Informational TextUnderstanding Text Structures: A Textbook

The adventures of Rikki-tikki-tavi occurred in India, a country with a unique history and culture.

Text Structures

If you want to know more about India, a geography textbook would be a good place to start.

To get the most out of your textbooks, make sure that you understand their structure—the features of textbooks that help you learn.

Text Structures

• Table of contents• Section heads• Boldface type• Section previews

• Reading checks• Review questions• Captions• Insets

Some textbook features help you locate information quickly.

Table of Contents Section Heads Boldface Type

Text Structures

Other features of textbooks help you learn and review information.

Reading Checks Review Questions Section Previews

Text Structures

The photographs and artwork in textbooks can lead you to investigate a subject further.

Insets Captions

Text Structures

How well do you understand the structure of textbooks? Answer these questions using Elements of Literature.

1. Which collection in Elements of Literature will help you learn about point of view?

Hint: Look in the Table of Contents.

2. On what page would you find more information about point of view?

Hint: Look at titles in the Table of Contents.

Text Structures

3. Go to page 348 in your textbook. What is different about the type used to present examples?

Hint: The essay provides an example story.

4. How many different points of view are explained in the essay beginning on page 348?

Hint: Look for boldfaced words.

5. What section of the essay is meant to help you review what you read about points of view?

Hint: Find a heading that means “Try it.”

Text Structures

6. Go to page 84 in your textbook. What two pieces of literature are being compared in the feature that begins on this page?

Hint: Look for a list of titles.

7. What kinds of stories are these?

Hint: Read the section headings.

8. When do these stories take place?

Hint: Look at the photograph on the page.

Text Structures

9. Flip through the pages of “Zoo,” beginning on page 85. What four reading skills will you practice using?

Hint: Look in the margins.

10. Go to page 88. What elements in these two stories will you be asked to compare?

Hint: Find a comparison chart.

Text Structures

In your textbook there are four pages from the geography textbook People, Places, and Change.

See how well you understand the structure of a textbook as you answer questions about these pages.

Text Structures

The End

Text Structures