STAAR – READING

VOCABULARY

Always pay attention to the context clues in a

sentence.

The way a word is used in context may help you

determine not only its denotation, or meaning, but

also its connotation, or association.

When in doubt, always use a dictionary.

In paragraph 5, the scientific term ursine describes

something related to —

A jokes

B habitats

C bears

D automobiles

Why is the multiple meanings of the word offices in

line 14 important to the poem?

A It refers to both a duty and a service done for

others.

B It conveys the father’s mixed emotions.

C It refers to both a place and an executive position.

D It indicates the size of the speaker’s house.

Look at this thesaurus entry for the word remote.• Remote (adj) Syn. Alien, beyond, devious, faraway,

frontier, outlandish, remote, secluded, unknown, wild Ant. Close, convenient, nearby

• Which word is BEST used as a synonym for remote as it is used in paragraph 1?

A. BeyondB. DeviousC. FarawayD. outlandish

LITERARY TERMS

On the STAAR test, you will encounter various

genres of literature.

Possible genres on the test• Literary Fiction• Literary Nonfiction• Poetry• Drama• Expository Text• Persuasive Text

REVIEW LITERARY TERMS

Because you will possibly encounter all these

types of literature on the test, take a moment to

review your literary terminology right before the

test so the definitions will be fresh in your mind.

I have placed a glossary on my teacher web page

related to STAAR terminology.

SAMPLE QUESTION STEMS

Prometheus fits the archetype of the outcast

because…

Which of the following is the point of view of the

story?

Which word BEST describes the author’s tone in

“A Difficult Day”?

What is the common these of both passages?

Which of these lines from the poem contains a simile?

Which of the following sentences contains an allusion?

Which BEST describes the structure and rhyme scheme of

the poem?

The italicized stage directions in this play tell

all of the following except …

Which detail from paragraph 1 BEST indicates that the passage

is literary nonfiction?

MAKING INFERENCES

Being able to make inferences is a large part of

the test. The reader must use prior knowledge

and the clues in the text to draw logical

conclusions

Of the 38 multiple choice questions on the test,

approximately 14 will be inference questions.

SAMPLE QUESTION STEMS FOR INFERENCE

QUESTIONS

Which of the following is NOT a logical inference about the

passage?

You can infer that Toby is most likely nervous about

Principal O’Connor because…

An American with Seasonal Affective Disorder would most

likely feel sad and lonely during…

INFERENCE PRACTICE

Read the following passages and make inferences

about what you read.

PRACTICE

Mark and Levon had just spent the evening playing

baseball at the town diamond, and they were very tired.

As he passed under the streetlight, Mark started to

scowl, and he began to stomp his feet. Levon, still

wearing his baseball glove, was looking sad and

embarrassed. When they finally reached Mark’s house,

Mark broke away and ran up to the gate without saying

another word. Levon yelled after him, “I feel terrible. I

promise I’ll do better next time.” Mark didn’t answer; he

only walked inside the house.

Goria Colbourne’s most recent book, Columns of Light,

was the surprise winner of this year’s Hamilton Poetry

Prize. When the winner was announced at Friday’s

ceremony, Colbourne seemed delighted as she took the

stage. She gave a sly wink to the front row of judges

and critics as she said, “After last year’s Poems of My

Childhood, I thought I’d never have the chance to stand

here on this stage.

Tomas Perez is a lifelong Newton Falls resident who is now

running for city council. Perez has the best interest of our

townspeople in mind, and he wants to serve every man, woman,

and child who calls Newton Falls home. He is concerned with our

city budget, and vows to curtail unnecessary spending. He also

wants to lower city taxes and support small businesses. He

strives to reorganize city departments in order to save money

and improve the quality of services offered to all hand working

citizens of our diverse neighborhoods.

Perez would make an excellent mayor. I urge

everyone to research the principles and goals of

this hardworking man. I’m sure you’ll agree that

when November arrives, a vote for Tomas Perez is

a vote for the success of Newton Falls.

REMEMBER CLOSE READING STRATEGIES

Read the title carefully before you read the piece

and look back at the title when you have finished

reading the piece.

Pay close attention to any subheadings that may

appear in the piece.

Look for extra spacing between paragraphs. This

may indicate a shift in time or place.

Pay attention to unusual word choices. These

may be important diction clues.

Look up unfamiliar words and or references.

Mark repeated words, lines, ideas.

Look for clues that tell you what the setting is.

Setting is not always stated; often it is implied

from references, descriptions, allusions.

Evaluate the points of view.

Draw conclusions about the characters.

Actively questions the author’s purpose and method.

“Why is it emphasized?” “What makes this so important?”

Figure out the conflict of the story. Who is involved in the

conflict? How is the conflict resolved?

Pay attention to the beginning and ending of the story.

Important clues can be found here. Watch for cyclical

patterns.

Look for the central idea or theme as you read.

Remember your archetypes. Do any appear

in the story?

Look for elements of figurative language

which add to your understanding of the

piece.

Look for an allusions that appear in the story.

Annotate, Annotate, Annotate!