How to Read Poetry

The best question to ask yourself when you see a simile or metaphor in a poem is...

• What other poems have I seen this figurative language used in?

• Why did the author choose this type of figurative language?

• What is being compared and does it make sense?

• Why are these two things being compared and what is the effect?

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Highlighting positive words/ phrases in one color and negative words/ phrases in another color...

• helps you easily identify the poet's attitude in a poem.

• shows you if a poet feels happy or sad in their poem.

• helps you understand the theme of a poem.

• shows you the figurative language in a poem.

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An easy way to identify the shift (change in tone) in a poem is to...

• understand the symbolic meaning of the title.

• observe if the figurative language used is funny or sad.

• count the stanzas.

• notice where your positive and negative highlighter colors change.

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Completing a TPDASTT chart when you read a poem on the STAAR will...

• improve your understanding of the poem.

• make the poem's theme easier to identify.

• help you get the correct answers on questions about the poem.

• all of these

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What does the acronym TPDASTT stand for when analyzing poetry?

• title, paraphrase, devices, attitude, shift, title, theme

• title, paraphrase, diction, alliteration, similes, title, tone

• title, problem, devices, allusion, shift, tone, theme

• title, proof, diction, alliteration, sounds, title, theme

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What is the best strategy for determining how often to stop and paraphrase?

• You should always paraphrase every line.

• Paraphrase every complete sentence or thought.

• Paraphrase each stanza.

• Skip the paraphrasing step.

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What are the devices to look for in a poem after paraphrasing?

• figurative language, rhyme, theme

• title analysis, diction (positive and negative tone), rhythm

• figurative language, diction (positive and negative tone), repetition

• subject, tone, theme

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Why is the figurative language a poet uses important in understanding a poem?

• The figurative language often reveals the poet's attitude toward the subject of the poem.

• The figurative language makes a poem more entertaining to read.

• The figurative language demonstrates a poet's understanding of the topic of their poem.

• The figurative language tests a reader's ability to understand difficult texts.

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Words and phrases repeated in a poem are often...

• symbolic and related to the poem's theme.

• descriptive words.

• a sign that the poet did not have a strong vocabulary.

• not important.

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What is the first step in analyzing a poem?

• Read the poem aloud to understand its rhythm and sound.

• Identify the rhyme scheme.

• Look for figurative language.

• Determine the poem's theme.

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