BUILDING
VOCABULARY SKILLS
Fourth Edition
Sherrie L. Nist
© 2010 Townsend Press
Unit Three: Chapter 18
• con-
• script, scrib
• dict
• -ship
• dis-
• tele-
• micro-
• trans-
• ped
• tri-
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
1 con• Members of the congregation screamed when the minister fell
down in the middle of his sermon.
• “You know,” Mr. Warner told his band, “the trombones are
supposed to play with the conductor, not against him.”
The word part con- means
A. write.
B. together.
C. foot.
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
1 con• Members of the congregation screamed when the minister fell
down in the middle of his sermon.
• “You know,” Mr. Warner told his band, “the trombones are
supposed to play with the conductor, not against him.”
The word part con- means
A. write.
B. together.
C. foot.
A congregation is a group of people who have come together.
A conductor keeps the musicians playing together.
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
2 dict
• “The job of our country’s dictator is to speak,” said the general.
“He does not have to listen.”
• If I say no, Malik says yes. He loves to contradict me.
The word part dict means
A. speak.
B. with.
C. foot.
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
2 dict
• “The job of our country’s dictator is to speak,” said the general.
“He does not have to listen.”
• If I say no, Malik says yes. He loves to contradict me.
The word part dict means
A. speak.
B. with.
C. foot.
In the first item, the word speak tells you the meaning of the word
part dict. Saying yes when someone else says no is to speak the
opposite of what has been said.
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
3 dis• It displeases Tai to hear his girlfriend say bad things about
herself all the time.
• Before they disappeared from the earth, dinosaurs were around
for 140 million years.
The word part dis- means
A. write.
B. by hand.
C. opposite of.
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
3 dis• It displeases Tai to hear his girlfriend say bad things about
herself all the time.
• Before they disappeared from the earth, dinosaurs were around
for 140 million years.
The word part dis- means
A. write.
B. by hand.
C. opposite of.
It makes Tai the opposite of pleased to hear his girlfriend say
bad things about herself. After being around for 140 million
years, dinosaurs did the opposite of appear on the earth.
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
4 micro• In World War II, spies took microphotographs and then made
them even smaller, the size of a printed period.
• Microbiology is the study of life forms so tiny they cannot be seen
by the naked eye.
The word part micro- means
A. quality.
B. small.
C. far.
A microscope
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
4 micro• In World War II, spies took microphotographs and then made
them even smaller, the size of a printed period.
• Microbiology is the study of life forms so tiny they cannot be seen
by the naked eye.
The word part micro- means
A. quality.
B. small.
C. far.
A microscope helps people
see small things.
If spies made the pictures even
smaller, the microphotographs must
have been small to begin with. In the
second item, the word tiny suggests
that micro means “small.”
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
5 ped
• Humans and apes aren’t the only bipeds. Birds also walk on two
feet.
• I like to give myself a pedicure in the summer so my toes look
neat and polished in open-toed shoes.
The word part ped means
A. over.
B. not.
C. foot.
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
5 ped
• Humans and apes aren’t the only bipeds. Birds also walk on two
feet.
• I like to give myself a pedicure in the summer so my toes look
neat and polished in open-toed shoes.
The word part ped means
A. over.
B. not.
C. foot.
In the first item, the second sentence tells you that bipeds
means “two feet.” In the second item, if she wants her toes
to look good, the word pedicure must involve the feet.
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
6 script, scrib
• The author of the play didn’t like it when actors spoke words that
were not in the script.
• Travel writers use richly detailed language to describe the places
they have visited.
The word part script or scrib
means
A. time.
B. write.
C. remember.
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
6 script, scrib
• The author of the play didn’t like it when actors spoke words that
were not in the script.
• Travel writers use richly detailed language to describe the places
they have visited.
The word part script or scrib
means
A. time.
B. write.
C. remember.
The author would be unhappy if the actors didn’t speak the
words he wrote. Travel writers write about the places they
have visited.
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
7 -ship
• Does good citizenship require following all the rules all the
time?
• The two elderly sisters live together to provide each other with
help and companionship.
The word part -ship means
A. state of being.
B. across.
C. the opposite of.
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
7 -ship
• Does good citizenship require following all the rules all the
time?
• The two elderly sisters live together to provide each other with
help and companionship.
The word part -ship means
A. state of being.
B. across.
C. the opposite of.
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen. If the elderly sisters live
together, they provide each other with the state or quality of being
companions to one another.
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
8 tele• Through the telephoto lens, the distant eagle came clearly into
view.
• Before the telephone was invented, people could not speak to
faraway loved ones.
A telescope
Photo: Osvaldo Gago
The word part tele- means
A. before.
B. three.
C. far.
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
8 tele• Through the telephoto lens, the distant eagle came clearly into
view.
• Before the telephone was invented, people could not speak to
faraway loved ones.
A telescope
makes things
that are far
away appear
closer.
Photo: Osvaldo Gago
The word part tele- means
A. before.
B. three.
C. far.
A telephoto lens makes something
that is far away appear closer. The
word distant is a clue. The
telephone allows people to speak
to others who are far away.
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
9 trans• I had to transfer a large package from my right hand to my left
in order to reach for my keys and open the door.
• It’s hard to translate Zulu sounds into written English because
the Zulu language includes clicks, ticks, and pops.
The word part trans- means
A. heat.
B. change.
C. again.
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
9 trans• I had to transfer a large package from my right hand to my left
in order to reach for my keys and open the door.
• It’s hard to translate Zulu sounds into written English because
the Zulu language includes clicks, ticks, and pops.
The word part trans- means
A. heat.
B. change.
C. again.
One changes the package from one hand to the other in order to
open the door. It’s hard to change Zulu sounds into written English.
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
10 tri• Stan bought three rattles, three little blankets, and three knitted
caps. He’s the proud grandfather of triplets.
• Mara, Tod, and I have formed a guitar trio. Now all we need are
three guitars.
The word part tri- means
A. beyond.
B. three.
C. good.
A tricycle
TEN WORD PARTS IN CONTEXT
Choose the meaning of the word part based on the boldfaced words.
10 tri• Stan bought three rattles, three little blankets, and three knitted
caps. He’s the proud grandfather of triplets.
• Mara, Tod, and I have formed a guitar trio. Now all we need are
three guitars.
The word part tri- means
A. beyond.
B. three.
C. good.
A tricycle has three wheels.
If Stan bought three of everything, there
must be three infants. If they need three
guitars, a guitar trio must have three
guitar players.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each italicized word with the correct word part from the box.
A. con-
B. dict
C. dis-
D. micro-
E. ped-
F. script, scrib
G. -ship
H. tele-
I. trans-
J. tri-
1. The weather forecaster (pre . . . ed) ___ rain, but we got
the opposite of what he’d said: a lovely sunny day.
2. Only one foot is required to operate the piano ( . . . als)
___.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each italicized word with the correct word part from the box.
A. con-
B. dict
C. dis-
D. micro-
E. ped-
F. script, scrib
G. -ship
H. tele-
I. trans-
J. tri-
1. The weather forecaster _____________
rain, but we got
predicted
the opposite of what he’d said: a lovely sunny day.
The forecaster spoke about getting rain, but the weather was sunny.
2. Only one foot is required to operate the piano _______.
pedals
A pedal is pushed with the foot.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each italicized word with the correct word part from the box.
A. con-
B. dict
C. dis-
D. micro-
E. ped-
F. script, scrib
G. -ship
H. tele-
I. trans-
J. tri-
3. To hold her camera still, the photographer put it on a
( . . . pod) ___, a three-legged support.
4. The organ ( . . . plant) ___ involved replacing the child’s
damaged kidney with a kidney from his father.
5. In (partner . . . ) ___ with local businesses, the mayor
fought graffiti.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each italicized word with the correct word part from the box.
A. con-
B. dict
C. dis-
D. micro-
E. ped-
F. script, scrib
G. -ship
H. tele-
I. trans-
J. tri-
3. To hold her camera still, the photographer put it on a
____________,
a three-legged support.
tripod
The sentence tells you that a tripod is a three-legged support
4. The organ _____________
transplant involved replacing the child’s
damaged kidney with a kidney from his father.
The transplant moves the father’s kidney across to the child.
5. In _______________
with local businesses, the mayor
partnership
fought graffiti.
A partnership is the state of being partners (in this case, partners
in fighting graffiti).
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each italicized word with the correct word part from the box.
A. con-
B. dict
C. dis-
D. micro-
E. ped-
F. script, scrib
G. -ship
H. tele-
I. trans-
J. tri-
6. “Teenagers don’t like to be different. They desperately
want to ( . . . form) ___,” said Mr. Gilbert, “but with their
friends, not with their parents.”
7. Aisha and Hollis get along very well even though they
strongly ( . . . agree) ___ on politics.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each italicized word with the correct word part from the box.
A. con-
B. dict
C. dis-
D. micro-
E. ped-
F. script, scrib
G. -ship
H. tele-
I. trans-
J. tri-
6. “Teenagers don’t like to be different. They desperately
want to ____________,”
said Mr. Gilbert, “but with their
conform
friends, not with their parents.”
Teenagers want to fit together with their friends.
7. Aisha and Hollis get along very well even though they
strongly _____________
on politics.
disagree
In spite of the fact that Aisha and Hollis do not agree on politics,
they get along very well.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each italicized word with the correct word part from the box.
A. con-
B. dict
C. dis-
D. micro-
E. ped-
F. script, scrib
G. -ship
H. tele-
I. trans-
J. tri-
8. Libraries can store huge amounts of printed material in small
spaces by photographing the material on ( . . . film) ___.
9. My grandfather is very religious; he reads the ( . . . ures)
___ every morning.
10. Because the presentation of Academy Awards is
( . . . vised) ___ live, even people thousands of miles
away can see it as it happens.
SENTENCE CHECK 1
Complete each italicized word with the correct word part from the box.
A. con-
B. dict
C. dis-
D. micro-
E. ped-
F. script, scrib
G. -ship
H. tele-
I. trans-
J. tri-
8. Libraries can store huge amounts of printed material in small
spaces by photographing the material on ____________.
microfilm
If libraries can store the material in small spaces, microfilm must
be small.
9. My grandfather is very religious; he reads the ___________
Scriptures
every morning.
The grandfather reads the sacred writings of the Bible.
10. Because the presentation of Academy Awards is
_____________
live, even people thousands of miles
televised
away can see it as it happens.
If people thousands of miles away can see the event, it must be
broadcast far from where it takes place.