State Test Terms
What is a central idea?
main idea, central message, key idea (the main point the author makes in the text or what the text is mostly about)
What is plot?
the main events in a story / another word for "story"
What is a simile?
compares two unlike things using the words "like" or "as"
What text structure provides specific details or imagery to show ideas in a text?
description
What is a claim?
restate and answer with an inference / answer to a writing question / idea you are trying to prove
What does the word contribute mean?
What is a characteristic or character trait?
a word that best describes a character
What are context clues?
hints in the words and sentences around an unknown word that help you infer its meaning
What text structure puts events in the order that they occur by time in a text?
chronological order
What is a lead?
introduces who said a quote or gave information in a text
What does the word develop mean?
show an idea / create an idea
What is mood?
reader's feelings
What is imagery?
descriptive details in a text that help the reader picture or imagine the events being described
What text structure shows similarities and/or differences between ideas?
compare / contrast
What is a citation?
indicates the location of a detail in a text (page number / paragraph number)
What does the word relate mean?
connect
What is tone?
author or speaker's feelings
What is a metaphor?
compares two unlike things NOT using the words "like" or "as"
What text structure shows a major conflict and solution in a text?
problem / solution
What is a hook?
introduces the main topic in an essay / first sentence to grab the reader's attention
What does the word summarize mean?
to sum up the main points an author makes in a text / to provide the main ideas in a text
What does theme mean?
life lesson
What does the word illustrate mean in a state test question?
show
What text structure shows the reasons why a resulting event occurs in a text?
cause / effect
What is a thesis?
a combination of the claims (ideas) you are trying to prove in an essay