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That
is the essence of science: ask an impertinent
question, and you are on your way to a pertinent
answer.
--Jacob Bronowski (1908-1974), The Ascent
of Man, 1973
There are three types of questions readers can
ask of any piece of literature, manufactured picture,
or primary source document.
Level One questions can be answered
explicitly by facts contained in the text or by
information accessible in other resources (word
for word). The who, what, when and where.
Level Two questions are textually
implicit (not word for word), requiring analysis
and interpretation of specific parts of the text.
Read between the lines. The how and the why.
Level Three questions are much
more open-ended and go beyond the text. They are
intended to provoke a discussion of an abstract
idea or issue.
Read the following poem and then
look at the examples of the various level questions.
Oranges
The first time I walked
With a girl, I was twelve,
Cold, and weighted down
With two oranges in my jacket.
December. Frost cracking
Beneath my steps, my breath
Before me, then gone,
As I walked toward
Her house, the one whose
Porch light burned yellow
Night and day, in any weather.
A dog barked at me, until
She came out pulling
With rouge. I smiled,
Touched her shoulder, and led
Her down the street, across
Of newly planted trees,
Until we were breathing
Before a drugstore. We
Entered, the tiny bell
Bringing a saleslady
Down a narrow aisle of goods.
I turned to the candies
Tired like bleachers,
And asked what she wanted—
Light in her eyes, a smile
Starting at the corners
Of her mouth. I fingered
A nickel in my picket.
And when she lifted a chocolate
That cost a dime,
I didn’t say anything.
I took the nickel from
My pocket, then an orange,
And set them quietly on
The counter. When I looked up,
The lady’s eyes met mine,
And held them, knowing
Very well what it was all about.
Outside, a few cars hissing past,
Fog hanging like old
Coats between the trees.
In mine for two bocks,
Then released it to let
Her unwrap the chocolate.
I peeled my orange
That was so bright against
The gray of December
That, from some distance,
Someone might have thought
I was making a fire in my
hands.
--Gary Soto
Now check out some examples
of the various level questions.
Level One
How many items did the speaker have in
his pocket?
Level Two
Why did the speaker put an orange on
the counter?
Level Three
Can an embarrassing situation ever be
educational?
Now see if you can come up
with other questions for each level.
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