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To master this common core standard, students must learn to apprehend information that is explicitly stated by the author. The answer to these questions can be directly pinpointed in the passage. Absent the ability to rely on memory alone, these questions will require students to reexamine the passage, or perform "research" into the origin of a question. This being the case, it is helpful to establish a mental outline of the passage while reading it. This way, students will have a better idea about where to look to find such details.

Examples:
• "How much will the new addition cost?"
• "How many shells does Anna find on the beach?"
• "Which of the following happens FIRST in an oxidation reaction?"

Goals:
• Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
• Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes).

To master this common core standard, students must learn to form accurate conclusions regarding what is almost certainly true given the information presented in the passage. This often requires students to consider the passage, or an element of the passage, as a unified whole. Students need to step back and look at the big picture, or general idea being conveyed. These questions typically involve summarizing information related to the author's overall purpose, focus, idea, tone, intention, or goal.

Examples:
• "The author's tone in this passage is best described as..."
• "In paragraph 4, the author writes, "The validity of such a claim is indeed questionable." This statement is intended to..."
• "If the author wanted to paint a portrait, he or she would most likely use which of the following kinds of brushes?"

Goals:
• Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
• Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not.
• Compare and contrast one author's presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a memoir written by and a biography on the same person).

To master this common core standard, students must learn to infer the author's reasoning for the use of a word or phrase, placement of a sentence or paragraph, or implementation of an organizational structure. Additionally, students must learn to infer the meaning of a specific word in the passage using context. Vocabulary specific questions may involve finding the best synonym, antonym, or definition of a word. In addition, they may involve understanding word groups, word parts, or how to properly apply the word in other, related contexts. Remember that, like all our reading comprehension questions, everything necessary to infer the meaning of a vocabulary word is supplied in the passage. We'll never require students to know the meaning of a vocabulary word absent the use of contextual clues.

Examples:
• "As used in paragraph 5, the word noxious most nearly means..."
• "Based on its use in paragraph 2, it can be understood that the word deleterious belongs to which of the following word groups?"
• "If the following piece of information were added to this passage, into which paragraph would it fit best?"

Goals:
• Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
• Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, or section fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas.
• Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text.