Steps for Successful Cold Reading Practice

First things first… READ!!  Read EVERYTHING!  Instructions  Introductory information  The text itself  The questions and answers

Next step? WRITE!!!  The dreaded ‘A’ word…. Annotate!!  Make ‘jot notes’ (quick one or two-word thoughts) next to things you think might be important  Note who the characters are…  Mark/circle/etc. words to look up  Highlight/underline important events/happenings  Summarize to the side occasionally

NOW you can look at the Qs!  Read each question carefully. If you need to, rewrite it in easier terms.  Can you eliminate any answers?  Find in the passage where the question is referring to.  Read over that section carefully. Write down your thoughts, etc. that help you choose an answer.

Let’s try one together…  #1 Based on its use in the passage, the most likely synonym for ‘ominous’ is…  Find this word in the text… (end of the first paragraph)  Look at the rest of the paragraph to see what is going on. What ‘sense’ do you get from the text?  Try substituting those words in the place of ominous…

Let’s look at the next question…  # 2 In paragraph 1, what is the meaning of the phrase, “There was a Sabbath lull in the air, which, in a settlement unused to Sabbath influences, looked ominous.”  What is Sabbath? What is lull? Put together, what does that phrase seem to mean?  Is this town ‘used to’ that kind of attitude?  So is this a good thing? A bad thing?

Let’s look at the next question…  #3 Which of the following is NOT one of the ways the ‘wicked’ people in Poker Flat are being punished?  This is a NOT question!!! What can you eliminate?  Look through the story. Can you find the first place they mention punishment? How about the later one?  Did anyone notice that I forgot to take my notes out after the Q? ummm…whoops…

Let’s look at the next question…  #4 Based on the phrase “It is but due to the sex, however, to state that their impropriety was professional.  Find it in the text… paragraph 3…  When you have ‘but’ put in front of a verb, that usually means ‘only’.  What is an impropriety?  What would be a ‘female’ impropriety?  What might ladies do that could be considered not just wrong, but ‘wicked’?

Let’s look at the next question…  #5 What is the main reason people seem to want to punish Oakhurst?  Find it in the text… paragraph 4…  What ‘category’ does Mr. Oakhurst find himself in?  Can you eliminate any answers?  Can you distinguish between the ‘reason’ they want to punish him and the ‘excuse’ they give?

Let’s look at the next question…  #6 How is this response ironic?  This isn’t in the text, it relies upon you figuring out the answer to #5. There are ‘matching’ responses to all the options… Yes, you have to think about this one!!!  Think about the definition of irony – ironic things often seem a little ridiculous, don’t they?

Let’s look at the next question…  #7 Which of the following quotes does not demonstrate Regionalist characteristics?  This is a NOT question!!! What can you eliminate?  Well first of all, what ARE the characteristics of Regionalism?  Look at each quote from the story – one by one, decide if they demonstrate an element of Regionalism (and which one!)

Let’s look at the next question…  #8 In paragraph 5 when Oakhurst refers to life as ‘an uncertain [card] game’ and the ‘percentage being in the favor of the dealer,’ this is an example of which literary device?  Can you define all of these terms?  Thinking about the definition, does the text example fit any of them?  Look back at the text and see the context in which the phrases are used…

Let’s look at the next question…  #9 Which of the following actions is NOT something that you would expect the character to do, based on his/her stereotype?  This is a NOT question!!! What can you eliminate??  Think about each character and the stereotype to which you would assign them. What are some terms/actions/attitudes you might associate with those stereotypes?

Let’s look at the next question…  #10 Which of the following words best fits the author’s tone for the beginning of this story?  This is a best question – eliminate everything you can.  Look at everything that has gone on in the story so far – assign it some words of your own. Which of the choices best matches yours?  Think about what the author would want you to feel, etc.

So how did you do?  #1 – D – threatening – change in the moral atmosphere, lull where there shouldn’t be… makes Oakhurst nervous  #2 – A – the town is not usually religious – they are using religion and ‘moral uprighteousness’ as an excuse  #3 – B – all the others are mentioned

So how did you do?  #4 – C – Prostitutes – all of the rest would be unseemly in women, but only Prostitution could be seen as ‘wicked’ and ‘criminal’  #5 – A – “A few of the committee urged hanging him as a possible example, and a sure method of reimbursing themselves from his pockets of the sums he had won from them.”

So how did you do?  #6 – B – he couldn’t have won money from them if they weren’t also gambling – it’s not his fault he beat them!  #7 – C – (A)geographical description, character’s clothing, ‘conjecture’; (B) stereotypes; (D)dialect/vernacular  #8 – D – metaphor – directly comparing life to a card game, NOT using like/as

So how did you do?  #9 – A – all of these stereotypes are negative, and the actions in B-D are as well. Oakhurst shows compassion, however, in trading his horse so that the Duchess may be more comfortable  #10 – C – the Outcasts are being kicked out (fortunately not killed), but we don’t know what danger the future holds