Reading Comprehension

Question 1

main idea

Answer 1

the central point of the passage

Question 2

Glossary

Answer 2

a list of important words to know along with their meanings

Question 3

Primary Purpose / Author’s Purpose

Answer 3

why the author wrote a text

Question 4

Theme (literature)

Answer 4

the central idea, message, or underlying meaning that a literary text explores

Example: love, courage, the struggle between good and evil

Question 5

Author’s point of view

Answer 5

An attitude or perspective toward the topic of what is being written or spoken by the author or narrator.

Example: In an argument against bullying, the author’s point of view was that ‘bullying was caused by previous social issues.’

Question 6

Inference (when reading)

Answer 6

A conclusion or opinion based on information that is given, and that is sometimes called an educated guess.

Example: Sam’s parents inferred that he had gotten in trouble at school when they received a call from the principal

Question 7

table of contents

Answer 7

a text feature found on a page before the start of a written work that lists chapter names or section titles along with their corresponding page numbers

Question 8

Character’s Point of View

Answer 8

An attitude or perspective toward the topic of what is being written or spoken by the character within the story

Question 9

figurative language

Answer 9

A word or phrase that does not have its normal everyday, literal meaning

Example: hyperbole: I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!

Question 10

Cause and Effect

Answer 10

a writing method in which the author explains reasons why something happened or the effects of something that has happened

Example: A politician’s speech in which all of the bad actions of an opponent are listed to argue that the politician should be elected instead.

Question 11

Reading comprehension

Answer 11

the ability to read a text and understand its meaning

Example: Jessie read the book and was able to explain to me why the character lied in Chapter 3.

Question 12

Literacy analysis

Answer 12

The careful examination of a text or one element of a text, including theme, plot, characters, or setting, in order to determine why and how the particular text was written

Question 13

Heading

Answer 13

a title of a section

Question 14

Schema (when reading)

Answer 14

Background knowledge a reader brings to a text.

Example: Someone who plays baseball can use his experience to understand a biography of Babe Ruth.

Question 15

setting

Answer 15

The time and place that a story takes place in a novel.

Question 16

draw conclusion

Answer 16

to make final comments/summation of what has been read or written

Question 17

problem and solution

Answer 17

An organizational approach where the author presents a problem and possible solution

Question 18

K-W-L chart

Answer 18

A graphic organizer used throughout a unit that shows what students know (K), want to know (W), and learned (L)

Question 19

paraphrase

Answer 19

lets you use copyrighted stuff without asking, as long as you’re being fair and using it for things like criticism, teaching, or research

Question 20

chronological order

Answer 20

An organizational approach that follows an orderly progression of events based in time

Question 21

organizational structure

Answer 21

Text structure can include cause/effect, problem/solution, main idea/details, and/or sequence

Example: Students often find problem/solution text structure as more interesting.

Question 22

compare and contrast

Answer 22

An organizational approach where the author provides similarities and differences about two ideas

Question 23

transition words

Answer 23

Phrases and words used to link sentences, paragraphs, and ideas together.

Example: First, next, last, on the other hand

Question 24

moral

Answer 24

lesson or message to be learned; common in fables or children’s stories

Question 25

subheading

Answer 25

a title for a smaller portion of text

Question 26

sentence stems

Answer 26

Common sentence starters provided to students to use when generalizing, summarizing, or transitioning between ideas.

Example: “According to the author…” “We see in Chapter 2 that…” or “While X does this, Y…”

Question 27

annotate

Answer 27

making notes in a text and questioning unfamiliar ideas while reading something new

Question 28

textual evidence

Answer 28

Proof or support of the meaning of what is being read or has been read. This evidence can be a direct quote, transition words in time and space, a statement of purpose, and/or making an argument.

Example: Students had to write down proof of their answer to the questions on the test over the story they just read.

Question 29

summarizing

Answer 29

Writing or speaking a brief description of more extensive information by covering only the main/most important points, without details

Question 30

characters

Answer 30

The persons, animals, or other figures who are in stories.

Question 31

index

Answer 31

a catalogue list at the end of the text containing all of the topics discussed

Question 32

tone (ELA)

Answer 32

The author’s attitude or feelings toward the subject, characters, or audience, conveyed through their choice of words, style, and perspective. It sets the emotional atmosphere of the text, influencing how readers interpret and feel about the story.

Example: serious, humorous, sarcastic, hopeful, or any emotion that shapes the reader’s experience

Question 33

plot

Answer 33

The events included in a story (may or may not be sequential).