Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) English Language Arts / Literacy: Reading Comprehension Flashcards

24 sample cards from the English Language Arts / Literacy: Reading Comprehension deck

Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.

1. How do text features support comprehension of informational texts?

   Features like headings, subheadings, bold terms, captions, diagrams, sidebars, and the table of contents help locate, organize, and clarify information.

2. What is the difference between a claim and evidence in an argument?

   A claim is the arguable statement the author asserts; evidence is the facts, data, examples, or expert testimony used to support it.

3. What is reasoning in an argument, and why evaluate it?

   Reasoning is the logic linking evidence to the claim; evaluating it checks whether the connection is valid, relevant, and sufficient, and free of fallacies.

4. What does it mean to delineate an argument in a text?

   To identify and outline the author's specific claims, the reasons given, and the evidence, then judge whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence relevant.

5. In Integration of Knowledge and Ideas for nonfiction, what does it mean to analyze two authors' treatment of the same topic?

   To compare how different authors interpret the same facts or topic, noting differences in emphasis, evidence selected, and conclusions drawn.

6. Why might two informational texts on one topic present conflicting information?

   Authors may rely on different sources, emphasize different evidence, hold different perspectives or purposes, or write at different times.

7. What does "reading across content areas" require students to do with informational texts?

   Apply reading-comprehension strategies to subject-specific texts (history, science, technical) and integrate information from words, charts, maps, and diagrams.

8. How do you integrate information presented in different formats (e.g., text plus a graph)?

   Read each source, identify the information it provides, and combine them into a coherent understanding, resolving or noting any discrepancies.

9. What are context clues?

   Hints within surrounding words or sentences that help a reader infer the meaning of an unfamiliar word.

10. Name four common types of context clues.

    Definition/restatement, synonym, antonym/contrast, and example/inference (general context).

11. What is the process for using context clues to solve an unknown word?

    Reread the sentence, look for nearby clues (definitions, synonyms, contrasts, examples), substitute a guessed meaning, and check that it makes sense in context.

12. What are synonyms and antonyms?

    Synonyms are words with similar meanings (happy/glad); antonyms are words with opposite meanings (happy/sad).

13. What is a word's nuance, and why does it matter?

    Nuance is a subtle shade of meaning distinguishing similar words (e.g., "thrifty" vs. "stingy"); it affects tone and precise interpretation.

14. What are analogies, and how do they show word relationships?

    Analogies compare pairs of words by a shared relationship (e.g., hot:cold :: up:down), testing understanding of how words relate (synonym, antonym, part/whole, etc.).

15. What is figurative language, and name three common types.

    Language used non-literally for effect; examples include simile (comparison using "like/as"), metaphor (direct comparison), and personification (giving human traits to nonhuman things).

16. What is morphology in word study?

    The study of word parts: roots/bases, prefixes, and suffixes, and how they combine to form and signal a word's meaning.

17. What is the difference between a prefix and a suffix?

    A prefix is added to the beginning of a base word to change meaning (un-, re-, pre-); a suffix is added to the end, often changing meaning or part of speech (-ful, -tion, -ly).

18. How can knowing Greek and Latin roots help with word solving? Give an example.

    Roots carry core meaning, so recognizing them unlocks many words; e.g., "port" (carry) appears in transport, portable, export, import.

19. What is a Two-Part Evidence-Based Selected Response (EBSR) item?

    A question type where Part A asks for an answer (e.g., an inference or main idea) and Part B asks for the textual evidence that best supports the Part A answer.

20. What is the recommended strategy for answering an EBSR item?

    Answer Part A based on the text, then choose the Part B evidence that directly proves Part A; if the evidence doesn't fit, reconsider the Part A answer for consistency.

21. What is a Technology-Enhanced Constructed Response (TECR) item?

    A digital task requiring interactive responses—such as drag-and-drop, highlighting/selecting text evidence, ordering, or matching—rather than typing or choosing one option.

22. What skills does a TECR item typically assess?

    Selecting and organizing textual evidence, sequencing events, categorizing ideas, and showing relationships by manipulating on-screen elements.

23. What is a paired or multi-text reading set?

    Two or more related texts presented together so the reader can compare, contrast, and synthesize ideas across the sources.

24. What does it mean to synthesize information across paired texts?

    To combine ideas, evidence, and perspectives from multiple texts to form a new, integrated understanding or to answer a question neither text answers alone.

What this deck covers

English Language Arts / Literacy: Reading Comprehension flashcards FAQ