English (002) TUTORING QUESTIONS (PRACTICE)

7. Which of the following statements accurately describes how English language arts skills primarily contribute to students' academic success in other content areas? A.Producing and deciphering complex language structures encourages students to problem solve. B.The ability to synthesize information is directly related to the ability to process language. C.Performing cognitively demanding language tasks helps students develop higher-order thinking skills. D.The symbolic interpretation required to process language enhances abstract thinking skills.

A

I was walking by the Thames. Half-past morning on an autumn day. Sun in a mist. Like an orange in a fried-fish shop. All bright below. Low tide, dusty water and a crooked bar of straw, chicken-boxes, dirt and oil from mud to mud. Like a viper swimming in skim milk. The old serpent, symbol of nature and love. —Joyce Cary, from The Horse's Mouth Question: Which of the following best characterizes the language used to describe the Thames? A. It contains concrete and abstract terms in equal proportions. B. It moves from the local and vernacular to the mythic. C. It consistently employs similes and metaphors instead of factual, declarative statements. D. It is conventional and clichéd.

B. It moves from the local and vernacular to the mythic.

I was a child and she was a child, In this kingdom by the sea; But we loved with a love that was more than love— I and my Annabel Lee; With a love that the wingéd seraphs of heaven Coveted her and me. Question: The excerpt is from a poem written by which of the following authors? A. William Shakespeare B. John Keats C. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow D. Edgar Allan Poe

Correct Answer: D Edgar Allan Poe wrote ―Annabel Lee‖ about a lost love.

2. Students in a mathematics class are learning about percentages. Which of the following activities would most likely enhance students' understanding of the subject's real-world applications? A.finding newspaper articles that feature percentages B.solving word problems involving percentages C.making a table of percentage and fraction equivalents D.drawing a picture that represents a percentage

A

4. Which of the following types of recently coined words is most likely to be incorporated into the Standard American English lexicon? A.a combination of parts of two or more words B.a phonetic spelling of an archaic English word C.an acronym used for efficient text messaging D.a nonsense word used by a television personality

A

5. Which of the following pairs of words entered the English language as a result of widespread use of personal computers? A.icon, cursor B.blogger, hyperlink C.network, server D.debug, browser

B

6. Which of the following statements accurately describes children's ability to recognize and use intonation patterns? A.It is usually acquired by the age of one. B.It emerges after the prelinguistic stage. C.It is a function of phonologic processing. D.It develops rapidly during semantic acquisition.

B

For all of these poets, imagination was a supreme organizing and unifying power; it went beyond merely recording and rearranging sense data to create both itself and the world that an individual could know. To see was to create, by composing exterior experience in accordance with basic principles which rise out of the mind in the process of composition. The way we see is who we are. For them, self-analysis became a prime ingredient of all poetry. Question: This passage best describes A. Thomas Hardy, A. E. Housman, and Ezra Pound B. William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Percy Bysshe Shelley C. Alexander Pope, Jonathan Swift, and Samuel Johnson D. Ben Jonson, William Shakespeare, and John Donne

B is correct. This question tests your knowledge of the style of a particular school of writers, the Romantic school. Wordsworth's ―Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey‖ and ―The Prelude, or Growth of a Poet's Mind,‖ Coleridge's ―Frost at Midnight‖ and ―Dejection: an Ode,‖ and Shelley's ―Alastor‖ are all examples of poems in which the self comes under great scrutiny and imagination is heralded as an organizing and unifying power. The groups of poets in (A), (C), and (D) were less concerned with direct self-analysis than were the Romantics.

1. A teacher has students read a chapter of a textbook that contains several unfamiliar words whose meaning can be easily determined through context clues. Next, the teacher has the students write a short story incorporating the new vocabulary words. This exercise is an example of: A.lexical development through elaboration. B.lexical development through constructivism. C.reading and writing as a reciprocal process. D.reading and writing as an inductive process.

C

8. During the twentieth century, attempts by government authorities to suppress or eradicate languages spoken by ethnic minorities have typically led to the: A.demise of ethnic minority languages such as Basque and Azerbaijani. B.formation of pidgin languages and regional dialects. C.standardization of national languages such as Spanish and Russian. D.solidification of loyalty to linguistic and ethnic identities.

C

The epic Beowulf and its shorter elegiac contemporaries, ―The Wanderer‖ and ―The Seafarer,‖ were all originally written in what language? A. Old English B. Middle English C. Elizabethan English D. Early Modern English

Correct Answer: A Option (A) is correct. The question tests your knowledge of English language history. Beowulf and other Anglo-Saxon works were written in Old English, a Germanic language that gave us some of our most basic, everyday words (e.g., ―father,‖ ―give,‖ and ―day‖).

If you were to go merely by the quantity of his imitators, you could argue that Dashiell Hammett was a more important writer than James Joyce. He gave his imitators more than an attitude; he gave them a cast of characters, a resilient plot, a setting, a repertory of images, a style, a keyhole view of society, an ethos, and, above all, a hero. Sam Spade is an old American type brought up to date, Hawkeye become private eye with fedora and street smarts instead of leather stockings and wood lore, his turf the last frontier of San Francisco. Question: In the last sentence, the comparison of Sam Spade to Hawkeye alludes to novels by A. Joseph Conrad B. Nathaniel Hawthorne C. James Fenimore Cooper

Correct Answer: C Option (C) is correct. This question tests your knowledge of a well-known work and its author. The passage discusses Melville's novel Moby Dick, thus making (C) the correct answer.

3. The words moose, toboggan, and skunk entered the English language as a result of interaction between speakers of English and speakers of which of the following languages? A.Russian B.Dutch C.Portuguese D.Algonquin

D

11. A teacher asks students to predict the outcome of a story. After students consider their predictions silently for one minute, they tell them to a partner. Then some students volunteer to describe their predictions to the class. During the activity, the students are using which of the following reading comprehension strategies? A. Anticipation guide B. Reciprocal teaching C. Shared reading D. Think-pair-share

Option D is correct. Think-pair-share is a strategy in which the student first thinks of an answer and then shares the answer with a partner for input and confidence in their answers. After sharing with a partner, the student may or may not want to share with the class. This strategy strengthens student confidence in answers.

1. When determining whether a message conveyed by a speaker is based on fact or opinion, a listener should take which of the following approaches? A.noting the types of supporting details provided by the speaker B.evaluating the speaker's academic and professional credentials C.observing the types of nonverbal cues used by the speaker D.identifying the organizational pattern used by the speaker

Correct Response: A Generally, statements of fact will be accompanied by specific information based on objective reality (e.g., precise data, specific cases, logical deductions), while expressions of opinion may be based on subjective experiences or insights and are thus often accompanied by statements of probability, likelihood, experience, or supposition.

8. In which of the following traditional forms is this poem written? A.sonnet B.ode C.ballad D.elegy

Correct Response: A. A sonnet generally consists of 14 lines written in iambic pentameter and has a very specific rhyme scheme. Shakespearean sonnets, of which this poem is an example, consist of three quatrains and a couplet and have a rhyme scheme of abab, cdcd, efef, gg.

4. Which of the following sentences, if inserted as Sentence 7, would provide the best transition between the two paragraphs in this excerpt? A. In later novels, Twain never recaptured the balance between humor and pessimism that made Huckleberry Finn so compelling. B.After Huckleberry Finn, Twain adopted a different tack in his work. C.A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court (1889), The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894), and other later novels were not nearly as well received as Huckleberry Finn. D.Huckleberry Finn was the best, but by no means the last, of Twain's novels.

Correct Response: A. Sentence 6 describes the felicitous balance between humor and satire that accounted for the success of Huckleberry Finn. It is clear from Sentences 8-11 that this balance was subsequently lost, and the darker side of Twain's vision came to dominate his later works. The transition from the first paragraph to the second paragraph marks the transition in Twain's work that was characterized by the loss of this balance between humor and pessimism. This transition is best expressed by response choice A.

10. Which of the following sets of words entered the English language as slang? A.rubberneck, groovy, lollygag B.prenatal, postgraduate, counteract C.laser, radar, scuba D.mentor, nemesis, protean

Correct Response: A. Slang is defined as highly informal language that consists of both coined words and phrases and new or extended meanings of existing words or phrases. The word rubberneck originated in the United States during the nineteenth century. It combines two nouns to create a verb that describes the action of stretching one's neck in order to see something. In the 1930s, the word groovy began being used by jazz musicians to mean "playing well," and in the 1950s, it was used by young people, mainly teens, to mean "wonderful" or "excellent." The word lollygag was coined in the mid-nineteenth century and meant "to dawdle."

8. Read the excerpt below from a work of poetry; then answer the question that follows. The creatures that we met this morning marveled at our green skins and scarlet eyes. They lack antennae and can't be made to graspyour lawful proclamation that they are our lawful food and prey and slavesnor can they seem to learntheir body-space is needed to materialize our oxygen absorbers— which they conceive are breathing and thinking creatures whom they implore at first as angels or (later) as devils when they are being snuffed out by an absorber swelling into their space.... We need their space and oxygen which they do not know how to use,yet they will not give up their gas unforced, and we feel sure,whatever our "agreements" made this morning, we'll have to cook them all: the more we cook this orbit, the fewer next time around. Which of the following statements best describes the way in which a literary technique is used in this excerpt to draw the reader into an unexpected point of view? A.A metaphor from science fiction is extended to reveal a particular sensibility. B.A distinctive diction and vivid sensory images create a convincing aura of exoticism. C.A meditative monologue unfolds the speaker's most intimate thoughts and feelings. D.A passionate poetic voice makes an emotional appeal that is difficult to resist.

Correct Response: A. The science fiction metaphor of a conquering race occupying a planet and killing the native inhabitants for their resources reveals a particular sensibility that is characteristic of the many indigenous peoples around the world who throughout history have been forced to suffer cruel and inhuman treatment by colonizing peoples.

9. Read the excerpt below from Blue Highways: A Journey into America, a memoir by William Least Heat-Moon; then answer the question that follows. Stars shone with a clarity beyond anything I could remember. I was looking into— actually seeing— the past. By looking up into the darkness, I was looking into time. The old light from Betelgeuse, five hundred twenty light-years away, showed the star that existed when Christopher Columbus was a boy, and the Betelgeuse he saw was the one that burned when Northmen were crossing the Atlantic. For the Betelgeuse of this time, someone else will have to do the looking. The past is for the present, the present for the future. Astronomers say that when telescopes of greater range can be built, ones that can look down the distant curves of the universe billions of light-years away, they might show existence at the time of creation. And if astrophysicists and countless American Indians are correct in believing that a human being is composed of exploded bits of heavenly matter, billions of galactic atoms, then astronomers may behold us all in the stellar winds; they may observe us when we were something else and very much farther away. In this excerpt, Heat-Moon uses phrases such as "looking into" and "look down" in a figurative sense to express which of the following cultural attitudes? A.a conviction that self-knowledge brings inner peace B.a belief in the interconnectedness of humanity C.a recognition of sacrifices made by past generations D.a desire to explain the origin of human existence

Correct Response: B. In this excerpt, Heat-Moon describes how gazing at the night sky is like "looking into— actually seeing—the past," and "looking into time." The stars inspire in him a profound sense of interconnectedness with people and events from the past, present, and future. Heat-Moon speculates that a yet-to-be-built telescope will one day "look down the distant curves of the universe billions of light-years away" and confirm the belief that all humans originated as "billions of galactic atoms."

10. Read the excerpt below from Antigone, a play by Sophocles; then answer the question that follows. In this excerpt, Antigone has been sentenced to death for illegally burying her brother's body. CHORUS. Acts reverent and devout May claim devotion's name, But power, in one who cares to keep his power, May never be defied;And thee thy stubborn mood,Self-chosen, layeth low. ANTIGONE. Unwept, without a friend, Unwed, and whelmed in woe, I journey on the road that open lies. No more shall it be mine (O misery!) To look upon the holy eye of day, And yet, of all my friends, Not one bewails my fate, No kindly tear is shed. In this excerpt, the Chorus reflects which of the following cultural attitudes? A.loyalty to family B.respect for authority C.aversion to conflict D.fear of the unknown

Correct Response: B. The Chorus, as representative of the ancient Greeks generally, declares that "power, in one who cares to keep his power, / May never be defied." This statement suggests that ancient Greeks respected the authority of the state and attempted to discourage rebellion by punishing individuals who defied the state's authority.

QUESTION 4 Which of the following novels are paired with their corresponding author? Select all that apply A. Beloved - Alice Walker B. The Joy Luck Club - Amy Tan C. The Color Purple - Maya Angelou D. The Woman Warrior - Maxine Hong Kingston E. Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston

Options (B), (D), and (E) are correct. Amy Tan is the author of The Joy Luck Club, Alice Walker is the author of The Color Purple, Maxine Hong Kingston is the author of The Woman Warrior, and Zora Neale Hurston is the author of Their Eyes Were Watching God. Beloved was written by Toni Morrison, not Alice Walker, who wrote The Color Purple.

1Born Samuel Langhorne Clemens, Mark Twain grew up in Hannibal, Missouri. 2Despite extensive travel later in life, he never forgot the Mississippi River town where he spent his earliest years. 3With his father's death, he left school at age eleven to learn the printing trade. 4In such works as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and Life on the Mississippi (1883) he turned his boyhood experiences into memorable fictional narratives. 5Hannibal and the Mississippi also provided the backdrop for his most influential novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884). 6In it, Twain combined broad-ranging humor with biting social satire in a masterful exploration of the freedom and innocence of youth. 7 8To be sure, he continued to write successful books. 9Nor did he ever lose the extraordinary command of language that had marked his writing from the outset. 10But his increasingly dark vision of society and human nature, formed an unappealing contrast with the cheerful skepticism of earlier novels. 11As the personal, economic, and physical misfortunes of old age clouded once vibrant memories of youth, Twain became ever more embittered, and his work suffered as a consequence. 0004Apply knowledge of the writing process. 3. Which of the following sentences should be removed from the excerpt to eliminate a distracting detail? A.Sentence 2 B.Sentence 3 C.Sentence 5 D.Sentence 6

Correct Response: B. The first paragraph of the excerpt describes how Twain's boyhood experiences on the Mississippi influenced his literary works. Sentence 3 describes events without any apparent connection to Twain's literary works.

1. Before selecting and organizing material for an oral presentation designed to urge a particular action, an individual should take which of the following steps first to ensure that the presentation achieves its objective? A.drafting a provocative introduction and conclusion for the presentation B.analyzing the demographics and attitudes of the intended audience for the presentation C.determining which type of organizational pattern to use to structure the presentation D.deciding how much time to devote in the presentation to using visual aids

Correct Response: B. To develop an effective oral presentation designed to urge an audience to take a particular action, a presenter must first be familiar with the general characteristics of the audience— what the audience brings to the communication situation in terms of knowledge, attitudes, and interests. Familiarity with these characteristics of the audience will allow the presenter to adapt his or her presentation to create links between what audience members do or think and what the presenter would like them to do or think.

9. Read the excerpt below from The Awakening, a novel by Kate Chopin; then answer the question that follows. She went and stood at an open window and looked out upon the deep tangle of the garden below. All the mystery and witchery of the night seemed to have gathered there amid the perfumes and the dusky and tortuous outlines of flowers and foliage. She was seeking herself and finding herself in just such sweet, half-darkness which met her moods. But the voices were not soothing that came to her from the darkness and the sky above and the stars. They jeered and sounded mournful notes without promise, devoid even of hope. She turned back into the room and began to walk to and fro down its whole length without stopping, without resting. She carried in her hands a thin handkerchief, which she tore into ribbons, rolled into a ball, and flung from her. Once she stopped, and taking off her wedding ring, flung it upon the carpet. When she saw it lying there, she stamped her heel upon it, striving to crush it. But her small boot heel did not make an indenture, not a mark upon the little glittering circlet. In the excerpt, Chopin uses sensory details primarily to: A.lend greater realism to the setting. B.convey the character's inner turmoil. C.establish a tone of wistful nostalgia. D.suggest that tragic events will occur.

Correct Response: B. In the excerpt, Chopin uses sensory details primarily to reflect the character's inner emotional turmoil. While the character may find solace in "seeking herself and finding herself in just such sweet, half-darkness which met her moods," she hears mournful voices that offer only despair. These external voices appear to reflect her own feelings, for after turning her gaze away from the window her restless pacing ends in an attempt to destroy her wedding ring. This "little glittering circlet" would seem to present a bright, hopeful contrast to the darkness outside the window, but it only serves to reveal the character's rage and despair.

4. A writer is developing a short story. Which of the following introductory paragraphs would most effectively engage readers' interest in events that will unfold later in the story? A.When Melissa walked into the classroom, the teacher told her to sit wherever she wanted. Melissa preferred assigned seating. She knew if she sat in the front row, the teacher would notice her, but the other kids would talk about her behind her back. If she sat in the back row, everyone would ignore her, including the teacher. She chose an empty desk in the middle row. B.While the teacher took attendance, Melissa surreptitiously studied her new classmates. Daphne answered "present" with a voice like cool rain on a summer day. Jeff yawned "here" into three sleepy syllables. Karen sat up straight and enunciated "present" clearly and crisply. C.Melissa gingerly opened the door to Room 117 and peered in. A teacher wearing a long lab coat observed as students, also in lab coats, poured green, orange, and blue liquids into test tubes. Purple clouds formed over the students' heads. "Close the door before it escapes!" someone shouted. Melissa jumped into the room and shut the door. D.The teacher asked Melissa to describe herself using an adjective that started with the first letter of her name. Melissa knew the teacher thought this was an original idea. It was not. Melissa had introduced herself to a classroom full of strangers many times, but she had yet to find the right word. She was not marvelous, mysterious, merry, or melancholic.

Correct Response: C. An effective technique for engaging readers' interest in events that will unfold later in a story is to raise questions that the reader expects to be answered later in the story. In this introductory paragraph, Melissa at first acts with caution, "gingerly" opening the classroom door and peering in before entering. The reader does not know the reason for Melissa's caution but expects to find out later. The reader's curiosity is piqued when a student shouts, "Close the door before it escapes!" When Melissa jumps into the room, the reader is eager to jump in with her.

3. Read the draft version of a paragraph from an essay below; then answer the question that follows. Whether it is better to buy a home or rent one is a debatable issue. Those who favor buying usually mention tax deductions and potential profits from the resale of property as major advantages. They also note that there is comfort in being able to make residential modifications without having to consult a landlord. ________, those who favor renting contend that a renter is not tied down with the financial and maintenance obligations of a homeowner. In addition, many people simply cannot afford the large down payment required for buying a home. For anyone faced with the choice of buying or renting, both sides offer points well worth considering. Which of the following transitional words would be most appropriate to use in the blank in this paragraph? A. Similarly B. Moreover C. However D. Instead

Correct Response: C. Because this paragraph summarizes and contrasts two opposing points of view, however is the best transitional word to link the two sides of the argument. It clearly indicates a change from one point of view to the other.

Which of the following versions of sentences from the excerpt has been edited correctly to eliminate a misplaced or dangling modifier? A.Sentence 1: Just south of Freedom, Oklahoma, every year millions of Mexican free-tailed bats migrate to the Selman Bat Cave Wildlife Management Area. B.Sentence 2: The area is accessible only to the public during Bat Watch evenings hosted by the Wildlife Department. C.Sentence 3: On such evenings, 75 lucky visitors look to the sky with amazement as one million bats fly overhead. D.Sentence 4: By consuming more than 20,000 pounds of insects each night, the bats help local farmers and ranchers, not just a tourist attraction.

Correct Response: C. In the original version of Sentence 3, the phrase "as one million bats fly overhead with amazement" could be understood as meaning that the bats are experiencing amazement. The sentence has been edited correctly to indicate that the visitors, not the bats, experience amazement.

2. A student is reluctant to take part in discussions because she feels uncomfortable disagreeing with classmates. To help the student overcome this obstacle, the teacher asks her to prepare written comments ahead of an upcoming discussion and invites the student to share the comments with the teacher beforehand. Which further action by the teacher would best help promote the student's future participation in class discussions? A. asking the student to practice presenting her comments at home B. having several classmates read the student's comments before the discussion C. providing the student with focused feedback on the comments D. posting the student's comments for classmates to read during the discussion

Correct Response: C. The teacher can best help the student by providing focused feedback in response to her written comments. For example, the teacher can guide the student in selecting relevant supporting evidence, clarifying ideas, and conveying her opinion in a way that is respectful of other students' viewpoints. The teacher's feedback will help the student gain confidence in expressing disagreement, thus promoting her future participation in class discussions.

6. Read the excerpt below from "Good Growing in Oklahoma, Year Round," an article on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Web site; then answer the question that follows. Hoop houses, also known as high tunnels, are temporary greenhouses that allow farmers across the state to supply Oklahoma's Farm to School Program with fresh, local products from the start of classes in August to the final bell in June. "With the use of hoop houses, more farmers can grow in the fall, throughout winter, and into early spring to provide wonderful food in our schools year round," said Chris Kirby, Farm to School Program Administrator for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. To keep these kinds of opportunities growing throughout the state, Kirby works to connect farmers with needed resources. USDA's1 Natural Resources Conservation Service has a Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative that provides cost-sharing for hoop houses. "If we provide economic opportunities to the farmers, we can get the food to schools," said Kirby. In late winter and early spring, when it is too cold for outdoor planting, hoop houses allow garden-fresh favorites to flourish. Students in Oklahoma might enjoy fresh greens at the salad bar for lunch in February, root vegetables at snack time in March and even tomatoes before school is out. _________________________ 1USDA: U.S. Department of Agriculture Which of the following conclusions can be reasonably drawn from the information provided in the excerpt? A.Oklahoma students prefer fresh fruits and vegetables to frozen and canned produce. B.Oklahoma is the only state participating in the USDA's Seasonal High Tunnel initiative. C.The cost of maintaining hoop houses is beyond the means of many Oklahoma farmers. D.The use of hoop houses to grow food during the off-season is rare outside Oklahoma.

Correct Response: C.According to the excerpt, Chris Kirby "works to connect farmers with needed resources," such as the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service's Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative, which provides cost-sharing for hoop houses. From this information it is reasonable to conclude that many Oklahoma farmers would be unable to afford hoop houses on their own without such financial assistance.

5. A writer is developing a short story about Brianna, a sixteen-year-old girl who works on her family's pine tree farm. Which of the following versions of a paragraph from the story most effectively establishes Brianna's point of view? A. From the barn I could see the stream of cars making their way to Richardson's Tree Farm. Some of the cars wore fuzzy red noses or furry brown antlers in keeping with the season. My father directed traffic, a wheel of twine looped around one arm. Before noon, our lot—really just a patch of gravel—would be packed with cars. B.My mother was in charge of baling the trees. My older brother sawed off the stumps so the firs could absorb water with a fresh cut. My younger brothers hefted Frasers and balsam over their shoulders as if they weighed nothing. I drove the tractor, a thankless job for which I was rarely thanked and even more rarely, tipped. C.Our farm was far out of town, straddling the county line. We grew conifers, pastured horses and llamas, and sold red and gold potatoes by the bushel. Other farm stands in the neighborhood were busy only during the summer and fall harvest season, but ours was busiest in the winter, when we sold our fir trees. D.I had had enough of driving the tractor from the parking lot to the tree lot and back again. What did my parents think I was—a team of Clydesdale horses? A pack of sled dogs? As I towed yet another wagon full of cheerful people wearing knit pompon hats, I mourned the trees that we had hacked down and sold as holiday cheer.

Correct Response: D. A writer can effectively establish a character's point of view by using diction and figurative language to reveal the character's attitude and feelings. In the paragraph, Brianna expresses her discontent through vivid images ("What did my parents think I was—a team of Clydesdale horses? A pack of sled dogs?"). Her negative attitude toward her job sets her apart from her passengers, the "cheerful people wearing knit pompon hats." In the paragraph's final sentence, the juxtaposition of "mourned" and "hacked down" with "holiday cheer" further highlights Brianna's derisive tone. .

6. The medical term anemic is sometimes used metaphorically in other contexts to mean: A.deviating from the common rule. B.lacking definite form or structure. C.avoiding personal possessions. D.lacking vitality or spirit.

Correct Response: D. In the medical field, a person suffering from anemia, a blood disorder, often shows signs of having very low energy. Therefore, the metaphoric sense of the word anemic is "lacking vitality or spirit."

7. The words avocado, mesquite, and coyote are examples of words that were introduced into American English as a result of interactions between speakers of Nahuatl and speakers of which of the following languages? A. French B. Gaelic C. Russian D. Spanish

Correct Response: D. The Spanish words aguacate, mesquite, and coyote come from the Nahuatl words ahuacatl, mizquitl, and coyotl, respectively. Nahuatl is an Uto-Aztecan language. During the colonial period in what is now Mexico, Spanish speakers adopted Nahuatl words for indigenous plants and animals for which Spanish words did not exist. These Spanish words were later introduced into American English as a result of interactions between speakers of English and Spanish in the Southwest.

Read the poem below; then answer the two questions that follow. When to the sessions of sweet silent thoughtI summon up remembrance of things past,I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought,And with old woes bewail my dear time's waste: Then can I drown an eye, unused to flow, For precious friends hid in death's dateless night, And weep afresh love's long since cancelled woe, And moan th'expense of many a vanished sight: Then can I grieve at grievances foregone, And heavily from woe to woe tell o'erThe sad account of fore-bemoanéd moan, Which I new pay, as if not paid before.But if the while I think on thee, dear friend, All losses are restored and sorrows end. 0020Understand strategies for reading various forms of poetry. 7. Which of the following phrases from this poem provides an example of assonance? A."sweet silent thought" B."death's dateless night" C."love's long since cancelled woe" D."fore-bemoanéd moan"

Correct Response: D. The poetic device known as assonance is the use of the same or similar vowel sounds in stressed syllables that end with different consonant sounds. The phrase "fore-bemoanéd moan," with its repeated long o sounds, exemplifies assonance.

5. Read the excerpt below from a newspaper article; then answer the question that follows. Our town library is a small, square, granite building with a flat roof. We invite a classical musician to play in the lobby every Sunday afternoon. There are frequent book discussion groups for adults during the week. In the back we have a media center that includes three Internet stations. Modest as it is, our little library is a vital part of our community. Which of the following sentences from this excerpt provides a general statement rather than a specific detail? A.Our town library is a small, square, granite building with a flat roof. B.We invite a classical musician to play in the lobby every Sunday afternoon. C.In the back we have a media center that includes three Internet stations. D.Modest as it is, our little library is a vital part of our community.

Correct Response: D. This paragraph is constructed of several sentences that describe details about the library, followed by a general statement that ties all the details together. The last sentence is a general statement that brings coherence to the details presented in the first several sentences.

I was walking by the Thames. Half-past morning on an autumn day. Sun in a mist. Like an orange in a fried-fish shop. All bright below. Low tide, dusty water and a crooked bar of straw, chicken-boxes, dirt and oil from mud to mud. Like a viper swimming in skim milk. The old serpent, symbol of nature and love. —Joyce Cary, from The Horse's Mouth Question: Which of the following best describes the descriptive strategy used most consistently in the excerpt? A. Fragments connecting a series of perceptions and reactions B. Fragments connecting a series of actions and events C. Fragments connected by water imagery D. Fragments connected by color imagery

Option (A) is correct. This question tests your ability to identify descriptive patterns and structures and their effects. In this passage, which begins the novel, the author presents a series of quick perceptions of and reactions to the River Thames on an autumn morning. Most of the clauses or phrases that end with periods are actually sentence fragments. The sequence of fragments — ―Sun in a mist. Like an orange in a fried-fish shop. All bright below,‖ and so on — builds up the total scene.

A. For thou hast sent her a mantle of green, As green as any grass, And bade her come to the silver wood To hunt with Child Maurice. B. An Ace of Hearts steps forth: the King unseen Lurked in her hand, and mourned his captive Queen: He springs to vengeance with an eager pace, And falls like thunder on the prostrate Ace. The nymph exulting fills with shouts the sky; The walls, the woods, and long canals reply. C. Who would have thought my shriveled heart Could have recovered greenness? It was gone Quite underground; as flowers depart To see their mother-root, when they have blown, Were they together All the hard weather, Dead to the world, keep house unknown. D. But wherefore rough, why cold and ill at ease? Aha, that is a question! Ask, for that, What knows,—the something over Setebos That made Him, or He, may be, found and fought, Worsted, drove off and did to nothing, perchance. Question: Which is an example of the ballad stanza? A. Excerpt A B. Excerpt B C. Excerpt C D. Excerpt D

Option (A) is correct. This question tests your knowledge of literary genres. Ballads are anonymous narrative poems; the ballad stanza is a four-line stanza of alternating tetrameter and trimeter lines with a rhyme of abab or, as in (A), from the English ballad ―Child Maurice,‖ abcb.

Which of the following novels focuses primarily on the concept of individualism versus collectivism? A. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe B. Anthem by Ayn Rand C. Lord of the Flies by William Golding D. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Option (B) is correct. This item tests your knowledge of the literary contexts of major works. Anthem deals mainly with the main character's struggle to break free of his collectivist society and become an individual.

The following excerpt is from William Shakespeare's King Lear. See how yond justice rails upon yond simple thief. Hark in thine ear. Change places and handy-dandy, Which is the justice, which is the thief? Through tatter'd clothes small vices do appear. Robes and furr'd gown hide all. Plate sin with gold, And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks; Arm it in rags, a pygmy's straw does pierce it. Question: Which of the following is the best summary of this passage? A. Everyone deserves a chance to reform. B. Riches and position hide guilt. C. No one can escape retribution. D. Justice is blind.

Option (B) is correct. This question tests your ability to interpret the meaning of the dramatic speech. The passage suggests that the poor and powerless have no way of concealing their vices, while the ―Robes and furr'd gowns‖ worn by people of influence, particularly judges and members of the nobility, cover the guilt of the wearers. The shield metaphor in the last three lines conveys a similar meaning: gold, or money, effectively conceals and protects the sinner from the ―lance of justice,‖ or the force of law.

A. For thou hast sent her a mantle of green, As green as any grass, And bade her come to the silver wood To hunt with Child Maurice. B. An Ace of Hearts steps forth: the King unseen Lurked in her hand, and mourned his captive Queen: He springs to vengeance with an eager pace, And falls like thunder on the prostrate Ace. The nymph exulting fills with shouts the sky; The walls, the woods, and long canals reply. C. Who would have thought my shriveled heart Could have recovered greenness? It was gone Quite underground; as flowers depart To see their mother-root, when they have blown, Were they together All the hard weather, Dead to the world, keep house unknown. D. But wherefore rough, why cold and ill at ease? Aha, that is a question! Ask, for that, What knows,—the something over Setebos That made Him, or He, may be, found and fought, Worsted, drove off and did to nothing, perchance. Question: Which is from a mock epic? A. Excerpt A B. Excerpt B C. Excerpt C D. Excerpt D

Option (B) is correct. This question tests your knowledge of literary genres. Mock epics adopt the elevated style of the epic — including such epic conventions as invocations, formal diction, extended similes, lengthy descriptions of battles, and supernatural interventions — to treat trivial subjects. The disjunction between style and subject usually achieves a satirical effect. The lines in (B), from Alexander Pope's mock epic, ―The Rape of the Lock,‖ present a card game as though it were a battle; in winning the game, Pope's heroine Belinda (referred to as a ―nymph‖ in the fifth line) wins a round in the battle of the sexes that is satirized throughout the poem.

A leaf falls to earth While butterflies float near. For each, a mirror. Question: To make this poem fit the structure of a classic haiku, the author should change. A. "A leaf" to "Lone leaf" B. "butterflies" to "butterfly" C. "float" to "hover" D. "mirror" to "birth"

Option (C) is correct. This question asks you to apply your knowledge of literary forms. A classic haiku has five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third. The second line in this poem is short one syllable.

If you were to go merely by the quantity of his imitators, you could argue that Dashiell Hammett was a more important writer than James Joyce. He gave his imitators more than an attitude; he gave them a cast of characters, a resilient plot, a setting, a repertory of images, a style, a keyhole view of society, an ethos, and, above all, a hero. Sam Spade is an old American type brought up to date, Hawkeye become private eye with fedora and street smarts instead of leather stockings and wood lore, his turf the last frontier of San Francisco. Question: The passage discusses the A. shortcomings of authors who lack formal training B. value of continuing to teach the classics C. characteristics of writers who are essentially derivative and unimaginative D. creation of a new popular genre

Option (D) is correct. This question tests your ability to comprehend the main idea of a passage. The passage asserts that Hammett's imitators wrote novels similar to his and to one another's, thereby creating a body of work that constitutes a genre. That Hammett was widely copied — the passage mentions a ―quantity of his imitators‖ — indicates that the genre was also a popular one.

A. For thou hast sent her a mantle of green, As green as any grass, And bade her come to the silver wood To hunt with Child Maurice. B. An Ace of Hearts steps forth: the King unseen Lurked in her hand, and mourned his captive Queen: He springs to vengeance with an eager pace, And falls like thunder on the prostrate Ace. The nymph exulting fills with shouts the sky; The walls, the woods, and long canals reply. C. Who would have thought my shriveled heart Could have recovered greenness? It was gone Quite underground; as flowers depart To see their mother-root, when they have blown, Were they together All the hard weather, Dead to the world, keep house unknown. D. But wherefore rough, why cold and ill at ease? Aha, that is a question! Ask, for that, What knows,—the something over Setebos That made Him, or He, may be, found and fought, Worsted, drove off and did to nothing, perchance. Question: Which is from a dramatic monologue? A. Excerpt A B. Excerpt B C. Excerpt C D. Excerpt D

Option (D) is correct. This question tests your knowledge of literary genres. The lines of a dramatic monologue are spoken by a character whose personality, motives, and circumstances shape the way he or she tells a story and can, in turn, be inferred from the story told. The lines of (D) are from the dramatic monologue ―Caliban upon Setebos‖ by Robert Browning.

3. All of us find or invent our language. We may come up with new sentences never heard before. We may use words in a unique way. But we are always finding our voice, locating old patterns or long-heard expressions, reaching into our thesaurus for the right term. And in inventing English, we are always inventing ourselves — finding our place among the welter of the words or in the swell of sounds that is the ocean of our tongue. Which of the following most accurately describes how the author's use of point of view works as a rhetorical strategy? A. He speaks in the first person to invite the readers to see how they participate in the activities he describes B. He speaks in the first person to emphasize his unique experience with the subject under discussion C. He speaks in the third person to highlight the universality of the topic being discussed D. He speaks in the third person to construct a more authoritative position from which to argue his point

Option A is correct. In first-person point of view, the author or narrator writes from his or her own perspective. In this passage, the author uses the words "we" and "our" to suggest that his experience is similar to the reader's experience, and invites readers to understand how people invent themselves through the words they use.

Questions 14-16 refer to the following student draft. A seventh-grade class is learning how to respond to literary analysis prompts. The following is a student response to the prompt "Describe the significance of the White Rabbit in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll."(1) The White Rabbit represents an adult who worries about schedules; he says, "Oh my ears and whiskers, how late it's getting!" (2) Alice wanders after the rabbit down the hole because, unknown to her, she wishes to not be a child anymore, she wants to be an adult. (3) When she follows the rabbit down the hole, she makes the choice to transform into an adult and leave her childish ways behind. (4) She begins her journey to Wonderland confused about all of her choices. (5) The author uses The White Rabbit as a metaphor to contrast with the childish ways Alice is leaving behind. (6) Her choices are like the choices she will have to make as she gets older. 16. Which of the following errors is present in sentence 2? A. Comma splice B. Faulty parallelism C. Incorrect subject-verb agreement D. Inconsistent verb tense.

Option A is correct. The comma between "anymore" and "she wants" is a comma splice; it is used incorrectly to separate two independent clauses.

10. A teacher is working with an eighth-grade student who reads at the fifth-grade level. When the student encounters an unknown word, "cohabit," the teacher breaks the word into parts and has the student determine the meaning of "co" and the meaning of "habit," using words with the same prefix or root, such as "coworker" and "habitat." The activity described above relies most directly on knowledge of which of the following language concepts? A. Morphemes B. Synonyms C. Phonemes D. Orthography

Option A is correct. Knowledge of morphemes is knowledge of the affixes, combing forms, and root words. This knowledge builds vocabulary, and it is necessary for the kind of word analysis described in the activity.

12. An article describes a method of writing instruction in which "children are in different stages of the writing process, working on self-selected topics. Simultaneously, teachers are meeting with individual or small groups of students to confer and help move them along with their writing. Other components include peer conferences and/or response groups." The article best describes which of the following teaching models? A. Writer's workshop B. Direct instruction C. Literature circles D. Shared writing

Option A is correct. The important features of writer's workshop are listed in the stimulus: 1. Students are progressing at various rates. 2. Teachers are conferencing. 3. Peer conferencing is also occurring.

7. Which of the following statements best describes how the structure of "Spellbound" contributes to its meaning? A. The use of rhyming quatrains contrasts with the chaos of the storm. B. The use of blank verse strengthens the effect of the "tyrant spell." C. The breaks between stanzas symbolize moments of regret. D. The lack of internal punctuation reflects a sense of anticipation.

Option A is correct. The repeating rhyming quatrains are regular and predictable in form; however, the content of the poem — the spell and the storm — is neither predictable nor regular. This pairing of structure and irregularity serves to highlight the impact that the spell has on the speaker as well as her desire to regain control of her environment.

6. In "Spellbound," the speaker's change in tone from the first to the third stanza can best be described as shifting from A. helpless to stubborn. B. apathetic to passionate. C. despondent to hopeful. D. agitated to complacent.

Option A is correct. The speaker's change in tone is most evident in lines 4 and 12. The speaker begins by saying that she "cannot, cannot go" (line 4), indicating that her actions are dictated by an outside force. She ends by saying she "will not, cannot go" (line 12). By saying she will not go, she is asserting an ownership over her actions.

-They passed over the pond toward Fair Haven, seemingly deterred from settling by my light, their commodore honking all the while with a regular beat.- 18. In the sentence, the word commodore most nearly means A. leader. B. enemy. C. listener. D. observer.

The correct answer is A. A commodore is the leader of a line of ships. This is a reference to the goose that is leading the flock to a resting spot for the night.

Questions 14-16 refer to the following student draft. A seventh-grade class is learning how to respond to literary analysis prompts. The following is a student response to the prompt "Describe the significance of the White Rabbit in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll."(1) The White Rabbit represents an adult who worries about schedules; he says, "Oh my ears and whiskers, how late it's getting!" (2) Alice wanders after the rabbit down the hole because, unknown to her, she wishes to not be a child anymore, she wants to be an adult. (3) When she follows the rabbit down the hole, she makes the choice to transform into an adult and leave her childish ways behind. (4) She begins her journey to Wonderland confused about all of her choices. (5) The author uses The White Rabbit as a metaphor to contrast with the childish ways Alice is leaving behind. (6) Her choices are like the choices she will have to make as she gets older. 15. In sentence 1, which of the following words or phrases, inserted before "he says," provides the best transition between the first clause and the quotation? A. similarly, B. for instance, C. first of all, D. namely,

Option B is correct. It signals that the quotation illustrates the kind of worry described in the first clause.

______________ is a narrative that takes abstract ideas of behavior — good or bad, wise or foolish — and attempts to make them concrete and striking. The chief actor in these stories is usually an animal or inanimate object that behaves like a human and engages in a single significant act intended to teach a moral lesson. Which of the following will correctly complete the passage above? A. A myth B. A fable C. An epic D. A legend

Option B is correct. The statements on which the question is based constitute a definition of a fable.

Science fiction: readers claim to either love it or loathe it; either they avoid it like poison or they devour favorite works and authors like chocolate addicts gulping down fudge truffles. The author of the passage compares certain readers with "chocolate addicts" primarily in order to A. suggest that science fiction is not a serious literary genre. B. indicate the depth of certain readers' feelings about science fiction. C. explain why some readers consider science fiction to be dangerous. D. contrast the characteristics of science fiction with those of other literary genres.

Option B is correct. The author makes a comparison between science fiction readers and people who love chocolate so much they could be called addicts in order to stress that those who like science fiction cannot get enough of it.

5. Which of the following interpretations best applies to both poems? A. They portray winter as a time of waiting for the first signs of spring B. They liken the coming of winter to the shock of sudden death C. They describe acts of resistance against the powerful force of winter D. They relate the harshness of winter to the darkness of night

Option C is correct. Brontë refers to the "giant trees" bending (line 5), and then writes "yet I cannot go." She goes on, "But nothing drear can move me; / I will not, cannot go." Brontë references the bending trees as evidence of the storm's force. At the beginning of the poem she is yielding to the storm, but finds her strength at the end with the statement "I will not, cannot go." William Carlos Williams also refers to "The half-stripped trees / struck by a wind together, / bending all, "whose leaves refuse to let go," and later contrasts the near-barren trees with carmine-colored salvia plants, which symbolize life at the edge of the garden.

9. In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the main character, Dorothy, is transported to a magical land by a tornado. While in the magical Land of Oz, Dorothy must go to the Emerald City to discover how to get back to her home. On her way to the Emerald City, she faces many obstacles, but she befriends a Scarecrow, a Tin Woodman, and a Cowardly Lion who help her along the way. After a climactic battle with an enemy, she discovers the secret of how to return home. Which of the following universal themes is most evident in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz? A. Human versus nature B. Coming of age C. The hero's journey D. Individual versus society

Option C is correct. The story contains many of the main elements of the typical hero's journey: Dorothy is separated from her home and family; she accepts the call to adventure when she learns she must travel to the Emerald City to learn how to return home; she is tested along the way but meets friends and teachers who help her; and she has two battles, one with the witch and one final confrontation with the wizard, before she finally returns home.

8. Which of the following literary devices is present in "Approach of Winter"? A. Allusion B. Repetition C. Oxymoron D. Personification

Option D is correct. Personification involves giving human traits to nonliving things. Line 5 states that the leaves "refuse to let go," personifying the leaves and making them seem as if they are making the choice not to let go.

Questions 14-16 refer to the following student draft. A seventh-grade class is learning how to respond to literary analysis prompts. The following is a student response to the prompt "Describe the significance of the White Rabbit in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll."(1) The White Rabbit represents an adult who worries about schedules; he says, "Oh my ears and whiskers, how late it's getting!" (2) Alice wanders after the rabbit down the hole because, unknown to her, she wishes to not be a child anymore, she wants to be an adult. (3) When she follows the rabbit down the hole, she makes the choice to transform into an adult and leave her childish ways behind. (4) She begins her journey to Wonderland confused about all of her choices. (5) The author uses The White Rabbit as a metaphor to contrast with the childish ways Alice is leaving behind. (6) Her choices are like the choices she will have to make as she gets older.14. Which of the following revisions will best improve the clarity of the response? A. Switch sentence 1 and sentence 5 B. Switch sentence 2 and sentence 3 C. Switch sentence 4 and sentence 6 D. Switch sentence 5 and sentence 6

Option D is correct. Sentence 6 is most appropriate after sentence 4 because it clarifies why Alice is confused about the choices she must make in Wonderland. Sentence 5 is an appropriate conclusion because it ties back to the thesis stated in sentence 1.

13. Mr. Mansour wants his students to use a wiki when collaborating on a group research project. Which of the following statements describes the main benefit of using a wiki as an educational tool for a collaborative research project?A. Wikis provide an opportunity for students to develop memory skills, which are essential for effective collaboration. B. Wikis are accessible off-line, making it easier for students and instructors to access content at any time.C. Wikis provide storage for information that will not be edited, making them ideal for final presentations. D. Wikis engage diverse learners by allowing for the inclusion of various media to support a given task.

Option D is correct. The wiki platform allows users to load text, images, video, sound, and external links to support a given task. This capability helps wikis to support a variety of learning styles, such as visual- spatial, interpersonal, and linguistic.

14. In lines 7 and 8 of poem 1, the second traveller compares truth to ―a breath,‖ ―a wind,‖ ―a shadow,‖ and ―a phantom‖ most likely to suggest that truth is A. elusive. B. frightening. C. mysterious. D. remote.

The correct answer is A. All the comparisons this traveler makes with truth include things such as ―a wind‖ or a ―phantom‖ that elude the traveller.

Questions 16 and 17 pertain to both poems.16. Which word best describes the tone of each poem? A. cynical B. indifferent C. surprised D. worried

The correct answer is A. Both the speaker in the third stanza of ―Poem 1‖ and the speaker of ―Poem 2‖ react negatively to the possibility of finding truth. Negative or scornful attitudes are characteristic of cynicism.

The Departure On the station platform everyone shook the young man's hand. More than a dozen people waited about. Then they talked of their own affairs. Even Will Henderson, who was lazy and often slept until nine, had got out of bed. George was embarrassed. Gertrude Wilmot, a tall thin woman of fifty who worked in the Winesburg post office, came along the station platform. She had never before paid any attention to George. Now she stopped and put out her hand. In two words she voiced what everyone felt. ―Good luck,‖ she said sharply and then turning went on her way. 2 When the train came into the station George felt relieved. He scampered hurriedly aboard. Helen White came running along Main Street hoping to have a parting word with him, but he had found a seat and did not see her. When the train started Tom Little punched his ticket, grinned and, although he knew George well and knew on what adventure he was just setting out, made no comment. Tom had seen a thousand George Willards go out of their towns to the city. It was a commonplace enough incident with him. In the smoking car there was a man who had just invited Tom to go on a fishing trip to Sandusky Bay. He wanted to accept the invitation and talk over details. 3 George glanced up and down the car to be sure no one was looking, then took out his pocketbook and counted his money. His mind was occupied with a desire not to appear green. Almost the last words his father had said to him concerned the matter of his behavior when he got to the city. ―Be a sharp one,‖ Tom Willard had said. ―Keep your eyes on your money. Be awake. That's the ticket. Don't let anyone think you're a greenhorn.‖ After George counted his money he looked out of the window and was surprised to see that the train was still in Winesburg. 5 The young man, going out of his town to meet the adventure of life, began to think but he did not think of anything very big or dramatic. Things like his mother's death, his departure from Winesburg, the uncertainty of his future life in the city, the serious and larger aspects of his life did not come into his mind. 6 He thought of little things—Turk Smollet wheeling boards through the main street of his town in the morning, a tall woman, beautifully gowned, who had once stayed overnight at his father's hotel, Butch Wheeler the lamp lighter of Winesburg hurrying through the Georgia Department of Education Student Guide for English Language Arts-GPS Version 2009 12 streets on a summer evening and holding a torch in his hand, Helen White standing by a window in the Winesburg post office and putting a stamp on an envelope. 7 The young man's mind was carried away by his growing passion for dreams. One looking at him would not have thought him particularly sharp. With the recollection of little things occupying his mind he closed his eyes and leaned back in the car seat. He stayed that way for a long time and when he aroused himself and again looked out of the car window the town of Winesburg had disappeared and his life there had become but a background on which to paint the dreams of his manhood. In paragraph 2, the author includes Tom Little's thoughts most likely to show that A.George's journey is typical. B.Tom enjoys working on the train. C.George's friends are concerned about him. D.Tom wishes he were also moving to the city.

The correct answer is A. By including Tom Little's thoughts, ―Tom had seen a thousand George Willards go out of their towns to the city. It was a commonplace enough incident with him,‖ the author makes the point that George's journey is typical.

Read the following passage and answer questions 9 through 12. I am a man who, from his youth upwards, has been filled with a profound conviction that the easiest way of life is the best. Hence, though I belong to a profession proverbially energetic and nervous, even to turbulence, at times, yet nothing of that sort have I ever suffered to invade my peace. I am one of those unambitious lawyers who never address a jury, or in any way draw down public applause; but in the cool tranquility of a snug retreat, do a snug business among rich men's bonds, and mortgages, and title-deeds. All who know me, consider me an eminently safe man. The late John Jacob Astor,1 a personage little given to poetic enthusiasm, had no hesitation in pronouncing my first grand point to be prudence; my next, method. I do not speak it in vanity, but simply record the fact, that I was not unemployed in my profession by the late John Jacob Astor; a name which, I admit, I love to repeat; for it hath a rounded and orbicular sound to it, and rings like unto bullion.2 I will freely add, that I was not insensible to the late John Jacob Astor's good opinion. The author's description of the narrator as an "unambitious lawyer" is an example of which literary device? A. irony B. hyperbole C. symbolism D. personification

The correct answer is A. The phrase ―unambitious lawyer‖ is an example of irony since the narrator is, in fact, quite ambitious. He does a ―snug business among rich men's bonds, and mortgages and title- deeds.‖ The narrator also uses understatement throughout: ―I was not unemployed in my profession.‖

Read the following passage and answer questions 9 through 12. I am a man who, from his youth upwards, has been filled with a profound conviction that the easiest way of life is the best. Hence, though I belong to a profession proverbially energetic and nervous, even to turbulence, at times, yet nothing of that sort have I ever suffered to invade my peace. I am one of those unambitious lawyers who never address a jury, or in any way draw down public applause; but in the cool tranquility of a snug retreat, do a snug business among rich men's bonds, and mortgages, and title-deeds. All who know me, consider me an eminently safe man. The late John Jacob Astor,1 a personage little given to poetic enthusiasm, had no hesitation in pronouncing my first grand point to be prudence; my next, method. I do not speak it in vanity, but simply record the fact, that I was not unemployed in my profession by the late John Jacob Astor; a name which, I admit, I love to repeat; for it hath a rounded and orbicular sound to it, and rings like unto bullion.2 I will freely add, that I was not insensible to the late John Jacob Astor's good opinion. 10. Which phrase describes how the passage is mainly organized? A.a conflict followed by the resolution B.details describing a character C.main idea with anecdotes D.a sequence of events

The correct answer is B because the passage is primarily descriptive, providing details about the narrator.

13. In line 2 of poem 1, the first traveller compares truth to ―a rock‖ and ―a mighty fortress‖ most likely to suggest that truth is A. inconvenient. B. indisputable. C. unpredictable. D. unapproachable.

The correct answer is B. By using metaphors that compare truth to ―a rock‖ and a ―mighty fortress,‖ the traveller is suggesting that truth has the qualities of a rock and a fortress. Those qualities of stability and strength are best described as ―indisputable.‖

15. In lines 8 and 9 of poem 2, the comparison of the weeds overgrowing the path to knives best suggests that seeking truth is A. adventurous. B. painful. C. rewarding. D. tedious.

The correct answer is B. If each weed that has overgrown the path to truth is a ―singular knife,‖ walking that path would be painful.

17. How are these poems representative of the Naturalism literary movement? A. Both explore the supernatural aspects of life. B. Both portray a world that lacks moral order. C. Both suggest human life is a meaningful journey. D. Both recognize the importance of individual effort.

The correct answer is B. One of the major concepts underlying Naturalism is the belief that the universe is controlled by a set of natural laws, such as survival of the fittest, rather than a code of morality. In these poems, the possibility of realizing truth, a moral quality, is seriously questioned.

19. Which word best describes the owl's reaction to the intruding geese? A. curious B. indignant C. jealous D. sympathetic

The correct answer is B. The author's characterizations of the owl's thoughts such as ―What do you mean by alarming the citadel at this time of night consecrated to me?‖ express the owl's indignation toward the intrusion of the geese.

21. Mike is writing a research paper on how good grades can affect students' overall driving records. Which research question would be the best to use as he begins his research and writing? A.How many miles do students drive each week to and from school? B.What impact do automobile accidents have on student insurance rates? C.Do students with poor school records have more automobile accidents? D.Do driver's education courses positively affect students' driving records?

The correct answer is C. Only option C specifically asks the question about how good grades can affect students' overall driving records.

20. What idea does the author suggest about nature in his concluding sentence? A.Nature consists of competing species. B.Nature demonstrates some harsh lessons. C.Nature is harmonious when considered as a whole. D.Nature is not meant to be understood by people.

The correct answer is C. The reference to ―the elements of a concord‖ suggest that this conflict between the owl and the geese is part of the balance of nature that results in order or harmony.

Read the following passage and answer questions 9 through 12. I am a man who, from his youth upwards, has been filled with a profound conviction that the easiest way of life is the best. Hence, though I belong to a profession proverbially energetic and nervous, even to turbulence, at times, yet nothing of that sort have I ever suffered to invade my peace. I am one of those unambitious lawyers who never address a jury, or in any way draw down public applause; but in the cool tranquility of a snug retreat, do a snug business among rich men's bonds, and mortgages, and title-deeds. All who know me, consider me an eminently safe man. The late John Jacob Astor,1 a personage little given to poetic enthusiasm, had no hesitation in pronouncing my first grand point to be prudence; my next, method. I do not speak it in vanity, but simply record the fact, that I was not unemployed in my profession by the late John Jacob Astor; a name which, I admit, I love to repeat; for it hath a rounded and orbicular sound to it, and rings like unto bullion.2 I will freely add, that I was not insensible to the late John Jacob Astor's good opinion. 9.The point of view used in the passage reveals: A.the narrator's unhappiness with his work. B.John Jacob Astor's habit of repeating names. C.the narrator's sense of self-importance. D.John Jacob Astor's distrust of the narrator.

The correct answer is C. The first-person point of view used in the passage helps convey the narrator's sense of self-importance as evidenced by such phrases as ―all who know me consider me an eminently safe man‖ and ―my first grand point to be prudence.‖

The Departure On the station platform everyone shook the young man's hand. More than a dozen people waited about. Then they talked of their own affairs. Even Will Henderson, who was lazy and often slept until nine, had got out of bed. George was embarrassed. Gertrude Wilmot, a tall thin woman of fifty who worked in the Winesburg post office, came along the station platform. She had never before paid any attention to George. Now she stopped and put out her hand. In two words she voiced what everyone felt. ―Good luck,‖ she said sharply and then turning went on her way. 2 When the train came into the station George felt relieved. He scampered hurriedly aboard. Helen White came running along Main Street hoping to have a parting word with him, but he had found a seat and did not see her. When the train started Tom Little punched his ticket, grinned and, although he knew George well and knew on what adventure he was just setting out, made no comment. Tom had seen a thousand George Willards go out of their towns to the city. It was a commonplace enough incident with him. In the smoking car there was a man who had just invited Tom to go on a fishing trip to Sandusky Bay. He wanted to accept the invitation and talk over details. 3 George glanced up and down the car to be sure no one was looking, then took out his pocketbook and counted his money. His mind was occupied with a desire not to appear green. Almost the last words his father had said to him concerned the matter of his behavior when he got to the city. ―Be a sharp one,‖ Tom Willard had said. ―Keep your eyes on your money. Be awake. That's the ticket. Don't let anyone think you're a greenhorn.‖ After George counted his money he looked out of the window and was surprised to see that the train was still in Winesburg. 5 The young man, going out of his town to meet the adventure of life, began to think but he did not think of anything very big or dramatic. Things like his mother's death, his departure from Winesburg, the uncertainty of his future life in the city, the serious and larger aspects of his life did not come into his mind. 6 He thought of little things—Turk Smollet wheeling boards through the main street of his town in the morning, a tall woman, beautifully gowned, who had once stayed overnight at his father's hotel, Butch Wheeler the lamp lighter of Winesburg hurrying through the Georgia Department of Education Student Guide for English Language Arts-GPS Version 2009 12 streets on a summer evening and holding a torch in his hand, Helen White standing by a window in the Winesburg post office and putting a stamp on an envelope. 7 The young man's mind was carried away by his growing passion for dreams. One looking at him would not have thought him particularly sharp. With the recollection of little things occupying his mind he closed his eyes and leaned back in the car seat. He stayed that way for a long time and when he aroused himself and again looked out of the car window the town of Winesburg had disappeared and his life there had become but a background on which to paint the dreams of his manhood. Based on paragraphs 5 and 6, what does George remember most vividly about Winesburg? A.his father's advice B.his life's big moments C.the daily routines of the town D.the varied landscape of the town

The correct answer is C. The things referred to in paragraph 6 are not ―very big or dramatic‖ but ―little things,‖ the daily routines that are part of life in Winesburg.

The Departure On the station platform everyone shook the young man's hand. More than a dozen people waited about. Then they talked of their own affairs. Even Will Henderson, who was lazy and often slept until nine, had got out of bed. George was embarrassed. Gertrude Wilmot, a tall thin woman of fifty who worked in the Winesburg post office, came along the station platform. She had never before paid any attention to George. Now she stopped and put out her hand. In two words she voiced what everyone felt. ―Good luck,‖ she said sharply and then turning went on her way. 2 When the train came into the station George felt relieved. He scampered hurriedly aboard. Helen White came running along Main Street hoping to have a parting word with him, but he had found a seat and did not see her. When the train started Tom Little punched his ticket, grinned and, although he knew George well and knew on what adventure he was just setting out, made no comment. Tom had seen a thousand George Willards go out of their towns to the city. It was a commonplace enough incident with him. In the smoking car there was a man who had just invited Tom to go on a fishing trip to Sandusky Bay. He wanted to accept the invitation and talk over details. 3 George glanced up and down the car to be sure no one was looking, then took out his pocketbook and counted his money. His mind was occupied with a desire not to appear green. Almost the last words his father had said to him concerned the matter of his behavior when he got to the city. ―Be a sharp one,‖ Tom Willard had said. ―Keep your eyes on your money. Be awake. That's the ticket. Don't let anyone think you're a greenhorn.‖ After George counted his money he looked out of the window and was surprised to see that the train was still in Winesburg. 5 The young man, going out of his town to meet the adventure of life, began to think but he did not think of anything very big or dramatic. Things like his mother's death, his departure from Winesburg, the uncertainty of his future life in the city, the serious and larger aspects of his life did not come into his mind. 6 He thought of little things—Turk Smollet wheeling boards through the main street of his town in the morning, a tall woman, beautifully gowned, who had once stayed overnight at his father's hotel, Butch Wheeler the lamp lighter of Winesburg hurrying through the Georgia Department of Education Student Guide for English Language Arts-GPS Version 2009 12 streets on a summer evening and holding a torch in his hand, Helen White standing by a window in the Winesburg post office and putting a stamp on an envelope. 7 The young man's mind was carried away by his growing passion for dreams. One looking at him would not have thought him particularly sharp. With the recollection of little things occupying his mind he closed his eyes and leaned back in the car seat. He stayed that way for a long time and when he aroused himself and again looked out of the car window the town of Winesburg had disappeared and his life there had become but a background on which to paint the dreams of his manhood. Which contrast is most related to the theme of the passage? A.death and rebirth B.nature and society C.fantasy and reality D.innocence and experience

The correct answer is D. George is portrayed as a naïve young man who is embarking on a journey to maturity.

The Departure On the station platform everyone shook the young man's hand. More than a dozen people waited about. Then they talked of their own affairs. Even Will Henderson, who was lazy and often slept until nine, had got out of bed. George was embarrassed. Gertrude Wilmot, a tall thin woman of fifty who worked in the Winesburg post office, came along the station platform. She had never before paid any attention to George. Now she stopped and put out her hand. In two words she voiced what everyone felt. ―Good luck,‖ she said sharply and then turning went on her way. 2 When the train came into the station George felt relieved. He scampered hurriedly aboard. Helen White came running along Main Street hoping to have a parting word with him, but he had found a seat and did not see her. When the train started Tom Little punched his ticket, grinned and, although he knew George well and knew on what adventure he was just setting out, made no comment. Tom had seen a thousand George Willards go out of their towns to the city. It was a commonplace enough incident with him. In the smoking car there was a man who had just invited Tom to go on a fishing trip to Sandusky Bay. He wanted to accept the invitation and talk over details. 3 George glanced up and down the car to be sure no one was looking, then took out his pocketbook and counted his money. His mind was occupied with a desire not to appear green. Almost the last words his father had said to him concerned the matter of his behavior when he got to the city. ―Be a sharp one,‖ Tom Willard had said. ―Keep your eyes on your money. Be awake. That's the ticket. Don't let anyone think you're a greenhorn.‖ After George counted his money he looked out of the window and was surprised to see that the train was still in Winesburg. 5 The young man, going out of his town to meet the adventure of life, began to think but he did not think of anything very big or dramatic. Things like his mother's death, his departure from Winesburg, the uncertainty of his future life in the city, the serious and larger aspects of his life did not come into his mind. 6 He thought of little things—Turk Smollet wheeling boards through the main street of his town in the morning, a tall woman, beautifully gowned, who had once stayed overnight at his father's hotel, Butch Wheeler the lamp lighter of Winesburg hurrying through the Georgia Department of Education Student Guide for English Language Arts-GPS Version 2009 12 streets on a summer evening and holding a torch in his hand, Helen White standing by a window in the Winesburg post office and putting a stamp on an envelope. 7 The young man's mind was carried away by his growing passion for dreams. One looking at him would not have thought him particularly sharp. With the recollection of little things occupying his mind he closed his eyes and leaned back in the car seat. He stayed that way for a long time and when he aroused himself and again looked out of the car window the town of Winesburg had disappeared and his life there had become but a background on which to paint the dreams of his manhood. 8. Based on the passage, to which literary period or movement does the novel Winesburg, Ohio belong? A. Colonial B. Revolutionary C. Romanticism D. Realism

The correct answer is D. This passage portrays the lives of ordinary people in a typical small town. The emphasis on the realities of ordinary life is characteristic of Realism.

Read the following passage and answer questions 1 through 8. This passage is from the last chapter of Winesburg, Ohio, a novel by Sherwood Anderson about people living in the small town of Winesburg, Ohio, near the end of the 19th century. In this passage, George Willard, a young resident, is leaving Winesburg for a new life in the city. The Departure On the station platform everyone shook the young man's hand. More than a dozen people waited about. Then they talked of their own affairs. Even Will Henderson, who was lazy and often slept until nine, had got out of bed. George was embarrassed. Gertrude Wilmot, a tall thin woman of fifty who worked in the Winesburg post office, came along the station platform. She had never before paid any attention to George. Now she stopped and put out her hand. In two words she voiced what everyone felt. ―Good luck,‖ she said sharply and then turning went on her way. 2 When the train came into the station George felt relieved. He scampered hurriedly aboard. Helen White came running along Main Street hoping to have a parting word with him, but he had found a seat and did not see her. When the train started Tom Little punched his ticket, grinned and, although he knew George well and knew on what adventure he was just setting out, made no comment. Tom had seen a thousand George Willards go out of their towns to the city. It was a commonplace enough incident with him. In the smoking car there was a man who had just invited Tom to go on a fishing trip to Sandusky Bay. He wanted to accept the invitation and talk over details. 3 George glanced up and down the car to be sure no one was looking, then took out his pocketbook and counted his money. His mind was occupied with a desire not to appear green. Almost the last words his father had said to him concerned the matter of his behavior when he got to the city. ―Be a sharp one,‖ Tom Willard had said. ―Keep your eyes on your money. Be awake. That's the ticket. Don't let anyone think you're a greenhorn.‖ After George counted his money he looked out of the window and was surprised to see that the train was still in Winesburg. 5 The young man, going out of his town to meet the adventure of life, began to think but he did not think of anything very big or dramatic. Things like his mother's death, his departure from Winesburg, the uncertainty of his future life in the city, the serious and larger aspects of his life did not come into his mind. 6 He thought of little things—Turk Smollet wheeling boards through the main street of his town in the morning, a tall woman, beautifully gowned, who had once stayed overnight at his father's hotel, Butch Wheeler the lamp lighter of Winesburg hurrying through the Georgia Department of Education Student Guide for English Language Arts-GPS Version 2009 12 streets on a summer evening and holding a torch in his hand, Helen White standing by a window in the Winesburg post office and putting a stamp on an envelope. 7 The young man's mind was carried away by his growing passion for dreams. One looking at him would not have thought him particularly sharp. With the recollection of little things occupying his mind he closed his eyes and leaned back in the car seat. He stayed that way for a long time and when he aroused himself and again looked out of the car window the town of Winesburg had disappeared and his life there had become but a background on which to paint the dreams of his manhood. (excerpt from Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson, Public Domain)______________________________________________________________________ Why is George ―embarrassed‖ as he waits for the train to arrive? A. He secretly wants to stay in Winesburg. B. He thinks he will be a failure in the city. C. Many townspeople resent his departure. D. Many townspeople come to say good-bye.

The correct answer is D. George is embarrassed by the number of people, some of whom he barely knows, who made an effort to be at the train station to see him depart.

Read the following passage and answer questions 9 through 12. I am a man who, from his youth upwards, has been filled with a profound conviction that the easiest way of life is the best. Hence, though I belong to a profession proverbially energetic and nervous, even to turbulence, at times, yet nothing of that sort have I ever suffered to invade my peace. I am one of those unambitious lawyers who never address a jury, or in any way draw down public applause; but in the cool tranquility of a snug retreat, do a snug business among rich men's bonds, and mortgages, and title-deeds. All who know me, consider me an eminently safe man. The late John Jacob Astor,1 a personage little given to poetic enthusiasm, had no hesitation in pronouncing my first grand point to be prudence; my next, method. I do not speak it in vanity, but simply record the fact, that I was not unemployed in my profession by the late John Jacob Astor; a name which, I admit, I love to repeat; for it hath a rounded and orbicular sound to it, and rings like unto bullion.2 I will freely add, that I was not insensible to the late John Jacob Astor's good opinion. Which theme from American literature is best supported by ideas from the passage? A.Unharnessed ambition often leads to ruin. B.Freedom ensures the happiness of all. C.Nature is more powerful than the individual. D.Wealth is often viewed as a measure of success.

The correct answer is D. John Jacob Astor was one of America's first truly wealthy individuals. Like many, the narrator is impressed by this wealth and measures his own success, in part, by the same standards.

The Departure On the station platform everyone shook the young man's hand. More than a dozen people waited about. Then they talked of their own affairs. Even Will Henderson, who was lazy and often slept until nine, had got out of bed. George was embarrassed. Gertrude Wilmot, a tall thin woman of fifty who worked in the Winesburg post office, came along the station platform. She had never before paid any attention to George. Now she stopped and put out her hand. In two words she voiced what everyone felt. ―Good luck,‖ she said sharply and then turning went on her way. 2 When the train came into the station George felt relieved. He scampered hurriedly aboard. Helen White came running along Main Street hoping to have a parting word with him, but he had found a seat and did not see her. When the train started Tom Little punched his ticket, grinned and, although he knew George well and knew on what adventure he was just setting out, made no comment. Tom had seen a thousand George Willards go out of their towns to the city. It was a commonplace enough incident with him. In the smoking car there was a man who had just invited Tom to go on a fishing trip to Sandusky Bay. He wanted to accept the invitation and talk over details. 3 George glanced up and down the car to be sure no one was looking, then took out his pocketbook and counted his money. His mind was occupied with a desire not to appear green. Almost the last words his father had said to him concerned the matter of his behavior when he got to the city. ―Be a sharp one,‖ Tom Willard had said. ―Keep your eyes on your money. Be awake. That's the ticket. Don't let anyone think you're a greenhorn.‖ After George counted his money he looked out of the window and was surprised to see that the train was still in Winesburg. 5 The young man, going out of his town to meet the adventure of life, began to think but he did not think of anything very big or dramatic. Things like his mother's death, his departure from Winesburg, the uncertainty of his future life in the city, the serious and larger aspects of his life did not come into his mind. 6 He thought of little things—Turk Smollet wheeling boards through the main street of his town in the morning, a tall woman, beautifully gowned, who had once stayed overnight at his father's hotel, Butch Wheeler the lamp lighter of Winesburg hurrying through the Georgia Department of Education Student Guide for English Language Arts-GPS Version 2009 12 streets on a summer evening and holding a torch in his hand, Helen White standing by a window in the Winesburg post office and putting a stamp on an envelope. 7 The young man's mind was carried away by his growing passion for dreams. One looking at him would not have thought him particularly sharp. With the recollection of little things occupying his mind he closed his eyes and leaned back in the car seat. He stayed that way for a long time and when he aroused himself and again looked out of the car window the town of Winesburg had disappeared and his life there had become but a background on which to paint the dreams of his manhood. Read this part of the last sentence in the passage. -Winesburg had disappeared and his life there had become but a background on which to paint the dreams of his manhood.- The author includes these words most likely to show: A.how rapidly the train left Winesburg. B.the fears George has about his future. C.how concerned George is about appearing manly. D.the role Winesburg will play in George's imagination.

The correct answer is D. This sentence compares George's life in Winesburg to a canvas on which George will ―paint the dreams of his manhood.‖ It suggests his memories of Winesburg will remain as the foundation upon he will build a new life in the future.

The Departure On the station platform everyone shook the young man's hand. More than a dozen people waited about. Then they talked of their own affairs. Even Will Henderson, who was lazy and often slept until nine, had got out of bed. George was embarrassed. Gertrude Wilmot, a tall thin woman of fifty who worked in the Winesburg post office, came along the station platform. She had never before paid any attention to George. Now she stopped and put out her hand. In two words she voiced what everyone felt. ―Good luck,‖ she said sharply and then turning went on her way. 2 When the train came into the station George felt relieved. He scampered hurriedly aboard. Helen White came running along Main Street hoping to have a parting word with him, but he had found a seat and did not see her. When the train started Tom Little punched his ticket, grinned and, although he knew George well and knew on what adventure he was just setting out, made no comment. Tom had seen a thousand George Willards go out of their towns to the city. It was a commonplace enough incident with him. In the smoking car there was a man who had just invited Tom to go on a fishing trip to Sandusky Bay. He wanted to accept the invitation and talk over details. 3 George glanced up and down the car to be sure no one was looking, then took out his pocketbook and counted his money. His mind was occupied with a desire not to appear green. Almost the last words his father had said to him concerned the matter of his behavior when he got to the city. ―Be a sharp one,‖ Tom Willard had said. ―Keep your eyes on your money. Be awake. That's the ticket. Don't let anyone think you're a greenhorn.‖ After George counted his money he looked out of the window and was surprised to see that the train was still in Winesburg. 5 The young man, going out of his town to meet the adventure of life, began to think but he did not think of anything very big or dramatic. Things like his mother's death, his departure from Winesburg, the uncertainty of his future life in the city, the serious and larger aspects of his life did not come into his mind. 6 He thought of little things—Turk Smollet wheeling boards through the main street of his town in the morning, a tall woman, beautifully gowned, who had once stayed overnight at his father's hotel, Butch Wheeler the lamp lighter of Winesburg hurrying through the Georgia Department of Education Student Guide for English Language Arts-GPS Version 2009 12 streets on a summer evening and holding a torch in his hand, Helen White standing by a window in the Winesburg post office and putting a stamp on an envelope. 7 The young man's mind was carried away by his growing passion for dreams. One looking at him would not have thought him particularly sharp. With the recollection of little things occupying his mind he closed his eyes and leaned back in the car seat. He stayed that way for a long time and when he aroused himself and again looked out of the car window the town of Winesburg had disappeared and his life there had become but a background on which to paint the dreams of his manhood. ―"Be a sharp one" Tom Willard had said. ―"Keep your eyes on your money." "Be awake. That's the ticket. Don't let anyone think you're a greenhorn." What does Tom suggest in these sentences? A.George needs more money. B.George will achieve his dreams. C.George should stay in Winesburg. D.George will be vulnerable in the city.

The correct answer is D. Tom is warning George to be ―sharp‖ and ―awake‖ to avoid being taken advantage of in the city.