Deck 10: Informational Books

Question 1

The primary purpose of children's informational literature is

A) to entertain.
B) to inform.
C) to make a point.
D) to avoid personification.
E) to explore the lives of famous people.

Answer 1

to inform.

Question 2

Which of the following best describes faction written for children?

A) books that present long lists of facts
B) books in which information is presented through accurate illustrations
C) literature based completely on facts
D) informational literature that includes "humanizing" elements of nature
E) books that present accurate factual information on an entertaining ribbon of fiction

Answer 2

books that present accurate factual information on an entertaining ribbon of fiction

Question 3

Expository writing is writing that

A) argues.
B) exposes.
C) entertains.
D) explains.
E) enables.

Answer 3

explains.

Question 4

The elements of informational literature are

A) accuracy, description, and style.
B) description, theme, and style.
C) structure, theme, and style.
D) problem, solution, and comparison.
E) description, comparison, and cause and effect.

Question 5

Captions, tables, charts, illustrations, maps, and indices in informational literature are part of the author's expository

A) style
B) structure
C) schemata
D) plot
E) documentation

Question 6

Critical points revealed by research about children reading informational literature include: (mark ALL that apply)

A) all children benefit from reading informational literature, since most adult reading tasks are expository.
B) reading nonfiction is best introduced in the intermediate grades (grades 3-6).
C) children need repeated experiences reading informational literature in order to learn how to read it.
D) informational literature is easier for beginning readers to understand than fiction.
E) relating new information found in informational literature to schemata, or prior knowledge, is a key factor in comprehending expository text.

Question 7

Of the following criteria, the best one to use in evaluation of informational literature for children is

A) credentials of the author.
B) complete coverage of the topic.
C) documentation through footnotes and reference lists.
D) scholarly writing style.
E) accuracy of information.

Question 8

One literary device that is used to great effect in animal fiction for children that should be avoided in works of informational literature is

A) foreshadowing.
B) personification.
C) symbolism.
D) dialogue.
E) captions.
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Question 9

Large, uncomplicated illustrations and brief text best describes

A) science and social science concept picture books.
B) informational picture books.
C) photo essays.
D) fact books.
E) informational chapter books.

Question 10

Presentation of information mostly in lists, charts, and tables describes the

A) science concept picture book.
B) informational picture book.
C) photo essay.
D) fact book.
E) informational book series.

Question 11

An informational book format that encourages participation by including experiments and hands-on activities is the

A) fact book.
B) photo essay.
C) informational chapter book.
D) science and social science concept picture book.

Question 12

Informational literature for children began to develop rapidly as a result of

A) the publication of Orbis Pictus in 1657.
B) the launching of the Sputnik satellite by the U.S.S.R. in the 1950s.
C) the founding of the National Science Foundation.
D) the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s.
E) the technologies developed during World War II.

Question 13

Develop a set of matching items with authors or milestone books of informational literature featured in class. (See example in introduction to the test bank.)

Question 14

____________________________________________ emphasizes documented fact and has as its primary purpose to inform.

Question 15

____________________________________ is a type of informational literature that has elements of both fiction and nonfiction. It is described as presenting accurate factual information on an entertaining ribbon of fiction.

Question 16

An informational book format that features balance of information between text and illustration, many information-bearing photographs, and condensed writing style is the __________________________________________________________________________.

Question 17

An informational book format that features one or two social or scientific concepts via brief, uncomplicated text accompanied by numerous, large illustrations is ________________________________________________________________________.

Question 18

An informational book format in which information is presented mainly through lists, charts, and tables is ________________________________________________________________.

Question 19

A literary device in which animals act like humans that is acceptable in fiction but should be avoided in informational literature is ___________________________________________.

Question 20

Two U.S. book awards honoring the most distinguished work of nonfiction for children published during the previous year are ___________________________________________
and _______________________________________________________________________.

Question 21

Generally regarded as the first known work of informational literature for children is (book title) _____________________________________by ______________________________.

Question 22

Writing in informational books is often referred to as _________________________writing.
answer.

Question 23

List five distinct formats in which informational books for children are being produced.

Question 24

List and explain five important criteria to consider in evaluating children's informational literature.

Question 25

List five ways in which most informational literature is structured.

Question 26

What reason is given to explain why U. S. students in the elementary grades score better on literary reading than on informational reading?

Question 27

Using the criteria in the "Evaluation and Selection of Informational Books" section of Chapter 10, present guidelines for selecting good informational books for young people.

Question 28

Suggest ways that teachers can help their students become better readers of nonfiction.

Question 29

Using the research findings found in Table 10.1 in Chapter 10, make a case for making informational literature available to elementary-graders as classroom reading material.