Comparing Texts — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. A fable and a realistic fiction story can both teach a lesson about honesty.
Both fables and realistic fiction can teach a lesson about honesty, even though fables use animal characters and realistic fiction uses everyday people.
2. The theme of a text is the underlying message the author wants readers to take away.
The theme is the deeper message woven into the story or text -- it is what the author hopes readers will think about long after they finish reading.
3. A poem about courage and a biography about a brave leader may share the same theme even though their genres differ.
Genre does not determine theme; a poem and a biography can both carry the theme of courage because themes are about ideas, not text formats.
4. In fiction, themes are often revealed through a character's actions and choices.
Fiction reveals its theme through what characters do and decide; their choices show readers what the author believes matters most.
5. In nonfiction, a central message may be supported by facts, examples, and evidence.
Nonfiction authors back up their central message with facts, examples, and evidence so readers can verify the claims being made.
6. Comparing themes across genres shows that important ideas are universal and appear in many forms of writing.
Themes like kindness, perseverance, and fairness are universal because they appear across fables, poems, novels, and articles worldwide.
7. A myth explains natural events through imaginary characters, while a science text explains them through research.
Myths use imaginary characters like gods and spirits to explain nature, while science texts rely on observation, data, and research.
8. When two texts share a theme but differ in genre, comparing them helps readers see the theme from multiple perspectives.
Reading the same theme in different genres gives multiple perspectives -- a poem might make you feel the theme emotionally, while an article helps you understand it logically.
9. A reader can identify theme by asking what the author wants them to understand after reading.
Asking "What does the author want me to understand?" points you toward the theme, because the theme is the big takeaway the author builds the whole text around.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
Fable about a tortoise who never gives up and wins a race
→ persistence leads to success (moral tale)
persistence leads to success (nonfiction profile)
News article about a student who practiced daily and won a spelling bee
→ persistence leads to success (journalism)
persistence leads to success (poetry/symbolism)
Poem about a small seed that grows into a mighty oak tree
→ persistence leads to success (poetry/symbolism)
persistence leads to success (journalism)
Biography of a scientist who failed many times before a breakthrough
→ persistence leads to success (nonfiction profile)
persistence leads to success (moral tale)
Correct matches: Fable about a tortoise who never gives up and wins a race → persistence leads to success (moral tale); News article about a student who practiced daily and won a spelling bee → persistence leads to success (journalism); Poem about a small seed that grows into a mighty oak tree → persistence leads to success (poetry/symbolism); Biography of a scientist who failed many times before a breakthrough → persistence leads to success (nonfiction profile).