Narration, Character, & Conflict
A story is told using “I,” “me,” and “my.” What point of view is being used?
First Person
What is the difference between a theme and a topic?
A topic is the subject of a text, while a theme is the larger message or lesson the text develops.
What is an author’s purpose?
The reason an author creates a text.
What is perspective?
Perspective is the way a person, idea, or situation is viewed or presented.
What is setting, and what two things does it usually include?
Setting is where and when a story takes place. It usually includes the time and place.
What can first-person narration reveal about a character that an outside narrator may not reveal as directly?
The character’s thoughts, feelings, fears, doubts, beliefs, or motivations.
What should you examine before deciding on the theme of a story?
The character’s conflict, actions, changes, and the outcome. The entire story.
How can a title help readers understand the focus or purpose of a text before they finish reading it?
A title can signal the main topic, event, or idea the text will focus on and help readers anticipate what the author wants them to understand.
What is the difference between perspective and prevailing perspective?
Perspective is a viewpoint or way of seeing something. Prevailing perspective is the main or dominant viewpoint developed throughout the text.
How can historical or background context help a reader better understand a character’s actions or the events in a text?
Context explains the conditions surrounding the text and can help readers understand why characters act a certain way or why certain events happen.
A character wants to accept a new opportunity but is afraid of disappointing her family. What type of conflict is this?
Internal conflict or self vs self
A character continues speaking up to protect a community garden even after several neighbors dismiss her concerns. Over time, more people begin supporting her efforts, and the garden is saved. Which theme is BEST supported?
A. People often change their minds when enough others agree with them.
B. Persistence can influence others and lead to meaningful change.
C. Strong communities depend on everyone sharing the same priorities.
D. Protecting something valuable usually requires avoiding conflict.
B. Persistence can influence others and lead to meaningful change.
What does it mean when an author develops multiple purposes in one text?
The author is trying to accomplish more than one goal, such as informing readers about one topic while also explaining another idea.
A narrator says, “I know my evidence is strong, but I still wonder whether I can explain it clearly to the audience.” Which tone BEST reveals the narrator’s perspective?
A. Reflective
B. Humorous
C. Critical
D. Carefree
A. Reflective
A text first describes several years of a scientist’s education and research, then explains how those experiences led to an important discovery later in life. Which structure is MOST clearly being used?
A. Compare and contrast
B. Cause and effect
C. Problem and solution
D. Description only
B. Cause and Effect
Text 1 shows a student worried about failing an audition. Text 2 shows the teacher worried that the student will give up after one mistake. How do the differing perspectives affect the conflict?
Each character focuses on a different concern connected to the same situation.
How can reading a historical account and a fictional portrayal of the same time period deepen a reader’s understanding?
The historical account provides factual information, while the fictional portrayal can show what living through the event may have felt like.
Define target audience and explain how it connects to an author’s purpose.
A target audience is the specific group of readers an author wants to reach. The author’s purpose helps determine what information, language, and details are chosen for that audience.
A character is confident in her research but nervous about presenting it to others. Which perspective is MOST clearly developed?
A. She values her research but is uncertain whether others will understand or accept it.
B. She believes strongly in her work but struggles with the pressure of presenting it publicly.
C. She is beginning to question whether her research is accurate enough to share with others.
D. She is more comfortable working independently than explaining her ideas to a larger audience.
B. She believes strongly in her work but struggles with the pressure of presenting it publicly.
A narrator says, “Exhaustion tugged at my thoughts as I stared at the pages in front of me.”
Identify the figurative language and explain how it affects the tone of the passage.
The sentence uses personification because exhaustion is described as if it can tug. It creates a tired, reflective tone and shows how mentally worn down the narrator feels.
A museum curator is proud that a young intern has been offered a position at a larger museum, but she worries that the intern will leave before helping finish an important exhibit. Even so, she writes the intern a strong recommendation letter. Explain how the curator’s internal conflict influences her behavior.
The curator feels proud of the intern but also worried about losing their help. Even with those conflicting feelings, she chooses to support the intern by writing the recommendation letter.
How can comparing two texts about the same person, event, or time period help a reader develop a deeper understanding of the subject?
Comparing two texts can reveal different perspectives, details, or experiences, helping the reader understand the subject more completely.
An article explains how firefighters train for wildfires and also describes how communities prepare homes before fire season.
What are the author’s two purposes, and what audiences would be most interested in each one?
One purpose is to inform readers about firefighter training, which may interest people learning about emergency response. The second purpose is to explain community preparation, which may interest homeowners or people living in wildfire-prone areas.
A passage presents a researcher as careful, dedicated, and confident in her findings, but cautious about making claims before checking all of the evidence.
The prevailing perspective is that the researcher is a thoughtful and committed scientist. The author supports this by showing that she is confident in her work but still carefully checks evidence before making conclusions.
How can the setting affect what happens in a story?
The setting can create problems, challenges, or opportunities that influence the characters and move the plot forward.