Identifying Context Clues

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Verity Manning
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1 WORD appalling myriad contagious epidemics eminent intentional ruthless probable romantic picturesque Identifying Context Clues DIRECTIONS: Highlight the context clues for the meaning of the bolded word. CONTEXT CLUE SENTENCE WORD CONTEXT CLUE SENTENCE One of the most appalling results of the Europeans encounters with American Indians was the spread of disease. The situation was horrifying: Tens of thousands of people died. Among the myriad of diseases that faced American Indians after the Europeans arrived were smallpox, cholera, scarlet fever, and measles. These contagious diseases, which spread from person to person, took hold among the American Indians and quickly spread across continent. Smallpox epidemics were surely the worst. Between 1630 and 1650, the populations of the Huron and the Iroquois were reduced by half. In 1781 and again in 1837, the majority of the Blackfoot died. One eminent anthropologist commented that smallpox defeated Mexico. Many people agree with the opinions of this outstanding scholar. Some of American Indians began to think that the attacks of disease were intentional. They suspected that European settlers were spreading infectious diseases on purpose. These diseases were so destructive that some scholars have wondered which one is more ruthless-- the merciless conquerors of the Americas or the disease they brought with them. Without modern vaccinations, it is probable that the diseases that weakened American Indians would continue to kill. In the meantime, a romantic image very different from the reality of the situation was becoming popular in Europe. People in Europe were enchanted with the image of American Indians living perfect lives in picturesque settings. abuse baffle barbarisms bewildered calamity deceive folklore knoll sincerity novelty Despite the abuse American Indians suffered, some aspects of their culture survived. Many place names in the United States come from American Indian names. Today s place names would probably baffle the American Indians who originated them. The Cap Illinewek Indians, for instance, might not recognize their word in the French version, Illinois. Many American Indian words became barbarisms, twisted in the mouths of strangers. Using sign language, various Plains tribes could communicate with each other quite well, although and the signs possibly bewildered and confused most observers. The Plains people depended on gestures to give and receive important information. With sign language, for example, they could warn one another of approaching danger, and calamity could be avoided. Perhaps you have seen some famous sign language gestures. Someone who is lying or language that is meant to deceive is signed with a gesture for two tongues. Enough signs existed for people to carry on long conversations or even to tell stories. People who study the folklore of American Indians have already recorded much of the tradition of signs. There were signs for time, plants, animals, trading, as well as for geographic features, such as a canyon, a ravine, and a knoll, or small hill. Sign Language along with body language could also convey feelings, such as anger, sincerity, and happiness. Many people think sign language is interesting as a novelty, as something new and unusual, but they may not realize how effective it is.

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