Common Core State Standards

Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims.

Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing each medium's portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the words).

Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others.

Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas.

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.

Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events).

Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., refined, respectful, polite, diplomatic, condescending).