Content Words
Content Definitions
Context Clues
Central Idea
Question Stems
100
To quote or refer to (a book or author, for example) as an  authority or example in making an argument.
What is Cite
100
Theme
What is main idea or message of a literary work
100
By making his lunches and saving his lunch money, Alex was able to amass enough to pay for his first semester of college. What does the word amass mean?
What is to gather or accumulate something valuable over a long period of time
100
What do you get when you cross a robot and an astronaut? A Robonaut! Robonauts are robot helpers designed to work side-by-side with astronauts. Work on the first Robonaut began in 1997, and by 2002 Robonaut B was revealed to the public. Robonaut B may have featured interchangeable lower bodies, like four-wheel mode or hydraulic legs, but scientists and engineers continued to improve Robonaut. In February of 2010, Robonaut 2 was released to the public. Robonaut 2 moved four times faster than the first Robonaut. An advanced version of Robonaut 2 was finally tested in outer space in 2011. Robonaut functioned exactly as designed. What is the central idea?
What is Robonauts have improved over the years.
100
How does the structure of the text contribute to its meaning?
What is how does the organization of the text help you understand what you are reading?
200
To break apart
What is analyze
200
Theme
What is an idea or conclusion that's drawn from evidence and reasoning
200
Some people think that my little brother is annoying because he asks so many questions, but I think that he just has an inquisitive nature. What does inquisitive mean?
What is curious, inquiring, showing a desire to learn the truth
200
Cite evidence from the text to support your determination of the theme/central idea.
What is prove your answer using specific examples from the passage.
300
Fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated; leaving nothing merely implied
What is Explicit
300
Subjective
What is based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions
300
After seeing a third teenager walk by with a mohawk, Clint reasoned that it must be one of the more prevalent hair styles of the day. What does prevalent mean?
What is widespread or popular at a particular time
300
The original intention of a school worksheet was intelligent: to discover which students didnʼt understand the reading lesson, so the teacher could work with them individually. Unfortunately, the teacher had to keep the rest of the class busy while doing that, so more worksheets were passed out. The assessment tool soon turned into a crowd control device. To make matters worse, the worksheets multiplied faster than the loaves and fishes, often reaching 1,000 per child per school year. But research shows no connection between the number of worksheets a student does and how good a reader the child eventually becomes. If youʼre fed reading as six worksheets a day, 1,000 sheets a year, under the pronouncement, “Boys and girls, itʼs time for reading,” by the time you reach fourth grade you think worksheets are reading, and you mistakenly think you hate reading. Which statement best expresses the unstated main idea of the paragraph? A. School worksheets may do more harm than good. B. Reading is one of the most difficult skills for teachers to teach and students to learn. C. Over the years, school worksheets have served as both an assessment tool and a crowd control device. D. Teachers have a variety of teaching tools to choose from.
What is A. School worksheets may do more harm than good.
300
What is the theme or central idea?
What is the message of the passage?
400
support lifted directly from text to support inferences, claims, and assertions. 
What is Textual Evidence
400
Word Choice
What is words authors use to capture meaning and convey that meaning to the readers.
400
One might think that the child would be afraid of such a large animal, but the intrepid young girl ran up to the beast and began scratching it behind the ears. What does the word intrepid mean?
What is fearless, daring
400
Most children have an interest in learning to play a musical instrument at one point or another during their growing-up years. Parents need to take advantage of that urge to play when it appears. Some very small children become intrigued with music because they see their parents or their older siblings play. The Suzuki method of instruction capitalizes on that early willingness to learn by involving the parent and the child in the child’s instructions. Elementary-aged youngsters often are exposed to stringed instruments or band instruments in their school music classes. Because kids like to do what other kids do, parents who are not musicians themselves can take advantage of both instruction and enthusiasm. It is at the middle school level, however, that peer pressure can really work to the benefit of parents who want to hear the sound of music around the house. The most accurate expression of the central idea of this paragraph is A. most children have an interest in learning to play a musical instrument during their growing-up years. B. some very small children become intrigued with music because they see their parents or siblings play. C. at various points, parents can take advantage of their children’s desire to play a musical instrument. D. middle-school children take delight at selecting and learning to play an instrument along with their friends.
What is C. at various points, parents can take advantage of their children’s desire to play a musical instrument.
400
What can you infer about the character and how he is shaped by the setting?
What is an educated guess you can make about a character based on what he/she said, did, thought, the way others perceive him/her combined with your own knowledge and how does when/where the story takes place contribute to how the character acts?
500
arrive at a judgment or opinion by reasoning
What is conclude/conclusion
500
Omniscient
What is the "all knowing" point of view
500
Several houses on Larry's block had been foreclosed years ago. With no concerned homeowners to maintain these properties, these houses have fallen into various states of dilapidation. What is dilapidation?
What is disrepair or partial ruin
500
When Abraham Lincoln was a boy, he would often amuse himself and others by imitating a preacher or politician who had spoken near his home. Later in life, he would be well known for his story-telling ability. As a lawyer, he would present a complicated case to twelve poorly educated jurors so well that the jurors could not fail to understand it. His debates with Stephen Douglas, his opponent for a United States Senate seat, gained national attention. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is considered one of the greatest speeches in American history. The main idea of the paragraph is : a. Abraham Lincoln was a good storyteller b. Abraham Lincoln showed great ability as a speaker c. Abraham Lincoln was a great American
What is b. Abraham Lincoln showed great ability as a speaker.
500
Which sentence from the text best shows that the narrator’s point of view is subjective/objective?
What is choose a line from the text that shows if the person telling the story is subjective (includes their own feelings/opinions) or objective (sticking to just the facts).
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