Page 149 - Keys To Community College Success
P. 149
The strongest motivation to concentrate comes from within. When you see the
connection between what you study and your short- and long-term goals, you will be
better able to focus, to remember, to learn, and to apply what you have learned.
Expand Your Vocabulary
As reading materials become more complex, your vocabulary influences how much and
how easily you understand. The more you read, the more words you are exposed to, and
the greater your word comprehension becomes. When reading a textbook, the first “dic-
tionary” to search is the end-of-book glossary explaining technical words and concepts
(if applicable). The definitions there are usually limited to the meanings used in the text.
Standard dictionaries provide broader information such as word origin, pronunciation,
part of speech, synonyms, antonyms, and multiple meanings. Buy a standard dictionary
and use websites like www.dictionary.com. The suggestions in Key 5.2 will help you
make the most of your dictionary.
KEY 5.2 Make the most of your dictionary.
Use the word in
the next 24 hours.
Not only does this demonstrate that
you know how to use the word, but it
also helps you memorize the word.
Analyze
word parts.
dic-tio-nary Say and spell new
Many English words combine words to boost recall.
prefixes, roots, and suffixes. Pronunciation; \'dik-sh -ˌner-eˌ -ˌne-re\ Reading and Information Literacy
Prefixes are word parts that are Function: noun
added to the beginning of a Listen to the pronunciation on
.
.
.
root. The root is the central part Inflected Form(s): plural dic tio nar ies a handheld electronic or online
or basis of a word around Etymology: Medieval Latin dictionarium, from Late dictionary and repeat it out
which prefixes and suffixes are Latin diction-, dictio word, from Latin, speaking loud. Then, practice writing the
added to produce different word to verify that you know
words. Suffixes are added to Date: 1526 the spelling. This is a good way
the end of the root. Recogniz- to “learn by doing.”
ing the root of a word and the 1. A reference source in print or electronic form
meaning of its suffixes can containing words usually alphabetically arranged Restate the definition
boost comprehension. along with information about their forms,
pronunciations, functions, etymologies, meanings, in your own words.
and syntactical and idiomatic uses.
Read beyond 2. A book giving information on particular subjects When you can do this with ease
the first definition. or on a particular class of words, names, or facts, (and maybe even explain it
usually arranged alphabetically: a biographical clearly to someone else), you
dictionary; a dictionary of mathematics. know you understand the
Think critically about which meaning and are not merely
meaning suits the context of the 3. (computing) An associative array, a data parroting a dictionary definition.
word in question and choose the structure where each value is referenced by a
one that makes the most sense. particular key, analogous to words and definitions in
a physical dictionary.
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