Wednesday, March 23, 2011

READING GLOSSARY: ACADEMIC TESTING VOCABULARY

READING GLOSSARY: ACADEMIC TESTING VOCABULARY


Articulated by Grade Level
GLOSSARY
.
adage a saying that conveys a common experience or general truth and has
gained credit through extended use (e.g., a stitch in time saves nine)
affix a non-word letter or group of letters attached to a root or stem to
change its meaning or function, as the prefix ad- and the suffix –ing in adjoining
allegory a literary work with two or more levels of meaning: one literal
level and one or more symbolic or figurative levels; events, settings,
objects, or characters that stand for ideas or qualities beyond themselves
alliteration the repetition of consonant sounds, usually at the beginning of words
allusion a reference to a well-known work of literature, famous person,
or historical event with which the reader is assumed to be familiar
analogy a partial similarity between two things that are otherwise dissimilar;
a pairing of words designed to elicit associations between concepts and
background knowledge
anecdotal evidence evidence based on a brief story told to make a point or
to entertain
antonym a word opposite in meaning to another (e.g., wet and dry)
argument a type of writing that develops a topic in a logical and persuasive manner
aside a statement delivered by an actor to an audience in such a way that other
characters on stage are presumed not to hear what is said; the character reveals
his or her private thoughts, reactions, or motivations
assonance the repetition of vowel sounds in stressed syllables or words without
repeating consonant sounds
automaticity the ability to read silently or orally without stopping to use decoding
strategies on unknown words
ballad a narrative poem, often of folk origin and intended to be sung; consists
of simple stanzas, usually with a refrain
bandwagon a persuasive technique that attempts to get people to follow the
crowd using the logical fallacy that, since “everyone else likes it”, it must be good
base word a word to which affixes may be added to change its meaning, tense,
or part of speech
bias the writer’s outlook or prejudice; the writer’s leaning or belief about a topic
cause and effect a strategy for analyzing a subject by examining the reasons for
specific actions or events (cause) and the consequences or results of certain
causes (effect)
central argument the main point or purpose of a piece of writing, often stated
in a thesis statement or topic sentence
character foil a character that provides a contrast to another character, thus
intensifying the impact of that other character
characterization the manner in which an author presents a character by using
the character’s actions, dialogue, description, or how other characters react
to that character
cinquain a five line stanza with successive lines of two, four, six, eight, and two
syllables
circular reasoning supporting a position by merely restating it compare to use
examples to show how things are similar and different, with the greater emphasis
on similarities
compare (contrast) a strategy for thinking or writing that involves explaining,
defining, or evaluating subjects by showing how they resemble and differ from
each other or from some standard for evaluation
conceit an elaborate and extended metaphor, especially in poetic images
conflict the problem(s) or struggle(s) between or among opposing forces that
trigger(s) the action in literature (e.g., person vs. person, person vs. self, person
vs. nature, person vs. society)
connotation/connotative an association that a word calls to mind in addition
to its dictionary or literal meaning
consonance the repetition of consonant sounds within and at the end of words
(e.g., stroke of luck)
consumer publications publications for the use of the general public (e.g.,
periodicals, pamphlets, advertisements)
contrast to use examples to show how things are different in one or more
important ways
credibility quality or power of inspiring belief; capacity for believability
denotation/denotative the literal or standard dictionary meaning of a word
digraph two letters representing a single speech sound (e.g., ph in phone)
diphthong a speech sound beginning with one vowel sound and moving to
another vowel sound within the same syllable (e.g., oi in oil)
e.g. (abbreviation for for example) precedes a non-exhaustive list of examples
provided as options; other examples may be appropriate but not included
elegy a song or poem written as a lament for the dead
epic a narrative poem, usually about the adventures and heroic deeds of
a folk hero (e.g., Homer’s llliad)
equivocation language that is open to interpretation; often deliberately misleading
etymology the history of words; the study of the history of words
euphemism A mild or indirect term that is used in place of one considered
harsh or blunt (e.g., passed away instead of died)
evidence statements or information that help in making a conclusion or judgment:
·  logical evidence - based on earlier known or well-known information presented
in a clear organized pattern
·  empirical evidence- information or facts gained by observation or experiment
based on scientific analysis
·  anecdotal evidence - information gained from casual observation, usually
presented in a narrative style
expository text writing that explains or informs through the use of facts,
reasons, or examples fable a short narrative that teaches a moral or lesson;
main characters are usually animals that speak and act like humans
fact a statement that can be verified as true
fairy tale a fanciful tale about real life problems, usually with imaginary
characters such as fairies, trolls, or leprechauns
fallacious reasoning reasoning that is deceptive or liable to mislead
false causality the error of concluding that an event is caused by another event
simply because it follows it
fantasy a highly imaginative story characterized by fanciful or supernatural elements
figurative language the use of words to create vivid pictures and ideas in the
mind of the reader; not meant to be literally true (e.g., similes, metaphors, idioms,
 personification)
flashback an account of a conversation, episode, or event that happened
before the beginning of a story, told for the purpose of clarifying something in
the present; often interrupts the chronological flow of the story
fluency read with ease, expression, and automaticity to support comprehension
folktale a narrative piece (e.g., epic, legend, myth, fable) that is part of the
oral or written tradition of a culture passed from generation to generation
footnotes the numbered notes or comments at the bottom or side of a page
that comments on a designated part of the text
foreshadowing writer’s use of hints or clues to indicate events that will occur
later in a text
free verse a style of poetry that has an irregular rhyme or line pattern;
verse that is developed according to author's own style
functional text printed material that is specifically intended to convey information
(e.g., instructions, technical manuals, labels, signs, recipes)
genre a category or type of literature based on its style, form, and content
(e.g., mystery, adventure, romance, science fiction)
grapheme written representation of a phoneme (e.g., b for /b/, ck for /k/)
graphic features features within or accompanying text, that help to
clarify or explain the text (e.g., labels, illustrations, captions, headings,
diagrams, charts, tables, titles)
graphic organizer a visual representation of information in an organized manner
that is intended to enhance understanding (e.g., Venn-diagram, T-graph, word web,
KWL chart)
haiku a style of Japanese poetry consisting of three unrhymed lines of five, seven,
and five syllables, traditionally about nature or the seasons
historical fiction a long narrative that recreates an historical period or event based
on fact, but embellished with imagined conversation and details
homographs words with the same spelling but with different pronunciations
and meanings (e.g., wind, read, bow)
homonyms/homophones words with the same pronunciation but with different
meanings, different parts of speech, and usually different spelling
hyperbole figure of speech in which the truth is exaggerated for emphasis or humor
i.e. (abbreviation for that is) precedes a specific list of items in which all of the
items should be used [compare to e.g.]
idiom phrase or expression that means something different from what the
words actually say; usually understandable to a particular culture, language,
or group of people (e.g., let the cat out of the bag)
imagery descriptive language used in literature to recreate sensory experiences,
enrich writing, and to make the writing more
vivid; sensory details
incongruities text or portions of text having inconsistent or inharmonious
parts or elements
inflectional endings see suffix
inference a conclusion derived from facts or premises
intonation the distinctive patterns of rising and falling pitch that enhances
the meaning of spoken words
irony using a word or phrase to mean the exact opposite of its literal meaning:
·  dramatic irony - where the reader or the audience sees a character’s mistakes,
 but the character does not
·  verbal irony - where the writer says one thing and means another
·  irony of situation - where there is a great difference between the purpose
of an action and the result
learning log a student’s record of his/her own learning activities, intended to help
evaluate his/her own learning and to plan future learning
legend a traditional, historical story of a culture passed from generation to generation
limerick a light, humorous, five-line verse with an aabba rhyme pattern
linguistic roots the origin of a word based on the nature, structure, and history of the word
literal language language that is true to fact, avoiding exaggeration or metaphor
literal meaning the actual or dictionary meaning of a word or phrase; language
 that means exactly what it appears to mean
loaded words words that are slanted for or against a topic; words with strong
positive or negative connotations
logic/logical evidence the science of correct reasoning; correctly using facts,
examples, and reasons to support one’s view
lyric a short poem that expresses personal feelings or emotions, often in a
songlike style or form
main idea the concept, thought, notion, or impression that is of greatest importance
or influence:
·  literal – adhering to fact or to the primary meaning or intent
·  implied –a suggested meaning or intent (as opposed to explicit)
·  explicit – fully revealed or expressed without vagueness, implication, or
ambiguity; leaving no question as to the meaning or intent
main character a character that plays a prominent role in a literary work
metacognitive strategy the technique or strategy of examining one’s own
 thinking process; awareness of one’s own thinking process in order to
monitor and direct the process to a desired end
metaphor a figure of speech that compares two unlike things in which no word
of comparison is used
meter the arrangement of words in a rhythmical pattern, with stressed
and unstressed syllables
minor character a character that plays a role of lesser importance to the
plot than the main character(s)
mood the feeling(s) the text arouses in the reader (e.g., happiness, sadness,
sorrow, peacefulness)
moral the particular value or lesson the author attempts to convey to the reader
myth a traditional or legendary story that deals with supernatural beings,
ancestors, or heroes; intended to explain the mysteries
of the natural world, or the customs or ideals of a society
narrative/narration a type of fiction or nonfiction that tells a story or series of events
onomatopoeia the use of a word whose pronunciation suggests its meaning
(e.g., meow, buzz)
onsets consonant(s) before the vowel(s) in a syllable, including consonant
blends and digraphs (e.g., /s/ in sit, /spl/ in split)
opinion a belief or conclusion not supported by evidence or facts
organization of text format or structure; often varies with type of text, but
common patterns exist:
·  chronological order - details are arranged in the order in which they happen
·  order of importance - details are arranged in order of importance: least important
to most important or most important to least important
·  cause-effect - details are arranged to show connections between a result
and the events that preceded it
·  comparison-contrast - details are arranged to show similarities and differences
 between two or more subjects
·  listing - details are arranged in a simple list
·  classification - details are placed into categories
·  problem-solution - details are arranged to show a problem and then a way
 to solve the problem
·  spatial - details are arranged geographically from left to right, right to left, top
to bottom, and so on
·  mixed - some details are arranged one way, and other details are arranged
 in another way
overgeneralization an assumption that all members of a group, nationality, race,
 or gender have the characteristics observed in some members
oversimplification the use of language which makes something far simpler
than it is, to the point of distorting the meaning (e.g., “It’s not so bad…” )
overstatement a statement that represents something as more than it actually is
 (e.g., “I have a million things to do today.”)
pacing the reading speed or rate at which text is read
paradox a statement that seems to be contradictory but that actually presents a truth
parody a form of literature that intentionally uses a comic effect to mock a literary
work or style
peer pressure a persuasive technique in which the reader is pressured to think
or act a particular way so as to be accepted by one’s peers
personification a figure of speech in which something non-human is given human
characteristics or powers
persuasive techniques devices of persuasion used for the purpose of changing
one’s mind, making one take action, or both; usually accomplished by a combination
of emotional appeals and logical reasoning (see bandwagon, peer pressure, circular
reasoning, oversimplification, transfer, loaded words, testimonial, false causality,
overgeneralization, oversimplification)
phoneme the smallest unit of sound within a word that distinguishes one word
 from another (e.g., cat = /c/ /a/ /t/)
phonemic awareness the awareness of and the ability to manipulate sounds
 in the spoken word
phonogram a spelling pattern, word family, or rime (e.g., –ame, -ack, -ay, -in)
plot the action or sequence of related events that make up a story, consisting of
five basic elements:
·  exposition – the opening of a short story up to the point that the conflict
is introduced to the reader
·  rising action – the chain of events in which the conflicts intensify
·  climax – the point of highest interest; point at which the reader makes his
greatest emotional response; the point in the story in which rising action is about
 to turn into falling action
·  falling action – takes place after the climax when the action begins to wind
down or conflicts begin to lessen
·  resolution – tells how the story conflict is resolved and ties up loose ends
from the story poetry the expression of traditionally rhythmic compositions
(sometimes rhymed, expressing ideas, experiences, or emotions) in a style
more concentrated, imaginative, and powerful than that of ordinary speech
or prose; generally categorized into specific forms based on purpose
(e.g., elegies, ballads, parodies) and/or meter or rhyme scheme
(e.g., sonnets, limericks, cinquains, free verse, haikus)
point of view the perspective from which the story is told:
·  first person – the narrator is a character who tells the story as he or she
experienced, saw, heard, and understood it; identified by the first person
pronouns I or we
·  third person omniscient – the narrator is all-knowing, with the ability
 to see into the minds of more than one character
·  third person limited - the narrator has the ability to see into the mind
of only one character prefix a linguistic unit added to the beginning of a
word which changes its meaning (i.e., re-, mis-, un-)
primary source an original source that informs directly, not through another
person’s explanation or interpretation (e.g., firsthand reports,
diaries, letters, journals, original documents) print concepts the prerequisite
skills students need about print as they learn how to read:
·  book handling ( e.g., front of book, print contains meaning, left page
before right)
·  directional behavior (e.g., where to start, left to right, return sweep)
·  visual scanning and analysis
·  language concepts (e.g., meaning of punctuation marks, capital letters)
·  hierarchal concepts (e.g., word by word matching, difference between
letter and word)
prior knowledge knowledge gained from previous experience(s)
prose written or spoken language that is not poetry (verse)
prosody the rhythmic and inflectional aspect of language; expression
r-controlled vowels a vowel whose sound is influenced by an r that directly
 follows it (e.g., farm, her, first, torn, nurse)
redundancy repetition that is needless or distracting
repetition repeating a word, phrase, sentence, or the like for impact and effect
rhetorical device literary device that is intended to emphasize a point, not to
obtain a response
rhyme identical or very similar recurring final sounds in words within, or
more frequently, at the ends of lines of verse
rhythm a pattern of repeated cadence or accent in speech or text rimes the vowel(s)
and any following consonant(s) in a syllable (e.g., /it/ in sit, /oat in float)
root in a complex word, the meaningful base form after all affixes are removed
root word meaningful base form after all affixes are removed
satire a literary technique that combines a critical attitude with humor, often with
the intent of correcting or changing the subject of the satire
search engine computer software used to search data for specified information
secondary source a source that contains information others have gathered and
interpreted; indirect or secondhand information (e.g., newspaper and magazine
 accounts, encyclopedia articles, research studies, web sites, documentaries)
sequencing the arrangement or ordering of subject matter to aid understanding:
·  developmental
·  chronological
·  easy to difficult (difficult to easy)
·  part to whole (whole to part)
setting the time of day or year; historical period, place, situation
simile figure of speech comparing two things that are unlike; uses the words
like and as (e.g., as strong as an ox, flies like an eagle)
soliloquy lines in a drama in which a character reveals his or her thoughts to
the audience, but not to the other characters, by
speaking as if to himself or herself
sonnet a poem consisting of 14 lines with a formal rhyme scheme, which
 expresses a thought or feeling in a unified way
stylistic elements components of a distinctive manner of expression; elements
that comprise a literary style suffix a linguistic unit added to the end of a base
word which changes the word’s meaning or grammatical function (e.g., -ed, -ly, -ness)
symbol person, place, or thing that represents something beyond itself
e.g., sword can stand for war, a desert might represent loneliness or solitude, a dove
as a symbol of peace)
symbolism a literary technique in which an author uses symbols to represent
concrete ideas, events, or relationships
synonym one of two or more words that have a highly similar meaning
(e.g., grip and grasp)
syntax the study of sentence structure with emphasis on the grammatical
relationships of the words and other elements testimonial a persuasive technique in
 which a personal success story is used to influence others text features components
that support and clarify text (e.g., illustrations, titles, topic sentences, key words)
theme the underlying idea or statement that the author is trying to convey
tone the overall feeling or effect created by a writer’s use of words
(e.g., playful, serious, bitter, angry, sarcastic)
transfer a persuasive technique that attempts to transfer positive feelings
associated with images not necessarily related to the issue (e.g., a fabric
softener advertisement set in beautiful, clear mountain scenery, implying freshness)
understatement a statement that represents something as less than it actually is
(e.g., The hurricane was a little windy.)
workplace documents text, forms, or documents specifically used in the
workplace or for business purposes (e.g., memos, business letters,
applications, resumes, e-mails)

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