6th Grade Language Arts Mid-term Study Guide

Reading Comprehension:

Students will be asked to read a narrative text on the mid-term. They will have to answer multiple choice questions as well as open-ended questions. Students should be familiar with the following texts:

“Eleven” by Sandra Cisnernos

“All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradberry

*Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly-Giff

*Main idea questions only will be asked on Pictures of Hollis Woods

Narrative text tells a story. On the mid-term, the narrative texts will be fictional.

Multiple-Choice Question Strategies:

  • Always read the directions, title and any bold print first
  • Always read ALL of the questions that follow the passage before reading the passage
  • Read the passage and take note of important information that will help you answer questions
  • Always answer the multiple choice questions before the open-ended since often they may provide important information that can be used in the open-ended question
  • Pay close attention to bold print, small print, underlined words, brackets or italics

Open-ended QuestionStrategies: (R.A.C.E format)

Restatethe question

Answer all parts

Cite examples from the text

Extend to yourself, another text or the world (infer)

  • Restate the question in your opening
  • Try not to use the word “because” in your opening as it often shortens your answer
  • Answer ALL parts of a question INCLUDINGany commands
  • Be sure you are spelling words correctly that are in the question or passage
  • Include a closing that explains what the main idea/focus of the question is and make an inference to take your writing even further
  • Include AT LEAST three details and examples from the passage to support your answer and add any additional insight to support your response
  • Use descriptive language and higher vocabulary whenever possible
  • Check each answer after you have written it

Multiple-Choice Questions will relate to:

  • Interpreting quotes within reading passages
  • Interpreting character actions
  • Compare and contrast
  • Vocabulary meaning and context clues
  • Story Elements
  • Character traits
  • Most likely’s
  • Which best describes…
  • Characterization
  • Recalling facts from reading
  • Sequence of events

STUDY THE STORY ELEMENTS SHEET

  • You will need to define and apply the following elements:
  • Setting
  • Characters (protagonist and antagonist)
  • Conflict
  • Rising Action
  • Climax
  • Falling Action
  • Resolution
  • Theme

STUDY THE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE SHEET

  • You will be responsible for the following terms:
  • Simile
  • Metaphor
  • Personification
  • Hyperbole
  • Onomatopoeia
  • Irony

STUDY THE FOUR TYPES OF CONFLICTS SHEET

  • Man vs. Man
  • Man vs. Society
  • Man vs. Self
  • Man vs. Nature

In addition, know the following:

  • External Conflict: a struggle with a force outside one’s self
  • Internal Conflict: a struggle within one’s self; a person must make a decision, overcome an obstacle

You need to know the following definitions:

  • Foreshadowing: a hint or preview of something that will later be revealed in the story. It may be something negative or positive.
  • Flashback: the author interrupts the plot of the story to recreate an incident of an earlier time (goes back in time; like giving the reader a memory). This device is often used to provide additional information to the reader.
  • Cliffhanger: A suspenseful situation occurring at the end of a chapter
  • Inference: an idea or conclusion that's drawn from evidence and reasoning.
  • Symbolism: an object is used to add deeper meaning to a story and stands for something other than itself