9th Grade CRT Study Guide

Root Words

Root Meaning Examples

act to do react, action, activate, counteract, interact
bio life biography, biology, biochemistry, autobiography
clud close exclude, include, preclude, exclusive, conclude
fer carry transfer, infer, refer, defer, ferry, conifer
fract break fracture, fraction, infraction
gram writing telegram, grammar, hologram
mar sea marine, marina, mariner, submarine
mem remember memory, remember, memorial, memo, memoir
nav ship navy, naval, navigate, navigable
pop people popular, population, populate
port to carry support, transport, import, report, deport, important
rupt break erupt, disrupt, rupture, corrupt, abrupt, corruptible
scribe write scribble, inscribe, scribe, describe, transcribe
sect cut section, dissect, intersection, bisect
tele far television, telephone, telescope, telepathy
tort twist contort, torture, distort, tortilla
uni one unicycle, universe, united, union, uniform, unison, unicorn
counter against counterattack, counteract, counterpoint, counter
de down deposit, descent, deplete, denounce, demolish
sur over surplus, surpass, surcharge, surface, surmount, surname

Literary Terms

Simile: A comparison between two things using the words “like” or “as.” (Love is like a journey)
Metaphor: A comparison in which one thing becomes the other. (Love is a journey)
Symbolism: An object is used to represent something beyond itself. (American flag symbolizes freedom)
Theme: The lesson that the author wants you to learn from the story.
Foreshadowing: Giving hints about what’s going to happen in the story.
Flashback: Explaining events that happened previously in a story.
Hyperbole: An exaggeration for emphasis.
Setting: The place, time, and customs in a story.
Connotation: The implied meaning of a word.
Denotation: The literal meaning of a word.
Irony: A situation turns out differently than expected.
Allusion: A reference to a famous person, event, or another text.
Climax: The turning point of the story.
Plot: What happens in a story.

Conventions

Adverbs modify (describe) verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They tell us when, why, how, or to what
extent. Examples: I went quietly to my seat. That hat is very large. I finished the book yesterday.
Commas are used to separate independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction, with introductory
words, clauses, or phrases, and to set off non-essential information in a sentence.
Ex: I wanted to leave early, but I had no ride.
When it is time to leave, you must turn off all the lights.
John, who is a doctor, is going to the conference with us.
Capitalize languages, nationalities, religions, races, and regions of the country.
Ex: German, Judaism, Hispanic, Christianity, American, the North
Colons: Use when it’s followed by a list
Ex: I wanted to buy the following items: an iPod, a new cell phone, and new jeans.
Parentheses: Use to set off non-essential information
Ex: Muhammed Ali (1942-present) is arguably the greatest boxer of all-time.

Confused Words

Accept (verb)/except (noun, adverb) Than (comparison)/then (adverb)

Advise (verb)/advice (noun) Weather(snow, rain)/whether (adverb)
Council (meeting)/counsel (advice) Who(person)/which(animal, thing)/that (person, animal, thing)
Councilor/counselor Who’s (who is)/whose (pronoun)
Principal (person, #1)/principle (idea) Peace(calm)/piece(part

Informational Text

Look at external text features (graphs, charts, sidebars, bolded words, maps, etc.) to determine what is
important. You don’t always need all the information given, so decide what best fits your purpose.
Explicit information is directly stated. Implicit information is implied.
A thesis statement reflects your opinion. It should clearly take a stand and be specific.
Keep your audience in mind when you think of arguments. Take the other side into consideration.
Make sure that you get your information from reliable sources. Remember your ABCs.
A: Authority. Who wrote the information? Is he/she qualified to write about that topic?
A: Accuracy. Is the information verifiable?
B: Bias. Is the source biased?
C: Currency. Is the information up-to-date?
C: Coverage. Is there enough information?
Reference books: These books give information. There are several different types listed below.
Almanac: Lists important events (deaths, wars, elections, etc.) for a certain year.
Atlas: Book of maps
Dictionary: Gives definitions, parts of speech, and pronunciations of words.
Encyclopedia: Includes short articles that give information on certain subjects.
Thesaurus:Lists synonyms and antonyms for words.

Reading/Writing Strategies

Connections: text-to-text, text-to-self, text-to-world

Cause/Effect: Everything has a consequence. For example, If I don’t do my homework (cause), my grade will go
down (effect).
Determine what information is most important.
When using information from another source, you can use formal citation (like the research paper) or informal
citation (just make sure you mention where the info came from).

General Tips

Get plenty of rest.

Eat breakfast. Your brain works better when it’s well-fed.
Don’t stress over a question. If you don’t know the answer, skip it and come back.
The test isn’t timed, so you have as much time as you need. Don’t rush.
Read the questions VERY carefully!
Do your best!