Text Structures
This type of writing considers similarities and differences.
Compare and Contrast
What is the main idea of the passage below?
“The rainforest is home to many creatures. Monkeys, toucans and macaws live in the rainforest. Butterflies and anteaters also live in the rainforest.”
The rainforest is home to many creatures
Claim is . . .
A point you are arguing or a conclusion that you draw from facts.
When the author uses bad or incorrect logic, it is . . .
Faulty Reasoning
Shows where places/ events are located.
Map
What type of text structure uses the keywords below?
first, next, finally, 8:30, after
Chronological or Sequential Order
What is the main idea of the passage below?
“The students went on a field trip. They Visited the Marine Museum. They were able to tour a tug boat and they bought souvenirs in the gift shop. After the tours they ate a picnic lunch in the park and played with their friends.”
The students had fun on their field trip.
"Dora the Explorer is an education T.V. show for kids."
The statement above is an example of a . . .
Claim
When the writer supports a claim with restatements of the same claim.
EX: John is a wonderful write because he writes so well.
Circular Reasoning
What are the following?
Facts
Opinions
Statistics
Examples
Evidence
What type of structure did the author use for the text below?
Beagles are medium-sized members of the hound family. Beagles generally make good pets because they are intelligent, good-natured, and good with children. Beagles are also quite playful and need a great deal of exercise.
Description
Which sentence below does NOT support the main idea?
“Maria offered to help her mother clean the house. She vacuumed the living room and dusted the furniture. She picked up the toys in the playroom. She ate a ham sandwich for lunch. Then, she mopped the kitchen floor.”
She ate a ham sandwich for lunch.
The Counter Claim to "Video games will help us improve as a society." is . . .
Video games will hurt us and be the downfall of society.
What is overgeneralization?
The write reached a conclusion from a limited number of facts.
Which sentence does not support the overall idea?
“Winter provides the opportunity for many outdoor activities. Many people enjoy ice skating on a pond. Swimming in the pond when it's hot can also be fun. Skiing can be a thrilling experience too. After a new snowfall, you can even build a snowman!”
Swimming in the pond when it's hot can also be fun.
What structure does the author use to organize the text?
The dodo bird used to roam in large flocks across America. Interestingly, the dodo wasn’t startled by gun shot. Because of this, frontiersmen would kill entire flocks in one sitting. Unable to sustain these attacks, the dodo was hunted to extinction.
Cause and Effect
What is the overall idea of the passage below?
“The Native Americans used the trees to build their houses. They hunted and trapped animals in the forest for food. They found roots and berries that they could eat. Some plants found in the forest were used for medicine.”
Native Americans used resources in the forest to survive.
Which of the following sentences is an opinion?
The minimum driving age in the United States should be raised from sixteen to eighteen years old. Sixteen-year-olds are not mature enough to handle the responsibility of driving. The brains of teens this age are still developing. According the the National Highway Safety Administration, the rate of crashes for 16-year old drivers is almost ten times higher than the rate of crashes for drivers between the age of 20-35
Sixteen-year-olds are not mature enough to handle the responsibility of driving.
Our house was burglarized right after the new family moved in next door.
False Causality
My head felt like it was splitting open.
What type of figurative language is being used above?
Hyperbole
What structure is being used below?
Dr. Knapp doesn’t want people to sit back and let the toad vanish. He believes that everyone is responsible for restoring the toad species. One of Dr. Knapp's solution is that we stop mowing parts of our lawns and let the grass grow wild to reserve space for the toad. He also believes we need to stop using pesticides and fertilizers. The chemicals kill the insects that toads eat. If we preserve some spaces in our lawns and stop using fertilizers, Dr. Knapp believes we can save the toads.
Problem and Solution
What is the implied idea of the passage?
“Swimming is one thing that can be done at the beach. Snorkeling is another thing that can be enjoyed. Playing beach volleyball can be a lot of fun. It is also fun to look for shells. Some people simply like to sunbathe.”
There are a variety of things you can do at the beach.
Which of the following sentences is a fact?
The minimum driving age in the United States should be raised from sixteen to eighteen years old. Sixteen-year-olds are not mature enough to handle the responsibility of driving. The brains of teens this age are still developing. According the the National Highway Safety Administration, the rate of crashes for 16-year old drivers is almost ten times higher than the rate of crashes for drivers between the age of 20-35
The brains of teens this age are still developing.
The cause of the Civil War was slavery
Over Simplification
What are the 3 descriptive words from the statement below?
The rain had stopped. The storm still rumbled, but only in the distance. I smelled live livestock and my knees were shaking.
Rumbled
Livestock
Shaking