The Fish
by Elizabeth Bishop
I caught a tremendous fish
and held him beside the boat
half out of water, with my hook
fast in a corner of his mouth.
5
He didn’t fight.
He hadn’t fought at all.
He hung a grunting weight,
battered and venerable
and homely. Here and there
10
his brown skin hung in strips
like ancient wallpaper,
and its pattern of darker brown
was like wallpaper:
shapes like full-blown roses
15
stained and lost through age.
He was speckled with barnacles,
fine rosettes of lime,
and infested
with tiny white sea-lice,
20
and underneath two or three
rags of green weed hung down.
While his gills were breathing in
the terrible oxygen
—the frightening gills,
25
fresh and crisp with blood,
that can cut so badly—
I thought of the coarse white flesh
packed in like feathers,
the big bones and the little bones,
30
the dramatic reds and blacks
of his shiny entrails,
and the pink swim-bladder
like a big peony.
I looked into his eyes
35
which were far larger than mine
but shallower, and yellowed,
the irises backed and packed
with tarnished tinfoil
seen through the lenses
40
of old scratched isinglass.
They shifted a little, but not
to return my stare.
—It was more like the tipping
of an object toward the light.
45
I admired his sullen face,
the mechanism of his jaw,
and then I saw
that from his lower lip
—if you could call it a lip—
50
grim, wet, and weaponlike,
hung five old pieces of fish-line,
or four and a wire leader
with the swivel still attached,
with all their five big hooks
55
grown firmly in his mouth.
A green line, frayed at the end
where he broke it, two heavier lines,
and a fine black thread
still crimped from the strain and snap
60
when it broke and he got away.
Like medals with their ribbons
frayed and wavering,
a five-haired beard of wisdom
trailing from his aching jaw.
65
I stared and stared
and victory filled up
the little rented boat,
from the pool of bilge
where oil had spread a rainbow
70
around the rusted engine
to the bailer rusted orange,
the sun-cracked thwarts,
the oarlocks on their strings,
the gunnels—until everything
75
was rainbow, rainbow, rainbow!
And I let the fish go.
"The Fish" from THE COMPLETE POEMS 1927-1979 by Elizabeth Bishop.
Copyright (c) 1979, 1983 by Alice Helen Methfessel. Reprinted by permission of Farrar, Straus and Giroux,
LLC.
1. Describe your reaction to the poem. Explain what it is about the poem that caused you to react that
way.
2. Which of the following best describes the person speaking in the poem?
A) Thoughtful and observant
B) Tired and victorious
C) Grim and sullen
D) Frightened and lonely
3. Why does the person let the fish go? What in the poem makes you think so?
4. Choose an image from the poem and explain what it means.
5. Explain how the language used in this poem is different from the language used in everyday
speech. Use a line or phrase from the poem as an example.
6. When the poet says “Like medals with their ribbons frayed and wavering” (lines 61–62), she is
referring to
A) victory
B) fishhooks
C) trophies
D) fish scales
7. From the time she catches the fish until she lets it go, the speaker’s feelings about the fish change.
Tell how her feelings change and what causes them to change. Explain your answer by referring
specifically to the poem.
8. Reread the lines beginning with “I admired” (line 45) and ending with “aching jaw” (line 64). What do
these lines tell you about the fish’s experience?
9. Describe how the speaker’s decision to let the fish go is related to something you have
experienced, read, or seen.
Question 1
Scoring Guide
Score & Description
Evidence of full comprehension
These responses provide a reaction that is clearly related to the poem and explain what it was
about the poem that caused the reaction. Some responses at this level may summarize the action
of the poem, but the retelling is interpretive and indicates a reaction that goes beyond surface
action. For example, responses may include the following:
I think that this poem is about a fish lover who feels sorry for a fish she caught. The fish lover said
things about its scales and how horrible it looked.
Evidence of partial or surface comprehension
These responses provide a reaction to the poem, but the explanation merely cites an event from
the poem that is not connected to the reaction, or the explanation is a very general reference to the
fish or to the description of the fish. Some responses at this level summarize the surface action of
the poem but indicate no reaction to it. For example, responses may include the following:
It made me feel sad for the poor fish.
The poem was about a girl who went fishing, caught a fish and let it go.
I think the poem is nice and describes the fish like no other.
It was odd because it’s about a fish and the guy who wrote it describes too much.
Evidence of little or no comprehension
These responses contain vague personal opinions, inappropriate information, or some lines from
the poem but do not describe an explicit reaction to the poem or explain what it was about the
poem that made them react. For example, responses may include the following:
The fish didn’t really care if it got caught.
I don’t think this poem had a reaction on me because I’m not that interested in fish.
Evidence of full comprehension - Student Response
1 Describe your reaction to the poem. Explain what it is about the poem that caused you to react that
way.
1 Describe your reaction to the poem. Explain what it is about the poem that caused you to react that
way.
Scorer Comments:
The first response provides a reaction to the poem and explains in specific detail ("beautifully and
accurately described the catching and letting go of the fish") what it was about the poem that
caused the reaction. The second response provides a reaction to the poem and explains the
cause of that reaction by referring to a moral judgment that reflects the action of the poem.
Evidence of partial or surface comprehension - Student Response
1 Describe your reaction to the poem. Explain what it is about the poem that caused you to react that
way.
1 Describe your reaction to the poem. Explain what it is about the poem that caused you to react that
way.
Scorer Comments:
Both responses provide a reaction to the poem, but the explanations offered make only a general
reference to the writing style of the poem.
1
1
Evidence of little or no comprehension - Student Response
Describe your reaction to the poem. Explain what it is about the poem that caused you to
react that way.
Describe your reaction to the poem. Explain what it is about the poem that caused you to
react that way.
Scorer Comments:
Both responses provide a reaction to the poem without any explanation of what it was about
the poem that caused that reaction.
2005 National Performance Results
Score
Percentage of Students
No comprehension
16%
Partial comp
38%
Full comprehension
44%
Omitted
Off task
2%
0%
Note:


These results are for public and nonpublic school students.
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
Contexts for Reading: Reading for Literary Experience
Aspects of Reading: Forming a General Understanding
Question 2
Key
2.
Which of the following best describes the person speaking in the poem?
A)
B)
C)
D)
Thoughtful and observant
Tired and victorious
Grim and sullen
Frightened and lonely
2005 National Performance Results
Score
Percentage of Students
Correct
Incorrect
82%
18%
Omitted 0%
Note:


These results are for public and nonpublic school students.
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
Contexts for Reading: Reading for Literary Experience
Aspects of Reading: Developing Interpretation
Question 3
Scoring Guide
Score & Description
Evidence of full comprehension
These responses provide an opinion as to why the person let the fish go that is appropriate to the
content of the poem and support the opinion with evidence from the poem. The evidence may take
the form of an interpretation or may refer to specific lines from the poem.
Evidence of partial or surface comprehension
These responses provide an opinion as to why the person let the fish go that is appropriate to the
content of the poem, but provide either no evidence from the poem to support their opinion,
evidence that does not support their opinion, or evidence that is circular (e.g. “He let the fish go
because he felt bad for it. I think this because he was describing the fish in a sad way.”).
Responses at this level also include broad generalizations about the surface action of the poem
(e.g., “He looks the fish over and saw what rough shape it was in.”).
Evidence of little or no comprehension
These responses may provide an opinion that is inappropriate to the content of the poem or may
provide only a line copied from the poem.
Evidence of full comprehension - Student Response
3 Why does the person let the fish go? What in the poem makes you think so?
3 Why does the person let the fish go? What in the poem makes you think so?
Scorer Comments:
Both responses provide an opinion about why the person let the fish go and specific information
from the poem (the five hooks) as evidence to support that opinion.
Evidence of partial or surface comprehension - Student Response
3 Why does the person let the fish go? What in the poem makes you think so?
3 Why does the person let the fish go? What in the poem makes you think so?
Scorer Comments:
Both responses provide an opinion about why the person let the fish go and general reference to
the poem as evidence to support that opinion.
3
Evidence of little or no comprehension - Student Response
Why does the person let the fish go? What in the poem makes you think so?
3
Why does the person let the fish go? What in the poem makes you think so?
Scorer Comments:
The first response provides a personal opinion that has no relation to the content of the
poem. The second response attempts to provide evidence from the poem, but it is illogical
reasoning as to why the person let the fish go.
2005 National Performance Results
Score
Percentage of Students
No comprehension
25%
Partial comp
45%
Full comprehension
Omitted
Off task
29%
1%
0%
Note:


These results are for public and nonpublic school students.
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
Contexts for Reading: Reading for Literary Experience
Aspects of Reading: Developing Interpretation
Question 4
Scoring Guide
Score & Description
Evidence of full comprehension
These responses choose an image from the poem and explain what the image means. The
connection between the image and the explanation is clear. The explanation may be an
interpretation of the image or a literal translation of what the image indicates in the poem.
Evidence of partial or surface comprehension
These responses may provide an image from the poem but provide no explanation or a circular
one, or the explanation is vague and while related to the poem is not connected to the image.
Responses at this level may also explain some aspect of the poem without referring to a particular
image.
Evidence of little or no comprehension
These responses may contain personal opinions about the poem, comments about poetry in
general, or definitions of words (e.g., what a rainbow is) unrelated to their meaning in the poem.
They may provide a line from the poem that is a statement rather than an image.
Note: To receive credit at the middle level (above) for providing an image only but no explanation, the
cited line or lines of the poem must be an image—a cluster of words that constitute an image or a
paraphrase of an image that give evidence of understanding what an image is. For example, a
response that provided only a statement from the poem such as “I stared and stared” or “I let the fish
go” would not be credited; however, a response that provided only “a five-haired beard of wisdom”
would receive credit for providing an image.
Evidence of full comprehension - Student Response
4 Choose an image from the poem and explain what it means.
4 Choose an image from the poem and explain what it means.
Scorer Comments:
The first response provides an image from the poem and both a literal and interpretive explanation
of its meaning. The second response provides an image and an appropriate interpretive
explanation of its meaning.
Evidence of partial or surface comprehension - Student Response
4 Choose an image from the poem and explain what it means.
4 Choose an image from the poem and explain what it means.
Scorer Comments:
The first response provides an image from the poem, but the explanation of its meaning is circular.
The second response provides an image from the poem, but the explanation of its meaning is not
connected to that image.
4
Evidence of little or no comprehension - Student Response
Choose an image from the poem and explain what it means.
4
Choose an image from the poem and explain what it means.
Scorer Comments:
Both responses refer to the plot of the poem, rather than a particular image.
2005 National Performance Results
Score
Percentage of Students
No comprehension
28%
Partial comp
34%
Full comprehension
31%
Omitted
Off task
6%
1%
Note:


These results are for public and nonpublic school students.
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
Contexts for Reading: Reading for Literary Experience
Aspects of Reading: Developing Interpretation
Question 5
Scoring Guide
Score & Description
Evidence of full comprehension
These responses provide an appropriate example of language from the poem and explain how the
language differs from everyday speech. Responses at this level employ a basis of comparison that
makes the difference clear. For example, responses may include the following:
The language used in this poem was spoken in short, descriptive sentences. It was also different
from everyday speech by the huge use of description. Lines such as “shapes like full blown roses”
is a phrase I never used in common language.
Evidence of partial or surface comprehension
These responses may describe how the language of this poem differs from everyday speech, but
provide no example; or, responses at this level cite an example of language from the poem and
rephrase it as everyday speech. For example, responses may include the following:
The language used in this poem is different from the language used in everyday life because many
people don’t go in depth with describing things. They just tell you short stories or short answers.
This speaker is very descriptive and gives a lot of detail.
Evidence of little or no comprehension
These responses may contain an inappropriate example of language from the poem, may provide a
general difference that bears no relation to the poem, or may merely write down an example from
the poem without rephrasing it as everyday speech. Responses at this level demonstrate no
understanding of how the language in this particular poem differs from everyday speech. For
example, responses may include the following:
The language used in the poem is different from everyday speech because it does not use slang
terms such as "doesn't."
"A five-haired beard of wisdom trailing from his aching jaw" is not used in everyday speech.
Evidence of full comprehension - Student Response
5 Explain how the language used in this poem is different from the language used in everyday
speech. Use a line or phrase from the poem as an example.
5 Explain how the language used in this poem is different from the language used in everyday
speech. Use a line or phrase from the poem as an example.
Scorer Comments:
Both responses provide an example from the poem and an explanation of how the language in the
poem differs from everyday speech because of the author's use of literary devices.
Evidence of partial or surface comprehension - Student Response
5 Explain how the language used in this poem is different from the language used in everyday
speech. Use a line or phrase from the poem as an example.
5 Explain how the language used in this poem is different from the language used in everyday
speech. Use a line or phrase from the poem as an example.
Scorer Comments:
The first response rephrases a line from the poem into everyday speech, but does not provide an
explanation of how the language differs from everyday speech. The second response provides an
explanation of how the language differs from everyday speech, but provides no example from the
poem.
5
5
Evidence of little or no comprehension - Student Response
Explain how the language used in this poem is different from the language used in everyday
speech. Use a line or phrase from the poem as an example.
Explain how the language used in this poem is different from the language used in everyday
speech. Use a line or phrase from the poem as an example.
Scorer Comments:
The first response provides a personal opinion about the actions of the poem's character,
rather than the differences in terms of language. The second response provides for a
stylistic approach to writing poetry that is inaccurate in terms of this poem.
2005 National Performance Results
Score
Percentage of Students
No comprehension
39%
Partial comp
28%
Full comprehension
Omitted
Off task
26%
6%
1%
Note:


These results are for public and nonpublic school students.
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
Contexts for Reading: Reading for Literary Experience
Aspects of Reading: Examining Content and Structure
Question 6
Key
6.
When the poet says “Like medals with their ribbons frayed and wavering” (lines 61–62), she is
referring to
A)
B)
C)
D)
victory
fishhooks
trophies
fish scales
2005 National Performance Results
Score
Correct
Incorrect
Percentage of Students
53%
46%
Omitted 1%
Note:


These results are for public and nonpublic school students.
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
Contexts for Reading: Reading for Literary Experience
Aspects of Reading: Developing Interpretation
Question 7
Scoring Guide
Score & Description
Extensive
These responses connect information across two or more points and explain how the speaker’s
feelings change and what causes them to change. The explanation is clear and supported with
specific reference to the poem. In responses at this level the explanation goes beyond specific
actions or details of the poem and provides some larger realization on the speaker’s part that
influences her decision to let the fish go.
Essential
These responses connect information from two points in the poem and explain how and why the
speaker’s feelings change and what causes them to change. The explanation is supported with
specific reference to actions or details in the poem.
Partial
These responses may provide a broad statement about how the speaker’s feelings about the fish
change (First-Then pattern) but do not explain in any way the cause or the change. Or, responses
at this level refer to a moment in the poem that exemplifies how the person in the poem feels about
the fish, but the explanation focuses on why she had the feeling rather than on why or how the
speaker’s feelings change.
Unsatisfactory
These responses provide inappropriate information from the poem that has little or no relation to the
speaker’s changing feelings about the fish. They may name one feeling that the speaker had, but
provide neither a reference to the poem nor an explanation why the feeling changed.
Extensive - Student Response
7 From the time she catches the fish until she lets it go, the speaker’s feelings about the fish change.
Tell how her feelings change and what causes them to change. Explain your answer by referring
specifically to the poem.
7 From the time she catches the fish until she lets it go, the speaker’s feelings about the fish change.
Tell how her feelings change and what causes them to change. Explain your answer by referring
specifically to the poem.
Scorer Comments:
Both responses provide information from two points in the poem that cause the speaker's feelings
to change, at the moment when the speaker catches the fish and after the speaker has examined
the physical condition of the fish. Both responses clearly identify feelings associated with those
points in the poem and continue to specify how those feelings influenced the speaker's decision to
let the fish go.
Essential - Student Response
7 From the time she catches the fish until she lets it go, the speaker’s feelings about the fish change.
Tell how her feelings change and what causes them to change. Explain your answer by referring
specifically to the poem.
7 From the time she catches the fish until she lets it go, the speaker’s feelings about the fish change.
Tell how her feelings change and what causes them to change. Explain your answer by referring
specifically to the poem.
Scorer Comments:
Both responses provide information from two points in the poem that cause the speaker's feelings
to change and identify appropriate feelings associated with those points, but these responses fail to
extend the feelings into a larger realization of why the speaker decides to let the fish go.
Partial - Student Response
7 From the time she catches the fish until she lets it go, the speaker’s feelings about the fish change.
Tell how her feelings change and what causes them to change. Explain your answer by referring
specifically to the poem.
7 From the time she catches the fish until she lets it go, the speaker’s feelings about the fish change.
Tell how her feelings change and what causes them to change. Explain your answer by referring
specifically to the poem.
Scorer Comments:
The first response provides a point in the poem for what may have caused the speaker's feelings to
change, but doesn't explain or identify the feelings. The second response provides ways the
speaker's feelings changed, but doesn't refer to any points in the poem that may have caused
those changes.
Unsatisfactory - Student Response
From the time she catches the fish until she lets it go, the speaker’s feelings about the fish
change. Tell how her feelings change and what causes them to change. Explain your answer
by referring specifically to the poem.
7
From the time she catches the fish until she lets it go, the speaker’s feelings about the fish
change. Tell how her feelings change and what causes them to change. Explain your answer
by referring specifically to the poem.
7
Scorer Comments:
The first response doesn't provide any feelings of the speaker, rather only provides a
reference to the fish's feelings. The second response misinterprets the events of the poem.
2005 National Performance Results
Score
Unsatisfactory
Percentage of Students
6%
Partial
36%
Essential
Extensive
38%
14%
Omitted
Off task
5%
1%
Note:


These results are for public and nonpublic school students.
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
Contexts for Reading: Reading for Literary Experience
Aspects of Reading: Developing Interpretation
Question 8
Scoring Guide
Score & Description
Evidence of full comprehension
These responses demonstrate understanding of the fish’s experience as described in lines 45-64
with specific details about how the fish had been caught before and had gotten away. Responses at
this level, if more general, refer to the essence of the fish’s experience in struggling to stay alive.
Evidence of partial or surface comprehension
These responses demonstrate understanding of some aspect of the fish’s experiences (e.g., that it
was in pain, that it had been caught before) or provide a generalization about the fish’s experience
(e.g., that it was unpleasant).
Evidence of little or no comprehension
These responses provide inappropriate information from the poem or personal opinions, but they do
not demonstrate an understanding of the fish's experience as described in any of the lines from 45
to 64.
Evidence of full comprehension - Student Response
8 Reread the lines beginning with “I admired” (line 45) and ending with “aching jaw” (line 64). What
do these lines tell you about the fish’s experience?
8 Reread the lines beginning with “I admired” (line 45) and ending with “aching jaw” (line 64). What
do these lines tell you about the fish’s experience?
Scorer Comments:
Both responses demonstrate an understanding of the fish's whole experience, both of struggle and
survival.
Evidence of partial or surface comprehension - Student Response
8 Reread the lines beginning with “I admired” (line 45) and ending with “aching jaw” (line 64). What
do these lines tell you about the fish’s experience?
8 Reread the lines beginning with “I admired” (line 45) and ending with “aching jaw” (line 64). What
do these lines tell you about the fish’s experience?
Scorer Comments:
Both responses provide an understanding of a part of the fish's experience.
8
Evidence of little or no comprehension - Student Response
Reread the lines beginning with “I admired” (line 45) and ending with “aching jaw” (line 64).
What do these lines tell you about the fish’s experience?
8
Reread the lines beginning with “I admired” (line 45) and ending with “aching jaw” (line 64).
What do these lines tell you about the fish’s experience?
Scorer Comments:
The first response does not reflect an understanding of the fish's experience, but rather
attempts to refer to the author's experience. The second response does not merit partial
credit because "the hooks" is not enough to reflect an understanding of the fish's experience.
2005 National Performance Results
Score
Percentage of Students
No comprehension
21%
Partial comp
48%
Full comprehension
Omitted
Off task
29%
1%
0%
Note:


These results are for public and nonpublic school students.
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
Contexts for Reading: Reading for Literary Experience
Aspects of Reading: Developing Interpretation
Question 9
Scoring Guide
Score & Description
Evidence of full comprehension
These responses provide a situation that is similar to the situation in the poem, employing a basis
of comparison between the situations that is appropriate and clear. Some responses at this level
may not provide a situation per se, but demonstrate understanding by describing or interpreting
what the decision means in terms of life experience.
Evidence of partial or surface comprehension
These responses provide a situation that is similar to the situation in the poem, but either do not
describe how the situations are similar or provide explanations with a tenuous or unclear relation to
the situation in the poem. Or, responses at this level may make a connection to only the surface
action of catching a fish and letting it go.
Evidence of little or no comprehension
These responses may provide a situation that bears no similarity to the situation in the poem (i.e.,
unrelated to the decision to let the fish go), inappropriate information such as opinions why she let it
go, random comments about some aspect of the poem, or may merely state that the situation in the
poem is/is not similar to their experience.
Evidence of full comprehension - Student Response
9 Describe how the speaker’s decision to let the fish go is related to something you have
experienced, read, or seen.
9 Describe how the speaker’s decision to let the fish go is related to something you have
experienced, read, or seen.
Scorer Comments:
The first response provides a basis of comparison ("realized that everything has feelings") and
relates it to a similar experience (letting a butterfly go). The second response provides a basis of
comparison ("I felt sorry for it") and relates it to a similar experience (letting a lightning bug go).
Evidence of partial or surface comprehension - Student Response
9 Describe how the speaker’s decision to let the fish go is related to something you have
experienced, read, or seen.
9 Describe how the speaker’s decision to let the fish go is related to something you have
experienced, read, or seen.
Scorer Comments:
Both responses provide a connection to the poem with a situation that is similar to the one in the
poem, but it is only the surface level action of catching and releasing a fish.
9
Evidence of little or no comprehension - Student Response
Describe how the speaker’s decision to let the fish go is related to something you have
experienced, read, or seen.
9
Describe how the speaker’s decision to let the fish go is related to something you have
experienced, read, or seen.
Scorer Comments:
Both responses provide only personal opinion for why she let the fish go.
2005 National Performance Results
Score
Percentage of Students
No comprehension
28%
Partial comp
42%
Full comprehension
29%
Omitted
0%
Off task
1%
Note:


These results are for public and nonpublic school students.
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
Contexts for Reading: Reading for Literary Experience
Aspects of Reading: Making Reader/Text Connections
Contexts for Reading
Reading for Literary Experience

Involves the reader in exploring themes, events, characters, settings, problems, and the
language of literary works
The reader brings his or her experiences and knowledge to the text in such activities as anticipating
events, picturing settings, predicting consequences, analyzing actions, and considering the language
of literary works. The reader thinks about the perspective of the authors and characters and considers
the language and story structure when reading for literary experience. Various types of texts are
associated with reading for literary experience, including novels, short stories, poems, plays, legends,
biographies, myths, and folktales.
Aspects of Reading
Forming a General Understanding
To form a general understanding, the reader must consider the text as a whole and provide a global
understanding of it. Students may be asked, for example, to demonstrate a general understanding by
giving the topic of a passage, explaining the purpose of an article, or reflecting on the theme of a story.
Tasks and questions that measure this aspect of reading include the following:





Write a paragraph telling what the story/poem is about.
Which of the following is the best statement of the theme of the story?
Write a paragraph telling what this article generally tells you.
What is this text supposed to help you do?
What would you tell someone about the main character?
Developing Interpretation
To develop an interpretation, the reader must extend initial impressions to develop a more complete
understanding of what was read. This process involves linking information across parts of a text as
well as focusing on specific information. Questions that assess this aspect of reading include drawing
inferences about the relationship of two pieces of information and providing evidence to determine the
reason for an action. Questions that assess this aspect of reading include the following:







What event marked a change in the plot or situation?
What caused the character to _________?
What caused this event?
What is the meaning of __________?
What type of person is this character? Explain.
What does this idea imply?
In what ways are these ideas important to the topic or theme?


What will be the result of this step in the directions?
What does this character think about _______?
Making Reader/Text Connections
To make reader/text connections, the reader must connect information in the text with knowledge and
experience. This might include applying ideas in the text to the real world. All student responses must
be text-based to receive full credit. NAEP does not ask students about their personal feelings. Tasks
and questions that assess this aspect of reading include the following:





Why do _________ (bullfrogs eat dragonflies)? Is there anything else you think ________
(they might eat)? Explain your answer using information from the text and what you know.
Colonists lived in different ways than we live today. Tell about two of these differences.
Would you have liked to live in colonial times? Use information from the text to support your
answer.
In this story, two characters chose different ways to solve a problem. Which solution was most
effective in solving the problem? Use information from the text to support your answer.
How would you change the directions to build this ________ if you did not have a
__________?
Examining Content and Structure
Examining text content and structure requires critically evaluating, comparing and contrasting, and
understanding the effect of such features as irony, humor, and organization. Questions used to assess
this aspect of reading require readers to stand apart from the text, consider it objectively, and evaluate
its quality and appropriateness. Knowledge of text content and structure is important. Questions ask
readers to determine the usefulness of a text for a specific purpose, evaluate the language and textual
elements, and think about the author's purpose and style. Some questions also require readers to
make connections across parts of a text or between texts. For example, students might be asked to
compare a poem and a story with the same theme or relate information from a first-person account to
a textbook description of an event. Questions that assess this aspect of reading include the following:
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Compare the structure of this magazine article to that one.
How useful would this be for _________? Why?
Does the author use (irony, personification, humor) effectively? Explain.
What is the author's point of view? Using the text, provide a sentence or two to support your
response.
Is this information needed for ________? Explain your reasoning.
What other information would you need to find out about ________? Support your answer with
information from the text.
Description
Grade
Type
Difficulty
1
The Fish: Describe your reaction to poem
8th
2
The Fish: Which best describes person in
poem
The Fish: Why does person let fish go
8th
8th
5
The Fish: Choose image and explain
meaning
The Fish: Explain difference in language
6
The Fish: What is poet referring to in quote
8th
7
The Fish: Explain change in feelings
8th
8
The Fish: What learned about fish's
experience
The Fish: How relate w/decision to let fish
go
8th
3
4
9
8th
8th
8th
Short Constructed
Response
Multiple Choice
Easy
Short Constructed
Response
Short Constructed
Response
Short Constructed
Response
Multiple Choice
Medium
Extended Constructed
Response
Short Constructed
Response
Short Constructed
Response
Medium
Easy
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
Hard