Testing Strategies
This is what I should do if I am struggling with a question for too long
Skip ahead and mark the question so I can return later
What are the 5 ways that an author can structure a nonfiction text?
Cause/Effect
Chronological Order
Problem/Solution
Description
Compare/Contrast
What is the "turning point" or "most exciting part" of the plot structure called?
the climax
When writing a short response, how should you always start it?
Restate the question
What does it mean when a question says "what was the main effect?"
It means "what was the result of something that happened"
These are two things I should do when I find myself losing focus
Get uncomfortable and take a 10 second refocusing break
What is it called when there are words underneath a picture or graphic that give more detail about the picture or graphic?
a caption
Describe what is meant by the attitude of a character
What is the character's opinion or feeling about something
How many details do you need for your short response?
Two
When asked a question about the meaning of a word in a story or article, what strategies could you use to figure out the word's meaning?
Use context clues, use word parts (prefix, root word), use connotation, or plug the word choice into the sentence
These are things I can do before my test to give myself the best chance at success
Get a good night of sleep and eat a big breakfast
These are the text features you can use to help you determine central idea
Title, headings, subheadings
How can you identify the characterization of a specific character?
Things the character says, does, thinks, looks like, and his or her effect on others
How many paragraphs will you need for your extended response?
Four: introduction, body paragraph, body paragraph, conclusion
The ____________ is the most important point the author is trying to make about the topic.
central idea
These are the steps I should take when I get a new passage
1. Read through it
2. Look at the question(s)
3. Read through it again and take notes
How can you determine the author's point of view of a topic?
Identify their word choice connotation (positive or negative), find their opinions
Karen was a ray of sunshine. What type of figurative language is presented in the sentence above?
metaphor
How can you introduce evidence?
In paragraph x, it states...
In the story " "...
For example...
One piece of evidence is...
Before I answer a multiple choice question, what are some strategies I can use?
1. Read the question carefully 2. Underline important information in the question that helps me locate a place in the text to find evidence 3. Locate and underline evidence in the text that supports the question being asked 4. Use the process of elimination to narrow down my choices 5. Choose the answer that has the most accurate information based on the text
This is the acronym I use when completing a short response question
RACE
How do you determine whether or not a passage is nonfiction?
It will say "Read the article" in the beginning.
What is the theme?
The message the character and/or reader learns; it can usually be identified by how the character deals with a challenge or conflict
Fix this:
What is Pericles' attitude towards war? Use two details to support your response.
His attitude was for example Pericles believed in peace, not war. This shows that he would probably do everything in his power to maintain peace than resort to war. He also doesn't listen to the other powerful leaders who are pressuring him to go to war. This proves that he doesn't like war.
Pericles' attitude towards war is negative. In the text, Pericles believed in peace, not war. The text also states that Pericles doesn't listen to the powerful leaders who are pressuring him to go to war. This is important because it shows that he would probably do anything to keep the peace, even losing favor with others leaders rather than agreeing with them and going to war.
What does it mean when a question asks “How does paragraph X contribute to the story’s structure?”
You have to figure out what is happening in that paragraph and how it helps the reader understand the scene