Common Test Questions & Vocab
"Which of the following details least supports the central idea of the passage?" In this question I have to find the answer choice that does NOT really ______________the central idea.
support
What are at least 2 things you should do BEFORE reading each passage?
1. Read the directions 2. Read the questions you will have to answer. 3. Read the title of the article, story or poem 4. Read the subheadings 5. Look at any pictures and captions
What should you do if you are not sure what answer choice is the correct one? a) Don't bubble in any answer and leave it blank b) Spend 15 minutes trying to decide on an answer c) Eliminate the obvious wrong answer choices and then make an educated guess
C
Name 2 things all argumentative essays MUST include
1. Introduction with Hook, Background, Thesis
2. At least 2 body paragraphs
3. Counterclaim
4. A strong conclusion
"What do the character’s actions in paragraph 3 REVEAL about him?" The word reveal means ______________.
shows, uncovers, unveils
True or False: you shouldn't chunk and code the passages as you read because it is distracting and wastes time.
FALSE! You SHOULD annotate the text because it helps you better understand what you are reading and will help you answer the questions.
Why should you focus on key words in the questions?
To help you understand EXACTLY what each question is asking you and help you know what to focus on when you read the passage. The questions are often tricky and if you don't read them carefully and focus on the key words you might make a careless mistake when answering the question!
True or False: You should always reread what you wrote before moving on to the next question. Why or why not?
TRUE! You should always reread what you wrote as your answer to make sure that... 1. You didn't make any careless mistakes in spelling, punctuation or grammar that would make it difficult for someone to understand. 2. You made an inference in your answer and provided TWO pieces of evidence. 3. You actually answered the EXACT question you are being asked to answer
“What can you INFER about the main character based on the information in paragraph 3?" The word infer means _________________________
to make an education guess or conclusion based on evidence, prior knowledge (background knowledge), and logical reasoning.
True or False: You should read all the answer choices, even if the first or second answer sounds correct to you.
TRUE! Almost every question will have 2 answer choices that are somewhat easy to eliminate and then 1 answer choice that is there to trick you! So you should read and reread each answer choice carefully and check back to the text to make sure you are choosing the correct answer and not the trick answer!
What should you do when you come to a word you don't know in a text?
Read the words around it and use context clues to try to understand it. You can also skip the word to see if you can still understand the text.
"Which sentence from the article best reveals the author's POINT OF VIEW?" The authors "point of view" means the author's __________
perspective, viewpoint, opinion
Your teachers always tell you to "go back and check your work" when you are done. How should you "check your work" on the state test?
Reread each question carefully and the answer you chose, and check the text again to make sure you still think that is the right answer.
How many paragraphs should your essay have?
The number of paragraphs will vary depending on the question; however, you should have an introduction, at least 2 body paragraphs (using CER!!!), and a conclusion.
The opposing side or opinion to your claim in an argument text
Counterclaim
Name a doos transitional phrase to use before including your evidence
According to the text,
In the text it states,