Correct Response: C: In a close-reading routine or protocol, students establish a purpose for reading a text (often to learn new content), read and reread key parts of the text, and annotate the text with regard to key elements (e.g., vocabulary, main ideas, theme, author's argument and claims, evidence provided by the author in support of claims). Teaching English learners how to identify a purpose for reading and annotate a text with regard to key elements would best prepare them to read complex informational texts closely and with deeper understanding. A is incorrect because visualization and text- structure analysis are strategies that support comprehension but do not set a purpose for the reader or provide an opportunity for readers to synthesize information through annotation. Scanning and predicting (B) are pre-reading strategies that are useful for many reading purposes, but close reading does not require students to use these pre-reading strategies. In fact, predicting is discouraged in many close-reading protocols. Instead, students are encouraged to focus on the text itself (e.g., what the text says, what the text means, what inferences can be made from the text). Semantic mapping and summarizing (D) may provide students with comprehension support but are not essential skills in most close-reading routines or protocols.
