Author's Purpose/Text Structure
Read the following passage to determine the author's purpose.
What are those little green lights on the grass and flying in the yard? Are they monsters? Are they UFOs? No, they aren’t monsters and they aren’t UFOs. They’re fireflies. Fireflies are little insects that glow with a cool green light. If you touch one it won’t burn you. Some fireflies glow to warn other animals that they don’t taste good. Frogs, bats, and birds do not like to eat animals that glow. The glow helps keep fireflies safe. Sometimes we call fireflies glowworms. You can catch fireflies in a jar. Don’t forget to let them go again.
a) to inform the reader about Fireflies lights b) to entertain the reader with a story about funny fireflies c) to persuade the reader to conduct a science experiment about fireflies d) to describe the migration habits of fireflies
a) to inform the reader about Fireflies lights
Read the passage then answer the question: Many people wear black as a sign of mourning. In China the color for death is white. People in Turkey wear purple. But everywhere people follow special customs when someone dies.
In this paragraph mourning means a. seeing dawn b. feeling sick c. showing joy d. showing sadness
d. showing sadness
What is a theme?
A. What happens in the story B. The details the author includes in a story C. Comparisons between two characters in a story D. The lesson the author wants you to learn from a story
D. The lesson the author wants you to learn from a story
Read this passage: Sam looked through the window at the city far below. The light came on informing all those on board to fasten their seat belts. They were about to land. Where was Sam?
In an airplane
Read the passage and choose which sentence is an opinion: The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France for our 100th birthday. It was shipped to America in 350 pieces. America celebrates its independence on July 4th. Lady Liberty looks grand with her crown and torch.
Lady Liberty looks grand with her crown and torch.
Did you know that not all deserts are hot? Both hot and cold deserts are very dry, but unlike hot deserts, cold deserts have long winters when the temperatures can reach below freezing. Cold deserts also get a great deal of snow, which is certainly not true for hot deserts.
What type of text structure is being used?
A. Problem & Solution B. Descriptive
C. Compare & Contrast D. Sequence/Chronological
C. Compare & Contrast
Read the passage then answer the question: England has been ruled by monarchs for hundreds of years. The youngest was Henry VI, who became king at age one. Queen Victoria ruled the longest.
In this paragraph a synonym for monarch would be: a. a type of butterfly b. rulers c. a queen d. children
b. rulers
Read the passage: In his sophomore year of high school, Michael Jordan tried out for the varsity basketball team at Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. But at five feet and eleven inches tall, the coach believed that Jordan was too short to play at that level, so Jordan was cut from the team. Jordan didn’t let this obstacle defeat him. In fact, it pushed him to work even harder. He trained vigorously and grew another four inches the following summer. When he finally made the varsity squad, Jordan averaged 25 points a game and went on to become one of the greatest basketball players in history.
What is the theme of this story? A. If things get too hard just quit B. You need to be short to be successful C. Michael Jordan is an inspiration to all D. Never give up - Persistence pays off
D. Never give up - Persistence pays off.
Macey's mom noticed that she was squinting as she read her book, which was only a few inches away from her face. She scheduled a doctor's appointment for the next week, and when the doctor said Macey needed glasses, she tried on every single pair in the office. After spending an hour looking at glasses, mom suggested that perhaps she should sleep on it and come back and decide in the morning. Macey agreed, but she kept talking about the pros and cons of each pair all night long.
What can you infer about Macey?
A. Macey is mad at her mother B. Macey does not want glasses C. Macey is very excited about getting glasses D. Macey has trouble making decisions
D. Macey has trouble making decisions
The bee buzzed in my ear.
What type of figurative language is used in the sentence?
Onomatopoeia
Read the following passage and decide the author's purpose.
Walt Disney Without the creativity of one man, there would be no “happiest place on earth,” also known as Disneyland. Walt Disney was a creative genius who looked out on a huge orange grove and imagined building a “magic kingdom.” Disney was born in 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. As a child, he enjoyed drawing and even sold his pictures to neighbors. When he was sixteen, he joined the Red Cross and drove an ambulance in France during World War One. After the war ended, Disney started making short cartoons in Kansas City, but soon ran out of money. He decided to find his fortune in Hollywood. He came to California with a suitcase and $20 in his pocket. It was in the 1940s that Walt Disney first had his brainstorm about a fun park for families. His idea grew bigger and bigger, and he realized he needed a lot of space for his park. He wanted it to have everything—a mountain, rockets, spinning teacups, and a fairy castle!
a) to entertain the reader with the enchantment of Disney b) to inform the reader about Disney's life c) to explain how to build an amusement park d) to persuade the reader to visit Disneyland
b) to inform the reader about Disney's life
Read the passage then answer the question: Once a man checked out a book from a library. He neglected to return it. The book was finally returned by his great-grandson 145 years later. Although the fine came $2,264, the great grandson did not have to pay it.
In this paragraph neglected means a. failed b. hurried c. borrowed d. remembered
a. failed
Tammy and Sammy were both students in Mr. Morton’s reading class. Mr. Morton wasn’t too strict about deadlines, and Sammy took advantage of that. He did all of his homework in his other classes but never bothered to complete Mr. Morton’s reading assignments, figuring that he could complete them later. Tammy, on the other hand, completed each assignment Mr. Morton assigned the night that he assigned it. She had to stay up a little later, but she didn’t want to get a penalty for turning in her reading work late. Tammy knew reading was a core subject and that she had to keep “C” average for the entire year or she would have to go to summer school. When the end of the quarter came, Tammy and Sammy had both planned on going to the Enchanted Castle amusement park, but Mr. Morton called Sammy’s mother, and she grounded Sammy until he turned in all of his work. That weekend was horrible for Sammy. He stayed up until 2:00 AM each night and still couldn’t complete all of the assignments. The whole while, Tammy had a great time eating pizza at Enchanted Castle, watching movies late at night, and enjoying her weekend free of stress and pressure. At the end of the quarter, Sammy was lucky to squeak by with a “C” minus in reading while Tammy earned an “A.” Sammy still hasn’t learned his lesson and probably won’t complete this activity either.
What is the theme of this story? A. Play first, work last B. Trying your best is a waste of time C. It is better to do things right the first time D. Teachers are unfair
C. It is better to do things right the first time.
Read the passage: Sam and his brother Tim each have their own rooms. Sam likes to make his bed every morning, but Tim never makes his bed. Sam folds all his clothes before putting them away, but Tim leaves all of his clothes on the floor.
After reading the sentences above, I can infer that Sam is very messy. What 2 clues from the passage are proof that Sam is messy?
Tim leaves all of his clothes on the floor.
Tim never makes his bed.
DAILY DOUBLE!!!!
Nina raced her brother Carlos down the sidewalk. “I’m going to win!” Nina laughed, peeking back at him. Then Nina ran right into a spider web. She jumped around, screaming. “Is it on me? Get it off of me! Get the spider off of me!” Nina slapped her hair. She pulled off the sticky web. “Where’s the spider?” Nina cried. Nina swiped at her face and arms. “I think it’s crawling all over me. It must be huge! Do you see it?” She asked Carlos. “Do you see the spider?” Carlos smiled. He pointed to the sidewalk. “There’s your spider,” he said. They watched a baby spider hurry away. “And guess what.” Carlos laughed. He dashed past the finish line. “I won!”
Use Somebody... Wanted... But.... So.... Then to create a summary.
Example: Nina wanted to race her brother Carlos, but she ran into a spider web while racing. So, she screamed and tried to get the spiderweb off her while wondering if a spider was on her. Then, Nina asked Carlos where the spider is and Carlos pointed to the sidewalk as he won the race.
Mrs. Jones was worried about Marco because he often fell asleep in class. She decided to call Marco's parents to discuss the issue. During the phone call, Mrs. Jones suggested that an earlier bedtime might help Marco to get more sleep at night so that he would not need to sleep during class. Next week, Marco went to bed at an earlier bedtime and he was able to stay awake in class.
What type of text structure is being used?
A. Descriptive B. Problem & Solution
C. Cause & Effect D. Compare & Contrast
B. Problem & Solution
Read the passage then answer the question: Mustard doesn't originate in a jar. It starts out as a tiny seeds. They are inside the leaves of the mustard plant. The seeds are dried and made into powder. The powder is mixed with water and spices. This makes a spread for sandwiches.
In this paragraph originate means a. end b. continue c. begin d. heal
c. begin
Peter's parents bought a new carpet for the living room. Now, he has to take his shoes off when he enters the house. He's also not allowed to eat or drink in the living room any more. Peter's furry dog isn't allowed to play ball in there either. When his parents got the new carpet, there were lots of new rules.
The main idea of this paragraph is: a. Peter cannot go in the living room. b. Peter's parents don't like the carpet c. Peter likes to make a mess d. Peter's parents made new rules so the new carpet stays clean.
d. Peter's parents made new rules so the new carpet stays clean.
Due to their incredible force and unpredictability, floods can cause tremendous damage. They can ruin houses, roads and buildings. Floods can take down trees and cause mudslides. It often leaves mud, sand and debris behind. It can take months to clean up after a flood.
Based on what you have read, you can INFER that:
A. Cleaning up after a flood can be expensive and take time B. Floods only occur along the coast C. Hurricanes can cause a lot of damage D. After flood waters dry up, then the problem is over.
A. Cleaning up after a flood can be expensive and take time
Today more people are connected to the internet than ever before, not only at home, but also on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Many of these people now get their news from the internet rather than reading newspapers. As a consequence, many newspapers have gone out of business.
What type of text structure is being used?
A. Cause & Effect B. Problem & Solution
C. Sequence/Chronological D. Compare & Contrast
A. Cause & Effect
Read the passage then answer the question: Purple dye was rare long ago. Since it was hard to get, it costs a lot. As a result purple became the imperial color. It was only used by kings and queens.
In this paragraph imperial means a. royal b. special c. inside d. best
a. royal
Read the passage: A Dog, to whom the butcher had thrown a bone, was hurrying home with his prize as fast as he could go. As he crossed a narrow bridge, he looked down and saw his reflection in the quiet water as if in a mirror. But the greedy Dog thought he saw a real Dog carrying a bone much bigger than his own. If he had stopped to think he would have known better. But instead of thinking, he dropped his bone and sprang at the Dog in the river, only to find himself swimming for dear life to reach the shore. At last he managed to scramble out, and as he stood sadly thinking about the good bone he had lost, he realized what a foolish Dog he had been.
What is the theme?
A. Be honest B. Don't be greedy C. Always share your things with others D. Be respectful to others.
B. Don't be greedy
The toothbrush as we know it today was not invented until 1938. However, early forms of the toothbrush have been in existence since 3000 BC. Ancient civilizations used a "chew stick," which was a thin twig with a frayed end. These 'chew sticks' were rubbed against the teeth. The bristle toothbrush, similar to the type used today, was not invented until 1498 in China. The bristles were actually the stiff, coarse hairs taken from the back of a hog's neck and attached to handles made of bone or bamboo. Boar bristles were used until 1938, when nylon bristles were introduced by Dupont de Nemours. The first nylon toothbrush was called Doctor West's Miracle Toothbrush. Later, Americans were influenced by the disciplined hygiene habits of soldiers from World War II. They became increasingly concerned with the practice of good oral hygiene and quickly adopted the nylon toothbrush.
What can you infer about the nylon toothbrush?
A. It was cheaper than previous toothbrushes B. It worked better than any toothbrush before it C. It was very popular when it was invented D. It originally used animal hairs.
B. It worked better than any toothbrush before it
The sun kissed me while I was clicking a picture.
What type of figurative language is this? How do you know?
B. Metaphor
The sun (nonliving thing) is given a human-like quality (kissed)