FLVS Critical Thinking and Study Skills Segment Exam 4.07

What evidence from the text best supports the following statement: The Compass Test is actually very important.

And if you do poorly on the Compass Test, you have to go to community college for a whole year while paying but without getting any credit.

What is the most reliable way for the author to gather information on how the Compass Test is used to place students?

Ask college placement offices about the test

Your friend tried out for the soccer team but did not make it. What is the best way for her to improve the situation?

Ask the coach what she can work on to improve for next season.

Which line from the text could be removed without changing the overall meaning of the passage?

At the same time, metabolism slows down, which can lead to a temporarily upset stomach.

What would be found in an informative report discussing things to include in a Class Scouting Report?

Challenges that might impact your grade

A neuron is a cell that communicates information along electric pathways. When you learn something new, your neurons have to build new pathways. What is the implied meaning of the word pathways in the sentences above?

Connections between brain cells, through which information can travel

According to the text, what is one way to combat stress?

Get enough sleep

What claims does Mawi make in this passage?

He set a goal to run the mile in 4:18, and worked hard to try to meet the goal.

What is the best way to make a paper or speech more convincing?

Include and address opposing points of view

Mawi says that failure may be OK because

Mawi failed to reach his goal, but he still improved his time

What is the best way to describe mnemonics?

Mnemonics are devices to help with memory.

Goals Need Grit One example of grit is JK Rowling, the writer of the Harry Potter books. Joanne Rowling grew up poor and worked in difficult jobs her whole life. When she was at her lowest point in her life, she set a goal to write a book about a boy wizard who overcame his challenges. After several years of working hard to write the books, her publisher told Joanne that they would not print the books with her name on them because they did not think a book written by a woman would sell any copies. Joanne was so frustrated that she wanted to give up. Instead of giving up, she thought of a creative way to get around her obstacle. Joanne borrowed the "K" from her grandmother's first name Kathleen and changed her writing name to Joanne Kathleen or JK Rowling. Today, Harry Potter is one of the bestselling books of all time. Obstacles can sometimes be opportunities in disguise. By not giving up when your goals feel impossible, you can achieve any goal that is important to you. What is the central idea of the passage?

Obstacles can sometimes be opportunities in disguise. Follow your goals.

Nick, Harlan, and Lizzy have three weeks to study for their final. What is the best way to study together?

Quiz each other on practice problems.

Dominique is reading an article on the environment, but she is getting the feeling it is more opinions and assumptions, not facts. Which of the following statements is a fact?

Recycling saves energy and other resources.

Why does Mawi tell a story about author JK Rowling?

She is a real-life example of grit leading to success.

Which of these statements is an example of a counterargument?

Shooting baskets may take great aim, but skating while handling a puck requires balance as well as precision

Read this thesis statement: If Mawi Asgedom had not faced challenges as a child, then he would not have attended Harvard University. What evidence would best support this thesis statement?

Struggling to learn English as a child demonstrated Mawi's ability to persevere.

The SAT has practice tests available for free online. What is the best way to learn from them?

Take practice tests and study the questions you get wrong.

When you have a long list of things to do, what tasks should you make a priority?

Tasks that help you reach your goals

Based on the text, what assumption were mapmakers using to design maps before Stuart McArthur created his map?

The world map looks best with the North Pole on top.

What is Mawi's purpose for discussing his personal story in this passage?

To demonstrate that challenges do not have to get in the way of success

What is the purpose of Mawi sharing the details of how he trained in this passage?

To show that he worked hard in an attempt to meet his goal

What is the best way to study for a vocabulary test?

Use flashcards to test yourself on the definitions.

Read the following passage: When you go to the gym and work out, your muscles get bigger. Your brain works the same way. When you try challenging assignments, your brain actually gets bigger and smarter. You can grow your intelligence. Building your brain is like building pathways through deep snow. Imagine that it has snowed two feet of wet, heavy snow and you need to walk down the driveway to your mailbox. The first time you walk, it will be very difficult because you have to break your path with every step. However, the second and third times will be easier because you have already made a path. Your brain works in the same way. Your brain is built out of neurons. A neuron is a cell that communicates information along electric pathways. When you learn something new, your neurons have to build new pathways. What is the central idea of the passage?

Working through challenging assignments will make your brain stronger.

For your history project, you need to write a magazine article about the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II. Your teacher gives you copies of real articles from American and Japanese newspapers from the era. You notice that the American newspapers call the American soldiers heroes, but the Japanese newspapers call the Japanese kamikaze pilots heroes. What can you infer about this assignment?

Your teacher wants you to examine the similarities and differences between the two articles.