Tracing an Argument
What do we call the author’s main opinion or position in an argument?
Claim
The central idea is best described as the…
Main message or the lesson of the text
What are the three main author purposes?
to inform, persuade, or entertain
Denotation means the word’s…
dictionary definition
Text structure refers to how a text is
organized
Evidence in an argument is used to do what?
Support the claim
How is a central idea different from a summary?
A central idea explains the main message; a summary retells the details.
An article explaining how hurricanes form is written to
inform
connotation refers to a word's
emotional or implied meaning
Which structure shows similarities and differences?
compare and contrast
Which best traces the argument?
A. Opinion → Topic → Claim
B. Claim → Reasons → Evidence
C. Evidence → Claim → Opinion
B. Claim → Reasons → Evidence
Which sentence best helps you find the central idea?
A. A random fact
B. A repeated idea
C. A quote from the title
B. A repeated idea
A speech trying to convince people to recycle is written to
persuade
Which word has the most NEGATIVE connotation?
A. Slim
B. Thin
C. Scrawny
c. scrawny
Signal words like because, as a result, and therefore point to which structure?
cause and effect
True or False: Personal feelings without facts are strong evidence.
False
Where is the central idea MOST often introduced?
The introduction or first paragraph
Which clue BEST helps identify author’s purpose?
A. Font size
B. Tone and word choice
C. Paragraph length
B. Tone and word choice
True or False: Two words can have the same denotation but different connotations.
true
A text that explains a problem and then offers solutions uses which structure?
problem and solution
What should you do first when tracing an argument in a text?
Identify the claim
Which of these is NOT a central idea?
A. What the text is mostly about
B. A specific example
C. A message supported by details
B. A specific example
If an author uses facts AND emotional language, their purpose is most likely…
to persuade
Why do authors choose words with strong connotations?
To influence how the reader feels
Putting events in the order they happened is called…
chronological order