Tone and Mood
Inferences and Drawing Conclusions
Definitions/ Context clues
Cause and effect
Misc
Organizational patterns/text features
100
Which of the following most likely has an objective tone?
- A
an encyclopedia entry
- B
a letter to a friend
- C
a movie review
- D
a political speech
A. encyclopedia entry
100
The Slim-O-Matic will cause you to loose pounds and inches from your body in one month. This amazing machine helps you to exercise correctly and provides an easy video to show you the proper way to exercise. Send $75.99 and begin exercising today.
a. inform
b. entertain
c. persuade
d. positive advertisement
c. persuade
100
Jeremiah, Brandon, and Shazee traveled on horseback. It was a long journey. They rode all day long. It was dark when they reached the camp.
EFFECT: It was dark when the boys reached camp.
What was the CAUSE?
The journey was long.
100
One reason streams become polluted is storm water runoff. When rain or melted snow runs off, it carries trash from sidewalks and streets with it. These pollutants flow into storm sewers or directly into a lake, stream, or river. Then, bacteria from the trash spread to create health hazards. The trash itself can choke and suffocate ducks, fish, turtles, and birds. Used motor oil, paint, and insecticides can poison fish.
According to this passage, which of the following is caused by storm water runoff?
Trash chokes ducks, fish, and turtles.
100
Landon is having a hard time figuring out what to write for the essay his English teacher assigned. The main conflict can best be described as individual vs. -
a. individual
b. self
C. nature
d. machine
b. self
100
Clara Barton was born in Oxford, Massachusetts in 1821. She taught school and worked at the United States Patent Office. When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Clara worked as a nurse. She brought supplies to soldiers and worked on the battlefield. In fact, she was called the "Angel of the Battlefield". In 1869, Clara went to Europe. There she worked with the International Red Cross. Clara returned to the United States in 1873. In 1881, Clara set up the American National Red Cross. Clara Barton helped many people in her lifetime.
Chronological order/sequence
200
Read the following passage.
Some people might see my cat Bash soaking up a sunny spot in my living room or sleeping for 20 hours each day and think, "What a lazy cat!" But "lazy" is the wrong word for Bash. Bash the Cat is calm, and he is wise. The other night, for example, there was a terrible storm with crashing thunder and bright flashes of lightning that lasted two hours. Another cat might have darted around the room, frantic and hyper, thumping into walls and diving off countertops. But Bash just woke up from his perch and quietly analyzed the situation, watching me closely for cues to how to react. He seemed to be asking me, "Should I be very frightened?" I just kept cooking spaghetti and singing along to the radio. So Bash didn't waste any time; he went right back to sleep.
Which words from the passage have a positive connotation?
- A."frantic" and "hyper"
- B. "calm" and "wise"
- C."crashing" and "thumping"
- D."sleeping" and "darted"
B. Calm and wise
200
It was a glorious morning in Alabama. The sun was shining through the trees. Alan couldn't wait to find his fishing pole and call his friend Sam to go fishing. They had a great time on these early-morning fishing trips. They took their dogs with them and the dogs would swim in the lake while they fished. It was so funny to watch those dogs paddle around the lake.
a. to inform
b. to Entertain
c. to Persuade
d. to give reference to the past
b. to entertain
200
Find the multiple meaning word that will fit in both sentences.
I carefully carried my ______ to the table.
My mom just learned how to ______ a strike.
I carefully carried my ______ to the table.
My mom just learned how to ______ a strike.
answer choices
a.fork
b. bowl
c. throw
d.make
b. bowl
200
Little Jaden Wiggins fell down a well on the farm. His family looked for him. Finally, at sundown, Mr. Wiggins found Jaden. He had been trapped in the well for three hours.
CAUSE: Jaden Wiggins fell down a well.
What was the EFFECT?
CAUSE: Jaden Wiggins fell down a well.
What was the EFFECT?
He's trapped down the well for three hours.
200
Read the passage and determine its text structure!
You may think it’s bad to forget your homework, but what if you forgot who you were? Amnesia is a condition where a person loses some of their memories, like details about their personal identity, but still may remember how to do things, like play a piano. One type of Amnesia is called post-traumatic amnesia. Post-traumatic amnesia is usually due to a head injury (like a serious fall or knock on the head). The degree of memory loss may be related to the force of the injury. A simple whiplash may cause a person to forget the moments before the accident, but a more severe injury may cause a greater loss. For example, the victim may not remember who certain people are or may forget details about their own identities.
Cause and effect
200
Kyeran’s pizzeria is my favorite pizza place in the city, but you wouldn’t be able to tell that just by looking at the outside. It is an inconspicuous brown brick building. It doesn’t even have a sign, just the name of the establishment in three-inch letters on the storefront window. The inside isn’t much to speak of either. There are some chrome swivel stools along a laminate countertop that makes an L shape, separating the register and kitchen area from the dining area. Booth seating lines the eating area of the restaurant area and a few favorable reviews from local publications are framed and displayed on the walls. Yeah, the aesthetics of the place are a little underwhelming, but forget the scenery. I go to Kyeran’s for the pizza.
Description
300
Read the following passage.
This house isn't perfect, but it's where my babies grew up. I know it all by heart. I know every stain on the carpet, every creaking floorboard, and every paint chip on the windowsills. Each corner of this small space is filled with memories that I relive when I walk through the narrow hallways.
What words best describe the author's tone in the passage above?
- A. hopeless and afraid
- B . angry and violent
C. sentimental and tender
D. The author doesn't have a tone.
c. sentimental and tender
300
Dustin plays baseball and accidentally breaks a window. How do you think he feels?
answer choices
a. He is scared of getting in trouble.
b. He feels happy and excited he threw the ball so hard.
c.He can't wait to break another window.
d.He thinks he should study his spelling words.
a. He is scared he will get into trouble.
300
The young children laid on the blanket and looked up at the sky. The fireworks illuminated the sky and sparkled above them. They wiped the sweat from their face and grinned with excitement at the bright colors!
Infer what the word illuminated means.
lit up, brighten
300
Emmonie wanted to be a dancer. She knew that dancers must work every day. She took dance lessons every Tuesday. She practiced a few hours each day.
EFFECT: Emmonie practiced every day.
What was the CAUSE?
She wanted to be a dancer.
300
Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer. Soccer players learn how to dribble and pass the ball. They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score. Most importantly, soccer players learn how to work together with their teammates.
What is the main idea?
Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.
300
At one time, Americans could not get from coast to coast by train. The train tracks did not go all the way across the United States. This was a problem because it took months to travel from one side of the country to the other. Suddenly, in the early 1860's, the railroad companies decided to begin building a transcontinental railroad. This railroad would allow Americans to cross the continent in less than a week. This was a much better way to travel.
What text feature/organizational pattern is this?
Problem and solution
400
There are a lot of different words to describe positive tones. A writer can have a celebratory attitude, or she can have a hopeful, excited or reflective tone. Admiring, lighthearted and sympathetic are positive tones, too. On the other hand, a negative tone could be frantic, selfish, bitter or skeptical. Even if the tone isn't positive or negative, there is still a tone. Every piece of writing has one. Sometimes, the tone can be neutral. You might describe a neutral tone as impartial or objective.
Which of the following passages has the most objective tone?
- A
Do you know about the brave dogs in Nome, Alaska, who saved the town in 1925?
- B
The people of Nome, Alaska were in big trouble in 1925. It was up to the dogs to save them.
- C. The hero dogs in Nome, Alaska, did what no pilot could do: they brought medicine to the town.
- D. In 1925, people were sick and planes couldn't land in Nome, Alaska. Teams of dogs delivered the medicine.
D. In 1925, people were sick and planes couldn't land in Nome, Alaska. Teams of dogs delivered the medicine.
400
Shawntia looked at herself in the mirror and smiled at her beautiful reflection. She was wearing a lovely peach-colored gown with layers of lace and delicate frills on the hem and the neckline. She had borrowed her mom's jewelry, and she felt confident that she would be crowned "The Princess of the Year" today. The winner would get an all-expense paid trip to Hawaii. Winning this title would pave the way for her to participate in the national beauty pageant, which would be conducted later in the year. And if she won the national-level pageant too, her life would change overnight. She could roam the world, see places, stay at luxurious hotels, become rich, own penthouses in expensive cities, and enjoy and live the life of her dreams.
Thinking about her wonderful future, she waited for her turn to go on stage. She was so engrossed in her fantasy world of exotic holidays and luxurious penthouses, that when one of the participants nudged her, she realized that this was the last call for her to go on stage. In her haste, she tripped and fell. She sat up with a start and found herself alone in a dark room.
Which sentence best supports the inference that Shawntia was daydreaming?
400
The circle of children opened up into a horseshoe shape. A shadow was crawling out of the forest towards them. A shrill scream came out of the shadow’s mouth that pierced the calm of the night as the children began to scurry off.
What does the word shrill most likely mean?
loud and high pitched
400
Christian went on a fishing trip with his father. His father caught three fish. Christian caught two fish. Christian's fish were so little that he had to throw them back.
CAUSE: Christian's fish were very small
What was the EFFECT?
He had to throw them back.
400
How can you know that something is written in first person point of view?
Pronouns like I, my, and we are used.
400
What text feature is this ?
Compare and contrast
500
Which passage below has the most critical tone?
- A
On the train, the man slowly clipped his fingernails. He focused on the task, beginning with his pinky finger and finishing with his thumb.
- B
On the train, the tired, old man began clipping his fingernails. He was trying to distract himself from his loneliness by focusing on this one small task, moving from pinky to thumb.
- C
The man—right in the middle of the crowded train—began to clip his long, yellow fingernails. He did it slowly, as if he didn't even care that a dozen other people could see and hear him.
- D
The man on the train clipped his fingernails. It took him 2 minutes and 8 seconds. He started on his pinky and finished with his thumb. When he was finished, he put the clippers back into his jacket pocket.
- B
On the train, the tired, old man began clipping his fingernails. He was trying to distract himself from his loneliness by focusing on this one small task, moving from pinky to thumb.
500
In 1215, King John of England was forced to give up some of his royal power with the adoption of the Magna Carta, which means “Great Charter” in Latin. The main effect of this document, which was written in Latin, was to secure the liberties of the English Church, the rights of English nobles, and to restrict abuses of royal power. It required the king to concede certain rights to the nobles. In essence, it meant the king could no longer rule by whim, such as arresting anyone for any reason, but had to respect certain legal procedures. The Great Charter gave the king’s subjects certain rights that the king could not violate. One of the laws that the Great Charter set out was the rule of habeas corpus. This is a Latin term meaning “show me the body,” and it meant that the king or his officers had to prove that a person in their custody had broken a law and was not in jail because the king was mad at him or wanted his property. King John had taken the throne upon King Richard’s death. King Richard was his oldest brother, and according to English property law of the time, the oldest son inherited all his father’s land. As the youngest son, John inherited no land and was known as “John Lackland.” Without land, King John could only raise money to support himself by taxing his subjects, and this made him very unpopular. He was the king that the famous Robin Hood fought against. Which of these statements can the reader infer from this passage?
A. John hated Richard because their father had given him all the land.
B. When someone was jailed, jailers had to show the king the body.
C. After 1215, King John could not make the nobles do as he wanted.
D. After 1215, King John could steal the land from English noblemen.
C. After 1215, King John could not make the nobles do as he wanted.
500
After shattering through the thick plates of glass I began to attempt to rise back up to my feet, sharp pain seared through all of my limbs, causing me to wince in pain with each careful step I took.
What does the word seared most likely mean?
answer choices
a. to wound
b. to join
c. to cause a burning sensation
d. to grill quickly
c. to cause a burning sensation
500
It is a good idea to lock your door at night. Micheal forgot to lock his door last Monday. When he returned home, he found that his new T.V. set had been stolen.
EFFECT: Micheal's T.V. was stolen.
What was the CAUSE?
Micheal forgot to lock the door.
500
A personal narrative is written in ______ person point of view.
answer choices
a. first
b. second
c. third
d. any
a. first
500
Ciyanni stayed up late every night playing games on her phone and was usually late or absent from her first-period math class each day. Consequently, she did not pass math and had to retake it in summer school. Which text structure does the example demonstrate?
Cause and effect
600
Tomorrow is Brooklyn's birthday. She is excited because she gets to pick where she will eat dinner. Will it be Mexican food at the Big Enchilada House? Or will it be fried chicken at the Chicken Shack, or a big cheeseburger at Al's Hamburger Palace. She just couldn't decide. Then there was always the Pizza Shop with that great pepperoni pizza. How would she ever decide? Maybe she would just flip a coin.
The best summary of this passage is:
answer choices
a. Brooklyn has many restaurants to choose from for her birthday.
b. Brooklyn loves Mexican food.
c. The Pizza Shop has the best pizza in town.
d. Brooklyn will choose a place by flipping a coin.
Brooklyn has many restaurants to choose from for her birthday.