Strategies for Multiple Choice
Name one pre-reading strategy Test Takers should use prior to reading a text (i.e article, story, poem)
What is reading the questions?
What is identify the question type?
What is annotating the questions?
What is identifying key word or line numbers?
Which statement best expresses the theme of the story?
What is the Central Idea? What is the Main Idea?
This action has the reader deliberately interacting with a text to enhance their understanding of, recall of, and reaction to the text.
What is annotating?
What is "close reading"?
Marisa decides to try a different way of drawing horses and is proud of her work.
What is Drawing Horses?
a section of a poem; similar to a paragraph.
After reading a question, try to do THIS before reviewing the answer options. This will help prevent you from talking yourself out of the correct answer.
What is answer it in your mind?
Which detail from the story best show why...?
What is a supporting detail?
Annotating involves more than highlighting or underlining key pieces of text. A test taker should always use this strategy after identifying key information.
What is making notes in the margins?
Ramon tries to change his fathers mind to allow him to go on a pearl diving trip.
What is "Excerpt from The Black Pearl?"
a comparison between two unrelated objects using the words, "like" or "as"
For example: Life is like an onion; you peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you weep.
What is a simile?
When a multiple choice question directs you to "lines" in the text, what should you do?
For example:
In lines 12-14, What is the authors point of view?
What is going into the text and identifying the line numbers; writing the Q#__ and the actual question in the margin?
What is the author trying to communicate to the reader?
What is the Author's purpose?
When you come across a word you do not know, use this strategy to help you figure out the definition.
What is context clues?
What is a footnote?
This story presents a young lady, forced to endure the "monster's" bad case of morning breath.
What is "Excerpt from Last Regrets?"
a comparison between unrelated objects using the verb "to be" (is/was; are/were)
For example: Words are bullets, and should be used sparingly, aimed toward a target.
What is a metaphor?
What is the name of the process where a Test Taker will cross out all the answers they know are incorrect, then focus on the remaining answers. This strategy saves time and greatly increases the likelihood of selecting the correct answer.
What is the process of elimination?
How does the author develop the central idea?
What is authors craft?
You can find the main idea of an article by reading these two paragraphs.
What is the introduction and conclusion?
This article discusses how Nubian Goats are being used to produce spider silk.
What is "Move Over, Spider-Man-Here's Spider-Goat!"?
For example: "Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is."
What is onomatopoeia?
It's usually best to stick to THIS when you are unsure about an answer. It can be counterproductive to constantly second guess yourself and change your answer.
What is your first choice?
What do the lines ____-______ mostly show about the character?
What is an inference based question?
When the directions say...
"Read this poem. Then answer question 22 through 28."
What genre are you about to read?
What is fiction?
This story contains the line, "It's normal for elephants to walk around on the streets here, don't worry."
What is "Expert from The Girl in the Garden"?
describes how the author conveys an overall feeling of a poem for readers.
For example:
"And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;"
What is Tone?