STAAR English Review - Academic Language for Nonfiction

What is another way to understand the following question: "Which statement best expresses the thesis of the excerpt?"

• Who did the author have in mind as a reader when they wrote this passage?

• Why did the author write this passage?

• What is the author’s main claim in this passage?

• What evidence does this author use to support their claim?

All of the following terms mean the same thing except:

• thesis statement

• author’s claim

• author’s position

• controlling idea

• counterargument

Examples, quotations, illustrations, analogies, and descriptions are all forms of ___.

• key ideas

• supporting details

• thesis statements

• topic sentences

"Key ideas" refer to __.

• The major reasons or arguments that support the thesis statement or controlling idea.

• Supporting details that help to prove the big ideas.

• The first sentence, used to grab the reader's attention.

• The major themes of a story.

Answer explanation

STAAR has started using the term "key ideas" to describe the main points an author makes in support of their thesis. For example, a thesis might be "volunteering is good for people who volunteer." Key ideas to support this thesis might include "people who volunteer may be happier" and "volunteering may reduce stress." Then, each of these key ideas would be proved with supporting details such as facts, statistics, examples, or quotes.

What is another way to understand the following question: "How does the author’s choice of words in this quotation contribute to the tone of the excerpt?"

• What is the most likely reason the author wrote this passage?

• What kind of emotion or attitude does the author of this passage seem to have? What words give it this feeling?

• Does the author have a large vocabulary?

• Who did the author have in mind as a reader when they wrote this passage?

What is another way to understand the following question: "Which group is most likely the author’s intended audience?"

• What is the most likely reason the author wrote this passage?

• What kind of emotion or attitude does the author of this passage seem to have? What words give it this feeling?

• Does the author have a large vocabulary?

• Who did the author have in mind as a reader when they wrote this passage?

What is another way to understand the following question: "Which statement best expresses the author’s claim about [topic]?"

• How does the author feel about [topic]?

• What does the author believe and want to communicate about [topic]?

• What all does the author know about [topic]?

• Who does the author want to tell about [topic]?

All of the following terms refer to the "opposing viewpoint" except:

• counterargument

• opposing argument

• counterclaim

• rebuttal

Answer explanation

A counterclaim is the opposite viewpoint of the author's claim/thesis. A counterargument or opposing argument is one reason that supports the counterclaim.

A rebuttal, on the other hand, is the author's answer or response to a counterargument. So, a rebuttal supports the author's claim/thesis, not the opposition's claim.