In order to understand general ideas from a text we need to improve the range of vocabulary words you know. It will become easier to understand some meanings by identifying how they are built.
There is always a base word in which you might add a prefix (at the beginning) or a suffix (at the end)
PREFIX
auto- (automatic, autonomy). Self
trans- (transport, transmit, translate, transfer, transcribe, transfusion) To move from one place to another
contra- (contradictory, contrary, contravention) Opposite or against.
ex- (exhale, extract, expel, expand, exclude) Out of
inter- (interject, intermediate, intervene) Between
de- (defoliate, desalinate, decline, deconstruct) Removed or taken away.
sub- (substandard, subway, sub-zero) Under or less.
con-, co- and col- (converge, conflate, confluence) Combine or join
un-, in-, il-, and im- (invisible, illegal, unusual) To make an adjective into its opposite.
dis- (disqualified, dissatisfied, dissapear) To make a verb or adjective into its opposite.
tele- (telecommunications, teleworking, telescope, teleport) Far away
SUFFIX
-ic (economic, electronic, microscopic, genetic) Used to form adjectives
-ics (Economics, Genetics, Electronics) Some names of academic subjects ad an -s to form a noun.
-able (acceptable, available, usable) To transform a verb to an adjective.
ROOT
scribe (describe, transcribe, prescribe, inscribe, subscribe) Related to the act of writing
vore (herbivore, carnivore, omnivore) Something connected with diet
vorous (herbivorous, carnivorous, omnivorous) To create adjectives related to diet.
duc or dduct (reduce, abduction, induction) To lead. E.g. reduce is to lead back)
dorm (dormitory) Sleep
dom (domestic) home
dict (prediction, jurisdiction, dictatorial) To say E.g. predict means to say something before it happens
hydro (hydrophobia, dehydrate, hydrogen) Operated by pressure of water.
struct (structure, destructive, infrastructure) Build
phobia (arachnophobia, claustrophobia) Fear or extreme dislike