Here are some key strategies for analyzing passage organization: - Note how paragraphs, sentences and ideas are connected - Pay attention to transitions and linking words - Identify the overall structure - is it chronological, compare/contrast, problem/solution etc. - Consider the purpose or main point of each section - Verify answer choices by finding evidence in the text rather than relying on memory - Ask yourself how each organizational element relates to the author's perspective Thoroughly analyzing passage organization can help you better understand the author's message and reasoning.

2. Objectives
O Define the Content Focus of the Fall 2011 and
Spring 2012 Reading Retake FCAT 2.0.
O Define the importance of learning and
executing effective Test Taking Strategies and
behaviors.
O Demonstrate the ability to use the test taking
strategy, PIRATES and/or appropriate
strategies for answering Multiple Choice
Questions on the Retake FCAT 2.0.

3. About the Test
O FCAT 2.0 measures student achievement of the
Next Generation Sunshine State Standards
(NGSSS) in Reading.
O Students who were in grade 10 and entered grade
9 in the 2009-10 school year were expected to
score 1926 (FCAT Equivalent Score) or above in
Reading for graduation purposes. (2011)
O In January 2012, the State Board of Education will
approve the final FCAT 2.0 Achievement Levels
(NEW cut scores) required for graduation
purposes.

4. Content
O In 2011 the Content Focus for the Spring FCAT
Reading Retake was aligned with the 1996 Sunshine
State Standards (SSS) and divided into 4 Clusters.
The NEW Reporting Categories are:
1. Vocabulary (15% - 25%)
2. Reading Application (20% - 30%)
3. Literary Analysis: Fiction and Nonfiction (20% - 30%)
4. Informational Text/Research Process. (25% - 35%)

5. Reporting Category 1.
Vocabulary
NGSSS Content Focus Points
Benchmark Possible
LA.910.1.6.3 Context Clues 5
LA.910.1.6.8 Analyze Words/Phrases 2
LA.910.1.6.9 Multiple Meanings 1
Includes: Reporting Category Point Total 8
10.1.6.7,
1.6.11

6. Reporting Category 2.
Reading Application
NGSSS Content Focus Points
Benchmark Possible
LA.910.1.7.2 Author's Purpose 1
LA.910.1.7.3 Conclusions/inferences; Main 9
Idea; Relevant Details
LA.910.1.7.4 Cause and effect 1
LA.910.1.7.5 Test Structure/Organizational 1
Patterns
LA.910.1.7.7 Compare; Contrast 2
Reporting Category Point Total 14

7. Category 3. Literary Analysis:
Fiction and Nonfiction
NGSSS Content Focus Points
Benchmark Possible
LA.910.2.1.5 Character development; Plot 2
development
LA.910.2.1.7 Descriptive language; Figurative 9
language
Includes: Reporting Category Point Total 11
10.2.2.1

8. Category 4. Informational
Text/Research Process
NGSSS Content Focus Points
Benchmark Possible
LA.910.6.1.1 Text features 1
LA.910.6.2.2 Analyze and evaluate 11
information; Determine the
validity and reliability of
information; Synthesize
information
Reporting Category Point Total 12

9. Test Taking Strategies

10. Step 1
repare to Succeed
O P: Put PIRATES on the test.
O A: Allot time and prioritize test
sections.
O S: Say something positive.
O S: Start within two minutes.

11. Step 2
Inspect the instructions
O R: Read all the instructions
carefully.
O U: Underline what to do and
where to do it.
O N: Note any special requirements

12. Step 3
Read, Remember, Reduce
O READ the whole question. Even
if you think you know the answer,
there may be a better alternative.
O REMEMBER it with memory
strategies.
O REDUCE your alternatives.

13. Step 4
Answer or Abandon
O If you know the answer, answer the
question. Answer the easy
questions 1st.
O If you are not sure, abandon it for a
moment. Try not to get stuck on
any hard questions. You will waste
time and feel anxious. Go back to
the harder ones later.

14. Step 5
Turn Back
O Turn back to abandoned
items at the end of the test
(use the ACE guessing
techniques in Step 6)
O Tell yourself to earn more
points.

15. Step 6
Estimate
O Avoid absolutes (e.g. “all”). Be alert for
grammatical inconsistencies between the
question and the potential answers.
O Choose the answer options most likely to be
correct. This helps you take your „best guess‟.
O Eliminate obviously incorrect answers 1st.
If two alternatives are similar, one is likely to be
correct; choose the best but eliminate choices
that mean basically the same thing, and thus
cancel each other out.

16. Step 7
Survey
O Survey the test.
O Don’t leave any questions
unanswered.
O Always make „calculated‟ guesses.
O Switch answers only if you are sure
they are wrong. In most cases your
intuition is correct.

17. You Have Time
Do not be disturbed about other
students finishing before you do.
Take your time, don‟t panic, and
you will do much better on the
test.

18. Keep it Neat and Complete
REMEMBER - your answer booklet should
be neat and complete.
1. Erase stray marks on the answer
booklet.
2. Make sure you completely bubbled in
all answers. (No “donut” holes).
3. Check that you‟ve answered every
question.

19. Preparing for the Exam
1. Review key FCAT Terms.
2. Read and practice answering “Released
Tests” for your grade level. (Reading Grade
10). Go to the Florida Department of
Education‟s Official Website and download
the test to your computer. Work your way
through it.
3. Focus on the types of “Sample Questions”
you have the most difficulty with.
4. Practice “as if”. When studying, DO NOT
use highlighters, pens, or listen to music.
Simulate the required testing behaviors.

20. What to Do (and not to do)
the Night Before
O Do get plenty of rest.
O Do hydrate; drink plenty of water.
O Do eat or drink a protein rich meal for
breakfast the day of the test (eggs, nuts,
yogurt, protein shake).
O Do not overeat. It will make you drowsy.
O Do not drink coffee or an energy drink as they
may make you jittery or cause a headache.
Try green tea instead.
O Do stretch, take a few deep breaths or light –
moderate exercise to relieve stress.

21. Activity 1
What are some examples of
Context Clues?
O With a partner, generate a list of 4 – 6 types of
context clues that can be used to help you
understand difficult vocabulary words in context.
O Share your ideas with the whole group.
REVIEW HOW TO USE THEM RETURN

22. Using Context Clues
O AVOID following your 1st impulse. Do not
choose the answer that you immediately
recognize because you are already
familiar with the definition of a word.
O RETURN to the passage, find where the
word is used, and REREAD that particular
section – mentally replacing the answer
choice you‟ve chosen for the word being
asked about.
Go to the example

23. Using Context Clues, cont.
Example:
A passage states: “He was notorious for making
decisions on the spur of the moment…”
Question: Which of the following words, if substituted
for the word “notorious” would introduce the LEAST
change in the meaning of the sentence?
A. evil
B. disturbed
C. famous
D. despised
RETURN

24. Six Types of Context Clues
1. Definition
2. Example-Illustration
3. Contrast
4. Logic
5. Root Words and Affixes
6. Grammar
RETURN

25. Definition
O Readers use the definition in the
sentence to understand the unknown
Sample sentence:
Some spiders spin silk with tiny organs
called spinnerets.
RETURN

26. Example-Illustration
O Readers use an example or illustration to
understand the unknown word
Sample sentence:
Toads, frogs, and some birds are predators
that hunt and eat spiders.
RETURN

27. Contrast
O Readers understand the unknown word
because it is compared or contrasted with
another word in the sentence
Sample sentence:
Most spiders live for about one year, but
tarantulas sometimes live for 20 years or more!
RETURN

28. Logic
O Readers think about the rest of the
sentence to understand the unknown
word.
Sample sentence:
An exoskeleton acts like a suit of armor to
protect the spider.
RETURN

29. Root Words and Affixes
O Readers use their knowledge of root
words and affixes to figure out the
unknown word.
Sample sentence:
People who are terrified of spiders have
arachnophobia
RETURN

30. Grammar
O Readers use the word‟s function in the
sentence or its part of speech to figure out
the unknown word.
Sample sentence:
Most spiders molt five to ten times.
RETURN

31. Emotional Words
O Find words in the passage that are adjectives describing
emotions.
O One strategy is to sort the words by (-) and (+).
O Another strategy is to look throughout the passage for attitude
words that might convey a positive or negative attitude.
Example:
Question: The author‟s attitude on this topic is best described as:
A. indignation
B. eagerness
C. impartiality
D. fear
Finding Key Words RETURN

32. Finding Key words
O Key words will be nouns or verbs in the question or
answer choices.
O Scan through the passage quickly looking for either those
key words to be repeated in the passage, or their
synonyms to appear in the passage.
O Be sure that you reread the answer choice and consider
the context that it is in.
O Always try to connect the question to the right words in
the passage that will allow you to save time in finding the
right part of the passage to look in for the answer and will
give you the key to the correct answer choice.
RETURN

33. Analyze Words/Text
Sample 1
The sample item below is based on “Woman with
Flower/Offspring” on page H–12.
Read these lines from “Woman with Flower.”
The leaf’s inclined to find its own direction;
Give it a chance to seek the sunlight for itself.
Based on the rest of the poem, which sentence best
restates the meaning of the lines above?
A. The leaf isolates itself from other leaves.
B. The leaf wants to create its own illusions.
C. The leaf prefers to seek its own destination.
D. The leaf avoids previously established paths.
Next page

34. Word Relationships
Sample 2
Sample Question for Grade 10
The sample item below is based on “Woman
with Flower/Offspring” on page H–12.
Which phrase best describes both the gardener
in “Woman with Flower” and the speaker of
“Offspring”?
A. devoted, but anxious
B. distressed, but cautious
C. attentive, but impractical
D. industrious, but indecisive RETURN

35. Multiple Meanings
Sample 1: Sample Question for Grade 10
The sample item below is based on “Woman with
Flower/Offspring” on page H–12.
Read these lines from “Woman with Flower.”
The leaf’s inclined to find its own direction;
Give it a chance to seek the sunlight for itself.
In the lines above, what does the word inclined reveal
about the leaf ?
A. The leaf grows at an angle to find its own direction.
B. The leaf bends down to find its own direction.
C. The leaf hesitates to find its own direction.
D. The leaf prefers to find its own direction.
Next page

36. Multiple Meanings
Sample 2: Sample Question for Grade 10
The sample item below is based on “Quest-4 Cell Phone” on page H–13.
Read this excerpt from the User Manual.
To obtain a WEEK VIEW mode when in MONTH VIEW mode, simply
highlight any day in the desired week and choose WEEK at the bottom left
side of the display.
In which sentence does mode have the same meaning as used in the excerpt
above?
A. She reacted to the change in the mode of the teacher‟s voice.
B. The instructor asked the students to find the mode of a set of numbers.
C. She switched the computer‟s application from keyboard to voice mode.
D. The subway is her favorite mode of transportation when she visits the city.
RETURN

37. Getting into the
Author’s Mind
A number of questions become much easier when you place yourself into
the mind of the author of the passage. Ask yourself a few different
questions:
O “Why did the author write this passage?”
O “What was the author trying to say?”
O What angle is the author taking?”
O “What is the single most important point the author is trying to make?”
Strategy: Put yourself in the shoes of the author and imagine that you
wrote the passage and try to identify what you were trying to describe and
how you were trying to describe it.
GO TO Sample Question for Grade 10 RETURN

38. Author’s Purpose
Sample 1: Sample Question for Grade 10
The sample item below is based on “Walking” on page
H–9.
What was the author‟s purpose in writing this passage?
to relate an outdoor walking experience
B. to emphasize the importance of observing nature
C. to describe some of the changes that occur in nature
D. to illustrate the interdependence among plants and
animals
Next Sample

39. Author’s Perspective
Sample 2: Sample Question for Grade 10
The sample item below is based on “Cutting Off the
World‟s Roof ” on page H–15.
The author of this article would most likely make the
statement that mountains must
A. move with Earth‟s crust.
B. crumble when faults occur.
C. yield to the forces of nature.
D. sink under their own weight.
RETURN

40. Conclusions/Inferences
Sample 1: Sample Question for Grade 10
The sample item below is based on “Cutting Off
the World‟s Roof ” on page H–15.
From reading the article, the reader can infer
that the “world‟s roof ” will
A. be avoided by adventure seekers.
B. increase in elevation in the future.
C. continue to be studied by geologists.
D. be affected by major fault movements.
Next Sample

41. Relevant Details
Sample 2: Sample Question for Grade 10
The sample item below is based on “Walking”
on page H–9.
According to the passage, the language of the
Earth is
A. visible and audible.
B. silent and indescribable.
C. heard at certain times of the year.
D. learned through studying sunflowers.
Next Sample

42. Conclusions/Inferences
Sample 3: Sample Question for Grade 10
The sample item below is based on “Walking” on page H–9.
Based on the passage, which action will the narrator most likely
take in the future?
A. She will transplant the lonely sunflower to a place with fertile soil.
B. She will collect seeds from the sunflowers along the unpaved
road.
C. She will return to the spot where the sunflower bloomed in the
spring.
D. She will explore a new walking path where numerous sunflowers
grow.
RETURN

43. Cause and Effect
Sample 1: Sample Question for Grade 10
The sample item below is based on “Cutting Off
the World‟s Roof ” on page H–15.
What caused Nicholas Brozovic´ and his fellow
geologists to first believe that glaciers influence
the height of mountain ranges?
A. models of mountain terrain
B. analysis of prominent features
C. pictures of Himalayan summits
D. measurements of various elevations
RETURN

44. Breaking Down Passage
Organization
In trying to understand the author‟s perspective, you will sometimes be
asked about how the passage is organized
O Note how the opening sentence in a passage or paragraph relates to
the rest of the passage
O As you go through the answer choices for these organization problems,
quiz yourself on each answer choice
A. He provides an example – Ask yourself, is there an example in the
question? Don‟t work exclusively from your memory. Make sure you can go
back and actually find the example in the passage.
B. He makes a comparison – Ask yourself, is there a comparison in the
question? Again, go back to the passage and actually find the comparison
being made and verify that it exists.
C. He makes an acknowledgement – Ask yourself, where is the
acknowledgement made and to whom?
D. He discusses a theory – Ask yourself, which theory is being discussed?
RETURN

45. Text Structures/
Organizational Patterns
Sample Question for Grade 10
The sample item below is based on "Cutting Off the World’s Roof "
on page H–15.
How does Ken Howard organize the article "Cutting Off the
World’s Roof "?
A, He writes mainly about his personal experiences.
B. He describes differences between several theories.
C. He answers questions about different mountain ranges.
D. He persuades readers to accept one theory over another.
Go to Breaking Down Passage Organization RETURN

46. Contrast
Sample 1: Sample Question for Grade 10
The sample item below is based on “Quest-4 Cell Phone” on
page H–13.
The “SYMBOLS” chart is different from the other text
features in the User Manual because it
A. lists events in order of importance.
B. illustrates how to input calendar dates.
C. provides a key for categories of calendar entries.
D. clarifies the operating instructions of the cell phone.
RETURN Next Sample

47. Contrast
Sample 2: Sample Question for Grade 10
The sample item below is based on “Woman
with Flower/Offspring” on page H–12.
In “Offspring,” the images of nature in the first
stanza differ from those in the second stanza. In
the first stanza, the images
A. are realistic.
B. are extraordinary.
C. refer primarily to the speaker.
D. show the daughter‟s dependence.
RETURN

48. Theme
Sample Question for Grade 10
The sample item below is based on “Woman with
Flower/Offspring” on page H–12.
Which line from the poem “Woman with Flower” most
clearly reveals its theme?
A. “I wouldn‟t coax the plant if I were you.”
B. “And wait until it‟s dry before you water it.”
C. “Much growth is stunted by too careful prodding,”
D. “The things we love we have to learn to leave alone.”
RETURN

49. Figurative Language
Sample Question for Grade 10
The sample item below is based on “Walking” on page H–9.
Read this sentence from the passage.
It was a green and sleeping bud, raising itself toward the sun.
What literary device does the writer use in the sentence above?
A. metaphor, comparing the sunflower to a tired child
B. hyperbole, exaggerating the fast growth of the sunflower
C. personification, portraying the sunflower as a person waking up
D. symbolism, representing the season of spring as a sunflower
plant
RETURN

50. Text Features
Sample Question for Grade 10
The sample item below is based on “Quest-4 Cell
Phone” on page H–13.
The use of bold-print words throughout the User
Manual helps the reader to
A, locate the required selections.
B. categorize the individual tasks.
C. identify the important information.
D. understand the necessary functions.
RETURN

51. Determine the Validity and
Reliability of Information
Sample Question for Grade 10
The sample item below is based on “Cutting Off the World‟s Roof ”
on page H–15.
What is the strongest evidence in support of the glacial erosion
theory?
A. The tallest mountains are those closest to the equator.
B. The faults are forty miles long and several miles deep.
C. Angles of mountain slopes increase below the snow line.
D. Rocks of similar ages appear at different heights and locations.
RETURN