Literary Texts
Which key story elements belong in a summary of the plot?
CSCS (characters, setting, conflict, solution)
What is a central idea?
The topic and point of a text
Despite our different backgrounds, my roommate and I are just really compatible. We're like peanut butter and jelly, cereal and milk, or a burger and fries. Great...now I'm hungry!
What is the meaning of the word compatible as it is used in the passage?
a good pair
The 16th President of the United States was Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was born in Kentucky in 1804. Lincoln was one of the best presidents of our country. Lincoln ended slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation. He was a great president.
What is the author's perspective of Lincoln?
Corn is highly versatile. Once grown, corn can be converted into a great number of marketable products. Sweet corn varieties can go directly from the farm to the table. They can be packaged into frozen or canned foods. Or, they can be processed and sold as corn flour, cornmeal, grits, corn tortillas, or corn syrup. Corn can also be turned into the biofuel called ethanol or naturally biodegradable plastics.
How does the author support the claim that corn is highly versatile?
The author lists the "great number of marketable products" that corn can be converted into, making it versatile.
This is the thoughts or feelings of a character.
Perspective
Where do we typically find claims to support the central idea of a text?
In the first sentence of each body paragraph.
History teaches us how quickly relationships between countries can totally change. The United States and the Soviet Union were allies during most of two world wars, but by the end of World War II, they were enemies. The Cold War that erupted between these two countries lasted decades.
Which phrase gives a clue to the meaning of the word allies?
"relationships between countries can totally change"
"but by the end of World War II, they were enemies"
Erosion is the process of materials moving from their source to another location through weathering. There are several types of erosion, but the most common types are erosion by wind, water, and ice.
What is the author's purpose for writing this passage (inform, persuade, or entertain)?
The author is informing the audience of the process of erosion.
Today, corn is the most widely grown crop in the United States. If Americans are smart, they'll keep it that way. At present, Americans are the most productive corn farmers in the world. They export an average of $10 billion worth of corn per year. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), corn is one of the few U.S. products with a trade surplus.
What claim is the author making in the paragraph?
A story is told by an inside character using pronouns such as "I, me, or we."
First person POV
A passage that is explained in order of when the events happened uses this text structure.
Chronological order
The famous quote, "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes," comes from the Battle of Bunker Hill. It was an important early battle during the American Revolution. The British were attacking the hill, which the Americans held, but the Americans' ammunition was scarce. Since it was so limited, an American commander gave them that instruction. He didn't want them to waste their resources by firing at targets that were difficult to hit.
What is the meaning of the word scarce as it is used in the paragraph?
limited
According to the National Corn Growers of America, more than 300 million metric tons of corn are harvested each year in the United States. However, today's industrial farming practices have led to a monoculture where growers raise one cash crop instead of a variety. This is good practice for earning money now. However, it could hurt profits and productivity in the future. The concentration on a single crop depletes the soil. The lack of variety is at odds with how soil functions and maintains balance.
What is the author's perspective of modern industrial farming techniques?
The author dislikes the practice and believes that it is bad for the soil.
America's energy consumption is at a record high. As the nation's dependency on fossil fuels increases, Americans have to make a bigger investment in alternative fuel technology and resources. Ethanol, the corn-based biofuel is the best solution.
The first solution is its abundance. In the United States, the world's leading producer of corn, ethanol is a sustainable resource that could continue to meet the country's energy needs well into the future.
The other reason is the environment. Ethanol makes a cleaner-burning fuel. This reduces carbon emissions in the atmosphere. Using homegrown ethanol in cars will help reduce pollution. It will also offset the amount of oil and gas imported from other nations. That means the air stays cleaner and more money stays with American farmers.
What claim does the author make in paragraph 3?
This is the lesson or moral of a story
Theme
A text that states the results or effects of something is written in this text structure.
cause and effect
When Rhea started out on her day full of errands, her backpack was nearly empty. She'd almost forgotten that it was on her back, but after a trip to five shops and the grocery store, it had become quite cumbersome. She'd had to stop and rest several times on the way home. She'd also needed to rearrange the bag's contents serval times to keep them from poking her in the back.
Which phrase gives a clue to the meaning of the word cumbersome as it used in the paragraph?
"trip to five shops and the grocery store"
"had to stop and rest several times on the way home"
"keep them from poking her in the back"
Students should have at least 30 minutes of recess during a school day. After all, students shouldn't be expected to sit all day! Furthermore, students don't feel as antsy and can focus more easily after they run around and play.
What is the author's purpose for writing the passage (inform, persuade, entertain)?
The author wanted to persuade the school to give students at least 30 minutes of recess.
America's energy consumption is at a record high. As the nation's dependency on fossil fuels increases, Americans have to make a bigger investment in alternative fuel technology and resources. Ethanol, the corn-based biofuel is the best solution.
The first solution is its abundance. In the United States, the world's leading producer of corn, ethanol is a sustainable resource that could continue to meet the country's energy needs well into the future.
The other reason is the environment. Ethanol makes a cleaner-burning fuel. This reduces carbon emissions in the atmosphere. Using homegrown ethanol in cars will help reduce pollution. It will also offset the amount of oil and gas imported from other nations. That means the air stays cleaner and more money stays with American farmers.
How does the author develop the claim that corn's abundance can help with America's energy consumption?
The author states that because America produces the most corn in the world, ethanol will be a "sustainable resource" that "could continue to meet the country's energy needs well into the future."
How can you determine the theme of a story?
Problem and Solution: Identify the problem the character faces and observe how they solve it.
List three ways we can determine the central idea of an informational text.
1. Title
2. Text Features
3. Introduction/Conclusion
4. Repeated words or phrases
A number of residents have written letters to the city council in regards to the construction and repaving going on downtown. The central concern of the letters has been for the safety of pedestrians. The construction has led to a number of sidewalks being closed. Some of the freshly paved roads have even covered over sidewalks. They have yet to be painted.
What is the meaning of the word pedestrians as it is used in the paragraph?
people who get around by walking
The advantages of planting the three crops together were tenfold. This mutually beneficial arrangement among the plants mimics the type of symbiosis found in nature. The end result was a healthy crop that yielded a variety of nutritious plants and also maintained the integrity of the soil.
What is the author's perspective of the three sisters farming method? Provide evidence to support it.
The author likes this farming method because it maintains the integrity of the soil and it is a mutually beneficial arrangement that benefits all the plants.
Maize was an important crop to the first peoples of Central and North America. Early people used every part of the corn plant. They used the stalks to make roofs. The cobs were burned for fuel. They used the silk to fill beds. They braided the husks to make mats, beds, baskets, and dolls. The kernels were ground into cornmeal for cooking and baking.
How does the author develop the claim that maize was an important crop to the first peoples of Central and North America?
By explaining how they used every part of the corn plant.