How to Read CLOSELY and SUCCESSFULLY

1. Annotate/Mark the Text Read with PURPOSE Look for literary devices, themes, characters, moments that make you question, predict or connect with the text

2. Read the QUESTIONS Accompanying the Passage FIRST! It always helps to know what you are looking for! This also will save you time…

3. Read the passage SLOWLY and CAREFULLY Be aware of the time…but don’t rush! Check the clock and set a pace for yourself!

4. When answering the questions, PAY ATTENTION!!! Look for bold, italicized or underlined portions of the question… Look for words like ALL, BUT, EXCEPT, etc.

5. Don’t be FOOLED by numbers! DO go back and re-read a passage when line numbers/paragraph numbers are given…but don’t be fooled, you might also have to read around these lines to find your answer.

6. Identify WHAT is being asked of you…and HOW you are being asked! Try to determine the purpose (what you are being tested on) of each question and the type (see list below) of question.

Types of Questions PLOT BASED – asks who, what, when, where…factual information of text. INFERENTIAL – asks you to draw a conclusion about a passage. CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT – must look closely at a character over the course of the entire passage. LITERARY DEVICE QUESTION – wants you to identify a specific device and/or how the use of that device impacts an entire piece of writing. CONTEXT CLUES – asks you to define a word based on the clues given in the text. THEME/OVERALL EFFECT – big picture question about main idea of a passage. CONFLICT – asks you to identify the type of central problem/conflict in a passage.

Group Activity Questions “Harrison Bergeron” 1. The story is told in what point of view? A. 1st person B. 2nd person C. 3rd person D. all of the above 2. What is the following passage an example of? “They reeled, whirled, swiveled, flounced, capered, gamboled, and spun.” A. Personification B. Imagery C. Metaphor D. Simile

Questions Continued 3. What is the following passage an example of? “They leaped like deer on the moon.” A. Simile B. Metaphor C. Characterization D. Personification 4. Which of the following best describes the meaning of “consternation” from page 3 the text? A. Joy B. Shame C. Worry D. Disgust

Questions Continued 5. The reader can infer which of the following statements to be true in regard to the following passage: “It was then that Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General, came into the studio with a double-barreled ten-gauge shotgun. She fired twice, and the Emperor and the Empress were dead before they hit the floor.” A. Despite the death of the hero, society can expect to see brighter days in the future. B. The murder of the story’s hero suggests more darker days to come. C. The murder of the story’s hero will cause the people of the society to view their world from a different perspective and revolt. D. Despite the death of the hero, Diana Moon Glampers and her HG men will fall.