Skills 1
What is the main idea of a text?
tells what the text or a section of the text is mostly about
What is the setting of a story?
Where and when the story takes place.
What does “context clues” mean?
Words or sentences around a word that help explain its meaning.
What is a character?
A person, animal, or figure in a story.
What is the problem in a story called?
a conflict
What does it mean to use text evidence?
To use details or information from the text to support an answer.
What is theme?
The lesson or message of a story.
What is text structure?
How information is organized in a text.
What is point of view?
who is telling the story
Which point of view uses the words “I” and “me”?
first person
Which text structure tells events in order?
Chronological (sequence)
Passage:
Lena tiptoed into the room. She felt nervous but tried to stay calm. She looked around carefully.
Part A: What is the point of view?
third person
What is a character trait?
A description of a character’s personality (how they think, feel, or act).
Passage:
After breaking her friend’s pencil, Ava apologized and offered to replace it. Her friend forgave her, and their friendship became stronger.
Part A: What is the theme?
A. Friends argue often
B. Pencils are important
C. Mistakes can be fixed through honesty and kindness
D. School supplies are useful
Mistakes can be fixed through honesty and kindness
What is the text structure of a passage that explains a problem and how it was fixed?
problem and solution
Passage:
Jamal helped his classmates clean up the classroom without being asked. He also shared his supplies when someone forgot theirs.
What character trait best describes Jamal?
A. Lazy
B. Selfish
C. Helpful
D. Confused
Helpful
Which text structure shows how two things are alike and different?
compare and contrast
What is an inference?
An educated guess using clues from the text and what you already know.
Prompt:
Passage:
Mia looked at her watch and started packing her books quickly. She said goodbye and rushed out of the classroom before the bell rang.
Part A: What can you infer about Mia?
A. She is late
B. She is in a hurry to leave
C. She is lost
D. She is angry
B. She is in a hurry to leave
Prompt:
Passage:
The explorer used a map to navigate the unfamiliar terrain. Without it, he would have been lost in the rugged landscape.
Part A: What does navigate mean?
A. To decorate
B. To find one’s way
C. To build
D. To hide
B. To find one’s way
Passage:
The puppy was timid, hiding behind its owner and avoiding strangers.
What does timid mean?
A. Brave
B. Shy
C. Loud
D. Angry
Shy
📖 Passage
Jaden stood at the edge of the diving board, looking down at the water below. It seemed much higher than it had from the ground. He gripped the railing tightly as other swimmers lined up behind him.
“Go ahead,” someone called.
Jaden took a small step forward, then quickly stepped back. His heart was pounding, and his palms felt sweaty. He remembered the last time he tried something new and failed. The thought made him hesitate.
From the side of the pool, his sister waved and smiled. “You can do it!” she shouted.
Jaden took a deep breath. He closed his eyes for a moment and then stepped forward again. This time, he didn’t stop. He walked to the end of the board, bent his knees, and jumped.
When he came up from the water, he heard cheering. Jaden smiled, pushing his wet hair out of his face. “That wasn’t so bad,” he said to himself.
1. Part A
What can you infer about Jaden at the beginning of the passage?
A. He is excited and confident
B. He is nervous and unsure
C. He is bored
D. He is angry
Part B:
Which detail BEST supports the answer to Part A?
A. “He smiled, pushing his wet hair out of his face.”
B.“He jumped into the water.”
C. “He gripped the railing tightly.”
D. “He heard cheering.”
Part A: B. He is nervous and unsure
Part B: C. “He gripped the railing tightly.”
City parks are more than just places to play. They provide many important benefits for people and the environment. Parks offer open spaces where families can relax, exercise, and spend time together. They also help improve air quality by providing trees and plants that clean the air.
In addition, parks create homes for animals such as birds, squirrels, and insects. These green spaces support wildlife and help keep ecosystems balanced. Parks can also reduce noise and make cities quieter and more peaceful.
Because of these benefits, many communities work hard to protect and improve their parks. Volunteers plant trees, pick up litter, and create safe spaces for everyone to enjoy. Parks play an important role in keeping cities healthy and enjoyable places to live.
1. Part A
What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Parks are places where people play sports
B. Parks provide many benefits for people, animals, and the environment
C. Parks have trees and animals
D. Volunteers work in parks
B.Parks provide many benefits for people, animals, and the environment
Every year, thousands of monarch butterflies make a long journey to warmer places. As the weather begins to cool, these butterflies travel thousands of miles from the United States and Canada to forests in Mexico. This journey is called migration.
The butterflies do not make the trip all at once. Instead, it takes several generations to complete the full migration cycle. Along the way, the butterflies stop to rest and feed on nectar from flowers. They rely on their instincts to guide them, even though they have never made the trip before.
Scientists study monarch butterflies to learn more about how they survive such a long journey. However, their population has decreased due to habitat loss and changes in climate. Because of this, people are working to protect the butterflies by planting flowers and preserving their habitats.
Which statement BEST summarizes the passage?
A. Monarch butterflies fly long distances and eat nectar.
B.Scientists study butterflies.
C. Monarch butterflies live in Mexico.
D. Monarch butterflies migrate long distances, rely on instincts, and are now being protected due to population decline.
D. Monarch butterflies migrate long distances, rely on instincts, and are now being protected due to population decline.
During science class, Ms. Carter assigned a group project. Each group had to build a model of the solar system. At first, Jordan wanted to do everything himself because he thought it would be faster. When his group members tried to help, he ignored their ideas and continued working alone.
As the class period went on, Jordan realized his model was not turning out as well as he had hoped. The pieces were uneven, and he was running out of time. He looked at his group members, who had been quietly completing their own parts.
Jordan paused and asked, “Can you help me fix this?” His group members agreed, and together they improved the model by sharing ideas and dividing the work. By the end of class, their project was complete and looked much better than Jordan’s original version. Jordan understood that working together made the task easier and more successful.
What is the theme of the passage?
A. Group projects are difficult
B. Working together leads to better results than working alone
C. Jordan likes science class
D. Models of the solar system are fun to build
B. Working together leads to better results than working alone