Test Taking Strategies
Explain why it is helpful to underline or highlight keywords in a question.
It helps you focus on exactly what the question is asking and what to look for in the text.
Read the sentence:
"The sun set behind the mountains, casting a golden glow over the valley."
What does the phrase "casting a golden glow over the valley" describe? How does it help the reader understand the setting?
The phrase "casting a golden glow over the valley" describes the light from the sun as it sets, creating a vivid image of the setting. It helps the reader understand the time of day (sunset) and the mood (peaceful, warm) of the scene, contributing to the overall atmosphere of the setting.
What is the subject of a sentence?
The person, place, or thing doing the action.
What is one thing every strong narrative should include?
Answers may include: a clear setting, a conflict, character development, or descriptive details.
What is the subject in this sentence: “The girl with the red hat walked home”?
"The girl"
What should you do if you don’t know the answer to a question?
Eliminate wrong choices and make your best guess.
What is the theme of a story?
The main message or lesson the author wants to show.
Fix the sentence: “She don’t like pizza.”
"She doesn’t like pizza."
How do you begin a literary analysis essay?
With an introduction that includes a clear claim or thesis and mentions the texts.
Name two ways to tell if a source is reliable for research.
Examples: It has an author, it’s from a trusted organization, it’s up to date.
What is one strategy you can use to stay focused during a long reading passage?
Answers may include: chunking the text, annotating, summarizing after each paragraph.
What is the difference between first-person and third-person point of view?
First-person uses "I," third-person uses "he/she/they."
Rewrite this sentence to correct the punctuation: “I like dogs cats and turtles.”
“I like dogs, cats, and turtles.”
Explain why transitions are important in writing.
They help ideas flow clearly and show relationships between parts of your writing.
What’s one reason authors use figurative language?
To create imagery or add emotion to writing.
Describe a strategy for dealing with a difficult word in a passage.
Use context clues, reread surrounding sentences, or break the word into parts (prefix, root, suffix).
How can you identify the central idea of an informational text?
Look for repeated ideas or focus of the paragraphs.
What is a fragment?
An incomplete sentence missing a subject or verb.
What is one way to make your explanation stronger in an essay?
Add specific text evidence and explain how it supports your claim or point.
What does it mean to “infer” something from a text?
To use clues and background knowledge to figure something out that isn’t directly stated.
Explain why using text evidence makes your answer stronger.
It proves your answer is based on the text and not just your opinion, showing understanding and support.
Describe how an author can develop a character throughout a story.
Through actions, dialogue, thoughts, and how they respond to conflict or change over time.
"Him and me was going to the store after school."
What needs to be changed in this sentence, and why? (Hint: two changes need to be made.)
The pronouns and the verb are incorrect. The correct subject pronouns should be "He and I" (not "Him and me"), and the verb should be "were" (not "was") to match the plural subject.
What are the key differences between a narrative, literary analysis, and research essay?
Narrative tells a story; literary analysis explains ideas about a text using evidence; research explains a topic using facts from sources.
Explain how a reader can tell the difference between a theme and a main idea in a passage.
A theme is the message or lesson the author wants the reader to learn; it is usually not stated directly and applies beyond the story. A main idea is what the passage is mostly about and is often stated directly in nonfiction texts. The main idea is specific to that text, while a theme is more universal.