ISASP Reading Comprehension 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: On the ISASP Reading test, what is an 'author's purpose'?
- The reason the author wrote the text (to inform, persuade, or entertain) (Correct answer)
- The setting chosen for the story
- The number of characters in the text
- The length of each paragraph
Correct answer: The reason the author wrote the text (to inform, persuade, or entertain)
An author's purpose is the main reason they wrote the text, which is typically to inform, persuade, or entertain the audience.
Question 2: What is a 'theme' in a literary text as assessed by the ISASP?
- A universal message or lesson conveyed through the story (Correct answer)
- The main character's name
- The time period when the story is set
- A list of events in the plot
Correct answer: A universal message or lesson conveyed through the story
A theme is the central, universal message or life lesson that the author communicates through the characters, plot, and events of the story.
Question 3: In ISASP Reading, what does it mean to 'summarize' a passage?
- Briefly restate the most important ideas in your own words, leaving out minor details (Correct answer)
- Copy the first and last paragraph word for word
- List every event that happened in order
- Describe your personal reaction to the text
Correct answer: Briefly restate the most important ideas in your own words, leaving out minor details
Summarizing means restating only the key ideas of a text in your own words, omitting supporting details and personal opinions.
Question 4: When the ISASP asks about 'text structure,' what are students expected to identify?
- How the author organizes information (e.g., cause-effect, compare-contrast, sequence) (Correct answer)
- The font size and layout of the page
- The number of sentences per paragraph
- Whether the text uses rhyme or rhythm
Correct answer: How the author organizes information (e.g., cause-effect, compare-contrast, sequence)
Text structure refers to the organizational pattern an author uses, such as chronological order, cause and effect, problem and solution, or compare and contrast.
Question 5: How does the ISASP define 'context clues' in vocabulary questions?
- Words and phrases surrounding an unfamiliar word that help reveal its meaning (Correct answer)
- A glossary provided at the end of the passage
- The title and headings of the text
- Footnotes added by the test designers
Correct answer: Words and phrases surrounding an unfamiliar word that help reveal its meaning
Context clues are the surrounding words, sentences, and ideas in a text that help a reader determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word.
Question 6: What does 'author's craft' refer to on the ISASP Reading assessment?
- The literary techniques and word choices an author uses to achieve a specific effect (Correct answer)
- The physical process of publishing a book
- The author's educational background
- The number of sources cited in a nonfiction text
Correct answer: The literary techniques and word choices an author uses to achieve a specific effect
Author's craft refers to the deliberate techniques — such as figurative language, word choice, and structure — that writers use to create meaning and effect.
ISASP Reading Comprehension 2
On the ISASP Reading test, what is an 'author's purpose'?