1. Tips for the Bagrut exam
What you need to know in order to succeed!
LOTS, HOTS and BRIDGING QUESTIONS…
Good Luck!
Pirchy Dayan
Based on the Literature Handbook (2013) and Bari Nirenberg’s presentations.

2. For each Summative Assessment on a story, poem or play you should answer answer:
basic understanding (LOTS) questions. These are basic content questions. Answers should be short and to the point.
Analysis and interpretation (HOTS) questions that may include understanding of literary techniques.

3. Extended HOTS question where you:
a. name the HOTS you chose to answer the question.
b. answer the question showing appropriate use of the HOTS that you have chosen. Use vocabulary that is directly connected to the chosen HOTS.
Bridging Text and Context question:

4. Students are asked to make connections between the text, universal themes and new relevant information and ideas from other sources. These sources may include the biography and personality of the author, themes and /or aspects of the historical, social and cultural contexts of the text.
The connection must be both accurate and explicit. Use 1-2 examples from the text to support your point.

5. Inferring
Reading "between the lines" to understand information that is not presented directly.
Drawing a conclusion from clues.
What do you think the character meant when s/he said, “___”?
What does ___’s behavior suggest? What is the purpose or function of this information?
What different meanings can be inferred from this line in the poem?

6. Useful Vocabulary
Infer, learn, conclude, read between the lines, assume, clue, hint, imply, probably, likely, unlikely, evidence, what are the consequences of this statement?

7. Sample Questions
When George first meets Mr. Cattanzara he lies to him about reading books because he wants his respect. Why is Mr. Cattanzara's respect so important to George?
What is the importance of the setting of the story? (any story)
"I shall be telling this with a sigh". What TWO different meanings can we infer from this line in The Road Not Taken?

8. Comparing and contrasting
Finding what is similar/different between two or more things.
Drawing conclusions based on these similarities and differences.
Compare and contrast the conflicts/ problems/dilemmas in two stories or poems.
Compare and contrast characters in a text.

9. Useful Vocabulary
like, similar, also, similarly, in the same way, likewise, again, compared to, both, have in common.

10. unlike, in contrast with, different than, opposite, (comparative adjectives) on the contrary, however, although, yet, even though, still, nevertheless, regardless, despite, while, on the one hand…on the other hand.

11. Sample Questions
Compare and contrast the TWO roads in the poem The Road Not Taken.
Compare and contrast Mr. Kelada and the narrator.
Compare and contrast Joe's view of family before and after he hears the contents of Larry's letter. Support your answer with information from the play.

12. Explaining patterns
Identifying and explaining different patterns of behavior in a text;
Explaining why these patterns are important.
Identifying and explaining different patterns in a poem - for example: rhythm and rhyme;
What behavior does the character repeat?
Explain why certain lines/phrases/words are repeated in a story/poem.

13. Useful Vocabulary
repeat, repetition, repetitive, routine, order, notice, noticeable, significance, significant, similar, recur, rule, follow a pattern, pattern of behavior.

14. Sample Questions
The relationship between Waverly and her mother is like that of chess players. Explain the pattern of their behavior.
What behavior does Mr. Kelada repeat throughout the story? Why is his behavior in the end surprising? Explain.
What behavior does George repeat in the story? Based on his pattern of behavior, is he going to read the books? Explain.

15. Explaining cause and effect
Identifying reasons why things happen (the cause);
Identifying and describing the result (the effect) of actions and circumstances;
Explaining the connection between the two.
What were the results of ___‘s action?
What caused ___ to think that ___?

16. Useful Vocabulary
cause, effect, result, consequence, consequently, outcome, as a result of, therefore, if....then, in order to, due to, because, thanks to, as a result (of), encourage, persuade, development, explanation, ___ leads to ____.

17. Sample Questions
What caused the speaker in the poem to choose the “road less travelled by”?
"He stayed in his room for almost a week, except to sneak into the kitchen when nobody was home." What caused George to stay in his room for a week?
While Mr. Kelada is examining the pearls, Mrs. Ramsay's face changes. How does this affect Mr. Kelada?

18. Distinguishing different perspectives
Identifying different points of view in a text;
Identifying different outlooks on life.
Identify how different characters respond to a central event in the story.
How does your understanding of the characters’ actions/events in the story change as you read?

19. Useful Vocabulary
perspective, point of view, attitude, differences, outside, inside, looking from the side, opinion, reader, narrator, consider, identify, distinguish, tell the difference,

20. however, on the one hand, on the other hand, outlook, standpoint, perception, side, angle.

21. Sample Questions
How do the narrator's feelings about Mr. Kelada change from the beginning to the end of the story?
How do Waverly and her mother view Waverly's success in chess?
How does our opinion of Mrs. Ramsay change at the end of the story?

22. Uncovering Motives Identify motives that explain the
character’s behavior and support this
with evidence from the text.
Why do you think that __ did __?
Support your answer.
What made ___ change his/her mind?
Give supporting details.

23. Useful Vocabulary
aim, intention, purpose, goal, cause, object, reason, psychological, motivation, motive, evidence, incentive, drive, behavior.

24. Sample Questions What motivated Mr. Kelada to lie about the pearls?
What motivated Mr. Catanzara to lie and tell everyone that George was reading 100 books?
Why does Keller say he is willing to give Steve a job when he gets out of jail?

25. Problem Solving Identifying a problem/dilemma and its solution.
Identifying a problem and suggesting a solution of your own based on what you know about the characters, events and circumstances.
Define the problem facing the protagonist.
What is the central conflict in this text and how is it resolved? Explain.
What dilemma does ___ face at this point in the story?

26. Useful Vocabulary
find out, solve, answer, explain, difficulty, resolve, decipher, predicament, trouble, crisis, advantage / disadvantage, pros and cons, choice, dilemma, deal with, weighing possibilities.

27. Sample Questions
In the first stanza of the poem The Road Not Taken (lines 1-5), what is the traveler’s dilemma? How does he solve his dilemma?
What dilemma does Mr. Kelada face when he examines the pearls? How does he solve his dilemma?

28. What is considered a good answer?
The information is relevant, sufficient, well organized and correct. The answer includes examples/ supporting details from the text. The message is clear. There is correct use of grammar, vocabulary, spelling and punctuation.
F - 80% is given for content and 20% for grammar and spelling.

29. General Tips for Success
Read the question carefully! You may want to highlight key words in the question to help you focus.
Make sure that your answer relates to the entire question. Give examples from the text to support your point!
If you are given a quote, the answer must reflect a general understanding of the literary piece, NOT just the quote.

30. If there is a question about a literary term, such as setting or metaphor, you should show understanding of the literary term in connection to the text.
You should provide examples from the text in your answer. When you are asked to explain, you must support your explanation with examples.
No examples means you lose at least 20% from what the question is worth.

31. Extended HOTS questions
For the extended HOTS question:
A. answer the question as required.
B. choose ONE HOTS, name it and show appropriate evidence of the use of the chosen HOTS. That is, use the relevant vocabulary you have learned in your answer. You will get up to 5 points for using the correct vocabulary.

32. Bridging Text and Context – Tips
You need to write words about how certain information you are given is related to the text you read, and enhances ((מחזק your understanding of it.
Relate to the information / quote you are given in YOUR OWN WORDS.
Explain how the background information you are given is connected to an aspect of the text.
Make connections between the new information and the text by giving explanations and 1-2 examples.

33. Give ONLY relevant information!
Conclude your answer.
Use the following template to help you organize your answer.
From this quote/information I learn that ___________. (In addition, it suggests that ______________.) This is reflected in the story/poem/play (in several ways). For example, ___________. (Also, ______________. )To sum up, _______.