Engish STAAR ( State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) Practice Test

Which term refers to an author’s reference to earlier events in a story?

1. Flashback

2. Prologue

3. Chronology

4. Backstory

The correct answer is: Flashback

The term that refers to an author’s reference to earlier events in a story is flashback. A flashback is a narrative technique that allows writers to present events that happened before the current timeline in the story, providing readers with background information and context regarding characters or plot developments. This can enhance the emotional depth of the narrative and help explain motivations or past experiences of the characters. While prologue refers to an introductory section of a story that sets up the narrative, chronology is concerned with the order of events as they happen in time. Backstory, on the other hand, refers to the background information about characters and events that precede the main storyline, but it doesn't specifically imply a scene or moment being depicted in the flow of the narrative as flashbacks do. Flashbacks are more dynamic and often presented within the narrative, making them a distinct and distinctive literary device.