ISASP Reading and Literature 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: On the ISASP Reading test, what does 'central idea' of a text mean?
- The main point or message the author conveys throughout the text (Correct answer)
- The first sentence of every paragraph
- A detail that supports a minor argument
- The title of the passage
Correct answer: The main point or message the author conveys throughout the text
The central idea is the most important point the author makes throughout the entire text.
Question 2: Which text structure presents events in the order they happened?
- Chronological order (Correct answer)
- Cause and effect
- Compare and contrast
- Problem and solution
Correct answer: Chronological order
Chronological order organizes events by the sequence in which they occurred.
Question 3: When an ISASP question asks you to 'infer,' what should you do?
- Use clues from the text plus your own reasoning to draw a conclusion (Correct answer)
- Copy a sentence directly from the passage
- Count the number of paragraphs
- Identify the genre of the text
Correct answer: Use clues from the text plus your own reasoning to draw a conclusion
Inference requires combining text evidence with logical reasoning to determine unstated information.
Question 4: What is the purpose of a text's 'supporting details'?
- To back up and explain the central idea (Correct answer)
- To introduce new unrelated topics
- To provide the author's biography
- To list the sources used
Correct answer: To back up and explain the central idea
Supporting details provide evidence, examples, and explanations that strengthen the central idea.
Question 5: On ISASP, what does it mean to 'cite evidence from the text'?
- Point to specific words or sentences from the passage that support your answer (Correct answer)
- Write your personal opinion about the topic
- Summarize the entire passage
- Create your own example outside the text
Correct answer: Point to specific words or sentences from the passage that support your answer
Citing evidence means referencing exact portions of the text to justify your response.
Question 6: In literary texts on ISASP, what does 'point of view' refer to?
- The perspective from which the story is told (Correct answer)
- The setting of the story
- The climax of the plot
- The genre classification
Correct answer: The perspective from which the story is told
Point of view describes whether the narrator is a character in the story (first person) or an outside observer (third person).
ISASP Reading and Literature 1
On the ISASP Reading test, what does 'central idea' of a text mean?