Central Idea
8RI2
8RI2
What is the best definition of THEME?
A - A universal truth, moral, or idea that the author wants to express.
B -The location and time of the story
C - The events that occur in the story
D - The author's reason for writing a story
A universal truth, moral, or idea that the author wants to express.
Turn over a bag of potato chips. Is the label interesting? A simple food recipe may use several ingredients. These come from the soil and from chemistry labs around the world. Surprises also show up in the labels on clothing and other products. Look at the label on a package of lipstick. The tube seems small and shiny, but inside lipstick there is soap, oil, fish scales, and wax!
A -
A - bag of potato chips seems like a simple recipe. There are many ingredients from the soil and from chemistry labs.
B - Labels show what goes into food, clothing, and other products. A simple product may have many ingredients.
C - Clothes and other products have many ingredients as well. Lipstick alone has soap, oil, wax, and fish scales
D - Lipstick seems small and shiny. Look at the label sometime. It has at least four different ingredients.
B -
Labels show what goes into food, clothing, and other products. A simple product may have many ingredients.
What is a theme?
A - topic/subject + message = theme
B - topic of the story
C - life lesson, meaning, moral, or meaning about life or human nature communicated by a literary work
D - the reason why an authors writes
C - life lesson, meaning, moral, or meaning about life or human nature communicated by a literary work
When determining a theme, the reader should first consider...
A - the illustrations
B - the subject or topic
C - the title
D - the length of the story
B - the subject of topic
What is a claim?
A - The main statement in an essay
B - The main argument in an essay
C - The opposite of the main idea in an essay
D - The proof in an essay
B - The main argument in an essay
It is important to buy books for the library. Kids will have more opportunities to read. They can save money by checking out books. Plus, the school will not have to wait as long to read our favorite book!
Which sentence is the claim?
A - It is important to buy books for the library.
B - They can save money by checking out books.
C - Kids will have more opportunities to read.
D - Plus, the school will not have to wait as long to read our favorite book!
A - It is important to buy books for the library.
Why do author's write?
Persuade, Inform, Entertain
Have you ever wished you could contact all of your friends at once? Wouldn’t it be convenient to send a note to all your friends at the same time, rather than contacting each person individually? Download the FriendChat app today for your smartphone! In just minutes, you’ll be able to send messages to all your friends simultaneously. For only $1.99, you can save yourself a lot of time!
A - Inform
B - Entertain
C - Persuade
C - Persuade
What does the central idea of a story tell the reader?
A - A specific detail from the story
B - The conflict of the story
C - What the story is about
D - The universal truth, moral, or idea the author wants to express
C - What the story is about
"I hate the idea of having all those people out there watching me...I just don't like it when I'm around so many people. I wish I just could hide somewhere," whispered Violet.
What can you infer about Violet?
A - She is energetic
B - She is shy
C - She is mean
D - She hates people
B - She is shy
A theme should be a statement, not just one word.
True or False
True
One way you could figure out the theme is to...
A - Skim through the story
B - Just read the beginning of the story
C - Think about what the character has learned
D - Read the ending of the story
C - Think about what the character has learned
What do you always need to support your claim?
A - Reasoning & a thesis
B - Reasoning & counterclaims
C - Evidence & counterclaims
D - Evidence & reasoning
D - Evidence & reasoning
Steve Jobs created innovative electronics such as the iPod, Phone, iPad, and Mac computers. He has built a reputation for his products, selling nearly 575,000,000 iPhones alone. Apples sells best electronics out there!
Which sentence is the claim?
A - Steve Jobs created innovative electronics such as the iPod, Phone, iPad, and Mac computers.
B - He has built a reputation for his products, selling nearly 575,000,000 iPhones alone.
C - Apples sells best electronics out there!
C - Apples sells best electronics out there!
When an author is writing to persuade, what are they trying to do?
They are trying to get / convince you to do something
Building a bird house is a relatively simple task. Begin by cutting your wood to size, according to the pattern you’ve chosen. Before cutting, be sure to measure each pattern twice to ensure you are cutting the wood to the correct length.
A - Explain
B - Inform
C - Persuade
A - Explain
Which one of the following is NOT a part of a summary?
A - using your own words
B - summary being shorter than the text
C - exact words from the text
D - including main ideas or events only
C - exact words from the text
Mark wanted to be a great skater. But he didn't want to spend the hours practicing. He wished he could just do the tricks easily. Mark's dream was to have everyone stop and stare when he entered the skate park. He wanted them to say, "Mark is the best skater in the whole world."
What is the objective summary?
A - Mark wants to learn how to skate so he can compete.
B - Mark wants everyone to think he's a great skater without doing the hard work.
C - Mark is the best skater at the park.
D - Mark practices very hard to become a great skater.
B - Mark wants everyone to think he's a great skater without doing the hard work.
A story's main theme might be difficult to figure out because:
A - Authors rarely want the reader to figure it out
B - It has little to do with plot, characters, and other story elements
C - Only complicated, adult stories have themes
D - It is rarely stated explicitly
D - It is rarely stated explicitly
Which of the following is an example of THEME?
A - Carry your laptops with two hands at all times.
B - Cereal is the healthiest food you can eat.
C - How much wood a woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood.
D - Life is short; make the most of it.
D - Life is short; make the most of it.
Statements that address opposing viewpoints.
A - counterclaims
B - rebuttals
C - Claims
D - Arguments
A - Counterclaims
Over 75% of today's teens have a social media account. Our way of communication has shifted towards interacting over the internet rather than face-to-face. Social media is ruining many friendships today, and we need to change this.
Which sentence is the claim?
A - Over 75% of today's teens have a social media account.
B - Over 75% of today's teens have a social media account.
C - Social media is ruining many friendships today, and we need to change this.
C - Social media is ruining many friendships today, and we need to change this.
When an author is writing to inform you, they are trying to....
Give you information or teach you facts
Today, it is not uncommon to see women wearing high-heeled shoes. However, the first high-heeled shoes were actually made for men back in the 1500s. The heels helped soldiers keep their feet in the stirrups of their saddles as they rode into battle.
A - Persuade
B - Inform
C - Entertain
B - Inform
What is the main difference between THEME and CENTRAL IDEA.
A - Theme is a universal lesson and main idea is what a story is about.
B -Theme is what a story is about and main idea is the universal lesson it teaches.
A - Theme is a universal lesson and main idea is what a story is about.
Rosa Parks has been called the "mother of the civil rights movement." She is one of the most important people of the 20th century. In December of 1955, she refused to give up her seat on a city bus to a white passenger. The bus driver had her arrested. She was sent to court. She was found guilty of breaking the law.
Her act sparked a boycott of the bus system by blacks. Blacks refused to use the buses for more than a year. The boycott introduced the country to a man named Martin Luther King, Jr. People all over the country came to know King. Soon, the U.S. Supreme Court made segregation on city buses against the law.
Over the next forty years, Rosa Parks helped make Americans aware of the history of the civil rights struggle. She earned many honors, including the Martin Luther King Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize. She is an example of courage and strength. She inspires all Americans to live free.
A -
Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a city bus to a white passenger.
B -
The boycott introduced the country to a man named Martin Luther King, Jr.
C -
Rosa Parks was sent to court. She was found guilty of breaking the law.
D - Rosa Parks is an example of courage and strength. She inspires all Americans to live free.
A - Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a city bus to a white passenger.
How do you support the validity of a theme?
A - text evidence
B - summarizing
C - Using the plot
A - Text evidence
She sobbed for hours trying to think of a way out of having to tell her father she wrecked her new car. After stewing over it for quite some time, she called her father on his cell phone. "Thank you," he said. What is the theme?
A - Sometimes crying is good for you.
B - It's important to be honest.
C - Driving a car is a big responsibility.
D - Experiencing loss/grief is difficult.
B - It's important to be honest.
What is a rebuttal?
A - Evidence
B - Words used to make paragraphs flow smoothly
C - Support for the counterclaim
D - A response to the counterclaim that weakens the opposing view
D - A response to the counterclaim that weakens the opposing view
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria first opened in 1971. They sell deep-dish pizza. In 2011, Lou Malnati opened their biggest pizzeria in Chicago. Even though there are several restaurants that sell pizza, Lou Malnati's is the best. They will continue to serve pizza lovers.
A - Lou Malnati's Pizzeria first opened in 1971.
B - In 2011, Lou Malnati opened their biggest pizzeria in Chicago.
C - Even though there are several restaurants that sell pizza, Lou Malnati's is the best.
D - They will continue to serve pizza lovers.
C - Even though there are several restaurants that sell pizza, Lou Malnati's is the best.
When an author writes to entertain, they are trying to...
Make you enjoy the story by keeping the reader's attention
Do you carpool to school? Do you take a bus? It should be a requirement for everyone to either share a ride or walk to school every day. If we are serious about saving the planet, we must take steps to conserve energy and reduce fossil fuel emissions.
A - Persuade
B - Inform
C - Entertain
A - Persuade
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.
If you are feeling sad, you can make yourself feel better by doing a few simple things. You can take a walk (or get another form of exercise), you can talk to a friend, or you can write down your feelings. Writing down the good things in your life will help too. Doing something good for someone else will also help you feel better. If you still feel a little sad, act happy. It works like magic to make you feel better!
What is the central idea?
A - Sometimes people feel sad.
B - We're not always happy.
C - You should do good things for others.
D - There are many ways to make yourself feel better.
D - There are many ways to make yourself feel better.
You can often infer the theme of a piece of literature by ...
A - evaluating how a character has changed
B - sharing a character's experience
C - determining how the conflict has resolved
D - ALL of the above
D - All of the above
The Tanner put some animal hides in the bottom of a stream to soak. Several hungry dogs noticed the hides but realized that the water was so deep that they couldn't reach the hides from the bank. So they came up with a plan. They decided to drink the water from the river until it uncovered the hides.
All of the dogs began drinking the water as quickly as they could. Regardless of their effort, the water remained as high as ever. They drank and they drank and they drank until they burst.
Which piece of evidence supports the theme?
"Regardless of their effort, the water remained as high as ever."
Rebuttals come before the counterclaim.
True or False
False
Abraham Lincoln gave a famous speech, the Gettysburg Address in 1863. It was one of the best-known speeches given in American history. Abraham Lincoln believed in equality when he said, "...proposition that all men are created".
Which sentence is the claim?
A - Abraham Lincoln gave a famous speech, the Gettysburg Address in 1863.
B - It was one of the best-known speeches given in American history.
C - Abraham Lincoln believed in equality when he said, "...proposition that all men are created".
B - It was one of the best-known speeches given in American history.
Provide 3 Examples of Persuasive, Informative and Entertaining Writings
Persuade: commercials, billboards, advertisements, opinions, reviews, political ads
Inform: documentaries, nonfiction, history/science, News Articles, Recipes, Biographies
Entertain: Fiction, fantasy, mystery, comics/jokes, adventures, romance
Judy Glen's amazing Wrinkle Remover cream will make you look younger in thirty days or less. This remarkable cream has special ingredients to make your wrinkles disappear. The cost for a thirty day supply is $ 25.99. Send your check to P.O.Box 00002, Shelton, CA 74836
A - Persuade
B - Inform
C - Entertain
A - Persuade