6	Reference Tools
This chapter contains the following topics:
Accessing Reference Tools.
Dictionary, Thesaurus and Spelling Lookup.
Using an Encyclopedia.
Reference Tools Shortcut Keys.
Accessing Reference Tools
As you read for leisure, school or for work, you can look up words in the dictionary and thesaurus, as well as find online encyclopedia articles about your topic.
You can also hear words spelled letter-by-letter, or with a word alphabet (alpha, bravo, and so on).
You can find reference tools in the following menus:
•	The Read menu contains Spell (a word). 
•	The Tools menu contains: Define a Word and Use the Thesaurus.
•	The Online menu contains Use an Encyclopedia.
If you are a keypad user, both the Kurzweil 1000 and the Screen Reader Reading Keypad Layers provide you with access to dictionary lookup. There is no keypad function for encyclopedia searches and bilingual dictionaries. For more information on using the keypad, you can either download the document, Using the Keypad to Access Kurzweil 1000, from the Kurzweil Educational Systems website—www.kurzweiledu.com—or refer to Appendix E, Using the Keypad to Access Kurzweil 1000 in the Online Manual.
Dictionary, Thesaurus and Spelling Lookup
Kurzweil 1000 lookup tools let you look up a selected or typed word in the system dictionary or thesaurus, or hear a word spelled aloud.
When using the Dictionary lookup, you can select a single word or multiple words, such as, "mother-of-pearl."
The Lookup Dialog 
From the Tools menu, choose the Define Word or Use the Thesaurus options to access the Lookup dialog. Both options use the same dialog, except that the Replace function is only available with the Use the Thesaurus option. The Lookup dialog opens with the following components: 
•	Word To Be Defined combo box (ALT+W). When the Lookup dialog first opens, your cursor is in this combo box, and you hear the current word. To return to this combo box, press ALT+W. 
	You can also choose words from the combo box list. The list contains the last five words you looked up.
•	Part of Speech list box (ALT+S). Its dozen options allow you to return results based on a variety of parts of speech, such as Slang in the American Heritage Dictionary, as well as a word’s etymology or idiom usage.
•	Dictionary Source list box (ALT+I) or Thesaurus Source (ALT+T). If you are looking up a definition, the list contains all installed dictionaries, including bilingual dictionaries. If you are looking up a synonym, it contains all installed thesauruses.
•	Entry text box (read only) contains a definition or entry for the current word. You can move in this box character-by-character or word-by-word, and can select text.
•	Next button (ALT+N) takes you to the next definition or synonym.
•	Previous button (ALT+P) takes you to the previous definition or synonym. 
•	Replace button (ALT+R) replaces a word in the document with a synonym selected in the Lookup dialog. 
•	Done button (ALT+D) closes the dialog.
Using Lookup Tools 
You can use the lookup command for a word while reading or select it first then use the lookup command.
To find the definition of a word, words or phrase:
1.	From the Tools menu, choose Define a Word, or press ALT+O+D.
If there is a document open, the Word Lookup dialog opens with the current word placed in the Word to be Defined combo box, and you hear the word to be defined. 
You can also choose words from the combo box list. The list contains the last five words you looked up. You can type a different word into the combo box as well.
2.	To find definitions based on a word’s grammatical or etymological usage, press TAB to go to the Part of Speech list and select the desired option.
Note: You cannot use wildcards in conjunction with the Part of Speech option.
3.	Press ENTER. 
Kurzweil 1000 returns the results and begins reading the first definition. You’ll hear the entry number, followed by the definition.
Notes:
When the Dictionary is unable to find the word you specified, it will suggest another one based on words that have a similar spelling. For instance, if you look up the word, "braile" using only one "l," the dictionary will ask if you mean the word, "braille," containing two l’s.
Once you have the definition, you can press CONTROL+W to copy the entire definition to the clipboard and paste it into any document, even one in another application.
4.	To go to the Next definition, press ALT+N or ENTER, which works only when you are in the Entry text box. Other shortcuts for Next definition are PAGE DOWN and F8.
5.	To go to the Previous definition, press ALT+P. Shortcuts for Previous definition are PAGE UP and F6.
You can also use CONTROL+HOME to hear the first definition for a word, or CONTROL+END to hear the last definition.
6.	When you are done, press ALT+D for Done or press ESCAPE.
To find the synonyms for a word:
1.	From the Tools menu, choose Use the Thesaurus (ALT+O+U), or use the shortcut SHIFT+F7.
The Word Lookup dialog opens. If there is a document open, the Word Lookup dialog opens with the current word placed in the Word to be Defined text box, and you hear the word for which synonyms will be found. If you look up a word as you read, Kurzweil 1000 uses the word after the cursor. 
2.	To find definitions based on a word’s grammatical or etymological usage, press TAB to go to the Part of Speech list and select the desired option.
Note: You cannot use wildcards in conjunction with the Part of Speech option.
3.	Press ENTER. 
Kurzweil 1000 returns the results and reads the entry number, followed by the synonym. 
4.	To go to the Next synonym, press ALT+N or the ENTER key, which works only when you are in the Entry text box. Other shortcuts for Next synonym are PAGE DOWN and F8.
5.	To go to the Previous synonym, press ALT+P. Shortcuts for Previous synonym are PAGE UP and F6.
6.	When you are done, press ALT+D for Done or press ESCAPE.
To look up a typed word:
1.	Do one of the following:
To look up a definition:
From the Tools menu, choose Define a Word (ALT+O +D), or use the shortcut CONTROL+D.
To look up a synonym:
From the Tools menu, choose Use the Thesaurus (ALT+O+U), or use the shortcut SHIFT+F7.
The Word Lookup dialog opens with your cursor in the Word to be Defined combo box. If there is a word from a previous search, Kurzweil 1000 reports it. 
2.	Type the desired word to look up, then press ENTER.
You can also choose words from the combo box list. The list contains the last five words you looked up.
3.	When you are done, press ALT+D for Done or press ESCAPE.
Note: You can continue to look up other words by returning to the Word to be Defined text box (ALT+W), then typing a new word.
Using Wildcard Characters in Your Lookup
When working with computers, wildcard characters can save time and help you broaden or narrow searches. You can use the question mark as a wildcard for one letter character, or an asterisk for multiple letters when typing the word to be defined or the word for which you want the synonyms in the lookup dialog.
Using wildcard characters can help you spell words. Suppose you want to find the correct spelling for the word "image," but are not sure which second vowel to use. In the Dictionary lookup dialog, you could specify an i, an m, a question mark, then g and e for your search. Kurzweil 1000 responds with the word "image."
Suppose you want to find words that begin with i and m and end with t, i, o, n. Type an i, an m, an asterisk, then t, i, o, n. Kurzweil 1000 tells you the number of matches found. Press TAB to go to the list of words, and the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to go through the list. In this example, the list includes the words "imagination" and "imitation." Press ENTER when you hear the word you want. Kurzweil 1000 then responds with the definition or synonym.
Note: If there are more than 500 matches, Kurzweil 1000 asks you to refine your search.
Switching Between Definitions and Synonyms
There may be times when you want to look up a word’s definition, and then its synonym, or vice versa. While you have one type of Lookup dialog open, you can specify the other type.
To look up the synonym of a word while in the definition dialog, press SHIFT+F7. 
To hear the definition of a word while in the synonym dialog, press link CONTROL+D.
Note: The Lookup functions work for the current word, so be sure the cursor is within the desired word or immediately before it.
Placing Lookup Entries into Your Document
To place a synonym into your document: 
1.	Position the cursor within or just before the word for which you want to find a synonym.
2.	Open the Tools menu and choose Use the Thesaurus or press ALT+O+U.
The Synonym Lookup dialog opens.
3.	To hear the first synonym press ENTER.
4.	Continue to press ENTER to hear the list of synonyms. Press Page Up to move backwards in the list.
5.	When you hear the desired synonym, press ALT+R for Replace to make the replacement and close the dialog. This action does not include the synonym number.
If you decide not to replace the word, press ALT+D for Done or ESC to close the dialog without making a change.
Note: The Thesaurus Replace function does not take into account the form of the word in the document. If the original word is plural, for example, the replacement synonym could be singular.
To paste a given definition into the current document: 
1.	Position the cursor within or just before the word for which you want to define.
2.	Open the Tools menu and choose Define a Word or press ALT+O+D.
3.	To hear the first definition, press ENTER.
4.	Continue to press ENTER or ALT+N to hear the list of definitions. Press ALT+P to hear a previous definition.
5.	Press CONTROL+C on the keyboard when you hear the entry you want. This action does not copy the definition number.
6.	Press ALT+D or ESC to close the Lookup dialog, and return to the document.
7.	Position the cursor at the location where you want to paste the entry, then press CONTROL+V.
Hearing a Word’s Spelling
Find the word you want to spell, then open the Read menu and choose Spell, or press ALT+R +L. You must manually restart reading. 
Normally the shortcut for Spell is CONTROL+L. If, however, you chose to use shortcuts that emphasize format editing, the shortcut is CONTROL+F12. You can also use CONTROL+L to hear Kurzweil 1000 spell the contents of text boxes and lists. Use SHIFT+CONTROL+L to hear the word spelled using a word alphabet.
Using an Encyclopedia
In addition to dictionary and thesaurus searches, you can look up information from online encyclopedias.
Encyclopedia articles are actually one-page document files. You can read them, edit them, or save them. They may also contain links, which you can follow to find related information elsewhere in the document or to open other articles and Web sites. For information about working with links, go to Chapter 5, Document Navigation Tools and Methods.
The Use Encyclopedia item on the Online menu enables you to access articles from the following online encyclopedias. 
Columbia Encyclopedia from Columbia University Press
Wikipedia (English and German), a free Web encyclopedia 
Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise
Encyclopaedia Britannica ($) 
Encyclopaedia Britannica Student ($) 
Bartlett’s, Columbia, Simpson’s, and Respectfully Quoted Quotations
Merriam Webster’s Medical Dictionary
Note: A dollar sign at the end of a name indicates that access to that encyclopedia requires a subscription and may require a user name and password. If you use the subscription-based references often, you can save the user name and password in a settings file. For more information on settings, go to Chapter 12, Working with Settings.
To find an encyclopedia article:
1.	Open the Online menu and choose Use an Encyclopedia or press ALT+N+E. 
The Encyclopedia dialog opens with the cursor in the Keywords combo box.
2.	Type the keyword or phrase you want to look up. 
You can also choose keywords from the combo box list. The list contains search terms from up to your last ten searches.
3.	Press TAB or ALT+E to go to the Encyclopedia list and select the encyclopedia you want to search. 
4.	Press ENTER to begin the search.
Kurzweil 1000 opens the related article and begins reading. If there are multiple articles, Kurzweil 1000 presents the titles from which you can make a selection. You can select multiple articles from the list. Kurzweil 1000 downloads and opens each article as a separate document.
If Kurzweil 1000 is unable to find an article for your topic or if there are problems with the encyclopedia Web site, it returns an error message. 
Reference Tools Shortcut Keys
The following shortcuts are for definitions, synonyms and spelling.
CONTROL+D finds the definition of a word or phrase. This keystroke is also usable in a Synonyms lookup to switch from thesaurus to dictionary.
SHIFT+F7 finds the synonyms for a word. This keystroke is also usable in a Definitions lookup to switch from dictionary to thesaurus.
CONTROL+L spells a word. If, however, you chose to use shortcuts that emphasize format editing, use CONTROL+F12. 
SHIFT+CONTROL+L spells the word using a word alphabet.
The following shortcuts pertain to links:
CONTROL+F7 to select a link. 
SHIFT+ENTER to activate a nearby link.