Correct Response: D. This aspect of the teacher's preparation focuses on identifying specific words or passages in the text that are relevant to the lesson's learning goals and appropriate focal points for discussion. Close rereadings support a text-based analysis of details and an author's use of craft (e.g., language choices, literary devices, text structures, narrative voice) to convey an idea or theme. Options A, B, and C are incorrect because, while identifying these textual elements relevant to students' literal comprehension of the stories may be part of preparing for any close rereading activity, this kind of preparation is not directly relevant to an analysis of the role of culture in the treatment of a theme. These strategies focus on the overall arc of the story or the plot (A and B), unfamiliar vocabulary (B), and story elements that may vary across the stories (C) but that do not necessarily relate to culture.
