NCEA Literacy (Reading) cheat sheet

Literal questions are answered by words actually on the page; the answer is stated, not inferred.

Skimming reads headings, first sentences, bolded terms and captions to build a map before close reading.

Scanning hunts for a specific target (a date, name, number) by moving the eyes quickly and ignoring surrounding text.

Signal words locate detail: for example, such as, including, that is, namely, in particular introduce examples or restatements.

Chronological texts answer 'when' questions in order; cause-effect texts answer 'why' questions by pairing a cause with its stated result.

A paraphrase in an answer option can still be literal if it keeps the same meaning as a directly stated sentence.

Numbers, units and negatives (not, never, except, only) are the most common traps in literal detail questions.

Cross-check a located detail against the whole sentence, because a matching word can appear in a different role.

An inference is a conclusion the text supports but does not state; it must be traceable to evidence in the text.

Main idea = what the whole text is mostly about; a supporting detail answers only part of it and cannot cover the whole.

Integrating two texts means comparing claims on the same issue: note where they agree, where they conflict, and what each omits.

A summary keeps the central claim and the strongest support, drops examples, repetition and asides, and adds no new opinion.

Tone and attitude are inferred from word choice, punctuation and sentence length rather than from explicit statements.

Sequence and causation differ: events can follow each other in time without one causing the other.

When two texts disagree, check whether they define the key term the same way; different definitions often explain the conflict.

Generalisation from a single case is a reasoning flaw; check whether the evidence is representative or one anecdote.

Purpose is usually one of: inform, persuade, entertain, instruct, or describe; the verb choice and structure reveal it.

Audience is signalled by register, jargon, assumed background knowledge, and the publication venue.

Bias appears in loaded adjectives, selective evidence, one-sided sources, and framing that pre-judges the issue.

Reliability checks: author credentials, date, cited sources, whether claims are verifiable, and whether counter-arguments appear.

Correlation is not causation; a text implying one cause from a co-occurrence is overreaching.

Statistics can mislead through small samples, missing baselines, cherry-picked timeframes, or percentages of unstated totals.

An anecdote illustrates but does not prove; a single testimony is weaker evidence than systematic data.

Language of hedging (may, suggests, could) signals caution; language of certainty (proves, always, never) invites scrutiny.

When a text is unfamiliar, use context clues: definition, example, contrast, and cause-effect relationships around the unknown word.

Morphology helps: prefixes (un-, re-, pre-, anti-) and suffixes (-tion, -able, -ology) reveal meaning of unknown words.

Authentic texts include forms, timetables, recipes, instructions, notices, reviews and web pages; each has a predictable layout.

In forms and tables, read column and row headings first; the meaning of a cell depends on both headings.

In instructions, imperative verbs mark steps and sequence words (first, then, finally) mark order; missing a step changes the outcome.

In notices and signs, pay attention to conditions and exceptions (unless, only, no entry after) which change the rule.

Technical vocabulary in a new field is often defined at first use in the text; read backwards from the word to find the definition.

Diagrams, captions and labels carry information that the body text may not repeat; read them as part of the text.

Denotation is the dictionary meaning; connotation is the emotional association a word carries.

Figurative language: simile uses like/as; metaphor states one thing is another; personification gives human traits to non-human things.

Persuasive devices: rhetorical question, repetition, rule of three, emotive language, hyperbole, appeal to authority, appeal to fear.

Cohesion is built by pronouns, synonyms, and connectives (however, therefore, in addition) that link sentences.

Text structures: description, sequence, compare-contrast, cause-effect, problem-solution; each has characteristic connectives.

Paragraph function: topic sentence states the point, supporting sentences give evidence, concluding sentence links onward.

Punctuation carries meaning: commas separate, colons introduce, semicolons join related clauses, dashes add emphasis.

Active voice puts the doer first; passive voice hides or backgrounds the doer, which can shift responsibility.

Informational texts: neutral tone, cited evidence, headings and subheadings, aim to explain or report.

Persuasive texts: a stated position, reasons, emotive language, and a call to action; check what evidence is omitted.

Literary texts: narrative features include character, setting, plot, conflict and theme; figurative language carries mood.

Poetry uses line breaks, rhythm, rhyme and imagery; meaning can depend on line endings as much as on sentences.

Visual and multimodal texts combine image, layout, colour, font size and text; images can reinforce or contradict the words.

In advertisements, the image carries the emotional appeal while the small print carries the conditions.

Reviews mix description with evaluation; separate what happened from the reviewer's judgement about it.

News reports aim to answer who, what, when, where, why and how; opinion columns share the page but not the purpose.