8th Grade ELA (OAS) Quiz - Multimodal
Which sentence expresses the main idea most precisely and clearly? A) The architect designed the plans for our school's new gymnasium. B) The guy who designs buildings made a sketch of our new gym at school. C) The architect was hired by the school to create a plan for a new gymnasium for our school. D) The architect that was secured to design the gym has finished his preliminary plans for a school gym to be constructed on our campus.
A) The architect designed the plans for our school's new gymnasium.
The board of education, in conjunction with the city, student council, parents, and administrators, have come to the conclusion that measures should be taken to ensure safety and security of all students, teachers, and administrators on public school campuses during the school day. What is the BEST way to revise this sentence? A) The board of education, the city, the student council, parents, and administrators have conducted that measures must be taken to ensure safety on public school campuses. B) The board of education has come to the conclusion that safety and security of public school campuses is of primary importance and should be increased or improved. C) Measures should be taken to ensure the safety of everyone during the school day. D) The board of education should take measures to ensure safety for everyone.
A) The board of education, the city, the student council, parents, and administrators have conducted that measures should be taken to ensure safety on public school campuses.
Equestrian riding is a demanding sport that takes a lot of time, dedication, and skill. Write a narrative essay about a time you became involved in an activity that demanded your time, dedication, and skill. Read this writing prompt. Based on the task of the writing prompt, which sentence is an appropriate beginning for a narrative essay? A) The day I entered the newspaper office and saw students furiously writing and checking the clock, I knew I was in for a brand new experience. B) Becoming involved in activities such as sports, drama, student government, and band can help to improve the quality of a student's life. C) I believe that equestrian riding is one of the most demanding, but also one of the most satisfying sports that one can take part in. D) I know that activities demand a lot of a student, and I believe that students should not overload themselves with activities.
A) The day I entered the newspaper office and saw students furiously writing and checking the clock, I knew I was in for a brand new experience.
To celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, we will be learning about the lives of some Hispanic Americans. Your assignment is to find biographical (life story) information about ten famous American women of Hispanic descent. Be sure that you find the following information about each person: date of birth, country of origin, how she (or her family) came to the United States, why she is famous, and how the person died (if applicable). We will use the information that you gather in the research on an in-class project. Be sure to keep track of your sources; your final project will require a works cited page. In an internet search engine, which group of keywords is MOST appropriate for this assignment? A) Hispanic, women, countries, famous B) Hispanic, American, women, biographies C) Hispanic Heritage Month, date of birth D) Famous women, Mexico, American, project
B) Hispanic, American, women, biographies
(4) By interacting with and trading with newfound nations, explorers were able to bring back products that were exotic to their own shores. They opened up trading routes between different countries. Trade has been an important part of life for most cultures throughout history; it is even more so today, as the Internet has improved our ability to maintain a global market. Today, most of the world's goods are transported on the oceans from one seaport to another before making their way to your home. In paragraph 4, what point is the author making when he talks about the internet? A) The internet provides us with facts about people who first settled along oceans around the world. B) The internet allows us to buy products from and sell products to people around the world. C) The internet lets us look up information about different countries all over the world. D) The internet makes it possible to ship products to locations all over the world.
B) The internet allows us to buy products from and sell products to people around the world.
(24) Trees grew and flowers bloomed, because of which the world was a beautiful home for men. Look at the section marked (24). There may be a mistake in the way the sentence is written. If you find the mistake, choose the answer that corrects the mistake. If there is no mistake, choose 'Correct as is.' A) Correct as is. B) Trees grew and flowers bloomed, so that the world was a beautiful home for men. C) Trees grew and flowers bloomed, instead the world was a beautiful home for men. D) Trees grew and flowers bloomed, in order that the world was a beautiful home for men.
B) Trees grew and flowers bloomed, so that the world was a beautiful home for men.
Book of Etiquette Lillian Eichler FINGER FOODS (1) Various foods are eaten with the fingers instead of fork or spoon. Bread, for instance, is never cut but always broken into small pieces and lifted to the mouth with the fingers. Butter is seldom provided at the formal dinner, but if it is, each little piece of bread is buttered individually just before it is eaten. Crackers and cake are eaten in the same way; although some cakes and pastries are eaten with the fork. Those that can be eaten daintily with the fingers such as macaroons, lady-fingers, cookies, etc., should be eaten so while layer cake and elaborate pastries should be eaten with the fork. (2) Corn on the cob is without a doubt one of the most difficult foods to eat gracefully. And yet it is too delicious to forego the pleasure of eating it at all. It is entirely permissible to use the fingers in eating corn, holding it lightly at each end; sometimes a napkin is used in holding it. Many a foresighted hostess, when serving corn on the cob, provides each guest with a short, keen, steel-bladed knife with which the kernels may be cut from the cob easily. This is by far the most satisfactory method. (3) French artichokes are also difficult to eat. The proper way is to break them apart, leaf by leaf, dip the tips in the sauce and lift them to the mouth with the fingers. The heart is cut and eaten with a fork. (4) Lobster claws may be pulled apart with the fingers. Shrimps also, when served whole in their shells, may be separated, peeled and eaten with the fingers. Fruits such as oranges, apples, grapes, peaches and plums are all eaten with the fingers. Celery, radishes and olives are similarly eaten. Sometimes there are other relishes on the dinner table, and the guest must use his common sense to determine whether they are eaten with the fork or fingers. Bonbons, of course, are always eaten with the fingers. (5) Whenever fruits are served the finger-bowl should follow. It is always used at the completion of the dinner. The bowl is half filled with tepid water and set upon a plate. A fragrant leaf may be added to the water. The fingers are dipped lightly into the bowl, one hand at a time, and then dried on the napkin. It is a mark of ill breeding to splash the water about, to put both hands into the bowl at once, or to wet the entire palm of the hand. Only the finger tips should touch the water. TABLE ACCIDENTS (6) "Accidents will happen"--at the dinner table as well as anywhere else. The duty of the guest and the hostess both is to see that no confusion and embarrassment follows. (7) If a spoon or fork or napkin is dropped, the proper thing to do is to allow the servant to pick it up; the well-trained servant will not return it, but place it aside and give the guest another one. If a glass or cup is dropped and broken, embarrassed apologies will not put it together again, but a word of sincere regret to the hostess will relieve the awkwardness of the moment, and will be as gratifying to her as profuse apologies. If the article broken is a valuable one, the guest may replace it by sending, a day or two later, another one as nearly like it as possible. A cordial note of regret may accompany it. (8) Sometimes a cup of coffee or a glass of water is overturned at the table. This is, of course, a very serious and unpleasant accident, but there is no necessity in making matters worse by fussing about it and offering several exaggerated apologies. A simple word or two to the hostess will suffice; but it is really quite important that one should be careful not to let an accident of this kind happen too often, otherwise one will soon acquire the reputation of being a clumsy boor. What can the reader conclude is an intended reason for circulating the "finger bowls" following the consumption of any fruit? A) to cleanse the palette B) to cleanse sticky fingers C) to add fragrance to the table D) to avoid confusion an embarrassment
B) to cleanse sticky fingers
Your teacher has assigned you to write a research paper on the stage of history of famous productions of William Shakespeare's play, Othello. If you began your research by using an internet database, which search would be MOST helpful for finding useful sources for this topic? A) Famous Elizabethan Playwrights and Essayists B) Articles on the Life and Times of William Shakespeare C) Famous Stage Productions of Shakespeare's Greatest Plays D) Literary Criticism of Elizabethan Tragedies and Comedies
C) Famous Stage Productions of Shakespeare's Greatest Plays
From Wikipedia, "Dewey Defeats Truman" For about a year prior to the 1948 general election, the printers who operated the linotype machines at the Chicago Tribune and other Chicago papers had been on strike, in protest of the Taft-Hartley Act. Around the same time, the Tribune had switched to a method in which copy for the paper was composed on typewriters and photographed and then engraved onto the printing plates. This process required the paper to go to press several hours earlier than usual. On election night, this earlier press deadline required the first post-election issue of the Tribune to go to press before even the East Coast states had reported many results from the polling places. The first edition of the Tribune therefore went to press with the banner headline "DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN". Truman, as it turned out, won the electoral vote by a 303-189-39 majority over Dewey and Dixiecrat candidate Strom Thurmond. Instead of a Republican sweep of the White House and hold of both houses of Congress, the Democrats not only won the Presidency but also took over control of the Senate and the House of Representatives. What is a lesson that could be learned from this story? A) Sometimes unions go on strike for good reasons. B) The news media and politics make for strange bedfellows. C) The news media sometimes gets things wrong in a crucial way. D) Dewey would have won the election if Thurmond hadn't run for president.
C) The news media sometimes gets things wrong in a crucial way.
Battling Cancer: One Woman's Journey Tracy Wilson (1) Julianne had never given much thought to cancer before one dismal Monday morning last April. The dawn clouds were gray and heavy, and it looked as though it might rain at any second as Julianne meandered to the mailbox at the end of the lawn. As she opened the box, the rusty hinge made a screech much like someone scraping fingernails across a blackboard. The news Julianne received in a postcard that day was much more unnerving. It was simply stated: "Miss Taylor, please call our office to schedule a follow-up appointment as soon as possible. Tests from your annual physical examination have revealed an abnormality." "Abnormality?" Julianne questioned. What kind of abnormality could a 24-year-old woman, who exercised religiously and consumed a healthy diet, possibly have? Within hours she learned the answer to this question only to pose a thousand more in its place. (2) Cancer, "the big C," as it is often called. Her doctor felt sure but ordered more tests to confirm his suspicion. While cervical cancer in a woman Julianne's age was rare, her doctor admitted, it certainly was not unheard of in her demographic group. Her doctor explained that this type of cancer is often caused by a common virus that many women do not even realize they have. The human papillomavirus can lead to this type of cancer if a woman's immune system does not fight off the virus in its initial stages. Julianne was devastated. Her doctor began to discuss treatment options and suggested an oncologist specializing in this type of cancer, but Julianne heard very little of what he said. Her head was spinning with questions. Overwhelmed, she wondered how she would break the news to her family and friends. (3) Initially, they would feel the same shock and dismay Julianne experienced after receiving the devastating news. As the shock wore off and cancer became the reality they would be living, they immediately offered tremendous support. Along with her parents and a close friend, Julianne went to the oncologist her doctor had recommended to determine a treatment plan to combat her cancer. The oncologist was optimistic that with a combination of surgery to remove the cancerous cells followed by six chemotherapy treatments to ensure that all of the cells were destroyed, Julianne could overcome this cancer and go into remission. He determined that since Julianne's cancer had been discovered in an early stage of development, perhaps her fertility could also be saved. Julianne had dreamed of having children ever since she was a child herself, so this news was very encouraging. (4) In May, Julianne had an operation to remove the cancerous cells from the lining of her cervix. The surgery to remove the cells was painful in the days immediately following the procedure, but it was the chemotherapy treatments that were the most debilitating. For several days after each of the six treatments, Julianne was unable to get out of bed. The physical pain coupled with the extreme bouts of nausea and vomiting were more than she thought she could bear. While her hair became thin and brittle during the treatments, she did not lose it entirely. (5) By autumn, Julianne was looking and feeling much more like herself. In late October, the results of treatment were conclusive; she was in remission. Even though doctors consider Julianne cancer-free, she has made lifestyle changes to prevent the cancer from returning. These changes include increasing the consumption of certain nutrients that have proven to reduce cancer-causing agents from attacking healthy cells in the body. (6) Lycopene, an amino acid found in abundance in tomatoes and tomato-based products such as tomato sauce and paste, has been proven to be a preventative for many types of cancer. Vitamins and minerals found in green, leafy vegetables such as spinach and broccoli are also rich in cancer preventing antioxidants. Julianne also heeded her doctor's advice to exercise regularly and to engage in activities such as yoga or meditation to help manage stress and keep cancer at bay. Information from the passage suggests that tomatoes are considered a preventative for many types of cancer. Why is this so? A) Tomato peels are loaded with both vitamins and minerals. B) All fruits and vegetables are natural cancer preventatives. C) Tomatoes contain an abundance of an amino acid called lycopene. D) Tomatoes are used to make other products such as tomato sauce and tomato paste.
C) Tomatoes contain an abundance of an amino acid called lycopene.
The Junior Representative Mary McCormick Jamal wrote an essay because he really loved the government and knew that one day he wanted a career in the US Congress. Although he put his whole heart and soul into his letter, he had no idea that his essay would win the entire national contest! He wasn't the only winner. Forty-nine other kids across America had also won the chance to visit Washington, DC, for the eighth annual Constitution Conference. (2) On the trip, Jamal's official title was "Junior Representative." The kids who got to visit the nation's capital had a very big day in store. The goal of the day was to teach kids the fundamentals of civil service. The organizers had planned a whole day of activities designed to help kids get an idea of how it would be to work in the different branches of government. (3) First, all of the kids gathered in a large room made to look like the House floor. There, Jamal and the other winners said the Pledge of Allegiance and learned about the history of the Pledge. Several speakers went to the front of the room and made announcements. Then all of the kids watched and listened as the speakers debated. Some kids, who thought the day would be less educational, said the debate was monotonous. Jamal, however, enjoyed this exchange of words mostly because one day he wanted to be a great debater. To him, this was one of the best moments of the day. (4) Another fine show was when several new Americans reenacted their Pledge for Citizenship. Seeing how sincere those people were as they spoke made Jamal realize how lucky he was to be born in the United States. (5) After lunch, the junior representatives listened to an author read from her work. Jamal's mom had given him some money to get a souvenir of his big day, and Jamal decided to buy the author's book. When she was done with her presentation, Jamal approached her and asked if she had any copies for sale. The woman gave him a copy for free and even wrote an inscription inside. She wrote, I hope you had a blast during the conference. I wish I had someone as ambitious as you working on my campaign. Jamal was touched by her words. He shook the woman's hand and went back to join the other junior representatives. (6) When the experience was over and Jamal was back at home, his mother wanted to know all of the details of his adventure. Jamal smiled and showed her the note from the author; he described the debate. Jamal could not stop speaking about all of the fascinating things he had seen during his very first day of government work. Because of Jamal's experiences at the 8th Annual Constitution Conference, we can predict that when Jamal grows up he will MOST LIKELY be interested in becoming a A) speech writer. B) middle school teacher. C) politician and debater. D) public service announcer.
C) politician and debater.
Stranded Tracy Wilson APRIL 25. Even the morning air is sultry today. I would have fished for my breakfast last night before sunset, but I knew that it would surely spoil before morning. Drinking my water warm has taken some getting used to. It's funny how we take certain things like ice for granted. If I become desperate I can always resort to eating the freeze dried rations, but that defeats my purpose for being here to begin with. Besides, they are about as edible as the tough, dry bark in a long dead tree. I think I have almost learned to track the time by the rays of the sun. Time, like water, seems to sit in a pot unable to boil if your eye isn't constantly on it. Time seems to be the only thing that man hasn't learned to control; but I am sure some genius like Fred Johnson is currently working on it, while sitting in a cubicle checking the four thousand emails on his Palm Pilot. As for me, I think I will lean back on this dune and nap a while before I head out to catch some lunch. The author's description of Fred Johnson shows her use of A) dialogue. B) personification. C) sarcasm. D) understatement.
C) sarcasm.
However, the idea of real-life people living in what would become the United States for thousands of years before Columbus ever left Spain never dawned on me. What would be the BEST way to revise this sentence for greater clarity? A) However, the fact that Columbus left Spain thousands of years after people settled what would become the United States never dawned on me. B) It never dawned on me, however, the idea of real-life people living in what would become the United States for thousands of years before Columbus ever left Spain. C) However, the fact that people were already living in what would become the United States for thousands of years before Columbus ever left Spain never dawned on me. D) However, the idea never dawned on me that long before Columbus ever left Spain, real-life people lived for thousands of years in what would become the United States.
D) However, the idea never dawned on me that long before Columbus ever left Spain, real-life people lived for thousands of years in what would become the United States.
How could this sentence be revised to clarify its meaning? Trying to get to practice on time, the coach started without me. A) The coach started without me. B) I was trying to get to practice on time. C) The coach was trying to get to practice on time. D) I was trying to get to practice on time, but the coach started without me.
D) I was trying to get to practice on time, but the coach started without me.
Eclair Recipe Maria Parloa Into a granite-ware saucepan put half a pint of milk, two well-rounded tablespoonfuls of butter, and one tablespoonful of sugar, and place on the stove. When this boils up, add half a pint of sifted flour, and cook for two minutes, beating well with a wooden spoon. It will be smooth and velvety at the end of that time. Set away to cool; and when cool, beat in four eggs, one at a time. Beat vigorously for about fifteen minutes. Try a small bit of the paste in the oven; and if it rises in the form of a hollow ball, the paste is beaten enough; whereas, if it does not, beat a little longer. Have baking sheets or shallow pans slightly buttered. Have ready, also, a tapering tin tube, with the smaller opening about three-quarters of an inch in diameter. Place this in the small end of a conical cotton pastry bag. Put the mixture in the bag, and press out on buttered pans, having each éclair nearly three inches long. There should be eighteen, and they must be at least two inches apart, as they swell in cooking. Bake in a moderately hot oven for about twenty-five minutes. Take from the oven, and while they are still warm coat them with chocolate. When cold, cut open on the side, and fill with either of the following described preparations: (1) FILLING NO. 1.—Mix in a bowl half a pint of rich cream, one teaspoonful of vanilla, and four tablespoonfuls of sugar. Place the bowl in a pan of ice-water, and beat the cream until light and firm, using either an egg-beater or a whisk. (2) FILLING NO. 2.—Put half a pint of milk into a double-boiler, and place on the stove. Beat together until very light one level tablespoonful of flour, half a cupful of sugar, and one egg. When the milk boils, stir in this mixture. Add one-eighth of a teaspoonful of salt, and cook for fifteen minutes, stirring often. When cold, flavor with one teaspoonful of vanilla. (3) ICING FOR ÉCLAIRS.—Put in a small granite-ware pan: half a pint of sugar and five tablespoonfuls of cold water. Stir until the sugar is partially melted, and then place on the stove, stirring for half a minute. Take out the spoon, and watch the sugar closely. As soon as it boils, take instantly from the heat and pour upon a meat-platter. Let this stand for eight minutes. Meantime, shave into a cup one ounce of baker's chocolate and put it on the stove in a pan of boiling water. At the end of eight minutes stir the sugar with a wooden spoon until it begins to grow white and to thicken. Add the melted chocolate quickly, and continue stirring until the mixture is thick. Put it in a small saucepan, and place on the stove in another pan of hot water. Stir until so soft that it will pour freely. Stick a skewer into the side of an éclair, and dip the top in the hot chocolate. Place on a plate, and continue until all the éclairs are "glacéd." They will dry quickly. Do not stir the sugar after the first half minute, and do not scrape the sugar from the saucepan into the platter. All the directions must be strictly followed. (4) Why does the author indicate that all the directions must be strictly followed? A) The author thinks everyone should cook like she does. B) If the directions are not followed, the éclairs will not rise. C) The ingredients will ruin or spoil if the directions are not followed exactly. D) If the directions are not followed, the éclairs will not turn out as they should.
D) If the directions are not followed, the éclairs will not turn out as they should.
(1) The drama teacher, Mr. Petrowski, said the cast list for the musical would go up after lunch. Hannah sat up a little straighter during his announcement and flashed a thousand-watt smile. Samantha couldn't help but roll her eyes at her best friend. Hannah had always been extremely confident in everything she'd done, but she was already acting as if she _____ the star. Hannah was loud, cheerful, and spontaneous, which made her a phenomenal actress, but her perpetual optimism aggravated Samantha today. (2) Feeling exasperated by her friend's behavior, Samantha distanced herself from Hannah at lunch and pretended to study. Samantha was the polar opposite of Hannah; she was introverted and meticulous, definitely not the typical drama student. However, she'd needed an elective this semester, and Hannah had convinced her to take drama. Surprisingly, Samantha enjoyed drama class—she liked letting go of her inhibitions and acting like someone else for a while. (3) Hannah found her after lunch, and they walked back to the drama classroom together. There was already a crowd around the classroom door, and everyone was talking excitedly. Hannah's face went white when she looked at the list, and that's when Samantha saw her own name at the top. What is the effect of presenting the narrative in chronological order? A) It establishes a playful mood. B) It helps reveal past conflicts. C) It creates a sens of foreboding. D) It emphasizes the surprise at the end.
D) It emphasizes the surprise at the end.
My riding experiences began three years ago at a local riding school. Watching horse races on television sparked my interest in learning to ride. The first day I arrived at the school, I was nervous but excited. When I stepped out of my car into the fresh air, I knew I had made the right decision. The horses in the barn neighed and whinnied at one another. I saw some of the other students taking their horses for a walk. Then, I mustered up courage and walked toward the barn. Read this draft of the introductory paragraph for a narrative essay. Which sentence is appropriate to place at the beginning of this paragraph? A) People in North America have tamed and ridden horses for thousands of years. B) I think that every person should learn how to ride horses by the time that they are adults. C) Taking horseback riding classes is a good idea for people who want excitement in their lives. D) Learning to ride horses is one of the most challenging, yet thrilling, experiences of my life.
D) Learning to ride horses is one of the most challenging, yet thrilling, experiences of my life.
Which sentence would be the most engaging opening for a story about a boy who was the sole survivor of a plane crash in the mountains? A) It was going to be a beautiful day and a perfect day for flying a plane. B) A boy in a plane had a wreck, and he was the only survivor of the plane wreck. C) This is a story about a boy who is in a plane wreck in the mountains and survives. D) The boy woke up suddenly buried up to his neck in snow and surrounded by burning plane wreckage.
D) The boy woke up suddenly buried up to his neck in snow and surrounded by burning plane wreckage.
How could this sentence be revised to clarify its meaning? Taxiing on the runway, the radio tower was in contact with the pilot. A) The plane landed safely. B) The pilot was taxiing on the runway. C) The radio tower was in contact with the pilot. D) The radio tower was in contact with the pilot taxiing on the runway.
D) The radio tower was in contact with the pilot taxiing on the runway.
Which technological resource would be MOST helpful for getting more information about the potential risks of not being vaccinated? A) a personal blog about the pros and cons of vaccinations B) a streamed video of an autism advocate's views on vaccines C) an online news report on the number of people who choose not to vaccinate their children D) a spreadsheet charting the number of people affected by vaccine-preventable diseases each year
D) a spreadsheet charting the number of people affected by vaccine-preventable diseases each year
