Reading Comprehension

Denotation and Connotation

100

what is denotation? 

Dictionary, literal meaning of words

200

what is Connotation?

Common associations that people make with words (positive or negative.

300

Which one has a negative connotation?  

smile/smirk

smile=positive

smirk= neg 

400

Ralph Fiennes’ character in the new movie is a total sellout, a cowardly snake.

Snake, connotative use

500

It isn't my fault I failed the test.  I sit behind a porky girl who blocks 50% of my view of the board.

The connotation of the word "porky" in this context is anything that is synonymous with "fat" or "pig-like."  Realize here too, the connotation of "porky" is negative.  I am blaming my failure on this large girl because she prevents me from seeing the board

Making Inferences

100

Pete called Ted Tuesday afternoon and invited him to come to his house after dinner to watch a movie. It had been a long, boring day, and Ted was excited to have something to do. After dinner, he hopped on his bike and pedaled over to Pete's house. The house was dark, and when he rang the bell, there was no answer. Ted turned around, hopped back on his bike, and rode home. Make an inference about why Ted rode home.

What is "Nobody was home"?

200

Sara walked into the large room. The woman behind the desk smiled at her. Sara looked around. There were hundreds of magazines in the room. There were thousands of books! Other children were in the room, sitting and reading books. Sara walked up to the woman. "Can you help me find a book?" she asked. Make an inference about where Sara is.

What is "Sara is in the library."

300

Nina held the glass jar very carefully. The teacher told the students to be careful because the experiment could explode. Slowly, Nina poured the green liquid into a glass jar. She wiped the edge of the jar and set it on the table. Next, she picked up the tube of red liquid. She measured one drop of it. Nina then carefully added the red drop to the green liquid. Make an inference about the class Nina is in.

What is "Nina is in science class"?

400

There are many different ways of going to school. Some children go to school by radio. The teacher talks to the children over the radio. The children can talk back to the teacher. In some desert countries, children go to school in tents. They people move across the desert, carrying the tent school with them. In some hot countries, children go to school outside all year long. They do not sit in buildings. The sit on the grass. Make an inference about why children in hot countries go to school outside all year long.

What is "It would be too hot to have school inside a building so they sit on the cool grass"?

500

Sparta and Athens were Greek cities. Long ago, the people of both cities sent their children to school. The children learned different things there. In Sparta, the children went to school outdoors. They learned how to jump and run. They learned how to dance. They learned how to play many different games. In Athens, only boys went to school. They learned how to read, write, and speak correctly. They learned how to count and use numbers. Make an inference about schooling for girls in Sparta and Athens.

What is "Girls went to school in Sparta but not in Athens"?

Figurative Language

100

 Is the tool writers use to paint a picture with their writing.This also refers to anything that is received through the senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell.

Imagery

200

The wild and woolly walrus waits and wonders when we’ll walk by

Alliteration 

The repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables

300

In the story "The Most Dangerous Game", at the end of the story, there is a standoff between Zaroff and Rainsford in Zaroff's bedroom. They were to fight to the death, and the very last line says, "He had never slept in a better bed, Rainsford decided. What does the bed Represents?

The bed symbolizes Rainsford's victory in the game, and his defeat of Zaroff.

400

The sea licked greedy lips in the shadows."

Personification: The sea cannot lick its lips, as this is a human quality.

500

In the dark of night, when Rainsford was talking about falling asleep, he says, "... the night would be my eyelids

Metaphor : He was saying that the night was so dark, it was as if his eyes were closed

Main Idea and theme

100

Main Idea: There are many different kinds of bears in the world. Black bears live in North America. Grizzly bears also live in North America. They are very dangerous. The white Polar bear lives in the Arctic. The biggest bear is the Kodiak bear that is found in Alaska. What is the main idea of this text passage? A. Bears live in North America. B. Bears are dangerous. C. There are many kinds of bears.

What is "There are many kinds of bears."

200

Barry liked playing board games, but he hated losing. He hated losing so much that he would do whatever it took to win, even bending or breaking the rules. He'd steal money from the bank and hide it under the couch cushions. He'd skip spaces while he was moving around the board. He'd shortchange others money that they were owed and argue with them about it. Barry's techniques were effective. He did win most of the games that he played, but the people whom he played with were his friends and family, and it didn't take too long until they caught on to Barry's tricks. They tried to tell Barry to stop cheating. They said that the game wasn't any fun when he cheated, but he didn't listen. He continued with his treacherous style of gameplay, until nobody would play with him anymore. Barry may have won a lot of games, but at what cost? What is the theme of the story? _

winning is not everything and Cheaters never prosper. 

300

Many types of bacteria are helpful. For example, some are able to take nitrogen from the air. They then put it into the soil. This makes the soil better for growing plants. Some bacteria are helpful in making cheese. Other bacteria are helpful in making vinegar. What is the main idea of this text passage? A. Bacteria puts nitrogen from the air into the soil. B. Bacteria helps make food. C. Some types of bacteria helps humans.

What is "Some types of bacteria helps humans."

400

Our solar system is very large. It includes the eight planets that turn around the sun. These planets include Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. There are also hundreds of thousands of smaller planets in this system. They are called asteroids. Each asteroid is much smaller than any of the eight large planets. What is the main idea of this text passage? A. Our solar system is made up of the Sun, the nine large planets and many asteroids. B. Pluto used to be a planet but now is a dwarf planet. C. There are eight large planets in our solar system.

What is "Our solar system is made up of the Sun, the nine large planets and many asteroids."

500

Honeybees form large hives. There are thousands of bees in a hive. One bee is the queen. She lays the eggs. Some bees gather nectar and pollen from flowers to make honey. Other bees protect the hive. Some bees keep the hive clean. Still other bees help the queen. Each bee has a special job to do in the bee hive. What is the main idea of this text passage? A. Bees work together to make honey. B. Each bee has a job to do in a beehive. C. The queen is the most important bee.

What is "Each bee has a job to do in a beehive."

Summarizing

100

I ate breakfast. I woke up. I rode the bus home. I went to my classroom. Summarize these events in order using transition words.

What is "First, I woke up. Next, I ate breakfast. Then, I went to my classroom. Finally, I rode the bus home."?

200

When nobody answered the door, Goldilocks went inside the house. Goldilocks fell asleep in Baby Bear's bed. Goldilocks ate Baby Bear's porridge. Goldilocks was playing in the woods when she saw a cute little house. Summarize these events in order using transition words.

What is First, Goldilocks was playing in the woods when she saw a cute little house. Next, when nobody answered the door, Goldilocks went inside the house. Then, Goldilocks ate Baby Bear's porridge. Finally, Goldilocks fell asleep in Baby Bear's bed.

300

Airplanes were invented and have become an even quicker way to travel long distances. People traveled by foot or on horseback. The invention of cars allowed people to travel farther distances more quickly. The wheel was invented, and people used wagons and carriages to travel. Summarize these events in order using transition words.

What is "First, people traveled by foot or on horseback. Next, the wheel was invented, and people used wagons and carriages to travel. Then, the invention of cars allowed people to travel farther distances more quickly. Finally, airplanes were invented and have become an even quicker way to travel long distances."

400

Check over your writing to make sure you have capitals and punctuation. Include supporting details. Organize your ideas. Write a topic sentence. Summarize these events in order using transition words.

What is "First, organize your ideas. Next, write a topic sentence. Then, include supporting details. Finally, check over your writing to make sure you have capitals and punctuation."

500

Skippyjon saved Los Chimichangos from Alfredo Buzzito, the Great Bumblebeeto. Skippyjon Jones got in trouble for sleeping with the birds and was sent to his room. With a walk into his closet, Skippyjon found himself in Old Mexico and became friends with Los Chimichangos. Skippyjon was bouncing on his bed when he realized he was not a Siamese cat, he was a Chihuahua. Summarize these events in order using transition words.

What is "First, Skippyjon Jones got in trouble for sleeping with the birds and was sent to his room. Next, Skippyjon was bouncing on his bed when he realized he was not a Siamese cat, he was a Chihuahua. Then, with a walk into his closet, Skippyjon found himself in Old Mexico and became friends with Los Chimichangos. Finally, Skippyjon saved Los Chimichangos from Alfredo Buzzito, the Great Bumblebeeto."