Which core reading skill is emphasized for analyzing literary texts?

• A. Evaluating arguments
• B. Analyzing theme and character development
• C. Paraphrasing sources
• D. Identifying central ideas in informational texts

Answer: (B)

The main skill being tested is analyzing theme and character development in literary texts. In literature, uncovering a theme means identifying the deeper message or insight the author is exploring, often conveyed through motifs, symbols, and the outcomes of events. Analyzing character development involves looking at how individuals change in response to conflicts, what those changes reveal about their motives, and how they drive the story’s meaning. By tracing how a character’s choices and growth interact with the plot and setting, you gather evidence of the author’s message about life or human nature.

This focus is distinct from tasks like evaluating arguments, which is about logic and evidence in persuasive writing; paraphrasing sources, which is restating someone else’s words; or identifying central ideas in informational texts, which centers on main points in non-fiction. For literary texts, theme and character development provide the lens through which meaning is interpreted and supported with text-based evidence.