MTEL Communication and Literacy Skills Flashcards

Which of the following best describes the purpose of a topic sentence in a body paragraph?

Answer: To introduce the main idea of the paragraph

A topic sentence states the central idea of its paragraph, orienting readers to what that paragraph will discuss.

A passage states: 'Enrollment dropped sharply after the policy change; however, test scores rose significantly.' What is the relationship between the two clauses?

Answer: Contrast

'However' signals a contrast between the enrollment decline and the rise in test scores.

Which punctuation correctly sets off a nonrestrictive (nonessential) clause?

Answer: Commas

Nonrestrictive clauses, which provide extra information not essential to the sentence's meaning, are set off with commas.

A candidate reads: 'The results were not inconclusive.' What does this double negative communicate?

Answer: The results were definitive

Two negatives ('not' and 'in-') cancel each other, making the statement mean the results were conclusive (definitive).

Which sentence uses parallel structure correctly?

Answer: She likes hiking, swimming, and running.

Parallel structure requires that items in a series use the same grammatical form; 'hiking, swimming, and running' are all gerunds.

In reading comprehension, what does 'drawing a conclusion' primarily require?

Answer: Combining stated information with logical reasoning

Drawing a conclusion involves synthesizing textual evidence with the reader's reasoning to arrive at a judgment not directly stated.

Which word is an example of a Latin root meaning 'to carry'?

Answer: Port

The Latin root 'port' means 'to carry,' as seen in words like 'transport,' 'portable,' and 'export.'