B1 Active Listening: Using Context to Guess Meaning of Unfamiliar Words
Welcome to a new series on Active Listening! In this lesson, we will learn a powerful strategy1: using context2 to guess the meaning of unfamiliar3 words. You will not always know every word you hear, and that's okay!
1. How to Use Context Clues
When you hear a new word, don't panic! The other words in the sentence are your clues. Ask yourself these questions:
- Is the overall feeling positive or negative? This can tell you if the word is good or bad.
- Is there a definition or explanation near the word? Sometimes the speaker explains it.
- Is there an example? An example can clearly show the meaning.
2. Practice 1: Guessing an Adjective
Listen to this short talk about a hotel. Try to guess the meaning of the word "enormous."
"We stayed at a new hotel last weekend. I couldn't believe the size of the swimming pool. It was enormous! It took me five whole minutes to swim from one side to the other. It was the biggest pool I have ever seen."
Based on the context, what does "enormous" mean?
- A) Very small
- B) Very cold
- C) Very large
Click to Show Answer
Answer: C). The clues "couldn't believe the size," "five minutes to swim across," and "biggest pool" all tell you that enormous means very large.
3. Practice 2: Guessing a Noun
Now, listen to a description of a student's desk. Try to guess the meaning of the word "beverage."
"When I study, I need to have everything on my desk. I have my books, my pens, and always a hot beverage4. Usually, I drink a cup of green tea or sometimes a coffee to help me stay awake."
Based on the context, what is a "beverage"?
- A) A type of book
- B) Something to drink
- C) A type of computer
Click to Show Answer
Answer: B). The examples that follow the word—"green tea" and "coffee"—are clues that a beverage is something you drink.
4. Practice 3: Guessing a Verb
Finally, listen to this short story about a meeting. Try to guess the meaning of the verb "to postpone."
"I was supposed to have a meeting at 3 PM, but the traffic was terrible. It took me an hour to drive just two kilometers. I knew I would be very late, so I had to call my client and postpone our meeting until tomorrow."
Based on the context, what does "to postpone" mean?
- A) To cancel something completely.
- B) To move something to a later time or date.
- C) To arrive early for something.
Click to Show Answer
Answer: B). The speaker was late today, so they couldn't have the meeting. The clue "until tomorrow" tells us they moved the meeting to a later date.
Final Quiz: Guess the Meaning
Listen to the short texts and use the context to guess the meaning of the bolded word.
-
Sentence 1: "My brother is very gregarious. He loves going to parties and has hundreds of friends."
What does "gregarious" likely mean? (a) Shy and quiet, (b) Sociable and friendly
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Sentence 2: "The ancient temple was in a state of ruin. The walls were crumbling and many stones had fallen down."
What does "ruin" likely mean? (a) A state of being destroyed, (b) A beautiful palace
Click to Show Answers
Answers: 1-b (The clues are "loves parties" and "hundreds of friends"). 2-a (The clues are "crumbling walls" and "fallen stones").
Homework Task
1. The Dictionary Game: Read an English news article online. Find one word you don't know. Before you look it up in the dictionary, read the whole sentence and try to guess its meaning from the context. Then, check the dictionary to see if you were right.
2. Listen for Clues: Listen to a podcast or a TED talk in English. When you hear a word you don't know, don't stop. Keep listening. Do the next few sentences give you clues about the meaning?
Vocabulary Glossary
- Strategy (noun) - Khmer: យុទ្ធសាស្ត្រ - A careful plan for achieving a particular goal. ↩
- Context (noun) - Khmer: បរិបទ - The words and sentences surrounding a particular word that help to explain its meaning. ↩
- Unfamiliar (adjective) - Khmer: ដែលមិនធ្លាប់ស្គាល់ - Not known or recognized. ↩
- Beverage (noun) - Khmer: ភេសជ្ជៈ - Any type of drink, usually excluding water. ↩