What strategy helps determine the meaning of unfamiliar words using context?

• A. Check a dictionary or glossary to determine the word's meaning.
• B. Use surrounding words to infer meaning.
• C. Rely on prior knowledge without considering the sentence.
• D. Look for prefixes and suffixes.

Answer: (B)

Using surrounding words to infer meaning is the most effective way to figure out unfamiliar words while you read. When you hit a word you don’t know, peek at the sentences around it. The nearby words show how the term is used, and they might include a synonym, an antonym, or an example that makes the meaning clearer. This approach lets you understand the word in real time and keeps your reading steady without breaking the flow to look up definitions.

Relying only on a dictionary gives an exact meaning, but it interrupts reading and isn’t as helpful for understanding how the word functions in the sentence. Trusting prior knowledge without checking the sentence can lead you astray if the word is used in a new or specific way in the text. Focusing solely on prefixes and suffixes can help in some cases, but it doesn’t always reveal the word’s meaning in context, especially when the sense depends on how the word is used within the sentence.