ELA Literary and Informational Texts Flashcards

What is the central difference between a literary text and an informational text?

Answer: Literary texts tell a story or evoke emotion; informational texts explain facts or ideas

Literary texts focus on narrative and artistic expression, while informational texts present facts and explanations.

A reader summarizes a passage by stating only the most important points without personal opinion. This best demonstrates which skill?

Answer: Objectively summarizing

An objective summary restates key points accurately without adding personal judgment.

Which detail would best help determine the theme of a short story?

Answer: How the main character changes after facing a conflict

A character's growth through conflict often reveals the story's underlying theme.

In an informational article, a heading reading 'Causes of the Flood' signals that the section will mainly use which text structure?

Answer: Cause and effect

The word 'causes' signals a cause-and-effect structure explaining why something happened.

An author writes, 'The storm screamed through the valley.' What literary device is used?

Answer: Personification

Giving the storm the human ability to scream is personification.

To find the meaning of an unfamiliar word in a text, a reader should first use which strategy?

Answer: Use surrounding context clues

Context clues in nearby sentences often reveal an unfamiliar word's meaning.

Which question best helps a reader evaluate an author's argument in an informational text?

Answer: Is the claim supported by relevant evidence and reasoning?

A strong argument is judged by whether its claims are backed by relevant evidence and sound reasoning.