Using a Dictionary

Using a Dictionary

Pencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
Further Resources
This task is about using a dictionary.
Use the dictionary page below to answer the questions that follow.
 
 

Question 2Change answer

a)  The guide word at the top left-hand side of this dictionary page is "Top".
     Write down the guide word that should be written on the top right-hand side of this dictionary page.
     

Question 2Change answer

b)  How many meanings does the word "torpid" have?  

Question

c)  Which of the meanings for the word "top" are used in this sentence: "Colin's fish story topped them all"?  (Select one)
    • Meaning 1

    • Meaning 4

    • Meaning 6

    • Meaning 7

    • Meaning 8

Question 2Change answer

d)  There is no definition given for the word "tore". 
     Write down how you would find the definition for "tore" in the dictionary.
     

Question 2Change answer

e)  Describe how this dictionary shows the number of syllables each word has.
     

Question 2Change answer

f)  In the entry for "topaz", what does the "n." tell us about the word topaz?
     

Question 2Change answer

g)  In the entry for the word "topic" there is a word in brackets (top´ik). What information does the word in brackets tell us?
      

Question 2Change answer

h)  What is the plural for the word torso?     
Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper or online (with some auto marking).
Level:
4
Curriculum info: 
Description of task: 
Using a page from a dictionary, this resource assesses students' dictionary skills through a series of short answer and selected response questions.
Curriculum Links: 
Links to the Literacy Learning Progressions for Reading:
This resource helps to identify students’ ability to:
  • recognise structural features
as described in the Literacy Learning Progressions for Reading at: http://www.literacyprogressions.tki.org.nz/The-Structure-of-the-Progressions.
Learning Progression Frameworks
This resource can provide evidence of learning associated with within the Reading Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Read more about the Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Answers/responses: 
 

Y8 (06/2003)

a) totalitarian difficult
b) 2 very easy
c) Meaning 8 moderate
d) Under the entry "tear". difficult
e) The word is written with a space between each syllable. easy
f) The word is a noun. easy
g) How to pronounce the word. moderate
h) torsos moderate

 

Diagnostic and formative information: 
  Common Error Likely Reason
a) 50% of students incorrectly identified the guide word as torpedo. Students do not understand that the guide word on the right side of the page refers to the last entry on that page. "Torpedo" may have been selected because it is the first entry in its column.