Nonfiction vocabulary
The way a text is organized; common examples of this would be cause and effect, problem and solution, and/or chronological order
Text structure
The lesson of a story
Theme
"This one's mine," Ari whispered as she fitted her arrow to her bowstring.
"Not if I get it first," Raj replied, swiftly drawing his bow, aiming, and releasing. The arrow flew straight and—POP!
Raj smiled broadly as a barrage of arrows from the other archers rushed toward the target, seconds too late."
What is the meaning of barrage as used in the passage?
A. lack or absence
B. Fragment or piece
C. Burst or flurry
C. Burst or flurry
"In the 1950s, there was great societal pressure on women to stay at home and raise children. Many women enjoyed doing so, but for others home was a prison they yearned to escape."
What type of figurative language is included in this quote?
A. Personification
B. Hyperbole
C. Simile
D. Metaphor
D. Metaphor
Read the source of the allusion:
In Greek mythology, the gods send Pandora a box and instruct her never to open it. Curiosity overcomes Pandora and she opens it, unleashing evil into the world.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
Reopening the investigation would be like opening Pandora's box.
It would become a source of many problems or issues.
The author's main message in a nonfiction text (especially an argumentative/persuasive text)
Central claim
How the reader feels
Mood
The word barrage means "burst or flurry." When might a teacher most likely receive a barrage of questions from his students?
A. After dismissing the class early so they can make it to the field trip buses on time
B. After distributing new textbooks at the beginning of the school year
C. After introducing a new project with confusing and complicated guidelines
C. After introducing a new project with confusing and complicated guidelines
"The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there."
- L.P. Hartley, The Go-Between
What type of figurative language is included in this quote?
A. Idiom
B. Metaphor
C. Simile
D. Personification
B. Metaphor
Read the source of the allusion:
The novella A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, tells the story of the penny-pinching and bitter Ebenezer Scrooge, who values money more than people.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below:
Mr. Clarke has a reputation as a Scrooge, so our club has stopped asking him for donations.
He will not give any money to the club; he is not a generous person.
The overall feeling that a word evokes, rather than the word's definition
Connotation
How the author feels
Tone
"Brush fire on the hillside! It's spreading fast!" Uncle Vince shouted frantically over the clanging sound of the alarm. His voice was high-pitched and wild, lacking its usual composure.
As the engine sped off with Uncle Vince and the rest of the crew, I thought, Everyday heroes. Just doing their jobs."
What is the meaning of composure as used in the passage?
A. Calmness
B. Disappointment
C. Distress
A. Calmness
"So we beat on . . . borne back ceaselessly into the past."
—F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
What type of figure of speech is used in this text?
A. Alliteration
B. Simile
C. Hyperbole
D. Juxtaposition
A. Alliteration
Read the source of the allusion:
Don Quixote is the main character in Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra's novel of the same name. Quixote cannot see the world as it truly is; in his overly romanticized view, inns are castles and windmills are giants.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
The mayoral candidate was widely viewed as quixotic, so it was no surprise that he lost by a substantial margin.
He was so idealistic that he did not see the campaign as it truly was.
What a nonfiction text is mainly about
Main idea
This term describes sensory details that are meant create an image of something in the reader's mind
Imagery
The word composure means "calmness." How might a person show composure during an argument?
A. By interrupting and insulting the other person
B. By making a rude comment and walking away
C. By listening patiently and not yelling
C. By listening patiently and not yelling
"In May 2014, when wildfires threatened parts of San Diego County in California, firefighters worked around the clock in an effort to control the blaze."
What figure of speech is used in this text?
A. Simile
B. Personification
C. Metaphor
D. Idiom
D. Idiom
Read the source of the allusion:
The character Pollyanna, from Eleanor Porter's children's book, is a young girl who finds good in everything and everyone.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
"Colleen is such a Pollyanna!" Dean announced with a sigh.
She is an overly optimistic person; she always sees the good in everything.
Three appeals that an author can use to help convince a reader to be on his/her side. They appeal to logic, ethics, and emotions.
Logos, Ethos, and Pathos
A type of characterization that is made from a reader's inferences of the text; these traits are not said directly but implied
Indirect Characterization
Which sentence uses composure correctly?
A. Tara thought the cat she found was a stray, but it turned out that he has composure.
B. Even after the toddler pulled his tail, the cat kept his composure and simply walked away.
C. The cat was a rare composure that is usually only found in Germany, France, and Italy.
B. Even after the toddler pulled his tail, the cat kept his composure and simply walked away.
He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
Close to the sun in lonely lands . . .
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson, "The Eagle"
What figure of speech is used in this text?
A. Idiom
B. Alliteration
C. Metaphor
D. Personification
B. Alliteration
Read the source of the allusion below:
In the Bible, Jesus counsels his followers to resist retaliation. He says that if they are struck on the right cheek, they shouldn't lash out; instead, they should turn the other cheek toward their attacker.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below?
Much to our shock, Darnell chose to turn the other cheek when Mona insulted him in a meeting.
He did not respond in a mean or aggressive way.