Story Elements
What do we call the main character of a story who faces the central problem?
Protaganoist
What question should you ask to find the main idea of a paragraph?
What is the paragraph mostly about? (Or: What point is the author trying to make?)
What is the difference between first-person and third-person narration?
First-person uses "I" or "we" and is told by a character in the story; third-person uses "he," "she," or "they" and is told by an outside narrator.
If a character is shivering and rubbing their hands, what can you infer about the setting's temperature?
It is cold.
What is the theme of a story?
The theme is the central idea or underlying message about life or human nature that the story conveys.
Name two types of conflict a character might face (one internal, one external).
Internal: person vs. self (e.g., making a difficult decision). External: person vs. person, person vs. society, person vs. nature, or person vs. technology. (Any one internal and one external is acceptable.)
What does it mean to support a claim with textual evidence? Give a brief example (one sentence)
It means using a quote or specific detail from the text to back up your statement. Example: Claim: "Sam was scared." Evidence: "Sam's hands trembled and he whispered, 'I can't do this.'"
Define the term "tone" in one sentence.
Tone is the author's attitude toward the subject or audience, revealed through word choice and style.
A character avoids eye contact and speaks in short answers. What inference can you make about their feelings, and what evidence in the behavior supports that inference?
Inference: The character might be nervous, shy, guilty, or uncomfortable. Evidence: Avoiding eye contact and giving short answers suggest discomfort or reluctance to engage.
Name one difference between theme and moral.
A moral is a lesson or rule for behavior the story explicitly teaches, while a theme is a broader central idea that may be implied and open to interpretation.
Identify the part of a plot where events build toward the turning point of the story.
Rising action.
Read this short excerpt (teacher reads aloud): "Maya packed her bag carefully; she had to catch the first bus." What is the most likely reason Maya is packing carefully? Explain using the sentence.
She is preparing to leave quickly to catch the first bus; the phrase "she had to catch the first bus" explains urgency, so she packs carefully to avoid forgetting anything before departure.
What is a flashback and why might an author use one?
A flashback is a scene that interrupts the present action to show events from the past; authors use it to provide background, explain a character's motivation, or give context.
"The mailbox was empty except for a single, creased envelope." What might you infer about the sender or event that made the envelope creased? Explain using evidence from the line.
Possible inferences: The envelope had been carried around or handled roughly, or it had been folded to fit somewhere; evidence: "single, creased envelope" implies wear or haste.
Given a short summary: "A lonely baker learns to accept help and joins a community project." Suggest one possible theme for this story and a line of evidence that supports it.
Theme: "Community and friendship can help overcome loneliness." Evidence: The baker's change from "lonely" to actively joining a "community project" shows growth and support.
Describe how a minor character can help reveal something important about the protagonist. Give one clear example you might see in a story.
A minor character can ask questions, push the protagonist into action, or contrast with the protagonist to highlight traits. Example: A loyal friend points out the protagonist's stubbornness by repeatedly warning them, revealing the protagonist's unwillingness to change.
How can you tell when a sentence is giving a cause rather than an opinion? Give a short explanation.
Cause statements explain reasons or results and often use words like "because," "therefore," or show a clear cause-effect relationship; opinions express feelings or beliefs and often include subjective language like "I think" or "best."
Identify two ways an author can show a character's personality without directly stating it.
Through the character's actions (what they do) and dialogue (what they say and how they say it). (Also acceptable: through reactions of others, choices, or internal thoughts.)
How do you decide which piece of evidence from a passage best supports an inference? List two criteria you would use.
How can comparing two characters help you determine a story's theme? Give a short explanation.
Comparing characters shows contrasts in choices, values, or outcomes; these contrasts highlight the consequences of different behaviors and reveal the author's message. For example, if one character forgives and another refuses, the story may show forgiveness as a positive theme.
Explain how a story's setting can influence a character's choices. Provide a short example (one or two sentences).
The setting creates constraints or opportunities that affect choices. Example: In a desert setting with limited water, a character might choose to share rations rather than hoard them.
A passage states: "The town's river froze three winters in a row; fishermen lost their incomes." What inference about the town's economy can you make, and which words in the sentence support your inference?
Inference: The town's economy likely depends significantly on fishing, so freezing river conditions hurt livelihoods. Supporting words: "river froze three winters in a row" and "fishermen lost their incomes" connect environmental change to economic hardship.
Explain how word choice (diction) affects the mood of a passage. Provide a short example contrasting two word choices.
Diction creates mood by selecting words with certain connotations; for example, using "gloomy," "dreary," and "dripped" gives a sad, heavy mood, while "sunny," "bustling," and "glowed" creates a cheerful mood.
Provide an inference about a character who turned down a prize and explain two different pieces of textual evidence that would support that inference.
Inference: The character values fairness or feels guilty about something. Evidence 1: If the text says, "He looked at the winner and shook his head," that suggests discomfort with accepting a prize. Evidence 2: If the text later shows, "He returned the ribbon, saying someone else deserved it," that supports a motive of fairness or guilt.
Choose a common theme like "friendship" or "perseverance." Write one clear sentence that could serve as a theme statement about perseverance, and name one detail from a story that would support that statement.
"Perseverance leads to success even when obstacles seem impossible." Supporting detail: A character who trains despite repeated failures and eventually wins the race or achieves the goal.