English Vocabulary for EOC Released Questions CREATED BY

English Vocabulary for EOC Released Questions CREATED BY: STEPHANIE SUTHERLAND ENGLISH I INSTRUCTOR CADDO MILLS HIGH SCHOOL

English Terms These terms are likely to show up on the English I Reading portion of the STAAR EOC.

Characteristic A feature or quality belonging typically to a person, place, or thing and serving to identify it. Characteristics may be physical or may describe the object's nature Generosity is his chief characteristic.

Convey To make an idea known or understandable to someone On the EOC, you will see questions that ask: “What message does the author convey in the passage? ” “How does the author convey to the reader that. . ” This is shown by. . . You are able to understand this by. . .

Dialogue Conversation between characters in a literary work. Dialogue can contribute to characterization, create mood, advance the plot, and develop theme.

Evidence Support for a claim or argument. Evidence comes from the original text in order to prove or back up the statement. On the EOC, you will see questions that ask you to, “Explain your answer and support it with evidence from the selection. ” This is supported by: . . . For example, . . . “_____” is evidence that. . .

Cited To quote (a passage, book, or author) as evidence for or justification of an argument or statement, especially in a scholarly work When using text evidence, you are citing the passage.

Narrative Writing or speech that tells a story. The story is told by a narrator and can take the form of a novel, an essay, a poem, or a short story.

Melodrama (Melodramatic) Exaggerated, sensationalized, or overemotional texts. Often appeal to emotions or express dramatic emotions. The man and woman are both being melodramatic.

Persuasive A type of speech or writing, usually nonfiction, that attempts to convince an audience to think or act in a particular way.

Metaphor A figure of speech that compares or equates two seemingly unlike things. In contrast to a simile, a metaphor implies the comparison instead of stating it directly. There is no use of connectives such as “like” or “as. ” The simplest form of metaphor is: "The [first thing] is a [second thing]. " Life is a winding road.

Excerpt An excerpt is a passage or segment taken from a text. The length of an excerpt may be a phrase, a sentence, a paragraph, or an entire chapter. Below is a short excerpt from the preamble.

Plot The sequence of events in a story, play, or narrative poem. Revolves around a central conflict, faced by the main characters.

Point of View The standpoint, or perspective, from which a story is told. First-Person: The narrator is a character in the story and refers to as “I. ” All stories are told by a narrator, and who that narrator is affects the point of view. Third-Person: The narrator is someone who stands outside the story and refers to characters as “he” or she. ”

Protagonist/Antagonist Protagonist – The central character in a narrative literary work, around whom the main conflict revolves. Generally, the reader or audience is meant to sympathize with the protagonist who usually changes after the climax of the story. Antagonist – A person or force in society or nature that opposes the protagonist. Generally, the reader is meant NOT to sympathize with the antagonist

Simile A figure of speech that uses “like” or “as” to compare two seemingly unlike things. Smart as an owl. Quiet like a mouse. Cool as a cucumber. Swim like a fish. Solid as a rock.

Symbolic Imagery Any object, person, place, or experience that exists on a literal level but is also intended to symbolize something else, usually something abstract. In O. Henry’s story “The Gift of the Magi, ” Della’s hair is the symbol of her beauty.

Character Foil When a character is portrayed as opposite of another character in a particular way. By putting the two characters next to each other, the different characteristic is emphasized. In Shrek, the donkey and Shrek are two very different types of characters.

Tone An author’s attitude toward his or her subject matter. Tone is conveyed through elements of style, including word choice. A writer’s tone may convey a variety of attitudes, such as sympathy or humor. Margaret Atwood employs an ironic tone in “Waiting. ”

Achieve Verb To get or attain by effort To gain To obtain If you study and practice, you will achieve success on your EOC.

Containing Verb To restrain or keep within limits To hold or have within A jar containing cookies sits on my grandmother’s counter.

Amid Preposition It was hard to hear amid all the cheering. In or into the middle of Synonyms: surrounded by, through, between Antonyms: from, out of

Cautionary Adjective Warning or admonishment Synonyms: warning, advisory, counseling “Little Red Riding Hood” is a cautionary tale reminding children to listen to their parents.

Emphasize (Emphasis) Verb To place stress on or to show as important Synonyms: accent, illuminate, feature, press Antonyms: play down, de -emphasize The teacher emphasized the importance of doing well on the EOC.

Conflicting Opinions Noun Two or more points of view in opposition to one another. If one conflicting opinion is true, the other can note be true. The students had conflicting opinions about whether chocolate is the best flavor of ice cream.

Eager Adjective Marked by enthusiastic desire or interest; impatient excitement Synonyms: excited, impatient, antsy Antonyms: hesitant, reluctant, unenthusiastic He was eager for Friday to come.

Displaying Verb To make evident or to show Synonyms: expose, produce, lay out Antonyms: hide, cover, conceal, camouflage The characters were displaying a number of emotions.

Enhance Verb To increase or improve in value, quality, or attractiveness Synonyms: improve, help, upgrade Antonym: worsen The image enhanced the students’ understanding of the passage.

Ideal Adjective Being characteristically without flaw, usually only existing in theory or imagination. Synonyms: visionary, perfected, unsurpassed Antonyms: faulty, defective It was an ideal spot for vacation.

Evoke Verb to bring to mind or recollection Synonym: elicit, raise His photographs evoke the isolation and solitude of the desert.

Imply Verb To express, suggest, or show something without stating it directly Synonyms: conclude, deduce, reason, gather My dad’s gruff manner implied he was in a foul mood.

Phony Adjective He tried to pay with phony money. Not genuine, intended to deceive or mislead. Synonyms: false, counterfeit, bogus Antonyms: authentic, genuine, real

Optimistic Adjective Characterized by an inclination to expect the best possible outcome Synonyms: idealistic, hopeful Antonyms: despairing, hopeless, pessimistic An optimistic person would say this glass is half full.

Intended Adjective Expected to be such in the future Synonyms: deliberate, intentional, purposeful Antonym: unintentional Stephenie Meyer intended for teens to read her books.

Obtaining Verb The information may be challenging to obtain. to gain or attain usually by planned action or effort Synonyms: acquire, come by, get

Pessimistic Adjective Characterized by an inclination to expect the worst possible outcome Synonyms: defeatist, downbeat, hopeless Antonyms: hopeful, optimistic, upbeat A pessimistic person would say this glass is half empty.

Indicate Verb The map indicates where the treasure is buried. To point something out or to present evidence Synonyms: denote, point to, tell of

Primarily Adverb Ketchup is primarily made from tomatoes. For the most part, in the first place. Synonyms: firstly, initially, originally, mainly

Rational Adjective Having reason or understanding Synonyms: reasonable, reasoning, thinking Antonyms: irrational, unreasonable There was a rational reason for the creaking sound in the house. The dog was walking up the squeaky stairs.

Reveal Verb To make something (secret or hidden) publically or generally known. Synonyms: disclose, uncover, tell, expose Antonyms: cover up, hide, conceal The expression on her face revealed how she felt.

Upheaval Noun Extreme agitation or disorder, radical change Synonyms: convulsion, uproar, uproot The civil rights movement marked a period of social upheaval in the U. S.

Suggests Verb Your teacher suggests you study for the EOC. To mention or imply as a possibility, to call to mind by thought or association Synonyms: hint, insinuate, indicate

Assumption Noun A belief or statement taken for granted without actual proof Synonyms: hypothesis, assuming, belief Antonyms: doubt, unexpected We made an assumption that the candy was for us; actually, it was for a party for the teachers.

Tendency Noun Grace has a tendency to drop things. A proneness to a particular kind of thought or action Synonym: trend

Various Adjective Of differing kinds, having a number of different aspects or characteristics Synonyms: varied, different Antonyms: one of a kind, unique, singular He has lived in places as various as New York City and Caddo Mills.

Sources Used WILHELM, JEFFREY D. LITERATURE TEXAS TREASURES COURSE 4. COLUMBUS , OH: MCGRAW HILL/GLENCOE, 2011. PRINT. DICTIONARY AND THESAURUS - MERRIAMWEBSTER ONLINE. WEB. 07 FEB. 2012. <HTTP: //WWW. MERRIAM-WEBSTER. COM/>.