STAAR – READING

1. STAAR – READING

2. Vocabulary • Always pay attention to the context clues in a sentence. • The way a word is used in context may help you determine not only its denotation, or meaning, but also its connotation, or association. • When in doubt, always use a dictionary.

3. In paragraph 5, the scientific term ursine describes something related to — • A jokes • B habitats • C bears • D automobiles

4. Why is the multiple meanings of the word offices in line 14 important to the poem? • A It refers to both a duty and a service done for others. • B It conveys the father’s mixed emotions. • C It refers to both a place and an executive position. • D It indicates the size of the speaker’s house.

5. Look at this thesaurus entry for the word remote. • Remote (adj) Syn. Alien, beyond, devious, faraway, frontier, outlandish, remote, secluded, unknown, wild Ant. Close, convenient, nearby • Which word is BEST used as a synonym for remote as it is used in paragraph 1? • Beyond • Devious • Faraway • outlandish

6. Literary terms • On the STAAR test, you will encounter various genres of literature. • Possible genres on the test • Literary Fiction • Literary Nonfiction • Poetry • Drama • Expository Text • Persuasive Text

7. Review Literary Terms • Because you will possibly encounter all these types of literature on the test, take a moment to review your literary terminology right before the test so the definitions will be fresh in your mind. • I have placed a glossary on my teacher web page related to STAAR terminology.

8. Sample Question Stems • Prometheus fits the archetype of the outcast because… • Which of the following is the point of view of the story? • Which word BEST describes the author’s tone in “A Difficult Day”? • What is the common these of both passages?

9. Which of these lines from the poem contains a simile? • Which of the following sentences contains an allusion? • Which BEST describes the structure and rhyme scheme of the poem? • The italicized stage directions in this play tell all of the following except … Which detail from paragraph 1 BEST indicates that the passage is literary nonfiction?

10. Making inferences • Being able to make inferences is a large part of the test. The reader must use prior knowledge and the clues in the text to draw logical conclusions • Of the 38 multiple choice questions on the test, approximately 14 will be inference questions.

11. Sample question stems for inference questions • Which of the following is NOT a logical inference about the passage? • You can infer that Toby is most likely nervous about Principal O’Connor because… • An American with Seasonal Affective Disorder would most likely feel sad and lonely during…

12. Inference Practice • Read the following passages and make inferences about what you read.

13. Practice • Mark and Levon had just spent the evening playing baseball at the town diamond, and they were very tired. As he passed under the streetlight, Mark started to scowl, and he began to stomp his feet. Levon, still wearing his baseball glove, was looking sad and embarrassed. When they finally reached Mark’s house, Mark broke away and ran up to the gate without saying another word. Levon yelled after him, “I feel terrible. I promise I’ll do better next time.” Mark didn’t answer; he only walked inside the house.

14. Goria Colbourne’s most recent book, Columns of Light, was the surprise winner of this year’s Hamilton Poetry Prize. When the winner was announced at Friday’s ceremony, Colbourne seemed delighted as she took the stage. She gave a sly wink to the front row of judges and critics as she said, “After last year’s Poems of My Childhood, I thought I’d never have the chance to stand here on this stage.

15. Tomas Perez is a lifelong Newton Falls resident who is now running for city council. Perez has the best interest of our townspeople in mind, and he wants to serve every man, woman, and child who calls Newton Falls home. He is concerned with our city budget, and vows to curtail unnecessary spending. He also wants to lower city taxes and support small businesses. He strives to reorganize city departments in order to save money and improve the quality of services offered to all hand working citizens of our diverse neighborhoods.

16. Perez would make an excellent mayor. I urge everyone to research the principles and goals of this hardworking man. I’m sure you’ll agree that when November arrives, a vote for Tomas Perez is a vote for the success of Newton Falls.

17. Remember Close Reading Strategies • Read the title carefully before you read the piece and look back at the title when you have finished reading the piece. • Pay close attention to any subheadings that may appear in the piece. • Look for extra spacing between paragraphs. This may indicate a shift in time or place. • Pay attention to unusual word choices. These may be important diction clues.

18. Look up unfamiliar words and or references. • Mark repeated words, lines, ideas. • Look for clues that tell you what the setting is. Setting is not always stated; often it is implied from references, descriptions, allusions. • Evaluate the points of view. • Draw conclusions about the characters.

19. Actively questions the author’s purpose and method. “Why is it emphasized?” “What makes this so important?” • Figure out the conflict of the story. Who is involved in the conflict? How is the conflict resolved? • Pay attention to the beginning and ending of the story. Important clues can be found here. Watch for cyclical patterns. • Look for the central idea or theme as you read.

20. Remember your archetypes. Do any appear in the story? • Look for elements of figurative language which add to your understanding of the piece. • Look for an allusions that appear in the story. • Annotate, Annotate, Annotate!