The document provides guidance on identifying different types of questions found on multiple choice tests and the strategies for answering each type. It discusses book questions, main idea questions, inference questions, tone questions, organization questions, purpose questions, vocabulary questions, and literary devices/terms questions. For each type, it provides the characteristics of the question stem and guidelines for determining the answer, including relevant steps to take.

1. Recognizing
Question Stems
{ Multiple Choice Test-taking Strategies

2. Book Questions
{ Answers are DIRECTLY STATED

3.  When the question asks for
a supporting detail, the
answer will be directly • “The passage/author states…”
stated in the passage. It will • “The passage/author says…”
not always be word-for-
word; it could be a
paraphrase, and some
{ •
•
“According to the
passage/author…”
A statement that asks you to
find information from the
words may be changed or passage
left out, but the idea will be
the same.
Book Questions

4. Which questions are
BOOK questions?

5.  STEPS
1. Scan the passage for the word or idea that is
presented in the question stem. Once you’ve
found it in the text, read the surrounding
sentences.
2. Choose the response that is the closest match
to the text.
3. Distracters to watch out for: Those that
contradict the text and distracters that require
you to make an inference.
Book Questions

6. Main Idea
{ Look for the BIG STATEMENT

7.  When the question asks for • “The main idea of the
passage…”
a main idea, you’re looking • “The central point of the
for a BIG STATEMENT – it passage…”
must cover over the entire
passage, not just a detail or
two. The main idea may be
{ •
•
“A possible title for the
passage…”
“The author’s primary
point…”
stated directly or it may be • “The author is primarily
concerned with…”
implied. • “The passage primarily…”
Main Idea

8. Which questions are
Main Idea questions?

9.  STEPS
1. First of all, don’t look at any of the answer choices
until you’ve come up with your own idea of the
main idea.
2. Ask, “What is the topic of the passage?” Answer
in a word or two. The topic will be repeated
throughout the passage—either the same word or
synonyms or pronouns for it.
3. Ask, “What is the author’s opinion about the
topic?”
4. State the main idea in your own words (Topic +
Author’s opinion in one sentence = main idea).
Example: The brain gets better as it gets older. Not:
The brain and how it works (this is simply a topic)
Now look at the choices and exclude any that are too
broad or too narrow.
Main Idea

10. Inference
{ Leap of Logic

11. • “The passage/author
implies…”
 When the question asks you • “The passage/author
to make an inference, you suggests..”
won’t find the answer stated
in the text. You have to { •
•
•
“The author might agree…”
“The reader can infer that…”
“The reader can conclude
make a leap of logic. that…”
• “The reader can assume
that…”
Inference

12. Which questions are
Inference questions?

13.  STEPS
1. Consider each of the answer choices and look
for evidence to either support or reject it in
these areas
• The text itself (most important)
• Your own experience
• Your own logic
2. Exclude any distracters that are not logical.
3. Choose the response that requires the shortest
leap of logic.
Inference

14. Tone
{ Author’s Attitude

15.  When the question asks you
to determine the tone of the • “The tone of the passage is…”
passage or the attitude of
the author, you’re looking
for the feeling the author is
{ •
•
“The attitude of the author
is…”
“The writer’s overall feeling
toward ____ is…”
conveying about the topic.
Tone

16. Which questions are
Tone questions?

17.  STEPS
1. Determine if the author is negative, positive
or neutral about the topic. Eliminate
distracters that are the opposite.
2. Look at the level of intensity of feeling in the
passage. Is it strong (passionate, critical,
revengeful)? Or is it mild (ambiguous,
uncertain, undecided)?
Tone

18. Organization
{ Type of Passage

19.  When the question asks you
to determine the pattern of
“The author makes her point
organization, you’re looking •
for the TYPE of passage the
author has written to { •
through…”
“Which best describes the
organization of the
passage…”
communicate his or her
point.
Organization

20. Which questions are
Organization questions?

21.  STEPS
1. Underline signal/relationship words as you read.
2. Learn these patterns and what words signal
them:
 Description
 Narration
 Persuasion
 Comparison/Contrast
 Definition
 Illustration
 Cause and Effect
 Problem Solution
 Chronological
 Spatial
 Most Important/Least Important
Organization

22. Purpose
{ Reason

23.  When the question asks you
to determine the purpose of
{
• “The purpose of the passage
is…”
the passage, you’re looking
• “The author’s primary
for the REASON the article purpose is…”
was written.
Purpose

24. Which questions are
Purpose questions?

25.  STEPS
1. Determine the type of passage
 Factual = INFORM, explain, describe
 Opinion = PERSUADE, argue, condemn, ridicule
 Fiction = ENTERTAIN, narrate, describe, shock
2. Where do you think the article was originally
published?
3. Look at the level of intensity of the feeling. Is it
simply to narrate or to shock?
Purpose

26. Vocabulary
{ Words and Meanings

27.  When the question asks you
for the meaning of a word,
{
• “Xxxxx, as used in the
passage, can best be defined
you can figure it out with as…”
context clues even if you’ve • “What is the meaning of…”
never seen the word before.
Vocabulary

28. Which questions are
Vocabulary questions?

29.  STEPS
1. See if you can determine if the word has a
positive or negative meaning from its context in
the passage. Identifying the feeling of a word
can help you eliminate distracters.
2. Look for a context clue
 Example Clue (Illustrates): My husband is so
parsimonious that he reuses paper plates.
 Synonym Clue (Restates): My husband is
parsimonious or stingy to a fault.
 Antonym Clue (Opposite): My husband is
parsimonious but my brother is the most generous
person I know.
3. Draw a conclusion based on the sense of the
sentence.
Vocabulary

30. Literary Devices
and Terms
{ English stuff

31. • “Which word best describes
 When the question asks you the mood…”
to remember the • “Which type of figurative
language is used repeatedly
terminology specific to
English class, you are being
asked to apply that { •
throughout the passage to
convey images?”
“Which literary device does
the author use…”
knowledge and/or identify • Any question where the
an example. answer choices are a list of
literary terms
Literary Devices and
Terms

32. Which questions are
Literary Device/Terms
questions?

33.  STEPS
1. Identify the terms used in the question stem
and/or answer choices. Remind yourself of the
definition of the term.
2. Choose the appropriate answer.
3. Distracters will include similar terms. For
example simile and metaphor often appear
together as choices to see if you can distinguish
between the two. Be sure to ELIMINATE
obviously wrong answers.
Literary Devices and
Terms

34.  TERMS TO REMEMBER
 Figurative Language
(simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, understatement,
symbol)
 Irony
 Mood
 Foreshadowing/Flashback
 Point of View
 Setting
 Imagery
 Archetype
 Characterization
 Anecdote
 Alliteration
 Onomatopoeia
 Satire
 Plot (Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action)
Literary Devices and
Terms