Reading Skills
Define connotation.
a conclusion you make using evidence + what you already know.
What is the exposition of a story?
Exposition introduces characters, setting, and the situation.
What is author’s purpose? (Pick one: to inform, to entertain, to persuade.)
Author’s purpose = the reason the author wrote it (to inform/entertain/persuade).
Define connotation.
Connotation = feelings/associations a word suggests
What does CER stand for?
Claim, Evidence, Reasoning
What’s the difference between an inference and a guess?
Guess = no evidence; inference = supported by text evidence.
Put in order: climax, rising action, resolution, exposition.
Exposition → Rising Action → Climax → Resolution
What does it mean to summarize a text?
Summarize = tell the most important events/ideas briefly in your own words.
What’s the difference between denotation and connotation?
Denotation = dictionary meaning; connotation = emotional meaning.
What makes a claim arguable (not just a fact)?
It can be argued and supported with evidence; not universally true.
Name two sentence starters that help you cite evidence.
“According to the text…,” “This shows…,” “On page/line… it states…,” “The author writes…”
What is conflict? Name one type (person vs. ___).
Conflict = struggle; types include person vs. self, person vs. person, person vs. society, person vs. nature, person vs. technology
What’s the difference between a summary and an opinion?
Summary = what happened/what the text says; opinion = what you think/feel about it
Identify the figurative language: “The screen screamed with color.”
Personification (screen “screamed”).
What does strong evidence look like in a paragraph?
Specific quote/paraphrase/example that directly supports claim.
You make a claim. What must you add to make it stronger and more accurate?
Add specific evidence (quote/paraphrase) + reasoning.
What does theme mean (not the same as topic)?
Theme = message/lesson about life; topic = subject.
What is text structure? Name one structure (chronological, cause/effect, compare/contrast, problem/solution).
Text structure = how the author organizes ideas; examples: chronological, cause/effect, compare/contrast, problem/solution.
Explain how imagery can affect mood.
Imagery = language that creates a sensory picture; example: “The cold air stung my cheeks.”
What does reasoning do (and what should it connect)?
Explains how/why evidence proves the claim; connects evidence to claim.
Explain how context clues can help you infer the meaning of an unfamiliar word.
Use surrounding words/sentences (examples, synonyms, antonyms) to infer meaning.
What is the climax of a story, and how is it different from the resolution?
Climax = the most intense turning point/peak problem moment; resolution = how the conflict is wrapped up/ended.
Explain how a text’s structure can help a reader understand the main idea.
Structure helps you track ideas/events and see relationships (what caused what, what problem was solved, how two things compare).
What is an idiom? Use this idiom correctly in a sentence: “It’s not rocket science.”
Idiom = a common phrase that doesn’t mean exactly what the words say; “It’s not rocket science” = it’s not that hard.
Fix this weak claim by making it specific: “Technology is bad.”
Example: “Overusing social media can harm friendships because it replaces face-to-face conversations with shallow interactions.”