ELAR Text Comprehension & Analysis 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A poem about a soldier describes his uniform as 'a second skin he could never shed.' What does this phrase suggest?
- The soldier's uniform was made of leather.
- The soldier was unable to remove his uniform due to regulations.
- The soldier's military identity became permanently part of who he was. (Correct answer)
- The soldier was too poor to buy civilian clothing.
Correct answer: The soldier's military identity became permanently part of who he was.
The metaphor 'second skin he could never shed' suggests his military identity was inseparable from his personal identity.
Question 2: How does the organizational pattern of 'problem and solution' differ from 'cause and effect'?
- Problem and solution focuses on why events happen; cause and effect focuses on fixing issues.
- Problem and solution identifies an issue and proposes a remedy; cause and effect explains why something happened and what resulted. (Correct answer)
- They are identical structures used in different genres.
- Cause and effect is used only in science texts; problem and solution only in social studies.
Correct answer: Problem and solution identifies an issue and proposes a remedy; cause and effect explains why something happened and what resulted.
Problem-solution texts present an issue and offer fixes, while cause-and-effect texts trace relationships between events and their outcomes.
Question 3: A narrator describes events she did not personally witness but reports what other characters thought and felt. This point of view is:
- First-person limited
- Second person
- Third-person omniscient (Correct answer)
- Third-person limited
Correct answer: Third-person omniscient
Third-person omniscient narrators are 'all-knowing' and can access the inner thoughts and feelings of multiple characters.
Question 4: Which of the following is the best way to summarize a nonfiction passage?
- Copy the first and last sentences of the text.
- Restate all details in the order they appear.
- Identify the main idea and the most important supporting details in your own words. (Correct answer)
- Include your personal opinion about the topic.
Correct answer: Identify the main idea and the most important supporting details in your own words.
A strong summary captures the main idea and key supporting details objectively and concisely, written in the reader's own words.
Question 5: An author writes: 'The city was a jungle—dangerous, unpredictable, and full of predators.' What type of figurative language is this?
- Simile
- Personification
- Metaphor (Correct answer)
- Alliteration
Correct answer: Metaphor
Calling the city 'a jungle' without using 'like' or 'as' is a direct metaphor equating the two things.
Question 6: In a historical fiction story, a character reflects that 'things were different before the war.' What literary element does this represent?
- Foreshadowing (Correct answer)
- Allusion
- Flashback
- Situational irony
Correct answer: Foreshadowing
A character hinting that circumstances have changed in an ominous way is a form of foreshadowing, suggesting past events that shape current tension.
Question 7: A reader encounters the word 'benevolent' in a passage describing a charity founder who donates millions. Using context, the reader can conclude 'benevolent' most likely means:
- Greedy
- Kind and generous (Correct answer)
- Strict and demanding
- Cautious
Correct answer: Kind and generous
The context of donating to charity and founding a nonprofit strongly suggests 'benevolent' means kind and generous.
ELAR Text Comprehension & Analysis 3
A poem about a soldier describes his uniform as 'a second skin he could never shed.' What does this phrase suggest?