the author’s use of time, place and culture
These are not STANDARDIZED questions. Hence, they can not actually be called STANDARDIZED TEST PREPARATION practice questions.
Use these questions to jot down examples of how setting impacts the story. Then return to your actual assignment.
- How important is the setting to the story?
- When does the story take place?
- How well does the author convey the era?
- Did you learn anything new about the time period depicted in the book? What, if anything, surprised you? Gather details and quotes.
- Where does the story take place?
- Is the author’s description of the landscape/community a good one? Gather details.
- Does the description of the setting create a vivid mental picture for the reader? Gather details.
- Does the author successfully draw you into the place and time depicted in this book?
- Why or why not?
- Using sounds? Gather details.
- Using sights? Gather details.
- using smells? Gather details.
- Using tastes? Gather details.
- Is there any change in setting?
- What are the different settings?
- How does the setting of the story affect:
- the general atmosphere of the story?
- the emotions of the reader?
- the plot?
- the characters?
- the outcome of the story? (answer this only if you’re finished with or finishing the book)
The sources for the core of this list of discussion questions came from two sources: a list of discussion questions that had been a part of the Reading Group Guides website, and from a page called Questions for Planning a Novel Study.