Making Inferences
Context Clues
Analogies
Figurative Language
Literary Elements
100

In the following passage, this inference can be made about what Iggy is doing in the building:

"Iggy squinted as he tried to see through the holes in the ski mask. He could make out the large bag on the counter. The frightened woman who put it there now had both hands raised. Iggy grabbed the bag and exited the first set of doors but stopped in the vestibule. The windows of the building pulsated with blue and red lights. Iggy paused for a moment, panic beginning to sit in."

Iggy is robbing the building.

100

John could not focus on the assignment with the incessant chatting that had been going on non-stop around him.

What is constant?


100

Bird : Sky :: Fish : _______

What is Water?

100

Julie was so hungry she could eat a Horse, an Elephant, a Giraffe, and a couple Rotisserie Chickens.

What is a Hyperbole?

100

This term refers to the feelings or emotions evoked in the reader by a piece of writing.

What is Mood?

200

Based on the following passage, this inference can be made about why Miya is relieved but still worried:

Miya came out of the bathroom with tears in her eyes. She ran down to the cafeteria and asked the staff if they had any rice. Fortunately for Miya, Ms. Lucille did. Ms. Lucille filled a red plastic cup about half way with white rice grains and handed it to Miya. Miya pulled a phone from out of her back pocket and pushed it into the dry rice grains inside of the plastic cup. She felt relieved, but she was still a little worried.

She has dropped her phone in liquid and is worried it will not work despite putting it in rice.

200

The children in the orphanage might have starved had it not been for the benevolence of the nuns, who sacrificed their own small salaries to provide food for the children.

What is kindness/charitableness?

200

Leaf : Tree :: Petal : _______

What is flower?

200

My pen fought back, determined not to give up any of its ink when I needed it most. 

What is Personification?

200

Examples of this plot element would be Character vs. Character, Character vs. Self, or Character vs. Society.

What is Conflict?

300

Based on the following passage, Mr Johnson does this for a living: 

"Mr. Johnson looked up at the sky. It was clear as far as the eye could see, except for the cruel sun. Mr. Johnson ran his fingers through one of the rows of dirt and grabbed a handful. It was bone dry, almost powdery. Mr. Johnson put his hands on his hips and surveyed the field. It was well seeded, that he knew. He had seeded it himself, yet nothing sprang from the dirt. "Well, there's only one thing left to do," he said to himself. Mr. Johnson headed to church."

What is farming?

300

After weeks of avoiding him, Annie finally found the courage to tell David that she wasn’t interested in him; and even though David was heart broken, he appreciated her candor.

What is Honesty?

300

Ms. Klosky : Civics :: Ms. Timm : __________

What is English?

300

What happens to a dream deferred?

      Does it dry up

      like a raisin in the sun?

What is Simile?

300

This moment in a story introduces the main conflict and sets the plot into motion.

What is Initiating Event?

400

Based on the passage below, who is Nico and why has Erin been "shouting similar expressions all day"?

"Nico!" Erin shouted at the top of her lungs as she bounded through the meadow, "Come back, Nico!" She was nearly out of breath but she kept running through the tall grass. "Nico, come on, boy! It's time to go home!" Erin continued shouting, her voice hoarse from shouting similar expressions all day. Then she stumbled over the empty leash that she was carrying, "Whoa… Come on Nico!" Erin shouted, regaining her balance.

Nico is her dog and she has been looking for him today.

400

If you go to the party wearing your best smile, laugh good-naturedly, you will attract attention with your amiable disposition.

What is friendly?

400

Cheese: Mozzarella :: Disease : __________

What is [a type of disease]?

400

Her soprano voice was a bird soaring over the audience.

What is Metaphor?

400

This term refers to the overall message or lesson expressed by a piece of literature.

What is Theme?

500

Based on the following passage, this inference can be made about who the man is, and what he is writing on his clipboard:

Pam clutched the steering wheel awkwardly. The man in the passenger seat looked at her from behind wireframe glasses and then looked back at his clipboard and made some checks. Pam attempted to pull out from the parking spot slowly, but her foot slipped and she pressed on the gas too hard. The car jerked back suddenly and she almost crashed into a parked van. The man scowled at her and made another check on his clipboard. He said dryly, "Turn right here." Sweat beads gathered on Pam's brow. She timidly exited the parking lot. Now she was on a thoroughfare and was travelling 15 MPH below the speed limit. Traffic accumulated behind her. The man made a few more checks on his clipboard and wrote a comment. "Turn left at this stop sign," he said. Pam slowly turned left, but she did not stop. The man hurriedly made several more checks on his clipboard and said, "OK, we're done here. Please get in the passenger seat. I will drive back to the facility."

He is a driving instructor and he is recording his observations from the driving test. We can infer that she did not do well.

500

One might think that the child would be afraid of such a large animal, but the intrepid young girl ran up to the beast and began scratching it behind the ears.

What is brave/fearless?

500

Ugly : Hideous :: Pretty : 

What is Beautiful?

500

The perfectly sun-kissed strawberries were calling my name, so I bought them to go with dessert.

What is Personification?

500

This term describes an author or narrator's attitude towards their subject.

What is Tone?