Justifying views about texts · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Backing up your opinion with proof

English · Reading Comprehension · ages 10-11
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Sofia found a quote in her book that matches her opinion. What should she do next?

    • Explain how the quote connects to her opinion
    • Copy the quote three times into her notebook
    • Stop there, because the quote finishes the job

  2. Leo is talking about a story he just read. Which of his sentences is an opinion about the story?

    • The story begins on a small farm beside the village
    • The main character has a red bike with a silver bell
    • I think the farmer was too hard on the goat

  3. Mia says, 'I think the fox in the story is actually kind.' What should she do next to support her opinion?

    • Repeat her opinion more firmly
    • Find evidence from the story that shows the fox being kind
    • Ask a friend whether the fox seems kind

  4. Explaining how a quotation connects to your opinion automatically makes it strong enough to prove your whole opinion.

    Circle one:   True   False

  5. When a classmate challenges your opinion about a book, you should check the relevant evidence and be willing to revise your view.

    Circle one:   True   False

  6. Events from a story, like what a character chooses to do at the very end, can be evidence for an opinion, not just quotes.

    Circle one:   True   False

  7. Nia thinks the story's message is that telling the truth is hard but worth it. She quotes this line: 'Ben's hands shook as he told the truth, but afterward he felt light as a feather.' Which sentence best explains how the quote supports her opinion?

    • The quote shows Ben has shaky hands
    • The quote shows Ben likes feathers
    • The shaking shows the truth was hard for Ben, and feeling light after shows it was worth it

  8. Jamal's task asks for four relevant clues supporting his view that the giant is lonely. He has found two. What should he do to meet the task?

    • Stop after two clues
    • Find two more relevant clues supporting his view
    • Choose a different view of the giant

  9. Ruby says the robot only wants to hurt people. Which line provides the strongest counter-evidence about its treatment of people?

    • The robot has heavy metal arms that make a loud noise when it moves
    • The robot stands still in the town square beside the tallest building
    • The robot gently carries a lost child home to her family

  10. Leo argues the queen is fair. His classmate says the queen banished a servant unfairly. Leo replies, 'No she isn't, I already said she's fair.' What is wrong with Leo's response?

    • He should repeat his opinion because saying it again proves the queen was fair
    • He did not answer the classmate's point with evidence from the text
    • He should agree at once because a classmate's objection always settles the debate
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Backing up your opinion with proof W1-mt_IX37F4rNed-s1

  1. Explain how the quote connects to her opinion · Explaining the connection helps readers follow Sofia's reasoning. She should also check how much of her opinion the quotation supports.
  2. I think the farmer was too hard on the goat · An opinion tells what someone thinks or believes. Facts from the story, like where it begins or what a character owns, are not opinions.
  3. Find evidence from the story that shows the fox being kind · Relevant actions from the story can support Mia's view. Repetition and agreement do not supply those details.
  4. False · An explanation clarifies the connection. The quotation may still give limited support or leave part of the claim unsupported.
  5. True · Checking the objection may reveal counter-evidence or show that your interpretation needs changing. Repeating your opinion does not evaluate the objection.
  6. True · Evidence can be accurately reported words, actions or events from the text. A character's final choice can support an opinion when it is relevant.
  7. The shaking shows the truth was hard for Ben, and feeling light after shows it was worth it · A good explanation ties the quote to the opinion. The shaky hands show the hard part, and feeling light afterward shows the worth-it part.
  8. Find two more relevant clues supporting his view · The task asks for four relevant clues. Jamal has two, so he needs two more. This task requirement is not a universal rule about argument strength.
  9. The robot gently carries a lost child home to her family · Helping a lost child is a helpful act toward a person. It challenges Ruby's claim more directly than descriptions of the robot's arms or location.
  10. He did not answer the classmate's point with evidence from the text · Leo should examine evidence about the servant's banishment. An unrelated fair act does not answer that objection. The evidence may support his reply or require him to revise his view.
Worksheet · LightMySky