Reading across genres & Vocabulary
Read this sentence from the passage.
“The rats seem to be traveling back in time, revisiting places they have been,” says Wilson. (paragraph 9)
How does the phrase “traveling back in time” contribute to the tone of the paragraph?
A. by showing concern about rat dreams
B. by showing uncertainty about rat dreams
C. by creating a sense of wonder about rat dreams
D. by creating a sense of longing about rat dreams
C. by creating a sense of wonder about rat dreams
What is diction? What is syntax?
Words choice
Sentence structure
Read these sentences from the passage.
“I slunk to the back of the room and glared at the black and white monstrosity. It was so out of place, like a tuxedo in a room full of sweatshirts.” (paragraph 10)
What does this description reveal about the narrator’s feelings toward the piano?
A. He believes it is distracting to students.
B. He thinks it makes the classroom more welcoming.
C. He wishes the old piano had been repaired instead.
D. He feels fascinated by it but believes it does not belong there.
D. He feels fascinated by it but believes it does not belong there.
This rhetorical appeal focuses on logic and reasoning.
Logos
This is the main point or position an author is trying to prove.
Claim
Which word from paragraph 12 comes from a Latin word meaning “an object used to spur or cause a reaction”?
A. focused
B. drooping
C. stimulus
D. rebound
C. stimulus
If all mammals are warm-blooded and whales are mammals, what can you conclude?
Whales are warm-blooded.
"Then her other hand comes down. The music builds and builds, swelling into a wave. I close my eyes and let the hallway fall away."
In paragraph 13, what does the narrator mean when he describes the music as “swelling into a wave”?
A. It crashes all at once.
B. It makes him want to cry.
C. It is muted by the locked door.
D. It grows stronger and more powerful.
D. It grows stronger and more powerful.
Repeating the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses is called this.
What is anaphora?
What is the difference between denotation and connotation?
Denotation is the literal meaning; connotation is the emotional or cultural association.
Read this sentence from paragraph 6.
“Does she think I’m here for an impromptu tutoring session?”
What does impromptu mean in this sentence?
A. inspiring
B. substitute
C. tiresome
D. unplanned
D. unplanned
Excerpt:
“Technology has changed how students learn. Many classrooms now use tablets and online resources instead of textbooks.”
Question: What is the central idea?
Technology is changing how students learn in school.
Read the sentence from paragraph 19.
“And I tuck that secret in my back pocket, where no one can hear it but me.”
What does this sentence show about the narrator’s feelings about the music he hears?
A. He is ashamed of it.
B. He believes it is special.
C. He thinks it reminds him of home.
D. He worries others will make fun of him.
B. He believes it is special.
This logical fallacy attacks the person instead of the argument.
What is an ad hominem attack?
If a student notices every practice test improves their score and predicts the next one will too, what reasoning are they using?
Inductive reasoning.
Excerpt:
“A newspaper reports that 1,000 homes lost power during the storm, while a short story describes how one family lit candles and stayed together.”
Question: What is the main difference between the two texts?
A. One uses opinions, the other uses facts
B. One gives factual reporting, the other tells a narrative story
C. Both are fictional accounts
D. Both are persuasive texts
B. One gives factual reporting, the other tells a narrative story
Excerpt:
“The coach clapped slowly and shook his head after the team’s performance. During halftime, he had warned them that careless mistakes would cost them the game. After the final whistle, the scoreboard confirmed their loss by one point.”
Question: What can you infer about the outcome of the game and the coach’s mindset?
The team lost a close game, and the coach likely feels frustrated because mistakes led to the loss.
Excerpt:
“The wind whispered through the trees, as if telling secrets only the night could hear.”
Question: What is the effect of this line?
A. It provides scientific information about wind
B. It shows personification to create imagery
C. It gives directions for weather prediction
D. It lists facts about trees
B. It shows personification to create imagery
This appeal relies on credibility, expertise, or trustworthiness.
Ethos
An author writes:
“We will rise in our classrooms, rise in our communities, and rise in our futures.”
This sentence is an example of this syntax technique.
What is parallelism?
Excerpt:
“A science article explains how hurricanes form using data and diagrams.”
Question: What is the purpose of this text?
A. To entertain readers with a story
B. To persuade readers to avoid storms
C. To inform readers with facts
D. To describe fictional weather events
C. To inform readers with facts
Excerpt:
“The coach clapped slowly and shook his head after the team’s performance. He had spent weeks preparing the team, reviewing strategies, and encouraging discipline. As the players left the field, he stayed behind, staring at the empty scoreboard, replaying each missed opportunity in his mind.”
Question: What can you infer about the coach’s feelings and responsibility?
The coach feels deeply disappointed and reflective, possibly questioning the team’s preparation and performance, and thinking about how things could have been improved.
Excerpt (Prose):
“The boy walked home in the rain. His shoes were soaked, and he kept glancing at the dark sky, hoping it would clear before he reached his house.”
Excerpt (Poetry):
“Rain falls like tears from the sky,
Drowning streets as clouds pass by.
Each step he takes, the puddles sigh.”
Question: What is the main difference between the prose and poetry excerpts?
A. The prose uses rhyme, while the poem does not
B. The poem uses line breaks, rhythm, and figurative language to create mood
C. The prose is more emotional than the poem
D. Both texts have the same structure and purpose
B. The poem uses line breaks, rhythm, and figurative language to create mood
This type of appeal targets the audience’s emotions.
Pathos
What is the difference between deductive and inductive reasoning?
Deductive reasoning moves from general to specific, while inductive reasoning moves from specific to general.