Character Motivation & Development
What does a reader look for to understand a character’s motivation?
The character’s feelings, goals, or reasons why they act
What is theme?
The lesson or message of a story
What does author’s purpose explain?
Why the author wrote something
What must evidence do to be correct?
Prove the answer
What does descriptive language show in informational text?
How something moves or happens
Why does a character help another character in a story?
Because they want to help, care about them, or solve a problem
Which type of statement is a theme: specific or general?
General
What should you reread when a question asks about paragraph 2?
Only paragraph 2
Can a detail be true but still NOT be the correct answer?
Yes
What part of speech often shows behavior?
Verbs
What is the difference between what a character does and why they do it?
What they do is the action; why they do it is the motivation
What part of the story shows the most important turning point?
The climax
Name one common purpose of a paragraph in informational text.
Explain, describe, or give an example
What should you match between your answer and evidence?
Key words or ideas
Which is better for showing behavior: definitions or action words?
Action words
What usually causes a character to change over the course of a story?
A key event, problem, or experience
How do events in a story help reveal the theme?
They show what the character learns or experiences
Why is it important not to use the whole passage when answering a paragraph question?
The question asks about one specific part, not the whole text
Why is a general detail usually a wrong answer?
It does not directly prove the idea
Why are phrases like “moves,” “pushes,” and “flows” important?
They describe behavior or process
Why is a character’s change important to the plot?
It shows growth and helps move the story forward
Why is “Hiking is hard” NOT a theme?
It is specific, not a general life lesson
What is the purpose of a paragraph that explains how something happens step-by-step?
To explain a process
What makes a piece of evidence the BEST answer?
It directly and clearly supports the claim
What kind of language helps you picture flooding or erosion?
Vivid, action-based descriptive language