is it a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb? This can provide clues about its meaning and function.
Example: If the unfamiliar word ends in “-tion,” it’s likely a noun that describes an action or process.
- Multiple Context Clues are Better: Relying on a single context clue can be risky. The more context clues you can identify surrounding the unfamiliar word, the more confident you can be about your inferred meaning.
Remember: Developing context clue skills takes practice. The more you expose yourself to reading materials with challenging vocabulary, the better you’ll become at identifying and utilizing context clues to decipher unfamiliar words.
Beyond Context Clues: Additional Strategies
While context clues are a powerful tool, there are situations where they might not be sufficient. Here are some additional strategies to consider:
- Process of Elimination: If the passage provides answer choices for a question related to the unfamiliar word, carefully analyze each option. Can you eliminate any choices that are clearly wrong based on your understanding of the surrounding text? The remaining option might be the most accurate interpretation of the unfamiliar word.
- Part of Speech Matching: If a question asks you to identify a synonym for the unfamiliar word, focus on the answer choices that share the same part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, etc.) as the unfamiliar word in the passage. This can help narrow down your options.
- Root Words and Suffixes: As discussed previously, understanding common root words, prefixes, and suffixes can empower you to break down unfamiliar terms and infer their meaning.
By combining context clues with these additional strategies, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle even the most challenging vocabulary encountered in the HESI A2 Reading Comprehension section.
Remember: The HESI A2 exam is not designed to trick you with obscure vocabulary. The unfamiliar words you encounter will likely be relevant to the healthcare field. By actively engaging with the passage, utilizing context clues, and applying the strategies discussed above, you’ll be able to decipher their meaning and demonstrate your strong reading comprehension skills.