NCEA Literacy (Reading) flashcards

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

Literal comprehension

Understanding information that is stated directly in the text. The answer can be pointed to on the page rather than worked out from clues.

Skimming

Reading quickly through headings, first sentences and bolded terms to get a general overview of a text before reading it closely.

Scanning

Moving the eyes quickly over a text looking only for one specific item, such as a date, a name or a number.

Signal words for examples

Words such as for example, such as, including and namely introduce examples or restatements that clarify a nearby general statement.

Inference

A conclusion the reader draws that the text supports with evidence but does not state directly. It must be traceable to words on the page.

Main idea

The central point that the whole text is mostly about. Supporting details explain parts of it but cannot replace it as a summary.

Integrating two texts

Comparing what two texts say about the same issue by identifying where they agree, where they conflict, and what each leaves out.

Summary

A shortened restatement that keeps the central claim and strongest supporting points, removes examples and repetition, and adds no new opinion.

Tone

The writer's attitude towards the subject, revealed through word choice, punctuation and sentence length rather than stated outright.

Correlation versus causation

Two things occurring together does not prove one caused the other. A text claiming cause from co-occurrence is overreaching its evidence.

Author's purpose

The reason a text was written, usually to inform, persuade, entertain, instruct or describe. Verb choice and structure reveal it.

Audience

The readers a text is aimed at, signalled by register, jargon, assumed background knowledge and where the text was published.

Bias

A one-sided slant shown by loaded adjectives, selective evidence, a narrow range of sources, or framing that pre-judges the issue.

Reliability

How trustworthy a source is, judged by author credentials, date, cited sources, verifiability of claims and whether counter-arguments are addressed.

Loaded language

Word choices carrying strong positive or negative associations that push the reader towards a judgement before evidence is presented.

Hedging language

Words such as may, suggests and could that signal caution about a claim, in contrast to proves, always and never which signal certainty.

Context clues

Surrounding words that reveal an unknown word's meaning, including definitions, examples, contrasts and cause-effect relationships in nearby sentences.

Morphology

The study of word parts. Prefixes such as un-, re- and anti- and suffixes such as -tion and -able reveal the meaning of unfamiliar words.

Reading tables and forms

Reading column and row headings first, because the meaning of any cell depends on both headings together, not on the cell alone.

Instructional text

Text telling the reader how to do something, using imperative verbs for steps and sequence words such as first, then and finally for order.

Denotation and connotation

Denotation is a word's dictionary meaning; connotation is the emotional association it carries, such as the difference between thin and slim.

Simile and metaphor

A simile compares using like or as; a metaphor states that one thing is another. Both create meaning by linking unlike things.

Personification

A figure of speech giving human qualities or actions to non-human things, such as a wind that whispers or a road that climbs.

Rhetorical question

A question asked for effect rather than for an answer, used to make a point and draw the reader towards the writer's position.

Rule of three

A persuasive pattern listing three items or phrases, which is memorable and creates a sense of completeness and rhythm.

Cohesion

The links that hold sentences together, created by pronouns, synonyms and connectives such as however, therefore and in addition.

Topic sentence

The sentence, usually first in a paragraph, that states the paragraph's main point and is then supported by the remaining sentences.

Passive voice

A sentence construction that puts the receiver of the action first and can hide or background who performed the action.

Informational text

Text written to explain or report, usually with a neutral tone, headings and subheadings, and evidence or sources cited.

Persuasive text

Text stating a position and supporting it with reasons, often using emotive language and a call to action.

Multimodal text

A text combining words with images, layout, colour or font size, where the visual elements carry meaning alongside the written ones.

Review text

A text mixing description of what happened or what a product is like with the reviewer's evaluation, which must be separated from the facts.