Explicit and Implicit Meanings Preview

When you listen to someone speak, you understand the content in two ways. One way is called
the explicit meaning. This just means that you understand things that are explained or stated in
an obvious way to you. The other way is called the implicit meaning. This means that you figure
out a meaning by what the person says, how she says it and what the circumstances are.
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For the following passages, write what you think is the explicit meaning and the implicit
meaning. Remember that the implicit meaning must be supported by the explicit material.

1. I was ten years old when my mother died. Ten years old on that very day. Still she gave me a
party of sorts. Sick as she was, Mama had seen to it, organizing it at the hospital. She made
sure the doctors and nurses all brought me presents. We were good friends with them all by
that time because Mama had been in the hospital for so long.

Explicit:_________________________________________________________________

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Implicit: ________________________________________________________________