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Academic Words in Context is a free printable Grade 5 English worksheet on choosing what an academic word means here, aligned to Common Core standard RI.5.4. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two pupils in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 12 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Academic Words in Context

RI.5.4

NameDate

Tick the right meaning.

1.The arduous climb took them nine hours. What does "arduous" mean here?
  • A.very entertaining
  • B.extremely short
  • C.needing a lot of hard effort
  • D.requiring no effort
2.Adverse weather delayed the launch by a week. What does "adverse" mean here?
  • A.helpful and favourable
  • B.completely neutral
  • C.long expected
  • D.unfavourable; working against you
3.The committee reached a consensus after two hours. What does "consensus" mean here?
  • A.a sharp disagreement
  • B.a formal complaint
  • C.general agreement among a group
  • D.a written record
4.Their hypothesis was that light affected the growth rate. What does "hypothesis" mean here?
  • A.an idea put forward to be tested
  • B.a formal apology
  • C.a proven fact
  • D.a type of graph
5.The two species have a reciprocal relationship. What does "reciprocal" mean here?
  • A.lasting a short time
  • B.given and received in return
  • C.happening by accident
  • D.going one way only
6.The old signalling system is now obsolete. What does "obsolete" mean here?
  • A.no longer used because something better exists
  • B.very expensive
  • C.brand new and popular
  • D.carefully hidden
7.Farmers anticipate the first frost each autumn. What does "anticipate" mean here?
  • A.to expect something before it happens
  • B.to measure exactly
  • C.to describe afterwards
  • D.to forget entirely
8.The instruction was ambiguous, so half the class did it differently. What does "ambiguous" mean here?
  • A.extremely long
  • B.able to be understood in more than one way
  • C.perfectly clear
  • D.recently written

LessonPrint · RI.5.4 · Set 12 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Academic Words in Context

Set 12. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.needing a lot of hard effort
  2. 2.unfavourable; working against you
  3. 3.general agreement among a group
  4. 4.an idea put forward to be tested
  5. 5.given and received in return
  6. 6.no longer used because something better exists
  7. 7.to expect something before it happens
  8. 8.able to be understood in more than one way

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to RI.5.4 of the Common Core State Standards for English language arts.