Reading and Literature EOCT Review

Understanding main ideas and supporting details To determine main idea, identify what the details in the passage have in common. Can be helpful to check first and last sentences for clues. Don’t be fooled by the supporting detail.

Why did they write it? Identifying author’s purpose. It’s usually for one of these reasons: To inform To persuade To express To entertain

Get a load of this… Expository writing (to inform or explain) They’re trying to give you information. Look for illustrations, maps, graphs, etc. It’s all about getting the facts to you.

You totally need one of these… Persuasive writing. They’re trying to get you to do something or to change your mind. Look for clue words like “should” and “must.” Persuasive writing will likely have a lot of value words like “best” and “worst.”

My heart overflows with joy… Expressive writing They want to express an opinion or feeling. Lots of emotional words would be a dead giveaway here. Also look for a lot of first-person perspective.

Let the show begin… Writing to entertain. They’re trying to entertain you—to give you something that is fun and interesting. Clues would be a lot of vivid descriptions, dialogue, drama, suspense, humor, etc. For the most part, short stories, plays, novels, etc. are there for your entertainment.

Author’s Style and Technique: Don’t use that tone with me This is the author’s attitude toward the subject. Look for clues in their word choice and connotation. Some tone words are: Admiring, celebrated, romantic, bossy, paranoid, hopeful, sarcastic, confused, cheerful

Author’s Style and Technique: I’m in the worst mood This is the feeling that you, as the reader, get from the writing; it’s like the atmosphere. Again, look for clues in word choice and connotation, but also pay close attention to imagery. Some mood words are: Mellow, confused, dreamy, dreary, suspenseful, tense

Literary Devices: Terms you should literally know Figurative Language Generally speaking, it’s when you use language to describe one thing in terms of another; it is not meant to be taken literally Can you think of an example? Exactly… metaphor, simile, personification

Figurative Language (literally) Metaphors compare one thing to another thing that may seem to be quite different. “It’s easy to get swept away in the rushing river of the hallway.” Now you try one

Figurative Language (literally) Like metaphors, similes compare two things, but they always use “like” or “as.” “The alarm clock blared like a police car.” Your turn

Figurative Language (literally) Personification is attributing human characteristics to something that isn’t human. “The jaws of the cave yawned before us as we contemplated whether we dared to enter.” You. Go!

That’s so ironic Irony: a contrast between expectation and reality. Verbal irony: contrast between what is said and what is meant. Situational irony: contrast between what is expected to happen and what really happens. Dramatic irony: contrast between a character’s knowledge and the audience’s.

The lightning bolt scar Symbols and Allusions A symbol is an object, image, event, person, animal, etc. that represents another idea. What could a lightning bolt symbolize? An allusion is a reference to a person, place, or event from history, literature, religion, pop culture, etc. So, to which book am I alluding?

My great aunt didn’t die; she passed away Euphemism A euphemism is basically a nicer way of saying something. They often refer to unpleasant concepts or events in a more pleasant way. Can you think of any?

Never intersecting Parallel Structure Parallel structure is a way of constructing language using the same pattern of words, phrases, or clauses to show equal importance. Example: which one is parallel structure? Claire likes hiking, jogging, and skating. Claire likes hiking, jogging, and to skate.

Never intersecting One more: which one is parallel structure? The invaders shall be met, shall be fought, and they will be defeated. The invaders shall be met, shall be fought, and shall be defeated.