Test Taking Strategies
When you are unsure of the spelling or meaning of a word, what should you do?
Get a dictionary!
The place in the plot where we learn what the setting of a narrative is, meet main characters, and find out what the story is about.
The introduction/exposition.
Sarah's car was dead on the side of the road. What was she going to do? She had already gotten off to a rough start when her alarm clock had failed to go off that morning. School started in just under an hour. Suddenly, it dawned on her that she had subscribed to OnStar the month before. With the simple press of a button she was able to get help jump-starting her battery and made it to class right on time!
Problem / Solution
What is the error in this sentence?
She took the boy's cookies away, that was mean.
Comma Splice: two independent clauses were connected with a comma. To edit: replace the comma with a period, a semicolon, or add a conjunction after the comma.
How does the setting advance the plot?
What is this question asking you to do?
To choose the answer choice that explains how the setting of the story is causing the plot to move forward.
Gives characteristics or traits about a person, place, or thing.
Descriptive Texts
What is the purpose of the following passage?
Butterflies are colorful, flying insects from the Lepidoptera order. Because they are insects, they have three body parts. The three body parts are called the head, thorax, and abdomen. They also have six jointed legs, two antennae and compound eyes.
To inform
What is the error in the following sentence?
Determined to make their flight on time they rose at dawn.
Missing comma after the introductory phrase. To edit: insert a comma after "time".
When analyzing test questions, the phrase "support the claim" or "supports the idea" is asking the reader to find
Concrete Evidence
In what part of a story do we learn the main conflict?
Rising Action
Listing events or explaining steps in order.
Sequence
What would be the author's purpose when writing fiction novels?
To entertain
Correct the error in sentence 2.
(1) Martin searched for a great horned owl. (2) He takes photographs of all the birds he saw.
Change "takes" to "took"
What should be included in a body paragraph?
A topic sentence with one key point (from the thesis), cited evidence, and an explanation that explains how the key idea supports the thesis. (A.C.E.)
What is the climax (turning point) of a story?
The most intense or extreme part of a story where the action typically takes place and turns events towards their conclusion.
The summer had been extra hot with very little rain to relieve the thirsty earth. There were cracks in the ground that looked like someone might fall into. People neglected their lawns because no plant was motivated to be green or grow.
Cause / Effect
A text that is true and informational.
Expository Texts
What is missing from the following sentence?
Miranda drove her brother and her mother waited at home.
A comma between "brother" and "and" to make it a compound sentence.
How should you pick your answers?
Mark off one to two answers that you KNOW are not correct, pick the choice that best answers the questions, and then compare your answers to the text.
The events and complications begin to resolve the central conflict. The reader knows what has happened, what may happen next, and if the conflict was resolved or not.
Falling Actions
Sean and Brad are best friends. They have been going to the same school since kindergarten and have bonded over their love of sports. However, Sean's favorite sport is football while Brad prefers basketball.
Compare and Contrast
What is the purpose of the following passage?
Sandy is the absolute best candidate for student body president! She is honest, friendly and dedicated to making our school a better place. This is YOUR chance to make a positive change! VOTE SANDY IN 2017!
To persuade
Edit the following sentence.
An award-winning 2009 study of friendship "understanding social networks allows us to understand how indeed, in the case of humans, the whole comes to be greater than the sum of its parts" (Christakis and Fowler 26).
After the word "friendship," a word like "states" must be added and a comma must follow the word "states".