Literal Reading

CHAPTER 1

LITERAL READING

 

A.    Definition

Comprehension is to

understand what is being said or read. When it comes to reading, it is an active process that must be developed if a learner is to become a proficient reader. Effective reading skill development is further accomplished when the learner becomes proficient in literal, inferential and critical comprehensive reading.
Literal comprehension involves what the author is actually saying. The reader needs to understand ideas and information explicitly stated in the reading material. Some of this information is in the form of recognizing and recalling facts, identifying the main idea, supporting details, categorizing, outlining, and summarizing.

The reader is also locating information, using context clues to supply meaning, following specific directions, following a sequence, identifying stated conclusion, and identifying explicitly stated relationships and organizational patterns. These organizational patterns can include cause and effect as well as comparison and contrast. For example, some questions and activities may include:
a). What words state the main idea of the story?
b). How does the author summarize what she/he is saying?
c). Outline the first paragraph of the story.
d).What happened first, second and last?
e). How are these things alike?

f). How are they different?
g).What things belong together?

B.     Literal Comprehension Questions

Read the lines: recall information stated directly and explicitly in the text.

a.      Recall Character, Setting, or Time Details. Student is asked to recall facts explicitly stated in the text about a character (name, traits, feelings, variables), the setting of the story, or the time the story takes place.

b.      Recall Single Action or Event Details

Student is asked to recall details explicitly stated in the text about a single action or event.

1. What was action or event?

2. How happened?

3. What happened?

c.       Recall List or Sequence

Student is asked to recall a list of items, actions, or events explicitly stated in the text

or the sequence of several actions or events explicitly stated in the text.

1. What items?

2. What actions?

3. What events?

4. What order it happened? First?  Next?

d.      Recall Comparisons

Student is asked to recall likenesses or differences among characters, events, or places that are explicitly compared in the text.

e.       Recall Cause and Effect Relationships

Student is asked to recall reasons for certain actions or events explicitly stated in the text or the results of certain actions or events explicitly stated in the text. This would include character motives.

f.        Recall Main Idea

Student is asked to recall the main idea, theme, or moral of an individual paragraph or entire story that is explicitly stated in the text.

Read the text below and answer the following questions correctly!

Bacon and Wool: Farmer Bob

Farmer Bob was not the smartest man. In fact, he was downright forgetful. He would have forgotten which way to put on his shirt if he could button up the back of a shirt, but his arms didn’t reach that way very easily. So, when it came to his farm, he had trouble remembering what animals were good for. He came up with the surprisingly clever idea to name his animals after what he could get out of them!

His favorite animal was a pig, which he named Bacon. Bacon was his favorite pork product, even more than ribs or pork chops. Every time he saw that fat, pink pig, his mouth started to water, thinking about the delicious breakfasts he would be someday. Bacon was a large and energetic young pig, quick to run and play.

His sheep, he named Wool. It was fuzzy and sloppy-looking, with one ear that drooped. He never seemed to stop chewing grass or being stubborn. He liked to wander through tall grasses, eating the seeds off the top of the grass and the flowers, too. This had the unfortunate side-effect of getting every manner of grass, weed, and burr caught in his wool. It was not attractive.

Farmer Bob had other animals, too. Just like Bacon and Wool, he named them after what they were used for. The cow, he named Cheddar, because she made milk, and cheese came from milk. The horse was named Saddlebags, because he helped carry things. The chicken was named Drumstick, obviously, as that is the most fun part of a chicken to eat, or at least Farmer Bob thought so.

Then there was a goat named Baaaad Boy, because he was horribly troublesome and had a tendency to try to head butt you with his horns. Finally, there was a big ole’ fish in the pond, which he’d named Fillet, because one day, he was going to be just that.

Farmer bob was a hungry and simple man. His animals were anything but simple. If only

he knew the crazy things they could get up to on his farm, he might think of them differently. Would he ever find out?

                                                                        Story by Andrew Frinkle ©HaveFunTeaching.com

1.      Is Farmer Bob works as a Plumber?

2.      How is Farmer Bob like?

3.      Where does he work?

4.      What is his clever idea towards his animals?

5.      What is his favorite animal?

6.      What did he name his favorite animal?

7.      What is Bacon like?

8.      What was Farmer Bob thinking about anytime he saw his fat, pink pig?

9.      What is his sheep name?

10.  How is his sheep like?

11.  What does his sheep like to do?

12.  What does paragraph 3 discuss about?

13.  How did he name his animals?

14.  Why did Farmer Bob name his cow “Cheddar”?

15.  What is the name of Farmer Bob’s horse?

16.  Why did he name his chicken “Drumstick”?

17.  Who is Baaaaad Boy?

18.  How many animals does Farmer Bob have?

19.  What is the topic of the text?

20.  Who is the writer of the story above?

My First Movie!

Becky had never been to a movie before. Sure, she’d seen movies at home on the TV or at a friend’s house, but this was different! She was actually going to the theater to see one. She tried to imagine what it would be like. Mom said it was a really big screen. Dad said there were lots of speakers all around so the sound surrounded you. She wondered what else she would see and hear there. It sounded fun. She did like movies at home, but would this be better?

It was a long ride to the theater, or at least it seemed that way. When they pulled up in the parking lot outside, the place seemed so big! There were lots of posters of movies on the walls outside, all surrounded by bright lights. The smell of popcorn came out through the doors, all buttery and nice as they bought their tickets. Once inside, they stopped at the snack bar for a big bag of popcorn they could share and a large soda with three straws in it. Then they went up a ramp to where a man checked their ticket. Becky could hardly breathe, she was so excited!

They went down a hallway with lots of cool posters and big cardboard advertisements for the newest movies. It was so thrilling. They found their theatre and went in the dark room, going down another short walkway until they saw all of the seats. It was so big inside! There must be hundreds of chairs, she thought. People gathered in, sitting in rows, munching popcorn and chatting before the movie started. The lights dimmed soon after, and the screen came on.

Upcoming movie previews were exciting on such a huge screen! There were a few movies that Becky thought looked like fun. Wow, Mom sure was right. Then the movie started and the theater speakers kicked on. Dad had been right, too! Becky could feel the seats vibrate with the noise. It was an amazing experience. Over an hour later with popcorn gone, soda empty, and the movie over, Becky and her parents left the dark room. It was so bright outside. Becky reluctantly left the theater, wondering when she’d see it next. “Well? Did you like it?” Her parents asked as they got back in the car. “That was awesome. Let’s come here again some time! ” Becky grinned.

                                                                                    Story by Andrew Frinkle © HaveFunTeaching.com

Use the information in the story to answer the questions below!

1. How many times has Becky been to the movies before?

A. Once                                                                  B. Twice

C. Three times                                                        D. Never

2. What do Becky and her parents get from the snack bar?

A. Popcorn and Candy                                           B. Candy and Soda

C. Soda and Popcorn                                             D. Candy and Hot Dogs

3. What was Becky’s first impression of the theater’s movie room?

A. There were so many chairs!                               B. People were so loud.

C. It smelled funny.                                               D. The movie was great.

4. TRUE OR FALSE: Becky’s family did not finish their soda and popcorn.

A. True                                                                   B. False

5. TRUE OR FALSE: Becky wants to go to another movie sometime.

A. True                                                                   B. False

Bacon and Wool: You’re a Baaaad Boy

On Farmer Bob’s farm, every animal had their own personality. Some were adventurous or curious or shy, but only one was troublesome by nature. The goat, perfectly named Baaaad Boy, always seemed to look for trouble. This was different from Bacon and Wool, the duo of a pig and a sheep, that accidently got into trouble.

Baaaad Boy started most days by kicking at his fence.

As soon as he woke up, usually because of Drumstick the rooster’s squawking, he’d start kicking. Usually about once a week he could knock a board out of place and escape. Farmer Bob didn’t want to waste the money on a new fence, so he always fixed the old one after recapturing his mischievous goat.

After a good half hour of kicking at the boards, he’d go eat his food to get his strength up for more trouble. He would comb over the penned area, looking for tasty flowers and anything that wasn’t supposed to be in his yard. He particularly loved to eat paper. Whenever paper blew into his yard, he gobbled it down. Plastic he didn’t eat, but he’d chew it and spit it into a pile just over the fence row, so Farmer Bob would step on it.

Later in the day, Baaaad Boy would try to climb onto his house and making as loud of noises as possible. He had a small shelter he could get into to get out of the wind and rain. He could climb onto the rounded-roof building and bleat his heart out. He enjoyed singing, as he thought of it. All of the other animals in the yard hated his singing and would start shouting at him to be quiet. The ruckus this made was pretty overwhelming!

Before bedtime, Baaaad Boy liked to run around his pen making strange noises, like he’d once heard coyotes make. This startled Drumstick the rooster, and frightened Bacon the pig. The joke made the goofy goat bray with laughter, but the others didn’t much care for his routine. A few more kicks at his fence and stomps on the roof of his house meant it was time to go to sleep. Except, even in his sleep he tended to cry out and make noise. He really was a noisy, troublesome goat!

Story by Andrew Frinkle © HaveFunTeaching.com

Use the information in the story to answer the questions below!

6. Which of these characters is NOT mentioned in the story?

A. Bacon the pig                                                    B. Wool the sheep

C. Cheddar the cow                                               D. Farmer Bob

7. Which two animals accidentally get into trouble sometimes?

A. Baaaad Boy and Bacon                                                 B. Bacon and Wool

C. Cheddar and Wool                                            D. Bad Boy and Wool

8. What does Bad Boy do first when he wakes up?

A. He eats.                                                              B. He kicks at his fence.

C. He sings from the roof of his shelter.                D. He makes coyote noises.

9. Which of these does Bad Boy NOT do?

A. He chews on the tractor tires.                            B. He kicks at his fence.

C. He sings from the roof of his shelter.                D. He makes coyote noises.

10. How does the goat bother everyone even when he sleeps?

A. He meows when sleeping.

B. He cries out and makes noises in his sleep.

C. He snores loudly.

D. He wakes up early and bothers people.

Reference:

Frinkle.A. 2013. My First Movie. (Online), http://files.havefunteaching.com/free-worksheets/reading-comprehension/my-first-movie-third-grade-reading-comprehension-worksheet.pdf. Retrieved September 5, 2014

Frinkle.A. 2013. Bacon and Wool: You’re a Baaaad Boy.  (Online), http://files.havefunteaching.com/free-worksheets/reading-comprehension/bacon-and-wool-collection-third-grade-reading-comprehension-worksheets.pdf   retrived September 5, 2014

N.N. N.D. Literal, Inferential and Critical Comprehensive Reading. (Online),
http://hutura.hubpages.com/hub/Literal-Inferential-and-Critical-Comprehensive-Reading. Retrieved Sept 1, 2014