Expanding vocabulary during one's reading

The best way to get the meaning of words while reading is using the contextual clues at explained in these 4 steps:

• Try to determine the meaning from the verbal context (this may extend beyond the immediate words to the paragraph or article).
• Analyze the word structurally: What does the root or base mean? the prefix(es)? suffix(es)?
• Can you predict the word's connotation?
• Say the word aloud? Sometimes pronouncing it helps in recognizing it. It may be a word you have heard many times but never saw in print.
  

Unless the meaning of a word is absolutely central to understanding the idea discussed, put off the interruption of looking in the dictionary immediately. Instead, circle the word or make a asterix mark in the margin. When you finish the article or chapter, look up all the words that you marked. As most words have multiple meanings, consider the verbal context in which they appear so that you will select the correct meaning. The first one mentioned in the dictionary may not be the appropriate meaning for the context.