Understanding Paragraph Structure and Analysis

This video tutorial guides students on how to answer question 26 of the New York State Regents exam, focusing on the controlling idea paragraph. It explains the steps to analyze passages, develop a controlling idea about parting, and write a well-structured paragraph. The tutorial emphasizes the importance of marking text, using specific examples, and structuring the paragraph with an introduction, supporting details, and a conclusion.

What is the main focus of question 26 in the New York State Regents exam?

• Analyzing the author's writing style

• Establishing a controlling idea in a paragraph

• Understanding the historical context of a passage

• Summarizing the main events of a passage

Before starting the lesson, what materials are students instructed to gather?

• The August 2011 exam and note-taking materials

• A laptop and internet access

• A dictionary and a thesaurus

• A calculator and a ruler

What is the first step in answering question 26 according to the lesson?

• Writing a draft paragraph

• Reading the passages

• Reading the writing response prompt

• Answering multiple-choice questions

What are the three main focuses of a paragraph as described in the lesson?

• Topic sentence, examples, and analysis

• Thesis statement, evidence, and summary

• Introductory sentence, supporting details, and concluding sentence

• Introduction, body, and conclusion

When reading passage one, what should students focus on marking?

• The author's background

• The theme of parting

• The historical context

• The literary devices used

What should students do after reading passage one?

• Read passage two immediately

• Answer multiple-choice questions for passage one

• Write a summary of passage one

• Discuss passage one with a partner

What is the next step after reading and marking passage two?

• Write a draft paragraph

• Answer multiple-choice questions for passage two

• Discuss the passages with a partner

• Read an additional passage

What is the controlling idea of the passages as determined in the lesson?

• Parting is an exciting adventure

• Parting is a necessary part of life

• Parting can be bittersweet, especially with promising opportunities

• Parting is always a negative experience

What is the purpose of the introductory sentence in the paragraph?

• To list the main points

• To grab attention and introduce the main idea

• To provide a detailed analysis

• To summarize the entire passage

What transition word is suggested for moving between passages with similar themes?

• Consequently

• Therefore

• However

• Similarly