Reading Strategies for CAHSEE Prep SWBAT discover the main idea in a reading selection, and analyze the text to find the author’s purpose.

Reading Strategies for CAHSEE Prep When answering reading questions, you will often be asked to identify a reading selection’s main idea. In order to tackle this type of question, follow these steps: (EQ: How can I identify a selection’s main idea?

(EQ: How can I identify a reading selection’s main idea? When answering reading questions, you will often be asked to identify a reading selection’s main idea. In order to tackle this type of question, follow these steps:

Step 1: Read the selection and determine the topic.

Step 2: Look at what all the details have in common Step 2: Look at what all the details have in common. The details will point to the main idea. Hint: pay close attention to the first and last sentences. Sometimes you may find a sentence that states the main idea.

Step 3: Restate the main idea in your own words. In the test, look for the answer that closely matches your own. Be careful not to select a detail that merely supports the main idea as your answer.

Now it’s time to figure out the author’s purpose for writing.

EQ: How do I analyze the author’s purpose for writing? Reading comprehension questions often ask you to identify the author’s purpose.

In general, there are four purposes for writing. Use the following steps to help in answering questions about purpose:

Step 1: Look in the text for clues such as the ones below and decide which purpose most clues seem to be pointing toward.

Is the purpose to inform? Look for illustrations, diagrams, data maps, charts, headings, and bulleted or numbered items.

Is the purpose to influence? Look for words like should or must, and words that assign value such as best and worst.

Is the purpose to express? Look for frequent use of the word “I” and emotional (pathos) words.

Is the purpose to entertain? Look for vivid descriptions, dialogue, rhymes, drama, or humor.

Step 2: Look for the test response that most closely matches the general purpose you have identified.

Check your understanding: Write down the purpose that best describes what you think has been the purpose of the text in this slideshow.

If you guessed to inform, you have identified the purpose of this slideshow!