The Vemlit learning guide
Read a little. Notice more.
A short passage can give you more than new definitions. It can show what a word describes, how it fits a sentence and why the writer chose it. Try this example before checking the answers.
First, read for the situation.
Read the passage once without stopping at every unfamiliar word. Ask yourself: who has a problem, what do they try, and what changes? On the second reading, look more closely at the three highlighted words.
ORIGINAL PRACTICE PASSAGE
The lunch-break repair table
When a zip broke on Noah’s pencil case, he nearly threw the whole thing away. His classmate Ada suggested a different approach: a repair table in the library, open once a week at lunch.
At first, the librarian was reluctant. She worried that tools would be noisy and that students might leave a mess. Ada proposed a small trial. Students would fix simple items, such as loose buttons, and ask an adult to handle anything sharp or electrical.
The first session attracted only four visitors. Yet each person brought something they hoped to keep. One student repaired a torn notebook cover; another learned how to sew a button. By the third week, there was a short queue.
The project did not eliminate waste at school. It did, however, make repair feel more accessible. “I used to think fixing things required special talent,” Noah said. “Now I know that some repairs just need a little guidance.”
Use the surrounding ideas as clues.
For reluctant, look at what the librarian worries about and why Ada offers a trial. For eliminate, notice “did not” and the contrast with the more modest result in the next sentence. For accessible, connect Noah’s final comment with the help available at the table.
Make a tentative guess before checking a dictionary. Context may narrow the possibilities without giving a complete definition. If several meanings still fit, use the dictionary to check which one matches the sentence.
Three questions to try.
Choose an answer and point to the part of the passage that supports it.
- Why did Ada propose a small trial?
- A. To replace all the library’s activities.
- B. To address the librarian’s concerns.
- C. To attract experienced repair workers.
- What does “accessible” most nearly mean here?
- A. Easier for students to try.
- B. More expensive for students to use.
- C. Available only to skilled students.
- What does Noah’s final comment suggest?
- A. The school no longer produces waste.
- B. All broken objects are easy to repair.
- C. Guidance made him more willing to try.
Reveal the answers and evidence
- B. The librarian is worried about noise and mess. A limited trial and safe tasks respond to those concerns.
- A. Students can attempt simple repairs with help. Here, accessible describes how approachable the activity becomes, not a price.
- C. Noah changes from thinking repairs need special talent to recognising that guidance can help. The passage does not claim all repairs are easy or that waste disappears.
Keep three words with their context.
- reluctant 不太願意的；猶豫的
- The librarian is not ready to agree because she has concerns. Try: reluctant to try something.
- eliminate 消除
- Here, to remove waste completely. The passage says the project did not do that.
- accessible 容易參與或使用的
- Here, something ordinary students can approach and try. Other contexts may concern physical access or how easy information is to understand.
Write one new sentence with a word you want to keep. For example: “I was reluctant to speak in the group, but my partner helped me start.” The situation changes, while the meaning remains clear.
Turn reading into tomorrow’s revision.
Save a small number of useful words rather than every unfamiliar one. Keep the sentence that helped you understand each word. Next time, recall the word from its meaning before rereading the passage.
In Vemlit’s daily reading, you can tap a word to explore it and add it to your bank. This public guide is a standalone practice example; its answer reveals do not record scores or change your account progress.