1. Nonfiction Signpost Guide
Notice and note

2. CONTRASTS & CONTRADICTIONS (CC)
The Contrasts and Contradictions Signpost alerts readers to opposing views. That opposition might be seen within the text, especially if it is an argumentative essay, or it might be seen between the reader and the text, especially in historical texts
Recognizing contrasts and contradictions helps students with several reading skills, especially making comparison, noting cause-and-effect relationships, identifying supporting details, finding the main idea, and reflecting upon the author’s purpose.

3. CONTRASTS & CONTRADICTIONS (CC)
Let’s look at how contrasts and contradictions can show up in a printed text. Sometimes it is very obvious, as in this short passage:
Sparta was content to keep to itself and provided army assistance when necessary. Athens, on the other hand, wanted to control more and more of the land around them.
”On the other hand” is the author’s signal that he’s going to show how Athens differed from Sparta.

4. CONTRASTS AND CONTRADICTIONS
Here’s another example:
Even though the temperature dipped below 32 degrees, the water did not freeze.
You are tipped off by the phrase “even though” that something you would expect to happen isn’t going to happen. You know that water freezes below 32 degrees, but the phrase has warned you that something unusual is going to happen, so you’re prepared for the contradiction when the sentence tells you that the water did not freeze.

5. CONTRASTS AND CONTRADICTIONS
When you notice contrasts like the one between Sparta and Athens or contradictions like water that’s colder than 32 degrees not freezing, you ought to ask yourself, “What is the contrast or contradiction, and why does it matter?”
In this case, it matters that we understand what had happened to keep the water from freezing. That seems very strange.
Often authors use signal words to help notice Contrasts and Contradictions (See next slide)

6. CC SIGNAL WORDS Alternatively Although By contrast Different from
However
Instead
Nonetheless
On the other hand
Otherwise
Still
Then again
Yet
Unlike

7. CONTRASTS AND CONTRADICTIONS
At other times, the Contrasts and Contradictions are between what we know about a place or a situation and what’s in the text. Let’s take a look at this opening paragraph from the article, “Garana’s Story” .
The sun has not yet risen over the rocky hills outside the city of Peshawar, in Pakistan. Loudspeakers from the top of the mosque, or Muslim house of worship, call out to the people, “God is great! It is better to pray than sleep! Come to prayers.”
Ten-year-old Garana rises from a mat on the dirt floor of her family’s house. She puts on her black robe and covers her head with an old shawl. Then she walks to the mosque to pray.

8. CONTRASTS AND CONTRADICTIONS
The sun has not yet risen over the rocky hills outside the city of Peshawar, in Pakistan. Loudspeakers from the top of the mosque, or Muslim house of worship, call out to the people,
“God is great! It is better to pray than sleep! Come to prayers.”
Ten-year-old Garana rises from a mat on the dirt floor of her family’s house. She puts on her black robe and covers her head with an old shawl. Then she walks to the mosque to pray.
Possible Contrasts to our lives:
Voice telling when to wake up and pray?
Garana only ten years old goes down the street on her own in the dark?

9. SO WHAT HENCE?!
Explain why these contrasts matter. What do they point out or show you?
These contrasts matter because they point out to me not only how different Garana’s life is from my own, but how her country is different from the United States. I’m wondering why her country would be this way.

10. NOW YOU TRY!!
Take a look at these two sentences and then tell what signal words you noticed in each.
Unlike most planes, which run on jet fuel, Solar Impulse 2 doesn’t create air pollution.
On April 23, the General Assembly Hall at the United Nations was packed. But the room wasn’t filled with dignitaries. Instead, hundreds of students from schools in the New York City area waited to watch Selma.

11. LET’S GO SOLO!
Read the passage, “Hard at Work”, and highlight any details that are noticed as contrasts and contradictions. Some will be easily spotted by signal words; other contrasts, though, will be between what you know and what’s being presented in the text.

12. EXTREME OR ABSOLUTE LANGUAGE (EL)
Extreme or Absolute Language makes an exaggerated, overblown, and probably untrue claim. It admits of no exceptions, and it seems to forbid doubt or questions. Clues such as: every, all, always, indisputable, unarguably, never, none, totally, -est comparative form (smartest), perfectly, entirely, etc. should raise questions for the readers.
When readers spot this language, they will be alerted either to the strength of the author’s feelings or to the possibility that the writer is exaggerating and may even be deceiving or misleading the reader.

13. EXTREME OR ABSOLUTE LANGUAGE (EL)
Let’s take a look at some statements we’ve heard in your school hallway:
All the teachers and administrators in this school dress very casually.
That was the funniest movie ever.
I can’t wait for lunch. I’m starving.
We’ve heard these comments in the hallway, and they all are examples of what we call Extreme or Absolute Language. In the first sentence, we wonder if all teachers dress very casually. Really? All? Very casually? Maybe some dress very casually. Maybe more dress casually. Probably some show up in a dress shirt and tie or a nice long skirt and fashionable top. The words “all” and “very” make that statement extreme and absolute.

14. EXTREME OR ABSOLUTE LANGUAGE (EL)
Now let’s take a look at what extreme or absolute language looks like in a text. Here are the first two sentences of an article by a man named Dahr Jamail about climate change.
“No one on this planet will be untouched by climate change,” the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change announced. The report warned that climate impacts are already “severe, pervasive, and irreversible.”
What did you notice as extreme or absolute??

15. EXTREME OR ABSOLUTE LANGUAGE (EL)
“No one on this planet will be untouched by climate change,” the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change announced. The report warned that climate impacts are already “severe, pervasive, and irreversible.”
Possible Extreme or Absolute Language:
1. “No one on this planet…” No one? How could he know that?
Why’d the writer choose those words? Is it true? Not one single person on this entire planet will be untouched by climate change? If the change affects the whole globe, then it might be true that everyone will be affected. It still seems absolute—no one will be untouched. Perhaps he’s just trying to catch my attention.

16. EXTREME OR ABSOLUTE LANGUAGE (EL)
“No one on this planet will be untouched by climate change,” the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change announced. The report warned that climate impacts are already “severe, pervasive, and irreversible.”
Possible Extreme or Absolute Language:
2. “Climate impacts are already ‘severe, pervasive, and irreversible.’”
That is frightening! To say that we have already reached the point at which climate change is irreversible seems extreme. If true, it seems to mean that nothing can be done about the changing climate. If it’s already irreversible, we must be doomed.
Why would the writer use this language?

17. EXTREME OR ABSOLUTE LANGUAGE (EL)
“No one on this planet will be untouched by climate change,” the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change announced. The report warned that climate impacts are already “severe, pervasive, and irreversible.”
Why would the writer use this language? Why aren’t others reporting that our problems are irreversible. Shouldn’t that be making a lot of news? I have to wonder if I’m seeing some bias from the author.
When we notice Extreme or Absolute Language that is this troubling we have an obligation to think about it, wonder why the author chose those words, and recognize that we might be seeing clues to the main idea, the author’s purpose, or the author’s bias.

18. NOW YOU TRY!!
Read the given passage, “Vampires Prey on Panama” and highlight details that could be considered Extreme or Absolute Language.
Now, turn to a partner next to you and share your findings.
How did reading with this signpost in mind affect your reading??

19. NUMBERS AND STATS (NS)
What about these statements may not give someone a clear understanding?
Turn in your quiz soon.
“Do I have one more minute or ten more?”
Run a few more laps.
“Should I run three or four?”
You’re getting a raise.
“Exactly how big of a raise are we speaking?”

20. NUMBERS AND STATS (NS)
Why does it matter??
In each case, specific numbers help you have a clearer understanding of what’s going on and visualize the point the author is trying to make. That’s the main reason all of us use numbers—to give specific details about what we’re discussing. And that’s the same reason authors use numbers and stats—to help better understand the topic.

21. NUMBERS AND STATS (NS)
Stay alert for numbers!!
Too often numbers are simply skipped over as people read. We see a number and think, “Oh, there’s a date,” or “That’s how many soldiers were in the war,” and they just keep reading. We don’t pause and ask ourselves, “Why do I think the author included these numbers or stats?”

22. NUMBERS AND STATS (NS)
Stay alert for numbers!!
This signpost helps make comparisons, draw conclusions, make inferences or generalizations, differentiate fact and opinion, identify details, recognize evidence, and understand the author’s purpose or bias.

23. NUMBERS AND STATS (NS) Take a look at this short passage:
Garana and her family have lived in their one-room house for two years. It’s one of thousands of mud-brick homes in the Shamshatoo Afghan Refugee Camp. The camp holds about 50,000 Afghan refugees.
Let’s circle all the numbers we see.
Why do we think the author included these numbers?
Possible answer: To help understand how awful the conditions are.

24. NUMBERS AND STATS (NS)
Let’s take a look at another example, from a different article:
In fact, nearly half of all bottled water is reprocessed tap water, sold at prices up to 3,000 times higher than consumers pay for tap water.
Where can you find numbers and stats?
Why did the author use this specific number?
Possible answer: He wants us to realize that it’s ridiculous that we’d spend 3,000 times more for a bottle of water than what water costs from the tap.

25. NUMBERS AND STATS (NS) Let’s look at one more example:
The singer, 28, joined us for the interview.
This comment tells us what about the singer by using numbers and stats?
Important? The reporter just gave us a detail about the singer, but it’s not a too important point of the article. Authors do that sometimes-provide a detail that doesn’t change our thinking about the point of the article.

26. “Wow! We did all that, Mr. Hence?!”
NOW YOU TRY!!
Read the given passage, “Up Before Daybreak” and highlight details that could be considered Numbers & Stats.
Now, turn to a partner next to you and share your findings. Explain why you thought the author used those numbers.
By noticing numbers and asking why the author used them, you made inferences, focused on details, visualized, and made casual connections!
“Wow! We did all that, Mr. Hence?!”
Yes you did! Awesome job!

27. I want to share some comments I’ve heard from students, and I want you to take a look at them and decide what they all have in common.
“Did you hear what she said? She was like, ‘It’s not my fault’ and saying that over and over again, but everyone knew it was.”
“So, then, he went, ‘So, let’s all go to the game,’ but then she said, ‘NO, let’s all go to the mall,’ and it was like no one could decide.”
“The teacher said that this wouldn’t be on the test. Remember, her exact words were, ‘You don’t have to study this section because it will not be on the test’ and so I didn’t.”

28. QUOTED WORDS
Being alert for quoted words really means to notice who is quoted and what is quoted. This will help think about facts and opinions, see cause-and-effect relationships, make comparisons or contrasts, draw conclusions, infer, and think about the author’s point of view, purpose, or bias.
Students can quickly identify quoted words; what they do less quickly is think about why the author used a quote and what that quote added to the text. When you, the students, look closely at what was quoted, you will often see it was to offer a Personal Perspective or Voice of Authority.

29. QUOTED WORDS
Why does controversial talk often include quoting someone else?
Authors do the same thing—quote people to help make the text more interesting or to help prove a point. For instance, let’s take a look at this article from USA Today titled, “New Citizen Exam is Democracy 101.”
“The goal is to make it more meaningful,” says Emilio Gonzalez, director of Citizenship and Immigrations Services…. “You really ought to know what you’re swearing allegiance to,” he says.
Why did the author quote or cite this person?
What did the quote add to the text?

30. QUOTED WORDS
The first several paragraphs prior to this quote focused on how the questions on the immigration test will change, but now the author has quoted someone. When I notice an author using a quote, I want to stop and ask myself why that person was quoted.
I don’t know Gonzalez, so I notice that the author told me what he does. I suspect he’s got some real opinions about this new exam.
He says this makes the exam more meaninful, and this comment, about knowing what someone is swearing allegiance to, shows me he thinks this test is very important. I think the author is showing me a Voice of Authority who supports this change.

31. QUOTED WORDS
Now, skim “Vampires Prey on Panama” and highlight any quoted words.
Share with a partner next to you and discuss why the author quoted or cited these people. Also, what did the quote possibly add to the text or show about the quoted person?