1. LITERACY TEST
Thursday March 30th Please check the lists in the main office to find out where you will write the test.

2. Short Answer Questions on the OSSLT

3. The OSSLT includes two kinds of short answer questions
The first requires you to
summarize the main idea.
The second requires you
provide a personal response
to a question or statement.

4. How to Summarize a Passage

5. Where can you look for clues?
To Begin:
Identify the main idea of the selection- Ask yourself “What is the author saying about the passage?”
Where can you look for clues?
First Sentence
TITLE
Headings
LAST SENTENCE

6. Summary/ Main Idea Questions
On the OSSLT you will be given six lines to write a summary of a reading selection. Your task will be to: 1. Read through the entire passage of text to get a sense of what it’s about and what the author’s message or purpose is. 2. Go back and reread the text in sections, highlighting or underlining information you feel is important to the overall meaning. 3. Decide what the main idea of the passage is, and choose one point that supports it. 4. Write your summary, stating the main idea and one supporting detail clearly.

7. Now it’s your turn (1): Answer: C The main idea is:
Read the passage and identify the main idea.
Is there a hairy monster in the Pacific Northwest? Some people think so. They say it lives in the mountains. They call it “Bigfoot.” No one knows for sure if Bigfoot is real. Hundreds of people say they have seen the monster, and many more claim to have seen its huge footprints. Reports state that Bigfoot looks like an ape. It doesn’t run, but it walks very fast. Bigfoot is said to be a fast swimmer as well. Reports of the strange Bigfoot make the monster an interesting puzzle.
The main idea is:
a) The Pacific Northwest is a nice place to visit.
b) Bigfoot looks like an ape.
c) Bigfoot is still a mystery.
Answer: C

8. Now it’s your turn (2): Answer: B
When a person decides to get a dog, he or she has many kinds to choose from. As a rule, short-haired dogs are best for cities. Beagles, Boston Terriers, and Dachshunds make good city pets. Great Danes are short-haired, too. However, they are too big for city living. It is hard in a city to give them all the exercise they need. Setters, Springer Spaniels, and Collies are especially good as country dogs. Is the main idea: a) Dogs are good pets. b) Some dogs are better than others for city life. c) There are many kinds of dogs.
Answer: B

9. What is the main idea of this paragraph?
Practice Question:
Wolves like company and live in family groups called packs. The wolf pack always has a leader. How can you tell which wolf is the pack leader? It is usually the biggest male. He stands proud and tall with his tail and head held high. He is the king, and he knows it. When he approaches another wolf in his pack, that wolf will hang its head down and put its tail between its legs. Then it will roll over on its back as if to say, “I give up. You are too strong for me!” That is why wolves seldom fight among themselves. The weaker ones almost always give in before a real fight begins.
What is the main idea of this paragraph?
Every pack of wolves has a leader who is the most respected wolf in the pack.

10. The Next Step: Find One Point to Support It
Wolves like company and live in family groups called packs. The wolf pack always has a leader. How can you tell which wolf is the pack leader? It is usually the biggest male. He stands proud and tall with his tail and head held high. He is the king, and he knows it. When he approaches another wolf in his pack, that wolf will hang its head down and put its tail between its legs. Then it will roll over on its back as if to say, “I give up. You are too strong for me!” That is why wolves seldom fight among themselves. The weaker ones almost always give in before a real fight begins.
Hint: Find a point that directly links
to the main idea that you chose.

11. Sample Summary paragraph
Every pack of wolves has a leader who is the most respected wolf in the pack. One point that supports this is that when approached by the leader, another wolf will hang its head down and put its tail between its legs. In conclusion, the leader of the wolf pack is a very important member of the family.

12. How To Provide A Personal Response

13. On The Literacy Test:
One of the Short Writing Tasks on the OSSLT requires you to write a six-line response based on your knowledge and personal experience.
Your response must be written in proper paragraph form:
with an opening sentence,
supporting details
and a concluding sentence.

14. Sample Questions:
What was your favourite game as a child? Explain why you liked it.
Name a person you admire and explain why.
What is your favourite time of the year? Explain why.

15. Step 1
Planning:
Read the question or statement and choose your response- Ask yourself “What would you do?” Or “What do you think?”
Hint: Make sure that your answer supplies the exact information that the question asks you for.

16. Step 2 Writing the Response:
Use the first sentence to restate the key points from the question along with your chosen answer.
Use the next sentence(s) to explain why this is the answer that you chose.
Use your closing sentence to recap your previous statements.
Note: Do not use this sentence to add new
information.

17. Take a few minutes to check over your answer.
Checklist:
Answer has a topic sentence which restates the question.
Answer has 1-2 supporting sentences.
Answer has an appropriate concluding sentence.

18. Sample Answer
Question: What is the best advice you have ever given to someone? Use specific details to explain your answer. The best advice I ever gave to someone was telling my sister to apply for a job that she didn’t think she would be good at. She is still working at this job three years later, and she is constantly telling me how much she loves it. She tells me of the many friends she has made and the pleasure of going into work. This is why my best advice was helping my sister find a good job that makes her happy.
Provide details that directly support your answer – note that details is plural
Use the final sentence to recap your previous statements.
Restate the key points from the question in the first sentence of the answer.

19. Any Questions?
See Mrs. Johnston before school, at lunch, or afterschool in Room 310.
Look over the Lit. Test resources on our school webpage and at EQAO.com.