Text Analysis
How would you describe the tone of this passage, and which words contribute to the tone.
She watched the sun sink beneath the hills, casting long shadows across the dusty road. The letter remained unopened in her lap, its edges curled and smudged from her hesitant fingers. Everything about the evening felt heavy—the stillness, the hush of birdsong, even the weight of air itself. She wasn’t ready to know what it said, not yet.
Answers may vary.
Example:
somber & reflective: "long shadows", "the weight of the air itself"
the use of words that differs from their literal meaning, to convey meaning or feeling in the form of metaphors, similes, hyperbole or personification
figurative language
What evidence from the passage shows that Maya understood the storm's seriousness?
"Even when the warnings were clear, the townspeople refused to leave. They trusted the dam would hold, as it always had before. Only Maya, clutching her grandfather’s journal filled with weather records, saw the storm for what it was: different, dangerous, and fast approaching."
"clutching her grandfather’s journal filled with weather records"
"saw the storm for what it was: different, dangerous, and fast approaching."
sunset is what part of speech?
noun
"Say My Name"
What sentence best reveals the narrators emotional state?
She watched the sun sink beneath the hills, casting long shadows across the dusty road. The letter remained unopened in her lap, its edges curled and smudged from her hesitant fingers. Everything about the evening felt heavy—the stillness, the hush of birdsong, even the weight of air itself. She wasn’t ready to know what it said, not yet.
"She wasn't ready to know what it said, not yet."
This shows she is anxious and afraid of what the letter may contain.
language that creates vivid pictures in the reader's mind
imagery
What is the central idea of the passage?
In the stillness of early morning, Elena stood at the edge of the overgrown garden that had once belonged to her grandmother. The house, now abandoned, bore the signs of time—cracked windows, ivy-choked walls, and the faint smell of lilacs long gone. She remembered summers spent among those flowers, learning how to nurture them, listening to stories of resilience whispered between the petals. Now, with a single spade in hand, Elena took a breath and stepped forward, not to reclaim the past, but to honor it by beginning anew.
Elena returns to her grandmother’s abandoned garden to honor her memory and begin a new chapter rooted in the past.
How old did Mr G turn this past May?
43
What theme is suggested by the narrator’s hesitation to open the letter, and how might the imagery in the passage support this theme?
She watched the sun sink beneath the hills, casting long shadows across the dusty road. The letter remained unopened in her lap, its edges curled and smudged from her hesitant fingers. Everything about the evening felt heavy—the stillness, the hush of birdsong, even the weight of air itself. She wasn’t ready to know what it said, not yet.
Answers may vary.
Example:
Fear of confronting the unknown. The hills "casting long shadows" suggests trepidation about what is ahead.
Clocks, green lights, yellow dresses, Daisy's voice.
These were all examples from "The Great Gatsby" of what literary device?
symbols/symbolism
What words/phrases communicate important information about the setting of the following passage?
In the stillness of early morning, Elena stood at the edge of the overgrown garden that had once belonged to her grandmother. The house, now abandoned, bore the signs of time—cracked windows, ivy-choked walls, and the faint smell of lilacs long gone. She remembered summers spent among those flowers, learning how to nurture them, listening to stories of resilience whispered between the petals. Now, with a single spade in hand, Elena took a breath and stepped forward, not to reclaim the past, but to honor it by beginning anew.
"overgrown garden...belong to grandmother"
"house, now abandoned"
1) What is the purpose of an adverb?
2) Identify the adverb in the following sentence:
The woman boldly declared the justice of her position.
1) adverbs describe/modify verbs
2) boldly
What year was "The Great Gatsby" published?
1925
What is the central idea of the following text:
In the decades following the Industrial Revolution, cities expanded rapidly, drawing workers from rural areas with the promise of factory jobs and steady wages. However, the sudden population growth overwhelmed urban infrastructure, leading to overcrowded housing, poor sanitation, and health crises. Reformers of the time began advocating for cleaner living conditions and regulations to protect workers, laying the foundation for the modern labor movement and public health reforms.
Rapid industrialization led to urban problems that prompted social reform
a big idea about life explored in a story
theme
What theme is most strongly suggested by the following passage:
The city pulsed with artificial light, drowning out the stars above. Elena stood at the edge of the rooftop, her eyes scanning the neon glow below. Every advertisement blinked a promise — happiness, beauty, connection — yet the streets teemed with people who looked more lost than ever. She pulled her coat tighter. Progress, they called it. But to her, it felt more like forgetting. Forgetting the quiet, the dark, the sky. She wondered how much longer the world could shine so brightly and still feel so dim.
The isolation people feel in a connected world
list three pronouns
What genre was established with the publication of "Frankenstein" in 1818?
science fiction
Identify a piece of evidence that best supports the central idea.
In an age when technology moves faster than reflection, many have come to view convenience as the highest form of progress. We no longer pause to ask whether our tools serve us—or if we serve them. Take the smartphone: what was once a luxury has become a necessity, blurring the line between connection and compulsion. As we scroll endlessly, we trade moments of presence for a constant stream of distraction. This shift isn’t just about devices; it’s about values. What do we lose when we gain instant access to everything?
“We trade moments of presence for a constant stream of distraction.”
the feeling a reader gets from a text
mood
How would you characterize the tone of the following passage. Which sentence best reveals the tone?
The city pulsed with artificial light, drowning out the stars above. Elena stood at the edge of the rooftop, her eyes scanning the neon glow below. Every advertisement blinked a promise — happiness, beauty, connection — yet the streets teemed with people who looked more lost than ever. She pulled her coat tighter. Progress, they called it. But to her, it felt more like forgetting. Forgetting the quiet, the dark, the sky. She wondered how much longer the world could shine so brightly and still feel so dim.
Answers may vary.
"Progress, they called it. But to her, it felt more like forgetting." Conveys a conflicted and nostalgic tone.
1) what part of speech shows the relationship between things?
2) name one
1) prepositions
2) under, over, among, through, between
According to Virginia Woolf, who was Judith Shakespeare? (BEST most thorough answer wins points.)
Imaginary sister of William Shakespeare. Emblematic of gender discrimination; women's inability to individuate and express themselves creatively., ETC