Pert Reading study guide

how do common supporting details start out as?

According to the passage

what words in the answer choices of supporting details question should you avoid

All, always, never, none

what should I do to identify details about the Main idea

Always go back and reread the passage to check the facts; do not rely on your memory.

what can help me with inference questions

Ask yourself where the author might stand on the subject matter and what he/ she might be trying to "tell you without telling you." Come to a logical conclusion based on the information given that leads you to believe there is an underlying message behind what's being said.

explanations, examples, descriptions, illustrations, comparisons, contrasts, listed items, chronological terms, definitions, causes, effects, statistics or specific facts

Common Supporting Details

when I do select an answer surrounding Main idea what should I ask?

Do all the other sentences tell more about this idea

neutral tone

Erica is matter-of-fact about how to proceed

negative tone

Erica seems too ambivalent about how to proceed.

positive tone

Erica tries to be objective about how to proceed.

what if sentences are mixed with a fact and opinion

In these cases the sentence cannot be considered fully "factual."

what should I look for in context clue questions?

Look for transitional words and connecting words for clues about what the word means in relation to how it is connected to other words or ideas in the passage.

how can I identify supporting details and answer them

Nearly all supporting detail questions ask about specific facts, and can be answered by finding the information as it is stated in the passage, not something that you're asked to guess

how can you identify an opinion

Often opinions can be identified when the author uses subjective adjectives (most, best, strange, good, bad, worst, etc.) and with words that suggest assumption (probably, it seems, maybe, might, often, etc.). These words are subjective to the observer and can be argued as valid/invalid.

inform

The purpose is to give information. Information is usually given in a straightforward and matter-of-fact manner. This is normally found in DIY books, news reports and textbooks.

author's purpose

The reason the author has for writing. ( Inform, persuade, express, & entertain)

what can I ask to find the main idea

What is the most important point, claim or argument that the author wants me to understand

what else can I use to help me find the meaning of a word on context clue questions?

You can also use word structures to help determine the meaning, such as prefixes (distempered), roots (achievement), and suffixes (reflexology).

the main idea is

a broad statement in the form of a complete sentence.

inference

a conclusion that is suggested (or hinted at) by the author. It is not directly stated. This is sometimes referred to as "reading between the lines."

time order

a sequence of events, anecdotes, directions, or narratives.

how can I determine tone?

ask if the passage is positive, negative, or neutral. If you can determine which of these three options best fits the passage, then try to determine what kind of positive/negative feelings the author has and which words express that attitude

opinions express

attitudes, beliefs, feelings, assumptions and preferences

opinion

can be argued to be valid or invalid (not true or false).

fact

can be proven true or false

what should you do on context clues questions?

choose the word that most closely fits the meaning of a word in the passage, find the word in the passage and substitute the answer choices to see which one seems to make the most sense. While the correct answer may not be the word's exact meaning, it should be the closest of the four choices given.

FANBOYS

for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so

example

gives an example of an unknown word or concept.

transitional devices

help the reader along like beacons or flags on a path. Certain phrases—which indicate sequence, summary, proof, emphasis, exception, comparison, contrast or addition—help the reader navigate through the passage with clear signs of what the author is building upon. For example (which is a transition!), we know "and then" signals us that an important event or idea is coming. We also know that "ultimately" means that the author is arriving at an important effect or end result. The

a reference to a main idea would be

like Main St. in a small town—all of the other streets connect to it. In the same way, all the details in a paragraph should connect to the main idea.

comparison

looks at how two things are the same or what they have in common

when answering questions about tone what should you do?

make sure the tone does not contradict the author's purpose.

subject

often an incomplete sentence or a few words. Ex: music, mental illness, famous artists, technology.

facts are

pieces of information given by the author. Even if they are untrue or incorrect, they are presented to you as facts

cause and effect

suggests that the idea in one phrase is the cause or effect of the other.

Author's tone

the attitude or indicator of what is felt, thought, or believed as a result of the author's word choice.

addition

the author is adding onto ideas already mentioned

how can I identify the topic or subject

think about what keywords you would use to search for the passage.

if the authors purpose is to inform then

tone should be described with neutral/objective words.

contrast

two or more things are being contrasted, looking at how they are different.

Main idea

what the passage is mainly trying to say or support; it is the most important point, claim, or argument.

for inference questions, what would be correct answer not be in

The correct answer will not be a quote from the passage! Quotes from the passage are direct statements and do not require you to infer anything.

The riots ended in the summer of 1967 (fact), proof that this political subgroup had finally earned respect from society (opinion).

The entire sentence is considered opinion

entertain

The purpose is to amuse the reader. Entertainment can engage the emotions with humor, tragedy or romance, or the intellect with detective stories, adventures, and poetry.

persuade

The purpose is to convince or change the mind of the reader to the author's point of view. Often, but not always, persuasive writing uses imperatives such as "ought," "should," and "must" and is written in second person "you" to catch the reader's attention. Often this is used in advertisements, speeches, and commercials.