READING: All Content Review
Day 1
Text Evidence, Inferences,
Summarizing, Theme
Text Evidence
• Text Evidence provides PROOF for whatever it
is you, as the reader, are claiming.
• Text Evidence provides SUPPORT for your
statements and validates your responses.
• Without text evidence, your ideas are just
that, and hold much less weight than ideas
that can be “backed up”
Inferences
• INFERENCES and CONCLUSIONS are special
guesses based on facts/information that is
given (AKA Text Evidence!)
– Ex. The girl walked into the school with a wet
umbrella and rain boots.
– What can you infer?
• It is likely raining outside.
•
Do You Know Where Bats Live?
You can find bats in most places in the world. The only
place you won't find them is where the temperatures are
either very hot or very cold. Antarctica is the only continent in
the world that doesn't have bats. Bats especially like to live
where it is comfortably warm. Places like rain forests and
tropical areas near the equator are where the most species of
bats like to hang out—literally! You won't find bats on remote
little islands, though, if they are too far away from the nearest
land mass.
The typical place to find bats in the United States is in the
Southwest. This is because the area has many different types
of places for bats to live, such as caves and trees, and even
under city bridges! Also, in the pleasantly warm climate of the
Southwest, they can find food all year round.
1) Which inference can be supported by the
information in this passage?
A. Bats do not like climates with harsh winters
B. A flat landscape like a desert is best for bats.
C. Bats do not typically live near crowded cities.
D. More bats live in trees than in caves.
2) Which statement can be inferred from the
information in the passage?
A. Bats go searching for their food at night.
B. Bats sleep with their eyes wide open.
C. Bats are unable to fly great distances.
D. Bats live mostly on insects and fruit.
SUMMARIZE
When you summarize a story, you retell it in a
much shorter way. A summary tells only the
most important details or events in a passage. It
does not include all of the details or descriptions
of a passage.
Celebrating Arbor Day
Americans have a strong love of trees that is always growing. Each
year, the United States celebrates Arbor Day. This national holiday was
started in Nebraska.
The holiday's founder was Julius Sterling Morton. He once said of
Arbor Day, "Other holidays are about the past; Arbor Day deals with
the future."
Morton came west to plant trees, just like Johnny Appleseed. He
planted trees in Nebraska. These would help block mighty winds on
the plains. They would also help to keep the soil moist. The trees gave
people shade, lumber, fuel, and food. Morton asked others to grow
trees with him. He suggested that one day a year be set aside to honor
tree-planting. His idea caught on quickly.
In 1872, the first celebration of Arbor Day took place in
Nebraska. Over a million trees were planted that day. Arbor Day
became a state holiday in Nebraska on April 22, 1885. It is also
Morton's birthday. Arbor Day is celebrated on different dates in some
states. It depends on the best time to plant trees in each state.
Summary
Arbor Day celebrates the future by planting trees in the U.S. The
holiday was founded by Julius Morton in Nebraska in 1872 and is
celebrated in all of the states across the U.S. today.
Luke was not doing well in school. He had a hard time reading the blackboard in class. If he read too
long, he got a headache. Mrs. Jung suggested he see the school nurse. Maybe she could help him.
Luke walked slowly down to the nurse's office. After explaining his headaches, the nurse made him do
an eye exam. Luke had a hard time reading the letters, and his headache came back.
The next day, the nurse told Luke he needed glasses. He was getting headaches because he was
working his eyes too hard to try to see. Luke was a little sad. He didn't know anyone his age who wore
glasses. It just didn't seem fair!
Luke's mom took him to get glasses that afternoon. He didn't want to wear them a lot, but it was nice to
read and not get headaches. After a few weeks, he wore them all the time. His friends thought the glasses
were cool. They all complained about headaches so they could get glasses, too.
5. Which of the following best summarizes the story?
A Luke was getting B Luke's friends D Luke took an
C Luke was getting . eye exam at the
. headaches, so he . wanted glasses so
. headaches nurse's office,
visited the school they could be like
because he could and she said he
nurse. She told Luke. Luke had to
not see very well. needed glasses.
him that he get glasses
The school nurse He had been
needed glasses. because his poor
told Luke that he having
He was sad about eyesight made
needed glasses, so headaches, but
wearing his him get
his mom took him after he got
glasses at first, but headaches. His
to get glasses that glasses, the
soon he wore friends said that
afternoon. His headaches
them all the time. they had
headaches stopped, and
His friends liked headaches so they
stopped. his friends
them. could get glasses.
thought he was
cool.
THEME
The theme is the most important idea or
message in a story. The theme will say
something about life or human
nature. Sometimes the theme is a moral or
short lesson about life. The theme is often
repeated in the story. Sometimes the author
does not tell you the theme. Instead, you have to
figure it out from the text.
There once lived a tortoise and a hare. The hare bragged that he was so fast
he could beat anyone. The tortoise said he would race him. The hare started
out way ahead. He thought it would take the tortoise a long time to catch up
with him. He decided to take a little nap. The tortoise did not stop. He kept
moving, slowly but surely. When the hare woke up, he saw that the tortoise
was about to cross the finish line. He tried to catch up, but the tortoise beat
him.
Question: What is the theme in this story?
Answer: ________________________________________________________
Explanation: The author did not tell you what the theme is in this story. You
have to figure it out. The tortoise was very slow, yet he kept going at a steady
pace and won the race. The theme is, “______________________________."
READING: All Content Review
Day 2
characters, setting, plot, conflict &
resolution, cause & effect
CHARACTERS
A character is a person, animal, or object that an author
uses in telling a story. Characters can be real or make-
believe. Just like you, characters have problems, wants,
feelings, and thoughts. To learn about the characters in a
story, pay attention to what they say and do.
Characters have
• Traits
• Relationships
• Problem(s)
• Motive(s)
• Development (changes)
• Point of View
When Sean woke up early Saturday morning, he jumped out of bed. He was ready to take on the
world. Sean thought to himself, Today is a great day to have a new adventure! Sean hurried to get
dressed and have breakfast. He ran out to the backyard to start his adventure. First, Sean decided to
climb the highest tree in the yard to see where to go.
From his tree, Sean could see the whole neighborhood. "I could go to my school and play on the
playground. I could go to Mr. Williams’ house and see if he needs me to walk his dogs," he said to
himself. "Hmm, maybe I’ll do both. First things first, I have to get down from this tree."
When Sean looked down to the ground below him, he panicked. This tree is much higher up than I
realized. . . . I—I have no idea how I’m going to get down.
Just then, Brooke walked out of the back door.
“Help! Help! Call the fire department! The police! Somebody, anybody, get me down from here!”
Sean shouted.
“What?” Brooke looked around the backyard. “Sean, is that you? Are you . . . stuck in a tree?”
“Yes! Get me down from here, Brooke,” Sean said.
Brooke doubled over in laughter at the sight of Sean trapped in the tree. "What have you gotten
yourself into this time?”
“Brooke, this is not a laughing matter! My life just flashed before my eyes."
“All 15 seconds of it?” Brooke giggled before she stood up. “Baby bro, all you have to do is climb
down slowly. One limb at a time, just like you climbed up there in the first place.”
With Brooke’s coaching, Sean finally returned to the ground. “Thanks so much for helping me get
down from there, Brooke,” he said as he hugged her tightly. “I don’t know what I would have done if you
hadn’t come along.”
“Why were you in that tree in the first place?” Brooke said.
“I was looking for an adventure,” Sean said.
“That's nothing new for you, but you certainly found one this time!” Brooke said as she wrapped her
arm around Sean’s shoulder. “I’m glad you made it down safely, although I would have enjoyed using
your room as my new closet.”
SETTING
Setting is a very important part of
a story. The setting tells when
and where the story happens. It is
the time period and place in which
a story occurs.
PLOT
Every story you read has a plot of
some kind. The plot is what
happens in the story. The plot has
to do with the main actions that
carry the story along and keep you
interested.
CONFLICT & RESOLUTION
Even though every story is different, most plots have
the following:
Conflict
The conflict is the problem that has to be taken care
of in the story. A conflict can be between characters or
between characters and nature.
Resolution
The resolution is how a problem or conflict is solved in
a story. The story usually ends after the main conflict
is solved.
CAUSE & EFFECT
Cause and effect takes place when one thing
makes something else [Link] thing that
happens is the effect, and the reason it happens
is the [Link] cause and effect, things
would happen in stories for no reason at all, and
the events would not make sense.
READING: All Content Review
Day 3
Genre, Fiction, Nonfiction, Point of View
(first person, second person, third
person)
GENRE
There are many different ways a writer can tell a
story. These different kinds of writing are
called genres. When you read a piece of writing,
look for clues that tell you what kind of writing it
is.
•
GENRE: Fiction
A myth is a story people made up to explain a belief or something in nature. For example, a myth
might try to explain why the sky is blue through an interesting story.
• A novel is a fictional story written in prose that is of considerable length. Its great length allows it to
have multiple characters, plot lines, and shifts in points of view.A novel is often broken up by
chapters, which is why it is also known as a chapter book. One type of novel is a young adult novel,
which is aimed at people between the age of 13 and 18.
• A short story is written in sentences and paragraphs. It usually has fewer than 10,000 words. Its
short length allows it to be read in one sitting.
• Historical fiction is a fictional story that is based on a time, event, or series of events that have
taken place in history. The players or characters in the story are either entirely fictional, or they are
based on a real person or persons in [Link] novel Johnny Tremain is an example of historical
fiction because it is about a young boy who gets caught up in the American Revolution.
• A mystery/suspense story puts the character in charge of solving a crime or figuring out what's
going on. The old Sherlock Holmes series is an example of mystery/suspense.
• Science fiction is a story about the future, based on guesses of how the author thinks the future
will be. Most science-fiction stories focus on themes like outer space, technology, and time travel.
GENRE: Fiction
• Fables are short, moral stories that try to teach a lesson. Fables often have animals
as characters.
• Folktales are stories that use made-up events to explain why or how something
happened. These stories are usually handed down from earlier times, and they
cannot be proved true or untrue. Sometimes, a folktale is also called a legend.
• Legends are semi-true stories, that have been passed on from person to person and
have important meaning or symbolism for the culture in which they originate.A
legend usually includes an element of truth, or is based on historic facts, but with
"mythical qualities." Legends usually involve heroic characters or fantastic places and
often encompass the spiritual beliefs of the culture in which they originate.
• Poetry Poetry looks different than other kinds of writing. Poetry is often written in
short lines. The lines in a poem often rhyme. Sometimes every line begins with a
capital letter.
• Drama Dramas are written for people to act out. Plays and skits are two examples of
dramas. Dramas look different from other kinds of writing. The character's names
are written out, and the words they speak are written beside [Link] also have
special instructions that tell you what the stage looks like and how the characters
should look or act.
GENRE: Nonfiction
Nonfiction is a kind of writing that gives facts
and true information. Nonfiction tells you about
something that really happened. Biographies are
examples of nonfiction writing.
GENRE: Nonfiction
• An autobiography is a piece of writing that a person
writes about his or her own life. Autobiographies are
written using words like "I," "me," "us," and "we." If
you wrote a story about your own life, you would be
writing an autobiography.
• A biography is a piece of writing about a real person's
life. A biography is written by someone other than the
person whose life is being described. If you were to
write a book about the life of Abraham Lincoln, you
would be writing a biography.
• An essay is a short piece of informational writing on a
single subject. It usually presents a personal view of
the author. Essays can be personal or persuasive (show
an opinion).
GENRE: practice
The Black Box
by J. Robbins
The night was lonely and full of shadows as Sarah and Abe drove up to a
deserted park. They looked nervously out the window as they pulled through
the open gates. No one had come by this park for years.
“Are you sure about this, Sarah?” Abe asked, his voice sounding loud in the
silence all around them. Sarah jumped at his words and looked around one
more time. She knew that she and Abe had no choice but to carry out their
plan, but she was still nervous.
“I know we have to do this, Abe. If we don’t bury this secret tonight, it will
haunt us and our family forever,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Both of them turned slowly and looked at the black box in the back seat. The
box was covered by a dark blanket, and it was almost invisible in the dark
night. I only wish it were invisible, Sarah thought. If it were invisible, our lives
would never have been ruined by the ghost that haunts this box.
GENRE: practice
GENRE: practice
GENRE: practice
POINT OF VIEW
Point of view is the view from which the story is
told. Sometimes the author is the narrator, the
person who tells the story. Sometimes one of the
characters is the narrator. Sometimes the
narrator knows about everyone and everything
in the story. Sometimes the narrator is limited in
her or his knowledge and outlook. Check out the
examples for point of view below.
FIRST PERSON
First person point of view uses I or we. First
person is often used when someone is stating an
opinion or sharing a feeling.
example:
I jumped for joy when I got a new bike for my
birthday!
SECOND PERSON
Second person point of view uses the
word you. Second person is a good choice when
giving directions or anytime you are speaking
directly to someone. Second person is almost never
used to tell a story.
example:
You need to bring a notebook and a pencil to class.
POINT OF VIEW: practice
POINT OF VIEW: practice
POINT OF VIEW: practice
POINT OF VIEW: practice
READING: All Content Review
Day 4
Main Idea, Details, Context Clues
MAIN IDEA
The main idea of a story or passage is what the passage
is mostly about. It is the basic idea that the author wants
the reader to understand. Sentences that help to support
or explain the main idea are called supporting details.
• When you are looking for the main idea of a passage,
ask yourself . . .
– Why did the author write this passage?
– What is the passage mostly about?
• When you think you know what the main idea is, ask
yourself . . .
– Do all of the sentences in the passage support this idea?
MAIN IDEA: practice
Let me tell you about my day. I woke up, took a shower, got dressed, and got
a ride to the airport. After a three-hour flight, I met my grandparents at the gate and
we had lunch. I couldn't get over all the beautiful palm trees scattered around. I was
used to snow, snow, snow. When we finished with lunch, they took me on a driving
tour of their city, but I was in a hurry to get to the beach. By that time, it was four
o'clock. I only had a few precious hours of sun left, so I put it to good use. They
dropped me off, and I agreed to meet them in the same spot at six. I quickly changed
into my swimsuit and ran into the waves. I could hardly believe that this morning I
woke up in ten-degree weather, and now I was in the warm ocean!
THIS PASSAGE IS MAINLY ABOIUT…
MAIN IDEA: practice
MAIN IDEA: practice
MAIN IDEA: practice
MAIN IDEA: practice
DETAILS
Supporting sentences support the main idea of
the [Link] sentences should
contain relevant details that develop and explain
the main idea.
DETAILS: practice
Who Is the Best?
by C. Vesely
Everyone should agree that Mickey Nadroj is the all-time best basketball player. However, some foolish
people think otherwise. They say that the younger James Bronle is the all-time best. Piper Scott, one of
Nadroj’s former teammates, would disagree with the statement that Nadroj is the all-time best player.
“Nadroj was and is great. However, Bronle is a better all-around player than Nadroj ever was. Bronle is
quick on the offense and the defense. He’s a more complete player. No one gets by Bronle,” Piper Scott
stated in an interview last Thursday.
Grant Ecaroh, another former teammate of Nadroj, was displeased by Scott’s comments. He responded
in a separate interview.
“I do not know how Piper Scott could claim that Bronle is better than Nadroj! Nadroj scored more
points per game on average than Bronle has. For me, the proof that Nadroj is better and will always be
better is the fact that he has eight championship rings. How many does Bronle have? Count ‘em. Zero!”
Ecaroh said.
Mickey Nadroj has outscored James Bronle on average. Nadroj also made his team play better through
his encouragement and positive attitude. Bronle has been known to tear down his teammates and to hog
the ball. Fans should judge for themselves, but keep in mind, Nadroj has eight championship rings while
Bronle has none.
DETAILS: practice
DETAILS: practice
DETAILS: practice4
DETAILS: practice 5
DETAILS: practice 6
CONTEXT CLUES
Learning words can be hard. If you are not sure
what a word means, it helps if you can at least
know the information around the word. There are
ways of figuring out what a new or unusual word
means. One way is to use context clues.
Using context clues means using the information
around the word you do not know. These words
help you find what it means. You can also use the
information in the rest of the paragraph to help you
figure out what the word means. There are a few
things to watch for when looking for context clues:
CONTEXT CLUES: practice 1
Directions: Select the correct text in the passage.
Which phrase in the passage helps the reader to know what oppressed
means?
Facing Conflict
Immigrants have been coming to America since it was first founded.
However, they have not always been treated fairly. The Irish were treated
very poorly, and they had a hard time finding jobs. Store owners did not
like the Irish and would not give them jobs. The Chinese are another
example of immigrants who were oppressed. In fact, in 1882, there was a
law passed in the U.S. that said no more Chinese people could come to
America. That law changed many years later.
African Americans had been treated unfairly since they first arrived in
America as slaves. They fought for equal rights for hundreds of years. Civil
rights leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. fought very hard to make sure all
African Americans were treated equally. Rosa Parks is another important
civil rights leader. She refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man
like she was supposed to do by law. She was an example to all African
Americans.
CONTEXT CLUES: practice 2
Directions: Select the correct text in the passage.
Which word helps the reader understand the meaning of the
word advancement?
Reading
There are very few hobbies that educate and provide pleasure at
the same time and reading is one of them. Reading gives us not only
knowledge, but also pleasure. It is a habit that should be developed at
an early age. The joys of reading are many.
In this age of advancement, everyone is on the move and has no
time to spend with others. As a result of this progress, there may be
times when one can feel lonely. Books are often called our best friends
and can take our loneliness away. Different kinds of books are
available for people of all age groups.
Research shows that after a day's hard work, reading helps one
relax. Books offer a variety of content. Some books can entertain
readers and some other books can provide information.
Dr Seuss said: "The more that you read, the more things you will
know. The more you learn, the more places you'll go."
CONTEXT CLUES: practice 3
Every time I walked by the gray house down the street, I would
stop and stare. It was an attractive one-story house with a beautiful
garden. I never knew how the inside of the house looked. The old
man who lived there was not friendly with the kids in the
neighborhood.
One day, I heard a deep rumble and the squeal of rusty brakes. I
ran outside and saw an immense truck filling up the street in front of
the gray house. New people were moving into the house. I saw kids
about my age running around the front yard. I was excited.
I invited the kids to play at my house. Later, they returned the
invitation, and I finally got to see the inside of that house. It
was tidy and well-organized. Even my friends' toys were put away in
colorful toy chests.
CONTEXT CLUES: practice 4
READING: All Content Review
Day 5
Figurative Language – imagery,
metaphor, simile, idioms,
adages/proverbs
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
Figurative language is language that uses words
or expressions with a meaning that is different
from the literal interpretation.
Authors use figurative language to be more
effective, persuasive and impactful.
Contrastingly, when a writer uses literal language,
he or she is simply stating the facts as they are.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE practice 1
• Which sentences from the passage use figurative language to show
how sick Keeley feels?
Keeley's Sick Day
Keeley woke up drenched with sweat. At one moment, she felt like
an earthworm baking in the desert sun. At the next moment, she felt
like a baby bird shivering in the Arctic wind.
"I don't have time to be sick," Keeley groaned. "I have a million
things to do. My parents' anniversary party is tomorrow. I still have to
make the cake, clean the house, and hang the decorations," she said
out loud to her cat Steve.
Steve rubbed his furry head against Keeley's arm in an effort to
comfort her. Keeley reached out and stroked the warm ball of fur. She
sighed and got out of bed. She was as determined as an ant searching
for food. No matter how ill she was feeling, Keeley was going to make
sure her parents received the attention they deserved.
IMAGERY
Imagery is what an author uses to paint a picture for the reader to
imagine. The words the author uses create images that help the reader
get a better idea of what the author is trying to say.
• Read the sentence in the box below. Think about the pictures it
puts in your mind.
• The smoky hiss from the boiler room's steam valve squealed and
grabbed Eugene's attention.
• It would have been easy for the author to write, "The noise from the
steam valve scared Eugene." However, this does not tell the reader
how loud the valve is. By saying that it squeals and that the room is
"smoky," the writer paints a spooky picture for the reader. It lets the
reader see how creepy the boiler room is for Eugene.
IMAGERY practice 1
IMAGERY practice 2
IMAGERY practice 3
SIMILE & METAPHOR
• Similes and metaphors are used in writing to compare
and contrast. This means they tell how things are
the same or different. They make you think of pictures
in your mind.
• A simile compares two things. It uses AS or LIKE in its
comparison.
– The cars stuck in traffic were AS straight AS an army of ants
slowly marching.
• A metaphor also compares two things, but it does it
more directly. It does notuse the words "as" or "like.“
– The house's windows ARE open mouths speaking to the
world.
SIMILE & METAPHOR practice 1
SIMILE & METAPHOR practice 2
IDIOMS
• An idiom is something authors use in their writing to make
it more exciting. It is a word or saying many people in a
certain place or area say.
There is one important thing to remember about
idioms: They do not mean what they say.
The literal meaning (what is really said) is different from
the intended meaning (what is meant).
• Idioms are hard to teach, so it's better if you memorize the
ones you [Link] a list of some idioms you hear. Learn
them. Also, use context clues to help you figure out what
they mean.
– Ex. You might miss a day of school because you feel "under the
weather." The real meaning has nothing to do with the
weather. It means you feel sick.
IDIOMS practice 1
"I can't believe you made this car all by yourself," Roy told
his best friend Mitchell. The boys pushed the wooden car
out of Mitchell's garage and onto the driveway.
"It is the apple of my eye, that's for sure," Mitchell said
as he climbed into his car. "I worked on it every day after
school. It cost me an arm and a leg to buy all the
materials, but I was willing to spend all my savings just to
have the winning car in this year's Soap Box Derby Race."
"The first place ribbon is as good as yours," Roy said.
"I'll see you at the finish line!" Mitchell told his friend.
IDIOMS practice 2
IDIOMS practice 3
IDIOMS practice 4
ADAGES & PROVERBS
• An adage or a proverb is a saying that is
believed to be true. It is often short and is
based on people's experience over time. An
adage or a proverb is often used by people for
a long time. It is believed to share wisdom.
• Ex. “Birds of a feather flock together”
– People who are similar or have things in common
often spend a lot of time together.
ADAGES & PROVERBS practice 1
ADAGES & PROVERBS practice 2
ADAGES & PROVERBS practice 3
READING: All Content Review
Day 6
Text Structure – Description,
Problem/Solution, Question/Answer,
Sequence
1 - TEXT STRUCTURE
• Text structure is HOW a TEXT is ORGANIZED.
• When you understand how a writer has organized
information, you will understand and remember
the text better.
• Writers organize text in several different ways.
– Cause/Effect
– Compare/Contrast
– Description
– Problem/Solution
– Question/Answer
– Sequence
2 - DESCRIPTION
When you want to paint a picture with words, use
description to organize your ideas. To make the picture
come alive in your reader's mind, use a lot of adjectives
and describe what you would see, taste, smell, feel, or
hear. The following words are some adjectives you could
use to describe something.
– pretty
– sweet
– smooth
– loud
example:
My cat's fur is smooth and soft. When my cat takes a
nap, she curls herself up and looks like a little furry
ball. She snores quietly when she sleeps.
3 - PROBLEM/SOLUTION
The text is split into two parts. One part presents a problem, and the
other part gives the solution to the problem. Look for the following
words.
– problem
– solution
– solve
– Plan
example:
There have been many car accidents on the corner of Elm Street and
Main Street. Currently, there is a stop sign on that corner. However,
many drivers have not seen it. People who work at the city plan to
replace the stop sign with a traffic light. City workers hope a new traffic
light will solve this problem and that there will be fewer accidents.
The problem: There are many car accidents on the corner of Elm Street
and Main Street.
The solution: City workers can put a traffic light on the corner instead
of a stop sign.
4 - QUESTION/ANSWER
The writer presents a question and then tries to
answer it.
example:
Should schools make students take foreign
language classes? I believe they should. It is
important to learn how to talk to people who do
not speak English.
5 - SEQUENCE
The writer places events in the order in which they happen. Look for
the following words and phrases.
– first
– then
– next
– finally
– a few minutes later
– before
– afterward
– meanwhile
– last year
example:
Before we moved to our new house, Mom packed our things in
boxes. First, she went to grocery stores and asked the workers there for
some empty boxes. Then, she bought tape and markers so we could
seal the boxes tight and label them. Finally, we all worked together and
helped Mom pack our things in the boxes.
PRACTICE PAGE 1
PRACTICE PAGE 2
PRACTICE PAGE 3
PRACTICE PAGE 4
PRACTICE PAGE 5
PRACTICE PAGE 6
PRACTICE PAGE 7
PRACTICE PAGE 8
PRACTICE PAGE 9
PRACTICE PAGE 10
PRACTICE PAGE 11
