Mother Jones: Fierce Fighter For Workers' Rights by Judith Pinkerton Josephson
Use context to determine the meaning of the word treacherous as it is used in paragraph 4 of Mother Jones: Fierce Fighter For Workers’ Rights. Write your definition of treacherous and explain the context clues you used to figure out its meaning. Then confirm your definition in a print or digital dictionary.
In paragraph 4 of the article, the word "treacherous" is used in reference to the conditions that mine workers were exposed to. My definition of treacherous in this context would be "dangerous" or "hazardous." The context clues that helped determine this meaning are the descriptions of the working conditions, such as "dark, treacherous coal mines," "death traps," and "constant danger." These phrases suggest that the conditions were perilous and posed a threat to the workers.
Confirming this definition, a digital dictionary defines treacherous as "guilty of or involving betrayal or deception" or "hazardous because of presenting hidden or unpredictable dangers." In this case, the second definition aligns with the context clues provided in the paragraph, confirming that treacherous means dangerous or hazardous.