The Heart of the Story
What is the "Main Idea" of a non-fiction passage?
What the text is mostly about
Which Point of View uses keywords like "I," "me," "my," and "we"?
First-Person
What is a synonym for the word "ancient"?
Old, antique, aged
"The snow was a white blanket on the ground" is an example of what?
Metaphor
When you make an "Inference," you use what you know plus ________________.
Clues from the text
This term refers to the life lesson, moral, or message that the author wants the reader to learn.
Theme
In an informational text, what do we call the bold words at the top of a section that tell you what you're about to read?
Headings
The root "geo" (as in geography or geology) means what?
Earth
"He was as fast as a cheetah" is an example of what?
Simile
On the MCAP, when a question asks you to "Select two pieces of evidence," how many boxes should you check?
2
When writing a summary, should you include every single detail or just the most important parts?
Only the most important/key details
Which Point of View uses keywords like "he," "she," "they," and the characters' names?
Third Person
If you don't know a word in a sentence, you look at the words around it for clues. These are called ________ clues.
Context
What does the idiom "piece of cake" mean?
Something is very easy
True or False: You should use your own opinion when answering questions about a reading passage.
False—you must use the text!
If a story is about a boy who works hard to win a race despite being slow, what is a likely Theme?
Perseverance, hard work pays off
What is the difference between a biography and an autobiography?
Biography: someone writing about another person; Autobiography: someone writing about themselves
What does the suffix "-less" mean in the word "fearless"?
Without
Giving human qualities to non-human things (like "the wind whispered") is called ________.
Personification
If a character's "stomach is growling" and they are "looking for a snack," what can you infer?
The character is hungry
What are the three parts of a "Summary" for a fictional story?
Beginning, Middle, and End—or Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then
If an author writes a text explaining why the Titanic sank and what happened because of it, what text structure are they using?
Cause and Effect
In the sentence: "The explorer found a secluded cave that no one had visited for years," what does secluded mean?
Hidden, private, or away from others
Why do authors use similes and metaphors in their writing?
To help the reader create a mental picture or to make the writing more interesting
What is the first thing you should do after reading an MCAP writing prompt?
Read/Reread the text carefully and highlight evidence