Reading Comprehension
What is the central idea of a passage?
The central idea is the main point the author wants to express.
What does it mean to “cite evidence” in your answer?
“Cite evidence” means to use quotes or details from the text to support your answer.
What does “context clues” mean?
Context clues are words around a word that help you figure out what it means.
What is a topic sentence?
A topic sentence tells what the paragraph is about.
What’s the subject of this sentence: “The cat chased the mouse”?
Subject: “The cat.”
Name one way you can tell if a character is changing in a story.
A character changes if their actions, thoughts, or feelings are different by the end of the story.
Why is it important to use quotes from the text when answering questions?
It shows your answer is based on the text and not just a guess.
Find the meaning of “dismal” in this sentence: “The dismal weather made us stay inside all day.”
“Dismal” means gloomy. Clue: “made us stay inside.”
Name one way to make your writing more detailed.
Add examples, facts, or descriptive details.
Fix the run-on: “I went to the store I bought candy.”
Fix: “I went to the store. I bought candy.” or use a comma and conjunction.
How can you tell if a passage is fiction or nonfiction? Give one clue.
Fiction includes made-up events; nonfiction includes real facts. Look for features like dates, headings, or statistics.
"The sky darkened and thunder rolled in." What does this suggest will happen next? Use evidence.
The dark sky and thunder suggest a storm is coming. (Foreshadowing)
Give a synonym and antonym for the word “generous.”
Synonym: kind; Antonym: selfish.
What should you include in the conclusion of an essay?
Restate your main idea and wrap up your thoughts.
Is the word “their” used correctly here: “Their going to the park”? Explain.
Incorrect. “Their” should be “They’re.”
What’s the difference between a theme and the main idea?
Theme = life lesson or message
Main idea = what the passage is mostly about.
How can using evidence improve your short-response answer?
Evidence makes your answer stronger and shows you understood the text.
What type of context clue is used when the definition is given in the sentence?
It’s a definition context clue – the meaning is in the sentence.
Revise this sentence to make it more formal: “The movie was kinda boring.”
“The movie was rather boring.” or “The movie was not very interesting.”
What part of speech is the word “quickly” in the sentence: “She ran quickly”?
"Quickly” is an adverb.
Read this short paragraph. What’s the author’s purpose?
Have you ever wondered what makes a hummingbird’s wings so fast? These tiny birds can flap their wings over 50 times per second! Scientists study hummingbirds to learn how they move so quickly and hover in place. Their unique flight abilities have even inspired designs for tiny flying robots. The next time you spot a hummingbird, take a moment to admire nature’s little marvel.
The author’s purpose is to inform the reader about hummingbirds and their fast wing movement, with a tone that also shows some appreciation or admiration. The paragraph provides factual information and interesting details, which are clues that the purpose is to inform.
Read this excerpt. What inference can you make, and what evidence supports it?
Jamal glanced at the clock again. The bus was late—again. He shifted his backpack and tried not to think about how his teacher had warned him about being tardy one more time. His stomach twisted as he imagined walking into class after the bell.
Inference: Jamal is worried or anxious about being late to school again.
Evidence: “Glanced at the clock again,” “tried not to think about how his teacher had warned him,” and “his stomach twisted” all suggest he’s nervous and stressed.
Read this sentence: “He tried to convey his message clearly.” What does convey mean, and what clue helped you?
“Convey” means to express. Clue: “his message clearly.”
You’re writing an opinion essay. What should your body paragraphs include?
Opinion essays need reasons, evidence, and explanations in the body paragraphs.
Identify the verb tense and correct this sentence: “He eat his lunch already.”
Corrected: “He has eaten his lunch already.” (Present perfect tense