Dealing with Unknown

VocabularyA few strategies and tips….

The Situation

There are many words you do not know.Looking up words in the dictionary:

Takes time Interrupts reading

You forget what the sentence was about!

Assignment: And this is what you do…

מידה בקנה

Did you get the right meaning for the context? How much have you learned?

Not much….

Words need context!0 Words only have meaning in context. What does the

following word mean?

right

זכות

נכון

ימין

Add the context, and the meaning becomes clear.• Turn right at the corner.• Yes, I guess you are right.• Every citizen has the right to vote.

Let’s look at the context:

What does the word “marked” mean here?

In this case, it really not possible to find a one word translation to Hebrew.

??? ; הבחין, צין סמן

You need to use the context to create a meaning – to find the appropriate meaning of the word .

Not to worry! Here is what you can you do to get the right meaning and learn the words.

Strategies Keep reading! The definition is in the text.

Environment refers to the influence of the world around us (e.g., family, school, and friends)

Hummm…. Refers to… Ah! The definition!!!

Environment refers to the influence of the world around us (e.g., family, school, and friends)

Strategies Use the context to help you figure out the

meaning:

The Industrial Revolution  marked a major turning point in Earth’s ecology and humans’ relationship with their environment.

What idea is missing?An action (a verb) is missing.

Hummm…. Was?

Test your guess. Put it in the sentence and see if it is logical.

was

Strategies Use part of the word to help you figure out

the meaning:

It started in the mid-1700s in Great Britain when machinery began to replace manual labor.

What idea is missing?Hummm…. Machinery.. machine

Test your guess. Put it in the sentence and see if it is logical.

machines

Strategies Use the sentence context to help you figure

out the meaning:

Human population growth is strongly tied together with increased use of artificial resources, rather than natural.

What idea is missing? Rather than.. Opposite of natural so maybeSomething that is not natural – made by man

Test your guess. Put it in the sentence and see if it is logical.

not natural

Strategies There is a word in your language that is

similar.

During the 20th century, the world population would take on growing proportions, reaching six billion people just before the start of the 21stcentury.

What idea is missing?Proportions… Something to do with size… Humm…. ??פרופורציה 

Test your guess. Put it in the sentence and see if it is logical.

proportions

Strategies You can get the general meaning without

the word.

From human development, health and life longevity, to social improvements and the impact on natural resources, public health, energy usage and sanitation, the effects were very great.

What idea is missing?A list of examples… show human development… Hmmm… Got the point.

something

Summing Up

Keep reading! Sometimes the definition of the word is given to you by the author.

Use what you know about part of the word or word that you know that is similar.

Use the context to make an educated guess. Sometimes there is a word that is similar to a

word in your language (cognate). If you got the general idea, continue reading.

You can skip the exact meaning of that word!

The more words you know, the easier it is to read and understand!