Literature
Synonyms would be a main idea or main point.
What is a central idea?
Which sentence uses figurative language and what type is it?
A. The rain fell steadily all night.
B. The room was cold and empty.
C. The wind whispered secrets through the trees.
D. The book was left on the desk.
C. The wind whispered secrets through the trees; personification
If a passage explains how to bake a cake, what is the author’s purpose?
A. To persuade
B. To entertain
C. To inform
D. To reflect
C. To inform
Fact vs. Opinion
Which statement is most likely opinion disguised as fact?
A. The Great Wall of China is over 13,000 miles long.
B. The Great Wall is the most impressive structure ever built.
C. Parts of the Great Wall have been restored.
D. The wall served as protection from invasions.
B. The Great Wall is the most impressive structure ever built.
Which textual feature would help readers locate key ideas quickly in an article?
A. Imagery
B. Footnotes
C. Heading
D. Dialogue
C. Heading
The specific order of a series of events that form a story; a storyline.
What is a plot?
Read this sentence: The factory coughed thick smoke into the sky, choking the life out of the blue.
What is the tone created by the figurative language?
A. Joyful and relaxed
B. Calm and peaceful
C. Harsh and critical
D. Curious and mysterious
C. Harsh and critical
Determine the narrator’s point of view...
How to Properly Clean Your Disc:
First, buy a CD buffer from your neighborhood GameStop store. If you want to clean your CD for free instead, get a Q-tip or soft cloth. Use alcohol or window cleaner and wipe up and down applying light pressure as needed.
Second Person
Read the sentences from “Show Me Impossible.” :
Illusionist—the word grabbed him. He whispered it quietly, forming the syllables with his lips. Then he said it out loud. “Illusionist.”
He loved the way it rolled off his tongue. What does the phrase the word grabbed him express to the reader?
A. Daniel is confused by the word “illusionist.”
B. Daniel thinks the word “illusionist” is humorous.
C. Daniel is fascinated by the word “illusionist.”
D. Daniel thinks the word “illusionist” is surprising.
C. Daniel is fascinated by the word “illusionist.”
The article states, “Despite budget cuts, the school continued offering art classes, knowing how vital creativity is to student growth.”
What can the reader infer from this sentence?
A. The school has never experienced budget cuts.
B. Art classes are optional for most students.
C. The school values art as important to students’ development.
D. Creativity is not considered part of education.
C. The school values art as important to students’ development.
A short story tells of a girl who fails an audition but later realizes she has a talent for teaching others music.
What is the best statement of the theme?
A. Always practice before an audition.
B. Teachers are just failed performers.
C. Sometimes failure can lead to unexpected success.
D. Auditions are nerve-wracking.
C. Sometimes failure can lead to unexpected success.
Example: My father can lift two tons!
What is a hyperbole?
A comparison between two things that helps the reader make a connection between the words. Example: Flashback is to foreshadowing as the exposition is to the resolution.
What is an analogy?
Which sentence shows the denotative meaning of “bright”?
A. Her future looks bright.
B. He wore a bright smile.
C. The sun was bright in the sky.
D. That’s a bright idea!
C. The sun was bright in the sky.
In 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced the goal of sending an American safely to the moon before the decade ended. At the time, this seemed like an impossible dream. However, less than nine years later, the Apollo 11 mission achieved that goal. The mission involved years of preparation, technological breakthroughs, and thousands of dedicated individuals. It remains one of the greatest achievements in space exploration.
What is the central idea of the passage?
A. John F. Kennedy became president in 1961
B. Apollo 11 was launched without much preparation
C. The moon landing was an accidental discovery
D. The moon landing was a major accomplishment made possible by teamwork and innovation
D. The moon landing was a major accomplishment made possible by teamwork and innovation
Why might an author use a chronological structure in a story?
A. To analyze two perspectives
B. To confuse the timeline
C. To build suspense by showing how events unfold over time
D. To highlight a character’s thoughts
C. To build suspense by showing how events unfold over time
Example: The beautiful butterfly blew by the bay.
What is alliteration?
In a novel, a character begins selfish and impatient, but by the end, she sacrifices her own goals to help a friend.
What literary technique is being used?
A. Symbolism
B. Flashback
C. Character Development
D. Irony
C. Character Development
The implied meaning. The meaning the author intended. The nonliteral meaning.
What is connotation?
A recent study found that students who eat breakfast before school perform better on tests than those who skip breakfast. Nutritionists explain that a balanced breakfast provides glucose to the brain, which helps with memory and concentration. Schools that offer breakfast programs often report higher attendance and improved academic performance among students.
8. Which evidence best supports the claim that breakfast improves school performance?
A. Students enjoy breakfast foods like cereal
B. Schools that offer breakfast programs report better academic results
C. Breakfast takes too long to prepare in the morning
D. Some students skip breakfast by choice
B. Schools that offer breakfast programs report better academic results
The old man sat motionless, his gaze fixed on the windowpane as rain streaked down like tears. The room was dim, but not from lack of light—it was heavy with memory. A faded photograph sat beside him, its edges curled with time. In it, a woman smiled, caught in a moment that had long since passed.
Question 1:
Which theme is most strongly developed in this passage?
A. Nature is unpredictable.
B. Memory can bring both comfort and sorrow.
C. Photographs are fragile.
D. Rain can ruin a good day.
B. Memory can bring both comfort and sorrow.
The hallway echoed with the click of polished shoes and whispered secrets. Posters peeled from the walls like sunburned skin, and lockers stood like forgotten tombstones. Still, Maria moved forward—head high, heart pounding, steps steady.
How does the author’s use of figurative language contribute to the tone?
A. It creates a light and humorous mood.
B. It emphasizes the school's cheerful atmosphere.
C. It builds a tone of tension and determination.
D. It makes the setting feel irrelevant to the plot.
C. It builds a tone of tension and determination.
What is the difference between a topic sentence and a thesis statement?
A. A thesis statement is a fact; a topic sentence is an opinion
B. A thesis controls the whole essay; a topic sentence controls a single paragraph
C. A thesis comes last; a topic sentence comes first
D. A topic sentence includes a counterclaim
B. A thesis controls the whole essay; a topic sentence controls a single paragraph
Even after the storm had passed, the forest remained eerily desolate. Trees stood like silent sentinels, stripped of their leaves, and not a single birdcall pierced the air. It was as though nature itself had decided to hold its breath.
Question:
What is the most likely meaning of the word desolate as used in the passage?
A. Lively and full of noise
B. Isolated and lifeless
C. Recently planted and growing
D. Colorful and bright
B. Isolated and lifeless
Mini-Passage:
Lena stood at the edge of the diving board, staring down into the dark water below. The cheers of her teammates echoed in the background, but she barely heard them. Her fingers curled tighter around the edge as she took a shaky breath. This was her first meet since the fall—since the injury that had kept her out for months. She could still hear the doctor’s voice: “It’ll take time to regain your confidence.” She closed her eyes for just a moment, then sprang forward.
Question:
Which statement best expresses a central idea of the passage?
A. Lena’s teammates are louder than she expected.
B. Injuries can prevent athletes from competing permanently.
C. Overcoming fear is a critical part of returning after a setback.
D. Doctors should not discourage athletes from returning to sports.
C. Overcoming fear is a critical part of returning after a setback.