A.C.E.
Enhancing your answers in response to text based questions.
Often times, we are asked to answer reading questions
based on a text we have read. Unfortunately, we answer
what we know to be “correct” but we do not respond in a
way that demonstrates we know “WHY” it is correct. This
simple strategy can help when replying to text based
questions, and help to enhance your understanding of how
to blend text responses with your own. By ACE-ing the
answers, you are more likely to ACE your papers!!!
A.C.E.
Let’s break it down….
A = ANSWER
The best way to thoroughly
answer a question is to “steal”
the question – that is, answer
by restating what was asked
along with what you feel is the
actual answer. Be sure you
reference both the author AND
the title of the text.
A.C.E.
Let’s break it down….
C = Cite
Citing the text is the best way to
provide an argument for your
response. This means going back to
the text, choosing what supports
your answer, and writing it in as
part of your response. Make sure
you give credit to the author here
in order for it to be correct –
Example “……” (Wilson 7).
CITIING CORRECTLY
Be sure you write the
“borrowed text” in quotation
marks to inform the reader of
your text that these are not your
words. Following the text and
the quotation marks, insert the
author’s last name and page
number in parenthesis, when
applicable.
**THIS IS PART OF MLA
FORMAT.**
A.C.E.
Read the passage…
E = Extend
“Their” words alone are not
enough – elaborate with a why,
based on your perspective or
interpretation of the text. This
can sometimes be personal
experience but more often it will
be an explanation of the answer
based on personal understanding
(where you cannot use “I”).
A.C.E.
Let’s break it down….
Turn to page 275 in
your WWC books to
read “The Light and
Dark of It”…
Activity to follow…
A.C.E.
Example
The paragraph titled “The Light and the Dark
of It” is an example of part-to-part
organization. The paragraph covers the topic
of red and white fibers in the birds’ muscles,
and first begins with the birds with the most
red fibers, which are “the creatures that must
fly long distances to migrate or to find food—
the geese, ducks and quails” (275). The
paragraph then goes on to explain that
chickens and turkeys live a less strenuous life,
so only their legs and thighs have red fiber.
Since this paragraph first describes the fibers
in some birds and then the fibers in others,
and tackles only one topic at a time, it is
part-to-part comparison.
A = Answer
C = Citation
E = Extension
A.C.E.
“Does this paragraph mainly discuss similarities or
differences? What words indicate each?”
Now Together…
p. 4
In the paragraph “ The Light and Dark of It” the
author mainly discusses differences between birds’
muscle fibers. According to the text, “red fibers
contain a muscle protein that make animals able to
work for much longer periods than do white fibers”
(275). The activity of birds dictates the fibers in the
muscles. For example, birds that “move around by
walking and running… contain dark red fibers” and
birds that “don’t use their wings [often]… contain
light white fibers” (275). The author purposely uses
words like but, than, and more so to emphasize
these differences, allowing the reader to see how
even though they are all birds, they are not all the
same.
A = Answer
C = Citation (s)
E = Extension
A.C.E.
“Does this paragraph mainly discuss similarities or
differences? What words indicate each?”
Now Together…
p. 5
The paragraph “The Light and Dark of It” mainly
discusses the differences between red and white
bird muscle fibers. As the text states, “red fibers
contain a muscle protein that makes animals able to
work for much longer periods of time than do white
fibers” (275). The birds with the most red fibers are
geese, ducks and quails which must “fly long
distances to migrate or find food” (275). The birds
with white fibers, chickens and turkeys, “live a less
strenuous life” (275). These differences are
emphasized by the author using words like
absence, longer than, and therefore. This language
stresses that although he is talking only about birds,
there are differences among them.
A = Answer
C = Citation (s)
E = Extension
A.C.E.
“Does this paragraph mainly discuss similarities or
differences? What words indicate each?”
Now Together…
p. 6
The paragraph titled “The Light and Dark of It” mainly
discusses the differences between red and white muscle
fibers in birds. According to the text “the red fibers
contain a muscle protein that makes animals able to
work for much longer periods than do white fibers” (275).
The birds which contain red fibers are migratory game
birds such as duck, quail, and pigeons. These birds
“must fly long distances to migrate or to find food” (275).
On the other hand, birds which do not fly long distances turkeys and chickens for example – contain light white
fibers because they “live a less strenuous life” (275). The
author emphasizes these differences by using words
such as but, therefore, less than, and absence of.
Overall, this text shows how birds can be different based
on the development of their muscle fibers.
A = Answer
C = Citation (s)
E = Extension
A.C.E.
“Does this paragraph mainly discuss similarities or
differences? What words indicate each?”
Now Together…
p. 7
In the paragraph “The Light and Dark of It” the author
mainly discusses the differences between the fibers
found in birds’ muscles. According to the text “red fibers
contain a muscle protein that make animals able to work
for much longer periods than do white fibers…” (275).
These birds that can work for longer periods are duck,
geese, and quails. They “have the most red fibered
muscles…[because they] fly long distances to migrate or
to find food” (275). Contrary to migratory birds, land
birds - such as turkeys and chickens – live “less
strenuous lives… [and mostly] contain light white fibers”
(275). Throughout the text, the author uses words such
as longer than, but, in fact and in the absence of to
indicate these differences. This language emphasizes
how birds can be different based on the development of
their muscle fibers.
A = Answer
C = Citation (s)
E = Extension
A.C.E.
Your Turn…
Is the main purpose of the paragraph
to inform, persuade, or entertain?
• Be sure you answer in FULL A = Answer
sentences
C = Cite
• Cite the text as your support
• Include an extension based on the
text
E = Extend
• DO NOT include your opinion – it
does not matter in analytical
writing!!!