Text structure refers to how the information within a written text is organized. Learning how a a text is structured helps students understand how a text might present the main idea and details. The most common types of text structures are: Description/Spatial, Problem/Solution, Cause and Effect, Compare/ Contrast, Chronological Order
Directions: Read all 15 passages and on a separate sheet of paper…
1. Write one sentence explaining the main idea of the text.
2. Create a title for the passage related to the main idea.
3. State the text structure.
1. Write one sentence explaining the main idea of the text.
2. Create a title for the passage related to the main idea.
3. State the text structure.
- Description or Spatial – It is the method of organizing content such that the details are described in the order of their location in space. (key words: for instance, for example, such as, to illustrate, most important, in addition, another, furthermore, first, second..., also, to begin with, and may use many prepositions)
- Problem & Solution – The author will present a problem that needs to be solved. (key words: problem, the question is, a solution,, one answer is)
- Cause & Effect – A text that is based off a cause and effect scenario, such as listing the causes and effects of endangered animals. (key words: because, since, this led to...so, nevertheless, for this reason)
- Compare and Contrast – A text that compares and contrasts two subjects, such as alligators and crocodiles or Spanish and Italian origins. (key words: but, however, instead of, similar to, same as, different from)
- Chronological Order – Chronological order is the order in which things happen. It is also called time order. (key words: next, first...second, then, after, before, initially)
1. The surface of the Earth is divided into pieces called “tectonic plates.” These plates move. When the plates rub against each other, they do not move smoothly. When the plates do not move smoothly, earthquakes result. Some parts of the world get more earthquakes than other parts. The parts of the earth that get most earthquakes are near the edges of these plates.
2. All matter, all things can be changed in two ways: chemically and physically. Both chemical and physical changes affect the state of matter. Physical changes are those that do not change the make-up or identity of the matter. For example, clay will bend or flatten if squeezed, but it will still be clay. Changing the shape of clay is a physical change, and does not change the matter’s identity. Chemical changes turn the matter into a new kind of matter with different properties. For example, when paper is burnt, it becomes ash and will never be paper again. The difference between them is that physical changes are temporary or only last for a little while, and chemical changes are permanent, which means they last forever. Physical and chemical changes both affect the state of matter.
3. When I got home from school after a long boring day, I took out the peanut butter, jelly, and bread. After taking the lid off of the jars, I spread the peanut butter on one side of the bread and the jelly on the other, and then I put the two pieces of bread together. After that, I enjoyed it while watching “Cops” on the TV. I swear, that was the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich I ever ate.
2. All matter, all things can be changed in two ways: chemically and physically. Both chemical and physical changes affect the state of matter. Physical changes are those that do not change the make-up or identity of the matter. For example, clay will bend or flatten if squeezed, but it will still be clay. Changing the shape of clay is a physical change, and does not change the matter’s identity. Chemical changes turn the matter into a new kind of matter with different properties. For example, when paper is burnt, it becomes ash and will never be paper again. The difference between them is that physical changes are temporary or only last for a little while, and chemical changes are permanent, which means they last forever. Physical and chemical changes both affect the state of matter.
3. When I got home from school after a long boring day, I took out the peanut butter, jelly, and bread. After taking the lid off of the jars, I spread the peanut butter on one side of the bread and the jelly on the other, and then I put the two pieces of bread together. After that, I enjoyed it while watching “Cops” on the TV. I swear, that was the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich I ever ate.
- Description or Spatial – It is the method of organizing content such that the details are described in the order of their location in space. (key words: for instance, for example, such as, to illustrate, most important, in addition, another, furthermore, first, second..., also, to begin with, and may use many prepositions)
- Problem & Solution – The author will present a problem that needs to be solved. (key words: problem, the question is, a solution,, one answer is)
- Cause & Effect – A text that is based off a cause and effect scenario, such as listing the causes and effects of endangered animals. (key words: because, since, this led to...so, nevertheless, for this reason)
- Compare and Contrast – A text that compares and contrasts two subjects, such as alligators and crocodiles or Spanish and Italian origins. (key words: but, however, instead of, similar to, same as, different from)
- Chronological Order – Chronological order is the order in which things happen. It is also called time order. (key words: next, first...second, then, after, before, initially)
4. Robert James Fischer was born in Chicago but unlocked the secrets of chess in a Brooklyn apartment right above a candy store. At the age of six he taught himself to play by following the instruction booklet that came with his chess board. After spending much of his childhood in chess clubs, Fischer said that, “One day, I just got good.” That may be a bit of an understatement. At the age of 13 he won the U.S. Junior Chess Championship, becoming the youngest Junior Champion ever. At the age of 14 he won the U.S. Championship and became the youngest U.S. Champion in history. Fischer would go on to become the World Champion of chess, but he would also grow to become his own worst enemy. Instead of defending the title, he forfeited it to the next challenger without even making a move, and the rise of a chess superstar ended with a fizzle.
5. Many people are confused about why our economy went to shambles in 2008. The crisis was actually the result of a combination of many complex factors. First, easy credit conditions allowed people who were high-risk or unworthy of credit to borrow, and even people who had no income were eligible for large loans. Second, banks would bundle these toxic loans and sell them as packages on the financial market. Third, large insurance firms backed these packages, misrepresenting these high-risk loans as safe investments. Fourth, because of the ease of acquiring credit and the rapid growth in the housing market, people were buying two or three houses, intending to sell them for more than they paid. All of these factors created bubbles of speculation. These bubbles burst, sending the whole market into a downward spiral, causing employers to lose capital and lay off employees. Consumer spending then plummeted and most businesses suffered. The economy is like a big boat, and once it gets moving quickly in the wrong direction, it’s hard to turn it around.
5. Many people are confused about why our economy went to shambles in 2008. The crisis was actually the result of a combination of many complex factors. First, easy credit conditions allowed people who were high-risk or unworthy of credit to borrow, and even people who had no income were eligible for large loans. Second, banks would bundle these toxic loans and sell them as packages on the financial market. Third, large insurance firms backed these packages, misrepresenting these high-risk loans as safe investments. Fourth, because of the ease of acquiring credit and the rapid growth in the housing market, people were buying two or three houses, intending to sell them for more than they paid. All of these factors created bubbles of speculation. These bubbles burst, sending the whole market into a downward spiral, causing employers to lose capital and lay off employees. Consumer spending then plummeted and most businesses suffered. The economy is like a big boat, and once it gets moving quickly in the wrong direction, it’s hard to turn it around.
- Description or Spatial – It is the method of organizing content such that the details are described in the order of their location in space. (key words: for instance, for example, such as, to illustrate, most important, in addition, another, furthermore, first, second..., also, to begin with, and may use many prepositions)
- Problem & Solution – The author will present a problem that needs to be solved. (key words: problem, the question is, a solution,, one answer is)
- Cause & Effect – A text that is based off a cause and effect scenario, such as listing the causes and effects of endangered animals. (key words: because, since, this led to...so, nevertheless, for this reason)
- Compare and Contrast – A text that compares and contrasts two subjects, such as alligators and crocodiles or Spanish and Italian origins. (key words: but, however, instead of, similar to, same as, different from)
- Chronological Order – Chronological order is the order in which things happen. It is also called time order. (key words: next, first...second, then, after, before, initially)
6. Before applying the screen protector, clean the surface of your phone’s screen with a soft cloth. Once the surface of your screen is clean, remove the paper backing on the screen protector. Evenly apply the sticky side of the screen protector to your phone’s screen. Smooth out any air bubble trapped on between the protector and the phone screen. Enjoy the added protection.
7. Some countries, such as Japan, or parts of a country, like California in the United States, have a lot of earthquakes. In these places it is a good practice to build houses and other buildings so they will not collapse when there is an earthquake. This is called seismic design or "earthquake-proofing".
8. A hurricane is a large storm with heavy winds and rain that begins in the ocean and builds up strength as it moves across the water. While some of the damage caused by hurricanes is from high winds, most of it is usually from tidal surge, flooding entire cities, and killing large numbers of people. A tornado is a storm that develops on land, with no warning, and moves in a circular motion with heavy winds with a funnel shape, picking up and carrying dirt, dust, and even objects. The damage caused by tornadoes is from the high velocity winds, which are extremely destructive and deadly. They can demolish entire neighborhoods in a matter of a few seconds to a few minutes. Tornadoes can form when hurricanes make landfall, as their winds at ground level slow down, while the winds near the top keep their momentum, but a hurricane cannot be created by a tornado.
9. Hurricane Katrina began as Tropical Depression Twelve over the southeastern Bahamas on August 23, 2005. The depression later strengthened into a tropical storm on the morning of August 24 where the storm was also named Katrina. Katrina continued to move into Florida, and became a Category 1 hurricane only two hours before it made landfall around Hallandale Beach on the morning of August 25. The storm weakened over land, but became a hurricane again while entering the Gulf of Mexico.
7. Some countries, such as Japan, or parts of a country, like California in the United States, have a lot of earthquakes. In these places it is a good practice to build houses and other buildings so they will not collapse when there is an earthquake. This is called seismic design or "earthquake-proofing".
8. A hurricane is a large storm with heavy winds and rain that begins in the ocean and builds up strength as it moves across the water. While some of the damage caused by hurricanes is from high winds, most of it is usually from tidal surge, flooding entire cities, and killing large numbers of people. A tornado is a storm that develops on land, with no warning, and moves in a circular motion with heavy winds with a funnel shape, picking up and carrying dirt, dust, and even objects. The damage caused by tornadoes is from the high velocity winds, which are extremely destructive and deadly. They can demolish entire neighborhoods in a matter of a few seconds to a few minutes. Tornadoes can form when hurricanes make landfall, as their winds at ground level slow down, while the winds near the top keep their momentum, but a hurricane cannot be created by a tornado.
9. Hurricane Katrina began as Tropical Depression Twelve over the southeastern Bahamas on August 23, 2005. The depression later strengthened into a tropical storm on the morning of August 24 where the storm was also named Katrina. Katrina continued to move into Florida, and became a Category 1 hurricane only two hours before it made landfall around Hallandale Beach on the morning of August 25. The storm weakened over land, but became a hurricane again while entering the Gulf of Mexico.
- Description or Spatial – It is the method of organizing content such that the details are described in the order of their location in space. (key words: for instance, for example, such as, to illustrate, most important, in addition, another, furthermore, first, second..., also, to begin with, and may use many prepositions)
- Problem & Solution – The author will present a problem that needs to be solved. (key words: problem, the question is, a solution,, one answer is)
- Cause & Effect – A text that is based off a cause and effect scenario, such as listing the causes and effects of endangered animals. (key words: because, since, this led to...so, nevertheless, for this reason)
- Compare and Contrast – A text that compares and contrasts two subjects, such as alligators and crocodiles or Spanish and Italian origins. (key words: but, however, instead of, similar to, same as, different from)
- Chronological Order – Chronological order is the order in which things happen. It is also called time order. (key words: next, first...second, then, after, before, initially)
10. Fire needs three things to burn: oxygen, fuel, and heat. Fuels can be wood, tinder, coal, or any other substance that will easily oxidize. Therefore, a fire can be stopped in three different ways, by removing any of the three things it needs to burn.
11. Have you ever wondered what the inside of a volcano looks like? Deep underground is a magma chamber. The magma chamber is under the bedrock of the earth’s crust. The conduit or pipe runs from the magma chamber to the top of the volcano. The conduit connects the magma chamber to the surface. Most volcanoes also have a crater at the top. Volcanoes are quite a sight, and you can enjoy this site all over the universe. Volcanoes are found on planets other than Earth, like the Olympus Mons on Mars.
12. When a river receives a lot of extra water it may flood. During a flood there is plenty of water, and most people wouldn’t think that dehydration was a serious risk, but flood waters are mostly polluted and not safe to drink. People who drink the contaminated water may suffer from illnesses or diseases such as typhoid. You can prepare for flooding by filling many containers with fresh clean drinking water. You can also use sandbags to protect your house and to soak up the water. Be prepared and be safe.
- The fuel can be removed. If a fire burns through all of its fuel and extra nearby fuel is removed, the fire will stop burning.
- The oxygen can be removed. This is called "smothering" a fire. Fires cannot burn in a vacuum or if they are covered in carbon dioxide.
- The heat can be removed. The most common way to remove heat is to use water to absorb that heat, putting the fire out.
11. Have you ever wondered what the inside of a volcano looks like? Deep underground is a magma chamber. The magma chamber is under the bedrock of the earth’s crust. The conduit or pipe runs from the magma chamber to the top of the volcano. The conduit connects the magma chamber to the surface. Most volcanoes also have a crater at the top. Volcanoes are quite a sight, and you can enjoy this site all over the universe. Volcanoes are found on planets other than Earth, like the Olympus Mons on Mars.
12. When a river receives a lot of extra water it may flood. During a flood there is plenty of water, and most people wouldn’t think that dehydration was a serious risk, but flood waters are mostly polluted and not safe to drink. People who drink the contaminated water may suffer from illnesses or diseases such as typhoid. You can prepare for flooding by filling many containers with fresh clean drinking water. You can also use sandbags to protect your house and to soak up the water. Be prepared and be safe.
- Description or Spatial – It is the method of organizing content such that the details are described in the order of their location in space. (key words: for instance, for example, such as, to illustrate, most important, in addition, another, furthermore, first, second..., also, to begin with, and may use many prepositions)
- Problem & Solution – The author will present a problem that needs to be solved. (key words: problem, the question is, a solution,, one answer is)
- Cause & Effect – A text that is based off a cause and effect scenario, such as listing the causes and effects of endangered animals. (key words: because, since, this led to...so, nevertheless, for this reason)
- Compare and Contrast – A text that compares and contrasts two subjects, such as alligators and crocodiles or Spanish and Italian origins. (key words: but, however, instead of, similar to, same as, different from)
- Chronological Order – Chronological order is the order in which things happen. It is also called time order. (key words: next, first...second, then, after, before, initially)
13. Lightning and thunder are related events. Lightning is a sudden, violent flash of electricity that occurs between a cloud and the ground or between two clouds in the sky. A lightning bolt can be several miles long and can be straight or forked. It is very hot, with an average temperature of 34 000 degrees Celsius. This causes the air around the electric bolt to expand, producing lots of sound energy. It is this sound energy that we hear as thunder. So, lightning and thunder are caused by the same event, but lightning is light energy, or electromagnetic energy, whereas thunder is sound energy. Thus, we see lightning and hear thunder.
14. Avalanches (when a lot of snow falls from a mountain) may bury people under them. If the people are not found rapidly enough by rescue teams they will die of suffocation (not getting enough air) or of hypothermia (freezing cold). The chance of surviving an avalanche is as follows:
15. The brain is the most complicated system in the human body. The brain is separated into two hemispheres or halves. From front to back, the brain is further divided into three parts: the forebrain, the midbrain, and the hindbrain. The forebrain is where most reasoning, thinking, and emotional activity occur. It is also where most memories are stored. The midbrain controls reflexes and processes sensory information (sight, touch, taste, etc.) The hindbrain processes basic survival functions, like breathing and maintaining a heartbeat. The brain is truly the most amazing system in the human body.
14. Avalanches (when a lot of snow falls from a mountain) may bury people under them. If the people are not found rapidly enough by rescue teams they will die of suffocation (not getting enough air) or of hypothermia (freezing cold). The chance of surviving an avalanche is as follows:
- 92% if found within 15 minutes
- 30% if found within 35 minutes (victims die of suffocation)
- nearly zero after
15. The brain is the most complicated system in the human body. The brain is separated into two hemispheres or halves. From front to back, the brain is further divided into three parts: the forebrain, the midbrain, and the hindbrain. The forebrain is where most reasoning, thinking, and emotional activity occur. It is also where most memories are stored. The midbrain controls reflexes and processes sensory information (sight, touch, taste, etc.) The hindbrain processes basic survival functions, like breathing and maintaining a heartbeat. The brain is truly the most amazing system in the human body.