MAP Reading (Grades 6-8) 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: In literature, what is the term for the time and place in which a story occurs?

Theme
Setting (Correct answer)
Plot
Narrator

Correct answer: Setting

Setting refers to both the time period and the physical location of a story.

Setting encompasses the time (historical period, season, time of day) and place (geographic location, physical environment) of a story. Setting can influence character behavior, plot development, and mood. On MAP Growth Grade 6-8 Reading, students may be asked how setting affects character decisions or contributes to the story's conflict.

Question 2: A student reads: The wind howled, and the trees bent like frightened children. What literary device is used?

Alliteration
Simile (Correct answer)
Metaphor
Personification

Correct answer: Simile

The phrase 'bent like frightened children' uses 'like' to make a comparison — this is a simile.

Literary devices tested on MAP Growth include simile (comparison using 'like' or 'as'), metaphor (direct comparison without 'like' or 'as'), personification (giving human traits to non-human things), and alliteration (repetition of consonant sounds). Here, 'bent like frightened children' uses 'like' to compare trees to children, making it a simile. If it said 'the trees were frightened children,' it would be a metaphor.

Question 3: What does it mean when an author uses a flashback in a story?

The story moves very quickly forward in time
The author interrupts the story to show an earlier event (Correct answer)
A character predicts the future
The narrator repeats important information

Correct answer: The author interrupts the story to show an earlier event

A flashback interrupts the current narrative to depict an event from the past, providing background or context.

A flashback is a narrative device where the chronological flow of events is interrupted to present an earlier scene or memory. Authors use flashbacks to reveal backstory, explain character motivation, or provide context for current events. On MAP Growth, students may be asked to identify a flashback and explain its purpose in the narrative — such as helping the reader understand why a character behaves a certain way.

Question 4: A passage states: Studies show that students who read 20 minutes daily score significantly higher on standardized tests. What type of text evidence is this?

Anecdotal evidence
Statistical and research evidence (Correct answer)
Expert opinion
Personal narrative

Correct answer: Statistical and research evidence

Evidence from studies that reports measurable outcomes (test scores) is statistical and research-based evidence.

Types of textual evidence include: Anecdotal (personal stories), Statistical/Research (data from studies), Expert opinion (claims from credentialed professionals), and Examples (specific cases that illustrate a point). The phrase 'Studies show... score significantly higher' presents research-based statistical evidence. Identifying the type of evidence is a key skill for evaluating argument strength on MAP Growth Reading.

Question 5: What is the difference between a story's theme and its topic?

Theme is a single word; topic is a full sentence
Topic is the subject; theme is the message or lesson about that subject (Correct answer)
They mean exactly the same thing
Theme only applies to poetry

Correct answer: Topic is the subject; theme is the message or lesson about that subject

Topic is what the text is about (e.g., friendship). Theme is the deeper message about the topic (e.g., True friendship requires honesty).

Topic is the general subject of a text (e.g., 'war,' 'courage,' 'friendship'). Theme is the central insight, lesson, or message the author conveys about that topic and is usually expressed as a complete statement. For example, a story's topic might be 'loyalty' while its theme is 'Loyalty sometimes means making difficult sacrifices.' MAP Growth Reading frequently asks students to differentiate between topic and theme.

Question 6: A student needs to summarize a nonfiction article. Which of the following best describes an effective summary?

Copy the first and last paragraph of the article
Include all details and personal opinions
Restate the main idea and key supporting points in your own words (Correct answer)
Write as many sentences as possible from the original

Correct answer: Restate the main idea and key supporting points in your own words

An effective summary restates the central idea and key supporting points concisely in the writer's own words, without personal opinions or unnecessary details.

An effective summary of nonfiction should: begin with the main idea, include the most important supporting points, be written in your own words (paraphrased), exclude minor details and personal opinions, and be shorter than the original. MAP Growth tests the ability to distinguish between important and minor information, as well as the difference between summary and personal response.

MAP Reading (Grades 6-8) 2

In literature, what is the term for the time and place in which a story occurs?