Main Idea
ELA Vocab
8th Grade Skills
Text Dependent Questions
8th Grade Writing
100
When a narrator uses "I, Me," it is written in this perspective
What is First Person
100
words that mean the same as another are called
What is synonym?
100
The term used to make an educated guess based on evidence
What is inference
100
What is a thesis statement and where does it go in your essay?
Tells the reader what they will read about, it has the claim and two-three things you will write about, its one sentence only and it is the last sentence in your introduction paragraph
100
****DAILY DOUBLE *****
What is the part of the essay that acknowledges the opposite opinion and attempts to disprove it?
Counterclaim
200
Publishing Doctor Zhivago
Boris Pasternak's 1956 novel Doctor Zhivago tells the story of a Russian doctor living at the time of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which led to the establishment of the Soviet Union. Because the book dealt with hardships people faced after the revolution, publishers in the Soviet Union refused to release it, calling it anti-Soviet. Pasternak's solution was to have the book smuggled out of the Soviet Union and published in Europe. Though Soviet authorities tried to prevent it, the book was published in Italy in 1957 and was immediately well received. In 1958, it was translated into English and went on to become one of the most popular novels of the 1950s.
What is the main, or central, idea of the passage?
A. Dr. Zhivago showed the problems that Russians faced following the Russian Revolution, so it was considered anti-Soviet.
B. Boris Pasternak couldn't get his book Dr. Z published in the Soviet Union, so he had the book smuggled out of the country.
The main, or central, idea of the passage is B. Boris Pasternak couldn't get his book Doctor Zhivago published in the Soviet Union, so he had the book smuggled out of the country.
Some details are about how publishers in the Soviet Union refused to print Pasternak's book. Other details are about how Pasternak responded to this challenge. This suggests that the main idea involves both the problem of the book being banned as well as how the problem was addressed.
200
Words that mean the opposite of another are called
Antonyms
200
The words and phrases around a difficult word to help the reader determine meaning. Gives us hints and helps us to better understand.
What is context clues
200
RI.CS.4
Heidi, climbing on a chair, took down the dusty book from a shelf. After she had carefully wiped it off, she sat down on a stool.
2 “What shall I read, grandmother?”
3 “Whatever you want to,” was the reply. Turning the pages, Heidi found a song about the sun, and decided to read that aloud. More and more eagerly she read, while the grandmother, with folded arms, sat in her chair. . . . When Heidi had repeated the end of the song a number of times, the old woman exclaimed: “Oh, Heidi, everything seems bright to me again and my heart is light. Thank you, child, you have done me so much good.”
4 Heidi looked enraptured at the grandmother’s face, which had changed from an old, sorrowful expression to a joyous one.
What does the word eagerly mean as it is used in paragraph 3?
A. in an excited way
B. with a quiet voice
C. at a hurried pace
D. in a shy tone
B. with a quiet voice
200
What are the 3 modes of writing and give an important detail to distinguish between them.
1. Narrative - tells a story
2. Informative/Explanatory - explain or gives details on a topic
3. Argumentative - states a claim with reasons and provides a counterclaim
300
Over the past two decades, social media has significantly altered the way people interact. While some experts argue that it enhances communication by making it faster and more accessible, others warn that it can lead to a decline in face-to-face interactions. A 2021 study found that teens who spend more than three hours a day on social media report feeling more isolated than those who spend less time online.
What is one explicit effect of social media mentioned in the passage?
A. It helps people improve their memory.
B. It always improves relationships.
C. It can reduce face-to-face interactions.
D. It increases outdoor activities.
C. It can reduce face-to-face interactions.
300
To mark up the text with notes, questions, or other things that help you understand the text
What is annotate?
300
A reference to something with historical, cultural, literary, or political importance.
Allusion
300
RI.CS.4
Once affected, a single tree became a spore-producing blight factory, infecting its neighbors. Spores hitched a ride on the wind. Insects and birds picked up blight spores on their wings and legs, and carried the disease to distant forests. The blight raced across the Appalachian range at an average rate of 50 miles a year. Within eight years, it swept New England.
In paragraph 8, how does the phrase “spore-producing blight factory” help the reader understand the fungus?
M. It explains how the fungus originated.
P. It indicates how fast the fungus could spread.
R. It illustrates how the spores moved from tree to tree.
P. It indicates how fast the fungus could spread.
explanation - the author is comparing the tree to a factory to show the massive scale and efficiency of spore production, suggesting that the fungus spreads very rapidly once a tree is infected.
300
This sentence outlines your entire essay. What are the possible names of this word.
50 bonus points for the third name!!
Thesis statement, Claim statement
Bonus - Main Argument or Central Idea statement
400
Maya stood outside the classroom door, gripping her presentation notes. Her hands trembled slightly, and she could hear her classmates laughing inside. She had spent hours preparing, but doubt crept in like a slow fog. "You can do this," she whispered. As she stepped inside, she raised her chin just a bit higher, determined to face her fear.
Which sentence best shows Maya’s determination?
A. “Her hands trembled slightly…”
B. “You can do this,” she whispered.
C. “She had spent hours preparing…”
D. “She could hear her classmates laughing inside.”
B. “You can do this,” she whispered.
400
What the text is mostly about is known as the _______ ________ of the text.
Central Idea
400
What is the role of the conclusion paragraph?
Restates what the entire essay covered; leaves the reader with a final thought.
400
Punctuation
Nathaniel tightened the laces on his left skate and used his hockey stick for balance as he climbed to his feet. Eyeing the practice goal at the far end of the frozen pond he slipped a puck from his coat pocket and dropped it to the ice.
Which change, if any, is needed to the underlined text?
M. Eyeing the practice goal, at the far end of the frozen pond he, slipped
P. Eyeing the practice goal, at the far end of the frozen pond he slipped
R. Eyeing the practice goal at the far end of the frozen pond, he slipped
S. No change
R. Eyeing the practice goal at the far end of the frozen pond, he slipped
Explanation - the comma (,) goes after the dependent clause. Without it, it's a run-on sentence.
400
Whatshould be included in the first paragraph of your essay?
Hook
Background Information
Thesis or Claim statement
500
A penny for your thoughts? If it’s a 1943 copper penny, it could be worth as much as fifty thousand dollars. In 1943, most pennies were made out of steel since copper was needed for World War II, so the 1943 copper penny is ultra-rare. If it’s not in use, it’d easily get $25,000 at an auction. Now that’s a pretty penny!
What is the main idea?
A. All pennies are worth a lot in value
B. Some older pennies are rare and worth a lot of money
C. The value of a penny has increased
D. Pennies are shiny!
B. Some older pennies are rare and worth a lot of money
500
A direct comparison to something that DOES NOT USE like or as.
Metaphor
500
What is the most interesting part of the story referred to as?
The Climax
500
RL.3
Mr. Weston was a man of unexceptionable character, easy fortune, suitable age, and pleasant manners; and there was some satisfaction in considering with what self-denying, generous friendship she had always wished and promoted the match; but it was a black morning’s work for her.
What does this sentence reveal about Emma’s character?
M. She is jealous of her friend’s marriage.
P. She thinks her friend has made a mistake.
R. She is determined to remain close to her friend.
S. She feels she has sacrificed for her friend’s happiness.
S. She feels she has sacrificed for her friend’s happiness.
Explanation - The sentence states, "...there was some satisfaction in considering with what self-denying, generous friendship she had always wished and promoted the match; but it was a black morning’s work for her." Emma acted in a way that put her friend's happiness first, even if it meant some personal cost or sadness for herself
500
What should you do at the beginning of each paragraph of your essay?
Indent
Capitalize the first word of each sentence
600
Have you ever wondered how the 50 states got their names?Many of those the Native Americans gave to the area. Hawaii is theword for “homeland”. Missouri means “river of the big canoes.”Michigan means “great water.” Ohio means “good river.” Otherstates names are based on the English language. Indiana stands for“land of Indians.” King George named Georgia. Maine is short for“mainland.” New Hampshire was named for a settler’s home inEngland. The reasons behind some names aren’t clear. Rhode Islandwas named after a Greek island. Texas mean “friends” in Spanish. California was named after a made-up place in a story.
What is the central idea?
A.The reason behind some states’ names aren’t clear.
B.Almost every state was named by Native Americans.
C.You can see the English influence in most of the states’ names.
D.States’ names come from Native American words, English words, and other places.
D.States’ names come from Native American words, English words, and other places.
600
What does the word tenacious mean in the following sentence:
Even though Jackson was smaller than his other teammates, his tenacious attitude allowed him to accomplish as much as they did.
extremely persistent; never giving up or letting anyone get in his way
600
What does the word gnarled mean?
rough, crooked, twisted, bent
600
Here’s the curiosity: You can still find American chestnut trees. A few escaped the blight, and hang on. In North Carolina, several hundred mature chestnuts still stand, but their future is precarious. And throughout the high country, young trees are fairly common. You can find them along the Appalachian Trail, in sunny clearings along the Blue Ridge Parkway, in state parks and private woodlots. One of the more insidious aspects to chestnut blight was that its cankers choked the trees to death down to the ground but left stumps and roots grasping tenuously to life. All these years later, these ancient stumps still sprout. The young trees shoot for the sky, saw-toothed leaves catching the sun, by every indication a sapling on the way to grand stature. It is a short-lived exuberance. The rare tree might grow large enough to produce a few flowers and prickly seed burs, but chestnut blight fungus still lives in the bark of blight-resistant oaks and ash. It infects and kills most young chestnuts before they are more than a few inches in diameter.
In paragraph 13, the author states that the chestnut trees’ “future is precarious.” Which detail in paragraph 13 supports this claim?
A. “Here’s the curiosity: You can still find American chestnut trees.”
B. “And throughout the high country, young trees are fairly common.”
C. “It infects and kills most young chestnuts before they are more than a few inches in diameter.”
RI.IKI.8
C. “It infects and kills most young chestnuts before they are more than a few inches in diameter.”
Explanation - Option C directly addresses the threat to the trees' future by stating that the blight "infects and kills most young chestnuts". This indicates that despite new trees sprouting, they are unlikely to survive.
600
What type of writing is required from this prompt?
Narrative Writing