STAAR Vocabulary

Question 1

Exposition

Answer 1

the introduction of the story, where the main characters or other elements are introduced.

Question 2

Rising action

Answer 2

events leading to the main event/problem of the story.

Question 3

Turning point/Climax

Answer 3

the most exciting part of the story.

Question 4

Falling action

Answer 4

events that lead to the problem/conflict being solved.

Question 5

Resolution

Answer 5

events that bring the story to a close (also known as denouement).

Question 6

Theme

Answer 6

the underlying message of a story, poem, or play.

Question 7

Internal conflict

Answer 7

a struggle that takes place in a character’s mind (ex.: man vs. self;

Question 8

External conflict

Answer 8

a struggle between a character and an outside force (ex.: man vs. character, man vs. nature, and man vs. society, man vs. fate).

Question 9

Protagonist

Answer 9

the main character in a story or play, usually the hero of the story.

Question 10

Antagonist

Answer 10

the character or a force in conflict with the main character, usually the villain.

Question 11

First person POV

Answer 11

a character in the story is the narrator and is telling the story; Pronouns: uses I, me, we.

Question 12

Third person limited POV

Answer 12

focuses on only ONE character’s actions, emotions, and thoughts; uses character’s names, he, she, it, they, him, her.

Question 13

Third person objective POV

Answer 13

focuses on every character’s actions but NOT the emotions and thoughts – the narrator sees and hears everything; uses character’s names, he, she, it, they, him, her.

Question 14

Third person omniscient POV

Answer 14

knows the actions, emotions, and thoughts of every character – the narrator knows EVERYTHING; uses character’s names, he, she, it, they, him, her

Question 15

Irony

Answer 15

an event that is the opposite of what is expected to happen.

Question 16

Flashback

Answer 16

an event from the past that is shown in a story

Question 17

Idiom

Answer 17

an expression that has a different meaning from the literal meaning (ex: You need to hit the books and study!)

Question 18

Simile

Answer 18

a comparison of two unlike things using “like” or “as: (ex.: Her new hair do looked like a mop.)

Question 19

Metaphor

Answer 19

a comparison of two unlike things that does NOT use “like” or “as” (ex. My teacher was a monster today.)

Question 20

Personification

Answer 20

giving human qualities to something that is not human (ex.: The wind whispered my name.)

Question 21

Symbolism.

Answer 21

The use of an object (a thing), person, situation, or word to represent something else