What is the purpose of context clues when analyzing vocabulary in a non-fiction excerpt?

• A. To memorize every word.
• B. To replace unknown words with synonyms you know.
• C. To infer the meaning of unfamiliar words using surrounding sentences and ideas.
• D. To ignore context clues.

Answer: (C)

Using context clues lets you figure out what an unfamiliar word means by looking at the surrounding sentences and ideas. In non-fiction, writers often introduce specific terms or describe things in precise ways, so your best path to understanding is to pay attention to how the word is used, any nearby definitions, examples, contrasts, or explanations, and what the overall topic is. For example, if a passage about climate science says, “The atmosphere retains heat through a process called greenhouse effect, a warming mechanism,” you can infer that the term refers to a way heat is trapped in the air. This approach helps you understand the author’s meaning and follow the argument without needing to memorize every word. It’s not about replacing unknown words with random synonyms or ignoring the context; it’s about using the surrounding information to uncover meaning.