Question 20
Cloze PassageJAMB 1992 Passage IV (cloze): Using the dictionary
In addition to further reading as a vital arm of referencing, the use of the dictionary in language learning should be emphasized. It cannot be denied that dictionaries do supply facts about a language which may be difficult to find anywhere else. ________ (16) about grammar, usage, status, derivation and so on necessary for comprehension are contained in the dictionary while context, word analysis and synonym search contribute immensely to the ________ (17) of meaning, an efficient use of the dictionary to enrich the experimental conceptual background to create a meaning context cannot be denied. The ________ (18) of both the specialist and general dictionaries should be encouraged as the case may be. Not that students should jeopardise reading fluency by ________ (19) every word that they do not understand, rather in their bid to read chunks or groups of words in a text, lexical items that ________ (20) obstruct meaning may be quickly checked up in the dictionary. Glossing over a word or lexical guessing through context may not be sufficient. ________ (21) to encourage the use of the dictionary as an aid to reading and a tool for checking words used in writing must be built ________ (22) the reading text. This skill can be easily trasferred to the student's content areas as well.
A barrage of criticism, like students' excessive reliance on the dictionary instead of contextual ________ (23), reduction in the speed of reading, time wastage and so on abound against students' use of the dictionary when reading. It may however be argued that ________ (24) students to guess the meaning of words, from context and then compare this with the dictionary entry for such words is a discovery ________ (25) for enlarging the conceptual environment and vision of students on the various interpretations that may be given to a word.
A barrage of criticism, like students' excessive reliance on the dictionary instead of contextual ________ (23), reduction in the speed of reading, time wastage and so on abound against students' use of the dictionary when reading. It may however be argued that ________ (24) students to guess the meaning of words, from context and then compare this with the dictionary entry for such words is a discovery ________ (25) for enlarging the conceptual environment and vision of students on the various interpretations that may be given to a word.
Passage IV, gap 20: …rather in their bid to read chunks or groups of words in a text, lexical items that ________ (20) obstruct meaning may be quickly checked up in the dictionary.
- A.may
- B.will
- C.can
- D.shall
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: A (may)
Explanation
'May' expresses possibility: words that might block understanding can be checked.