TABE Reading cheat sheet

Topic is a word or phrase (what the text is about); main idea is a complete sentence (what the text says about the topic).

A valid main idea is broad enough to cover the entire passage, not just one paragraph or one example.

Stated main idea appears explicitly, usually in the opening or closing sentences; an implied main idea must be built from the pattern of details.

Supporting details answer who, what, when, where, why, or how, and must connect back to the main idea; details that do not connect are irrelevant.

A summary contains the main idea plus the most important details in the order of the original, and omits minor examples, repetition, and asides.

Sequence is signaled by words such as first, next, then, before, after, finally, and by dates, times, and numbered steps.

Cause answers 'why did it happen'; effect answers 'what happened as a result'; signals include because, since, therefore, as a result, consequently, due to.

A valid inference is supported by text evidence plus background knowledge and is never contradicted by the passage; an unsupported guess is not an inference.

Theme is the underlying message about life or human nature; it is broader than the topic and is written as a general statement, not a single word.

Four context clue types: definition or restatement, example, contrast or antonym, and general sense inferred from the sentence.

Denotation is the dictionary meaning; connotation is the emotional association (positive, negative, neutral). Words can share denotation but differ in connotation.

Five common text structures: chronological, cause-effect, compare-contrast, problem-solution, and description or list.

Compare-contrast signals: both, similarly, alike, unlike, whereas, in contrast, on the other hand, differ.

Problem-solution texts name an issue and one or more resolutions; signals include problem, issue, solve, solution, remedy, address.

Author's purpose is usually to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain or instruct; purpose determines tone, word choice, and which details are included.

Tone is the author's attitude toward the subject (critical, humorous, admiring); mood is the feeling the text creates in the reader (tense, gloomy, cheerful).

Point of view: first person uses I, me, we and the narrator participates; second person uses you and addresses the reader; third person uses he, she, they and stands outside the events.

Figurative language types: simile (comparison using like or as), metaphor (states one thing is another), personification (human traits given to nonhuman things), hyperbole (deliberate exaggeration).

To compare two texts on one topic, state each text's main idea first, then note where they agree, where they differ, and what information each adds.

An argument has three parts: a claim, evidence that supports it, and reasoning that explains how the evidence supports the claim.

Evidence must be relevant (about the same claim), sufficient (enough of it), and credible (from a reliable, knowledgeable source).

Facts can be verified by observation or checking; opinions express judgment, belief, or feeling and often contain evaluative words such as best, should, or beautiful.

A counterclaim is an opposing position; a strong argument acknowledges it and supplies a rebuttal explaining why the original claim still holds.

When a passage is paired with a chart, table, or graph, the correct answer often requires combining data from the graphic with information stated in the text.

Signs of weak argument: loaded or emotionally charged language, overgeneralization (all, every, always, never), and assertions with no supporting evidence.

Synthesis means combining information from two sources to reach a conclusion that neither source states on its own.

When two sources conflict, compare the strength and credibility of each author's evidence rather than assuming the longer or more emotional text is correct.