Reading original short passages and answering questions about theme, tone, word choice, inference and the author's purpose, using evidence from the text.
Alaska content standards learning standard: RL.8.1; RL.8.2 · theme, tone and textual evidence
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
Theme is the message about life. Tone is the author’s attitude, shown through word choice.
Back every answer with the words from the text that prove it best.
Ask what each paragraph does: introduce, explain, give an example, admit a limit or suggest a solution.
Example: Which words best show that Dara is calm during a delay: “pressed her forehead to the window and watched” or “paced the aisle”? Calm means still and relaxed. Pacing shows worry. Quietly watching shows calm. Answer: “pressed her forehead to the window and watched”
Close Reading in Alaska
In the Alaska content standards, this is unit 1 of 12 in 8th grade English Language Arts, before Literary Devices.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Which sentence best states the central idea of the passage?
Why We Keep Bees
When the Hartman family started keeping bees on their roof in the city, their neighbors were nervous. Bees, they said, belonged in the countryside, not beside the laundromat.
But researchers have found that cities can be surprisingly good homes for pollinators. A city garden, balcony pot or park offers flowers from early spring to late autumn, while farms often have only one crop that blooms for a few weeks. Many cities also use fewer pesticides than large farms.
Still, urban beekeeping is not a perfect solution. Honey bees are not native to North America, and when too many hives crowd a neighborhood they can compete with wild bees for food. Experts suggest that city dwellers who want to help should also plant native flowers and leave small patches of bare soil, where many wild bees nest.
Honey bees are native to North America.
Farms are always better than cities for pollinators.
Bees should only live in the countryside.
City beekeeping can help pollinators, but it works best alongside support for wild bees.
City beekeeping can help pollinators, but it works best alongside support for wild bees.
Hint: The passage gives benefits first, then a caution, then advice. The central idea combines them.
Question 2
What does the author do in the final paragraph?
Why We Keep Bees
When the Hartman family started keeping bees on their roof in the city, their neighbors were nervous. Bees, they said, belonged in the countryside, not beside the laundromat.
But researchers have found that cities can be surprisingly good homes for pollinators. A city garden, balcony pot or park offers flowers from early spring to late autumn, while farms often have only one crop that blooms for a few weeks. Many cities also use fewer pesticides than large farms.
Still, urban beekeeping is not a perfect solution. Honey bees are not native to North America, and when too many hives crowd a neighborhood they can compete with wild bees for food. Experts suggest that city dwellers who want to help should also plant native flowers and leave small patches of bare soil, where many wild bees nest.
Tells a personal story
Describes how to build a hive
Compares two cities
Presents a limit to the idea and offers a suggestion
Presents a limit to the idea and offers a suggestion
Hint: “Still, … is not a perfect solution” introduces a concern, and the last sentence gives advice.
Question 3
Why does the author include the phrase “beside the laundromat” in the first paragraph?
Why We Keep Bees
When the Hartman family started keeping bees on their roof in the city, their neighbors were nervous. Bees, they said, belonged in the countryside, not beside the laundromat.
But researchers have found that cities can be surprisingly good homes for pollinators. A city garden, balcony pot or park offers flowers from early spring to late autumn, while farms often have only one crop that blooms for a few weeks. Many cities also use fewer pesticides than large farms.
Still, urban beekeeping is not a perfect solution. Honey bees are not native to North America, and when too many hives crowd a neighborhood they can compete with wild bees for food. Experts suggest that city dwellers who want to help should also plant native flowers and leave small patches of bare soil, where many wild bees nest.
To prove that bees can swim
To explain how honey is made
To show how unexpected bees seemed in a city
To advertise a business
To show how unexpected bees seemed in a city
Hint: A laundromat is the opposite of a meadow. The detail shows why the neighbors were surprised.
Question 4
According to the passage, why are cities good for pollinators?
Why We Keep Bees
When the Hartman family started keeping bees on their roof in the city, their neighbors were nervous. Bees, they said, belonged in the countryside, not beside the laundromat.
But researchers have found that cities can be surprisingly good homes for pollinators. A city garden, balcony pot or park offers flowers from early spring to late autumn, while farms often have only one crop that blooms for a few weeks. Many cities also use fewer pesticides than large farms.
Still, urban beekeeping is not a perfect solution. Honey bees are not native to North America, and when too many hives crowd a neighborhood they can compete with wild bees for food. Experts suggest that city dwellers who want to help should also plant native flowers and leave small patches of bare soil, where many wild bees nest.
They offer flowers over a longer part of the year.
They use more pesticides.
They have no flowers to compete over.
They have fewer people.
They offer flowers over a longer part of the year.
Hint: Reread the second paragraph: “flowers from early spring to late autumn.”
Question 5
What is the effect of the sentence “For one long second nobody moved”?
Fourth Down
Mateo had practiced the kick a thousand times, in the backyard, in the school gym, even in the hallway at night until his dad said to stop. Now the whole season came down to one play.
The stadium lights blurred. His teammates were shouting something, but the words sounded like they were underwater. Mateo took two steps back, then one to the left, exactly as always. He thought of Coach's advice: “Don't aim at the goalposts. Aim at the one blade of grass in front of you.”
His foot met the ball with a sound like a snapping branch. For one long second nobody moved. Then the crowd's roar rolled over him, and Mateo realized he had been holding his breath since the whistle.
It builds suspense before the result.
It shows the crowd is unhappy.
It shows the game is boring.
It shows Mateo has missed.
It builds suspense before the result.
Hint: A pause just before the outcome makes readers wait and wonder.
Question 6
What does the phrase “the words sounded like they were underwater” show about Mateo?
Fourth Down
Mateo had practiced the kick a thousand times, in the backyard, in the school gym, even in the hallway at night until his dad said to stop. Now the whole season came down to one play.
The stadium lights blurred. His teammates were shouting something, but the words sounded like they were underwater. Mateo took two steps back, then one to the left, exactly as always. He thought of Coach's advice: “Don't aim at the goalposts. Aim at the one blade of grass in front of you.”
His foot met the ball with a sound like a snapping branch. For one long second nobody moved. Then the crowd's roar rolled over him, and Mateo realized he had been holding his breath since the whistle.
He cannot speak English well.
He is so focused and nervous that he can barely hear his teammates.
He is swimming at the time.
He does not like his teammates.
He is so focused and nervous that he can barely hear his teammates.
Hint: The simile describes how sound feels to him. Think about what pressure does to attention.