Closely Reading Nonfiction
Closely Reading Nonfiction
To read closely, remember SQ3R—Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review.
Survey, question, and read.
Use these instructions to closely read the following essay. Make a copy of this Google doc or download a Word template.
- Survey the text: Highlight the title, author, and headings.
- Question the topic and purpose: Write comments on the document.
- Read the text: Underline the focus statement and topic sentences.
Listen to "What Does the Fox Say?"
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Recite and review.
Answer the following questions about the essay on animal idioms.
- What topic does the essay describe?
The essay describes animal idioms—sayings that do not mean what they seem. These idioms relate to cats, dogs, and ducks.
- Write down the focus statement (the sentence that names the topic).
Many languages have animal idioms.
- Write down the topic sentence about cat idioms.
Cats often have their own sayings.
- Write your favorite cat idiom (a detail that supports this topic sentence).
(Answers will vary.) “a cat’s forehead,” “the cat will come to the smallest door,” “he who doesn’t have a dog hunts with a cat.”
- What is the duck idiom from Britain? What does it mean?
“Ducky” means that something is excellent or well suited.
- Use your imagination to come up with a “people idiom” that animals could say about us. Think from the point of view of an animal and come up with a clever saying. Explain what your idiom means.
(Answers will vary.) Dogs might say someone “knows doorknob magic” meaning the person can open doors. Cats might say a person sitting at a desk is “lap impaired.”