Overall Review QuestionsMeeting 7

•One that asks about the passage as a whole rather than one small detail

Overall Review

Questions

Overall review questions are NOT

main idea questions.

They ask about some other aspect of the passage as

a whole.

Where in the passage something is found.

The tone of the passage

The author’s purpose in writing

the passage

Which course the passage might be a

part of

Most common types of overall

review questions

SKILL 12Determine where specific information is found

The answer choices will list possible locations for that information.

Study the questions to determine the information that you are looking for

Go to the lines listed in the answers and skim for that information

SKILL 13Determine the tone, purpose, or course

ToneIf the author is showing any

emotion in his or her writing.

Type of tone in a passage

Informational

Explanatory

Factual

If the author is being funny, the tone might be humorous.

If the author is making fun of something, the tone might be sarcastic.

If the author feels strongly that something is right or wrong, the tone might be impassioned.

Purpose What the author is trying to do in

the passage.

By referring to the main idea and the organization of details in the passage

Draw a conclusion about the author’s purpose

The main idea

George Washington’s early life greatly

influence his later career.

The details give a history of his early

life

The author’s purpose might

be

To show how George Washington’s early life influenced his

later career.

However..

The answer to a purpose question is often more general than the main idea.

The more general author’s purpose is..

To demonstrate the influence of early experiences on later life (without any mention of George Washington.

Course

To decide which university course might have this

passage as assigned reading.

Draw a conclusion about the course by referring to the topic of the passage and the organization of details.

If the passage is about George Washington and the details give historical background on his early life..

This would probably be assigned reading in an American class history.