Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
Unit 1: Chapter 1
Vocabulary Development
SKILL BUILDER
The Leap Louise Erdrich
Activity 1: Semantic Mapping
Creating a semantic map can help you represent different types of word
knowledge in graphic form. Based on the example, create a semantic map for
each of these vocabulary words from “The Leap” on your own paper: generate,
extricating, constricting, complied, tentative.
Example
Activity 2: Exploring Deeper Meanings
Choose the statement that provides an accurate example of the meaning of each
vocabulary word.
1. generate
A) Despite a forecast of rain, people gathered at the bandstand for the concert by
the town’s best-known guitarists.
B) When the sky darkened and the wind began howling, the spectators knew that
a violent thunderstorm was going to break out.
2. extricating
A) Freeing herself from the conversation was going to require imagination.
B) Sorting out the topics being discussed was more difficult than she expected.
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
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Unit 1 Resources
Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
Unit 1: Chapter 1, Vocabulary Development continued
3. complied
A) Dave let his younger brother join him and his friends when they went driving.
B) Dave abided by the warning signs and slowed his car as he approached the
road construction
4. tentative
A) Carrie was undecided about her choice of colleges.
B) The location of the college fair had not been announced.
5. constricting
A) The art gallery was filled with patrons eager to see the new exhibit.
B) The patrons said they were packed into the gallery like sardines.
Activity 3: Changing Contexts
Each vocabulary word from “The Leap” is used at least once in the following
sentences. Fill in each word where it best fits the context.
Example Brainstorming often helps generate. solutions to a problem.
tentative
constricting
complied
extricating
generate
6. Even though she disagreed with the policy, Katie _______________________ and
signed the written warning.
7. Expressing that point of view will probably _______________________ a long and
heated discussion of the problem.
8. There was no reason to panic about a schedule conflict; the date of the football
tryouts was still _______________________.
9. By _______________________ the hose, the gardener was able to control the
amount of water he aimed at the seedlings.
10. _______________________ the truth from the evidence grew more difficult with
each passing day.
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
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Unit 1 Resources