R.10.4.a
Description:
Make inferences and draw conclusions using references from the text(s) for support.
Maps to Reading Plus skills:
1B, 2B, 4C, 8B, 9A
Exemplars
1B: Analyzing Implicit Details
1B: Analyzing Implicit Details
Description:
Drawing Conclusions, Making Inferences from information in text
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
J-17
J-17
Grade level: 10
Word count: 2251 words
Author: Guy de Maupassant
Synopsis: Simple actions may sometimes lead to unexpected, dire consequences.
Excerpt:
Jokers would make him tell the story of "the piece of string" to amuse them, just as you make a soldier who has been on a campaign tell his story of the battle. His mind kept growing weaker and about the end of December he took to his bed.
He passed away early in January, and, in the ravings of death agony, he protested his innocence, repeating, "A little bit of string -- a little bit of string. See, here it is, M'sieu le Mayor."
He passed away early in January, and, in the ravings of death agony, he protested his innocence, repeating, "A little bit of string -- a little bit of string. See, here it is, M'sieu le Mayor."
Question:
What happens to Hauchecorne at the end of this selection?
- He is driven to insanity and eventually death due to the false charges brought against him.
- He is vindicated in court and regains his reputation as an honest man.
- He is granted revenge when he becomes mayor and jails Malandain for making false accusations.
- He is found guilty by a jury of his peers and is sentenced to jail even though he is innocent.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Describe how you arrived at conclusions about a selection's main idea and characters if information about these text elements was not directly stated.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
2B: Analyzing Relative Importance
2B: Analyzing Relative Importance
Description:
Determining Relative Importance
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
J-37
J-37
Grade level: 10
Word count: 2283 words
Author: Diane Lang
Synopsis: A mentee turns his life around and eventually becomes a mentor to help others find their passion in life.
Excerpt:
Before I embarrassed myself further, the musician directed me into a small conference room. "Son, I get you, cuz I was you once. Jazz saved my life, and it's going to save yours, so talk to me, dude."
For some inarticulate reason, I opened up to this jive-talking songster. I told this hep artiste about my momma and my fears about her death; I described my aunt and uncle and their struggles; I related my fears of getting caught up in neighborhood violence, and I expressed how hard it was to find any joy or hope in my present situation.
For some inarticulate reason, I opened up to this jive-talking songster. I told this hep artiste about my momma and my fears about her death; I described my aunt and uncle and their struggles; I related my fears of getting caught up in neighborhood violence, and I expressed how hard it was to find any joy or hope in my present situation.
Question:
What is the most important aspect of mentoring?
- open communication
- quality time
- consistent feedback
- shared interests
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Imagine you are an attorney cross-examining the characters in a selection. What questions would you ask them to elicit the most important details about the plot?
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
4C: Visualizing
4C: Visualizing
Description:
Visualizing
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
J-17
J-17
Grade level: 10
Word count: 2251 words
Author: Guy de Maupassant
Synopsis: Simple actions may sometimes lead to unexpected, dire consequences.
Excerpt:
The peasants examined the cows, went off, came back, well acquainted with the workings of the market and always in doubt for fear of being cheated, never quite daring to decide, looking the seller square in the eye in the effort to discover the tricks of the man and the defect in the beast.
Question:
Reread this excerpt. What is the underlying mood of the people in the marketplace?
- distrustful
- industrious
- optimistic
- exhausted
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Describe how you relate scenes you visualize from reading with real life scenes. Give examples.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
8B: Reasoning
8B: Reasoning
Description:
Reasoning
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
J-31
J-31
Grade level: 10
Word count: 2321 words
Author: Thomas Wentworth Higginson
Synopsis: Harald, son of Viking explorer Erik the Red, led a life full of great adventure, excitement, and danger. This tale mixes fact and fantasy.
Excerpt:
The myths and classic tales of Vikings portray these people as aggressive warriors who left destruction wherever they landed, pillaging whatever goods they found.
So Harald left his home with his father, Erik the Red, in a gigantic galley called the "Sea-serpent." They sailed through the Mediterranean Sea.
The oars were 20 feet long, and were put through oar holes, and the rudder, shaped like a large oar, was not at the end, but was attached to a projecting beam on the starboard side. The ship was to be called a "Dragon," and was painted to look like one, having a gilded dragon's head at the bow and a gilded tail on the stern. The moving oars would look like legs; and the row of red and white shields, hung along the side of the boat, would resemble the scales of a dragon; and the great square sails, red and blue, would look like wings.
So Harald left his home with his father, Erik the Red, in a gigantic galley called the "Sea-serpent." They sailed through the Mediterranean Sea.
The oars were 20 feet long, and were put through oar holes, and the rudder, shaped like a large oar, was not at the end, but was attached to a projecting beam on the starboard side. The ship was to be called a "Dragon," and was painted to look like one, having a gilded dragon's head at the bow and a gilded tail on the stern. The moving oars would look like legs; and the row of red and white shields, hung along the side of the boat, would resemble the scales of a dragon; and the great square sails, red and blue, would look like wings.
Question:
Based on what you have read about Vikings, what is the main reason they designed their boats to look like dragons?
- to intimidate enemies
- to entertain themselves
- to honor their gods
- to imitate competitors
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
What motivates people? Use details from a selection you have read, as well as your reasoning skills, to support your answer.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
9A: Comparing/Contrasting
9A: Comparing/Contrasting
Description:
Compare, Contrast, and/or Integrate
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
J-31
J-31
Grade level: 10
Word count: 2321 words
Author: Thomas Wentworth Higginson
Synopsis: Harald, son of Viking explorer Erik the Red, led a life full of great adventure, excitement, and danger. This tale mixes fact and fantasy.
Excerpt:
The Vikings discovered and settled lands far from their Scandinavian home. Most experts agree that the Vikings landed in North America long before Columbus set sail for the New World.
The myths and classic tales of Vikings portray these people as aggressive warriors who left destruction wherever they landed, pillaging whatever goods they found. Some of this is true, but there was far more complexity to the Viking culture. For example, most men living in Scandinavia at that time were farmers, fishermen, or craftsmen, not warriors.
When the youth returned to his father, he found Erik the Red directing the construction of one of the great Viking galleys, nearly 80 feet long and 17 feet wide and only six feet deep. The boat had 20 ribs, and the frame was fastened together by ropes made of roots. The oaken planks were held by iron rivets.
The oars were 20 feet long, and were put through oar holes, and the rudder, shaped like a large oar, was not at the end, but was attached to a projecting beam on the starboard side. The ship was to be called a "Dragon," and was painted to look like one, having a gilded dragon's head at the bow and a gilded tail on the stern. The moving oars would look like legs; and the row of red and white shields, hung along the side of the boat, would resemble the scales of a dragon; and the great square sails, red and blue, would look like wings.
The myths and classic tales of Vikings portray these people as aggressive warriors who left destruction wherever they landed, pillaging whatever goods they found. Some of this is true, but there was far more complexity to the Viking culture. For example, most men living in Scandinavia at that time were farmers, fishermen, or craftsmen, not warriors.
When the youth returned to his father, he found Erik the Red directing the construction of one of the great Viking galleys, nearly 80 feet long and 17 feet wide and only six feet deep. The boat had 20 ribs, and the frame was fastened together by ropes made of roots. The oaken planks were held by iron rivets.
The oars were 20 feet long, and were put through oar holes, and the rudder, shaped like a large oar, was not at the end, but was attached to a projecting beam on the starboard side. The ship was to be called a "Dragon," and was painted to look like one, having a gilded dragon's head at the bow and a gilded tail on the stern. The moving oars would look like legs; and the row of red and white shields, hung along the side of the boat, would resemble the scales of a dragon; and the great square sails, red and blue, would look like wings.
Question:
The first excerpt is from the website of a history program on TV, and the second is from the selection you just read. Based on the information provided in them, what conclusion can be drawn?
- Much of the success of Viking explorers can be attributed to the skill of craftsman who never left their home country.
- Viking ship-building was inferior to ship-building in other countries.
- The strength and agility of Viking sailing vessels described in myths is baseless.
- Viking ships were beautiful to look at, but failed miserably when on the open sea.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Describe how the world today compares and contrasts with the setting of a selection that takes place in the past. Include at least three examples.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions