English 1 Fall Summative

Tips

Main idea/ supporting details

The main idea is the central idea of the piece.

Supporting details help prove the main idea. All details should align with main idea, and further your understanding of what the author is trying to say.

Example:

What is the main idea of the short story “The Most Dangerous Game”?

Zaroff is bored with hunting animals, so he starts hunting people. He wants more of a challenge, and Rainsford is a master hunter.

Drawing conclusions

Sometimes the author will leave important information out to allow you to "read between the lines." You must determine the importance and value of the information that the author gives you so that you can draw conclusions about the text.

Example

WASHINGTON — More than two dozen people were injured, most of them slightly, in a mosh pit stampede while rapper Eminem was performing at RFK Stadium, officials said. One man suffered a heart attack during the melee and was taken to a hospital, District of Columbia fire spokesman Alan Etter said. Four others were taken to area hospitals, and the rest were treated at the scene for less serious injuries.

1. What might happen at future Eminem concerts as a result of the injuries?A. People might have to purchase insurance when they attend.B. Parents of young fans will accompany their children to the mosh pits.C. Security people will stop concert goers from starting mosh pits.D. Mosh pits at Eminem concerts will be larger than ever.

Summarizing

A summary is a shorter way to tell about the events or details of a passage. Only the most important details are conveyed in a summary. A summary allows the reader to see what the passage is about.

Example

Thousands of followers of Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid rioted Tuesday, attacking churches and buildings that belonged to political rivals. This occurred on the eve of a Parliament meeting that was expected to start an impeachment bid. This bid would result in legal charges being brought against Wahid.

      Police fired warning shots to break up angry mobs in Wahid's home province of East Java. Many people there believe the Indonesian president is an Islamic holy man. An opposition party official's home was attacked on Sumatra Island.

1. Which of the following best summarizes the passage above?A. Supporters of President Wahid rioted in protest of an attempt to remove him from office. Police used warning shots to break up the crowd.B. Rioting is very common during the shift of political power in third world countries. The Indonesian president was about to be impeached.C. Police fired warning shots in an attempt to end the rioting. The rioters were followers of President Wahid. They believe he is a holy man.D. Thousands of protesters were rioting outside of a home at East Java. Some protesters attacked a party official's home on Sumatra Island.

Compare, contrast, analyze connections—text to text

Compare and contrast is a concept that is used to examine information in order to show the similarities and differences between two or more thoughts or ideas.

Example

Passage 1Living Bridges

     The Khasis tribe of India grows bridges out of tree roots. The tribe dwells in a very wet area of the world. The Khasis people use the roots of the ficus tree to create bridges over bodies of water and ravines. Ficus trees grow along riverbanks or even in rivers. They produce a secondary root system from higher up on the trunk than the primary root system, which grows downward into the ground. The higher roots grow out across the ravine. The bridges may take 15 years to become stable enough for use. The living root bridges gain strength as they grow over the years. Some of the living bridges still used by the Khasis tribe are thought to be over 500 years old. Some of the mature bridges are strong enough to hold about 50 people at one time.

Passage 2Suspension Bridges

     Suspension bridges are known for their ability to span long distances with less building material than most other bridges. They are designed to have long, straight sections between towers with suspension cables that distribute the force down to the ground. Suspension bridges are mostly built out of steel and concrete. The cables give the bridge support. One of the most famous suspension bridges in the world is the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The Golden Gate Bridge is 1.7 miles long and stretches over San Francisco Bay. It weighs over 880,000 tons and cost $35 million to build. The construction of the Golden Gate Bridge was started in 1933 and completed in 1937.

1. Unlike living bridges, suspension bridges A. are made of concrete and steel. B. are built in less than a year. C. do not last very long. D. do not require support.

Roots and affixes

When you are trying to figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word, it helps to try to break down the word into smaller parts. Prefixes and suffixes often provide valuable clues as to the meaning of words.

Example

Prefix ab-not or away from abnormal (not normal)ambi- both ambivalent (feeling both ways about an

issue)anti-against anti-war (against war)

Suffix-able, -ible capable offixable (capable of being fixed)-ationthe process of creation (the process of creating)-esqueresembling statuesque (like a statue)

Example

Francie Stickingham, co-author of the how-to book, "How to Win a Game Show (and Show Off Your Money)" will be reading a chapter from her book and signing copies at the Barnes and Noble Bookstore on University. The appearance will take place on Tuesday, April 7 at 7pm. Stickingham's book will be available for purchase at that time.

What does the term "co-author" mean in the passage above? A. Francie Stickingham used to be an author. B. Francie Stickingham is one of two authors. C. Francie Stickingham is an assistant to an author. D. Francie Stickingham is not really an author.

Context Clues

Context clues are the words around the unknown word. It is also the information that makes up the rest of the paragraph.

Example

There was nothing to do but disembark and take shelter in a nearby train station.

What is the definition of disembark as it is used in this sentence?

A. embrace B. remain C. explore D. get off

Glossary, dictionary, thesaurus

You can use a dictionary for many things. A dictionary can tell you what words mean. It can tell you how to pronounce, or say, words. It also tells which country words come from.

Example

Propulsionthe process of propelling or driving forward

Use the glossary excerpt above to answer the following question.

Which sentence uses the word propulsion correctly?

A. The energy sent out when certain changes happen in the molecules of an object or substance create propulsion in the form of X-rays. B. The propulsion will be exploring the upper atmosphere and moon during the next two-year mission. C. The rocket scientist in charge of propulsion ensures that the vehicle moves forward at consistent speeds. D. The force of pushing or of weight on the human body is called propulsion.

Title, footnotes—text features

A title can sometimes give you background information on the subject of the story.

Footnotes can explain important words and excerpts.

Example

What would be the best heading for the text below?

A Chinese Crested (dog) should be bathed at least twice a week in hypoallergenic shampoo to prevent pimples and skin irritants. After a bath, lotion should be applied to condition and protect the skin. A. Health B. Talents C. Grooming D. Nutrition

Irony

Verbal—when what is said doesn’t match what is meant

Situational—when something happened that you didn’t expect

Dramatic—the audience knows something that one of the main characters doesn’t know

Imagery

Connecting to the five senses of the reader and creating a vivid picture in their head.

Sample

Read this sentence from the passage.

"The tree branches reached up and choked the life from the summer sun, and Callie was plunged into a thick gloom."

What is the effect of the image the author uses in this description?

A. It shows the reader that the main character has no respect for nature.

B. It gives the reader a sense that the main character's situation is dangerous.

C. It suggests that supernatural events are taking place around the forest.

D. It explains why the main character went for a walk in the forest late at night.

Repetition

The repeating of specific words or phrases in order to emphasize a certain point.

Sample

Martin Luther King Jr. repeats “I have a dream” throughout his speech.

Propaganda

When you use different methods in order to make your argument more persuasive.Bandwagon—everybody’s doing it!Loaded words—emotional charged words

that produce strong positive or negative reactions.

Straw man—makes the other side of the argument seem ridiculous.

Jargon

Technical terms—language used by people of the same profession or specialized interest group

Samples

Propaganda-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkBOI4lNfYs

Jargon-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpe5tOVXiNM

Character, plot, setting, point of view

Plot- the storyline or sequence of events that take place in a story .

Character- the people in the story and how the author reveals them

Setting- time and place and why is this important?

Point of view- 1st, 2nd, 3rd –what is beneficial about each of these?

Sample—Story

What is a major conflict in this selection?

Jerry is overwhelmed with guilt for cheating in a contest.

What is a resolution to Jerry’s conflict?

Jerry can tell someone the truth so that Lenny can get the scholarship that he deserves.

Why did Jerry enter the scholarship contest?

He wanted to get extra credit in his English class so that he could make a B on his report card.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzK3r9rqMSQ

Theme

A theme is a universal truth explored in a piece of writing often in the form of a life lesson or moral

Sample Themes

Man is man’s worst enemy. Good is stronger than evil. A person grows by facing obstacles. Enjoy life now because we all die too soon. Love conquers all. Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Notice that the themes aren’t describing particular events or characters. They are broad ideas that can apply to all people.

Author’s Style

Style is a manner of presenting material, including usage, punctuation, point-of-view, organization, and tone. By manipulating these stylistic factors, different meanings are achieved.

Sample

The opening line of the letter, "This reference letter is provided at the written request of Julie Johnson," sets a tone that could be characterized as A. formal and businesslike.

B. humorous and silly.

C. grave and somber.

D. casual and conversational.

Organizational Patterns

Handout

Word Choice

The author carefully considers the following:Awareness of languageThere are different ways to say the same

thingStretches to use new words

Sample

What is wrong with this writing sample?

“All the houses on our street are very ugly. Mrs. Gibbons lives in a big ugly house down the street. The Fitzgerald’s live in an ugly house, too. We live in a big ugly house.”

How many times is the word ugly used? The overuse of this word demonstrate poor word choice.

How to make it better

Use a variety of interesting words to create a more vivid picture. In the TIPS box on your notes sheet, rewrite the paragraph using synonyms for the word ugly.

“All the houses on our street are very ________. Mrs. Gibbons lives in a big ________ house down the street. The Fitzgerald’s live in an __________ house, too. We live in a big ____________ house.”

Evaluate the accuracy and adequacy of evidence

A challenging but important task for the reader is to figure out the author's opinion, purpose, and attitude. Since the author may not directly state his or her purpose, the reader must look for hidden meanings.

Sample

Contrary to what he believes, Willy Loman is not, and never was, a great salesman. Despite his constant boasting, Willy can't even make ends meet. He is laughed at by customers and must borrow money from a neighbor because he earns nothing. Willy claims to be some sort of selling legend, but the truth is revealed in a telling exchange with his boss, Howard. Willy says, "In 1928 I had a big year. I averaged a hundred and seventy dollars a week in commissions.' Howard cuts in, impatiently, 'Now, Willy, you never averaged—.'"

Read the paragraph above. How does the italicized quote support the author's point?

A. It reveals that Willy Loman is a good salesman even though he thinks he's not.B. It shows that Willy Loman is pessimistic about his past and his future.C. It reveals that Willy Loman thinks he's a good salesman even though he's not.D. It reveals that Willy Loman is a respected character.

Point of view

1st person: I, me, my--gives the reader a more personal connection with the author

2nd person: you--grabs the reader’s attention because the author is talking directly to him or her

3rd person: he, she, they--gives the reader a neutral, unbiased view of the story

Sample

How would the passage be different if it was told from the third-person point of view?

A. The reader might only get a description of the kind of clothes Bradley wears.

B. The reader might know about Bradley's inner thoughts as well as the narrator's.

C. The reader would only know Bradley's inner thoughts.

D. The reader would not know where the setting of the story takes place.

Evaluate proposed solutions

Analyzing and evaluating information are an important skills. When you analyze something, you break it into parts and study each part.

Sample

According to this passage, which of the following is the best solution to the problem?

This is a reading comprehension questions--read each answer and pick the best solution based on what you read.

Capitalization and punctuation

Which of the following sentences is correct?

Which of the following sentences is incorrect?