Inferences
Theme
Point of View
Fact v. Opinion
Elements of Fiction
100
You are cordially invited to our house for an evening of food and fun on Saturday, July 12. We will serve lemonade. We will also provide chips, buns and condiments, but please bring your own meat or veggie patties to cook on the grill. Which of these can be inferred from this invitation? A.The host will be preparing burgers at the party. B.There will be swimming at the party since it is in July. C.The hosts prefer that people eat vegetarian patties. D.There will be hundreds of people present.
What is A? The host will be preparing burgers at the party.
100
In your own words, define theme.
What is the moral of a story or the message that makes the reader think about life, human nature, or how the world works
100
What pronouns are used in first person point of view?
What are I and my?
100
Which of the following statements is an opinion? A. The English Channel is 565 kilometers long. B. Gertrude Ederle is the first known woman to swim across the English Channel. C. The English Channel is an arm of the Atlantic between England and France. D. The English Channel is too far across to swim.
What is D? The English Channel is too far across to swim.
100
What are the five major parts of a fiction story?
What are the introduction, rising actions, climax, falling actions, and conclusions?
200
The skies darkened. Long-dormant windshield wipers swiveled into action. A few puddles formed. But the scattered showers that fell in the Austin area Friday morning didn't dent the drought. Camp Mabry recorded only 0.01 inches of rain; Austin-Bergstrom International Airport didn't even get that. Total rainfall since the start of the year is 8 inches below normal. And May is on track to rank as the second-driest since record-keeping began in 1856, with 0.08 inches recorded so far at Mabry and 0.04 at Austin-Bergstrom. In 1886, just a trace fell in May. What's a trace? "Just enough to move dust around a little bit," said Christy Mitchell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. What conclusion can the reader draw based on the information in the passage? A.People in the Austin area are having to drink bottled water. B.The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has received more rainfall than the rest of the area. C.The Austin area has not had significant rainfall in a long time. D.Many people have moved away from the Austin area because it is too dry.
What is C? The Austin area has not had significant rainfall in a long time.
200
Life in the City Skyscrapers tower over the city, Casting tall shadows when it is sunny. A smattering of trees adds some color Amid steel bricks one after another. Car horns sound loudly as rush hour nears. Streetlights flicker as the sun disappears. You may detest the urban life you see, But there’s no other place I’d rather be. Which best states a theme of the poem? A.What is ugly to one may be beautiful to another. B.It is important to experience life in the city. C.Peace and comfort is impossible to find in the city. D.Nature should be appreciated and protected.
What is A? What is ugly to one may be beautiful to another.
200
What pronouns are used in third person point of view?
What are she, he, and it?
200
Which of the following statements is an opinion? A. Pelé came to U.S. in 1975 to play for NY Cosmos in NASL. B. Pelé is the best soccer player ever. C. Pelé and the Brazilian 3 World Cup titles. D. Pelé scored 1,281 goals in 22 years including 12 goals in the World Cup.
What is B? Pelé is the best soccer player ever.
200
Narcissa by Gwendolyn Brooks Some of the girls are playing jacks. Some are playing ball. But small Narcissa is not playing Anything at all. Small Narcissa sits upon A brick in her back yard And looks at tiger-lilies, And shakes her pigtails hard. First she is an ancient queen In pomp and purple veil. Soon she is a singing wind. And, next, a nightingale. How fine to be Narcissa, A-changing like all that! While sitting still, as still, as still, As anyone ever sat! What is the setting of the poem?
What is Narcissa's back yard?
300
Allergic reactions to three native American plants—poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac, all members of the plant genus Toxicodendron—have been sources of misery for many centuries. Native Americans warned the early settlers about the ill effects of these plants, and Captain John Smith described them in his journal, thus making the first report of an allergic disease in America. What can the reader infer from this paragraph? A.A cure for poison ivy is being developed. B.Captain John Smith is known as a great physician. C.Many native American plants cause very uncomfortable allergic reactions. D.Poison ivy killed entire tribes of Native Americans.
What is C? Many native American plants cause very uncomfortable allergic reactions.
300
Always There by Diane Tran When I was four, I scraped my knee. I was trying to climb a tree! My mom was there to clean my wound And wipe my tears before I swooned. When I was eight, I broke my nose. In a brawl, I received some blows. My dad was there to set it right And teach me that I should not fight. When I was twelve, I failed math class. It was too hard; I could not pass! My sis was there to tutor me And bring my F up to a B. Now I’m sixteen; I soon can drive. I am nervous, but I will strive. If I get into any scare, I know my family will be there. Which lines from the poem most directly state its recurring theme?
What are "If I get into any scare, / I know my family will be there?"
300
Jack loved his dogs. He ran and played with them all the time. Jack laughed as they jumped on him. Jack's favorite was tug-of-war. Jack would pick a toy and Bruno or Daisy would grab on and hold for dear life. Daisy would get bored and race to the other end of the yard eventually. But Bruno never let go. He would wrestle Jack to the ground for the toy. Daisy was the good girl, and Bruno was a tough boy. Bruno always protected Jack and Daisy from anything scary. In this passage, which point of view does the author use?
What is third person point of view?
300
Despite the claims of dozens of people in Nepal, parts of China, and even North America, the creature known as the Abominable Snowman, or Yeti, is thought to be imaginary. Many people have described a heavily built, apelike, hairy creature with facial features that resemble a human being. But there has never been a shred of physical evidence. Which of the following statements about Yeti is a fact? A. People in several regions of the world claim that they have seen Yeti. B. Heavily built, apelike, hairy creatures are scary and intimidating. C. Believing in the Abominable Snowman, or Yeti, is silly. D. Some people believe in too many ridiculous legends.
What is A? People in several regions of the world claim that they have seen Yeti.
300
In the summer before I started high school, my grandpa picked me up every Sunday afternoon. We would coast down the blooming hills, valleys, and countryside along the lake in his 1968 convertible. My best memories are of listening to old Elvis songs and stories of my grandfather’s high school days. What is the setting of the story?
What is Grandpa's car?
400
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a preacher and a civil rights leader. He was born in 1929 and died in 1968. In 1963, he organized the March on Washington, which brought more than 200,000 people together. In 1964, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1968, he was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee, by an assassin's bullet on the balcony of the motel where he was staying. James Earl Ray was convicted of his murder. Which of the following can you infer from the passage above? A.Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a great public speaker. B.Memphis, Tennessee is an extremely dangerous city. C.Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a major political figure in the 1960s. D.James Earl Ray was a racist man.
What is C? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a major political figure in the 1960s
400
The Habit of Life by A. Gautam I sent a letter in the mail to my friend across the sea. But I never heard from her. I wondered, if she thought of me. When people move they do forget, the old times and old stories, too. New places, faces replace memories with friendships new. Then she wrote years later, I knew I still mattered to her. She wrote that life was a habit, and asked if I was good at it. What statement does the theme of this poem make?
What is most things we do in life are out of habit?
400
A False Alarm by Marilyn Helmer Kevin sat up so quickly that he almost bumped his head on the shelf above his bed. Someone was pounding on his bedroom door. "Kevin! It's time to get up," he heard his sister calling. "Hurry up! You've slept in again." Kevin stumbled to the door and yanked it open. Diane was standing in the hall. "Hurry up!" she said. "You're going to be late." Kevin dashed past her and ran downstairs. The kitchen was empty. The house was dark and silent. As he switched on the light, he glanced at the clock. It was 6:00 a.m.! He still had an hour before he had to wake up. The calendar beside the refrigerator caught his eye. There was a big red circle around the first day of the month. Kevin let out a loud groan. Today was April Fools' Day. Which point of view does the author use in this passage?
What is third person point of view?
400
Walt Disney World is extremely fun. There are four theme parks. My favorite is the Magic Kingdom. When you enter this park, you must walk down Main Street USA first. You will see Cinderella Castle before you. On the right side of the park is Tomorrowland. On the left, Adventureland and Frontierland await. The lines for the roller coasters can be very long, but you can get a FASTPASS and avoid the wait. In the summer, a fireworks show occurs at night over the Castle. This show is the best part of the day if you ask me. I think Disney World is the best place to take a vacation. 9. Which statement from the passage above expresses an opinion? A.On the right side of the park is Tomorrowland. B.In the summer, a fireworks show occurs at night over the Castle. C.I think Disney World is the best place to take a vacation. D.You will see Cinderella's castle before you.
What is B? I think Disney World is the best place to take a vacation.
400
The Kelty Le Tour sleeping bag has been improved! Kelty has added some of the mummy bags' best features to this rectangular sleeping bag: a zipper edge that is sewn into the seam, not just top-stitched on the insulation. They've also upgraded the fabric to a lighter and tighter 240T nylon taffeta. Enjoy this bag for summer camping and backpacking. Bottom Line: An excellent bag for warmer temps. What is the author's purpose in writing this selection?
What is to inform the reader about the improved Kelty Le Tour sleeping bag?
500
Sixteen-year-old children do not know what they are doing when they are behind the wheel of an automobile. I don't mind if they drive with a parent in the car, but they shouldn't drive by themselves, and they certainly shouldn't be driving with their friends in the car. They have no attention span, and because of that, they do not have the ability to concentrate in the way that a person who is driving a car needs to concentrate. A person cannot safely operate a vehicle if, like 16-year-old children, he or she is distracted by passing cars, billboards, or the radio. Don't even get me started on cell phones. I cannot count the number of kids who look and drive like they are fresh out of driver's education I've seen barreling down a crowded highway while talking on their cell phones. Who is going to stop these children from making our roads more dangerous? I think the government should. I think it should pass a law that makes it so that children cannot get their driver's licenses until they are 18 years old. Which of these is most likely true about the author of the passage? A.He or she is a parent of a 16-year-old. B.He or she is over 16 years old. C.He or she is a police officer. D.He or she does not like children.
What is B? He or she is over 16 years old.
500
At the Aquarium by Max Eastman Serene the silver fishes glide, Stern-lipped, and pale, and wonder-eyed! As through the aged deeps of ocean, They glide with wan and wavy motion. They have no pathway where they go, They flow like water to and fro, They watch with never-winking eyes, They watch with staring, cold surprise, The level people in the air, The people peering, peering there: Who wander also to and fro, And know not why or where they go, Yet have a wonder in their eyes, Sometimes a pale and cold surprise. What is a theme for this poem?
What is people and animals are not so different after all?
500
The Ocean Blue by Amber J. Eidem For miles all I see is blue Up and down, through and through The cool salt spray upon my face Makes me know, this is the place The ocean's like nothing I know The oceans were my only foe It is dangerous and insane My only foe's the hurricane It pounds, it floods, it rips apart It seems to tear my very heart It acts just like an angry hive But I know that I'll survive Which line from the poem indicates that it is written in first person?
What is "The ocean's like nothing I know?"
500
Review of Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger Until I met Holden Caulfield, the main character in Catcher in the Rye, I thought I was the only kid in the world whose life was messed up. Holden taught me that it is OK to be different, OK to be afraid, OK to not have every single detail of your life planned. And he taught me that it is OK to pursue your dream. Who cares if someone else thinks your dreams are ludicrous? Holden's sister Phoebe thought he was nuts because he wanted to catch kids falling off a cliff. Well, who is anyone to say what is ridiculous or what is not? Is wanting to be a "catcher in the rye" different than wanting to be a writer or a fireman or an Olympic champion? This book provided those of us, like me, who didn't fit in with comfort and the knowledge that it was ok to be different (like in the movie "Pleasantville" when Tobey Maguire told his mother "There is no right life"). Holden said it first. Salinger didn't invent Holden Caulfield - thousands of them existed. But thank goodness he had the courage to write about him. 6. Based on what this reviewer says about Catcher in the Rye, how can his opinion about the book best be summarized? A. I never read Catcher in the Rye. B. Catcher in the Rye was boring. C. Pleasantville is a good movie. D. Catcher in the Rye is a great book.
What is D? Catcher in the Rye is a great book.
500
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What is an advertisement?
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