What is the best question to ask yourself when you are trying to find the main idea / central idea of a passage?

What point is the author trying to make?

What is the central idea in this passage? A penny for your thoughts? If it's a 1943 copper penny, it could be worth as much as fifty thousand dollars. In 1943, most pennies were made out of steel since copper was needed for World War II, so the 1943 copper penny is ultra-rare. Another rarity is the 1955 double die penny. These pennies were mistakenly double stamped, so they have overlapping dates and letters. If it's uncirculated, it'd easily fetch $25,000 at an auction. Now that's a pretty penny.

Some pennies are worth a lot of money.

The 1943 penny is worth 50 thousand dollars.

The 1943 penny is more rare than the 1955 penny.

What is an inference?

An educated guess based on evidence and reasoning.

A way of finding out what unfamiliar words mean.

Do you ever wonder how you taste things? You owe your sense of taste to your taste buds. We have 9,000 taste buds just on the tongue alone. There are also taste buds on the roof of your mouth. You even have taste buds on the back of your throat. What does the author want you to learn about the passage?

Taste buds are found in different places.

Why we can taste only sweet things.

That we taste through our nose.

What is the implied main idea? When tigers hunt, they hunt alone. In contrast, lions hunt in groups; they work together to drive their prey into an ambush. Cheetahs are known for their speed when they chase prey. Leopards are able to climb trees when they are prowling for prey. Surprisingly, jaguars often hunt in water. There is great diversity in the hunting habits of large cats. There is also great diversity in the places in which they hunt.

There is great diversity in the hunting habits of large cats, and there is also great diversity in the places in which they hunt.

When tigers hunt, they hunt alone, but in contrast, lions hunt in groups.

Cheetahs, leopards, and jaguars have different methods of hunting.

The Isle of the Lost Excerpt By Melissa de la Cruz What is the main idea? Once upon a time, during a time after all the happily-ever-afters, and perhaps even after the ever-afters after that, all the evil villains of the world were banished from the United Kingdom of Auradon and imprisoned on the Isle of the Lost. There, underneath a protective dome that kept all manner of enchantment out of their clutches, the terrible, the treacherous, the truly awful, and the severely sinister were cursed to live without the power of magic. King Beast declared the villains exiled forever. Forever, as it turns out,is quite a long time. Longer than an enchanted princess can sleep. Longer,even, then an imprisoned maiden’s tower of golden hair. Longer than a week of being turned into a frog, and certainly much longer than waiting for a prince to finally get around to placing that glass slipper on your foot already.Yes, forever is a long, long, long time. Ten years, to be specific. Ten years that these legendary villains have been trapped on a floating prison of rock and rubble. Okay, so you might say ten years isn’t such a long time, considering;but for these conjurers and witches, viziers and sorcerers, evil queens and dark fairies, to live without magic was a sentence worse than death. (And some of them were brought back from death, only to be placed on this island—so, um, they should know.) Without their awesome powers to dominate and hypnotize, terrorize and threaten, create thunderclouds and lightning storms, transform and disguise their features or lie and manipulate their way into getting exactly what they wanted, they were reduced to hardscrabble lives, eking a living selling and eating slop, scaring no one but their own minions, and stealing from each other. It was hard even for them to imagine they once had been great and powerful, these poisoners of forest apples and thieves of undersea voices, these usurpers of royal powers and owners of petulant mirrors. Now their lives were anything but powerful. Now they were ordinary. Everyday.

All the villains of the world were forced to live ordinary lives without their magic and powers.

Without their awesome powers, the villains were reduced to hardscrabble lives.

The United Kingdom of Auradon imprisoned all the villains on the Isle of the Lost.

Forever is a very long time, longer than an enchanted princess can sleep.

What does a story's theme mean?

How the plot develops in a story.

Choose the best theme for this passage. Kristin had a good reputation. She was known as a bright student who frequently made honor roll and did volunteer work in her community. Nikki and Simone had reputations too, but they were known for causing trouble, getting into fights, and behaving dishonestly. One day Kristin was walking to the little store on the corner to get some healthy snacks when she bumped into Nikki and Simone. Much to Kristin's surprise, Nikki and Simone were being really nice to her. "How come we never hang out with Kristin? She cool," Simone said. Kristin had always quietly admired Nikki and Simone as girls who didn't take any stuff, so she enjoyed the compliments and the attention. Soon they were all walking into the little store together. The girls were playing around and having a good time while Kristin shopped. She picked out a few snacks and paid for her purchases, but on the way out the store owner stopped them. "Let me see what you've got there, little lady," he said as he reached into Nikki's pocket and pulled out several candy bars. "Now you," he said as he went into Simone's backpack and retrieved several bags of chips and packs of gum. He searched Kristin too, but didn't find anything. Kristin begged and pleaded with him as he called the police, "Please, sir, I'm a good girl." To which the man replied, "If you are such a good girl, then why are you hanging out with these two?" Kristin did not know.

Nothing is more important than having friends.

Kristin and her friends were stopped by the store manager for shoplifting.

Choose the best theme for this passage. Dan and Doug led the journalism club. While Dan was generally regarded as a better writer than Doug, Doug was invaluable to the publication for his investigative skills. Together, they had uncovered a scandal in the cafeteria that had been dubbed "Horsemeat-Gate." Due to Dan and Doug's compelling story, interest in the high school paper grew. Dan was even interviewed by the local paper. During the interview, Dan spoke at length about all he had done to write the story. He failed to mention Doug's involvement. Doug felt slighted and confronted Dan, but Dan asserted that he was the main writer of the story and therefore deserved the credit. Shortly after the blowout, Doug left the journalism club. The people of the town were interested in the high school paper, but without Doug's knack for finding good stories, the quality of the paper diminished and so did interest in the paper. Now that his popularity surge had ended, Dan had more time to think. He reasoned that they'd still be on top of the world if Doug hadn't been so stubborn and selfish.

Give credit where credit is due.

Either lead or get out of the way.

Dan and Doug argued over whose contribution was more important to the paper.

The peregrine falcon is a beautiful wild bird. It is also one of the fastest. In 1978, the peregrine falcon was placed on the endangered species list. The main reason the peregrine falcon was dying out was the use of pesticides. Which of the following is NOT a supporting detail?

The peregrine falcon is an amazing bird.

The peregrine falcon is one of the fastest wild birds.

It was placed on the endangered species list.

It was dying out because of pesticides.

The Statue of Liberty is visited by thousands of people every year. The Statue of Liberty is a 151 foot tall statue of a woman holding a book and a torch. It was a gift of friendship from the people of France. It has become the universal symbol for freedom. Which of the following is NOT a supporting detail?

The Statue of Liberty is an amazing statue.

The Statue of Liberty is 151 feet tall.

Thousands of people visit the Statues of Liberty each year.

It was a gift of friendship from France.

What do the details in paragraph 3 reveal about the author’s point of view? For decades, Willard, along with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and many others, had been working toward increased political and economic rights for women. Now the bicycle brought a taste of independence to women on a very personal level, and some of them took the opportunity to express their discontent with old traditions and expectations. In August 1895, a cyclist named Ann Strong caused a stir when she compared the value of a bicycle to that of a husband in the Minneapolis Tribune. “I can’t see but that a wheel is just as good company as most husbands,” she declared. “I would as lief1 talk to one inanimate object as another; and I’d a great deal rather talk to one that can’t answer than one that won’t.” Strong then contrasted the joy of cycling with the challenges of raising a family. “You can make your wheel tidy over night,” she said, “and it never kicks off its shoes the very last minute, and never smears itself with molasses. When you are ready you can start. No little elbows are stuck in your ribs; there is no wiggling; screams at the cars or at the candy stores. You glide along, silently, smoothly, swiftly.”

The author thinks that all women were treated unfairly regardless of economic status.

The author thinks that clothing restrictions were less of a burden than the necessity of hard work.

The author thinks that poor women had more freedom of dress even though they had to work hard.

Thee author thinks that the contrast between two classes of women had an effect on their advancement.

As used in paragraph 2, what does the phrase “fading into the background” mean? But it was made out of bricks and cement that had come from the banks of the Hudson. The river which had fed all those dreams was now fading into the background. New York didn’t seem to need the river anymore, except as a sewer. And that’s what it became.

losing its importance in people’s minds

moving farther and farther from the city

remaining important only to those who value nature

In paragraph 11, what does the one-word statement “Somehow” reveal? Thee third thing I’m going to do, after I get back from Washington and get my knives, is . . . get discovered. Somehow. I know I’m going to have to pay my dues, but I’m so ready for my real life to start. It’s not something I admit to a lot, but my real dream is to be a celebrity chef. Do you know how many African American female chefs there aren’t? And how many vegetarian chefs have their own shows? e field is wide open for stardom. Every time I watch old episodes of Saint Julia, I imagine that I have my own cooking show. e way celebrity chefs do it now, I could also have a line of cooking gear, cookbooks, aprons, the works. People would know my name, ask for my autograph, and try my recipes. All I have to do is finish my trig homework and get back into the kitchen.

It shows the narrator does not have every detail of her future plans figured out just yet.

It illustrates the narrator’s enthusiasm about her future plans.

It shows the narrator has some questions about whether she will succeed or not.

It demonstrates the narrator’s lack of knowledge about how difficult her goals are to achieve.

What does the statement “I know I’m going to have to pay my dues” (paragraph 11) show about the narrator’s attitude toward her plans? Thee third thing I’m going to do, after I get back from Washington and get my knives, is . . . get discovered. Somehow. I know I’m going to have to pay my dues, but I’m so ready for my real life to start. It’s not something I admit to a lot, but my real dream is to be a celebrity chef. Do you know how many African American female chefs there aren’t? And how many vegetarian chefs have their own shows? e field is wide open for stardom. Every time I watch old episodes of Saint Julia, I imagine that I have my own cooking show. e way celebrity chefs do it now, I could also have a line of cooking gear, cookbooks, aprons, the works. People would know my name, ask for my autograph, and try my recipes. All I have to do is finish my trig homework and get back into the kitchen.

She realizes success depends on more than setting a goal.

She thinks the price of fame might be too high.

She is highly motivated by the idea of becoming famous.

She thinks becoming a celebrity chef requires only money.

How does the dialogue in paragraphs 19 and 20 propel events in the story? (19) “Never mind, Chester,” Mr. Moskowitz told the operator. “We don’t need you now.” He motioned for me to follow him. “Come with me. I want to have a look at the rest of these.” (20) As we hurried through the reception room, Mr. Moskowitz called out to the switchboard operator, “Ring up Sawyer and York and anyone else who’s still here and tell them to come to the conference room.” . . .

It shows that Mr. Moskowitz is impressed by the narrator’s picture.

It suggests that Mr. Moskowitz requires help judging the narrator’s work.

It indicates that Mr. Moskowitz reluctantly agrees to speak with the narrator.

D It reveals that Mr. Moskowitz will likely help the narrator in her career.

Which sentence states a theme of paragraph 3? Finally, he saw it. Lt. Shulga was embossed on a nameplate three doors down from Antova’s. Luckily, the door was unlocked and the room empty; Shulga had obviously gone straight from the time-out room to dinner. e office was decorated in the same way as Antova’s, in blue and dark brown, with a large map of Tellus on the wall instead of the royal crest the commander displayed. Darting across to a metal filing cabinet that took up most of one wall, Aleks wrenched open a drawer at random, ignoring the searing ache in his arms. Again, unlocked. Clearly Shulga was too cocky to think anyone would dare snoop around his office.

Overconfidence can lead to carelessness.

Pride in one’s kingdom is essential to military success.

Pain can prevent a person from reaching one’s goal.

Trust is difficult to establish and maintain.

Read this sentence from paragraph 7. "She’s not quite fish flesh, but she’s not a typical marine robot either." Which detail about SoFi best supports the idea expressed in this sentence?

Fish are not scared by SoFi and sometimes swim with her.

SoFi may contribute to the protection of endangered marine life.

SoFi can swim at speeds that are similar to some fish.

Divers issue commands to SoFi using a simple controller.

“If a shark would have come and ate our fish, that would have been the most amazing footage,” Mr. Katzschmann said. In paragraph 21, Mr. Katzschmann reacts positively to the idea that a shark might eat SoFi because that would

support the goal of studying animal interactions

lead to further funding and research

test the strength of the underwater system

help biologists understand how to protect marine life

ELA Test Prep Quiz (Day 2)

Quiz

•

English

•

8th Grade

•

Practice Problem

•

Medium

•

CCSS

RL.7.2, RL.9-10.2, RL.8.1

+47

Standards-aligned

Jennifer Fasano

Used 6+ times

FREE Resource

36 questions

Show all answers

1.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

20 sec • 1 pt

How many details / pieces of textual evidence do you need when you are answering the short response questions?

0

1

2

3

2.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

20 sec • 1 pt

How many points do you get for each short response question?

1

2

3

4

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.10

CCSS.RI.7.10

CCSS.RI.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

3.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

20 sec • 1 pt

How many points is the Extended Response?

1

2

3

4

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.7

CCSS.RI.8.7

CCSS.RL.6.7

CCSS.RL.7.7

CCSS.RL.8.7

4.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

20 sec • 1 pt

How many paragraphs should you write for your Extended Response?

2

3

4

5.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

20 sec • 1 pt

Your teachers are the ones grading your test.

Yes

No

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.8.3

6.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

20 sec • 1 pt

One of the strategies you should use before you read the passage is to read the questions first so you know what you should be annotating for / paying attention to while you read.

Yes

No

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.10

CCSS.RI.7.10

CCSS.RI.8.10

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.8.10

7.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

20 sec • 1 pt

Annotating a text will help you when you are answering the questions later on.

Yes

No

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.10

CCSS.RI.8.10

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

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ELA Test Prep Quiz (Day 2)

36 questions

How many details / pieces of textual evidence do you need when you are answering the short response questions?

How many points do you get for each short response question?

How many points is the Extended Response?

How many paragraphs should you write for your Extended Response?

Your teachers are the ones grading your test.

One of the strategies you should use before you read the passage is to read the questions first so you know what you should be annotating for / paying attention to while you read.

Annotating a text will help you when you are answering the questions later on.

You should pay very close attention to what the question is asking you to do, especially words that are in bold, italicized, underlined, or WRITTEN IN CAPITAL LETTERS. In fact, you should read the question at least twice.

You should always quote your evidence and make sure you reference the line(s) for the evidence. If you paraphrase, make sure you reference the lines so the person grading your work knows where you got your evidence.

Repeating what your evidence says is enough to form an analysis.

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