In our lab on chemical reactions, Ms. Patel asked us to decide whether the white crystals were a compound or just a mixture. I scanned the label, then checked the class e‑dictionary:

compound (com·pound) \ˈkäm-ˌpau̇nd\ n. 1. A substance made of two or more elements chemically bonded. adj. 2. Made up of two or more parts. com·pound \kəm-ˈpau̇nd\ v. 3. To make something worse by adding to it; intensify. n. 4. An enclosed group of buildings.

After conductivity and flame tests, the solution behaved like sodium chloride, a classic ionic compound, so I recorded the sample as a compound rather than a mixture. That context clearly shows the word names a kind of substance, not an adjective about parts or a verb about worsening here.

Which definition and part of speech best fit the word compound as it is used in this passage?

Before our lab, Ms. Rivera asked us to verify the word conduct using an online dictionary. The entry read: conduct (con-duct) /kuhn-DUHKT/ - v. 1 to carry out; 2 to transmit heat or electricity; n. 1 behavior or manners. Origin: Latin conducere. In our investigation, we will conduct a controlled trial to test whether yeast produces more gas with warm water. We planned steps, listed materials, and practiced safety. Copper wires also conduct heat, but today we are not measuring that. Instead, our focus is on how temperature influences carbon dioxide. After reading the entry, my partner understood that in this context conduct means to organize and perform the procedure, not to judge anyone's conduct during class. That clarified our roles and kept experiment orderly.

Which definition and part of speech best fit the word conduct as it is used in the passage?

In a unit on Texas economic history, we examined the early twentieth-century oil fields near Beaumont and the Panhandle. Our textbook included a mini-dictionary entry: boom (boom) /boom/ - n. 1 a period of sudden prosperity or rapid growth; 2 a long spar on a sailing ship; v. 1 to make a deep, resonant sound; 2 to expand quickly. Origin: imitative. Newspapers from 1901 described a population boom after Spindletop. In our town study, a dusty depot became a bustling square within months as workers arrived, hotels opened, and wages rose. The word boom appears in the article's line, 'The discovery triggered a boom that reshaped West Texas.' It clearly doesn't refer to thunder; it names the surge in business and people during that decade.

Which dictionary definition and part of speech best match boom as used in the article sentence?

While evaluating our school's new laptop policy, I checked a dictionary entry to be sure about monitor. It read: monitor (mon-i-tor) /MON-ih-ter/ - n. 1 a screen that displays images; 2 a person who observes and reports; v. 1 to watch, track, or check over time. Origin: Latin monere, to warn. Our technology director explained that software will monitor bandwidth and battery health so repairs can be scheduled before devices fail. In class, the monitor on my desk stayed dark until I plugged in the cable, but that hardware isn't what the policy emphasizes. The key idea is that staff will monitor usage patterns to improve access, not to spy on students. They will adjust settings, schedule updates, and prevent outages during testing each week.

Which definition and part of speech best fit monitor in the policy context described?

During literary circles, we paused to verify tone in a digital dictionary, because our poem used the word several ways. The entry stated: tone (tone) /tohn/ - n. 1 the writer's or speaker's attitude toward the subject; 2 a musical or vocal sound; 3 a shade of color; v. 1 to give a particular quality or color. Origin: Latin tonus. In the stanza we discussed, the narrator says, 'I walk on, unafraid,' after earlier sounding doubtful. Our teacher asked how the tone changes. We agreed the attitude shifts from hesitant to confident, not that the singer hit a new tone on a note. The question on our chart was about tone as stance, not pigmentation. That distinction guided our annotations and tightened our thesis statements.

Which definition and part of speech best fit tone as it is used in the literary discussion?

During our lab on water filtration, I realized my mistake might compound the problem. I had packed the gravel too tightly, slowing the flow and trapping air. To check my meaning, I consulted a dictionary card taped inside my notebook:

compound com-pound (verb): 1) to make something worse by adding to it; 2) to mix or combine components. COM-pound (noun): 1) an enclosed area; 2) a substance made of two or more elements.

If I added more gravel, the clog would compound, not clear. Instead, I loosened the layers and measured the drip rate again. The data finally smoothed out, and my conclusion addressed how small missteps can compound into larger errors when procedures are rushed. Next time, I will plan, calibrate, and document carefully.

Which definition and part of speech from the entry best match how the word "compound" is used in the passage?

When small earthquakes rattled a West Texas town near the Permian Basin, the state created a commission to investigate disposal wells and seismic risk. Before summarizing sources, I reviewed this entry to be sure about the term:

commission com-mis-sion (noun): 1) a group officially charged with a task; 2) a fee paid to an agent for making a sale; 3) the act of committing a crime. com-mis-sion (verb): 1) to order or authorize the creation of something.

At the hearing, the commission gathered testimony from geologists and ranchers. Its report recommended stricter monitoring and clearer maps. Understanding the noun helped me avoid confusing it with the verb, because the commission did not commission new wells; it recommended limits based on data. Precision matters in research.

Which definition and part of speech best fit the word "commission" as used in the passage?

Our class researched internet access in rural districts and found that slow connections stalled homework uploads. The school board pledged to address the issue before testing. To confirm the word's meaning, I read this entry:

address ad-dress (verb): 1) to speak to formally; 2) to deal with or take action on a problem. ad-dress (noun): 1) the description of a location; 2) a formal speech.

The plan would address coverage gaps by placing hotspots on buses and upgrading fiber lines near libraries. Because "address" here describes an action, I knew the entry's verb definition fit. It did not refer to a street address or a speech; rather, the board hoped to address obstacles so students could upload, submit essays, and join tutoring sessions without delay.

Which definition and part of speech from the entry best match how the word "address" is used in the passage?

At Houston's Johnson Space Center, engineers rehearsed the final checklist to launch a climate sensor aboard a commercial rocket. Before writing my article, I verified how the word is used with this entry:

launch launch (verb): 1) to send a vehicle or projectile into motion; 2) to start or introduce a project or product. launch (noun): 1) the act or event of sending something off; 2) a small open motorboat.

In the briefing, a flight director explained that a smooth launch would help Texas students analyze fresh Gulf weather data in class. Because the sentence says "to launch a climate sensor," the word functions as an action, not a thing. The definition that fits is the verb describing sending the payload into motion. safely and precisely.

Which definition and part of speech from the entry best match how the word "launch" is used in the phrase "to launch a climate sensor"?