Problem With Vocabulary in Context (Skill 5)

On the TOEFL test you will sometimes be asked to determine the meaning of a difficult word or expression, a word or expression that you do not know. In this case, the passage often gives you a clear indication of what the word or expression means.

Example
A line in the passage:

……..She has a large geranium growing in a pot in the corner of her apartment……

The question:

A “geranium” is probably which of the following?

(A) A sofa

(B) A chair

(C) A fish

(D) A plant

Analysis:

In this type of question, you are not expected to know the meaning of the word geranium. Instead, you should understand from the context that if the geranium is growing in a pot, then it is probably a plant. Answer (D) is therefore the best answer.

The following chart outlines the key information that you should remember about vocabulary questions on the TOEFL test.