How to Talk About Books: Genres, Styles, and Types — teorija. Jaunās tēmas (izstrāde), E. Kaša.

PIRMĀ SEMESTRA NOSLĒGUMA TESTI

Learn: every time you pick up a book — whether it’s a magical fairy tale, a scary ghost story, or an exciting adventure novel — you step into a brand-new world. Stories can make you laugh, think, dream, or even scream! The best part? You get to choose where you go next. By learning the names of different book genres, you’ll understand stories better, talk about your favourites with confidence, and discover what kind of reader you truly are. From biographies of real heroes to science-fiction journeys across the galaxy, each genre has something amazing to offer. Ready to explore? Let’s open the first page.

Word bank:

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adventure story — [ədˈventʃə ˌstɔːri] — a story full of exciting events, danger, travel, or challenges, usually following a hero on a journey or mission; piedzīvojumu stāsts

Last night I read an adventure story so thrilling that I forgot to check my phone for two whole hours — that’s how you know it’s good.

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autobiography — [ˌɔːtəʊbaɪˈɒɡrəfi] — a book in which a person writes the story of their own life, describing real events and experiences from their point of view; autobiogrāfija

I couldn’t put down her autobiography — it felt like she was sitting right next to me, telling secrets she had never shared before.

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biography — [baɪˈɒɡrəfi] — a book that tells the true story of a person’s life, written by someone else, describing important events, achievements, and experiences; biogrāfija

Reading a biography feels like following someone on their life journey, watching every success, failure, and surprising twist.

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children’s literature — [ˈtʃɪldrənz ˈlɪtərətʃə] — books and stories written especially for children, usually with simple language, interesting characters, and themes suitable for young readers; bērnu literatūra

Some of the bravest heroes I know come from children’s literature, and they taught me more about courage than any real person.

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detective — [dɪˈtektɪv] — a story where a crime has been committed and a detective (professional or amateur) investigates it by searching for clues, questioning people, and solving the case; detektīvžanrs

The detective story began with a single strange clue — a red glove left in an empty room — and by midnight I couldn’t stop turning the pages.

drama — [ˈdrɑːmə] — a work of fiction designed to be performed in some way. Dramatic works include plays for the theatre, radio, television, and film; dramaturģija, drāma

When the school staged a drama about friendship, the audience laughed, cried, and even gave a standing ovation at the end.

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fairy tale — [ˈfeəri teɪl] — a story, usually for children, that includes magical elements such as talking animals, fairies, witches, or impossible events, often teaching a moral lesson; pasaka

Every culture has its own fairy tales, and each one opens a door into a world full of magic and ancient wisdom.

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fantasy — [ˈfæn.tə.si] — a story set in an imaginary world where magic exists, often with detailed world-building, mythical creatures, and complex plots; usually written for older children, teenagers, or adults; fantāzijas žanrs

The fantasy novel pulled me into a world of floating islands, ancient spells, and creatures that only appear when the moon turns silver.

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fiction — [ˈfɪkʃn] — writing that tells an invented story about imaginary people or events, not based on real life, even if it can feel realistic; daiļliteratūra

Our teacher said that fiction isn’t just made-up stories — it’s a way to explore ideas, emotions, and worlds we can’t visit.

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folk tale — [ˈfəʊk ˌteɪl] — a traditional story that has been passed down orally from one generation to the next, usually describing the beliefs, customs, everyday life, or wisdom of a culture, often without magical elements; tautas pasaka, teika

When we studied a Latvian folk tale in class, I realised how similar it was to stories from other countries — they all share wisdom hidden in simple words.

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ghost story — [ˈɡəʊst ˌstɔː.ri] — a scary story that involves ghosts or supernatural events, usually written to create fear, suspense, or mystery; spoku stāsts

The ghost story was so chilling that I kept checking my room for shadows long after I finished reading it.

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historical — [hɪˈstɒr.ɪ.kəl] — a story or novel set in the past, often showing real historical events, places, or ways of life; vēsturiskais žanrs

Our teacher recommended a piece of historical story set during World War II, and it was so emotional I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

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horror story — [ˈhɒr.ə ˌstɔː.ri] — a story written to create strong fear, shock, or tension, often involving dangerous situations, terrifying creatures, or psychological suspense; šausmu stāsts

The horror story was so terrifying that I had to read the last chapter with all the lights on and even then I wasn’t sure I was alone.

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humour — [ˈhjuː.mər] — a type of story, play, or movie that is written to make people laugh through jokes, funny situations, and entertaining characters; humors

A good humour story can turn even the most ordinary situation like losing your keys into a disaster that’s somehow hilarious.

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mystery — [ˈmɪs.tər.i] — a story where something strange or unexplained happens and the characters try to discover the truth, often involving secrets, hidden clues, or puzzles; mistērija

The mystery novel kept me guessing until the very last page, every time I thought I knew the answer, a new clue proved me wrong.

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non-fiction — [ˌnɒn ˈfɪkʃn] — writing that is based on real facts, events, and people, giving true information about the world; dokumentālā literatūra

Non-fiction helps you understand the real world — from how volcanoes work to why people behave the way they do.

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novel — [ˈnɒv.əl] — a long, written story with many characters and events, usually divided into chapters, describing an imaginary world or situation in detail; romāns

The novel was so captivating that I promised myself I’d read only one chapter… and suddenly it was midnight.

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play — [pleɪ] — a piece of writing created to be performed by actors on a stage, on the radio, or on television, with dialogue and actions instead of long descriptions; luga

Plays can be seen and heard. Hence, a play doesn't just have readers; it has an audience.

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poem — [ˈpəʊɪm] — a short piece of writing arranged in lines and verses, often using rhythm, sound patterns, and expressive language to share feelings or ideas; dzejolis

The poem was only eight lines long, but it somehow captured an entire lifetime of emotions.

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poetry — [ˈpəʊətri] — poems in general; poems as a genre of literature; dzeja

Poetry is like music without instruments — rhythm, emotion, and meaning all woven together in a few powerful lines.

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review — [rɪˈvjuː] — a written text that gives an opinion about a book, film, or play, explaining what is good or not so good and helping others decide whether to read or watch it; recenzija

Before choosing my next book, I read a review online, and the writer was so enthusiastic that I instantly added it to my list.

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romance — [rəʊˈmæns] — a story that focuses on a romantic relationship between characters, usually showing how their feelings develop and whether their love succeeds or faces challenges; romantikas žanrs

I didn’t expect to like a romance book, but the characters were so real that I found myself rooting for them from the very first chapter.

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science fiction (also informal: sci-fi) — [ˌsaɪəns ˈfɪkʃn] — a type of book, film, etc. that is based on imagined scientific discoveries of the future, and often deals with space travel and life on other planets; zinātniskā fantastika

The science fiction novel transported me to a future where humans live on floating cities and robots argue about art.

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short story — [ˌʃɔːt ˈstɔːri] — a story, usually about imaginary characters and events, that is short enough to be read from beginning to end without stopping; īsais stāsts

The short story was only three pages long, but the ending surprised me more than some whole novels do.

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thriller — [ˈθrɪl.ər] — a fast-paced, exciting story filled with suspense, tension, and danger, where the characters often face high risks and unexpected twists; trilleris