Communication - Quiz questions

A teacher assigns a writing project in which students focus on their own unique characteristics. She encourages her students to focus on something that makes them different or that might be seen as a negative thing by peers and describe the positive aspects of it. What is the greatest benefit of this project? A. It allows students to practice their writing skills while focused on a personal issue. B. This allows students to develop pride in themselves and a relationship with the teacher. C. It builds a relationship with other students. D. It focuses on both sides of an issue.

a

A teacher is planning instruction on the five stages of the writing process. Which of the following instructional strategies would be most appropriate to facilitate progress through all stages of the process? A. Provide students with a checklist that includes each stage in the writing process and steps to take during each stage. Stop after each stage to discuss the next stage and prompt students to take steps to engage in the next stage of writing. B. Ask students to identify each stage in the writing process and write steps to take in each stage. C. Give students two class periods to write a three-paragraph essay on a topic of their choice. After they submit their papers, rate each student on how well they followed each stage in the writing process. D. Use a previously submitted writing sample from each student and ask students to exchange their papers with peers to conduct peer edits.

a

An ELL student says the following: "What address should I address the letter to?" The student makes an error in the pronunciation of the noun and verb form of "address." The error in pronunciation of these words indicates a problem with: A. word stress patterns. B. places of articulation. C. voiced and voiceless sounds. D. final intonation patterns.

a

An eighth-grade English teacher is teaching her students how to identify different text structures. As part of the lesson, she asks her students to read the following excerpt about the famous philosophers, Plato and Aristotle. Although much of Aristotle's work was influenced by Plato, Aristotle was able to find many faults in Plato's theories and in time became a critic of his teacher. Their work targets many of the same aspects of philosophy, but their theories differ quite a bit. They both believed that thoughts were more powerful than senses. However, Plato believed the senses could not be used to determine reality, whereas Aristotle believed just the opposite, that the senses were needed to determine reality. So while Plato was busy imagining an invisible world, Aristotle looked to find truth in the world around him. Which of the following text structures is the teacher trying to help her students identify? A. compare and contrast B. cause and effect C. argumentative D. chronological

a

Consider the following sentence: Doing nothing is a fun night for me. The phrase "doing nothing" is an example of a... A. gerund phrase B. prepositional phrase C. verb phrase D. noun phrase

a

Following a lesson in which the teacher provides direct instruction on subject-verb agreement, the students would be best served by: A. an opportunity to practice the skill. B. a lesson on identifying verbs. C. a lesson on identifying subjects. D. an assessment on the skill.

a

How does instruction regarding word families support spelling instruction? A. It demonstrates that in words containing the same sounds made by a group of letters, the sounds will often be represented with the same spelling. B. It demonstrates that the ends of rhyming words will always be spelled the same. C. It demonstrates the difference between a rime and an onset. D. It demonstrates variations in how similar sounds are represented.

a

I ordered pizza for dinner, because I did not have time to go to the grocery store. Which of the following revisions corrects any grammatical errors in the sentence above? A. I ordered pizza for dinner because I did not have time to go to the grocery store. B. Since I forgot to go to the grocery store I ordered pizza for dinner. C. Because I did not have time to go to the grocery store; I ordered pizza for dinner. D. I ordered pizza, for dinner, because I did not have time to go to the grocery store.

a

Jacqueline wanted a new life in a new city. Over the rivers, under the bridges, and through the woods she drove and drove. The many landscapes of America rose to meet her: hills, valleys, plains, deserts, and forests. After driving for days and days, she finally arrived at her new destination, and a new day in a new city. The second sentence in the excerpt contains which of the following grammatical elements? A. prepositional phrases B. possessive nouns C. multiple pronouns D. independent clauses

a

Mary is whom found the token. Which of the following revisions fixes the grammatical error in the sentence above? A. The word "whom" should be "who." B. The word "token" should be plural ("tokens"). C. The subject and object need to be changed. D. No changes are needed.

a

Mrs. Langston is an English teacher and requires her students to keep a portfolio of their writing assignments, which includes drafts and final copies. The greatest benefit to the portfolios is that: A. students can view how their writing has improved over time. B. parents are able to view their children's work. C. the portfolios can serve as a predictor of future performance for students. D. Mrs. Langston can quickly retrieve past assignments.

a

Mrs. Roberts and her students have been practicing analyzing persuasive writing to see how all evidence relates back to the author's main claim. She would like to ensure that this understanding is applied to their own persuasive writing piece. Which of the following prewriting activities would best support this goal? A. Complete a graphic organizer with their claim in the center circle and evidence listed in surrounding circles that are each connected back to the claim by a line. B. Collect all research and evidence on notecards containing source information. C. Use a Venn diagram to compare their argument with a possible opposing position. D. Ask students to complete a story map before they being drafting.

a

Original Sentence: Its hot outside. Revised Sentence: It's hot outside. What aspect of the revised sentence was improved? A. writing conventions B. sentence fluency C. organization D. word choice

a

Original Sentence: Some dogs barks when they are startled. Revised Sentence: Some dogs bark when they are startled. What aspect of the revised sentence was corrected? A. subject/verb agreement B. indefinite pronouns C. plural "s" D. pronoun/antecedent agreement

a

Students in a music theory class have been assigned to use the internet to complete a research project. Which of the following describes how the teacher can best prepare the class to conduct their research? A. Provide instruction that guides students through the process of evaluating internet sources for validity and accuracy. B. Provide instruction that guides students through the outlining, drafting, and editing process. C. Provide instruction that identifies all of the tools and sources available in the school library. D. Provide instruction that focuses on the use of word processing software to organize and edit a paper.

a

The following is based on a student's excerpt about her favorite time of day. "In the afternoon, I often see birds and rabbits on the way home from school. It is really nice to watch the animals and listen to the sounds of nature walking on the trail. It is the most peaceful and relaxing time of my day." The errors primarily involve: A. misplaced modifiers. B. wrong word usage. C. lack of parallel structure. D. split infinitives

a

Where I Lived, and What I Lived For At a certain season of our life we are accustomed to consider every spot as the possible site of a house. I have thus surveyed the country on every side within a dozen miles of where I live. In imagination I have bought all the farms in succession, for all were to be bought, and I knew their price. I walked over each farmer's premises, tasted his wild apples, discoursed on husbandry with him, took his farm at his price, at any price, mortgaging it to him in my mind; even put a higher price on it—took everything but a deed of it—took his word for his deed, for I dearly love to talk,—cultivated it, and him too to some extent, I trust, and withdrew when I had enjoyed it long enough, leaving him to carry it on. This experience entitled me to be regarded as a sort of real-estate broker by my friends. Wherever I sat, there I might live, and the landscape radiated from me accordingly. What is a house but a sedes, a seat?—better if a country seat. I discovered many a site for a house not likely to be soon improved, which some might have thought too far from the village, but to my eyes the village was too far from it. Well, there I might live, I said; and there I did live, for an hour, a summer and a winter life; saw how I could let the years run off, buffet the winter through, and (1) see the spring come in. The future inhabitants of this region, wherever they may place their houses, (2) may be sure that they have been anticipated. An afternoon sufficed to lay out the land into orchard, woodlot, and pasture, and to decide what fine oaks or pines should be left to stand before the door, and whence each blasted tree could be seen to the best advantage; and then I let it lie fallow perchance, (3) for a man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone. Which rhetorical device is being used in underlined phrase 1, "see the spring come in"? A. personification B. metaphor C. simile D. alliteration

a

Which of the following describes what happens in the transitional stage of writing? A. Students learn to explain different purposes for writing. B. Students learn to write random strings of letters, often in uppercase. C. Students learn to adjust their writing for specific purposes and audiences. D. Students learn to transition between sentences and paragraphs easily.

a

Which of the following is an example of hyperbole? A. The line for the sale was two miles long. B. The test tomorrow hung over me like a black cloud. C. The turtle swam silently and slowly through the water. D. The sun smiled down on us as we walked to school.

a

Which of the following should not be considered when evaluating an internet source for credibility on a topic? A. the amount of relevant information provided by the source B. the author(s) and publisher of the website C. the design of the website and the frequency of spelling and/or grammar errors D. the date of publication or copyright date

a

Which type of essay is intended to convince the reader of a particular position or point of view? A. persuasive B. expository C. narrative D. descriptive

a

Which of the following are appropriate ways for a teacher to help students develop literacy? Select all answers that apply. A. Expect students to provide text evidence for their answers. B. Provide flexible classroom seating to facilitate an easy transition between independent work and the opportunity to discuss their reading and writing with peers. C. Require each student to read unfamiliar texts aloud to the class on a regular basis. D. Prevent overlap instruction in writing and speaking until students achieve mastery in reading.

a, b

Why is incorporating multiple types, genres, lengths, and styles of writing into the classroom important for student writing success? Select all answers that apply. A. writing with different styles, genres, and types allows students to practice writing skills in authentic and meaningful ways B. so that students don't become bored or weighed down by purely academic writing C. to show students that school is not the only place where writing occurs D. because students need variety in the classroom to effectively learn all writing skills

a, c

Transitional words and phrases are helpful in both spoken and written communication because they: Select all answers that apply. A. indicate the flow of time and events. B. state the author's purpose clearly. C. join two sentences together. D. link ideas tp each other.

a, d

Which of the following describes a compound sentence? Select all answers that apply. A. It has two independent clauses. B. It contains a subordinating conjunction. C. It has one independent clause and one dependent clause. D. It contains a conjunction or a semicolon.

a, d

(1) Gather ye rose-buds while ye may, (2) Old Time is still a-flying: (3) And this same flower that smiles to-day, (4) To-morrow will be dying. (5) The glorious Lamp of Heaven, the Sun, (6) The higher he's a-getting (7) The sooner will his race be run, (8) And nearer he's to setting. (9) That age is best which is the first, (10) When youth and blood are warmer, (11) But being spent, the worse, and worst (12) Times, still succeed the former. (13) Then be not coy, but use your time; (14) And while ye may, go marry: (15) For having lost but once your prime, (16) You may for ever tarry. Which figurative language device is used in lines 3 and 7? (3) And this same flower that smiles to-day, (7) The sooner will his race be run, A. Hyperbole B. Personification C. Allusion D. Metaphor

b

A seventh-grade teacher has noticed that students are misspelling the same words repeatedly in their essays and would like to help them improve their spelling skills for the words listed below: aversion exacerbate audible benign generous edict abbreviate circulate Which of the following mini-lessons would help her accomplish her goal? A. conducting practice spelling tests over the course of several days to help students commit the irregular patterns of the words to memory B. teaching the meanings of common Latin root words and the common spelling patterns associated with them C. showing students how to separate the words into syllables and sound them out to spell them more accurately D. helping students separate the words into two categories, open syllables and closed syllables, and showing them the spelling rules for each

b

A teacher gives the following oral feedback to students: "It's important that you remember to use a conjunction when joining together two independent clauses. You can use the conjunction 'and.' My sister is at home, and my brother is out with his friends." The feedback is primarily in response to the students' difficulty in creating which of the following? A. a simple sentence B. a compound sentence C. a complex sentence D. a compound-complex sentence

b

A teacher has just finished teaching her class how to write a strong thesis statement. Now the students need to choose supporting details that are relevant to the topic and will provide sufficient support for their arguments. To scaffold this skill, which of the following could the teacher provide to the students? A. a list of transitional phrases and examples of their uses B. a list of details for them to order from strongest to weakest C. a Venn diagram with some sample information filled in D. a list of sentence stems to use in their essays

b

A teacher is preparing a lesson that addresses purpose for writing. Which of the following sentences should the teacher use as an example of a writer demonstrating a persuasive purpose for writing? A. My first trip to Disney World took place when I was ten years old, and I traveled to Florida via plane. B. Walt Disney World's four theme parks span 25,000 acres of land and average approximately 52 million park visitors per year, making it one of the top vacation locations in the world. C. Walt Disney World opened in 1971 in Florida and currently includes four theme parks. D. Walt Disney World includes a mass transportation system that includes a monorail, buses, water taxis, and ferries.

b

An eighth-grade English teacher is teaching her students how to identify different text structures. As part of the lesson, she asks her students to read the following excerpt about the famous philosophers, Plato and Aristotle. Although much of Aristotle's work was influenced by Plato, Aristotle was able to find many faults in Plato's theories and in time became a critic of his teacher. Their work targets many of the same aspects of philosophy, but their theories differ quite a bit. They both believed that thoughts were more powerful than senses. However, Plato believed the senses could not be used to determine reality, whereas Aristotle believed just the opposite, that the senses were needed to determine reality. So while Plato was busy imagining an invisible world, Aristotle looked to find truth in the world around him. Which of the following will help students recognize the text structure of this excerpt? A. finding the thesis statement B. finding signal words C. summarizing each sentence D. asking questions

b

Do you remember the first concert, play, or musical you attended? These live performing arts experiences have a way of becoming rooted in our memories for life. Then, this is why I'm extremely disheartened to hear that the high school music and theatre budget has been decreased. First, this reduction in funds is going to make mounting big productions difficult. The current budget also contains funds to bring in guest conductors or actors and hire a live orchestra for the Spring musical. Without money, all of these programs will cease to exist. After that, cutting these experiences for students and the community would be detrimental to all involved. I hope you will reconsider the budget cuts you are making and will decide to fully fund the theatre and music program for next year. This student's essay is considered what type of writing? A. creative B. persuasive C. narrative D. informative

b

How Do I Love Thee? - Elizabeth Barrett Browning How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for right. I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. Browning's poem is written mostly using which of the following grammatical constructs? A. rhetorical questions B. declarative statements C. imperative sentences D. passive voice

b

In 1983, Harold Washington was the first African American elected mayor of Chicago. The following is an excerpt from his acceptance speech. (1) Tonight we are here. Tonight we are here to celebrate a resounding victory. We, we have fought a good fight. We have finished our course. And we have kept the faith. We fought that good fight. We fought it, with unseasoned weapons and with a phalanx of people who mostly have never been involved in a political campaign before. This has truly been a pilgrimage. Our government will be moving forward as well, including more people. And more kinds of people, than any government in the history of Chicago. Today... today... today, Chicago has seen the bright daybreak for this city and for perhaps this entire country. The whole nation is watching as Chicago is so powerful in this! Oh yes, they're watching. (2) Out of the crucible... Out of the crucible of this city's most trying election, carried on the tide of the most massive voter turnout in Chicago's history. Blacks. Whites. Hispanics. Jews. Gentiles. Protestant and Catholics of all stripes. Have joined hands to form a new democratic coalition. And... and to begin in this place a new democratic movement. (3) The talents and dreams of our citizens and neighborhoods will nourish our government the way it should be cherished and feed into the moving river of mankind. And we have kept the faith in ourselves as decent, caring people who gather together as a part of something greater than themselves. We never stopped believing that we were a part of something good and something that had never happened before. (4) We intend to revitalize and rebuild this city. To open its doors and be certain that its babies are healthy! And its old people are fed and well-housed. We intend, we intend that our city will grow again and bring prosperity to ALL of its citizens. In paragraph 3, the speaker employs which figurative language device in the first sentence? A. hyperbole B. personification C. understatement D. paradox

b

In Maya Angelou's poem, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," she uses examples of the "caged bird" and "free bird" to demonstrate the struggles of racial discrimination. This reference is an example of the literary element: A. metaphor. B. symbolism. C. onomatopoeia. D. allegory

b

In which of the following stages of spelling development does the child start to leave behind their phonetic dependence and rely on visual and morphemic strategies? A. semiphonetic B. transitional C. precommunicative D. conventional

b

Mr. Otwinowski is working with his sixth-grade students on why dialogue needs to be punctuated in written text. Which activity would best illustrate the need for dialogue punctuation in written text? A. Read a story with no dialogue to illustrate how boring it is. B. Present students with multiple sentences that could be misunderstood without dialogue punctuation. C. Read to students from a paragraph without punctuation marks while the students follow along. D. Assign a worksheet where students practice adding punctuation marks to existing sentences.

b

Mrs. Simmons is working to develop a student-centered approach to incorporate student input into the way their skill proficiency is assessed during an upcoming research project. Which of the following provides an example of student engagement in determining how they are assessed? A. Allow student to choose research topics. B. Collaborate with students while creating the rubric to determine the relative weight of each requirement. C. Assign topics that will have plenty of research available. D. Use the standard grade-level rubric created by the grade-level teacher, in order to reduce confusion.

b

Ongoing assessment is extremely important in writing and the writing process. Which of the following is the least important reason for ongoing assessment? A. analyzing the students' understanding of one or more areas of the writing process B. ensuring that there are many scores so no one low grade will too significantly impact their average C. analyzing how well students can write for different purposes and audiences D. assessing students' abilities to use competencies such as apostrophes, capitalization, and punctuation

b

Original Sentence: Over the hill, after the sunset, Johnny went to Grandma's house. Revised Sentence: After the sunset, Johnny went over the hill to Grandma's house. What aspect of the revised sentence was improved? A. word choice B. sentence fluency C. writing conventions D. the revised sentence is not an improvement

b

Read the following excerpt and identify the literary device being used in the UPPERCASE portion. Hear the loud alarum bells - Brazen bells! WHAT A TALE OF TERROR, NOW, THEIR TURBULENCY TELLS! In the startled ear of night How they scream out their affright! A. personification B. alliteration C. onomatopoeia D. simile

b

The following is an excerpt from Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad Going up that river was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world, when vegetation rioted on the earth and the big trees were kings. An empty stream, a great silence, an impenetrable forest. The air was warm, thick, heavy, sluggish. There was no joy in the brilliance of sunshine. The long stretches of the waterway ran on, deserted, into the gloom of overshadowed distances. On silvery sand-banks hippos and alligators sunned themselves side by side. The broadening waters flowed through a mob of wooded islands; you lost your way on that river as you would in a desert, and butted all day long against shoals, trying to find the channel, till you thought yourself bewitched and cut off for ever from everything you had known once—somewhere—far away—in another existence perhaps. Which phrase is the best example of a simile? A. an empty stream, a great silence, an impenetrable forest B. going up that river was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world C. on silvery sand-banks hippos and alligators sunned themselves side by side D. when vegetation rioted on the earth

b

The following is an excerpt from the Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant. My father was, from my earliest recollection, in comfortable circumstances, considering the times, his place of residence, and the community in which he lived. Mindful of his own lack of facilities for acquiring an education, his greatest desire in maturer years was for the education of his children. Consequently, as stated before, I never missed a quarter from school from the time I was old enough to attend till the time of leaving home. This did not exempt me from labor. In my early days, every one labored more or less, in the region where my youth was spent, and more in proportion to their private means. It was only the very poor who were exempt. While my father carried on the manufacture of leather and worked at the trade himself, he owned and tilled considerable land. I detested the trade, preferring almost any other labor; but I was fond of agriculture, and of all employment in which horses were used. What mode of writing is this excerpt? A. informational B. narrative C. persuasive D. creative

b

What literary device is illustrated in the example below from Edgar Allan Poe's poem, "The Raven"? Deep into that darkness peering, Long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before A. hyperbole B. alliteration C. metaphor D. simile

b

Which of the following describes what happens in the conventional stage of writing? A. Students learn to transition between sentences and paragraphs easily. B. Students learn to adjust their writing for specific purposes and audiences. C. Students learn to write random strings of letters, often in uppercase. D. Students learn to explain different purposes for writing.

b

Which of the following is NOT a strategy or approach to teaching advanced writing skills? A. Expect the writing process to be recursive, allowing for students to revisit each stage of writing. B. Avoid personal, emotional writing and focus on formal expository genres. C. Encourage students to vary sentence structure in their writing, providing instruction on when to use periods, semicolons, and commas for different sentence types. D. Provide explicit instruction and timely feedback based on student work.

b

Which of the following represents an essential aspect of planning for a successful writer's workshop? A. Due dates should be planned around computer lab availability. B. Plan for flexibility and variation in the expected duration of each stage of the writing process. C. Teachers should provide feedback at least once prior to student completing final drafts. D. Students should never be forced to share their writing with peers.

b

"Sick" by Shel Silverstein (1) "I cannot go to school today," (2) Said little Peggy Ann McKay. (2) "I have the measles and the mumps, (3) A gash, a rash and purple bumps. (4) My mouth is wet, my throat is dry, (5) I'm going blind in my right eye. (6) My tonsils are as big as rocks, (7) I've counted sixteen chicken pox (8) And there's one more--that's seventeen, (9) And don't you think my face looks green? (10) My leg is cut--my eyes are blue-- (11) It might be instamatic flu. (12) I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke, (13) I'm sure that my left leg is broke-- (14) My hip hurts when I move my chin, (15) My belly button's caving in, (16) My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained, (17) My 'pendix pains each time it rains. (18) My nose is cold, my toes are numb. (19) I have a sliver in my thumb. (20) My neck is stiff, my voice is weak, (21) I hardly whisper when I speak. (22) My tongue is filling up my mouth, (23) I think my hair is falling out. (24) My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight, (25) My temperature is one-o-eight. (26) My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear, (27) There is a hole inside my ear. (28) I have a hangnail, and my heart is--what? (29) What's that? What's that you say? (30) You say today is. . .Saturday? (31) G'bye, I'm going out to play!" In this poem, what are some of the poetic elements that are used? A. free verse, personification, and humor B. rhyme, hyperbole, and onomatopoeia C. rhyme, hyperbole, and alliteration D. personification, rhyme, and hyperbole

c

A group of advanced English learners is struggling with English intonation. Which of the following strategies is likely to be the most effective first step in addressing the students' difficulty? A. listen to dialogues and identify the different types of intonation B. highlight patterns associating intonation with grammar, such as rising intonation in yes/no questions C. introduce the three main types of intonation with examples D. provide students with sentences to read using different intonations

c

A seventh-grade teacher notices that a few students are repeatedly misspelling the words celsius and fahrenheit in their papers. She writes the names Anders Celsius and Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit on the board and talks about how they each invented these forms of measurement. The teacher conducts a group discussion on how the names of each physicist relate to the measurements they created. This lesson helps students develop their reading and writing abilities by: A. showing students common spelling patterns found in multisyllabic, scientific terms . B. helping students apply basic linguistics rules to spelling multisyllabic words. C. teaching them to use etymology to spell and decode unfamiliar multisyllabic words. D. encouraging them to read books on scientists and systematically study unfamiliar words.

c

A sixth-grade teacher is determined to help her students become more proficient spellers. Which of the following strategies would be least effective in promoting students' spelling abilities? A. Teach students the spelling and meanings of common prefixes, suffixes, and roots. B. Have students use the new words in interesting real-world sentences. C. Have students write all their spelling words at least thirty times. D. Teach separately the spelling of irregular words such as who, what, where, would, and through.

c

A teacher plans to assess students' ability to identify participle phrases using an alternative method. In order to do this, the teacher should have the students: A. complete a test in which they match parts of a sentence with definitions. B. complete a sentence diagraming activity in a workbook. C. identify participle phrases in an article selected from the internet or a local paper. D. highlight participle phrases in a paragraph assigned by the teacher.

c

A teacher shows students how to take ideas they have generated and turn them into written paragraphs. Which of the following aspects of the writing process is being modeled by the teacher? A. publishing B. revising C. drafting D. prewriting

c

A text contains transitional signal words such as afterwards, next, and before. This text is most likely illustrating which type of structure? A. cause and effect B. characterization C. chronological sequencing D. organizational structure

c

An eighth-grade language arts teacher has given students a series of writing assignments throughout the semester. As students completed each writing assignment, they filed it in a binder. At the end of the semester, the teacher reviewed each student's writing samples in their binders to identify individual gains in writing abilities. What type of assessment is the teacher using? A. peer assessment B. diagnostic assessment C. portfolio assessment D. formative assessment

c

Because of the overwhelming response, the bookstore stocked many copies of the bestseller, and the author visited the store. Which type of sentence does this example represent? A. simple B. compound C. compound-complex D. complex

c

Bill went to the store, but he did not buy anything. The word "but" acts as which part of speech? A. pronoun B. adverb C. conjunction D. determiner

c

Franco, an ELL student, writes the following about a holiday in his native country: "On this day, our family visits the graves of my grandparents and brings them gifts. Like flowers and candy. Then, we go home to eat, sing and tell our favorite stories. It is a special day." What is the problem with Franco's text? A. There is a tense error. B. There is a pronoun agreement error. C. There is a sentence fragment. D. there is a run-on sentence

c

If the team wins the next game, they will go to the championship game, but that will be the hardest game to win. The sentence is an example of which of the following? A. simple sentence B. complex sentence C. compound-complex sentence D. compound sentence

c

Marta, an ELL student, writes the following in her journal: "Everyone in the class like lunchtime because that's when we can play outside. On the days when there isn't some sun, we stay inside and read in the library. This is my favorite activity." Based on this statement, Marta would most likely benefit from further instruction in: A. intensive pronouns. B. relative pronouns. C. indefinite pronouns. D. demonstrative pronouns

c

Mrs. Williams is hoping to help her students determine source credibility in a variety of ways, including recognizing different domain names. With no additional information, which of the following would be considered the most credible source? A. .org B. .com C. .edu D. .net

c

Read the excerpt and answer the question below. "The brightness of Juliet's cheek would shame those stars, As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven Would through the airy region stream so bright That birds would sing and think it were not night" From "Romeo and Juliet," by William Shakespeare, Act 2. Which literary device is used in this excerpt? A. allegory B. simile C. hyperbole D. metaphor

c

Read the following sentence: Wired from a large cup of coffee, the mom remained awake long enough to finish all of the packing for the upcoming road trip. Which of the following is an example of a participle phrase? A. the upcoming road trip B. remained awake C. wired from a large cup of coffee D. the mom remained

c

Read the sentence below and answer the question: Even though the man laughed, he said he did not like the play. The sentence is an example of which of the following? A. simple sentence B. compound-complex sentence C. complex sentence D. compound sentence

c

Which is the most important item to keep in mind when choosing an internet article to reference in a research paper? A. how many facts fit the argument of your paper B. how many downloads the article has had in the last year C. how credible, reliable, or accurate the source is D. how many opinions fit the argument of your paper

c

Which of the following best describes the way that main ideas in narratives compare to main ideas in expository writing? A. The purpose of narratives are to convey a moral theme, but the purpose of an expository text is to prove that an idea is true. B. Expository writing will not contain narrative elements, but narratives can contain segments that are informative or persuasive, often to provide a context for the events being described. C. An expository text will center around a concept or idea, established by a thesis statement and supported with evidence, while a narrative will communicate its main idea by describing a specific event or experience. D. A thesis statement is the same as a theme.

c

Which of the following is NOT a benefit of incorporating self-assessment and peer-assessment into the students' writing process? A. Students can understand how to set achievable writing goals. B. Students can identify writing strengths and areas to improve for future assignments. C. Students can help in grading writing assignments for the teacher. D. Students will use high-level thinking to evaluate their writing.

c

Which of the following rules should a teacher implement when starting writing peer review groups? A. Students should be paired according to varying abilities, not similar abilities. B. Students should have a different peer reviewer for each stage of the writing process. C. Students should offer constructive, specific feedback based on the writing rubric. D. Students should have different feedback questions to answer each peer review session.

c

A sixth-grade teacher is demonstrating to her students the importance of conventional spelling and its relationship to success in reading and writing. Which of the following is a good strategy for her to use with her students? A. Allow students to spell the way they hear sounds. B. Don't assign lower grades for lack of neatness in students' spelling and writing. C. Give credit for spelling if it makes sense. D. Show examples of how spelling mistakes can confuse the meaning of sentences.

d

A teacher would like her students to generate ideas for a research paper they are working on in class. She gives students several articles to read individually and asks them to write down potential research topics they would like to explore. She asks them to consider a topic that is not too narrow or too broad. Which of the following would be the best method for assessing each student's research topic choice? A. having students turn and talk with a partner about their choice and write in their journals B. having students write their three top choices on an exit ticket as they leave C. having students verbally share their choices in a whole-class discussion D. having students complete a graphic organizer with their choice and main points

d

An English teacher is introducing the topic of passive voice to her class when a student asks, "If we can always get our point across by using active voice, why would we use passive voice?" Which of the following would be an appropriate response for the teacher? A. "There is no clear reason why we use the passive voice, but not everything in a language always has a reason." B. "The passive voice is used when there are two objects and one is more important than the other." C. "The passive voice is only used in academic writing, as it's a more formal way to communicate information." D. "The passive voice is used when the subject is unknown or unimportant."

d

As a formative assessment following the first half of the novel, Mrs. Adams ask the class to complete a short journal entry. The following paragraph is an entry written by an 8th-grade student. Scout always seems to be finding herself stuck in arguments that seem unnecessary, like when she gets in trouble for already knowing how to read. It should be a good thing that she already knows how to read! When I read this part, it reminded me of a time this year when I stopped to help a kid in the hall who dropped his stuff on the floor. I ended up being tardy to my class and my mom was really mad. Just like Scout, I was in trouble when she should have been proud of me! This student's response can best be described as: A. an analysis of the main conflict. B. demonstrating how small occurrences support the theme. C. a character analysis of Scout. D. a personal connection to the novel.

d

Carl wrote a sentence. After speaking to his teacher, he revised it. Original Sentence: The player moved the ball to make it go in. Revised Sentence: The kicker positioned the ball to ensure the kick would be successful. What aspect of the revised sentence was improved? A. sentence fluency B. writing conventions C. organization D. word choice

d

In the publishing step of the writing process, it is important that students' writing is: A. planned using a graphic organizer to make sure the ideas flow in a logical order. B. organized and editing has begun. C. planned, drafted, revised, and editing has begun. D. neatly written or printed from a word processor and that it is clearly understood.

d

Mrs. Davis is teaching her students how to use parallel structures in their writing. Her instructional activities would fall under which of the following topics? A. semantics B. phonology C. morphology D. conventions of English

d

Ode to the West Wind by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1) O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn's being, (2) Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead (3) Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing, (4) Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red, (5) Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O thou, (6) Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed (7) The wingèd seeds, where they lie cold and low, (8) Each like a corpse within its grave, until (9) Thine azure sister of the Spring shall blow (10) Her clarion o'er the dreaming earth, and fill (11) (Driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air) (12) With living hues and odours plain and hill: (13) Wild Spirit, which art moving everywhere; (14) Destroyer and Preserver; hear, O hear! What literary device is used in the line, "Thine azure sister of the Spring shall blow / Her clarion o'er the dreaming earth". A. Satire B. Symbolism C. Irony D. Personification

d

Of the provided options, which of the following is most important to consider when supporting the main ideas in both informative and persuasive essays? A. avoiding personal opinion B. emphasizing facts and provable information C. appealing to the audience's emotions D. ensuring support is sufficient and relevant

d

Read the sentence below and answer the question: Bill likes baseball. The sentence is an example of which of the following? A. compound sentence B. compound-complex sentence C. complex sentence D. simple sentence

d

Read the sentence below and answer the question: Sara has never been to Asia, but she has been to Africa. The sentence is an example of which of the following? A. complex sentence B. compound-complex sentence C. simple sentence D. compound sentence

d

The following paragraphs were written by 8th-grade students responding to the prompt: "Write a story that lightheartedly reveals the consequences of being irresponsible." Student A: (1) I opened my eyes, instantly panicked when I realized the sun was shining much brighter into my room than would be normal for my 6:30 am wake up. (2) I brushed my teeth as quickly as I could. (3) Looking at my phone, I realized my alarm had not woken me up because my phone was out of power. (4) I sprinted through the house, grabbing a granola bar to inhale on the way to the bus stop. (5) I made it just in time. (6) When I sat in my seat, I looked down and realized I was wearing two different shoes, and my phone was still dead. Student B: (1) Middle school students have a reputation for being irresponsible and unreliable. (2) As far as I am concerned, this reputation is mostly accurate. (3) I'm still a kid! (4) In the last month alone, I have missed the bus twice. (5) I have also forgotten to turn in my homework three times, and one of those times it was even finished! (6) All joking aside, I know I need to improve on these things. (7) I shouldn't use my age as an excuse and hope to plan better in the future so I can live up to the expectations of my parents and teachers. Which of the following best describes why student A's response to the prompt is more effective than student B's? A. Student A's response contains more action than student B's response. B. Student A provides more details that student B. C. Student A's response is more lighthearted than student B's response. D. Student A's response is a narrative, while student B's response is expository.

d

The following passage was written by a student. (1) Here I am, dozing off in my language arts class, again. (2) You might think I hate this class, or maybe I just have the most boring teacher ever. (3) Or is it right after lunch, and I'm just feeling full and groggy? (4) None of these explain my sleepiness. (5) I'm too tired to participate in my favorite class because school starts too early in the morning and I am too tired to participate. (6) The school board for our district should start the school day later in the morning so all students can get the rest they need. This introductory paragraph would most likely be used to introduce an essay intended to: A. inform. B. reflect. C. retell a story. D. persuade.

d

Which literary device is being used when words with the same starting sounds are used in a row? A. onomatopoeia B. personification C. simile D. alliteration

d

Which mode of writing is most appropriate for the task presented in the prompt? A. creative B. reflective C. narrative D. argumentative

d

Which of the following does NOT accurately describe the impact of learning conventional spelling on writing development? A. It helps students focus on organizing their writing instead of spelling. B. It allows students to better communicate their ideas. C. Learning how to spell new words encourages students to learn new words. D. It helps students understand grammatical rules.

d

Which of the following is an accurate description of a noun phrase? A. a phrase that is always followed by a comma B. a phrase that contains no noun, but collectively acts as a noun C. a phrase that will always acts as the subject in a sentence D. a phrase that includes a noun and any word or words that modify it

d

Which of the following is the most appropriate way for a teacher to help students develop an understanding of parts of speech? A. Write five examples of nouns on the board and have students identify what all the words have in common. B. Have students copy down the definitions of each part of speech. C. Have students practice changing present tense verbs to past tense. D. Show example words and example sentences to help analyze/explain how each part of speech functions within a sentence.

d

Which of the following sentences demonstrates a text structure that uses compare and contrast? A. Rainfall was reduced by 30% in the previous calendar year, so successful harvest of crops was reduced, and grocery stores needed to order more produce from out of state in order to maintain supply and demand. B. After the region experienced a 30% reduction in rainfall, many farmers installed irrigation systems to reduce destruction to crops. C. The region experienced a 30% reduction in rainfall this year, which resulted in the destruction of crops. D. During a year with a 30% reduction in rainfall, farmers who installed irrigation systems experienced minimal destruction in crops, while those who did not experienced destruction of 50% or more of their crops.

d

Which of the following website titles represents a credible source? A. U.S.A. Wikipedia Entry B. The U.S. Kennel Club C. Travel Source International D. The National Science Journal

d

A student is working on a persuasive essay for her English class. The teacher provided multiple mentor texts for the class, has individually approved student topics, and provided structured time for research. Despite recognizing the thesis statements in the mentor texts, this student is now struggling to craft a clear thesis of her own. Which of the following would best support this student's writing process? A. Explicit instruction and modeling of turning a topic and research into a thesis statement. B. Peer editing and the time to discuss her process with a peer. C. Further research on her topic to more fully develop her individual perspective. D. Additional mentor texts that show the difference between persuasive and informative thesis statements.

a

A teacher has the students do the following: Determine a writing audience. Identify a purpose. Provide a list of writing topics. Based on the list of activities, which stage of writing are the students most likely working on? A. prewriting B. editing C. publishing D. drafting

a

An eighth-grade teacher reads her students Emily Dickinson's poem "Success," seen here: Success is counted sweetest By those who ne'er succeed. To comprehend a nectar Requires sorest need. Not one of all the purple host Who took the flag to-day Can tell the definition, So clear, of victory, As he, defeated, dying, On whose forbidden ear The distant strains of triumph Break, agonized and clear! The teacher highlights the lines "The distant strains of triumph / Break, agonized and clear" and asks students what Dickinson meant by this. A student says, "Sometimes it hurts to see others succeed, like to the point it breaks you." The student's answer shows an understanding of which of the following reading comprehension skills? A. analyzing unexpected syntax and sentence construction B. applying knowledge from other content areas C. deciphering poems with a problem/solution text structure D. recognizing the many failures the author has experienced

a

Budgetary concerns in school districts across the country have led to decreased access to extracurricular activities and fine arts programs in schools. Studies have shown the importance of these activities to the social, emotional, and academic growth of children. Consider the impact these changes could have on today's students and develop a response to this issue. Explain why these changes should or should not be allowed to continue. Choose an audience that has the ability to enact change regarding this issue. Which of the following is most important to consider when determining the best format for the piece of writing? A. how the intended audience would likely access the information B. predicting the interests of possible audience members C. the student's preferred form of writing D. the method most likely to reach the largest number of people

a

In a tenth-grade cross-curricular science/English project, students are asked to present a scientific concept from their recent studies to third-grade students from the local elementary school. These presentations will take place as a "science fair." Students are expected to first research and summarize the important information about their topic before creating their entries for the fair. In order for the third-grade students to learn as much as possible, the tenth-grade students will need to accurately demonstrate which of the following speech benchmarks? A. adjust language for context and audience B. use and form analogies C. correctly use complex figurative language devices D. accurately use complex grammatical constructions

a

Johnny is a new student in Mrs. Clark's class. She notices that he is struggling to complete his assignments. After assessing his oral language skills, she places Johnny in the beginning level of language proficiency. Which activity could she ask Johnny to complete and expect him to do with success? A. Draw a picture to answer questions. B. Write sentences with varying grammatical complexity. C. Follow 3-step directions. D. Use technical language while speaking.

a

Mr. Duke wants to break up his class into small groups for a discussion after a multimedia presentation. Mr. Duke has multiple English language learners in his class. Which of the following is the most important criteria for placing English language learners into groups? A. Make sure the English language learners are placed into various groups to promote vocabulary development. B. Create heterogeneous groups of similar academic abilities. C. Make sure the English language learners are placed in the same group so they are comfortable speaking and sharing ideas. D. Create homogeneous groups of similar academic abilities.

a

Ms. Johnson has implemented small, homogeneous, intervention groups in her class to provide instruction to students who have similar needs. This allows Ms. Johnson to invite individual students to join the group to work on a specific set of skills. Which of the following would be the best use of these intervention groups by Ms. Johnson? A. to provide instruction to a minority of students who have not demonstrated mastery of a specific content objective B. to assess the content mastery of the high-achieving students to ensure the instructional units do not progress faster than the students' capacity C. to assess a specific group's content knowledge D. to provide instruction to a minority of students who exhibit a noticeable lack of interest during instruction

a

Ode to the West Wind by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1) O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn's being, (2) Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead (3) Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing, (4) Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red, (5) Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O thou, (6) Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed (7) The wingèd seeds, where they lie cold and low, (8) Each like a corpse within its grave, until (9) Thine azure sister of the Spring shall blow (10) Her clarion o'er the dreaming earth, and fill (11) (Driving sweet buds like flocks to feed in air) (12) With living hues and odours plain and hill: (13) Wild Spirit, which art moving everywhere; (14) Destroyer and Preserver; hear, O hear! What type of figurative language is being used in the first line of this poem? A. personification B. onomatopoeia C. oxymorons D. idiom

a

Pragmatics is: A. the study of language in its use. B. the smallest individual sound in a word. C. the study of a word or symbol meaning. D. a term indicating the importance of ongoing assessment.

a

Precise language usage is generally more important for written communication than verbal communication. Which of the following is NOT a reason why? A. Visual cues are available to help the reader determine tone and meaning with written text. B. The listener can use visual cues to determine the tone and meaning of a speaker. C. The author's tone must be interpreted in written text, which could confuse a reader's perception of meaning. D. The reader can't ask clarifying questions in written text.

a

Sally has an extensive oral vocabulary but is having difficulty in learning how to read, due to a reading disability. How is Sally's extensive oral vocabulary most likely going to help her as she learns decoding techniques for reading? A. recognizing the meaning of a word after sounding out the word B. using prefix and suffix clues to determine the meaning of a word C. using syntax clues to determine the meaning of a word D. relating compound words to simple words already known

a

Students need to understand and be able to use the key elements of persuasive essays. Which one of the following elements is not typically in a persuasive essay? A. the development of characters B. a thesis statement including the importance of the issue C. several pieces of evidence that support the persuasion D. conclusive elements

a

The English and social studies teachers at Calhoun Middle School developed an interdisciplinary instructional unit where students will create a multimedia presentation on literary works by wartime soldiers. The teachers are concerned that many students will focus on the aesthetics of the presentation and not the quality of its content. The most effective strategy to address the concern would be to: A. collaborate with the students to design a rubric of expectations upon which the students will be graded that defines the weight of the design in the grading process. B. create a list of websites for students to use as resources for their research. C. allow students to use a limited number of pictures and graphics in their presentation. D. allow the students to submit a rough draft of their presentation and then provide feedback on the quality of the content within the submitted presentation.

a

The following is an example of student writing. When I go home, I eat. I play and take a bath and watch tv. We read The Hungry Caterpillar every night. Dad makes spaghetti, and mom watches my baby brother. I play with my toys and snuggle with my bear. What does the student most need to revise to make the writing more clear? A. the organization B. the use of transitions C. the word choice D. nothing; the writing is clear.

a

The following passage was written by a student. (1) Here I am, dozing off in my language arts class, again. (2) You might think I hate this class, or maybe I just have the most boring teacher ever. (3) Or is it right after lunch, and I'm just feeling full and groggy? (4) None of these explain my sleepiness. (5) I'm too tired to participate in my favorite class because school starts too early in the morning and I am too tired to participate. (6) The school board for our district should start the school day later in the morning so all students can get the rest they need. Which of the following sentences from the student's introduction is best described as a thesis? A. sentence 6 B. sentence 2 C. sentence 5 D. sentence 3

a

To enhance sixth-grade students' abilities in the area of oral communication and literacy development, a teacher might do all of the following EXCEPT: A. have students engage in a computer game that reads aloud and assesses comprehension. B. have students engage in "reader's theater" after providing modeling and practice. C. have students engage in a debate using research supplied by students. D. have students listen to audio of the correct phonetic pronunciations for new words while reading a text and then repeat the correct pronunciations for the teacher/class.

a

When addressing a large audience in a large auditorium, a teacher should encourage a student to: A. speak more loudly and more slowly than normal. B. end with a joke so the audience remembers the presentation. C. over-articulate and emphasize key points in the presentation. D. speak more loudly and faster than normal

a

Which of the following activities best promotes students' understanding of how oral language relates to literacy? A. modeling the writing of words or phrases B. utilizing ongoing assessments of vocabulary lists C. listening to a CD or a person reading orally D. practicing the development of a schema before stories are read

a

Which of the following activities would best allow students to practice expressive and clear speaking in front of an audience? A. Read aloud in front of a small group. B. Memorize a speech before presenting. C. Watch other students practice their speeches. D. Practice reading aloud in front of a mirror.

a

Which of the following descriptions best describes the linguistic term language acquisition? A. learning a first or second language as a process, either piece by piece, or through a total immersive experience B. learning about how languages gain meaning by studying grammar and the history behind certain words and phrases C. studying the rules of a language, such as the way words combine to make sentences and longer phrases D. studying the construction of human sounds, such as those made through speech articulation, or those heard auditorily

a

Which of the following is the biggest benefit of requiring oral presentations for students? A. providing practice in pronouncing clearly, controlling grammar, and clarifying information B. demonstrating how effective they are at literal and inferential comprehension C. demonstrating their use of segmentation and syntax D. providing practice in using morphemes, phonemes, and pragmatics

a

Which of these abilities is the weakest connection between strong oral language skills and strong writing abilities? A. the ability to decode new words in a text B. the ability to use grammatical structures correctly C. the ability to understand organization and text structure D. the ability to write longer paragraphs about a topic

a

Which question must be an area of focus when students are engaged in the prewriting stage of writing? A. Who is the intended audience? B. Are there appropriate transitional words and connections between sentences and paragraphs? C. Should this be posted in a newsletter, blog, or magazine for the school? D. Are there any remaining errors in spelling, punctuation, or grammar?

a

A teacher instructs her students to write in a journal a few times a week. Sometimes she provides them with prompts, but most of the time their entries are reflections on their day or thoughts on topics of their choice. She occasionally asks the students to bring their journals to class so she can check whether they have been writing in it. She asks them to share one piece of writing. What is the purpose of this? A. Writing in a journal can help students to develop their analytical thinking skills. B. Writing in a relaxed format allows students to write freely. C. It builds a relationship of trust between the teacher and student. D. Having students write in a journal is a good way to informally assess their writing.

b

An 8th-grade student is struggling to write a clear thesis statement for his paper. Which of the following strategies would appropriately scaffold this skill for the student? A. Use his topic to write an example thesis, then suggest he model his after the example. B. Provide an example thesis and its corresponding essay. C. Emphasize how a strong, clear thesis is essential to a strong essay. D. Suggest he find a classmate's paper to read as an example.

b

As a culminating activity for their literature circles, the teacher has asked her students to record short videos of themselves that introduce and recommend their books to next year's class. Once everyone has completed the scripts for their video, which of the following is the most important step before recording? A. collect visual aides B. practicing reading the script aloud C. ensure their clothing is appropriate and professional D. review their scripts to ensure they have not included too many details

b

During a study of persuasive texts, the teacher wants to ensure that students can recognize persuasive elements in a variety of texts. Which of the following assignments would be the most effective? A. Use a graphic organizer to list elements of persuasive, narrative, and informational texts. B. Create a portfolio that includes samples of persuasive texts from magazines, newspapers, and other sources of media with persuasive elements highlighted. C. Work in a small group to find a persuasive article during a trip to the school library. D. Write a persuasive speech on a topic of choice and deliver a speech to the class; then have students rate each speaker to indicate whether he/she was persuasive.

b

During the revising stage of the writing process, which of the following would be most beneficial for students? A. using a graphic organizer B. holding peer conferences C. brainstorming ideas D. typing their work on a computer

b

Jefferson had worked hard preparing for the speech he would be making at the NJHS Induction, in front of many parents, teachers, and peers. It was his last responsibility as NJHS President, and he was excited to welcome the new inductees who would take over the following school year. Prior to his speech, Jefferson had a slideshow playing on the projector that included picture of current NJHS students participating in community service projects throughout the year. Dressed for the occasion, he took the podium, speaking clearly and eloquently regarding the hard work put forth by these students in order to become new members. He went on to explain that the honor of being inducted came with a responsibility to positively represent the school and serve the community through their various services projects. At the end of his speech, one of his friends jumped up, clapping and hollering for him. At first, Jefferson laughed uncomfortably, but then took a couple celebratory bows, laughing as he waved off his friends. In what way did Jefferson fail to meet the guidelines of good public speaking? A. demonstrating knowledge of the subject matter B. consistently presenting himself in a credible manner C. inappropriate use of media D. failure to make eye contact with audience members

b

Maria, an English language learner, tells the teacher she is concerned the class will not understand her presentation because of her inability to pronounce words perfectly. Which of the following would be the most appropriate recommendation for the teacher to make? A. Have Maria use images rather than notes so she can provide the class a visual representation of the topic. B. Have Maria write out notes that indicate the correct pronunciation of the words. C. Have Maria translate the speech into multiple languages. D. Have Maria distribute a transcription of her speech to the class prior to the presentation.

b

Mr. Harris wants to create a writing assignment that allows students to write with an authentic and meaningful purpose. Which one of the following assignments would best accomplish Mr. Harris' goal? A. Allow students to create their own writing assignment. B. Use Word to type a letter to an elected official about a student-chosen need in the community. Print and send the letters. C. Use Word to type a journal entry about summer vacation. Print the entry and have students draw a picture to go with it. D. Work with the social studies teacher to assign a historical fiction writing about the historical period currently being studied by the students.

b

Mrs. Cates has assigned a group project that requires students to create multimedia presentations about a historical event that was an effect of the Civil War. The students' presentations contain many graphics and large fonts but lack quality content. Mrs. Cates decides that for future projects she will need to make an adjustment to the project requirements and expectations. Of the following, which would be the most effective strategy to promote quality content among student projects? A. Allow students to choose their project topic and the medium through which they present the material to the class. B. Provide a rubric with clear expectations and requirements. C. Allow students to choose the members of their group. D. Engage the class in a discussion of how best to research historical events.

b

Mrs. Lewis is a bilingual teacher and frequently encourages her students' parents to talk a lot with their children at home whether during chores, daily tasks, or shopping to help build their children's vocabulary. A parent contacts Mrs. Lewis wondering how increased conversation will help their child read. Which of the following would be the most appropriate response by Mrs. Lewis? A. As students are able to become more fluent and increase their vocabulary, they will naturally be inclined to read to use and exercise their knowledge B. The development of a student's language skills are intertwined, and increasing the student's vocabulary will allow students to recognize more words while reading C. The student's reading skills will not be benefited by the parent's increased conversation with the student D. It is the responsibility of the parent to incorporate reading skills with everyday activities

b

Ms. Smith is planning to incorporate active listening instructions and expectations into her daily routine. Which of the following would best reinforce actively listening in class? A. Provide purposefully contradicting information in verbal instructions and wait for a student to notice and ask for clarification. B. After giving instructions for an activity or assignment, have each student summarize or paraphrase the instructions for their neighbor. C. At the beginning of class, have students complete a quick assessment to see what they remember from the previous day's lesson. D. Include a specific, unusual instruction in the written instruction for an activity to see how many students are reading carefully.

b

When reading a student's essay, the teacher circles the word "his," and suggests "their" instead. The student would benefit from further instruction on which of the following? A. transitions B. pronoun-antecedent agreement C. verb tense consistency D. subject-verb agreement

b

Which of the following groups of words best indicates a time sequence? A. during, last, earlier, however B. first, last, later, now, after C. later, now, because of D. on the other hand, however, although, like, as

b

Which of the following is a morpheme? A. unhappy B. write C. singing D. girlfriend

b

Which of the following is an appropriate use of rubrics in assessment? A. Hand rubrics out to students as a supplement to give them goals to work toward. B. Use rubrics to reinforce expectations and provide clear feedback. Review rubrics with students at the start of the project to ensure understanding. C. Use rubrics as a general guideline when developing assignments. D. Use rubrics for grading submissions only.

b

Which of the following is an example of personification? A. The rain was coming down so hard that it felt like a bucket of water had been poured on my head. B. The tree scratched at my window every time the wind blew. C. Her backpack weighed a ton, slowing her down on the way to school. D. The cow couldn't catch the flies with her curly tail.

b

Which of the following is the greatest educational benefit of using collaborative learning groups and active learning activities in the classroom? A. These methods save paper and prevent the teacher from printing worksheets and notes. B. These methods address a variety of learning styles and allow students to take ownership of their learning. C. These methods allow students to socialize and minimize disruptions during class. D. These methods are easier and more exciting to teach.

b

Mr. Michaels is working to improve the quality of discussions in his class. While he can usually count on having plenty of student share their ideas on a topic, they tend to simply share their answer instead of responding to or building on the ideas of other students. Which of the following strategies would help develop this skill? Select all answers that apply. A. Have students take notes on each other's comments. B. Provide sentence stems that promote a summary of the previous speaker's thoughts. C. Provide direct instruction on appropriate ways to disagree with a classmate's comments. D. Organize the room in a way that allows students to see each other while speaking, like a circle.

b, c, d

The following is an excerpt from an eighth-grade student's descriptive writing piece. She slowly tiptoed into the library, careful not to wake the others. Staring in awe at the grandiose collection of books, she took a deep breath and drew in their sweet, musky smell. The books were calling out to her like a newborn to his mother. She longed to turn the pages, to be engulfed in the stories inside of them, to experience all the lives different than her own. Which of the following literary techniques does the student use to enhance the reader's mental image? Select all answers that apply. A. onomatopoeia B. sensory language C. personification D. similes and metaphors

b, c, d

When deciding if a source is credible for a research project, which of the following is important for the student to consider? Select all answers that apply. A. the publishing company B. the credentials of the author C. the publication date D. the author's purpose

b, c, d

An author who has strong skills in clarity of writing will be able to do which of the following? Select all answers that apply. A. Vary his sentence structure. B. Organize information and use transitional words. C. Correctly cite sources when necessary. D. Use precise language specific to his audience.

b, d

In the context of an English Language Arts classroom, which of the following are examples of differentiated instruction? Select all answers that apply. A. whole class mini-lessons with built in time for questions at the end B. consistent use of small-group instruction with lessons dependent on student need C. multiple-choice assessments with the opportunity to make corrections D. literature circles with book options available at various reading levels

b, d

A 7th-grade student writes the topic for their essay in the center of their paper. Moving outward from that word, she writes other words or phrases related to that topic. Which of the following best describes this activity? A. pre-writing B. drafting C. mapping D. outlining

c

A candidate for class president begins his speech by sharing a short story of his first week at their school. What element of effective oral communication is the student incorporating into his speech? A. using audience-appropriate language B. establishing an effective tone C. using anecdotes relevant to the audience D. articulating a clear purpose

c

A middle school teacher is designing a rubric to use when evaluating students' oral presentations. She is planning to focus the rubric on a few different categories. Which category would the following question fit into? Are the words spoken clearly and correctly? A. rate B. tone C. articulation D. volume

c

A teacher has assigned her 7th-grade class a research project focused on exploring different careers. Of the following options, which would be the most credible source for applicable information? A. A blog written by a person who quit their job as a lawyer to become a teacher. B. An editorial in the local newspaper explaining why so many Americans end up unhappy in their careers. C. A forbes.com article comparing salaries and reported levels of happiness from different careers. D. A chart on Wikipedia that ranks the top 15 jobs in the U.S.

c

A teacher is planning a lesson focused on how the type, purpose, and audience of a writing task should influence the writer's tone. She writes the following list of types of writing on the board: Letter Journal Resume Memorandum She then asks the class to consider the listed types of writing. Of the listed types, which one would require a significant shift in tone depending on the audience? A. resume B. memorandum C. letter D. journal

c

An eighth-grade teacher reads her students Emily Dickinson's poem "Success," seen here: Success is counted sweetest By those who ne'er succeed. To comprehend a nectar Requires sorest need. Not one of all the purple host Who took the flag to-day Can tell the definition, So clear, of victory, As he, defeated, dying, On whose forbidden ear The distant strains of triumph Break, agonized and clear! The teacher asks which words in the poem are verbs. One of the students says success is a verb because the speaker succeeds in making a point. Another student says that success is a noun because it is simply an idea and the word comprehend is a verb. The class then discusses the points made by each student. This discussion could help students realize that: A. determining a text's genre can help decipher the author's purpose. B. recognizing roots and common affixes of words can help with decoding. C. understanding the structure of language can assist with text comprehension. D. being cognizant of a text's narrative structure can help a student determine theme.

c

Ana is an ELL student who is tasked with a procedural writing assignment. She is supposed to take an expert stance to write the steps of a procedure she knows how to do really well. Which type of organization would work best for her writing assignment? A. spatial order B. chronological order C. sequential order D. order of importance

c

In explaining a group problem-solving task, the teacher should always be sure to motivate and encourage students to be risk takers and use their creative thinking abilities. Which of the following lesson elements would be the most effective in achieving this goal? A. Students are expected to complete a provided rubric to self-evaluate and defend their work as a group before the teacher provides the grade. B. After stating and referring to the written assignment on the board, assigned teams will be expected to have solved the problem in a provided scenario when the set timer goes off after sixteen minutes. C. The teacher states that in this scenario, there may be many good answers. There would not be one specific correct answer, but each group's creative response to the scenario must be grounded in facts as well as evaluated with the rubric by the whole team. D. Expectations are stated by confirming that the class will hopefully perform to a high standard due to their past performances in problem-solving.

c

In order to practice the drafting stage of the writing process, a teacher might ask her students to do which of the following activities? A. Swap essays with a classmate to check for grammatical errors. B. Using an existing piece of writing, change the setting of the story to include more dramatic elements. C. Write for five minutes about a teacher-designated topic without worrying about structure or grammar. D. Generate a list of questions they do not know the answer to but would like to find out about.

c

Jorge is an ELL student in Mrs. Brecken's English class. He is struggling to get started on a writing assignment, so Mrs. Brecken provides him with two choices of graphic organizers to use in the planning portion of his writing process. One outlines cause and effect and the other outlines comparing and contrasting ideas. Mrs. Brecken says, "Choose one of these to help you get your thoughts and opinions down on paper so you can start framing your argument" as she presents him with the graphic organizers. What type of writing assignment is Jorge most likely planning? A. descriptive B. narrative C. persuasive D. poetic analysis

c

Mr. Daniels has assigned his class a group project and wants to ensure the students understand the project as they complete it. Which of the following would be the best strategy to monitor student understanding during the project? A. Provide a self-assessment questionnaire for students to complete after the group project is finished. B. Observe the students from the front of the class. C. Walk from group to group while observing the students. D. Assign one group member to observe and report on the group members' understanding.

c

Mr. Rockwell is a middle school teacher and has many ELL students in his class. He divides the ELL students into three separate heterogeneous groups with non-ELL students in each group and then gives each group a problem to solve. Which of the following is the greatest benefit to this exercise? A. Each student can do his research on the Internet and complete his section. B. The ELL students can quietly learn proper sentence structure from the non-ELL students. C. The students must talk and interact with each other to figure out the problem. D. The students can divide up the problem and each one can do his part in a shorter time.

c

Mr. Sanchez's sixth-grade class is currently working on a research project about world cultures. Each student has been assigned a different culture to research and present their findings to the class. Mr. Sanchez notices many of his students, who are classified as English language learners, are nervous about their upcoming presentations because they are uncomfortable speaking in front of the class. Which of the following recommendations would be most appropriate for Mr. Sanchez to the students? A. Each student records themselves and listens to their pronunciation. B. Each student writes down their presentation and has a peer proofread it for grammatical errors. C. Each student practices in a small group and uses the feedback from the small group to improve their presentation. D. Each student practices their presentation in front of a mirror to monitor their performance.

c

Mr. Sullivan has asked his students to write a short blog-style article about a time they did wrong and what steps they did to remedy the situation. Which type of organizational structure will students most likely be using? A. compare and contrast B. procedural C. problem and solution D. descriptive

c

Mrs. Crow provides her students a self-assessment rubric to complete after a semester-long group research project. Which of the following does a self-assessment rubric best promote among students? A. providing feedback on teacher performance B. contributing to their overall grade C. understanding and taking responsibility for their learning D. understanding which students contributed the most to the group project

c

Mrs. Gosh is making a rubric for an oral presentation. She wants to ensure students have adjusted their communication to meet their audience. She could include appropriate gestures, tone, volume, and: A. topics. B. posture. C. word choice. D. main points.

c

Ms. Sanders is frustrated by students consistently using "u" instead of "you" and other shorthand in their writing. Which of the following would be the most effective way to encourage change in her classroom? A. Accept that language changes over time and the use of "u" will likely become more and more common. B. Take off points for each occurance of the error. C. Teach a lesson about formal and informal writing, comparing academic writing to text message writing. D. Call parents individually to discuss the frequency of this mistake

c

The smallest individual sounds in a word are called: A. morphemes. B. segments. C. phonemes. D. pragmatics.

c

What is a benefit of providing a rubric for self-evaluation of an oral presentation? A. Students are able to compare themselves to their peers. B. The teacher can take a break from assessment and allow the student to grade himself. C. Students can understand what they could have done to earn the next level. D. Grading goes more quickly, because all the content and areas are laid out with a corresponding grade.

c

What is the most important reason a speaker needs to plan for his specific audience before giving a presentation? A. to ensure that he will not be nervous before or during his speech B. the skills used in a presentation are the same for any audience; this is not important C. to ensure that subject matter is explained using terms and details the audience will understand D. to use appropriate volume and tone during his speech

c

When helping students improve their essay writing skills, corrective feedback should be given: A. by peers until the final draft. B. through a rubric on the final draft. C. throughout the writing process. D. after the first draft.

c

When introducing new material and scaffolding for student's oral presentation skills, a teacher should be sure to: A. allow for self-reflection and peer review. B. build review into each lesson to ensure students are retaining previous skills. C. start with the easiest skill and build up to the most difficult. D. model skills throughout the unit and lessons.

c

When teaching a lesson on including direct quotes in student writing, Mr. Keating reminds students to include a dialogue tag when incorporating direct quotes. Which of the following describes a dialogue tag? A. the quotation marks placed around a quote B. either italics or quotation marks to identify direct quotes C. a phrase, like he said or she said D. the colon or comma used between he said and the first quotation mark

c

Which list below includes the steps in the writing process, in the correct order? A. precommunicative spelling, punctuation, and sentence construction B. planning, drafting, sentence construction, and grammatical expression C. planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing These are the correct steps in the writing process. D. phonemic awareness, transitional spelling, and conventional writing

c

Which of the following is an example of a simile? A. The turtle swam silently and slowly through the water. B. The mother was a hawk watching her children on the sides. C. The rain was coming down so hard that it felt like a bucket of water had been poured on my head. D. The tree scratched at my window every time the wind blew.

c

Which of the following is an example of alliteration? A. Her backpack weighed a ton, slowing her down on the way to school. B. The rain was coming down so hard that it felt like a bucket of water had been poured on my head. C. The cow couldn't catch the flies with her curly tail. D. The tree scratched at my window every time the wind blew.

c

Which of the following is not an important element of effective oral presentations? A. understanding exactly who is the audience B. determining what you want the audience to know/learn C. reading a script for the oral presentation in order to ensure that you include all information D. changing the rate, pitch, and rhythm when showing excitement, urgency, and/or strong emotion

c

Which of the following would most likely enhance the delivery of an oral presentation? A. Give a strong introduction so that you won't need a strong conclusion. B. Use as many audiovisuals as possible in order to keep your audience attentive and entertained. C. Vary the rate of speaking, the pitch of your voice, the tone/quality of your voice, and the volume of your voice. D. Ensure the inclusion of key points by reading from a script during the entire presentation.

c

A tenth-grade English teacher is teaching her class some effective speech delivery techniques. Which of the following should she include? Select all answers that apply. A. Use formal, professional language. B. Use filler words to avoid silence. C. Vary the cadence. D. Pause to emphasize words.

c, d

"Sick" by Shel Silverstein (1) "I cannot go to school today," (2) Said little Peggy Ann McKay. (2) "I have the measles and the mumps, (3) A gash, a rash and purple bumps. (4) My mouth is wet, my throat is dry, (5) I'm going blind in my right eye. (6) My tonsils are as big as rocks, (7) I've counted sixteen chicken pox (8) And there's one more--that's seventeen, (9) And don't you think my face looks green? (10) My leg is cut--my eyes are blue-- (11) It might be instamatic flu. (12) I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke, (13) I'm sure that my left leg is broke-- (14) My hip hurts when I move my chin, (15) My belly button's caving in, (16) My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained, (17) My 'pendix pains each time it rains. (18) My nose is cold, my toes are numb. (19) I have a sliver in my thumb. (20) My neck is stiff, my voice is weak, (21) I hardly whisper when I speak. (22) My tongue is filling up my mouth, (23) I think my hair is falling out. (24) My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight, (25) My temperature is one-o-eight. (26) My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear, (27) There is a hole inside my ear. (28) I have a hangnail, and my heart is--what? (29) What's that? What's that you say? (30) You say today is. . .Saturday? (31) G'bye, I'm going out to play!" Which of the following is an example of a simile? A. my mouth is wet, my throat is dry B. and don't you think my face looks green? C. my belly button's caving in D. my tonsils are as big as rocks

d

A middle school ESL teacher gives students the following worksheet: Instructions: Choose the correct form of the word. 1. If you are having trouble, Mary is very _______ (help). 2. Science is the most _______ (interest) subject. 3. You need to use your _______ (imagine). The primary purpose of the worksheet is to provide instruction on: A. intonation B. syntax C. stress D. morphology

d

A teacher has provided her class with a descriptive writing assignment. The students have chosen a topic and are now filling out a sensory-focused graphic organizer in which they list descriptions that align with each of the five senses. What step in the writing process are the students most likely to be in? A. revising B. editing C. drafting D. prewriting

d

An English teacher is assessing the effectiveness of a class discussion on a recent reading topic. Of the following features, which should be cause for the most concern? A. There was little agreement between the students on various topics. B. Students did not wait for other students to finish their ideas. C. The teacher was not involved in the discussion, as students were addressing each other directly. D. Students were not responding to other students' comments but rather repeating their own.

d

Based on current research, what is the best way for ELL students to be grouped in a content area class for a discussion activity? A. homogenous English-language levels and heterogenous content-area knowledge B. homogenous English-language levels and content-area knowledge C. heterogenous English-language levels and homogenous content-area knowledge D. heterogenous English-language levels and content-area knowledge

d

Mr. Glanz is preparing a lesson on adjusting tone to match your audience. Which activity below would be most beneficial in having students practice this skill? A. Plan a lesson reviewing different types of tones and when they are appropriate for use. B. Have students draw a topic out of a bucket and give an impromptu speech. C. Give students a worksheet where they match scenarios to the appropriate audience or tone. D. Role play with a small group where the speaker changes what he says based on pretend audience members.

d

Mr. Jameson notices that one of his English learners almost always adds the suffix "ion" when he wants to change a word to a noun, often resulting in made-up words. This student could use some extra practice with: A. language register. B. language function. C. phonology. D. morphology.

d

Mr. Martin provides all of his students with a wide variety of listening and speaking activities and provides purposes for each of these activities. Which of the following would be an appropriate speaking activity for the entire class, including ELL students? A. Giving an oral report followed by the teacher or other students critiquing the report and presentation. B. Listening to a story on a CD or DVD C. Participating in a dramatic play that emphasizes complex and unfamiliar vocabulary. D. Reading to a small group or a partner

d

Mr. Rick's classroom just received a new student from China. She speaks some English but her main language is Chinese. Her parents speak both Chinese and English in the home. Which accommodation would help her build her English oral language skills and ease the transition into an English-only classroom? A. Allow her to read material that is written in Chinese. B. Ask her parents to translate the assignments. C. Exclusively teach in English. D. Bring material into the classroom that relates to her Chinese heritage.

d

Mrs. Kistler is ready to begin a unit on public speaking. What way could she most effectively demonstrate and introduce good presentation skills? A. Give a lesson where the teacher demonstrates good and bad presentation skills. B. Show short videos on topics the students are interested in where the speaker demonstrates good presentation skills. C. Show short videos where the speaker demonstrates volume, eye contact, and gesturing. D. Show short videos on topics the students are interested in that demonstrate good speaking and presentation skills, and then follow up with a discussion on what the speaker did well.

d

Mrs. Tockert assigns a four-paragraph essay asking the students to write about a favorite memory associated with a favorite season. The rubric requests that at least 5 sensory details be included in each paragraph. Which type of writing will the students be doing? A. persuasive B. expository C. narrative D. descriptive

d

Of the following, which is the most likely group structure for promoting English proficiency among English Language Learners? A. Heterogeneous in the home languages spoken B. Homogeneous in English proficiency C. Group members consider one another as friends D. Heterogeneous in English proficiency

d

Self-evaluation of oral presentations can be more effective and informative when combined with: A. a separate assignment that reviews the same topic. B. peer assessment of the same item. C. parent assessment of the same item. D. teacher assessment of the same item.

d

Students are presenting oral reports on books that they read over the summer. Which of the following would be most appropriate for students to include at the conclusion of their oral presentation? A. a joke to build rapport with the audience B. an open-ended question to get the audience's attention C. an outline and explanation of the thesis statement D. a summary of the main points

d

The following paragraphs were written by 8th-grade students responding to the prompt: "Write a story that lightheartedly reveals the consequences of being irresponsible." Student A: (1) I opened my eyes, instantly panicked when I realized the sun was shining much brighter into my room than would be normal for my 6:30 am wake up. (2) I brushed my teeth as quickly as I could. (3) Looking at my phone, I realized my alarm had not woken me up because my phone was out of power. (4) I sprinted through the house, grabbing a granola bar to inhale on the way to the bus stop. (5) I made it just in time. (6) When I sat in my seat, I looked down and realized I was wearing two different shoes, and my phone was still dead. Student B: (1) Middle school students have a reputation for being irresponsible and unreliable. (2) As far as I am concerned, this reputation is mostly accurate. (3) I'm still a kid! (4) In the last month alone, I have missed the bus twice. (5) I have also forgotten to turn in my homework three times, and one of those times it was even finished! (6) All joking aside, I know I need to improve on these things. (7) I shouldn't use my age as an excuse and hope to plan better in the future so I can live up to the expectations of my parents and teachers. Student A's paragraph is best described as: A. reflective. B. expository. C. a memoir. D. a narrative

d

The use of technology can promote the development of communication skills in all of the following ways EXCEPT: A. working as an effective intervention strategy for students struggling to use words and sentences. B. allowing students to see or hear themselves presenting to understand strengths and weaknesses. C. modeling proper communication techniques for students through watching videos of others. D. typing and allowing the computer to suggest grammatical and spelling mistake corrections.

d

Titles often prove misleading things, and it is not often that the outside of any book gives the faintest hint of its quality, unless it tells you, or nearly tells you, the publisher's name, for of course there are publishers who very rarely issue bad, or even weak books. Memories: a Life's Epilogue. This is so very unpromising a title-page that if it had not been for the names, Longmans, Green & Co. at the foot of it, we might well have begun to turn over the leaves with some prejudice against the anonymous author. But a very casual glance informs the reader, in this case, that he has to deal with a highly intelligent man of the old school, with plenty of caustic humour in him. There is something exceedingly quaint, almost ludicrous, in the author's way of employing the Spenserian stanza, and as it is not always clear that he is conscious of the humour there is in it. This passage characterizes the book as a: A. memoir that is both critical and sarcastic of the present compared with his past. B. narrative satire meant to comment on a shifting culture. C. fictional depiction of its author's experiences. D. collection of reflective poems.

d

What resource would be best for a teacher to use to help students interpreting body language in preparation for delivering a speech in class? A. a radio recording of a well-known DJ during an interview B. a script from a familiar movie that includes cues for actors C. an article that explains variations in body language by age D. a recorded scene from a musical that is played without audio

d

When ELL students hear phrases such as, "It's raining cats and dogs outside," or "This is just a drop in the bucket," they may be confused, as they probably need to have specific instruction in: A. phonetic strategies. B. scaffolding. C. segmentation. D. semantics

d

When a speaker speeds up or slows their speaking speed to best fit their message and audience, they are adjusting their speaking: A. pitch. B. articulation. C. fluency. D. rate

d

Which of the following describes a credible source? A. the opinion column written by the mayor's office B. an online dictionary anyone can edit or change C. an online blog written by a very popular blogger D. an online database with peer-reviewed articles

d

Which of the following is the best example of expository writing? A. poetry B. a novel C. a creative writing essay D. a research report

d