EIKEN Grade Pre-1 flashcards

24 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

inference

A conclusion drawn from evidence in a text rather than stated outright. Grade 1 reading questions often ask what a writer implies about causes, motives, or likely outcomes.

implication

A meaning suggested indirectly by word choice or context rather than said explicitly. Distinguishing implication from stated fact is a core skill in long EIKEN Grade 1 passages.

connotation

The emotional or evaluative association a word carries beyond its literal meaning. Recognizing whether a term sounds approving, neutral, or critical helps identify an author's stance.

tone

The attitude an author conveys toward the subject, such as skeptical, sympathetic, or ironic. Questions may ask you to characterize tone from adjectives and qualifiers in the passage.

cohesion

The way sentences and paragraphs are linked so a text reads as one unit. Pronouns, repeated key nouns, and transition words all create cohesion in academic English.

coherence

The logical ordering of ideas so each point follows from the previous one. A coherent essay moves from claim to support to conclusion without unexplained jumps.

thesis statement

A single sentence that states the central claim of an essay or argument. Locating it early in a passage helps you predict how the rest of the text will develop.

counterargument

An opposing view that a writer acknowledges and then answers. Recognizing where an author concedes a point prevents misreading the passage's overall position.

rebuttal

The part of an argument that directly answers an objection. It usually follows a concession and signals the writer's final position with phrases like 'however' or 'even so'.

concession

A point a writer grants to the opposing side to appear fair or to narrow the debate. Concessions are often introduced by 'admittedly' or 'it is true that'.

transition

A word or phrase such as 'nevertheless' or 'in contrast' that shows how two ideas relate. Misreading a transition can reverse the meaning of a whole paragraph.

contrast

A rhetorical move that sets two ideas against each other to highlight differences. Signal words include 'whereas', 'unlike', and 'on the other hand'.

abstract

A short summary placed at the start of an academic article. Reading the abstract first gives you the study's purpose, method, and conclusion quickly.

anecdote

A brief personal story used to illustrate a point. Writers often open an essay with an anecdote before moving to a general claim.

nuance

A subtle difference in meaning or attitude. Grade 1 items often turn on nuance, where two answer choices differ only slightly in emphasis.

gist

The overall meaning or main point of a spoken or written text. Listening questions frequently ask for the gist rather than specific numbers or names.

distractor

An answer choice that sounds plausible but is not supported by the recording. Distractors often repeat a word from the audio while changing the relationship between ideas.

note-taking

Writing brief keywords and symbols while listening to track structure and key points. Effective notes mark signposts, examples, and any shift in the speaker's argument.

signpost

A spoken phrase such as 'first', 'to sum up', or 'on the other hand' that shows the structure of a talk. Signposts help listeners anticipate what comes next.

speaker's stance

The position or attitude a speaker takes toward the topic, signaled by stress, word choice, and qualifiers. Identifying stance is often the key to a listening item.

rhetorical question

A question asked for effect rather than to obtain an answer. It often appears in persuasive speeches to draw listeners toward the speaker's conclusion.

detail question

A listening question that asks for a specific piece of information, such as a time, a price, a place, or a reason, stated in the recording.

intonation

The rise and fall of the voice when speaking. It can signal a question, surprise, or a change of topic, and it helps listeners follow the speaker's meaning.

stress

The extra loudness or length given to a particular syllable or word. In English, stressed words usually carry the most important meaning in a sentence.