Vocabulary
marking a text with notes and comments
Annotating
Which of the following is not a strategy to help you identify the main idea of a text?
a ) look at the title of the text and any subheadings
b) read the first and last sentences of each paragraph, as well as, the first and last paragraph of the text
c) research the author
d) note any repeated words or phrases
c) research the author
What are the three broad categories for author's purpose?
Persuade, Inform, Entertain
This text structure discusses two ideas, events, or phenomena, showing how they are different and similar
Compare-Contrast
What does SAAC stand for?
State it
Assign
Author's Purpose
Complete the sentence
important ideas throughout a work that support the central message, main idea, theme, or tone
Key Details
What is the difference between the main idea and a key detail of a text?
a) The main idea is the central message of the text, whereas a key detail is an important idea that supports the main idea
b) The main idea is an important idea that supports a key detail, whereas a key detail is the central message of the text.
a) The main idea is the central message of the text, whereas a key detail is an important idea that supports the main idea
Mononucleosis, or "mono" for short, is an infectious disease usually caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. This virus is transmitted through saliva, so mono can be spread through kissing, coughing, sneezing, and sharing straws or utensils. Symptoms may include fever, sore throat, fatigue, weakness, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck or underarms. A doctor may need to do a blood test to confirm a diagnosis of mono. Symptoms usually go away on their own within a few weeks, but some patients continue to experience fatigue and weakness for several months.
What is the author's purpose for writing this text?
a) to describe how it feels to have mononucleosis
b) to inform readers about the discovery of the Epstein-Barr virus
c) to inform readers about an infectious disease called mononucleosis
c) to inform readers about an infectious disease called mononucleosis
This text structure identifies problems and offers solutions
Problem-solution
The C in SAAC stands for completing the sentence. What are you completing the sentence with?
the central message of the text
As Shane Loeffler, a geology student at the University of Minnesota, was flying home from Europe, he looked down at the landscape and began to wonder what he was flying over. He realized that a plane flight would be a good opportunity for people to learn about the geological features of the earth below them. As a result of this experience, with a grant from the National Science Foundation, he created a free app called Flyover Country. The app provides users with information on natural formations, man-made features like dams, and even where fossils can be found. The features are pinpointed on a map that corresponds to the landscape below the plane.
The main idea is:
a) Shane Loeffler's experience in a plane led him to create an app that would provide information to flyers about the land below them.
b) Shane Loeffler's plane flight home from Europe led him to think about the geological features of the land below him
a) Shane Loeffler's experience in a plane led him to create an app that would provide information to flyers about the land below them.
Before tuning a guitar, first learn the name of each string. A guitar has six strings: the first is on the bottom, and it's the thinnest. The sixth string is on the top, and it's the thickest. Starting at the bottom, the notes run up E, B, G, D, A, and E.
If you have an electric tuner, hold it near the guitar and pluck the high E string (the one on the bottom) first. The tuner will determine whether the note produced by the string is flat (too low) or sharp (too high). Pick each of the remaining strings. Depending on what the tuner tells you, loosen the string to make the note lower or tighten it to make the note higher.
What is the most likely reason the author wrote this?
a) to explain how to tune a guitar
b) to persuade readers to buy an electric tuner
a) to explain how to tune a guitar
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates air pollution, including particulate matter, the tiny particles floating in the air. There are two categories of regulated particle pollution. Particles less than 10 micrometers but more than 2.5 micrometers in diameter are "inhalable coarse particles," whereas particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers are designated "fine particles." (A micrometer is one-millionth of a meter.) Both these types of regulated particles can travel into people's airways and affect the heart and lungs, with potentially serious health impacts. Inhalable coarse particles are found near roadways and dusty industrial buildings. Fine particles, the smaller ones, are found in smoke as well as in the byproducts of some industrial processes. These particles are the main cause of the reduced visibility, or haze, in parts of the United States.
Which organizational text structure does this passage use?
a) sequential
b) compare-contrast
c) problem-solution
d) cause-effect
b) compare-contrast
Is this SAAC statement written correctly?
In the article, "Nipsey Hussle Street Art in Los Angeles Breathes Life into Legacy," the associated press explains how murals are being painted all over Los Angeles to honor the legacy of the inspiring rapper, Nipsey Hussle.
Yes
restate the meaning of something in different words
Paraphrase
During World War II, American and British forces dropped millions of tons of bombs on German cities. Nearly ten percent of the bombs never exploded. The war ended in 1945, but more than two thousand tons of unexploded bombs are still found in Germany each year. Before any construction project is undertaken, the site must be checked for unexploded bombs. Buried bombs are often discovered. For this reason, Germany has a special force of firefighters and police officers, called the KMBD, to defuse and remove these bombs. Even though the war has been over for seven decades, the KMBD is one of the busiest bomb squads on the planet.
What is the main idea:
a) Almost ten percent of the bombs dropped on Germany during World War II never exploded.
b) Because there is so much construction in Germany, the country has a special force trained to defuse bombs.
c) Because there are so many unexploded bombs in Germany, the country has a special force trained to defuse them
c) Because there are so many unexploded bombs in Germany, the country has a special force trained to defuse them
Should the city of Bloomington spend this year's recycling budget on a new plant or more receptacles? That was the question facing the city council at Monday night's meeting.
Some members advocated for doubling the number of familiar blue recycling bins around town. Councilwoman Nanette Finley argued, "Today, Bloomington residents must walk as far as four blocks to recycle, while my proposal would place bins every two blocks." She asserted that expanding the availability of receptacles would encourage more recycling.
Other councilmembers proposed a new recycling plant instead. Councilman Tristan Woodward gave a digital presentation on a state-of-the-art plant that could rapidly process recyclables and decrease labor costs. "It will save the city money in the long run," he concluded. The council will vote on the issue at next month's meeting. Citizens are invited to submit their views before then.
You can tell the author wrote this article to __________
a) to persuade readers that recycling plants are more effective than recycling bins
b) persuade readers to send their opinions about recycling to the city council
c) inform readers about the city council's debate on Bloomington's recycling program
c) inform readers about the city council's debate on Bloomington's recycling program
Snowflakes are formed by water droplets freezing onto bits of dust in the atmosphere, but they come in many different shapes. The most well-known is the six-pointed, star-like snowflake, paper versions of which can be found in the windows of many classrooms. But some snowflakes are simple six-sided disks, and others are tiny six-sided columns. Two main factors determine the shape of an individual snowflake crystal: the temperature and level of moisture in the air. Colder temperatures, below -22°C (-7.6°F), produce simple disks and columns. The familiar star-shaped crystals form in warmer temperatures. And moister air gives rise to more complex shapes with more branches and details.
Which organizational text structure does the passage use?
a) compare-contrast
b) sequential
c) sequential
d) cause-effect
d) cause-effect
Provided the following information, how would you write the following SAAC statement:
Text type: article
Text title: "Saving the Apollo 13 Mission"
Author: Bob Smith
Purpose: explains
main idea: after an explosion on Apollo 13, the astronauts took shelter in the lunar module.
In the article, "Saving the Apollo 13 Mission," Bob Smith explains how after an explosion on Apollo 13, the astronauts took shelter in the lunar module.
To reduce large sections of text to their essential points
Summarize
Carrots contain high amounts of vitamin A and are good for general eye health. However, carrots will not improve night vision. That myth goes back to British propaganda during World War II. In 1940, the German Luftwaffe, or air force, began bombing Britain at night. In response, the British government ordered people to turn off their lights; the government wanted to make it difficult for German pilots to hit their targets. A new technology, radar, allowed the British air force to track and shoot down the German planes without light. To keep the technology secret, the government told the media that their pilots could see the German planes because they consumed so many carrots. Consequently, people began to believe that eating carrots would help them see better in the dark.
What is the main idea:
a) During World War II, the British government told the media that their pilots ate a lot of carrots
b) Because of a British media campaign, people thought that eating carrots would improve their night vision.
b) Because of a British media campaign, people thought that eating carrots would improve their night vision.
Should the city of Bloomington spend this year's recycling budget on a new plant or more receptacles? That was the question facing the city council at Monday night's meeting.
Some members advocated for doubling the number of familiar blue recycling bins around town. Councilwoman Nanette Finley argued, "Today, Bloomington residents must walk as far as four blocks to recycle, while my proposal would place bins every two blocks." She asserted that expanding the availability of receptacles would encourage more recycling.
Other councilmembers proposed a new recycling plant instead. Councilman Tristan Woodward gave a digital presentation on a state-of-the-art plant that could rapidly process recyclables and decrease labor costs. "It will save the city money in the long run," he concluded. The council will vote on the issue at next month's meeting. Citizens are invited to submit their views before then.
What move does the author make to demonstrate their purpose of informing readers on the city council's debate?
a) The author introduces a question to be answered
b) The author provides an objective report about both sides of the issue
c) The author uses quotations from experts to convince readers
b) The author provides an objective report about both sides of the issue
When a person ingests caffeine, whether in the form of a cup of coffee or tea, a caffeinated soda, or even a piece of dark chocolate, the drug begins to take effect almost immediately. First, caffeine enters the bloodstream through the membranes of the stomach and small intestine. It is then metabolized by the liver, which breaks it down into other chemicals. Within fifteen minutes of consumption, most people begin to feel the effects of caffeine, which can include increased heart rate and feelings of alertness or well-being. Within six hours of consumption, about half of the original dose of the drug will have been eliminated from the body. This is why some people drink a second cup of coffee in the afternoon.
Which organizational text structure does the passage use?
Sequential
Provided the following information, how would you write the SAAC statement:
Author's purpose: convince
text title: "Xbox: The King of Consoles"
main idea: Xbox provides players with a superior gaming experience than Playstation
type of text: speech
Author's name: Bob Nichols
In the speech, "Xbox: The King of Consoles," Bob Nichols convinces readers how Xbox provides players with a superior gaming experience than Playstation.