Responding to Open-Ended Text Dependent Questions

RESPONDING TO TEXT DEPENDENT QUESTIONS How to answer questions like a high school student. By SHANNON VESSELL IMPORTANT ACADEMIC VOCABULARY A Text: a book or other written or printed work The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell is the last text that we read as a class. Evidence: something which shows that something else exists or is true In literature, this is in the form of a quote from a selected text Text Dependent Question: Can only be answered with evidence (a quote) from the text Cite: quote (a passage, book, or author) as evidence for an argument or statement MLA Format: stands for Modern Language Association; a style of writing that we use in English class STEP 1: DISSECT THE QUESTION (WHAT IS IT ASKING?) Questions to ask yourself Sample Question Rainsford is a man of logic. Give evidence from the story of Rainsford using reason to get himself out of a

What is this question/prompt asking me to do? This prompt wants me to find evidence to prove that Rainsford uses logic to get out of difficult situations. What difficult situations has he been in? Well, he fell off a boat, he was held at gunpoint, and he was involuntarily involved in a hunting game that held his life on the line but thats a lot to write about!! I think Ill stick with the boat. How did he get out of these situations? In which situation did he use logic? He used logic in all of these situations, but after falling off the boat, he remained calm and swam to safety. Where (what page) can I look on to find evidence to support my answer? I remember he fell off the boat near the beginning of the story that should be around page 15. Let me go back and check. STEP 2: FIND THE EVIDENCE (WHERE DID THIS HAPPEN IN THE STORY? GO AHEAD AND SET IT UP IN MLA FORMAT) Page numb er Quotes form the text I could use in my response Sample Question A certain coolheadedness had come to him; it was not the first Rainsford is a time he had been in a tight place. There was a chance that his man of logic. cries could be heard by someone aboard the yacht, but that ks r a Give evidence chance was slender and grew more slender as the yacht raced M n himself out of his clothes and shouted with all his on. He wrestled from the story o i

atlights of the yacht became faint and ever-vanishing t power. The of Rainsford o u fireflies;Q then they were blotted out entirely by the night (15). using reason to get himself out of a difficult Rainsford remembered the shots. They had come from the right, My Position situation. and doggedly he swam in that direction, swimming with slow Rainsford uses logic Period deliberate strokes, conserving his strength (15). swim to remain calm and swim to safety after falling off his yacht. Where there are pistol shots, there are men. Where there are men, there is food (16). STEP 3: ANALYZE THE EVIDENCE (HOW DOES MY EVIDENCE PROVE MY POSITION? WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT?) How can I make this more manageable? Sample Question A certain coolheadedness had come to him; it was not the first I canhe chop one smaller parts andwas paraphrase the

rest: Rainsford is a time hadthis been ininto a tight place. There a chance that his man of logic. cries could be heard by someone aboard the yacht, but that a certain had come to him (15). Give evidence After realizing hecoolheadedness would notmore be saved by Whitney the chance was slender and grew slender as the yachtor raced on. He on wrestled himself out of his clothes andinshouted with all of

his from the story crew the yacht, started the direction wrestledhe himself out ofto hisswim clothes (15). power. The lights of the yacht became faint and ever-vanishing of Rainsford These quotes are the gunshotshoping to find friendly people. fireflies; then they were blotted out entirely by the night (15). WAY too long, to Ill using reason have to shorten get himself out Falling yacht to into an ocean can a pretty stressful Whats I canoff useaellipses shorten this one to be make it flow better: ofthem. a difficult Rainsford

remembered thethe shots. had come from the right, My Position most important? situation. Rainsford handled itThey likedoggedly a champ. Thisin quote the shotshad come from right, and he swam that situation. and doggedly hewith swam indeliberate that direction, swimming with slow Rainsford uses logic direction, swimming slow, strokes, conserving his strength talks about how he did not

freak out when he fell into the deliberate strokes, conserving his strength (15). swim to remain (15). calm and swim to safety after falling off his yacht. water, instead he realized he was not going to be saved and dealt with the situation the best way he knew how Where there are shots, men. Where there are taking his pistol clothes off there so heare wouldnt drown. men, there is food (16). STEP 4: PUT IT ALL TOGETHER (HOW CAN I PUT IT ALL TOGETHER TO MAKE IT FLOW? DOES IT COMPLETELY ANSWER THE QUESTION?) Sample Question Rainsford is a man of logic. Give evidence from the story of Rainsford using reason to get himself out of a difficult situation.

Sample Answer When Rainsford falls from the yacht, he quickly realizes that he cannot get back to the yacht. Instead of freaking out, it is in this moment that a certain coolheadedness had come to him (15). He remembers that he has been in tougher situations before, so he calms down and uses reason to think through his situation. He wrestled himself out of his clothes (15) so the weight of his clothes would not cause him to drown, and then he starts to shout for help; when he realizes that no one can hear his cries to help him, he remembers the shotshad come from the right, and doggedly he swam in that direction, swimming with slow, deliberate strokes, conserving his strength (15). Once he reaches the island, he goes to sleep and later realizes where there are pistol shots, there are men. Where there are men, there is food CHECKLIST: QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF Did you remember to use evidence from the text to support your answer? Where is your evidence? What Did you quote the text? What specific word or phrase can you use from the text to support your opinion? Its your turn!!!