HSPA Language Arts

HSPA Reading Passage StrategiesHSPA Reading Passage Strategies

Information about how to approach reading passages, and multiple-choice questions….

Kinds of Passages found on the HSPA:

There are two kinds of passages that will be used on the HSPA:

Narrative

Persuasive

HSPA Narrative

Written to tell a story Will establish or develop a conflict Addresses common aspects of the human

experience Provides a positive resolution

Narrative Text

50 minutes Read a story- 4 pages long 10 multiple choice questions 2 open-ended questions

HSPA Persuasive

Writer attempts to sway the reader to a certain point of view

Controversial

Persuasive Text

45 minutes Shorter published text- 2-3 pages 10 multiple choice questions 2 open-ended questions

Pre-Reading Tips:

Read ALL of the questions FIRST (including the open-ended). This will give you a purpose for reading.

Skim and scan any titles, headlines, and sub-headlines, bold and italized words/phrases.

PREDICT: predict what you think may happen or what the story/essay is about BEFORE reading given all of the “clues”.

Narrative Passage Reading Tips:

Narrative passages will be a fiction story or excerpt from a longer fiction story.

While reading try the following tips:– Identify the four elements of fiction: characters, setting,

plot, and theme.– Summarize with one word or phrase the action in the story

by section and/or paragraph. You may write this summary in the margin.

– Question EVERYTHING while reading: Why did the author give this character this name?, Why this location?, Why did the character do that? This helps to make you an active reader.

Persuasive Passage Reading Tips

Persuasive passages will present an author’s point of view .

While reading try the following tips:– Identify the persuasive techniques being used. Question

the information being presented.– Summarize sections/paragraphs with one word or phrase,

in the margins.– Identify author’s purpose for writing/persuading.– Identify the thesis statement and topic statements.

Types of MC Questions

Recognize a theme or central idea Recognize details that support the main idea Make inferences Paraphrase, retell, interpret phrases/

sentences from the text Recognize a purpose Make predictions

Types Continued

Make judgments, form opinions, draw conclusions from text

Use context clues to define vocabulary words Know literary devices

– Similes– Metaphors– Personification– Hyperbole

Multiple Choice Tips

READ the directions FIRST. READ the questions, covering the answer choices and come up with

the answer BEFORE reading the choice options. Select the choice that matches your answer best.

Many answers may seem plausible, and some times there are several answers that are close BUT only one will be the BEST answer.

If you don’t know the answer, then try POE: process of elimination. Eliminate wrong or not possible answers first. Increases the opportunity of choosing the right answer.

Don’t “add” information into the possible answers. Refer back to the reading passage whenever possible. Skip if not sure, go back once you finish the rest. Review your answers once finished.