Analysis of TAKS
Spring 2006 TAKS Release
Reading Grade 6
Objective 1:Demonstrate basic understanding of culturally diverse texts
- vocabulary from structural analysis (Greek and Latin roots, prefixes/suffixes)
- vocabulary from context clues, including multiple-meaning words and analogies
- determine meanings from derivatives
- distinguish denotative and connotative meanings
- determine main ideas and supporting details
- paraphrase and summarize to recall, inform, or organize ideas
Objective 2:Apply knowledge of literary elements
- analyze characters (traits, motivations, conflicts, points of view, relationships, changes)
- recognize and analyze plot, setting, problem resolution
- recognize and interpret literary devices (flashback, foreshadowing, symbolism)
Objective 3:Use strategies to analyze culturally diverse texts
- use text’s structure to locate and recall information (cause and effect, chronology)
- find similarities and differences across texts (treatment, scope, organization)
- represent text information in different ways (outline, timeline, graphic organizer)
- identify purposes of texts (inform, influence, express, entertain)
- compare communication in different forms (comparing story variants)
- describe how author’s perspective or point of view affects text
Objective 4:Apply critical-thinking skills to culturally diverse texts
- draw inferences or generalizations and support them
- distinguish fact and opinion
- support responses with text
- connect, compare, and contrast ideas, themes, and issues across text
- analyze ways authors organize and present ideas (cause/effect, compare/contrast, inductively, deductively, or chronologically)
- recognize how style, tone, and mood contribute to the effect of the text
TAKS Deconstruction - Reading Grade 6
Page two
Reading Passages
Passage / Title / #Paragraphs / #
Pages / Graphics / Type / #
Questions
1 / “William Wegman” / 7 / 2 / 1 photograph with caption / Expository – paired passage / 3
3 paired
2 / “The Typical Life of a Dog Model” / 7 / 2 / 1 photograph with caption; paw prints / Interview – paired passage / 4
3 paired
3 / “Striking Out the Guys” / 13 / 3 / 1 photograph – autographed / Narrative / 12
4 / “My Trip to Big Bend” / 8 / 2 / 4 photographs all with captions / Mixed passage (expository and narrative) / 10
5 / “The Case of the Littered Courtyard” / 29 / 3 ½ / 1 illustration / Narrative / 10
Totals / 64 / 12 ½ / 42
Question Analysis
Reading Passage 1: “William Wegman”
Question/ Answer/% Correct / TAKS/ TEKS / Question Stem / Vocabulary/ Key Term / Skill/ Concept / Context
1
B
86% / 1
6.10 (F) / What is this selection mainly about? / Mainly about
Career / Main idea / The student must identify the main idea of the entire selection. Answer choices are in the form of phrases. Four choices are true; three choices are supporting details
TAKS Deconstruction - Reading Grade 6
Page three
Question/ Answer/% Correct / TAKS/ TEKS / Question Stem / Vocabulary/ Key Term / Skill/ Concept / Context
2
G
95% / 1
6.9 (B) / What does the word ___ mean in paragraph ___? / Intriguing
Deserving
Interesting
Frustrating
Demanding / Vocabulary – context clues / The context clue is in the same sentence. Answer choices include 2 negative answers and 2 positive answers.
3
D
88%
/ 3
6.10 (L) / Look at the outline of information from the selection. [Insert outline.] What information belongs on the blank line? / Outline / Text representation – outline form (supporting detail) / The student must identify the third supporting detail from one paragraph. The supporting detail is represented by a blank line in an outline.
Reading Passage 2: “The Typical Life of a Dog Model”
Question/ Answer/% Correct / TAKS/ TEKS / Question Stem / Vocabulary/ Key Term / Skill/ Concept / Context
4
H
80% / 4
6.11 (C) / Which sentence from the selection shows that ___? / Elements / Text support / Answer choices are italicized quotes from the passage.
5
C
96% / 4
6.10 (H) / [Insert effect] because --- / --- / Inferences / Three of the answer choices are not supported by the text.
6
G
93% / 2
6.12 (F) / [Insert character] can best be described as --- / Pushy
Confident
Quiet
Foolish / Characters – traits (inference) / Answer choices are all adjectives.
7
A
73% / 1
6.10 (F) / Paragraph ___ is mainly about--- / Mainly about / Main idea / The student must identify the main idea of 1 paragraph. Distractor: 1 wrong answer repeats words from the paragraph.
TAKS Deconstruction - Reading Grade 6
Page four
Reading Passages 1 and 2: Cross-Over Questions
Question/ Answer/% Correct / TAKS/ TEKS / Question Stem / Vocabulary/ Key Term / Skill/ Concept / Context
8
H
75% / 3
6.12 (A) / Both selections were written to--- / Persuade
Tell
Explain
Provide / Author’s purpose / Cross-over question
Answer choices all begin with purpose verbs.
9
B
91% / 4
6.10 (H) / From information in both selections, the reader can conclude that--- / Conclude
Both / Inferences – conclusion / Use yes/yes – no/no process.
10
F
87% / 3
6.10 (I) / One similarity between the selections is that both --- / Similarity
Both
Show
Mention
Provide
Explain / Similarities across text / Use yes/yes – no/no strategy. All answer choices begin with purpose verbs.
Reading Passage 3: “Striking Out the Guys”
Question/ Answer/% Correct / TAKS/ TEKS / Question Stem / Vocabulary/ Key Term / Skill/ Concept / Context
11
D
74% / 3
6.12 (A) / The author probably wrote this selection to --- / Demonstrate
Convince
Provide
Describe / Author’s purpose / Answer choices begin with purpose verbs.
12
G
93% / 1
6.9 (B) / In paragraph ___, what does the word ___ mean? / Jubilant
Nervous
Excited
Jealous
Surprised / Vocabulary – context clues / Answer choices are adjectives.
Strategy: negative/positive
TAKS Deconstruction - Reading Grade 6
Page five
Question/ Answer/% Correct / TAKS/ TEKS / Question Stem / Vocabulary/ Key Term / Skill/ Concept / Context
13
C
79% / 2
6.12 (G) / According to paragraph ___, [insert place] was a place where--- / --- / Setting – place (inference) / The answer is inferred from clues in the same paragraph.
14
F
86% / 4
6.11 (D) / Which of these is an idea that is present throughout the selection? / Throughout
Consequences
Overcoming
Adjust / Connect an idea across text (theme) / Answers are phrases dealing with theme topics.
15
C
83% / 2
6.12 (F) / In the selection, [insert character] mostly wanted to / Mostly wanted / Characters – motivation / Three answer choices have no textual support.
16
F
69% / 2
6.12 (G) / Why is paragraph ___ important to the selection? / Important
Suspense
Creates
Describes
Introduces / Plot (rising action/suspense) / Answer choices contain key verbs. Three answer choices are false statement.
17
C
77% / 4
6.12 (K) / In paragraph ___, the author creates a mood of--- / Mood
Amusement
Fear
Enthusiasm
Anger / Mood / Use positive/negative strategy.
18
J
69% / 4
6.10 (H) / Based on the information at the end of the selection, the reader can conclude that--- / Conclude / Inferences – conclusion / A prediction should be the next logical thing that is likely to happen (not distant future).
19
B
83% / 3
6.10 (E) / [Insert character] first thought [insert thought] when--- / --- / Text structure – chronology / The answer is explicitly stated in the same paragraph.
20
G
85% / 4
6.11 (C) / Which sentence in the paragraph shows that___? / Obstacles / Support responses / Answer choices are italicized quotes from the selection.
21
C
91% / 1
6.9 (B) / In paragraph ___, the phrase [insert phrase] indicates that [insert character] felt--- / Dreamy
Satisfied
Powerful
Out of place / Vocabulary – analogy / The student must interpret a simile then relate the literal meaning to the answer choices
TAKS Deconstruction - Reading Grade 6
Page six
Question/ Answer/% Correct / TAKS/ TEKS / Question Stem / Vocabulary/ Key Term / Skill/ Concept / Context
22
H
85% / 2
6.12 (F) / The author uses a point of view that helps the reader understand--- / Point of view
Admiration / Characters – point of view / Each answer choice is from a different character’s point of view
Reading Passage 4: “My Trip to Big Bend”
Question/ Answer/% Correct / TAKS/ TEKS / Question Stem / Vocabulary/ Key Term / Skill/ Concept / Context
23
C
97% / 1
6.10 (F) / The question is a supporting detail from the passage. / Javelinas / Supporting detail / The answer is explicitly stated in the same sentence.
24
F
79% / 4
6.12 (K) / What is the narrator’s tone in paragraph ___ of this selection? / Tone
Lighthearted
Enthusiastic
Curious
Emotional / Tone / Answer choices are all adjectives.
25
C
95% / 1
6.10 (F) / Why does the narrator [insert effect] when ___? / Poisonous / Supporting detail – inference / The effect is given. The student must identify the cause, which is implied in the same paragraph.
26
G
78% / 1
6.10 (F) / Paragraphs ___ and ___ are mainly about--- / Mainly about / Main idea / Students must identify the main idea of two paragraphs. Answer choices consist of three supporting details and one main idea.
27
D
88% / 3
6.10 (E) / What makes the narrator feel [insert feeling]? / Uncomfortable
Tarantulas / Text structure – cause and effect / The effect is given. The student must identify the cause.
TAKS Deconstruction - Reading Grade 6
Page seven
Question/ Answer/% Correct / TAKS/ TEKS / Question Stem / Vocabulary/ Key Term / Skill/ Concept / Context
28
G
77% / 4
6.10 (H) / The reader can conclude that the narrator is--- / Conclude
Amused
Observant
Fearful / Inferences - conclusion / Three answer choices are not supported by text.
29
C
86% / 4
6.11 (D) / An idea present throughout this selection is the --- / Idea
Throughout
Variety
Challenges / Connect idea across text / Three answer choices are false statements.
30
H
88% / 4
6.10 (H) / The reader can predict that the narrator will probably --- / Predict / Inference – prediction / Three answer choices are not supported by text.
31
A
87% / 3
6.12 (H) / How doe/does [insert event] influence ___? / Influence
Appreciates
Uniqueness / Point of view / The answer is supported in the same paragraph.
32
H
93% / 1
6.9 (B) / In paragraph ___, the word ___means --- / Transform / Vocabulary – context clues / Context clues “from… to…” indicate change.
Reading Passage 4: “The Case of the Littered Courtyard”
Question/ Answer/% Correct / TAKS/ TEKS / Question Stem / Vocabulary/ Key Term / Skill/ Concept / Context
33
C
88% / 1
6.9 (B) / What words in paragraph ___ help the reader understand what ___ means? / Strewn / Vocabulary – context clues / Answer choices are italicized phrases from the selection.
34
J
75% / 21
6.12 (G) / Why is paragraph ___ important to the story? / Describes
Explains / Plot development – conflict / All answer choices appear in the paragraph. The student must identify why the paragraph is important (critical to conflict).
TAKS Deconstruction - Reading Grade 6
Page eight
Question/ Answer/% Correct / TAKS/ TEKS / Question Stem / Vocabulary/ Key Term / Skill/ Concept / Context
35
A
87% / 2
6.12 (F) / [Insert character] wants [insert want] because / Because / Characters – motivation (cause and effect) / The effect is given. The student must identify the cause.
36
J
97% / 1
6.10 (F) / The question is a supporting detail from the passage. / Jealous / Supporting detail / The answer is explicitly stated in the passage.
37
A
79% / 1
6.10 (G) / Which is the best summary of this story? / Best summary / Summary / Answer choices are in the form of 3-4 sentence paragraphs. Use the Beginning-Middle-End strategy.
38
J
83% / 3
6.10 (L) / Look at the action map and then answer the question that follows. [Insert map.] Which of these would go in the triangle labeled “Turning Point”? / Turning point
Action map / Represent text – graphic organizer (action map)
Climax (turning point) / This whole page question is an action map with problem, event 1, event 2, and a box for turning point. The student must identify the turning point (climax).
39
C
57% / 1
6.9 (F) / In paragraph ___, the word ___ helps give the reader a sense of --- / --- / Vocabulary – denotative and connotative meanings / The student must interpret the literal meaning of a metaphor and then match to a noun.
40
F
75% / 4
6.12 (I) / The author organizes paragraphs ___ through ___ by --- / Organizes
Describing
Comparing
Listing
Explaining / Organization of text – chronological / This question concerns the organizational structure of 3 paragraphs. Answer choices begin with structure verbs.
41
D
76% / 4
6.11 (C) / Which idea from the story best shows that ___? / --- / Support responses / Text support is given as answer choices. The student must identify which answer choice support the given idea.
TAKS Deconstruction - Reading Grade 6
Page nine
Question/ Answer/% Correct / TAKS/ TEKS / Question Stem / Vocabulary/ Key Term / Skill/ Concept / Context
42
J
75% / 2
6.12 (F) / At the end of the story, [insert character] plans to --- / --- / Characters / The answer is supported by the last sentence of the selection.