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Paraphrase the passage so you know
you understand it. Make sure you know
what the author is literally saying, so you
can dive into the language of the
passage. Without a basic understanding
of meaning, you won’t be able to take
the next step.
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Find key words/phrases in the passage.
What stands out?
› Find key words and be sure you understand why
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they are key.
Look for repetition. Does the meaning of
repeated words change?
Can you find words with more than one
meaning?
Look for sharp imagery.
Does one word have several connotations or
even two contradictory meanings?
Can you find any puns?

Look for figures of speech. Now consider
metaphors and other figures of speech,
such as vivid images, employed in the
passage.
› Do you recognize them from somewhere
else in the text?
› Think about how the metaphor or image
signifies what it does. Does this consideration
reveal a range of possible significances for
the figure?

What happens? If something happens in
the passage, think about how this
element of plot relates to or repeats
others.

Who is speaking in the passage?
› Is the speaker being ironic?
› Can you trust the speaker?