Understand Words in a Non-fiction Text

Using interesting vocabulary (words) adds detail to stories and helps the reader imagine what is going on.

 

Sometimes when we are reading, we come across unfamiliar words.

To help us understand the meaning of these words, we can use the rest of the sentence as a clue.

 

Example:

Jack was so hungry that he couldn’t understand why his mum had given him such a minute dinner.

 

We may not be familiar with the word minute, but clues in the rest of the sentence tell us that minute means small. Jack was hungry, yet he was confused as he was given such a small dinner. He wouldn’t be confused if he had been given a big dinner.

 

 

Can you think of another word to replace minute in the sentence?

 

How many replacement words can you think of?

 

Here are a few suggestions:

- Small

- Tiny

- Insufficient

These all mean the same as minute.

 

Read the non-fiction text below.

In this activity, we will be answering questions about the meaning of words in this text. We need to read it carefully and think about the word meanings before we begin.

 

 

How to Keep Your Hot Tub Clean

Lots of people are now buying hot tubs for their back gardens. Many of us like to take a calming, warm dip in the water after a busy day at work.  So how do we look after these relaxing, warm, bubble pools so that they stay clean and last longer? Follow these helpful steps to keep your tub clean.

 

 

Before each use

Before you get in the hot tub, use a net to scoop out any leaves or floating grass. Nobody wants green gunk sticking to their body. This is really important as grass and leaves can make the water turn cloudy and block the filter. Once the water is free from dirt, dip a test strip in the water to check all of the chemicals are at the correct level. If one of the chemicals is too low, add a small amount of the chemical into the water. Now, your hot tub is ready for use.

 

Weekly care

Give your hot tub a weekly clean with a spa vacuum. A spa vacuum can suck all the dirt away from the bottom of the hot tub. This fantastic piece of equipment is really easy to use as it doesn’t need to be plugged in. The filter of the hot tub also needs cleaning on a weekly basis as dirt can block the filter and stop it from cleaning the water as well. Finally, you’ll need to add some more chlorine tablets into your tablet feeder to keep the chemicals at the right level.

 

Every 3-6 months

These final tasks might seem like a lot of effort but they will make sure your hot tub lasts for many years. Every three to six months, empty all of the water from your hot tub. Old water can’t store as many chemicals as fresh water so if you do not replace the water in your tub, it will become dirty.