Literary Analysis (Targets 1, 2, & 5)
Which of these is the most objective summary of a story?
A) A brave girl saves her town from a scary dragon.
B) After a dragon threatens the village, the protagonist implements a plan to relocate the creature.
B (Objective summaries avoid "opinion" words like brave or scary).
What is an allusion?
A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.
What is a relevant piece of evidence?
Evidence that is directly connected to and supports the claim.
What is the purpose of a Transition word like "Conversely" or "On the other hand"?
To show a contrast between two ideas.
"Level 2" (Basic Application) often asks you to "Summarize." What should you never include in a summary?
Your personal opinion or "I think..."
Target 5 asks how a modern work "renders" a scene from a Bible story or Greek Myth. What does "render" mean in this context?
To represent, interpret, or adapt it in a new way.
Solve this analogy: Tree : Forest :: Page : ________
Book (Member to Group relationship).
Define a "Counter-claim."
A statement that acknowledges the opposite side of the argument.
How does the structure of a Sonnet (14 lines) differ from a Free Verse poem?
A sonnet has a strict rhyme scheme and meter; free verse does not.
To "Support an Inference," you need text evidence. What is the best way to lead into a quote?
"According to the text..." or "The author states..."
What is the difference between a "Detail" and a "Theme"?
A detail is a specific fact from the plot; a theme is the universal message or lesson that applies to real life.
Identify the Verbal Irony in this sentence: Looking at his flat tire in the rain, Joe said, "Oh, this is just fantastic!"
Joe says "fantastic" but means the opposite (sarcasm).
If two authors write about the same scientific discovery but reach different conclusions, what has influenced them?
Their interpretation of the facts or their specific focus.
If an author starts an article with a shocking statistic, what is the function of that sentence?
To "hook" the reader and establish the importance/urgency of the topic.
On the SBAC, if a question asks for the "Best" answer, it means:
There might be multiple "okay" answers, but one is the most complete or accurate.
If a character's dialogue is written in a specific dialect (e.g., "Y'all come back now"), what is the author developing?
Characterization or Setting.
What does the word "Denotation" mean?
The literal, dictionary definition of a word, without the emotional baggage.
What is "Sufficient Evidence"?
Having enough evidence to fully prove a claim, not just one or two small points.
Which text structure explains why something happened and what the result was?
Cause and Effect.
What does it mean to "Evaluate the logic" of an argument?
To check if the author’s reasons actually make sense and follow a clear path.
How do you analyze the "interaction" between character and plot?
A) Just retelling what happened in the story without explaining the why.
B)Claiming the plot happened only because of where the character was, ignoring the character's choices.
C) By explaining how a character's specific traits or internal motivations directly cause the events of the story to unfold
D)Listing the character's traits (e.g., "He is brave") but failing to connect that trait to a specific plot point.
C) By explaining how a character's specific choices or traits cause the events of the story to happen.
How does an author create Suspense?
By withholding information from the reader or using pacing to slow down a tense moment.
What is the author’s point of view in an informational text?
Their perspective or opinion on the topic they are writing about.
In an informational text, how does a Table of Contents differ from an Index?
Table of Contents is at the front (by chapter); Index is at the back (alphabetical list of topics and page numbers).
What is the first thing you should read when you open a new SBAC passage?
The title and any "blurb" (the small intro text) to get the context.