ANSWER KEY
Word Study
Level 14
Lexia Skill Builders
®
page 2
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
C. Underline the Greek combining form that is common to each set of three words.
Write the combining form. Then, write the meaning of the combining form from the choices below.
Combining Form Meanings
measure something drawn nature or body heat
under feelings, suffering, disease overexcited sound
1. pathos, pathetic, sympathy
means
2. thermos, geothermal, thermostat
means
3. phonology, telephone, microphone
means
4. grammar, monogram, diagram
means
5. physical, physiology, physician
means
6. hypothermia, hypoactive, hypodermic
means
7. egomaniac, logomania, bibliomania
means
8. geometric, seismometer, speedometer
or means
D. Use the words above to answer the questions below.
1. Which word means “an overexcited urge to talk too much”?
2. Which word means “having a dangerously low body temperature”?
3. Which word means “feelings of sadness for someone’s misfortune”?
4. Which word means “an instrument for measuring speed”?
5. Which word means “a simple drawing of something”?
6. Which word means “a device that controls temperature automatically”?
7. Which word means “related to nature or the body”?
8. Which word means “an instrument to transmit speech sounds from far away”?
★
On the back, draw pictures that show the meanings of the eight combining forms used above. Be sure
to label your pictures with the combining forms!
path
therm
phon
gram
phys
hypo
mania
meter metr
feelings, suering,
disease
heat
sound
something drawn
nature or body
low
overexcited
logomania
hypothermia
sympathy
speedometer
diagram
thermostat
physiology
microphone
measure
Student answers may vary.
page 1
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
A. Underline the Greek combining form that is common to each set of three words.
Write the combining form. Then, write the meaning of the combining form from the choices below.
Combining Form Meanings
star
book skill or craft people
extremely small chief or ruler over and above mind
1. technology, technocrat, technical
means
2. microscope, microphone, microchip
means
3. hypercritical, hyperthermia, hyperactive
means
4. pandemic, democracy, demographics
means
5. psychometrics, psychic, psychologist
means
6. architect, anarchy, monarch
means
7. bibliography, bibliophile, bibliomania
means
8. astronomer, astronaut, astrology
means
B. Use the words above to answer the questions below.
1. Which word means “a nonscientific study of stars”?
2. Which word means “someone who studies the mind”?
3. Which word means “the chief person in charge of designing a building”?
4. Which word means “an instrument for viewing extremely small things”?
5. Which word means “knowledge for practical purposes”?
6. Which word means “having a dangerously high body temperature”?
7. Which word means “a person who loves and collects books”?
8. Which word means “across the whole population”?
★
On the back, draw pictures that show the meanings of the eight combining forms used above.
Be sure to label your pictures with the combining forms!
techn(o)
astrology
skill or craft
micro
hyper
dem
psych
arch
bibli(o)
astro
psychologist
architect
microscope
technology
hyperthermia
bibliophile
pandemic
extremely small
over and above
people
mind
chief or ruler
book
star
Student answers may vary.
ANSWER KEY
Word Study
Level 14
Lexia Skill Builders
®
page 4
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
G. Circle the best answer to each question below.
1. Which is a synonym for king or queen?
democrat / physician / monarch
2. Which symbol is a star?
ampersand / asterisk / hashtag
3. Which is not a fear?
kleptomania / agoraphobia / neophobia
4. Which could be used to treat an ear infection?
odometers / antibiotics / graphemes
5. Where would a thermophile not live?
hot springs / peat bogs / sea ice
6. Which is a person?
geologist / geology / geometry
7. Which would be most helpful in an office?
morphology / telepathy / photocopy
8. Which would be most useful in case of a fire?
maniac / paragraph / hydrant
9. Which is not a tool?
autograph / periscope / anemometer
10. Which is a synonym for doctor?
aristocrat / physician / architect
H.
Decide whether the statement is likely or unlikely.
If it is unlikely, change one or two words in the sentence to make it likely.
1. A microbiologist would study large creatures. Likely / Unlikely
2. Someone who is hypersensitive would not be concerned about
others’ judgements.
Likely / Unlikely
3. You could publish your own autobiography. Likely / Unlikely
4. A technophobe would be the first to buy the newest smartphone. Likely / Unlikely
5. A psychologist would study the mind. Likely / Unlikely
6. People are usually happy about astronomical prices. Likely / Unlikely
7. In a new democracy, no one would be allowed to vote. Likely / Unlikely
8. Geothermal power plants are able to pull steam (hot water) from
Z
the ground.
Likely / Unlikely
9. One would be able to find several types of spherical fruit at a store. Likely / Unlikely
10. During photosynthesis, a plant would use bugs to make food. Likely / Unlikely
★
Choose two of the “Likely” statements from above. On the back, explain why you think each is likely.
tiny
last
v
light
v
Student answers may vary.
v
v
unhappy
v
everyone
page 3
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
E. Use the word parts below to fill in the word sums.
scope sphere auto photo
geo graph tele logy
crat phobia bio hydro
1.
distance
+
view
=
an instrument for viewing things that are far away
+ =
2.
light
+
written/
recorded
=
a recording of light to make a picture
+ =
3.
earth
+
study of
=
the study of Earth’s structures and surfaces
+ =
4.
self
+
rule or power
=
a ruler with absolute power
+ =
5.
life
+
sphere
=
the parts of Earth where organisms can live
+ =
6.
water
+
fear
=
fear of water
+ =
F. Use the word parts in the word bank above to create two new word sums with definitions.
1.
+ =
+ =
2.
+ =
+ =
★
On the back, draw pictures to show four of the words that you created.
tele scope telescope
photo
geo
auto
bio
hydro
self
auto
life
bio
graph
logy
crat
sphere
phobia
written/record
graph
study of
logy
photograph
geology
autocrat
biosphere
hydrophobia
a person’s signature
autograph
the study of life
biology
Student answers may vary.
Student answers may vary.
ANSWER KEY
Word Study
Level 14
Lexia Skill Builders
®
page 6
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
Name:
K. Answer each question below with at least one complete sentence. Use a dictionary if you need to.
1. For whom have you felt empathy? Why?
2. Are you more of a bibliophile or a bibliophobe? Why?
3. Whose biography would you like to write? Why?
4. Is a career in psychology of interest to you? Why or why not?
5. Are you ever hypoactive? When?
6. Would you prefer to own a microscope or a telescope? Why?
★
On the back, list two facts that you would include in the biography you would like to write.
Student answers may vary.
Student answers may vary.
page 5
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
Name:
I. Decide which one of the three words is Greek in origin. Circle it.
How did you know the word was Greek? Put a check in the relevant column(s) as an explanation.
Word
ch
pronounced as
/k/
ph
pronounced as
/f/
y in middle
sounds like
vowel i
1. pound, digraph, retract
W
2. chronic, unkind, chimp
3. young, dispel, synopsis
4. metaphor, foundry, polite
5. homonym, invisible, houses
6. prideful, physiology, fame
7. monochromatic, conductor, kindness
8. package, wrecking, cyclone
9. patriarch, pattern, transport
10. cradling, cattle, cataclysm
11. symphony, fantastic, interrupting
J
.
Find five more words above that are Latin in origin. Write them below. Then, break each word into its parts.
Word Word Parts
1.
conductor
con / duct / or
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
★
Are there any words of Greek origin in the first table whose definitions you don’t know? Look them up
and write their definitions on the back.
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
WW
W
W
retract re / tract
invisible in / vis / ible
transport trans / port
interrupting inter / rupt / ing
dispel dis / pel
Student answers may vary.
ANSWER KEY
Word Study
Level 14
Lexia Skill Builders
®
page 8
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
N.
First, follow the Before You Read steps. Then read the passage aloud, keeping the As You Read tips in mind to
build your fluent reading skills. When you are ready, read to a teacher or record yourself reading.
Before You Read As You Read
1. Note any challenging words or phrases. Ask
for help, if needed.
2. Highlight punctuation marks.
1. Pay attention to punctuation.
2. Group words into meaningful chunks.
3. Read with expression.
A Lost Land
You may have heard of the land called Atlantis. It is the setting for
many imaginative works of fiction. Atlantis appears in novels, short
stories, comic books, films, TV shows, and video games. The very
name Atlantis suggests mystery and wonder.
About 2,300 years ago, the Greek philosopher Plato wrote about
Atlantis and described it as an enormous island. According to Plato’s
fable, the people of Atlantis built a grand city where they lived
peacefully and thrived. As time passed, their wealth and power
grew, and they became greedy and cruel. Consequently, they were
punished by the sea god, Poseidon. In just one day and night, fiery
explosions destroyed Atlantis and it disappeared forever beneath
giant waves.
continued on next page
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page 7
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
Name:
L.
Find a worksheet or article from your science, math, or history class. Read it, and try to find five
examples of words in the text that come from Greek. List the words below. Then, give a definition for each.
1. Word:
Definition:
2. Word:
Definition:
3. Word:
Definition:
4. Word:
Definition:
5. Word:
Definition:
M. Did knowing the meanings of the Greek combining forms help you to understand the text? Explain your thinking.
Student answers may vary.
Student answers may vary.
ANSWER KEY
Word Study
Level 14
Lexia Skill Builders
®
page 10
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
O.
Check your understanding by answering the questions in the space provided.
1. According to Plato’s story, who punished the people of Atlantis?
2. Why is it unlikely that the ancient island of Thera might have been Atlantis?
3. The author claims, “Atlantis has not really vanished.” Explain.
According to Plato’s story, Poseidon punished the people of Atlantis.
It is unlikely that Thera might have been Atlantis because no remains
The author claims that Atlantis still exists in the imagination of
people, so it is as if it never vanished.
of the city were found there.
page 9
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
Was Plato’s story based on a real event? His tale inspired modern people
to search for the Atlantis he had described. Hopeful explorers claimed
to find clues to the lost land in many locations, including Turkey, the
Caribbean Sea, even in Antarctica. But no sunken cities were discovered.
Some researchers claim that the ancient island of Thera in the Aegean
Sea might have been Plato’s Atlantis. Volcanic eruptions destroyed
Thera centuries before Plato’s time, yet if Thera was Atlantis, where are
the remains of the city? In the early 2000s, explorers found signs of
a sunken civilization near the coast of Spain, but experts dispute that
claim.
Earth scientists point out that the ocean bottoms have been mapped,
and no huge island lies down there. Despite that fact, the search for the
lost city is likely to continue, and Atlantis will also continue to inspire
authors of fiction. The lost land of Atlantis has not really vanished; it is
still here, alive in the imagination of people.
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ANSWER KEY
Word Study
Level 14
Lexia Skill Builders
®
page 12
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
may show a real object, but the artist has distorted or rearranged
elements so that it no longer looks realistic. Many abstract artworks do
not show objects at all. In these nonobjective works, artists focus their
attention on colours, lines, textures, and shapes that evoke emotions,
moods, or concepts.
Beginning in the middle of the twentieth century, abstract
expressionism arose. Spattered, splashed, poured, and dripped paint
are frequently found in this style of abstract art. Abstract expressionists
tended to work on large canvases, and the paintings may suggest action
and motion. Jackson Pollock, an American painter, created artwork in
this style using a horizontal canvas on the floor and dripping paint from
above.
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page 11
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
P.
First, follow the Before You Read steps. Then read the passage aloud, keeping the As You Read tips in mind to
build your fluent reading skills. When you are ready, read to a teacher or record yourself reading.
Before You Read As You Read
1. Note any challenging words or phrases. Ask
for help, if needed.
2. Highlight punctuation marks.
1. Pay attention to punctuation.
2. Group words into meaningful chunks.
3. Read with expression.
A New Kind of Art
The cultures of Europe and of regions settled by Europeans are often
called Western. Western cultures have many art forms in common.
Western painting, for instance, has a long history of being realistic.
The goal of artists who painted at this time was verisimilitude; they
attempted to represent real life in landscapes, portraits, still life,
and more. These artworks also projected feelings and moods in the
portrayal of light and colour.
At the start of the twentieth century, some Western artists began
to reject the traditional forms of the past. They explored styles that
were less like illustrations of the real, natural world. Pulling away
from old ideas led to new modes of expression. One result in the
world of art is a category known as abstract art. An abstract painting
continued on next page
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ANSWER KEY
Word Study
Level 14
Lexia Skill Builders
®
page 14
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
R.
First, follow the Before You Read steps. Then read the passage aloud, keeping the As You Read tips in mind to
build your fluent reading skills. When you are ready, read to a teacher or record yourself reading.
Before You Read As You Read
1. Note any challenging words or phrases. Ask
for help, if needed.
2. Highlight punctuation marks.
1. Pay attention to punctuation.
2. Group words into meaningful chunks.
3. Read with expression.
Mars or Venus?
It’s been 50 years since astronauts first stepped on Earth’s moon, and
supporters of space travel are eager for the next step. They want
to
send humans to a planet. Earth’s two neighbouring planets are Venus
and Mars. Which is the better destination?
Venus, the closest planet to Earth, is often called Earth’s twin
because both planets are nearly the same size. Mars, in contrast, is
much smaller than Earth and much farther away. Hypothetically, it
would take an astronaut almost twice as long to travel to Mars than
to make a similar trip to Venus.
The force of gravity depends on size and density, and our planet
has a similar force of gravity to that on Venus. On Mars, however,
astronauts would feel strangely light on their feet. If Venus is closer
continued on next page
Time: Errors: Self Corrections: WCPM: Accuracy:
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page 13
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
Q.
Check your understanding by answering the questions in the space provided.
1. What are the cultures of Europe and of regions settled by Europeans often called?
2. How is abstract art different from art that represents real life in landscapes and portraits?
3. Describe the style and method of Jackson Pollock.
The cultures of Europe and of regions settled by Europeans are
Abstract art distorts objects or does not represent objects at all;
Jackson Pollock was an artist who created abstract expressionist
artwork by dripping paint onto a canvas on the oor.
it uses colours, lines, textures, and shapes.
often called West
ern.
ANSWER KEY
Word Study
Level 14
Lexia Skill Builders
®
page 16
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
S.
Check your understanding by answering the questions in the space provided.
1. Which planet is often called Earth’s twin?
2. What is one reason scientists would rather send astronauts to Mars than Venus?
3. The author claims that it would be “an enormous challenge” to send astronauts to Mars. Explain.
Venus is often called Earth’s twin.
Answers may vary but should include at least one of the following reasons: Venus is
Answers may vary but should include one of the following details that support the claim
that sending astronauts to Mars would be challenging: Mars is much farther away than
Venus, so travel there would take almost twice as long; most of Mars is colder than the
coldest places on Earth; astronauts would need pressurised spacesuits on Mars.
too hot for spacecraft or humans; the atmospheric pressure on Venus is too high.
page 15
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
to Earth and more like Earth in size and density, why do space agencies
want to send astronauts to Mars instead?
The atmosphere on Venus is mainly carbon dioxide, a gas that traps heat
below. Only a few spacecraft have successfully landed on Venus, and
even those overheated quickly. Another negative aspect of Venus is that
the atmosphere is crushing. The atmospheric pressure is about 90 times
greater than the pressure on Earth, so astronauts could not survive on
Venus.
On the other hand, robotic spacecraft have been exploring Mars for
years, unlike the less successful Venus landers. The average surface
temperature on Mars is colder than Earth’s coldest places, but some
regions of Mars can briefly reach 20°C (70°F). That’s almost balmy! Mars
has a very thin atmosphere, with little pressure, so astronauts would
need pressurised spacesuits. There’s no doubt that sending astronauts
to Mars would be an enormous challenge. But compared with Venus,
Mars seems almost welcoming.
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ANSWER KEY
Word Study
Level 14
Lexia Skill Builders
®
page 18
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
spent two years in prison. In 1930, Gandhi led a “Salt March” across India
to the Arabian Sea. He and his followers were protesting a law that did
not allow Indians to make their own salt from seawater. Instead, they
were forced to buy salt from the British. At the end of his march, Gandhi
picked up a lump of salt. This was against the law, so he was arrested
and imprisoned again.
Gandhi was not only respected by people throughout India; he was
also well known in other countries. He once travelled to England to have
tea with the king and queen with whom he discussed his plans for an
independent India. The “Quit India ‘’ movement that Gandhi started in
1942 was designed to challenge the British government’s control over
the Indian people. India gained its independence five years later, but
Gandhi continued protesting to attempt to bring together different
religious groups. The widespread respect he had earned over his
lifetime meant that when he spoke, leaders on both sides of a conflict
listened to him. In 1948, Gandhi died while speaking to a crowd of
people about the importance of working together in truth and peace.
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page 17
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
T.
First, follow the Before You Read steps. Then read the passage aloud, keeping the As You Read tips in mind to
build your fluent reading skills. When you are ready, read to a teacher or record yourself reading.
Before You Read As You Read
1. Note any challenging words or phrases. Ask
for help, if needed.
2. Highlight punctuation marks.
1. Pay attention to punctuation.
2. Group words into meaningful chunks.
3. Read with expression.
Gandhi
Mohandas Gandhi was born in 1869 in Porbandar, India, as the
youngest of six children. Gandhi completed his initial schooling in
India and travelled to England, where he studied to become a lawyer.
Early in his career, Gandhi worked in South Africa. There, he dealt
with discrimination against Indians and other non-white people. In
1906, he urged Indians living in South Africa to peacefully protest an
unfair law by refusing to cooperate with government officials. This
practice of “nonviolent noncooperation” would become widespread
under Gandhi’s leadership when he returned to India.
Gandhi used nonviolent noncooperation to work toward making
India, which had been under British rule for almost 200 years,
independent. In 1922, he was arrested for protesting unfair laws and
continued on next page
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ANSWER KEY
Word Study
Level 14
Lexia Skill Builders
®
page 20
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
V. Look at the Sight Word List for Levels 6 to 10. Pick one level. Then, write a story or poem that includes
most (or all!) of the sight words in that level. Underline each sight word that you include.
Name:
Student answers may vary.
page 19
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
U.
Check your understanding by answering the questions in the space provided.
1. What practice involving peaceful protest became widespread under Gandhi’s leadership?
2. What was the goal of the “Quit India” movement?
3. What is the author’s main purpose for writing this text?
“Nonviolent noncooperation” became a widespread practice under
The goal of the “Quit India” movement was to challenge British control
The author’s main purpose is to give information about important
events in the life of Mohandas Gandhi.
over the Indian people and make India an independent country.
Gandhi’s leadership.
ANSWER KEY
Word Study
Level 14
Lexia Skill Builders
®
page 21
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
Sight Word List for Levels 6 to 10
6
above, against, building, colourful, earth, easily, everywhere, exhausted, grew, kind,
moved, person, push, rightly, second, touch, walk, watched, weight, whose
7
adventure, away, breaking, built, changes, character, different, elephant, friends,
journey, move, movie, mythical, news, pierce, removed, sound, special, thought, tightly,
voyage
8
again, appear, behave, break, build, buying, doing, favourite, native, oranges, watching,
yourself
9
area, becoming, bought, builds, buy, childhood, company, damage, daughter, father,
forming, frightened, gallons, heard, heavy, husband, important, interesting, lived,
modern, mostly, often, piano, popular, pulling, remind, searched, thoughtful, washing
10
among, bodies, caught, characters, clothing, commonly, curtain, customers, dangers,
heart, highest, holds, imagined, known, learned, money, more, moving, once, ready,
scene, school, throughout, who, writer, written, wrote
Name:
page 1
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
A. Underline the Greek combining form that is common to each set of three words.
Write the combining form. Then, write the meaning of the combining form from the choices below.
Combining Form Meanings
star
book skill or craft people
extremely small chief or ruler over and above mind
1. technology, technocrat, technical
means
2. microscope, microphone, microchip
means
3. hypercritical, hyperthermia, hyperactive
means
4. pandemic, democracy, demographics
means
5. psychometrics, psychic, psychologist
means
6. architect, anarchy, monarch
means
7. bibliography, bibliophile, bibliomania
means
8. astronomer, astronaut, astrology
means
B. Use the words above to answer the questions below.
1. Which word means “a nonscientific study of stars”?
2. Which word means “someone who studies the mind”?
3. Which word means “the chief person in charge of designing a building”?
4. Which word means “an instrument for viewing extremely small things”?
5. Which word means “knowledge for practical purposes”?
6. Which word means “having a dangerously high body temperature”?
7. Which word means “a person who loves and collects books”?
8. Which word means “across the whole population”?
★ On the back, draw pictures that show the meanings of the eight combining forms used above.
Be sure to label your pictures with the combining forms!
techn(o)
astrology
skill or craft
page 2
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
C. Underline the Greek combining form that is common to each set of three words.
Write the combining form. Then, write the meaning of the combining form from the choices below.
Combining Form Meanings
measure something drawn nature or body heat
under feelings, suffering, disease overexcited sound
1. pathos, pathetic, sympathy
means
2. thermos, geothermal, thermostat
means
3. phonology, telephone, microphone
means
4. grammar, monogram, diagram
means
5. physical, physiology, physician
means
6. hypothermia, hypoactive, hypodermic
means
7. egomaniac, logomania, bibliomania
means
8. geometric, seismometer, speedometer
or means
D. Use the words above to answer the questions below.
1. Which word means “an overexcited urge to talk too much”?
2. Which word means “having a dangerously low body temperature”?
3. Which word means “feelings of sadness for someone’s misfortune”?
4. Which word means “an instrument for measuring speed”?
5. Which word means “a simple drawing of something”?
6. Which word means “a device that controls temperature automatically”?
7. Which word means “related to nature or the body”?
8. Which word means “an instrument to transmit speech sounds from far away”?
★ On the back, draw pictures that show the meanings of the eight combining forms used above. Be sure
to label your pictures with the combining forms!
page 3
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
E. Use the word parts below to fill in the word sums.
scope sphere auto photo
geo graph tele logy
crat phobia bio hydro
1.
distance
+
view
=
an instrument for viewing things that are far away
+ =
2.
light
+
written/
recorded
=
a recording of light to make a picture
+ =
3.
earth
+
study of
=
the study of Earth’s structures and surfaces
+ =
4.
self
+
rule or power
=
a ruler with absolute power
+ =
5.
life
+
sphere
=
the parts of Earth where organisms can live
+ =
6.
water
+
fear
=
fear of water
+ =
F. Use the word parts in the word bank above to create two new word sums with definitions.
1.
+ =
+ =
2.
+ =
+ =
★ On the back, draw pictures to show four of the words that you created.
tele scope telescope
page 4
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
G. Circle the best answer to each question below.
1. Which is a synonym for king or queen?
democrat / physician / monarch
2. Which symbol is a star?
ampersand / asterisk / hashtag
3. Which is not a fear?
kleptomania / agoraphobia / neophobia
4. Which could be used to treat an ear infection?
odometers / antibiotics / graphemes
5. Where would a thermophile not live?
hot springs / peat bogs / sea ice
6. Which is a person?
geologist / geology / geometry
7. Which would be most helpful in an office?
morphology / telepathy / photocopy
8. Which would be most useful in case of a fire?
maniac / paragraph / hydrant
9. Which is not a tool?
autograph / periscope / anemometer
10. Which is a synonym for doctor?
aristocrat / physician / architect
H.
Decide whether the statement is likely or unlikely.
If it is unlikely, change one or two words in the sentence to make it likely.
1. A microbiologist would study large creatures. Likely / Unlikely
2. Someone who is hypersensitive would not be concerned about
others’ judgements.
Likely / Unlikely
3. You could publish your own autobiography. Likely / Unlikely
4. A technophobe would be the first to buy the newest smartphone. Likely / Unlikely
5. A psychologist would study the mind. Likely / Unlikely
6. People are usually happy about astronomical prices. Likely / Unlikely
7. In a new democracy, no one would be allowed to vote. Likely / Unlikely
8. Geothermal power plants are able to pull steam (hot water) from
Z
the ground.
Likely / Unlikely
9. One would be able to find several types of spherical fruit at a store. Likely / Unlikely
10. During photosynthesis, a plant would use bugs to make food. Likely / Unlikely
★ Choose two of the “Likely” statements from above. On the back, explain why you think each is likely.
tiny
page 5
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
Name:
I. Decide which one of the three words is Greek in origin. Circle it.
How did you know the word was Greek? Put a check in the relevant column(s) as an explanation.
Word
ch
pronounced as
/k/
ph
pronounced as
/f/
y in middle
sounds like
vowel i
1. pound, digraph, retract
W
2. chronic, unkind, chimp
3. young, dispel, synopsis
4. metaphor, foundry, polite
5. homonym, invisible, houses
6. prideful, physiology, fame
7. monochromatic, conductor, kindness
8. package, wrecking, cyclone
9. patriarch, pattern, transport
10. cradling, cattle, cataclysm
11. symphony, fantastic, interrupting
J.
Find five more words above that are Latin in origin. Write them below. Then, break each word into its parts.
Word Word Parts
1. conductor
con / duct / or
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
★ Are there any words of Greek origin in the first table whose definitions you don’t know? Look them up
and write their definitions on the back.
page 6
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
Name:
K. Answer each question below with at least one complete sentence. Use a dictionary if you need to.
1. For whom have you felt empathy? Why?
2. Are you more of a bibliophile or a bibliophobe? Why?
3. Whose biography would you like to write? Why?
4. Is a career in psychology of interest to you? Why or why not?
5. Are you ever hypoactive? When?
6. Would you prefer to own a microscope or a telescope? Why?
★
On the back, list two facts that you would include in the biography you would like to write.
page 7
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
Name:
L.
Find a worksheet or article from your science, math, or history class. Read it, and try to find five
examples of words in the text that come from Greek. List the words below. Then, give a definition for each.
1. Word:
Definition:
2. Word:
Definition:
3. Word:
Definition:
4. Word:
Definition:
5. Word:
Definition:
M. Did knowing the meanings of the Greek combining forms help you to understand the text? Explain your thinking.
page 8
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
N.
First, follow the Before You Read steps. Then read the passage aloud, keeping the As You Read tips in mind to
build your fluent reading skills. When you are ready, read to a teacher or record yourself reading.
Before You Read As You Read
1. Note any challenging words or phrases. Ask
for help, if needed.
2. Highlight punctuation marks.
1. Pay attention to punctuation.
2. Group words into meaningful chunks.
3. Read with expression.
A Lost Land
You may have heard of the land called Atlantis. It is the setting for
many imaginative works of fiction. Atlantis appears in novels, short
stories, comic books, films, TV shows, and video games. The very
name Atlantis suggests mystery and wonder.
About 2,300 years ago, the Greek philosopher Plato wrote about
Atlantis and described it as an enormous island. According to Plato’s
fable, the people of Atlantis built a grand city where they lived
peacefully and thrived. As time passed, their wealth and power
grew, and they became greedy and cruel. Consequently, they were
punished by the sea god, Poseidon. In just one day and night, fiery
explosions destroyed Atlantis and it disappeared forever beneath
giant waves.
continued on next page
page 9
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
Was Plato’s story based on a real event? His tale inspired modern people
to search for the Atlantis he had described. Hopeful explorers claimed
to find clues to the lost land in many locations, including Turkey, the
Caribbean Sea, even in Antarctica. But no sunken cities were discovered.
Some researchers claim that the ancient island of Thera in the Aegean
Sea might have been Plato’s Atlantis. Volcanic eruptions destroyed
Thera centuries before Plato’s time, yet if Thera was Atlantis, where are
the remains of the city? In the early 2000s, explorers found signs of
a sunken civilization near the coast of Spain, but experts dispute that
claim.
Earth scientists point out that the ocean bottoms have been mapped,
and no huge island lies down there. Despite that fact, the search for the
lost city is likely to continue, and Atlantis will also continue to inspire
authors of fiction. The lost land of Atlantis has not really vanished; it is
still here, alive in the imagination of people.
page 10
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
O.
Check your understanding by answering the questions in the space provided.
1. According to Plato’s story, who punished the people of Atlantis?
2. Why is it unlikely that the ancient island of Thera might have been Atlantis?
3. The author claims, “Atlantis has not really vanished.” Explain.
page 11
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
P.
First, follow the Before You Read steps. Then read the passage aloud, keeping the As You Read tips in mind to
build your fluent reading skills. When you are ready, read to a teacher or record yourself reading.
Before You Read As You Read
1. Note any challenging words or phrases. Ask
for help, if needed.
2. Highlight punctuation marks.
1. Pay attention to punctuation.
2. Group words into meaningful chunks.
3. Read with expression.
A New Kind of Art
The cultures of Europe and of regions settled by Europeans are often
called Western. Western cultures have many art forms in common.
Western painting, for instance, has a long history of being realistic.
The goal of artists who painted at this time was verisimilitude; they
attempted to represent real life in landscapes, portraits, still life,
and more. These artworks also projected feelings and moods in the
portrayal of light and colour.
At the start of the twentieth century, some Western artists began
to reject the traditional forms of the past. They explored styles that
were less like illustrations of the real, natural world. Pulling away
from old ideas led to new modes of expression. One result in the
world of art is a category known as abstract art. An abstract painting
continued on next page
page 12
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
may show a real object, but the artist has distorted or rearranged
elements so that it no longer looks realistic. Many abstract artworks do
not show objects at all. In these nonobjective works, artists focus their
attention on colours, lines, textures, and shapes that evoke emotions,
moods, or concepts.
Beginning in the middle of the twentieth century, abstract
expressionism arose. Spattered, splashed, poured, and dripped paint
are frequently found in this style of abstract art. Abstract expressionists
tended to work on large canvases, and the paintings may suggest action
and motion. Jackson Pollock, an American painter, created artwork in
this style using a horizontal canvas on the floor and dripping paint from
above.
page 13
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
Q.
Check your understanding by answering the questions in the space provided.
1. What are the cultures of Europe and of regions settled by Europeans often called?
2. How is abstract art different from art that represents real life in landscapes and portraits?
3. Describe the style and method of Jackson Pollock.
page 14
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
R.
First, follow the Before You Read steps. Then read the passage aloud, keeping the As You Read tips in mind to
build your fluent reading skills. When you are ready, read to a teacher or record yourself reading.
Before You Read As You Read
1. Note any challenging words or phrases. Ask
for help, if needed.
2. Highlight punctuation marks.
1. Pay attention to punctuation.
2. Group words into meaningful chunks.
3. Read with expression.
Mars or Venus?
It’s been 50 years since astronauts first stepped on Earth’s moon, and
supporters of space travel are eager for the next step. They want
to
send humans to a planet. Earth’s two neighbouring planets are Venus
and Mars. Which is the better destination?
Venus, the closest planet to Earth, is often called Earth’s twin
because both planets are nearly the same size. Mars, in contrast, is
much smaller than Earth and much farther away. Hypothetically, it
would take an astronaut almost twice as long to travel to Mars than
to make a similar trip to Venus.
The force of gravity depends on size and density, and our planet
has a similar force of gravity to that on Venus. On Mars, however,
astronauts would feel strangely light on their feet. If Venus is closer
continued on next page
page 15
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
to Earth and more like Earth in size and density, why do space agencies
want to send astronauts to Mars instead?
The atmosphere on Venus is mainly carbon dioxide, a gas that traps heat
below. Only a few spacecraft have successfully landed on Venus, and
even those overheated quickly. Another negative aspect of Venus is that
the atmosphere is crushing. The atmospheric pressure is about 90 times
greater than the pressure on Earth, so astronauts could not survive on
Venus.
On the other hand, robotic spacecraft have been exploring Mars for
years, unlike the less successful Venus landers. The average surface
temperature on Mars is colder than Earth’s coldest places, but some
regions of Mars can briefly reach 20°C (70°F). That’s almost balmy! Mars
has a very thin atmosphere, with little pressure, so astronauts would
need pressurised spacesuits. There’s no doubt that sending astronauts
to Mars would be an enormous challenge. But compared with Venus,
Mars seems almost welcoming.
page 16
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
S.
Check your understanding by answering the questions in the space provided.
1. Which planet is often called Earth’s twin?
2. What is one reason scientists would rather send astronauts to Mars than Venus?
3. The author claims that it would be “an enormous challenge” to send astronauts to Mars. Explain.
page 17
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
T.
First, follow the Before You Read steps. Then read the passage aloud, keeping the As You Read tips in mind to
build your fluent reading skills. When you are ready, read to a teacher or record yourself reading.
Before You Read As You Read
1. Note any challenging words or phrases. Ask
for help, if needed.
2. Highlight punctuation marks.
1. Pay attention to punctuation.
2. Group words into meaningful chunks.
3. Read with expression.
Gandhi
Mohandas Gandhi was born in 1869 in Porbandar, India, as the
youngest of six children. Gandhi completed his initial schooling in
India and travelled to England, where he studied to become a lawyer.
Early in his career, Gandhi worked in South Africa. There, he dealt
with discrimination against Indians and other non-white people. In
1906, he urged Indians living in South Africa to peacefully protest an
unfair law by refusing to cooperate with government officials. This
practice of “nonviolent noncooperation” would become widespread
under Gandhi’s leadership when he returned to India.
Gandhi used nonviolent noncooperation to work toward making
India, which had been under British rule for almost 200 years,
independent. In 1922, he was arrested for protesting unfair laws and
continued on next page
page 18
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
spent two years in prison. In 1930, Gandhi led a “Salt March” across India
to the Arabian Sea. He and his followers were protesting a law that did
not allow Indians to make their own salt from seawater. Instead, they
were forced to buy salt from the British. At the end of his march, Gandhi
picked up a lump of salt. This was against the law, so he was arrested
and imprisoned again.
Gandhi was not only respected by people throughout India; he was
also well known in other countries. He once travelled to England to have
tea with the king and queen with whom he discussed his plans for an
independent India. The “Quit India ‘’ movement that Gandhi started in
1942 was designed to challenge the British government’s control over
the Indian people. India gained its independence five years later, but
Gandhi continued protesting to attempt to bring together different
religious groups. The widespread respect he had earned over his
lifetime meant that when he spoke, leaders on both sides of a conflict
listened to him. In 1948, Gandhi died while speaking to a crowd of
people about the importance of working together in truth and peace.
page 19
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
U.
Check your understanding by answering the questions in the space provided.
1. What practice involving peaceful protest became widespread under Gandhi’s leadership?
2. What was the goal of the “Quit India” movement?
3. What is the author’s main purpose for writing this text?
page 20
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
V. Look at the Sight Word List for Levels 6 to 10. Pick one level. Then, write a story or poem that includes
most (or all!) of the sight words in that level. Underline each sight word that you include.
Name:
page 21
Word Study
Level 14
Name:
Lexia Skill Builders
®
Sight Word List for Levels 6 to 10
6
above, against, building, colourful, earth, easily, everywhere, exhausted, grew, kind,
moved, person, push, rightly, second, touch, walk, watched, weight, whose
7
adventure, away, breaking, built, changes, character, different, elephant, friends,
journey, move, movie, mythical, news, pierce, removed, sound, special, thought, tightly,
voyage
8
again, appear, behave, break, build, buying, doing, favourite, native, oranges, watching,
yourself
9
area, becoming, bought, builds, buy, childhood, company, damage, daughter, father,
forming, frightened, gallons, heard, heavy, husband, important, interesting, lived,
modern, mostly, often, piano, popular, pulling, remind, searched, thoughtful, washing
10
among, bodies, caught, characters, clothing, commonly, curtain, customers, dangers,
heart, highest, holds, imagined, known, learned, money, more, moving, once, ready,
scene, school, throughout, who, writer, written, wrote
Name: