Educational worksheet explaining nonfiction text structures with examples and definitions.

Let’s go through each passage one at a time and figure out the text structure by looking for clues.

---

Passage 1:

> “I will never forget the first time I saw Secret Island. It was the summer of second grade... I followed the sounds and smell of the ocean until I came to a small, hidden beach... The room grew white and purple and cloud red in my view. Soon it fell. I will never see it again.”

Clues:
- Talks about a sequence of events: going on a trip → hearing/seeing things → finding the island → watching sunset → leaving.
- Uses time words like “first time,” “summer of second grade,” “soon,” “then” (implied).
- Describes what happened in order.

→ This is Order/Sequence.

---

Passage 2:

> “The company in Black Ops III is designed to support a player cooperative gameplay, allowing for bigger, more open level designs and less corridor shooting. In addition, the player can customize their character’s appearance and abilities as they progress through the game. As players progress through the campaign, the game reveals a ‘story’ difficulty mode, which allows them to play through missions with an easier challenge. Additionally, there are optional ‘Nightmare’ modes, where players must replay the entire campaign with a new narrative, while also being stripped of all normal armor.”

Clues:
- Starts with main idea: game supports co-op and customization.
- Then adds more info: story mode, nightmare mode — these are extra features or details that build on the main point.
- Words like “in addition,” “additionally” show adding more ideas.

→ This is Description (it describes different parts/features of the game).

Wait — let’s double-check. Is it listing causes? No. Problems? No. Comparing? No. It’s just telling you what the game has — so yes, Description fits best.

But wait — another possibility: could it be Problem/Solution? Let’s see… Does it present a problem and then solve it? Not really. It doesn’t say “players had trouble with X, so we added Y.” It just lists features.

So stick with Description.

Actually — hold on! Look again:

It says: “designed to support...” → that’s the purpose.

Then it lists how it does that: bigger levels, customization, story mode, nightmare mode.

This is actually explaining *how* something works — which often falls under Description, but sometimes people call this “Cause/Effect” if it’s showing why something was done.

But no — here, it’s not saying “because players wanted X, we did Y.” It’s just describing what the game includes.

Still leaning toward Description.

BUT — let’s look at the options again: Cause/Effect, Anecdote, Problem/Solution, Compare/Contrast, Order/Sequence, Description.

Another thought: maybe it’s Cause/Effect?

No — because there’s no clear cause leading to effect. It’s just listing features.

Actually — I think I made a mistake earlier.

Look at the first sentence: “The company in Black Ops III is designed to support...”

That’s stating a purpose → which implies a reason (cause) for design choices.

Then it explains what those design choices are → which are effects or results of that purpose.

Hmm… still not strong enough for Cause/Effect.

Let me compare to standard definitions:

- Description: gives details about a topic.
- Cause/Effect: shows why something happened or what resulted from something.
- Problem/Solution: presents a problem and how it was fixed.
- Compare/Contrast: shows similarities/differences between two things.
- Order/Sequence: tells steps or events in order.
- Anecdote: short personal story.

Passage 2 is giving details about the game’s features → so Description is correct.

Wait — but some teachers might argue that since it starts with “designed to support,” that’s a cause, and the rest are effects. But that’s stretching it. The bulk of the paragraph is descriptive.

I’ll stick with Description.

Actually — let me check online examples quickly in my mind…

Example of Description: “The iPhone has a glass screen, runs iOS, takes photos, etc.” → same pattern.

Yes → Description

---

Passage 3:

> “Addiction to video games is a growing struggle. An affected individual who is deprived of playing video games may experience withdrawal symptoms similar to those experienced by drug addicts. These symptoms include irritability, anxiety, depression, and even physical pain. Video game addiction can lead to poor academic performance, social isolation, and health problems such as obesity and sleep deprivation. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent and treat video game addiction. Parents can set limits on screen time, encourage outdoor activities, and seek professional help when needed. With proper guidance and support, individuals can overcome video game addiction and regain control over their lives.”

Clues:
- First sentence states a problem: addiction is a growing struggle.
- Then describes negative effects (symptoms, consequences).
- Then says “Fortunately, there are ways to prevent and treat…” → introduces solutions.
- Lists specific actions parents can take → solutions.
- Ends with positive outcome if solutions are used.

→ This is clearly Problem/Solution.

Perfect match.

---

Now let’s summarize:

Passage 1: Order/Sequence
Passage 2: Description
Passage 3: Problem/Solution

Wait — I want to recheck Passage 2 one last time.

Is there any chance it’s Cause/Effect?

“The company... is designed to support...” → that’s the goal (cause?)

Then: “allowing for bigger levels...” → result (effect?)

“In addition...” → more results?

“Additionally...” → even more?

So maybe it’s Cause/Effect?

Let’s test:

Cause: Game is designed to support co-op → Effect: bigger levels, less corridor shooting.

Cause: Players progress → Effect: unlock story mode.

Cause: Want harder challenge → Effect: Nightmare mode available.

Hmm… that actually makes sense too.

But note: the passage doesn’t use cause/effect signal words like “because,” “therefore,” “as a result,” etc.

It uses “in addition,” “additionally” — which are additive, not causal.

Also, the main focus is describing what the game offers, not explaining why certain features exist due to prior conditions.

In most school curricula, this would be labeled Description.

However, I recall that some textbooks classify passages that explain “purpose and resulting features” as Cause/Effect.

To be safe, let’s think about the definition again.

From common core standards:

- Cause and Effect: Explains reasons why something happened or will happen.
- Description: Provides detailed information about a topic.

Here, the topic is “what Black Ops III offers.” The first sentence sets up the intent, but the rest is detailing features — not tracing因果关系.

I think Description is still better.

But let’s see what the answer key probably expects.

Looking back at Passage 1: definitely Order/Sequence.

Passage 3: definitely Problem/Solution.

For Passage 2 — if I had to choose between Description and Cause/Effect, I’d lean Description.

Wait — another angle: is it possible it’s Compare/Contrast? No — nothing is being compared.

Anecdote? No — not a story.

Order/Sequence? No — not chronological.

So only real contenders: Description or Cause/Effect.

Let me imagine rewriting it:

“If the developers wanted to make a more cooperative game, they created larger maps and reduced narrow corridors. Because players move through the game, they unlock new modes. Since some players want extreme challenges, Nightmare mode was added.”

That version uses cause/effect language.

Original does not — it just states facts.

Therefore, original is Description.

Final decision:

Passage 1: Order/Sequence
Passage 2: Description
Passage 3: Problem/Solution

But wait — I just noticed something in Passage 2:

It says: “the game reveals a ‘story’ difficulty mode, which allows them to play through missions with an easier challenge.”

That’s presenting a feature that solves a potential problem (too hard?) — but it’s not framed as a problem/solution overall.

No — still Description.

Okay, I’m confident now.

---

Final Answer:

Text Structure for Passage 1: Order/Sequence
Text Structure for Passage 2: Description
Text Structure for Passage 3: Problem/Solution