Unit 4 Lesson 4: Organizing Explanatory Text

Question 1

text structure

Answer 1

the arrangement of ideas in a text

Question 2

cause and effect

Answer 2

organizes information in terms of what makes something happen and what happens as the result

Question 3

description or list

Answer 3

describes or lists characteristics of an idea, person, or other topic by focusing on individual examples and details

Question 4

chronological

Answer 4

recounts a process or series of events in the order in which they are performed or occurred

Question 4

compare and contrast

Answer 4

explains how two related things or ideas are similar and different

Question 5

problem/solution

Answer 5

presents a problem and then provides a detailed explanation of one or more solutions

Question 6

Transitional Words and Phrases the represent casue and effect

Answer 6

• as a result
• because of this
• consequently
• for this reason
• therefore
• this led to

Question 7

Transitional Words and Phrases the represent compare and contrast

Answer 7

• also
• as well as
• in contrast to
• in the same way
• like
• unlike

Question 8

Transitional Words and Phrases the represent description or list

Answer 8

• another example is
• first
• next
• to begin with

Question 9

Transitional Words and Phrases the represent chronlogical

Answer 9

• after
• before
• eventually
• finally
• subsequently
• then

Question 10

Transitional Words and Phrases the represent problem/solution

Answer 10

• a concern is
• a solution is
• in order to
• one challenge is
• to solve
• to prevent

Question 11

No matter which text structure they choose, writers can use … at the sentence level to help emphasize important ideas.

Answer 11

parallel structure

Question 12

What does parallel structure mean

Answer 12

the use of a repeated grammatical format or a series of words or phrases

Question 13

What does parallel structure involve

Answer 13

. Parallel structure involves using the same grammatical structure or word patterns. Writers can link parallel words, phrases, or clauses with the words and or or.

Question 14

Parallel structure VS no parallel structure

Answer 14

Look at how this writer uses parallel structure to explain the goals of the First Continental Congress:
* The First Continental Congress met in 1774 to organize colonial militias, to impose a boycott on British imports, and to petition King George to repeal the Intolerable Acts.
Compare the previous sentence to this sentence, which does not use parallel structure:
* The First Continental Congress met in 1774 to organize colonial militias, imposed a boycott on British imports, and sent a petition to King George to repeal the Intolerable Acts.

Question 15

What does using paraell structure help with

Answer 15

Using parallel structure helps writers clearly present pieces of information and show that two or more ideas have equal importance.

Question 16

Why do writers use transitional words and phrases in informative/explanatory texts?

Answer 16

Transitional words and phrases help connect ideas in a text and signal to readers the structure of the text.

Question 17

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When might a writer use a compare and contrast structure for an informative/explanatory text?

Answer 17

: A writer might use a compare and contrast structure to explain the similarities and differences between two things that are related, but not exactly the same.

Question 18

What is parallel structure?

Answer 18

Parallel structure is the use of the same grammatical structure or word patterns across words, phrases, or clauses to show that two ideas have equal importance.

Question 19

If a writer uses phrases such as because of this and therefore in an explanatory text, what text structure does this most likely signal?

Answer 19

Because of this and therefore signal a cause-and-effect text structure.

Question 20

Imagine you’re writing a review of three types of flooring—hardwood, carpet, and tile—for a home improvement blog. Evaluate which would be the most effective text structure—comparison and contrast using the block method or comparison and contrast using the point-by-point method.

Answer 20

The point-by-point method would probably be the most effective way to organize ideas within the compare-and-contrast text structure. That’s because homeowners would probably have the same basic questions about all three types of flooring: How much does it cost? How easy is it to install? How easy is it to clean and care for? How long does it last? The blog post could use those headings to focus on one point at a time, and each of the three types of flooring could be compared and contrasted with reference to that single aspect (cost, installation, ease of care, durability).

Question 21

What two text structures might a writer use in order to develop and organize their ideas about how Queen Elizabeth I rose to power and what changes occurred during her reign?

Answer 21

Someone writing about how Queen Elizabeth I rose to power and what changes occurred during her reign would probably use a mix of sequential and cause-and-effect text structures. First, the writer would explain in chronological order the events that led to the queen’s succession. Then, the writer would discuss the consequences of the policies that the queen enacted during her period in power. Explaining her policies might require some sequential organization, but it would also require describing the effects of particular policies.

Question 22

A friend has been asked to write an essay on advances in health care. How would you advise your friend to think creatively about the topic to generate and organize their ideas?

Answer 22

First, I’d try to tap into my friend’s background knowledge and interests and then I’d help my friend narrow down the topic and focus it. The topic of health care is huge, so to get started, my friend could think about a particular community served by health care—e.g., teens, the elderly, or a particular racial or ethnic community; a particular type of condition or disease—e.g., diabetes, cancer, mental health; or different types of technologies that have transformed health care—e.g., laser surgery or prosthetic technology. Then, once my friend had narrowed down the topic, they could begin thinking about how to organize their ideas and gather more information. For example, suppose they wanted to write about advances in prosthetic technology and how they’ve helped war veterans. In this case, they might want to use problem and solution as their overarching text structure. They could define the problem and then map out the various solutions that were taken in the past—this might require organizing some of the text sequentially—and how new approaches are either being applied today or being researched for the future.

Question 23

sequential

Answer 23

lists events or steps in chronological order

Question 24

What happenes in sequential text structure

Answer 24

In sequential text structure, a writer describes events or steps in time order. Historical texts, biographies, and autobiographies typically employ a sequential text structure. So do texts that explain a process, such as how teams respond to a natural disaster or how cars are manufactured.