Which of the following BEST describes a strategy readers can use to verify the meaning of the word infested in the text?
A network of bat houses in areas infested by mosquitoes might prove to be an effective way to combat an environmental problem with a natural solution.
A
To verify word meanings, readers can count the number of syllables in the unfamiliar word and compare it to similar-sounding words they know. However, this approach might not be helpful for words like infested, as counting syllables wouldn't reveal its meaning.
B
Readers can use strategies like asking their friends for the meaning of the word or guessing its meaning based on the sound of the word. For instance, if someone didn't know what infested meant, they could try to imagine what kind of situation that word might describe based on its sounds.
C
By looking at the words around the unfamiliar word and understanding how it's used in the sentence, readers can get a better idea of its meaning. For example, in the passage, infested is used to describe areas that are overrun by pests like mosquitoes, which helps readers understand its meaning.
D
Sometimes, unfamiliar words are used in a text to confuse readers, so it's best to ignore them and focus on the familiar words instead. For example, in the sentence, "The garden was infested with all sorts of insects," the word infested might seem confusing, but if readers focus on "garden" and "insects," they can still understand the main idea.