PP

7th GRADE STAAR

READING STUDY GUIDE

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT: ROOTS/AFFIXES

ROOT: Determine the meaning of grade-level academic English

words derived from Latin, Greek, or other linguistic roots and

affixes. The basic linguistic unit of a word; the base form of a

word after all affixes are detached.

EXAMPLES: 1. anti (against) + social (relating to society) = antisocial

(not sociable or opposing social norm)

2. super (above or beyond) + human (consisting of people)

= superhuman (people who are above average)

AFFIX: A word part (prefix or suffix) attached/joined before or

after a base word which changes the word’s meaning to form a new

word.

AFFIX

(Prefix or Suffix)

Meaning Examples

dis-, in-, im-, un-,

non-, a-, an-, il-, ir-

, -less

not, opposite, no,

without

unreliable, discover,

indirect, hopeless

mal-, mis- bad, badly or

wrong

malice, misconduct

pre- before preview, predetermine,

prefix

re- again rewrite, regain, redo

-able, -ible, - ile able to, can do, fit

to

affordable, sensible

-er, -or, - ist,

-ite, -an

one who does or

is

teacher, professor,

-ful, -ous, -ose, -

lent

full of, having helpful, courageous

-ness, -ship, -ance,

-ment, -age, -ism

quality of,

condition, result,

practice of

openness, resistance,

contentment, bondage

-ry, -ary, -ery, -ory relating to (adj.),

place where (n.),

quality (n)

bakery, primary,

ambulatory, library

-ion, -tion, -sion action, instance

of

abduction, admission

-ant, -ent, -er, -or, -

eer, -ier, -ine

one who acts clairvoyant, dependent,

farmer, sailor, auctioneer,

gondolier, heroine

-phobe fear arachnophobia

mis- wrong, not misconception,

misconceive,

misapprehend, misapply

multi- many multimedia, multifaceted,

multitude

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT: CONTEXT CLUES

CONTEXT CLUES: Use context to determine or clarify the

meaning of unfamiliar or ambiguous (unclear) words or words

with novel (new) meanings.

SENTENCE PART OF SPEECH ANALYSIS

Give me a round figure. round is an adjective

Shall we play another

round of cards?

round is a noun (thing and subject

of sentence.)

He had a look round

before he kept going.

round is an adverb (modifies the

verb look)

The floor function

rounds down. .

rounds is a verb (action)

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT: CONTEXT CLUES

Signal/Transition words such as because, such as, also, like,

unlike, and however show relationships such as cause/effect,

example, and or compare/contrast.

1. Sometimes a sentence will provide an EXAMPLE that will help

you understand the meaning of the word. Examples are often

SIGNALED by words such as: LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, THIS,

SUCH AS, ESPECIALLY, THESE, FOR EXAMPLE, OTHER,

INCLUDES.

EXAMPLE: He is known for his wittiness; for instance, he is always

able to think of a funny answer for everything.

2. Sometimes a writer will state the meaning of a difficult word

within a sentence by defining it for you. DEFINITIONS or

SYNONYMS are often SIGNALED by words or phrases such as:

OR, WHICH IS, THAT IS, ALSO CALLED, ALSO KNOWN AS,

IN OTHER WORDS.

3. Sometimes a sentence will provide an ANTONYM (opposite

meaning) that will help you understand the meaning of the word.

Signal words/phrases include:

COMPARISON SIGNALS: LIKE, SIMILAR TO, AS, ALSO,

RELATED, RESEMBLING

CONTRAST SIGNALS: BUT, ALTHOUGH, UNLIKE,

HOWEVER, RATHER THAN, ON THE OTHER HAND

EXAMPLE: HE WAS UNGRATEFUL and kept complaining

RATHER THAN SHOWING APPRECIATION for the gift.

4. RESTATEMENT- States again in different words.

EXAMPLE: John Adams grew up on ancestral land that had first been

farmed by his great-grandfather.

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT: DICTIONARY,

THESAURUS, AND GLOSSARY

DICTIONARY ENTRY: Use a dictionary, a glossary, or a thesaurus

(printed or electronic) to determine the meanings, pronunciation,

syllabication, spelling, part of speech, root(s), etymology, and meaning(s);

or alternative word choices

EXAMPLES: There are different words with the spelling s-t-a-t-e.

Definition: state \ˈstāt\ n 1. a way of living or existing 2. the overall physical condition of something : the ability of something to be used, enjoyed, etc. 3. the

things that affect the way you think or feel : your physical or mental condition

Definition: state \ˈstāt\ | v 1. to express (something) formally in speech or

writing. 2. to give (specific information, instructions, rules, etc.) in writing

THESAURUS ENTRY: a dictionary that lists synonyms or antonyms; helpful

for improving word choice and repetition in your writing

EXAMPLE: Distinctive: extraordinary, specialized, significant, etc.

GLOSSARY ENTRY: is an alphabetical list of terms in a particular domain of

knowledge with the definitions for those terms. Traditionally glossaries are

located at the end of the book.

LITERARY TEXTS: THEME AND GENRE

GENRE: There are three major categories of genres (group or text with

similar characteristics): Fiction/Non-Fiction/Poetry/Drama. Fiction/Non-

Fiction can be further broken down into sub-genres or sub-categories.

FICTION/LITERARY

GENRES

NON-FICTION/INFORMATIONAL

GENRES

Short Story Expository

Fable Persuasive

Fairy tale Autobiography

Fantasy Biography

Drama Essay

Folklore or Folktale Newspaper Articles

Historical Fiction Speech

Horror Informational

Mystery Narrative

Legend Technical/Procedural

Mythology/Myth Textbook

Science Fiction Encyclopedia

Realistic Fiction Media

Adventure Memoir

Tall tale Cookbook

Mystery Magazine Articles

THEME: Analyze literary works that share similar themes across cultures.

Theme is the text’s underlying message or idea (the moral or life lesson learned); usually not stated but implied through character’s thoughts,

actions, or images; different texts can share a similar theme.

Here is a few common themes:

Human beings all have the same basic needs The importance of family

Man struggles against nature

LITERARY & POETIC DEVICES IN SPEECHES, POEMS, AND OTHER

LITERARY TEXTS

TECHNIQUES/DEVICES: Analyze passages in well-known speeches &

literary works for the author’s use of literary devices and word and phrase choice (e.g., aphorisms, epigraphs) to appeal to the audience. TECHNIQUE DESCRIPTION

Imagery (I) The author’s use of sensory language (5 senses) creates mental pictures in reader’s minds

Idiom (I) A set expression of two or more words that means

something other than the literal meanings of its individual words. Does not mean what is says. “At the

end of my rope”

Irony (I) The actual intent is expresses in words which carry the

opposite meaning. (Situational, Dramatic, &Verbal)

Simile (S) Comparison of unlike things that uses like, as, or than.

“Her smile was as wide as the vast sky”

Symbolism (S) Something that is simultaneously itself and a sign of

something else. Such as cold and darkness are symbols of death.

Hyperbole (H) A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for

emphasis or effect; an extravagant statement. ’My teacher assigned a ton of homework.”

Alliteration (A) The repetition of an initial consonant sound, as in "a

peck of pickled peppers."

Metaphor (M) A trope or figure of speech in which an implied comparison

is made between two unlike things that actually have something in common without using like, as, or than. “I

was lost in a sea of nameless faces.”

Mood (M) The overall feelings or atmosphere created by a work of

literature. Influenced by the setting, characters, and their

actions. Writers use adjectives to describe mood. (Reader/audience centered)

Personification

(P)

A trope or figure of speech in which an inanimate object

or abstraction is given human qualities or abilities.

“The rock flew down the cliff like a maniac.”

Oxymoron (O) A figure of speech in which incongruous or seemingly

contradictory terms appear side by side; a compressed

paradox. “It was a bitter sweet ending.”

Onomatopoeia

(O)

The formation of a word, as cuckoo, meow, honk, or

boom, by imitation of a sound made by or associated

with its referent. “bang, ring, rang, boom.”

Flashback An interruption in the sequence of events to relate events

that occurred in the past.

Foreshadowing The use of clues to hint at events that will occur later in

the lot.

Repetition Repeated words or phrases. Example: “…we allowed them to dress us in prison clothes; we allowed them to

put us in solitary confinement; we allowed them…”

Rhyme The occurrence of the same or similar sounds at the end of two or more words.

Rhyme

Scheme

The rhyme patterns in a poem can be analyzed by using

letters at the end of lines to denote similar vowel sounds Example: ABAB

Tone The attitude a write/author/poet takes towards the

subject/character or reader. To recognize tone look for

author’s choice of words. Creates MOOD. (Author/writer

centered)

LITERARY TEXT: PLOT IN FICTION

FICTION: Analyze linear plot developments (e.g., conflict, rising action,

falling action, resolution, subplots) to determine whether and how

conflicts are resolved. PLOT: The events/action that makes up a story with a beginning, a

middle and an end. They move from one place or event to another in

order to form a pattern, usually with the purpose of overcoming a conflict.

EXPOSITION: Introduces the character, setting, and problem (s). Example: Introduction to the Finch family’s history; background information about Maycomb and its newest arrival, Dill; later we learn

how Arthur Radley comes to be known as "Boo." Later, Miss Maudie is

introduced along with other neighbors of the Finches.

RISING ACTION: The series of events that build up and create

tension and suspense. Example: The children's attempts to make contact with Boo, including the Radley Game, the raid on the Radley's

back porch, the gifts found in the secret knothole, and Boo's presence on

the night of Miss Maudie's house fire.

CLIMAX: The Turning Point of the story; the most exciting or

intense part of a story or drama. Example: Miss Maudie's house burns down, and Atticus discovers the blanket placed upon Scout's shoulders

realizing it was Boo who put it on her. Jem reveals all of their secret

activities to Atticus, and both of the children realize that Boo's acts of kindness are not those of an evil man.

FALLING ACTION: The action shifts away from Boo Radley and begins to introduce elements of the upcoming trial of Tom Robinson.

Atticus's killing of the mad dog shows evidence of Atticus's past

marksmanship and killing skills--deadly skills that he will be forced to implement in a much different manner during his verbal assaults on Bob

and Mayella Ewell during the trial..

RESOLUTION: Jem's maturity and the change that is about to occur

within the Finch family. The false illusions--surrounding Boo at the end,

author Harper Lee turns to another character who has been misunderstood by the children: Mrs. Dubose. Both of the children get another lesson that

people are not always what they seem

CHARACTERIZATION: How characters are revealed through the

author’s descriptions of what they say do, and think. (Direct/Indirect)

Think STEAL (Speech, Thoughts, Effect on Others, Actions, Looks)

CONFLICT or PROBLEM- Internal Conflict takes place within a

character. Example: a character struggles with his or her conscience. External Conflict is a struggle between a character and an outside force

such as another character, nature, society, machine, or technology.

(man vs, man, man vs self, man vs nature, man vs society, man vs

machine, man vs technology, man vs fate)

LITERARY TEXT: CHARACTERS IN FICTION

CENTRAL CHARACTERS- analyze how the central character’s qualities

influence the theme of a fictional work and resolution of the central conflict.

EXAMPLE: In Lois Lowry’s The Giver the story of Jonas’s development

into an individual, maturing from a child dependent upon his community into

a young man with unique abilities, dreams, and desires. Theme of Importance of the individual and uniqueness.

CHARACTER TYPE

QUALITIES

Protagonist Is the central person in a story, and is often referred to as

the story's main character. He or she (or they) is faced with a conflict that must be resolved.

Antagonist Is the character(s) (or situation) that represents the

opposition against which the protagonist must contend.

In other words, the antagonist is an obstacle that the protagonist must overcome.

Major or

Central

Characters that are vital to the development and

resolution of the conflict

Minor

characters

Serve to complement the major characters and help move the plot events forward.

Dynamic Is a person who changes over time, usually as a result

of resolving a central conflict or facing a major crisis

Static Is someone who does not change over time; his or her personality does not transform or evolve.

Round Is anyone who has a complex personality; he or she is

often portrayed as a conflicted and contradictory person.

Flat Flat Character is the opposite of a round character. This literary personality is notable for one kind of

personality trait or characteristic.

LITERARY TEXT: POINT-OF-VIEW IN FICTION

NARRATOR’S POINT OF VIEW: Analyze different forms of point of view,

including limited, versus omniscient, subjective versus objective. . A NARRATOR: a person who narrates an account or tells the story of events,

experiences. In other words, the “voice” behind the work; the author’s point of

view/standpoint affects how information is revealed to the reader

POINT-OF-

VIEW

DESCRIPTION

First-person;

Main Participant of the story

Uses words like I, me, my, we, etc.; narrator is a

character (usually the protagonist); subjective knowledge

Third-person; an outside Observer

Uses he, she, they, etc.

1) Omniscient –all knowing (Godlike). Is able to reveal subjective and objective information about multiple

characters

2). Limited – one person’s perspective. The narrator has no subjective knowledge of any of the other characters

(limited to one or two)

EXAMPLE: Third Person Limited The Giver by Lois Lowry – “It was almost December, and Jonas was beginning to

be frightened. No. Wrong word, Jonas thought…. Frightened was the way he had

felt a year ago when an unidentified aircraft had over flown the community twice.”

EXAMPLE: Third Person Omniscient Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt – “At dawn, Mae Tuck set out on her horse

for the wood at the edge of the village of Treegap. She was going there, as she did once every ten years, to meet her two sons, Miles and Jesse, and she was feeling at

ease. At noon time, Winnie Foster, whose family owned the Treegap wood, lost

her patience at last and decided to think about running away.”

INFORMATIONAL TEXTS: Author’s Purpose

AUTHOR’S PURPOSE: (PIE). Analyze works written on the same

topic and compare how the authors achieved similar or different

purposes.

P- PERSUASDE

I- INFORM

E- ENTERTAIN / EXPLAIN

EXAMPLE: Two articles of Martin Luther King, Jr. share the same topic

(King’s life). One author’s purpose is to inform the reader about how

King spearheaded the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. The

second author’s purpose is to explain King’s persona and principles.

INFORMATIONAL TEXTS: PERSUASIVE TEXTS

CONCLUSIONS & TEXT EVIDENCE: Compare and contrast

persuasive texts that reached different conclusions about the same

issue and explain how the authors reached their conclusions through

analyzing the evidence each presents. Persuasion influences people’s

choices.

Relevance: Evidence that has direct/pertinent bearing to the

author’s position/conclusion.

Credibility: Evidence is believable or worth of trust,

considering the bias and the reliability of the source where

it was obtained.

Quality: Evidence is important, distinct, worthy, and vital

to support the author’s position/conclusion.

Current- The information being given is current and not

outdated.

EXAMPLE: Two authors draw different conclusions on the same

issue of whether or not to support the “Dream Act.” The table below

compares some of the textual evidence provided by both sides. After

reading facts/information, readers will determine the relevance,

credibility, quality, and most up to date information to draw a

conclusion.

LITERARY TEXT: DRAMA TECHNIQUES

DRAMA: Analyze how different playwrights characterize their

protagonists and antagonists through the dialogue and staging of

their plays. Playwrights use dramatic conventions to develop the

play’s characters.

DRAMA: A Play intended to be performed in front of an

audience. Uses dramatic conventions to move the play’s action.

PLAYWRIGHT: the writer of the play

PROTAGONIST: main character; action revolves around him

or her; usually experiences a conflict and is often a hero

ANTAGONIST: character who opposes the protagonist

CONFLICT: is a struggle or clash between opposing

characters or forces

COMEDY: is a play that ends happily. The plot usually

centers on a romantic conflict. Humor comes from the dialogue

and situations.

TRAGEDY: a play that ends unhappily and deal with serious

themes such as life/death or right/wrong

CONVENTION DESCRIPTION

Cast of

Characters

A list of characters presented before the

action begins

Characterization Is the playwright’s technique for creating

believable characters (direct/indirect)

Dialogue Conversation between or among characters

Set Everything on stage, such as the positioning

of furniture and characters, the set serves as a

visual so that the audience can understand

Stage Directions Are a playwright’s written instructions about

how the actors are to move, facial

expressions, how to speak a line, how to

behave, etc.; They appear inside

brackets [ …] and are italicized.

Act A division of the play much like chapters in a

novel

Scene A division of an act into smaller parts

Staging The stages visual details

Stages Thrust (audience surrounds the stage on three

sides); Round (audience surrounds all sides);

Proscenium (opening arch; audience sits on

one side looking into the action)

Props Props is short for properties- are items that

the characters carry or handle onstage

ORGANIZATIONAL PATTERNS AND INFERENCES IN

EXPOSITORY TEXTS

ORGANIZATIONAL PATTERNS: Make subtle inferences and draw complex conclusions about the ideas in text and their organizational

patterns. The structure/organization of a text are: chronological, cause and

effect, comparison and contrast, problem and solution, or listing. To find the

Organizational Pattern look for SIGNAL WORDS.

EXAMPLE: “Many people think that they can get sick by going into cold

weather improperly dressed; however, illnesses are not caused by

temperature- they are caused by germs. So while shivering outside in the cold probably won’t strengthen your immune system, you’re more likely to

contract an illness indoors because you will have a greater exposure to

germs.” Cause & Effect Structure

INFERENCE: Make subtle inferences and draw complex conclusions about the ideas in text and their organizational patterns An inference can be

made by taking the original idea(s) of what was read then adding the reader’s

experience and coming up with a conclusion or prediction.

LITERARY TEXT: SKILLS - SUMMARY, PARAPHRASE, AND

SYNTHESIS CONT’D

PHARAPHRASE: Restating text in one’s own words the main

idea or essential information expressed in a text, whether it be

narration, dialogue, or informational text. Does not include original

ideas, inferences, conclusions, or predictions

SYNTHESIS: Combining a number of different parts or ideas to

come up with a new idea, inference, or theory. Example: You have

read several books and use all of the information to come up with a

thesis on the subject.

EXAMPLE: In Guy de Maupassant’s “The Necklace” and Kate

Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” both female protagonists are

unhappy with their life which leads to their downfall.

Understanding and Analysis or Informational Text

INFORMATIONAL & EXPOSITORY TEXTS (non-fiction)

EXPOSITORY TEXT: Summarize the main ideas, supporting

details, and relationships among ideas in text succinctly in ways

that maintain meaning and logical order. Informational text

informs or explains

EXAMPLES: Magazine article, manual, newspaper, biography,

autobiography, etc.

AUTHOR’S PURPOSE: The main reason an author decides to

write about a specific topic. It might be to entertain people and

make the laugh, to persuade or convince them to believe in

something, or to inform about something.

MAIN IDEAS: The important info that tells more about the

overall idea/controlling idea of a paragraph/section of a text.

SUPPORTING DETAILS: Are the phrases, sentences, or

paragraphs that help strengthen a reader’s understanding of the

main idea such as examples, details, quotes, and explanations

which support the text (who, what, when, where, how, and why).

FACT vs. OPINION: A FACT is a statement that can be proven

true. An OPINION expresses one person’s feelings about a topic

or idea.

SUMMARY: Summarize, paraphrase, and synthesize texts in ways

that maintain meaning and logical order within a text and across

texts. Restating text in one’s own words the main idea or essential

information expressed in a text, whether it be narration, dialogue,

or informational text. Summarized text is written in your own

words as succinctly (briefly) as possible. Does not include original

ideas, inferences, conclusions, or predictions.

SUMMARIZING STEPS

Determine the main ideas and crucial details that support them

such as the story’s plot (conflict and resolution)

Retell the main events in the same order in which they happened

in the story using your own words

Identify the central characters and tell how their actions beliefs,

conflicts, and relationships were important to the plot

Keep your summary concise by stripping away the redundant and

extraneous examples

Seek key words and phrases that manage to capture the gist

Check to make sure your summary makes sense and has the same

meaning as the original text

INFORMATIONAL & EXPOSITORY TEXT/PERSUASIVE TEXT

PERSUASIVE TEXT: Analyze the use of such rhetorical and logical fallacies as loaded terms, caricatures, leading questions, false assumptions,

and incorrect premises in persuasive texts.

RHETORIC: The art of effectively using language/speech to influence or

persuade the reader or audience of your claim (your argument). Examine texts for rhetorical devices that intentionally sway the readers or audience’s

opinions. Rhetorical Devices fall under three major categories/techniques:

RHETORICAL

DEVICE DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE

Loaded

Terms

Words (or phrases) which have strong emotional

connotations and which evoke strongly positive (or

negative) reactions beyond

their literal meaning.

The patriots who fought for our country deserve

our respect. (Using “patriots” is stronger

than saying “men and

women”)

Leading

Questions

Questions that are worded to suggest a certain answer or

fact

Don’t you think the new football uniforms are the

ugliest ones you’ve ever

seen?

Repetition Restatement of a point made

several times

“Head On – apply

directly to the forehead.

Head On – apply directly to the forehead.

Bandwagon An attempt to strengthen an

argument by convincing the

audience that accepting the writer’s or speaker’s view

will put them on the popular

or winning side

If everybody is doing it,

then I should too.

Distinguish factual claims from commonplace assertions and opinions and evaluate inferences from their logic in text.

INFORMATION DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE

Rhetoric The art of

effectively using

language to

persuade in writing,

speaking or

presenting

Upon approaching a

cashier at the grocery

store she asks, "Will you

help starving children

today by adding $3 to

your grocery bill?

Factual Claim or

Assertion

Can be proven to be

true or false

The current temperature

is above 0° Fahrenheit

Opinion Cannot be proven

to be true or false

I am without a doubt, the

most handsome man on

the face of this earth.

Commonplace

Assertions

A statement

generally accepted

to be true

One bad apple spoils the

rest

Premise, Claim, Assertion, Assumption = A Statement or Fact

PARAPHRASING INFORMATIONAL/EXPOSITORY

TEXTS

PARAPHRASE: Summarize, paraphrase, and synthesize texts in

ways that maintain meaning and logical order within a text and

across texts.

PARAPHRASE: Is a restatement of the meaning of a text or

passage using other words not using original ideas, inferences,

conclusions, or predictions. When paraphrasing, it is important to

keep the original meaning and to present it in a new form.

INFERENCES AND EVIDENCE IN INFORAMTIONAL

TEXTS

INFERENCES AND EVIDENCE: Make complex inferences

about text and use textual evidence to support understanding.

Inferences must be supported with textual evidence such facts,

examples, or quotes from text.

EXAMPLE: “A recent report concludes that cats kill between 1.4

billion and 3.7 billion birds every year in the United States alone.

“That’s nearly a billion birds — at least — than estimated by some

previous studies,” Peter Marra told Science News. This research

scientist, who works at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology

Institute in Washington, D.C., led the new study. Any long –term

solution will be controversial. Some people propose catching wild

cats and neutering them, which means performing minor surgery to

make them unable to reproduce. That won’t make them kill fewer

animals, but it will slow the increase in number of these natural-born

killers. Other people have proposed catching and killing feral cats.”

INFERENCES AND EVIDENCE ACROSS TEXTS

INFERENCE: Make complex inferences (not directly stated) about

text and use textual evidence to support understanding. As reader’s we

must form an opinion by using textual evidence such as facts, examples,

quotes from the selection and prior knowledge to draw a conclusion.

INTERTEXTUAL LINK: Make INTERTEXTUAL LINKS among

and across texts, including other media (e.g. film, play), and provide

textual evidence between two texts.

EXAMPLES:

The setting for Guy de Maupassant’s “The Necklace” and Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” take place during the 1800s when men played the

dominant role over women. In both stories the protagonists each yearn for a

better life and each struggle to find it in a slightly different way.

ANNOTATING and Reading Drama

Think about drama as performance literature. The playwright uses the tools available to him or her through

stage direction, actors, dialogue, sets and props to bring a

story to life. Consider all these as you annotate. As with a short story or novel, you need to address plot

structure, characters, and other literary devices. Think about why the story is told in this genre: why is a play

more effective than a novel, short story, or poem? How

would an audience react to what is performed and how does

the playwright want to affect the audience? As with fiction literature, annotate for characters, conflict,

foreshadowing, plot structure, and the rest. Summarization of plot

ANNOTATING SPEECHES OR POETRY

Important Questions: Speaker Whose voice is telling the story? Whether this voice

belongs to a fictional character or to writers themselves, readers must determine the various attributes of the speaker since it influences the meaning of the text. Remember that it is not enough to simply name the speaker. What can you say about the speaker based on references to the text?

Setting What is the time, place, current situations, context that prompted the writing to occur? Be certain to discuss and record both the larger occasion, that is, those issues or ideas that must have made the speaker think about this issue, as well as the immediate occasion.

Audience Who is the intended audience for the piece? At whom is this text directed? The choice of the audience affects how the text is written. How does the speaker want the audience to react? It’s not enough to say “Anyone who read it.” You will want to identify a certain audience by describing some of its characteristics.

Purpose Why is the author writing? The reason behind the text. The purpose could be purely a personal one; i.e. to assuage guilt, to encourage action. But it could also be directed at the audience; you will have to decide what the message is and how the author wants this audience to respond.

Subject Briefly state the main idea(s) of the piece. The general topic, content, and ideas contained in the text. You should be able to state the subject in a few words or a very short phrase.

Tone What is the feeling or manner of expression used by the author? The tone is conveyed through the author’s choice of words which includes figures of speech and literary devices. Try to choose a description of the tone that fits the piece as a whole. Include specific words or phrases from the text and explain how they support your statement.

Style How does the author write? What kinds of literary elements (metaphor, simile, personification, etc.) are used? What effect do these elements have on the poem?

PLOT SUMMARY

SIFT Method for Analyzing Fiction/Poetry

S – SYMBOL

An object, person, or place that has meaning within itself but stands for

something else in the context of the story

I – IMAGERY

When an image is evoked through the use of descriptive language

F – FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Includes (but is not limited to) simile, metaphor, hyperbole, repetition,

alliteration, etc.

T – TONE AND THEME

Tone is the attitude and author takes on the subject he/she is writing about

Theme = Plot + Tone

Multiple-choice questions are constructed with the following parts:

stem- the sentence or phrase that poses a question;

right answer- the element that provides the correct information to the stem question;

distractions- wrong or misleading answers to the stem

questions.

ANNOTATING FICTION TEXT

PRE- READING Examine the front and back covers (if book).

Read the titles and any subtitles.

o What will this be about or prove?

Look at the author’s name (does it give you any historical

background?).

Examine the illustrations/layout.

Examine the print (bold, italics, capitalization, underlined words, etc.)

Examine the way the text is set up/structured (book, short story, diary, dialogue, article, etc.).

As you examine and read these, write questions and make predictions and/or

connections near each of these parts of the text (annotate in the margins).

DURING READING Mark in the text:

Characters (who)

Setting (when & where)

Unfamiliar words/vocabulary ~~~~~~~

Important information ______

Write in the margins (work on adding variety): Ask and answer questions

Summarize text succinctly(briefly and concisely)

Make predictions

Formulate opinions; write reflections, reactions, and comments

Make connections to real-life or previous knowledge

Analyze the author’s craft / style (sentence structure, diction,

figurative language, tone, character development, tone, dialogue,

etc).

Look for patterns & repetition

Identify the Point of view

Look for internal and external Conflicts

Identify literary devices the author uses and what they mean or how they function

Label examples of themes/messages as you read (inference)

Plot the story (draw the linear plot diagram and jot down the

exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.)

Characters & Development: Jot down indication of how

characters are developing and what affects change or growth

POST- READING Reread annotations – draw conclusions.

Reread introduction & conclusion – try to discover something new.

Examine patterns/repetitions – determine possible meanings or reasons for them.

ANNOTATING POETRY

TITLE: Ponder the title before reading the poem

PARAPHRASE: Translate the poem into your own words and determine

the poetic form, rhyme scheme (annotate)

CONNOTATION: Contemplate the poem for meaning beyond

the literal (look for all figurative language)

ATTITUDE/TONE: Observe both the speaker's and the poet's attitude

SHIFTS: Note shifts/progressions in speakers and in attitudes by looking

for the following:

Key words (but, yet, however, although, etc.)

Punctuation such as (dashes, periods, colons, ellipsis)

Stanza or paragraph divisions: Changes in line or stanza

length or both

Irony (sometimes irony hides shifts)

Structure (how the work is written can affect its meaning)

Changes in sound (may indicate changes in meaning)

Changes in diction (ex: slang to formal language)

TITLE: Examine the title again, this time on an interpretive level

THEME: Determine what the poet is saying (Message about Life).

ANNOTATING NON-FICTION TEXT

T TITLE: Read the title of the chapter and think about

what you already know that relates to the topic. Then

predict what the chapter/story will be about.

H HEADING: Look at all headings and subheadings and

turn them into questions that the text will answer.

I INTRODUCTION: Read the introduction or first

paragraph and any questions or summaries at the

beginning. Predict the main idea. Look for thesis statement/controlling idea.

E EVERYTHING I know about it: Think of everything

you have seen, read, or done that may relate to this text. Using your background knowledge to figure out the

information given.

V VISUALS: Look at pictures, graphs, diagrams, quotes, or

maps, and read their captions. Read all the notes

in the margins and notice bold, italicized words, or CAPATALIZED words.

E END-OF-CHAPTER OR TEXT

QUESTIONS:

Read end-of- chapter questions or questions at the end of the

selection. Circle or underline any key, boldfaced, italicized, or

capitalized words. Then use the process of elimination to answer question. Be careful with the distraction question. Go

back to passage to prove your answers before deciding on

the correct answer.

S Summary: Read each paragraph to look for topic

sentences, supporting details, and main ideas.

Highlight or underline text that contains key/main ideas,

topic sentences, supporting details, central themes, thesis

statement, repetition, controversial statements, or ideas

with which you strongly agree or disagree.

Look for extended stories or explanations that connect to

thesis. Ask yourself what the purpose and who the intended

audience is.

In the margins, annotate your text. Write a bit about why you

marked it. Write questions you have about the passage.

Draw a squiggly line under words or concepts that you do

not know or understand and define them. If the definition contains a word you don’t understand, define that one as well.

Do not answer questions until you are absolutely sure you

understand what you are reading and or answering.