Language Standards: Determining Word Meanings with Greek and Latin Roots in Grade 5 (CCSS.L.5.4)

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Common Core 5th Grade ELA › Language Standards: Determining Word Meanings with Greek and Latin Roots in Grade 5 (CCSS.L.5.4)

Questions 1 - 10
1

The map shows a cold region near the mountains, where snowfall lasts for months, while the nearby valley stays warmer and grows crops year-round.

What does the word "region" most likely mean as used in the passage?

a curved shape

an area of land with similar features

the main city of a state

a kind of weather event

Explanation

The sentence contrasts a cold area near mountains with a warmer valley, so region means an area of land with similar conditions, not a shape, city, or weather event.

2

Scientists compared rainfall across the mountain region, a broad area with higher elevation and cooler air than nearby valleys, to understand how altitude affects storms.

What does the word region most likely mean as used in the passage?

a large area with shared features

a type of heavy rainstorm

an exact point on a map

the measurement of height above sea level

Explanation

The passage describes a mountain region as a broad area with certain features, contrasted with nearby valleys. Those context clues show region means an area.

3

The coastal region experiences mild, rainy winters compared with the inland deserts, where little rain falls and temperatures swing from hot days to chilly nights.

What does the word "region" most likely mean as used in the passage?

a line that divides two places

a tool for measuring rainfall

a large geographic area

a direction like north or south

Explanation

The comparison between coastal and inland deserts signals that "region" refers to a geographic area with its own weather.

4

To clean the water, engineers followed a process: first they filtered dirt, next they boiled the liquid, and finally they cooled it before testing the results.

What does the word process most likely mean as used in the passage?

a natural place where water collects

the speed at which something happens

a series of steps to reach a result

a tiny living thing in water

Explanation

Words like first, next, and finally show ordered steps. That context signals process means a set of steps to accomplish something.

5

To purify river water, engineers use a process that includes filtering and heating; each step changes the water until it becomes safe to drink.

What does the word "process" most likely mean as used in the passage?

a place where scientists work

a single filter used once

a series of steps done to reach a result

the natural speed of a river

Explanation

The clues "includes filtering and heating" and "each step" show process means a series of steps, not a location, a single tool, or river speed.

6

In our weather study, the coastal region stayed cooler than the inland valleys, so fog formed there more often and farms adjusted planting schedules to match the conditions.

What does the word region most likely mean as used in the passage?

a round trip across the ocean

a direction like north or south

an area of land with shared features

the exact temperature at one place

Explanation

The passage compares the coastal region to inland valleys and links it to weather and farming. Those clues show region means an area with shared features, not a direction or temperature.

7

Turning food scraps each week speeds the process, because mixing air and moisture helps bacteria break leftovers into dark, crumbly soil during composting.

What does the word process most likely mean as used in the passage?

a series of steps that causes change

a container for holding scraps

a picture of the final result

a chemical that kills germs

Explanation

Cause-and-effect clues show mixing air and moisture helps bacteria break scraps into soil. That describes steps that cause change, which is a process—not a container, picture, or chemical.

8

To turn sap into syrup, the process requires heating the liquid slowly, allowing water to evaporate, and checking thickness along the way to reach the right consistency.

What does the word "process" most likely mean as used in the passage?

a series of steps to do something

a machine that heats liquids

a natural sweet liquid from trees

the place where syrup is sold

Explanation

The passage lists steps—heating, evaporating, checking thickness—showing that "process" means a series of steps to complete a task.

9

The desert region receives little rainfall, so plants there store water in thick stems to survive. Scientists compare this region to nearby forests that get steady rain.

What does the word "region" most likely mean as used in the passage?

an area of land with certain features

a direction shown by a compass

the inside of a plant stem

a type of sudden rainstorm

Explanation

The passage contrasts the desert region with nearby forests, showing region means an area with certain features, not a direction, plant part, or weather event.

10

To avoid disturbing the birds, the class stayed quiet and sat still to observe their nesting habits during the hour-long field study.

What does the word observe most likely mean as used in the passage?

celebrate

guess

change

watch carefully

Explanation

Staying quiet and still during a field study implies careful watching of nesting habits. That fits watch carefully, not celebrate, guess, or change.

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