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 1
Living 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 2
Suspension 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
-ationthe process of
-esqueresembling
offixable (capable of being fixed)
creation (the process of creating)
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

Propulsion
the 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

Propagandahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkBOI
4lNfYs

Jargonhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpe5t
OVXiNM
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-ofview, 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 language
 There are different ways to say the same
thing
 Stretches 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.
B.
C.
D.
It reveals that Willy Loman is a good salesman even though he thinks he's
not.
It shows that Willy Loman is pessimistic about his past and his future.
It reveals that Willy Loman thinks he's a good salesman even though he's
not.
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

A.
B.
C.
D.
How would the passage be different if it was told from the
third-person point of view?
The reader might only get a description of the kind of
clothes Bradley wears.
The reader might know about Bradley's inner
thoughts as well as the narrator's.
The reader would only know Bradley's inner
thoughts.
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?
