English Vocabulary for EOC Released Questions

English Vocabulary for EOC Released Questions Created by: Stephanie Sutherland English I Instructor Caddo Mills High School

English Terms These terms are likely to show up on the English Reading and Writing portions of the STAAR EOC.

Characteristic A feature or quality belonging typically to a person, place, or thing and serving to identify it. Characteristics may be physical or may describe the object's nature Generosity is his chief characteristic.

Cited To quote (a passage, book, or author) as evidence for or justification of an argument or statement, especially in a scholarly work When using text evidence, you are citing the passage.

Dialogue Conversation between characters in a literary work. Dialogue can contribute to characterization, create mood, advance the plot, and develop theme.

Evidence Support for a claim or argument. Evidence comes from the original text in order to prove or back up the statement. On the EOC, you will see questions that ask you to, “Explain your answer and support it with evidence from the selection.” This is supported by: . . . For example, . . . “_________” is evidence that . . .

Excerpt An excerpt is a passage or segment taken from a text. The length of an excerpt may be a phrase, a sentence, a paragraph, or an entire chapter. Below is a short excerpt from the preamble.

Figurative Language Language that is used for descriptive effect, often to imply ideas indirectly. Expressions of figurative language are not literally true but express some truth beyond the literal level. Examples: Hyperbole, Metaphor, Personification, Simile, and Understatement “Ed is as tall and skinny as a flagpole.”

Melodrama (Melodramatic) • Exaggerated, sensationalized, or overemotional texts. • Often appeal to emotions or express dramatic emotions. The man and woman are both being melodramatic.

Metaphor A figure of speech that compares or equates two seemingly unlike things. In contrast to a simile, a metaphor implies the comparison instead of stating it directly. There is no use of connectives such as “like” or “as.” The simplest form of metaphor is: "The [first thing] is a [second thing]." Life is a winding road.

Narrative Writing or speech that tells a story. The story is told by a narrator and can take the form of a novel, an essay, a poem, or a short story.

Persuasive A type of speech or writing, usually nonfiction, that attempts to convince an audience to think or act in a particular way.

Plot The sequence of events in a story, play, or narrative poem. Revolves around a central conflict, faced by the main characters.

Point of View The standpoint, or perspective, from which a story is told. All stories are told by a narrator, and who that narrator is affects the point of view. First-Person: The narrator is a character in the story and refers to as “I.” Third-Person: The narrator is someone who stands outside the story and refers to characters as “he” or she.”

Protagonist/Antagonist Protagonist – The central character in a narrative literary work, around whom the main conflict revolves. Generally, the reader or audience is meant to sympathize with the protagonist who usually changes after the climax of the story. Antagonist – A person or force in society or nature that opposes the protagonist. Generally, the reader is meant NOT to sympathize with the antagonist

Quotation A passage by another author, used word-for-word A quotation is enclosed in quotation marks to indicate that it is not written by the person in whose work it appears Quotations can serve to illustrate ideas and to show that other people share the author’s opinions.

Revisions Investigate your work! A revised edition or form of something. To review, correct, or revise.

Simile Smart as an owl. Quiet like a mouse. Cool as a cucumber. Solid as a rock. Swim like a fish. A figure of speech that uses “like” or “as” to compare two seemingly unlike things.

Symbolic Imagery Any object, person, place, or experience that exists on a literal level but is also intended to symbolize something else, usually something abstract. In O. Henry’s story “The Gift of the Magi,” Della’s hair is the symbol of her beauty.

Thesis A thesis is the main idea of an essay or another work of persuasive or expository nonfiction. The thesis may be implied but is usually stated directly. A good thesis is supported by relevant details and examples.

Tone An author’s attitude toward his or her subject matter. Tone is conveyed through elements of style, including word choice. A writer’s tone may convey a variety of attitudes, such as sympathy or humor. Margaret Atwood employs an ironic tone in “Waiting.”

Transition First Although However Meanwhile In fact Therefore Next In other words On the other hand Additionally Finally For example Likewise During Transitions are words or phrases that are used to connect one idea to the next. Used to show location or time, to show time, to compare/contrast two things, to emphasize a point, to conclude, to add information, or to clarify.

General Academic Terms These terms are likely to show up on the English Reading and Writing portions of the STAAR EOC as well as in other disciplines.

Achieve Verb To get or attain by effort To gain To obtain If you study and practice, you will achieve success on your EOC.

Amid Preposition In or into the middle of Synonyms: surrounded by, through, between Antonyms: from, out of It was hard to hear amid all the cheering.

Cautionary Adjective Warning or admonishment Synonyms: warning, advisory, counseling “Little Red Riding Hood” is a cautionary tale reminding children to listen to their parents.

Conflicting Opinions Noun Two or more points of view in opposition to one another. If one conflicting opinion is true, the other can note be true. The students had conflicting opinions about whether chocolate is the best flavor of ice cream.

Containing Verb To restrain or keep within limits To hold or have within A jar containing cookies sits on my grandmother’s counter.

Develop (Development) Verb To expand an idea using details. Synonyms: promote, advance, foster Antonyms: abbreviate, shorten, undo The students were asked to develop their ideas into essays.

Displaying Verb To make evident or to show Synonyms: expose, produce, lay out Antonyms: hide, cover, conceal, camouflage The characters were displaying a number of emotions.

Eager Adjective Marked by enthusiastic desire or interest; impatient excitement Synonyms: excited, impatient, antsy Antonyms: hesitant, reluctant, unenthusiastic He was eager for Friday to come.

Emphasize (Emphasis) Verb To place stress on or to show as important Synonyms: accent, illuminate, feature, press Antonyms: play down, de-emphasize The teacher emphasized the importance of doing well on the EOC.

Enhance Verb To increase or improve in value, quality, or attractiveness Synonyms: improve, help, upgrade Antonym: worsen The image enhanced the students’ understanding of the passage.

Evoke Verb to bring to mind or recollection Synonym: elicit, raise His photographs evoke the isolation and solitude of the desert.

Ideal Adjective Being characteristically without flaw, usually only existing in theory or imagination. Synonyms: visionary, perfected, unsurpassed Antonyms: faulty, defective It was an ideal spot for vacation.

Imply Verb To express, suggest, or show something without stating it directly Synonyms: conclude, deduce, reason, gather My dad’s gruff manner implied he was in a foul mood.

Indicate Verb To point something out or to present evidence Synonyms: denote, point to, tell of The map indicates where the treasure is buried.

Intended Adjective Expected to be such in the future Synonyms: deliberate, intentional, purposeful Antonym: unintentional Stephenie Meyer intended for teens to read her books.

Obtaining Verb to gain or attain usually by planned action or effort Synonyms: acquire, come by, get The information may be challenging to obtain.

Pessimistic Adjective Characterized by an inclination to expect the worst possible outcome Synonyms: defeatist, downbeat, hopeless Antonyms: hopeful, optimistic, upbeat A pessimistic person would say this glass is half empty.

Optimistic Adjective Characterized by an inclination to expect the best possible outcome Synonyms: idealistic, hopeful Antonyms: despairing, hopeless, pessimistic An optimistic person would say this glass is half full.

Phony Adjective Not genuine, intended to deceive or mislead. Synonyms: false, counterfeit, bogus Antonyms: authentic, genuine, real He tried to pay with phony money.

Primarily Adverb For the most part, in the first place. Synonyms: firstly, initially, originally, mainly Ketchup is primarily made from tomatoes.

Rational Adjective Having reason or understanding Synonyms: reasonable, reasoning, thinking Antonyms: irrational, unreasonable There was a rational reason for the creaking sound in the house. The dog was walking up the squeaky stairs.

Reveal Verb To make something (secret or hidden) publically or generally known. Synonyms: disclose, uncover, tell, expose Antonyms: cover up, hide, conceal The expression on her face revealed how she felt.

Suggests Verb To mention or imply as a possibility, to call to mind by thought or association Synonyms: hint, insinuate, indicate Your teacher suggests you study for the EOC.

Tendency Noun A proneness to a particular kind of thought or action Synonym: trend Grace has a tendency to drop things.

Upheaval Noun Extreme agitation or disorder, radical change Synonyms: convulsion, uproar, uproot The civil rights movement marked a period of social upheaval in the U.S.

Various Adjective Of differing kinds, having a number of different aspects or characteristics Synonyms: varied, different Antonyms: one of a kind, unique, singular He has lived in places as various as New York City and Caddo Mills.

Sources Used Wilhelm, Jeffrey D. Literature Texas Treasures Course 4. Columbus ,OH: McGraw Hill/Glencoe, 2011.Print. Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam- Webster Online. Web. 07 Feb. 2012. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/>.

English Vocabulary for EOC Released Questions