ATLAS Reading Comprehension 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: On ATLAS, what is the difference between 'plot' and 'theme' in a literary text?
- Plot is the setting; theme is the characters
- Plot is the sequence of events; theme is the central message or lesson (Correct answer)
- Plot is the author's purpose; theme is the genre
- Plot and theme mean the same thing
Correct answer: Plot is the sequence of events; theme is the central message or lesson
ATLAS distinguishes plot (the series of events in a story) from theme (the deeper message or lesson the story conveys).
Question 2: Which ATLAS reading skill involves identifying how an author organizes information in a nonfiction text?
- Identifying figurative language
- Recognizing text structure (e.g., cause/effect, compare/contrast) (Correct answer)
- Analyzing character motivation
- Determining point of view
Correct answer: Recognizing text structure (e.g., cause/effect, compare/contrast)
Recognizing text structure—such as cause/effect, compare/contrast, or problem/solution—is a key ATLAS informational reading skill.
Question 3: In an ATLAS passage, if a character's feelings change from fear to courage, what literary element does this represent?
- Setting change
- Character development (dynamic character) (Correct answer)
- Flashback
- Foreshadowing
Correct answer: Character development (dynamic character)
A character who changes emotions or behavior across a story is a dynamic character, and tracking such development is assessed on ATLAS.
Question 4: What does ATLAS expect students to do when comparing two texts on the same topic?
- Pick one text as correct and dismiss the other
- Identify similarities and differences in content, structure, or author's purpose (Correct answer)
- Rewrite both texts in their own words completely
- Identify only the longer text as more reliable
Correct answer: Identify similarities and differences in content, structure, or author's purpose
ATLAS compare-and-contrast tasks ask students to analyze how two texts address the same topic differently or similarly in content, structure, or purpose.
Question 5: On ATLAS, which question type tests a student's ability to understand figurative language?
- What is the main idea of the passage?
- What does the phrase 'butterflies in my stomach' suggest about the character? (Correct answer)
- What happened first in the story?
- Who wrote this passage?
Correct answer: What does the phrase 'butterflies in my stomach' suggest about the character?
Questions about idioms, metaphors, or similes test figurative language understanding, which is a standard ATLAS reading skill.
Question 6: What is 'point of view' as assessed on ATLAS in literary texts?
- The setting of the story
- The perspective from which the story is told (first, second, or third person) (Correct answer)
- The author's opinion about the topic
- The problem the main character faces
Correct answer: The perspective from which the story is told (first, second, or third person)
Point of view on ATLAS refers to the narrative perspective—first person (I/we), second person (you), or third person (he/she/they).
ATLAS Reading Comprehension 2
On ATLAS, what is the difference between 'plot' and 'theme' in a literary text?