Vocabulary in Context
Advanced不識字不要查書。
- When you meet a new word, guess from context before touching a dictionary.
- Definition clues: 'is', 'means' and 'refers to' often introduce an explanation.
- Example clues: what follows 'such as' or 'for example' reveals the meaning.
文體小知識：Guess word meaning.
§Text Passage
1The old castle stood on the hill above the village like a tired giant. Its grey stone walls had once been strong, but now the whole building was in a state of disrepair. The roof had holes, and sunlight fell straight through them onto the dusty floor. Walls were cracked from top to bottom. Windows were broken, and wind whistled through the empty frames.
2The garden was overgrown with weeds taller than a man. Roses had turned wild, and trees pressed their branches against the castle doors. It had not been lived in for decades — nobody in the village could remember a light in its windows. Still, the postman said his grandfather had once delivered letters there, which tells you how long the castle has been sleeping.
3Every spring, tourists drove up the narrow road to take photos. They read the notice at the gate, which described the castle as 'temporarily closed for repair', although no workers had been seen for years. When you meet such words in context, you can often guess their meanings. 'Disrepair' suggests something broken, and 'overgrown' tells you that the plants have grown without control.
4But somehow, it still had a strange beauty. It looked like a painting from another time — rough, old and yet peaceful. Perhaps that is why the villagers, though they ignored it in daily life, always mentioned it first when guests arrived. Long after the last owner left, the castle went on standing above the village, watching.
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
The old castle stood on the hill above the village like a tired giant.
那座古老的城堡在村莊上面的山丘上矗立，好像一個累透的巨人。
Its grey stone walls had once been strong, but now the whole building was in a state of disrepair.
它的灰色石牆曾經很堅固，但現在整座建築都處於失修的狀態。
The roof had holes, and sunlight fell straight through them onto the dusty floor.
屋頂穿了洞，陽光直接穿過那些洞，照在滿佈灰塵的地板上。
Walls were cracked from top to bottom.
牆壁由上到下都是裂痕。
Windows were broken, and wind whistled through the empty frames.
窗門全都破了，風在空空的窗框間呼嘯吹過。
The garden was overgrown with weeds taller than a man.
花園雜草叢生，那些草更高過一個人。
Roses had turned wild, and trees pressed their branches against the castle doors.
玫瑰變了野生，樹枝也擠壓着城堡的門。
It had not been lived in for decades — nobody in the village could remember a light in its windows.
這裡已經幾十年沒有人住——村裡面沒有人記得見過它的窗有燈光。
Still, the postman said his grandfather had once delivered letters there, which tells you how long the castle has been sleeping.
不過，郵差說他爺爺當年曾經來這裡派過信，可想而知這座城堡睡了多久。
Every spring, tourists drove up the narrow road to take photos.
每年春天，遊客都會駕車沿着那條窄路上去拍照。
They read the notice at the gate, which described the castle as 'temporarily closed for repair', although no workers had been seen for years.
他們會讀門口的告示，上面寫着城堡「暫停開放維修」，不過好多年都沒有見過有工人出現。
When you meet such words in context, you can often guess their meanings.
當你在上下文中見到這類字，很多時都可以估到它們的意思。
'Disrepair' suggests something broken, and 'overgrown' tells you that the plants have grown without control.
「Disrepair」暗示有東西破爛了，而「overgrown」就告訴你植物長得失控。
But somehow, it still had a strange beauty.
但不知道為什麼，它仍然有種奇怪的美。
It looked like a painting from another time — rough, old and yet peaceful.
它看起來好像一幅來自另一個時代的畫——粗獷、古老，但又很平靜。
Perhaps that is why the villagers, though they ignored it in daily life, always mentioned it first when guests arrived.
或者就是這樣，村民雖然平日當它不存在，但一有客人來就一定最先提起它。
Long after the last owner left, the castle went on standing above the village, watching.
最後一個主人離開之後很久，城堡仍然在村莊上方屹立，靜靜地望着整條村。
1Summary 重點摘要
不識字不要查書。
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Surrounding words.
Figure out.
Same meaning.
Opposite.
Meaning.
Instance.
Word root.
字首。
3Step by step Steps
- DefinitionAn explanation after the word is a definition clue. Example: words like is, means and refers to often introduce the meaning — circle them and the definition appears.
- ExampleExamples after such as or for example reveal the meaning. Example: overgrown is followed by weeds taller than a man — weeds taller than a man means wild, uncut growth.
- ContrastWords around but, however and unlike point in opposite directions. Example: Its grey stone walls had once been strong, but now the whole building was in a state of disrepair — strong before versus broken now, so disrepair means badly maintained.
- RootBreak words with roots and prefixes. Example: un- means not (unhappy), -able means can be done (readable), and repair means fix — dis- plus repair gives fallen into disrepair.
- SubstitutePut your guess back into the sentence. Example: The garden was overgrown with weeds taller than a man — covered in wild growth fits, neatly trimmed does not; if it does not fit, guess again.
- Passage practicePractise on the two target words: disrepair (broken, not maintained — cracked walls, holes in the roof, broken windows) and overgrown (wild, not cut — weeds taller than a man, roses turned wild).
- No dictionaryIn the exam, stay calm: decide the part of speech first, read the sentences around the word, apply definition, example or contrast clues, then substitute — only give up after all four steps.
5Worked example Example
Without a dictionary, use context to work out the meaning of 'disrepair' and 'overgrown' in the castle passage.
- Step 1: Look around 'disrepair' — the walls 'had once been strong, but now', and the next sentences list holes in the roof, cracked walls and broken windows.
- Step 2: Use the contrast clue: strong before versus broken now, so 'disrepair' means fallen into a broken, uncared-for state.
- Step 3: Look after 'overgrown' — 'weeds taller than a man', wild roses and branches pressing against the doors.
- Step 4: Use the example clue: plants growing without control, so 'overgrown' means covered with uncontrolled wild growth.
- Step 5: Substitute both guesses back into the sentences to check they fit.
- Answer: The phrase 'a state of disrepair' is followed by straight evidence — holes in the roof, cracked walls and broken windows — and it contrasts with 'had once been strong', so 'disrepair' must mean a broken, badly maintained condition. 'Overgrown with weeds taller than a man' adds wild roses and branches pressing against the doors, so 'overgrown' must describe plants growing wildly without anyone cutting them back. Both meanings come from context clues: examples and contrast. Substituting them back into the original sentences confirms the guesses fit.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Unknown word?
Q2How?
Q3Synonym?
Q4Antonym?
Q5Use of root?
Q6Around word?
Q7What does "disrepair" mean?
Q8What does "overgrown" mean?
Q9How long empty?
8Recap Recap
- When you meet a new word, guess from context before touching a dictionary.
- Definition clues: 'is', 'means' and 'refers to' often introduce an explanation.
- Example clues: what follows 'such as' or 'for example' reveals the meaning.
- Contrast clues: 'but', 'however' and 'unlike' signal opposite meanings.
- Always substitute your guess back into the sentence to check it fits.