USING KEYWORDS
Questions on tests often contain keywords. Answer choices on tests may also contain keywords. Keywords are important words that will help you find the right answer. Keywords are usually easy to find. They either tell you what you are supposed to be looking for or tell you where this information can be found.
Read the questions below. Find the keywords in each one.
1. What happened before the storm came?
2. In which year was Liberia established?
3. Which has a larger area, canada or China?
4. What is Sequoya known for?
How to find the keywords:
1. The keyword is before. You know that the correct answer is something that took place before the storm, not after or during.
2. The two keywords are Liberia established. They tell you to look for information about Liberia, not another country. You should also look for when it was established, not when another event took place.
3. The keywords are larger area. Don't get confused and choose the one that is smaller or think about other information, like population.
4. The keyword is Sequoya. You should think about what he did, not what other people did.
Read the paragraph and use keywords to answer the questions.
Hundreds of yeasr ago most roads in America
were made of dirt or stone. When it rained, they became so muddy that horses and wagons couldn't use them. In some places, this problem was solved with plank roads. These were roads that were paved with pieces of wood! Logs or boards were laid down close together. They formed a surface that was bumpy, but at least poeple could ride on it during wet weather.
1. Which is true of plank roads?
A. They were dusty. B. They were bumpy. C. They were made of brick.
How to find the keywords:
Read each of the answer choices. Look back at the paragraph above and find the sentences describing plank roads. Finding the keyword bumpy will help you choose B as the answer.
2. What problem did plank roads solve?
A. Expensive travel B. Getting lost C. Muddy roads
How to find the keywords:
Read each of the answer choices. Read the paragraph again, checking to see if keywords in the answer choices are mentioned. As you read about the problem of muddy roads, you can easily select answer C.