A theory of the components of verbal intelligence is developed and tested in this series of experiments. After reviewing alternative theoretical frameworks for understanding verbal intelligence, a componential theory of verbal comprehension is proposed. This theory specifies the information-processing components, context cues, and mediating variables underlying acquisition of word meanings from context. A number of experiments testing and supporting the theory are described, including experiments involving both internal and external context. Subjects include high school students, college students, and adults. Instructional experiments are also described. It is concluded that the theory is well supported by the data, and that it can serve as a useful basis for training people in how to learn word meanings from context. When the theory is extended to novel kinds of concepts as well, it is shown that the learning of novel concepts involves an interaction between linguistic and conceptual unfamiliarity. Experiments on causal inference involving verbal versus symbolic-abstract materials show that although a core of logical operations is applied to both verbal and abstract materials, special processes are involved when people reason about meaningful verbal materials. A list of other publications from 1982-1985 supported wholly or in part by this contract is also included. (Author/GDC)