ELA FAST Review Study Guide based on
the updated 2026/2027 syllabus
Section 1: Reading Comprehension – Key Ideas & Details
1. What is the central idea of a passage?
ANSWER ✓ The central idea is the main point the author wants the reader to
understand, often supported by details in the text.
2. How can you identify the theme of a story?
ANSWER ✓ Theme is the lesson or message about life or human nature; find it by
analyzing characters’ changes, conflicts, and resolutions.
3. What is objective summary?
ANSWER ✓ A brief, factual restatement of key events or ideas without personal
opinions or interpretations.
4. How do you find explicit evidence?
ANSWER ✓ Explicit evidence is stated directly in the text, often word-for-word, and can
be quoted or cited.
5. What is an inference in reading?
ANSWER ✓ An inference is a logical guess based on text clues and your own knowledge
(reading between the lines).
6. In fiction, what is character motivation?
ANSWER ✓ The reason a character acts, thinks, or feels a certain way, often tied to
goals, fears, or desires.
7. What is the plot structure?
ANSWER ✓ Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution.
8. How does the setting affect the plot?
ANSWER ✓ Setting establishes mood, creates conflict, and influences characters’
choices and opportunities.
, 9. What is point of view (POV)?
ANSWER ✓ The perspective from which a story is told (first person, second person, third
person limited/omniscient).
10. How does first-person POV affect a reader’s understanding?
ANSWER ✓ It gives direct access to one character’s thoughts and feelings, but may be
unreliable.
11. What is a flashback?
ANSWER ✓ A scene that interrupts the present action to show something from the past.
12. Why do authors use foreshadowing?
ANSWER ✓ To hint at future events and build suspense or prepare readers for a twist.
13. What is the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing?
ANSWER ✓ Summarizing condenses main ideas; paraphrasing restates a specific part in
your own words without shortening much.
14. What is author’s purpose?
ANSWER ✓ The reason an author writes: to persuade, inform, entertain, explain, or
describe (PIEED).
15. How can you tell if the author’s purpose is to persuade?
ANSWER ✓ Look for opinions, emotional language, calls to action, and arguments for
one side.
Section 2: Craft & Structure – Language & Literary Devices
16. Define simile.
ANSWER ✓ A comparison using “like” or “as” (e.g., brave as a lion).
17. Define metaphor.
ANSWER ✓ A direct comparison without “like” or “as” (e.g., time is a thief).
18. What is personification?
ANSWER ✓ Giving human traits to non-human things (e.g., the wind whispered).
19. What is hyperbole?
ANSWER ✓ Extreme exaggeration for effect (e.g., I’ve told you a million times).
the updated 2026/2027 syllabus
Section 1: Reading Comprehension – Key Ideas & Details
1. What is the central idea of a passage?
ANSWER ✓ The central idea is the main point the author wants the reader to
understand, often supported by details in the text.
2. How can you identify the theme of a story?
ANSWER ✓ Theme is the lesson or message about life or human nature; find it by
analyzing characters’ changes, conflicts, and resolutions.
3. What is objective summary?
ANSWER ✓ A brief, factual restatement of key events or ideas without personal
opinions or interpretations.
4. How do you find explicit evidence?
ANSWER ✓ Explicit evidence is stated directly in the text, often word-for-word, and can
be quoted or cited.
5. What is an inference in reading?
ANSWER ✓ An inference is a logical guess based on text clues and your own knowledge
(reading between the lines).
6. In fiction, what is character motivation?
ANSWER ✓ The reason a character acts, thinks, or feels a certain way, often tied to
goals, fears, or desires.
7. What is the plot structure?
ANSWER ✓ Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution.
8. How does the setting affect the plot?
ANSWER ✓ Setting establishes mood, creates conflict, and influences characters’
choices and opportunities.
, 9. What is point of view (POV)?
ANSWER ✓ The perspective from which a story is told (first person, second person, third
person limited/omniscient).
10. How does first-person POV affect a reader’s understanding?
ANSWER ✓ It gives direct access to one character’s thoughts and feelings, but may be
unreliable.
11. What is a flashback?
ANSWER ✓ A scene that interrupts the present action to show something from the past.
12. Why do authors use foreshadowing?
ANSWER ✓ To hint at future events and build suspense or prepare readers for a twist.
13. What is the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing?
ANSWER ✓ Summarizing condenses main ideas; paraphrasing restates a specific part in
your own words without shortening much.
14. What is author’s purpose?
ANSWER ✓ The reason an author writes: to persuade, inform, entertain, explain, or
describe (PIEED).
15. How can you tell if the author’s purpose is to persuade?
ANSWER ✓ Look for opinions, emotional language, calls to action, and arguments for
one side.
Section 2: Craft & Structure – Language & Literary Devices
16. Define simile.
ANSWER ✓ A comparison using “like” or “as” (e.g., brave as a lion).
17. Define metaphor.
ANSWER ✓ A direct comparison without “like” or “as” (e.g., time is a thief).
18. What is personification?
ANSWER ✓ Giving human traits to non-human things (e.g., the wind whispered).
19. What is hyperbole?
ANSWER ✓ Extreme exaggeration for effect (e.g., I’ve told you a million times).
