English 12A checkpoints 11-14 and 16
Read the concluding paragraphs of "President Kennedy's Moon Speech." But if I were to say, my fellow citizens, that we shall send to the moon, 240,000 miles away from the control station in Houston, a giant rocket more than 300 feet tall, ... and then return it safely to earth, re-entering the atmosphere at speeds of over 25,000 miles per hour, causing heat about half that of the temperature of the sun—almost as hot as it is here today—and do all this, and do it right, and do it first before this decade is out—then we must be bold. ... Many years ago the great British explorer George Mallory, who was to die on Mount Everest, was asked why did he want to climb it. He said, "Because it is there." Well, space is there, and we're going to climb it, and the moon and the planets are there, and new hopes for knowledge and peace are there. And, therefore, as we set sail we ask God's blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked. Which options most accurately identify phrases from the excerpt that represent a call to action? Select all that apply.
... space is there, and we're going to climb it ... and do all this, and do it right, and do it first before this decade is out—then we must be bold
Checkpoint 11
100% :)
Checkpoint 12
100% :)
Checkpoint 13
100% :)
Checkpoint 14
100% :)
Checkpoint 16 (there is no 15)
100% :)
Read the passage. Zeke and Petra went to the horse show over the weekend, they said they saw Arabians and other breeds performing in the show ring. Which answer correctly explains what is incorrect about the passage?
A comma splice is used to connect two independent clauses.
Read the excerpt from "Missing the Dark." None of this is to say that electric lights are inherently bad. Artificial light has benefited society by, for instance, extending the length of the productive day, offering more time not just for working but also for recreational activities that require light. But when artificial outdoor lighting becomes inefficient, annoying, and unnecessary, it is known as light pollution. Many environmentalists, naturalists, and medical researchers consider light pollution to be one of the fastest growing and most pervasive forms of environmental pollution. And a growing body of scientific research suggests that light pollution can have lasting adverse effects on both human and wildlife health. Which sentences in the excerpt demonstrate an appeal to the audience's sense of logos? Select all that apply.
Artificial light has benefited society by, for instance, extending the length of the productive day, offering more time not just for working but also for recreational activities that require light. And a growing body of scientific research suggests that light pollution can have lasting adverse effects on both human and wildlife health.
You are researching issues with plastic debris in the Pacific Ocean. Your teacher recommended that you choose and read online resources carefully because when using information in a research report, you need to make sure the information is accurate. Which options identify effective strategies for assessing the accuracy of your sources? Select all that apply.
Ask questions about the material presented in the source to decide if it completely addresses the topic. Conduct research to determine whether the sources of information listed can be verified in another source. Determine if the information in the source is written well and free of grammatical errors.
Reread the "Gas Shortages Spark Interest in Electric Vehicles" section in "The History of the Electric Car." Which excerpts from this section use a cause-and-effect structure? Select all that apply.
Cheap, abundant gasoline and continued improvement in the internal combustion engine hampered demand for alternative fuel vehicles. Soaring oil prices and gasoline shortages—peaking with the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo—created a growing interest in lowering the U.S.'s dependence on foreign oil and finding homegrown sources of fuel.
Which words are synonyms of succinct? Select all that apply.
Concise Brief
You are writing an essay about a novel and want to express that one of the major themes is unrequited love. The paragraph's first sentence is: The novel's theme concerns unrequited love. Which sentence could you add next to provide a context clue to the meaning of unrequited?
Despite his feelings for Laila, Noah knows he needs to respect her dreams of studying abroad in Taiwan.
Read the passage from "What Does the 'Pursuit of Happiness' Mean in the Declaration of Independence?" Because happiness was widely considered a natural state for humans in the Jeffersonian era, it was believed to be what God intended and therefore deserved protection. The word's proximity to two other natural rights—liberty and life—demonstrates that Jefferson found happiness just as important. The legal and social frameworks provided by the Declaration and the Constitution are meant to create that protection. If a large house makes you happy, for example, then another person shouldn't be able to set it on fire; there are laws against that. What's more, an individual shouldn't legally be kept from pursuing that large house. Which response most accurately explains how the author helps the reader understand the full meaning of the phrase "pursuit of happiness" in the passage?
He provides historical context by explaining that happiness was regarded as one's birthright and should be protected from others who may impinge upon it.
Read the excerpt from "The History of the Electric Car." In the early part of the century, innovators in Hungary, the Netherlands and the United States—including a blacksmith from Vermont—began toying with the concept of a battery-powered vehicle and created some of the first small-scale electric cars. And while Robert Anderson, a British inventor, developed the first crude electric carriage around this same time, it wasn't until the second half of the 19th century that French and English inventors built some of the first practical electric cars. Which answer most effectively states the author's main point in the excerpt?
Inventors from many countries had a hand in the development of the electric vehicle that we know today.
Read the excerpt from the Declaration of Independence. We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. Which response best explains how the excerpt expresses a theme of the document that declaring independence from Britain is morally right?
It asserts the colonists' belief that a higher power approves of their claims to liberty and control of their lands and laws.
Read the two sections of the passage. 1) The halftime performers whirled through a complex series of choreographed moves. 2) Twirling their batons so fast they resembled helicopter blades. Which option explains why Section 2 is a sentence fragment?
It begins with participle verb form and therefore must be linked with an independent clause or main sentence.
Read the excerpt from the Declaration of Independence. In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends. Which option accurately describes how the excerpt reveals an overall purpose of the Declaration of Independence?
It establishes that the colonists have tried to resolve the conflict with Britain in other ways and that they are not escalating the conflict prematurely.
Look at the photograph from the brochure "What We Know About: Plastic Marine Debris." Which statements from the brochure best support the information presented in the photograph? Select all that apply.
Most commonly used plastics do not mineralize (or go away) in the ocean and instead break down into smaller and smaller pieces. As society has developed new uses for plastics, the variety and quantity of plastic items found in the marine environment has increased dramatically.
A question that could be asked about the information in the article "Plastics, Human Health, and Environmental Impacts: The Road Ahead" and the brochure "What We Know About: Plastic Marine Debris" is "What effect do plastics have on humans and marine animals?" Which statement is the most effective example of how to combine the information from the article and the brochure to answer the question?
Plastics in the environment affect both humans and wildlife in many ways. Plastics that use BPA and PVC can cause reproductive issues and aggressive behavior in humans. Marine animals, such as fish, eat plastic, thinking it is food. Since most animals cannot digest plastic, it stays in their stomach, causing malnutrition or starvation.
Read the excerpt from "The Real Reasons We Explore Space." And presidential science advisor Jack Marburger has said that questions about space exploration come down to whether we want to bring the solar system within mankind's sphere of economic influence. Which option most accurately restates the author's implied question: Do we want to bring the solar system within mankind's sphere of economic influence?
Should we use our economic power to advance our knowledge of the solar system?
Both the article "Plastics" and the infographic "Plastics in the Ocean" provide detailed explanations about microplastics in the ocean. Which statement best analyzes how the article treats the information related to microplastics differently than the infographic?
The article describes several kinds of microplastics, including microbeads and microfibers. The infographic discusses only microbeads and the breakdown of larger plastics.
Reread "The History of the Electric Car." How does the overall structure of the article support the author's main point?
The article's chronological structure supports the author's main point that the electric car has undergone many changes over the years, and therefore can be expected to continue evolving in the future.
Read the excerpt from "The Real Reasons We Explore Space." The greatest strategy for national security, more effective than having better guns and bombs than everyone else, is being a nation that does the kinds of things that make others want to do them with us. Which option effectively explains how the author uses an appeal to pathos in the excerpt to explain his point of view on the benefits of the space program?
The author appeals to the audience's desire to be part of something larger than themselves.
How well does the infographic "Plastics in the Ocean" present a solution to the problem it describes?
The infographic provides a solution to the problem by presenting brief amounts of text and various illustrated descriptions of ways to help reduce the amount of plastic debris in the ocean, but it does not describe how to apply the suggested strategies.
Read the excerpt from "President Kennedy's Moon Speech." We set sail on this new sea because there is new knowledge to be gained, and new rights to be won, and they must be won and used for the progress of all people. For space science, like nuclear science and all technology, has no conscience of its own. Which option best conveys the meaning of the metaphor "We set sail on this new sea" as it is used in the excerpt?
The metaphor presents the idea of space travel as an adventurous journey of discovery.
Reread "The History of the Electric Car." How does chronological structure contribute to the article's effectiveness? Select all that apply.
The structure enables readers to keep track of the important individual events leading up to the electric cars that are in production today. The structure shows readers how lithium-ion batteries are a relatively new development that might affect the next generation of electric vehicles.
Read the dictionary entries. continual adj. occurring at intervals; recurring regularly or frequently continuous adj. occurring without interruption in time or sequence Which sentence demonstrates the best use of a form of continuous?
The warning siren blew continuously for three long minutes.
Read the passage. The youth group members are baking cookies tonight they plan to sell them at a bake sale. To raise money for the local food bank. Which options show ways to revise the passage and make it correct? Select all that apply.
The youth group members are baking cookies tonight. They plan to sell them at a bake sale to raise money for the local food bank. The youth group members are baking cookies tonight, and they plan to sell them at a bake sale to raise money for the local food bank.
Read the sentence. To say that self-esteem can be either high or low is not accurate, the more accurate way to look at self-esteem is to see it as healthy or unhealthy. Which option corrects the error in the sentence?
To say that self-esteem can be either high or low is not accurate; the more accurate way to look at self-esteem is to see it as healthy or unhealthy.
Which strategies can a writer use to vary syntax in a text?
Use sentences of different lengths and complexity. Use transitional words and phrases at the beginnings and ends of sentences and paragraphs.
For an informative essay, you are researching different kinds of plastic recycling programs across the US. Your teacher recommended that you choose online resources that are applicable to your chosen topic. Which questions would you ask yourself to evaluate whether a source contains relevant information about your topic? Select all that apply.
What is the research focus of the source? When was the information in the source written?
In which excerpt from "President Kennedy's Moon Speech" does Kennedy appeal to the audience's sense of ethos to justify America's involvement in space exploration?
William Bradford, speaking in 1630 of the founding of the Plymouth Bay Colony, said that all great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, and both must be enterprised and overcome with answerable courage.
Read the sentence from "President Kennedy's Moon Speech." It is for these reasons that I regard the decision last year to shift our efforts in space from low to high gear as among the most important decisions that will be made during my incumbency in the office of the Presidency. If your younger brother, Pete, asked you what "my incumbency in the office of the Presidency" meant, what would you most likely say to him? Select all that apply.
You would say, "Pete, 'the office of the Presidency' is a context clue for the meaning of the word incumbency. That clue will help you understand the word!" You would say, "Pete, the best place to find the meaning of the word incumbency is the dictionary. Go look it up!"
Read the opening of "Everyday Survival." Long ago I believed that survival meant having a pack full of equipment that would allow me to make fire and build shelter and trap varmints to eat in the wilderness. But then I kept coming across cases in which someone had survived without any equipment or had perished while in possession of all the right tools. Obviously something else was at work here. Which elements does the author use to draw readers' interest? Select all that apply.
an anecdote that includes intriguing information a memory about his "long ago" beliefs about survival
Read the excerpt from "President Kennedy's Moon Speech." For the eyes of the world now look into space, to the moon and to the planets beyond, and we have vowed that we shall not see it governed by a hostile flag of conquest, but by a banner of freedom and peace. We have vowed that we shall not see space filled with weapons of mass destruction, but with instruments of knowledge and understanding. Which phrases contain figurative language? Select all that apply.
banner of freedom eyes of the world
Read the excerpt from "Missing the Dark." The ecologic effects of artificial light have been well documented. Light pollution has been shown to affect both flora and fauna. For instance, prolonged exposure to artificial light prevents many trees from adjusting to seasonal variations, according to Winslow Briggs's chapter on plant responses in the 2006 book Ecological Consequences of Artificial Night Lighting. This, in turn, has implications for the wildlife that depend on trees for their natural habitat. Research on insects, turtles, birds, fish, reptiles, and other wildlife species shows that light pollution can alter behaviors, foraging areas, and breeding cycles, and not just in urban centers but in rural areas as well. How does the author appeal to the audience's sense of logos in this passage?
by highlighting that light pollution affects vegetation, which subsequently impacts animals because plants and trees are part of their habitat
Read the paragraph from "The History of the Electric Car," which claims that the Model T represented a major setback for electric cars. Yet, it was Henry Ford's mass-produced Model T that dealt a blow to the electric car. Introduced in 1908, the Model T made gasoline-powered cars widely available and affordable. By 1912, the gasoline car cost only $650, while an electric roadster sold for $1,750. That same year, Charles Kettering introduced the electric starter, eliminating the need for the hand crank and giving rise to more gasoline-powered vehicle sales. Which answers best explain how the excerpt's proposition-and-support structure effectively supports the claim? Select all that apply.
by mentioning the convenience of gasoline-powered cars by discussing the affordability of gasoline-powered cars
A question that arises based on the information in "Plastics, Human Health, and Environmental Impacts: The Road Ahead" is "How safe are plastics for humans and the environment?" How does the author effectively answer this question?
by presenting bullet points that provide scientific evidence to describe the dangers plastics pose to the Earth
Read the excerpt from "The Real Reasons We Explore Space." When Charles Lindbergh was asked why he crossed the Atlantic, he never once answered that he wanted to win the $25,000 that New York City hotel owner Raymond Orteig offered for the first nonstop aircraft flight between New York and Paris. Which option most accurately explains how the author uses an appeal to ethos in the excerpt to influence his audience?
by using an important American to support his claim that accomplishment is not just about money
Read the excerpt from "Missing the Dark," focusing on the word awash. In 1879, Thomas Edison's incandescent light bulbs first illuminated a New York street, and the modern era of electric lighting began. Since then, the world has become awash in electric light. Powerful lamps light up streets, yards, parking lots, and billboards. Sports facilities blaze with light that is visible for tens of miles. Business and office building windows glow throughout the night. The author uses awash to describe the world. Other words that contain a similar connotation are inundated, overflowing, and flooded. What is the meaning of the word awash as it is used in the excerpt?
completely covered
Read the dictionary entry. incumbent adjective 1. imposed as an obligation or duty; obligatory 2. lying, leaning, or resting on something else 3. currently holding a specified office noun 4. a person who holds an office Read the sentence. The incumbent senator was the favored candidate in the state's primary election. Which definition of incumbent fits the meaning and part of speech of the word as it is used in the sentence?
definition 3
When you analyze an audience, what does "understanding an audience's biases" mean?
knowing their preconceived notions and addressing them objectively
What does bio- mean in the word biodegradable?
life
Your informational essay includes evidence about how much global warming has increased during the 20th century. Which graphic aid or multimedia feature would most effectively clarify this trend of rising temperatures for readers?
line graph
Read the excerpt from "Missing the Dark." Each year in New York City alone, about 10,000 migratory birds are injured or killed crashing into skyscrapers and high-rise buildings, says Glenn Phillips, executive director of the New York City Audubon Society. The estimates as to the number of birds dying from collisions across North America annually range from 98 million to close to a billion. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates 5 million-50 million birds die each year from collisions with communication towers. Which appeal to the audience is the author using in this passage?
pathos to influence them to be empathetic to the plight of birds that are affected by artificial lights
Read the excerpt from "How Much Can Electric Cars Impact Climate Change?," which discusses Southern California Edison's role in making charging stations available. Edison has asked the California Public Utilities Commission to authorize the utility to partner with private companies to build 30,000 electric-vehicle public charging stations in Southern California. The application may be approved this year, he said. What option best describes the text structure implied in the excerpt?
problem-and-solution
Read the passage, which highlights the differences between representational and abstract art. (1) Representational artists and abstract artists have different ideas about the purpose of art. (2) Many people don't like abstract art because they think it is strange. (3) While representational artists strive to depict real-life images as accurately as possible, abstract artists strive to suggest real-life images through plays of light and shadow. (4) A representational painting can be as lifelike as a photograph. (5) An abstract painting can be simply an arrangement of colors, shapes, or other symbols that reflect the artist's ideas. Which sentence could be eliminated because it fails to support the passage's main idea?
sentence 2
Suppose you are writing an essay titled "Affluence in 16th-Century England." Which sentence from the first paragraph would provide a context clue to the meaning of the word affluence?
some nobles owned multiple estates
Which response most accurately states a theme of the article "What Does the 'Pursuit of Happiness' Mean in the Declaration of Independence?"
An American ideal of freedom to live as one prefers is central to our system of government.
Which sentence is written in a tone and style most appropriate for a researched, informational essay with an academic audience?
Butterflies are insects, and they have the same four-stage life cycle as other insects do.
Read the dictionary entries. compliment (v.) to express approval or praise (n.) a remark that expresses approval complement (v.) to add to, fill in, or complete (n.) something that fills in or completes Which sentences use compliment correctly? Select all that apply.
Maria's grandmother likes to compliment her on her good manners during dinner. A compliment is usually received more graciously than criticism.
Which response most clearly states a purpose of the Declaration of Independence?
to clearly outline a philosophy for the founding of the United States of America
Read the excerpt from "Missing the Dark." Travis Longcore, co-editor of Ecological Consequences of Artificial Night Lighting and a research associate professor at the University of Southern California Center for Sustainable Cities, suggests two ways outdoor light pollution may contribute to artificial light-associated health effects in humans. "From a human health perspective, it seems that we are concerned with whatever increases artificial light exposure indoors at night," he says. "The effect of outdoor lighting on indoor exposure could be either direct or indirect. In the direct impact scenario, the artificial light from outside reaches people inside at night at levels that affect production of hormones. In an indirect impact it would disturb people inside, who then turn on lights and expose themselves to more light." What is the author's purpose for appealing to the reader's sense of ethos in the excerpt? Select all that apply.
to demonstrate his trustworthiness as a writer by using information from a credible source regarding how light pollution affects an individual's health to explain the issues with light pollution and artificial light by providing evidence from a research associate professor who is an expert in his field
Which option most accurately states a purpose of the article "What Does the 'Pursuit of Happiness' Mean in the Declaration of Independence?"
to trace the origins of Jefferson's phrase "pursuit of happiness" by examining how it was used in other texts at the time
