Central Idea
What is central idea?
The most important point or idea concerning a topic.
What are the three main author’s purposes?
Persuade, Inform, Entertain.
What does the prefix un- mean?
Not/opposite of
What does it mean to infer?
To use textual evidence + prior knowledge to figure something out.
What is a synonym?
A word that has the same or similar meaning.
Name one way to find the central idea when reading.
Look at repeated ideas / look at the title of each section / summarize the text.
If the author wants to give facts, what is their purpose?
To inform.
What does the prefix -il mean?
not
If the ground is wet but it didn’t rain, what could you infer?
Someone used sprinklers / spill happened.
What is an antonym?
A word that means the opposite.
True or False: The central idea is always stated directly.
False — sometimes you have to infer it.
A commercial telling you to buy new sneakers is which purpose?
Persuade.
What does the prefix -anti mean?
against
A character slams the door and stomps away. What can you infer?
The character is angry or upset.
What does analyze mean?
To break down something to understand it better. To carefully examine something closely.
What is a summary?
A short restatement of the central idea and key details.
A funny story about a talking dog—author’s purpose?
Entertain.
What does the prefix inter- mean?
between or among
Why is inferencing not the same as guessing?
You use evidence from the text to support your thinking.
What does the term contribute mean?
To give, help, or add something in order to make something better or to take part in something.
What is the central idea of "Decade of Drought".
Droughts have caused severe devastation in many regions of the world over a 10-year span.
What was the author's purpose for writing "Are you a Water Saver or a Water Hog?"
To persuade people to conserve water.
What does the prefix mid- mean?
middle
If the story says, “She stared at the clock, tapping her foot quickly,” what can you infer about her?
She is anxious, nervous, or impatient.
What does the term impact mean?
how something changes or affects something else.