Question Types for Analytical Reading of Informational Text

What are the usual ingredients in informational text?

Meat of the Sandwich:

Main idea

Side dishes:

anecdotescause/effect statementsdescriptionscomparison/contrastembedded definitionsexamplesmetaphors

Bread:

Vocabulary

Utensils: What is referred to by the pronouns?What do the words and phrases mean?What is the organizing principle? (classification? narrative? process? problem/solution? description?)

Condiments:

Cohesive devices: conjunctions relative pronouns punctuation

Close (analytical) Reading: Generic Questions for Informational Text: (In alphabetical order)Main Idea: Is the main idea stated explicitly, or is it implied? Is it stated once only, or more than once?

Other “ingredients” (aka details)

1. Anecdotes: Are there little “side stories” involving people that the author includes to illustrate the main idea?

2. Cause/effect statements: What, if any, statements in the text answer the question “Why?”

3. Comparison/contrast: What things, if any, are being compared and contrasted? What are the similarities and differences between these things?

4. Descriptions: Are there any detailed descriptions in the text? Of what? What words allow you to visualize the thing described?

5. Embedded Definitions: What, if any, words or phrases are defined within the text?

Close (analytical) Reading:

7. Metaphor: Are there metaphors? If so, what do they mean?

Vocabulary: Are there any key words in the text that are used in an unfamiliar or unusual way? Does the reader have to “recalculate” the meaning of any key words?

Organization: What organizational system does the author use? Chronological? Spatial? Order of importance? Story? Classification? Pronoun Antecedents: Do we know the referents of all of the pronouns?

6. Examples: What, if any, examples, are given in the text? Examples for what?

8. Numbers & Statistics: If there are numbers and/or statistics, what do they refer to? How do they support the information?

Utensils:

Close Reading Model

“Water Resources”. National Geographic Global Issues. McGraw Hill.

The South China Sea is part of the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by China, Taiwan, and many countries of Southeast Asia. Because the sealinks the Pacific and Indian oceans, it is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. The South China Sea is also an important region because of the significant deposits of oil and natural gas that lie beneath its waters.

In addition, the South China Sea has one of the most diverse ecosystemson Earth. In fact, according to environmental studies conducted in the Philippines,the sea contains one-third of the world’s marine biodiversity. Tuna, mackerel,anchovies, shrimp, and other fish are abundant. Seafood caught in the SouthChina Sea is the main source of protein for the millions of people living around thesea.

In 2007, Chinese archaeologists watched as an 800-year-old ship was hauledfrom the bottom of the South China Sea. It was loaded with 60,000 to80,000 artifacts. Some researchers estimate that 2,000 ships lie atthe bottom of the South China Sea. However, dying coral reefs andcontaminated fish also lie underwater—the result of pollution.

Close Reading Model:Stopping Points (Analysis through Cohesive Devices)

“Water Resources”. National Geographic Global Issues. McGraw Hill.

The South China Sea is part of the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by China, Taiwan, and many countries of Southeast Asia. Because the sealinks the Pacific and Indian oceans, it is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. The South China Sea is also an important region because of the significant deposits of oil and natural gas that lie beneath its waters.

In addition, the South China Sea has one of the most diverse ecosystemson Earth. In fact, according to environmental studies conducted in the Philippines,the sea contains one-third of the world’s marine biodiversity. Tuna, mackerel,anchovies, shrimp, and other fish are abundant. Seafood caught in the SouthChina Sea is the main source of protein for the millions of people living around thesea.

In 2007, Chinese archaeologists watched as an 800-year-old ship was hauledfrom the bottom of the South China Sea. It was loaded with 60,000 to80,000 artifacts. Some researchers estimate that 2,000 ships lie atthe bottom of the South China Sea. However, dying coral reefs andcontaminated fish also lie underwater— the result of pollution.

Close Reading Model: AWL Words

“Water Resources”. National Geographic Global Issues. McGraw Hill.

The South China Sea is part of the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by China, Taiwan, and many countries of Southeast Asia. Because the sealinks the Pacific and Indian oceans, it is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. The South China Sea is also an important region (2) because of the significant (1) deposits of oil and natural gas that lie beneath its waters.

In addition, the South China Sea has one of the most diverse ecosystemson Earth. In fact, according to environmental(1) studies conducted in the Philippines, the sea contains one-third of the world’s marine biodiversity. Tuna, mackerel, anchovies, shrimp, and other fish are abundant. Seafood caught in the South China Sea is the main source of protein for the millions of people living around the sea.

In 2007, Chinese archaeologists watched as an 800-year-old ship was hauledfrom the bottom of the South China Sea. It was loaded with 60,000 to80,000 artifacts. Some researchers (1) estimate (1) that 2,000 ships lie atthe bottom of the South China Sea. However, dying coral reefs andcontaminated fish also lie underwater—the result of pollution.

Close Reading Model: “Ingredients”

“Water Resources”. National Geographic Global Issues. McGraw Hill.

The South China Sea is part of the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by China, Taiwan, and many countries of Southeast Asia. Because the sea links the Pacific and Indian oceans, it is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. The South China Sea is also an important region because of the significant deposits of oil and natural gas that lie beneath its waters.

In addition, the South China Sea has one of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth. In fact, according to environmental studies conducted in the Phillippines,the sea contains one-third of the world’s marine biodiversity. Tuna, mackerel, anchovies, shrimp, and other fish are abundant. Seafood caught in the SouthChina Sea is the main source of protein for the millions of people living around the sea.

In 2007, Chinese archaeologists watched as an 800-year-old ship was hauledfrom the bottom of the South China Sea. It was loaded with 60,000 to 80,000 artifacts. Some researchers estimate that 2,000 ships lie at the bottom of the South China Sea. However, dying coral reefs and contaminated fish also lie underwater—the result of pollution.

-anecdotes?-cause & effect statements?-comparison/ contrast?-descriptions?-embedded definitions?-examples?-metaphor?-statistics?

Close Reading Mode: AWL Words:

Harmful Fishing Practices

Certain fishing practices are causing additional problem inthe South China Sea. Fish for food—as well as fish for aquariums—are caught in the South China Sea using cyanide fishing. Fishermen spray apoison called sodium cyanide into the water above coral reefs because reefsare like underwater jungles where many species live. Since the poison is dilutedin the water, it usually doesn’t kill the fish. Instead it stuns the fish and allows thefishermen to catch them. However, the poison weakens the fish. Many ownersof tropical aquariums oppose cyanide fishing because fish caught using that method often die sooner than others.

Cyanide fishing can also harm coral reefs. The poison collects on the reefs and kills them. Coral reefs are made from the skeletons of tiny marine animals, a process that takes years. Scientists are worried that coral reefs aroundthe world are being killed by human activities more quickly than nature canreplace them. Coral reefs are important because they provide a home for manydifferent species of fish. They also supply food, jobs, and even sources ofmedicines for millions of people.

Close Reading Mode: Stopping Points (Analysis through Cohesive Devices)

Harmful Fishing Practices

Certain fishing practices are causing additional problems inthe South China Sea. Fish for food— as well as fish for aquariums—are caught in the South China Sea using cyanide fishing. Fishermen spray apoison called sodium cyanide into the water above coral reefs because reefsare like underwater jungles where many species live. Since the poison is dilutedin the water, it usually doesn’t kill the fish. Instead it stuns the fish and allows thefishermen to catch them. However, the poison weakens the fish. Many ownersof tropical aquariums oppose cyanide fishing because fish caught using that method often die sooner than others.

Cyanide fishing can also harm coral reefs. The poison collects on the reefs and kills them. Coral reefs are made from the skeletons of tiny marine animals, a processthat takes years. Scientists are worried that coral reefs around the world are beingkilled by human activities more quickly than nature can replace them. Coral reefsare important because they provide a home for many different species of fish. Theyalso supply food, jobs, and even sources of medicines for milliions of people.

Close Reading Mode: Content “ingredients”

Harmful Fishing Practices Certain fishing practices are causing additional problem in the South China Sea. Fish for food—as well as fish foraquariums—are caught in the South China Sea using cyanidefishing. Fishermen spray a poison called sodium cyanide intothe water above coral reefs because reefs are like underwaterjungles where many species live. Since the poison is dilutedin the water, it usually doesn’t kill the fish. Instead it stuns thefish and allows the fishermen to catch them. However, thepoison weakens the fish. Many ownersof tropical aquariumsoppose cyanide fishing because fish caught using that method often die sooner than others.

Cyanide fishing can also harm coral reefs. The poisoncollects on the reefs and kills them. Coral reefs are madefrom the skeletons of tiny marine animals, a processthat takes years. Scientists are worried that coral reefsaround the world are being killed by human activities morequickly than nature can replace them. Coral reefs areimportant because they provide a home for many differentspecies of fish. They also supply food, jobs, and even sourcesof medicines for millions of people.

-anecdotes?-cause & effect statements?-comparison/ contrast?-descriptions?-embedded definitions?-examples?-metaphor?-statistics?

Close Reading Mode: AWL Words:

Harmful Fishing Practices

Certain fishing practices are causing additional problem inthe South China Sea. Fish for food—as well as fish for aquariums—are caught in the South China Sea using cyanide fishing. Fishermen spray apoison called sodium cyanide into the water above coral reefs because reefsare like underwater jungles where many species live. Since the poison is dilutedin the water, it usually doesn’t kill the fish. Instead it stuns the fish and allows thefishermen to catch them. However, the poison weakens the fish. Many ownersof tropical aquariums oppose cyanide fishing because fish caught using that method often die sooner than others.

Cyanide fishing can also harm coral reefs. The poison collects on the reefs and kills them. Coral reefs are made from the skeletons of tiny marine animals, a process (1) that takes years. Scientists are worried that coral reefs aroundthe world are being killed by human activities more quickly than nature canreplace them. Coral reefs are important because they provide a home for manydifferent species of fish. They also supply food, jobs, and even sources (1) ofmedicines for millions of people.