Elements of Plot
Learn the setting, meet the main characters, and introduce the conflict
Exposition
What you look for in your passage in order to "prove" your answer? Give an example with your answer!
Text evidence such as a quote from an expert, statistics, or text features
Who does the author write for?
Intended Audience
What do you do when a question gives you the meaning of a root word?
Use the definition of the root to figure out the best answer.
What is this question asking?
"Select the sentence that best shows Andrea's internal response to knocking down the painting."
How does Andrea feel or think after she knocks down the painting?
What is the event that begins the conflict called?
Inciting Incident
________ _________ helps the reader in determining the meaning of unfamiliar words. These can be found within, or around the same sentence as the word.
Context clues
What do text features add to an informational text?
More information on the topic, hints about the organization of the article, and improves the readers understanding of the article.
What do you do when you don't know the first word or words in an answer choice?
Ask for a dictionary and look up the word
What is this question asking?
"Which event in the story is the inciting incident?"
The part of the story that reveals or suggests an outcome
The resolution
How can you recognize the perspective in a story?
First person: uses "I", "me", "we"
Third person: uses "he", "she", "they"
Why do poets include spaces or ellipses (. . .) in their poems?
To represent a break or pause in thoughts
What do you do when you are given a dictionary entry?
Read all entries and try to replace the unknown word in the sentence.
What is this question asking?
"Which best describes how the story's setting influences the plot?"
How does the time and place of the story affect the plot?
The conflict begins to resolve and events are calming down.
Falling action
During the STAAR test, when is the best time to take a break?
When you complete the questions for one passage and are about to move on to the next passage and questions.
What is the purpose of stage directions?
To reveal, or show, how the character or characters are supposed to act in a scene.
What do you do when you do not understand a word in the instructions or questions?
Ask the teacher for help or get a dictionary and look it up.
What is this question asking?
"Based on the information in the text, select two details that support the answer in Part A."
Which two statements prove your answer from Part A is correct?
What is the climax of the story?
The turning point/the moment when the main character faces the conflict
What are you focusing on while reading a fiction story?
Character thoughts, actions, choices, dialogue, and any changes in their mood or behavior.
The purpose of the introduction and conclusion is...
...to present the controlling idea of the article or the claim of an argument.
What do you do if there is any word in the text that you do not understand?
Use context clues, ask for a dictionary, make an educated guess.
What is this question asking?
"Drag an 'X' from below to mark which three details from the passage best support the answer to Part A."
Drag the 'X' from the bottom to the three boxes that supports the answer to Part A.
There will be blanks and that is okay.