GK READING Guide
TYPES OF QUESTIONS
Author’s Purpose
Does the author intend to inform, persuade, or simply entertain?
The author of Aesop’s fables wrote those to explain and advise readers about life situations.
Main Ideas
The overall primary idea the author is trying to convey.
The main idea of Little Red Riding Hood might be to be cautious in a dangerous world.
Supporting Details
Details that help to explain and convey the main idea.
Supporting details of Little Red Riding Hood include the location (forest), the protagonist (Little Red)
and the antagonist (The Big Bad Wolf).
Word & Phrase Meanings
Understanding the underlying meaning of certain words or phrases.
Include multiple definitions of words and phrases.
For example “chill out” means “relax”, “cut it out” means “stop”, etc.
Identify Patterns of Organization
Separating supporting points from main ideas is an important reading skill.
The organization of the supporting details will help you understand how an author thinks.
Facts vs. Opinions
Fact ………... An event that has occurred or a claim supported by science, research, etc.
Opinion ….. A claim that the author makes from his own thinking or feelings.
Recognize Bias
Similar to opinion, in this case the author “takes a position”.
For example, “The United States is the best country in the world.”
Validity of Arguments
Do arguments have any factual, concrete backing … or are they based on opinion or bias?
(See above.)
Recognize Tone
What is the overall mood of the story? How does it make you feel?
For example, the tone of “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe is dark and eerie, whereas the tone of
“The Cat in the Hat” by Dr. Seuss is whimsical and silly.
Relationships of Sentences
How two or more sentences relate to each other.
For example: 1. Mary is a small child. 2. Mary has dark hair.
These two sentences relate because they both describe Mary.
Draw Logical Conclusions
What could you infer about what the author presents?
For example: If the author was to say, “I went outside when it was raining without an umbrella.”
You could draw a logical conclusion (infer) that the author (or the character) got wet.