How does context help determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word?

• A. Surrounding words and sentences provide clues about the word's meaning
• B. The word's length determines its meaning
• C. The chapter's position defines the meaning
• D. The author's name indicates the meaning

Answer: (A)

Context clues reveal meaning by using the surrounding words and sentences to hint at what an unfamiliar word means. When you come across a word you don’t know, the way it’s used in nearby phrases can point you to its sense—definitions can be stated right there, synonyms or explanations can appear nearby, and contrasts or examples can show how the word fits in the idea being discussed. For example, in a sentence like “The desert was arid, with almost no rainfall,” the nearby word arid signals that the unfamiliar word means very dry. This approach relies on how the word functions in the text, not on the word’s length, where the chapter appears, or who the author is. Context is the reader’s best tool for unlocking meaning.