Paraphrasing versus explaining

Paraphrasing is

• making an inference from the text.

• putting something from the text into your own words.

• finding text evidence.

• explaining something from the text.

An explanation

• is written in your own original language.

• uses your own words to make something clear.

• often involves the word "because."

• all of these!

Which of the following would be paraphrasing this text?

"It didn't take me long to pack."

• This tells me that Percy must not have a lot of things to pack because he is able to pack it quickly.

• Percy packed his things pretty quickly.

Which of the following is explaining the meaning of this text?

"Annabeth was bringing her magic Yankees cap, which she told me had been a twelfth-birthday present from her mom."

• Annabeth's cap must be special to her because it it one of the few things from her mom.

• Annabeth's cap was a gift to her from her mom and it has magic qualities that is why she decides to bring it.

Which of the following is paraphrasing this text evidence?

"Grover wore his fake feet and his pants to pass as human."

• Grover had to hide his hooves and goat legs, so he wears fake feet and pants.

• Grover has goat legs that might alarm humans if they saw them so he has to wear fake feet,

Which of the following is explaining this text?

"I didn't know what to say. It was cool enough that Luke had come to say good-bye. I'd been afraid he might resent me for getting so much attention the last few days. But here he was giving me a magic gift. . . . It made me blush almost as much as Annabeth."

• Percy blushes because Luke's gift made him feel special.

• Percy is glad that Luke came to say goodbye to him and blushes when Luke gives him a gift.