Citing Evidence and Inference

Citing Text Evidence and Inference

What is the theme?

​Theme

In literature, the theme of a text is the message the author wants the reader to understand. The theme of a text is often a moral or lesson that is universally understood. The theme is sometimes directly stated, but readers usually have to determine the theme themselves. In order to determine the theme of a story, readers should consider the plot. What happens to the characters? How do they react? What do the characters learn? While these questions are not always answerable, they are a good starting point.

​Read the following text:

Donovan came home from school, dropped his backpack inside the doorway, and sank onto the sofa. Feeling defeated, he tried to block out the memory of Coach Thomas yelling at Jason. No matter how hard Jason had attempted to explain that he hadn’t stolen the copy of Mrs. Noe’s test and given it to the class, Coach Thomas wouldn’t listen. Someone had informed Mrs. Noe it was Jason, and she’d notified Coach Thomas that Jason had done it. Donovan knew the truth, but there was no way to substantiate it. Now, Jason was suspended from school and off the basketball team, which meant their chances of making the playoffs were over. Worse, the person who’d cheated and lied had gotten away with it. Donovan struggled to think of a way to prove his friend was innocent.

Multiple Choice

1.What is the theme of this passage?

• A. It is important to always be there to support your friends.

• B. It is important to make sure your teachers and coaches believe you.

• C. You will never have to cheat if you study enough.

• D. Lying is wrong and can effect many people.

Open Ended

2. List two details from the passage to support the theme

Multiple Choice

1.Which quote from the passage best represents the theme?

• A. “It was another full house, just like every night for the past two weeks.”

• B. “They enjoyed the hard work the students had put into making the show.”

• C. “They knew how much the drama program meant to him, and they never missed a single performance.”

• D. . “He couldn’t ask for a better family.”

Multiple Choice

2. What is a theme of the selection

• A. People who care about you will be there to support you.

• B. It is important to find what you are passionate about in life.

• C. People that care about you will be proud of you even if you fail.

• D. You should be grateful for the people that support you.

Citing Evidence & Inference

Readers should pay close attention when reading literature. Sometimes information about the characters or plot is directly stated. At other times, a reader must make inferences. An inference is a logical conclusion based on evidence in the text and the reader’s own knowledge. Readers can make inferences when the author doesn’t directly state something but there is evidence to support the conclusion. Readers should be able to cite evidence based on what the text directly says. Readers should also be able to cite evidence to support any inferences they make.

​Read the following text:

The first day of school was here at last and Rohan was excited. His parents had promised he would make friends when school started, but he hadn’t been so sure. When they’d moved into the large empty house back in late June, it had seemed like their new town was just as large and just as empty. He’d looked for signs of kids every time they drove past the other houses: a swing set, a skateboard ramp, a basketball hoop in a driveway, anything! But now, the yellow bus pulled up in front of his house, filled with kids his own age. Some of them seemed shy, but four boys sitting in the fifth row smiled and waved to him.

Open Ended

The reader can infer that Rohan was eager to make new friends. What evidence in the text supports this inference?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following inferences is supported by evidence in the paragraph?

• A. Rohan had several neighbors that were his age

• B. Rohan was very angry with his parents about moving.

• C. Rohan didn’t live near any kids his own age.

• D. Rohan was excited about moving.

Multiple Choice

Which quote from the passage BEST supports the inference that Mirelle worried too much about her injury?

• A. “Mirelle’s alarm went off but she didn’t have the energy to reach up and silence it.”

• B. “Every year on the first day, she had to hurry and get to volleyball practice.”

• C. “Now, an injury over the summer—falling down while roller skating with her sister— had meant surgery, physical therapy, and no volleyball.”

• D. “Her mom had said, ‘There’s always next year,’ but Mirelle wasn’t so sure.”

Multiple Choice

What inference can be made about Mirelle?

• A. Mirelle wasn’t as committed to volleyball as her teammates were

• B. Mirelle was upset with her sister about her injury.

• C. C. Mirelle enjoyed different types of physical activity.

• D. .Mirelle was jealous of her teammates.