Language Arts 10 B-IC cumulative

Which quotation from Amy Tan's "Two Kinds" effectively supports the universal theme that parents' expectations can lead to childhood rebellion?

"'I'm not going to play anymore,' I said nonchalantly. 'Why should I? I'm not a genius.'"

Read the introductory paragraph from a literary analysis essay. In "A Life with Books," Julian Barnes writes, "When you read a great book, you don't escape from life, you plunge deeper into it." Barnes believes that literature allows readers to connect more deeply with their lives by reading about people whose experiences mirror their own. We can learn from literature how to approach difficulties in our own lives and face them head on, finding redemption. Conflict leading to reconciliation can provide important lessons to the reader, as shown in "Two Kinds" by Amy Tan and The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston. Which quotations from Amy Tan's story "Two Kinds" best serve as evidence for the thesis on reconciliation? Select two options.

"A few years ago, she offered to give me the piano, for my thirtieth birthday." "And after I played them both a few times, I realized they were two halves of the same song."

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 2, scene 2. CALPURNIA. Caesar, I never stood on ceremonies,Yet now they fright me. There is one within,Besides the things that we have heard and seen,15Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch.A lioness hath whelpèd in the streets,And graves have yawned, and yielded up their dead.Fierce fiery warriors fight upon the clouds,In ranks and squadrons and right form of war,20Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol.The noise of battle hurtled in the air,Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan,And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets.O Caesar, these things are beyond all use,25And I do fear them. Which quotations from this excerpt are examples of imagery? Select three options.

"A lioness hath whelpèd in the streets." "Fierce fiery warriors fight upon the clouds." "The noise of battle hurtled in the air."

Read the two passages from A Raisin in the Sun. Passage 1: LINDNER: You see—in the face of all the things I have said, we are prepared to make your family a very generous offer . . . BENEATHA: Thirty pieces and not a coin less! LINDNER (putting on his glasses and drawing a form out of the briefcase): Our association is prepared, through the collective effort of our people, to buy the house from you at a financial gain to your family. RUTH: Lord have mercy, ain't this the living gall! WALTER: All right, you through? LINDNER: Well, I want to give you the exact terms of the financial arrangement— WALTER: We don't want to hear no exact terms of no arrangements. I want to know if you got any more to tell us 'bout getting together? LINDNER (taking off his glasses): Well—I don't suppose that you feel . . . WALTER: Never mind how I feel—you got any more to say 'bout how people ought to sit down and talk to each other? . . . Get out of my house, man. Passage 2: WALTER: Ain't nothing the matter with us. We just telling you 'bout the gentleman who came to see you this afternoon. From the Clybourne Park Improvement Association. MAMA: What he want? RUTH (in the same mood as BENEATHA and WALTER): To welcome you, honey. WALTER: He said they can't hardly wait. He said the one thing they don't have, that they just dying to have out there is a fine family of fine colored people! (To RUTH and BENEATHA.) Ain't that right! RUTH (mockingly): Yeah! He left his card— BENEATHA (handing card to MAMA): In case. MAMA reads and throws it on the floor—understanding and looking off as she draws her chair up to the table on which she has put her plant and some sticks and some cord. MAMA: Father, give us strength. (Knowingly—and without fun.) Did he threaten us? BENEATHA: Oh—Mama—they don't do it like that anymore. He talked Brotherhood. He said everybody ought to learn how to sit down and hate each other with good Christian fellowship. She and WALTER shake hands to ridicule the remark. MAMA (sadly): Lord, protect us . . . RUTH: You should hear the money those folks raised to buy the house from us. All we paid and then some. BENEATHA: What they think we going to do—eat 'em? RUTH: No, honey, marry 'em. MAMA (shaking her head): Lord, Lord, Lord . . . Which lines of dialogue develop the idea that racially charged confrontations can have a sudden and unpleasant impact? Select three options.

"Ain't this the living gall!" "They don't do it like that anymore." "Lord, Lord, Lord . . ."

Read the excerpt from a speech to the school board about the art department. Art is the foundation of what it means to be a human. So many things try to push their way into being more important. We need to refocus ourselves and reevaluate our priorities. We should not cut the funding to the school's art department, because the students will suffer. Everyone thinks that art class is just fun and games. We always think that we need to prioritize everything else first. But it is everything else that will suffer when we lack art and beauty in our lives. Which ideas from the excerpt would be most appropriate to include in a summary? Select two options.

"Art is the foundation of what it means to be a human." "We should not cut the funding to the school's art department, because the students will suffer."

Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 2, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. [ANTONY.] For Brutus is an honourable man,So are they all, all honourable men—Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.He was my friend, faithful and just to me.But Brutus says he was ambitious,And Brutus is an honourable man.He hath brought many captives home to Rome,Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept.Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,And Brutus is an honourable man.You all did see that on the LupercalI thrice presented him a kingly crown,Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,And sure he is an honourable man. Which piece of evidence best expresses the theme that even people with strong morals make mistakes?

"Brutus says he was ambitious, / And sure he is an honourable man."

Read the excerpt from act 4, scene 3, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. BRUTUS. Remember March, the ides of March, remember.Did not great Julius bleed for justice' sake?What villain touched his body, that did stab,And not for justice? What, shall one of us,That struck the foremost man of all this worldBut for supporting robbers, shall we nowContaminate our fingers with base bribes,And sell the mighty space of our large honoursFor so much trash as may be graspèd thus?I had rather be a dog and bay the moonThan such a Roman. CASSIUS. Brutus, bay not me.I'll not endure it. You forget yourselfTo hedge me in. I am a soldier, I,Older in practise, abler than yourselfTo make conditions. BRUTUS. Go to, you are not, Cassius. CASSIUS. I am. BRUTUS. I say you are not. CASSIUS. Urge me no more, I shall forget myself;Have mind upon your health. Tempt me no further. BRUTUS. Away, slight man! Which evidence from the text supports the conclusion that Brutus and Cassius are in conflict? Select two options

"Brutus, bay not me. / I'll not endure it." "Away, slight man!"

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 1, scene 1. FLAVIUS. But wherefore art not in thy shop today?Why dost thou lead these men about the streets? COBBLER. Truly, sir, to wear out their shoes to get myselfinto more work. But indeed, sir, we make holiday30to see Caesar and to rejoice in his triumph. MARULLUS. Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home?What tributaries follow him to RomeTo grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels?You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things!35O, you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome,Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oftHave you climbed up to walls and battlements,To towers and windows, yea to chimney-tops,Your infants in your arms, and there have sat40The livelong day, with patient expectation,To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome.And when you saw his chariot but appear,Have you not made an universal shout,That Tiber trembled underneath her banks45To hear the replication of your soundsMade in her concave shores?And do you now put on your best attire?And do you now cull out a holiday?And do you now strew flowers in his way,50That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood? Be gone!Run to your houses, fall upon your knees,Pray to the gods to intermit the plagueThat needs must light on this ingratitude. FLAVIUS. Go, go, good countrymen, and, for this fault55Assemble all the poor men of your sort;Draw them to Tiber banks, and weep your tearsInto the channel, till the lowest streamDo kiss the most exalted shores of all.[Exeunt all the Commoners] Which quotations from this excerpt are examples of imagery? Select two options.

"Have you not made an universal shout, / That Tiber trembled underneath her banks" "And do you now strew flowers in his way, / That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood?"

Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. BRUTUS. By your pardon;I will myself into the pulpit first,And show the reason of our Caesar's death.What Antony shall speak I will protestHe speaks by leave and by permission;And that we are contented Caesar shallHave all true rites and lawful ceremonies,It shall advantage more than do us wrong. Which quotations support the central idea that the conspirators think it will benefit them if they let Antony give the eulogy at Caesar's funeral? Select two options.

"He speaks by leave and by permission" "It shall advantage more than do us wrong."

Read the claim. Bob Dylan deserved to win the Nobel Prize. Which excerpt from "Bob Dylan, Titan of American Music, Wins 2016 Nobel Prize In Literature" provides the best supporting evidence for the claim?

"His track 'Like a Rolling Stone' has taken on mythic standing in the decades since its release; many, including Dylan himself, have pointed to it as emblematic of a sea change in American music."

Read the excerpt from act 4, scene 3, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. BRUTUS. O Cassius, I am sick of many griefs. CASSIUS. Of your philosophy you make no use,If you give place to accidental evils. BRUTUS. No man bears sorrow better. Portia is dead. CASSIUS. Ha! Portia? BRUTUS. She is dead. CASSIUS. How scaped I killing when I crossed you so?O insupportable and touching loss!Upon what sickness? BRUTUS. Impatient of my absence,And grief that young Octavius with Mark AntonyHave made themselves so strong—for with her deathThat tidings came. With this, she fell distraught,And, her attendants absent, swallowed fire. CASSIUS. And died so? BRUTUS. Even so. CASSIUS. O ye immortal gods! [Enter LUCIUS, with wine and taper] BRUTUS. Speak no more of her. Give me a bowl of wine.In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius. CASSIUS. My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge.Fill, Lucius, till the wine o'erswell the cup;I cannot drink too much of Brutus' love. Which evidence from the text supports the conclusion that Cassius and Brutus have reconciled? Select two options.

"How scaped I killing when I crossed you so? / O insupportable and touching loss!" "My heart is thirsty for that noble pledge. / Fill, Lucius, till the wine o'erswell the cup"

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." Surely, that was enough to do, and live. Surely it was enough to spend the night upon the cliff. The Forest People themselves do not come near. Yet, all through the night, I knew that I should have to cross the river and walk in the places of the gods, although the gods ate me up. My magic did not help me at all and yet there was a fire in my bowels, a fire in my mind. When the sun rose, I thought, "My journey has been clean. Now I will go home from my journey." But, even as I thought so, I knew I could not. If I went to the Place of the Gods, I would surely die, but, if I did not go, I could never be at peace with my spirit again. It is better to lose one's life than one's spirit, if one is a priest and the son of a priest. Which quotation best explains why the narrator continues his journey to the Place of the Gods?

"I could never be at peace with my spirit again."

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." I went north—I did not try to hide myself. When a god or a demon saw me, then I would die, but meanwhile I was no longer afraid. My hunger for knowledge burned in me—there was so much that I could not understand. After a while, I knew that my belly was hungry. I could have hunted for my meat, but I did not hunt. It is known that the gods did not hunt as we do—they got their food from enchanted boxes and jars. Sometimes these are still found in the Dead Places—once, when I was a child and foolish, I opened such a jar and tasted it and found the food sweet. But my father found out and punished me for it strictly, for, often, that food is death. Now, though, I had long gone past what was forbidden, and I entered the likeliest towers, looking for the food of the gods. Which sentence from the passage supports the theme that breaking the rules may be necessary for growth?

"I had long gone past what was forbidden, and I entered the likeliest towers, looking for the food of the gods."

Read the passage from act 5, scene 4, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. ANTONY. This is not Brutus, friend, but, I assure you,A prize no less in worth. Keep this man safe.Give him all kindness. I had rather haveSuch men my friends than enemies. Go on,And see whether Brutus be alive or dead,And bring us word unto Octavius' tentHow everything is chanced. Which piece of evidence best expresses the theme of this passage?

"I had rather have / Such men my friends than enemies."

Read the excerpt from act 3 of A Doll's House. Helmer [walking up and down]: He had so grown into our lives. I can't think of him as having gone out of them. He, with his sufferings and his loneliness, was like a cloudy background to our sunlit happiness. Well, perhaps it is best so. For him, anyway. [Standing still.] And perhaps for us too, Nora. We two are thrown quite upon each other now. [Puts his arms round her.] My darling wife, I don't feel as if I could hold you tight enough. Do you know, Nora, I have often wished that you might be threatened by some great danger, so that I might risk my life's blood, and everything, for your sake. What evidence from the passage best supports the theme that society placed expectations on men and women based on gender?

"I have often wished that you might be threatened by some great danger, so that I might risk my life's blood, and everything, for your sake."

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." It was close and dry and dusty in the house of the gods. I have said the magic was gone but that is not true—it had gone from the magic things but it had not gone from the place. I felt the spirits about me, weighing upon me. Nor had I ever slept in a Dead Place before—and yet, tonight, I must sleep there. When I thought of it, my tongue felt dry in my throat, in spite of my wish for knowledge. Almost I would have gone down again and faced the dogs, but I did not. Which text evidence from the passage supports the theme that even nonliving things contain a life force? Select two options.

"I have said the magic was gone but that is not true—it had gone from the magic things but it had not gone from the place." "I felt the spirits about me, weighing upon me."

Read the passage from act 5, scene 4, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. BRUTUS. Come hither, good Volumnius. List a word. VOLUMNIUS. What says my lord? BRUTUS. Why this, Volumnius.The ghost of Caesar hath appeared to meTwo several times by night—at Sardis once,And this last night, here in Philippi fields.I know my hour is come. VOLUMNIUS. Not so, my lord. BRUTUS. Nay, I am sure it is, Volumnius.Thou seest the world, Volumnius, how it goes.Our enemies have beat us to the pit; [Low alarums] It is more worthy to leap in ourselvesThan tarry till they push us. Good Volumnius,Thou know'st that we two went to school together.Even for that, our love of old, I prithee,Hold thou my sword hilts, whilst I run on it. VOLUMNIUS. That's not an office for a friend, my lord. Which piece of evidence best supports the theme that one should accept fate rather than fight it?

"I know my hour is come."

Read the excerpt from act 3 of \A Doll's House. Helmer: Listen to her, Mrs. Linde! She had danced her Tarantella, and it had been a tremendous success, as it deserved—although possibly the performance was a trifle too realistic—a little more so, I mean, than was strictly compatible with the limitations of art. But never mind about that! The chief thing is, she had made a success—she had made a tremendous success. Do you think I was going to let her remain there after that, and spoil the effect? No, indeed! I took my charming little Capri maiden—my capricious little Capri maiden, I should say—on my arm; took one quick turn round the room; a curtsey on either side, and, as they say in novels, the beautiful apparition disappeared. An exit ought always to be effective, Mrs. Linde; but that is what I cannot make Nora understand. Pooh! this room is hot. [Throws his domino on a chair, and opens the door of his room.] Hullo! it's all dark in here. Oh, of course—excuse me—. What evidence from the text best supports the theme that society places limits on the roles of women?

"I took my charming little Capri maiden . . . on my arm."

Which statement from "By the Waters of Babylon" provides the best example of how the physical environment shapes the character's actions?

"I tried to guide my raft with the pole but it spun around."

Read the excerpt from act 3 of A Doll's House. Helmer: You have loved me as a wife ought to love her husband. Only you had not sufficient knowledge to judge of the means you used. But do you suppose you are any the less dear to me, because you don't understand how to act on your own responsibility? No, no; only lean on me; I will advise you and direct you. I should not be a man if this womanly helplessness did not just give you a double attractiveness in my eyes. You must not think anymore about the hard things I said in my first moment of consternation, when I thought everything was going to overwhelm me. I have forgiven you, Nora; I swear to you I have forgiven you. What evidence from the text best supports the theme that the roles of women are defined by society?

"I will advise you and direct you. I should not be a man if this womanly helplessness did not just give you a double attractiveness in my eyes."

Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. ANTONY. O mighty Caesar! Dost thou lie so low?Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils,Shrunk to this little measure? Fare thee well.—I know not, gentlemen, what you intend—Who else must be let blood, who else is rank.If I myself, there is no hour so fitAs Caesar's death hour, nor no instrumentOf half that worth as those your swords, made richWith the most noble blood of all this world.I do beseech ye, if you bear me hard,Now, whilst your purpled hands do reek and smoke,Fulfil your pleasure. Live a thousand years,I shall not find myself so apt to die.No place will please me so, no mean of death,As here by Caesar, and by you cut off,The choice and master spirits of this age. Which quotations support the central idea that if Antony were to be killed, he would be honored to die now, after Caesar? Select three options.

"If I myself, there is no hour so fit / As Caesar's death hour, nor no instrument / Of half that worth as those your swords" "Live a thousand years, / I shall not find myself so apt to die." "No place will please me so, no mean of death, / As here by Caesar, and by you cut off"

You have been asked to create a multimedia presentation about the dangers of texting and driving. You have chosen the photo below as the final visual aid for your presentation. Which heading is the most persuasive for this image?

"Is this text more important than your life?"

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." I have been in the Dead Places near us, with my father—at first, I was afraid. When my father went into the house to search for the metal, I stood by the door and my heart felt small and weak. It was a dead man's house, a spirit house. It did not have the smell of man, though there were old bones in a corner. Which detail from the text best establishes the influence of religion on this setting?

"It was a dead man's house, a spirit house."

Read the two passages from A Raisin in the Sun. Passage 1: LINDNER: Well—you see our community is made up of people who've worked hard as the dickens for years to build up that little community. They're not rich and fancy people; just hard-working, honest people who don't really have much but those little homes and a dream of the kind of community they want to raise their children in. Now, I don't say we are perfect and there is a lot wrong in some of the things they want. But you've got to admit that a man, right or wrong, has the right to want to have the neighborhood he lives in a certain kind of way. And at the moment the overwhelming majority of our people out there feel that people get along better, take more of a common interest in the life of the community, when they share a common background. I want you to believe me when I tell you that race prejudice simply doesn't enter into it. It is a matter of the people of Clybourne Park believing, rightly or wrongly, as I say, that for the happiness of all concerned that our Negro families are happier when they live in their own communities. BENEATHA (with a grand and bitter gesture): This, friends, is the Welcoming Committee! WALTER (dumfounded, looking at LINDNER): Is this what you came marching all the way over here to tell us? LINDNER: Well, now we've been having a fine conversation. I hope you'll hear me all the way through— WALTER (tightly): Go ahead, man. Passage 2: LINDNER (putting on his glasses and drawing a form out of the briefcase): Our association is prepared, through the collective effort of our people, to buy the house from you at a financial gain to your family. RUTH: Lord have mercy, ain't this the living gall! WALTER: All right, you through? LINDNER: Well, I want to give you the exact terms of the financial arrangement— WALTER: We don't want to hear no exact terms of no arrangements. I want to know if you got any more to tell us 'bout getting together? LINDNER (taking off his glasses): Well—I don't suppose that you feel . . . WALTER: Never mind how I feel—you got any more to say 'bout how people ought to sit down and talk to each other? . . . Get out of my house, man. He turns his back and walks to the door LINDNER (looking around at the hostile faces and reaching and assembling his hat and briefcase): Well—I don't understand why you people are reacting this way. What do you think you are going to gain by moving into a neighborhood where you just aren't wanted and where some elements—well—people can get awful worked up when they feel that their whole way of life and everything they've ever worked for is threatened. WALTER: Get out. Which quotations from the texts best support the theme that the way to deal with racism is to stand up to it? Select three options.

"Lord have mercy, ain't this the living gall!" "You got any more to say 'bout how people ought to sit down and talk to each other?" "Get out of my house, man."

Read the excerpt from act 3 of A Doll's House. Helmer [reeling]: True? Is this true, that I read here? Horrible! No, no—it is impossible that it can be true. Nora: It is true. I have loved you above everything else in the world. Helmer: Oh, don't let us have any silly excuses. Nora [taking a step towards him]: Torvald—! Helmer: Miserable creature—what have you done? Nora: Let me go. You shall not suffer for my sake. You shall not take it upon yourself. Helmer: No tragic airs, please. [Locks the hall door.] Here you shall stay and give me an explanation. Do you understand what you have done? Answer me! Do you understand what you have done? What evidence from the passage best supports the theme that one's true nature is revealed in times of distress?

"Miserable creature—what have you done?"

Read the excerpt from "The Role of Social Media in the Arab Uprisings" by Heather Brown, Emily Guskin, and Amy Mitchell. Social media indeed played a part in the Arab uprisings. Networks formed online were crucial in organizing a core group of activists, specifically in Egypt. Civil society leaders in Arab countries emphasized the role of "the internet, mobile phones, and social media" in the protests. Additionally, digital media has been used by Arabs to exercise freedom of speech and as a space for civic engagement. Now, research is emerging that reexamines in a more detailed way the role that social media played in the Arab uprisings. In July 2012 a report was published by the United States Institute of Peace based on an extensive content analysis of bit.ly links from the uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Bahrain. Bit.ly links, or short URLs, are predominantly used in social media such as Twitter. The authors came to some conclusions that countered the initial assumption that social media was a causal mechanism in the uprisings. Instead, the study suggests that the importance of social media was in communicating to the rest of the world what was happening on the ground during the uprisings. "New [or social] media outlets that use bit.ly links are more likely to spread information outside of the region than inside it, acting like a megaphone more than a rallying cry." Which excerpt from the passage best supports the authors' claim?

"Networks formed online were crucial in organizing a core group of activists, specifically in Egypt."

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." I looked out of another window—the great vines of their bridges were mended and god-roads went east and west. Restless, restless, were the gods and always in motion! They burrowed tunnels under rivers—they flew in the air. With unbelievable tools they did giant works—no part of the earth was safe from them, for, if they wished for a thing, they summoned it from the other side of the world. And always, as they labored and rested, as they feasted and made love, there was a drum in their ears—the pulse of the giant city, beating and beating like a man's heart. Which text evidence from the passage best supports the theme that technology can come with an environmental cost?

"No part of the earth was safe from them, for, if they wished for a thing, they summoned it from the other side of the world."

Read the passage from "Two Kinds." Every night after dinner, my mother and I would sit at the Formica kitchen table. She would present new tests, taking her examples from stories of amazing children she had read in Ripley's Believe It or Not, or Good Housekeeping, Reader's Digest, and a dozen other magazines she kept in a pile in our bathroom. My mother got these magazines from people whose houses she cleaned. And since she cleaned many houses each week, we had a great assortment. She would look through them all, searching for stories about remarkable children. The first night she brought out a story about a three-year-old boy who knew the capitals of all the states and even most of the European countries. A teacher was quoted as saying the little boy could also pronounce the names of the foreign cities correctly. "What's the capital of Finland?" my mother asked me, looking at the magazine story. What evidence supports the conclusion that the narrator's mother wants her to excel? Select three options.

"She would present new tests, taking her examples from stories of amazing children she had read in Ripley's Believe It or Not, or Good Housekeeping, Reader's Digest, and a dozen other magazines she kept in a pile in our bathroom." "She would look through them all, searching for stories about remarkable children." "The first night she brought out a story about a three-year-old boy who knew the capitals of all the states and even most of the European countries. . . . 'What's the capital of Finland?' my mother asked me, looking at the magazine story."

Which sentence from Roosevelt's request for a declaration of war is an example of a bandwagon appeal?

"The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our Nation."

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Helmer: Nora! [Goes up to her and takes her playfully by the ear.] The same little featherhead! Suppose, now, that I borrowed fifty pounds today, and you spent it all in the Christmas week, and then on New Year's Eve a slate fell on my head and killed me, and— Nora: [putting her hands over his mouth]. Oh! don't say such horrid things. Helmer: Still, suppose that happened, —what then? Nora: If that were to happen, I don't suppose I should care whether I owed money or not. Helmer: Yes, but what about the people who had lent it? Nora: They? Who would bother about them? I should not know who they were. Helmer: That is like a woman! But seriously, Nora, you know what I think about that. No debt, no borrowing. There can be no freedom or beauty about a home life that depends on borrowing and debt. We two have kept bravely on the straight road so far, and we will go on the same way for the short time longer that there need be any struggle. Nora: [moving towards the stove]. As you please, Torvald. Helmer: [following her]. Come, come, my little skylark must not droop her wings. What is this! Is my little squirrel out of temper? [Taking out his purse.] Nora, what do you think I have got here? Which lines support the inference that Torvald sometimes treats Nora like a child? Select three options.

"The same little featherhead!" "That is like a woman!" "What is this! Is my little squirrel out of temper?"

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." Then I saw the dead god. He was sitting in his chair, by the window, in a room I had not entered before and, for the first moment, I thought that he was alive. Then I saw the skin on the back of his hand—it was like dry leather. The room was shut, hot and dry—no doubt that had kept him as he was. At first I was afraid to approach him—then the fear left me. He was sitting looking out over the city—he was dressed in the clothes of the gods. His age was neither young nor old—I could not tell his age. But there was wisdom in his face and great sadness. You could see that he would have not run away. He had sat at his window, watching his city die—then he himself had died. But it is better to lose one's life than one's spirit—and you could see from the face that his spirit had not been lost. I knew, that, if I touched him, he would fall into dust—and yet, there was something unconquered in the face. Which detail most effectively creates an atmosphere of decay?

"Then I saw the skin on the back of his hand—it was like dry leather."

Read the excerpt from act 3 of A Doll's House. Krogstad [with a searching look at her]. Is that what it all means?—that you want to save your friend at any cost? Tell me frankly. Is that it? Mrs. Linde: Nils, a woman who has once sold herself for another's sake, doesn't do it a second time. Krogstad: I will ask for my letter back. Mrs. Linde: No, no. Krogstad: Yes, of course I will. I will wait here until Helmer comes; I will tell him he must give me my letter back—that it only concerns my dismissal—that he is not to read it— Mrs. Linde: No, Nils, you must not recall your letter. Krogstad: But, tell me, wasn't it for that very purpose that you asked me to meet you here? Mrs. Linde: In my first moment of fright, it was. But twenty-four hours have elapsed since then, and in that time I have witnessed incredible things in this house. Helmer must know all about it. This unhappy secret must be disclosed; they must have a complete understanding between them, which is impossible with all this concealment and falsehood going on. Krogstad: Very well, if you will take the responsibility. But there is one thing I can do in any case, and I shall do it at once. Which evidence from the text best supports the theme that it is better if the truth comes out?

"This unhappy secret must be disclosed; they must have a complete understanding."

Which sentence from Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" speech is the best example of hyperbole?

"Throughout the Pacific, free markets are working miracle after miracle of economic growth."

Which line from the poem "Monet's 'Waterlilies'" by Robert Hayden includes an allusion?

"Today as the news from Selma and Saigon"

Read the passage from a speech by President George W. Bush. We have other work to do on taxes. Unless Congress acts, most of the tax relief we've delivered over the past 7 years will be taken away. Some in Washington argue that letting tax relief expire is not a tax increase. Try explaining that to 116 million American taxpayers who would see their taxes rise by an average of $1,800. Others have said they would personally be happy to pay higher taxes. I welcome their enthusiasm. I'm pleased to report that the IRS accepts both checks and money orders. Which sentence from the passage is the main reason used to support the claim stated in the first sentence?

"Unless Congress acts, most of the tax relief we've delivered over the past 7 years will be taken away."

Read the passage from A Raisin in the Sun. BENEATHA (with a grand and bitter gesture): This, friends, is the Welcoming Committee! WALTER (dumfounded, looking at LINDNER): Is this what you came marching all the way over here to tell us? LINDNER: Well, now we've been having a fine conversation. I hope you'll hear me all the way through— WALTER (tightly): Go ahead, man. Which words from the text best support a sarcastic tone?

"Welcoming Committee"

Which quotation from Julius Caesar is an example of a historical allusion?

"What tributaries follow him to Rome / To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels? / You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! / O, you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, / Knew you not Pompey?" (act 1, scene 1)

Read the claim from Anna North's editorial "Why Bob Dylan Shouldn't Have Gotten a Nobel." Bob Dylan does not deserve the Nobel Prize in Literature. Which sentence from the article offers a logical reason that supports the claim?

"When the Nobel committee gives the literature prize to a musician, it misses the opportunity to honor a writer."

Read the passage from A Doll's House Nora: [breathlessly]. Torvald—what was that letter? Helmer: Krogstad's dismissal. Nora: Call her back, Torvald! There is still time. Oh Torvald, call her back! Do it for my sake—for your own sake—for the children's sake! Do you hear me, Torvald? Call her back! You don't know what that letter can bring upon us. Helmer: It's too late. Nora: Yes, it's too late. Helmer: My dear Nora, I can forgive the anxiety you are in, although really it is an insult to me. It is, indeed. Isn't it an insult to think that I should be afraid of a starving quill-driver's vengeance? But I forgive you nevertheless, because it is such eloquent witness to your great love for me. [Takes her in his arms.] And that is as it should be, my own darling Nora. Come what will, you may be sure I shall have both courage and strength if they be needed. You will see I am man enough to take everything upon myself. Nora: [in a horror-stricken voice]. What do you mean by that? Helmer: Everything, I say— Nora: [recovering herself] You will never have to do that. Which evidence supports the inference that Nora is afraid of what Torvald will say if Krogstad tells him about her forgery?

"You don't know what that letter can bring upon us."

Read the excerpt from act 2 of A Doll's House. Helmer: My dear Nora, I can forgive the anxiety you are in, although really it is an insult to me. It is, indeed. Isn't it an insult to think that I should be afraid of a starving quill-driver's vengeance? But I forgive you nevertheless, because it is such eloquent witness to your great love for me. [Takes her in his arms.] And that is as it should be, my own darling Nora. Come what will, you may be sure I shall have both courage and strength if they be needed. You will see I am man enough to take everything upon myself. Nora: [in a horror-stricken voice]. What do you mean by that? Helmer: Everything, I say— Nora: [recovering herself] You will never have to do that. Helmer: That's right. Well, we will share it, Nora, as man and wife should. That is how it shall be. [Caressing her.] Are you content now? There! There! Not these frightened dove's eyes! The whole thing is only the wildest fancy! Now, you must go and play through the Tarantella and practise with your tambourine. I shall go into the inner office and shut the door, and I shall hear nothing; you can make as much noise as you please. [Turns back at the door.] And when Rank comes, tell him where he will find me. [Nods to her, takes his papers and goes into his room, and shuts the door after him.] What evidence from the text best supports the theme that men are expected to be providers and protectors?

"You will see I am man enough to take everything upon myself."

Read the two passages from A Raisin in the Sun. Passage 1: [LINDNER:] At the moment the overwhelming majority of our people out there feel that people get along better, take more of a common interest in the life of the community, when they share a common background. I want you to believe me when I tell you that race prejudice simply doesn't enter into it. It is a matter of the people of Clybourne Park believing, rightly or wrongly, as I say, that for the happiness of all concerned that our Negro families are happier when they live in their own communities. BENEATHA (with a grand and bitter gesture): This, friends, is the Welcoming Committee! Passage 2: LINDNER (looking around at the hostile faces and reaching and assembling his hat and briefcase): Well—I don't understand why you people are reacting this way. What do you think you are going to gain by moving into a neighborhood where you just aren't wanted and where some elements—well—people can get awful worked up when they feel that their whole way of life and everything they've ever worked for is threatened. WALTER: Get out. LINDNER (at the door, holding a small card): Well—I'm sorry it went like this. WALTER: Get out. LINDNER (almost sadly regarding WALTER): You just can't force people to change their hearts, son. He turns and puts his card on a table and exits. WALTER pushes the door to with stinging hatred, and stands looking at it. RUTH just sits and BENEATHA just stands. They say nothing. MAMA and TRAVIS enter. MAMA: Well—this all the packing got done since I left out of here this morning. I testify before God that my children got all the energy of the dead! What time the moving men due? BENEATHA: Four o'clock. You had a caller, Mama. Which phrases from the passages best support the theme that racism can be subtle? Select three options.

"a common background" "their own communities" "some elements"

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." How shall I tell what I saw? There was no smell of man left, on stone or metal. Nor were there many trees in that wilderness of stone. There are many pigeons, nesting and dropping in the towers—the gods must have loved them, or, perhaps, they used them for sacrifices. There are wild cats that roam the god-roads, green-eyed, unafraid of man. At night they wail like demons but they are not demons. The wild dogs are more dangerous, for they hunt in a pack, but them I did not meet till later. Everywhere there are the carved stones, carved with magical numbers or words. Which textual evidence indicates that John's journey into the Place of the Gods will continue?

"but them I did not meet till later"

Read the excerpt from a speech on the benefits of eating organic versus conventionally grown foods. I want my food to be real food. I don't want my only option of nourishment to be chemicals disguised as food. Chemicals that could one day poison my body and lead me down a path of obesity and disease. And I want organic options to be affordably priced so everyone can afford to eat healthy. I believe that these are attainable goals if more people see the value in organic food. Which words from the passage have negative connotations that support the author's point? Select three options.

"chemicals" "disease" "obesity"

Which phrases from the poem "Sonnet in Primary Colors" by Rita Dove appeal to the sense of sight? Select two options

"erect / among parrots" "wildflowers entwining the plaster corset"

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 2, scene 2. CAESAR. What can be avoidedWhose end is purposed by the mighty gods?Yet Caesar shall go forth, for these predictionsAre to the world in general as to Caesar.30 CALPURNIA. When beggars die there are no comets seen;The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes. CAESAR. Cowards die many times before their deaths;The valiant never taste of death but once. Which terms are symbols in the passage? Select two options.

"mighty gods" "beggars"

Read the excerpt from Franklin Roosevelt's request for a declaration of war. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us. Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger. Which phrases from the excerpt include loaded words intended to evoke a sense of fear? Select two options.

"premeditated invasion" "grave danger"

Which phrase from the poem "Monet's 'Waterlilies'" by Robert Hayden is an example of a simile?

"the eye like the eye of faith believes"

Which words from "Monet's 'Waterlilies'" by Robert Hayden most appeals to the sense of sight?

"through refracting tears"

Which lines from "Sonnet in Primary Colors" by Rita Dove provide an example of a rhyme?

"to the celluloid butterflies of her Beloved dead, / Lenin and Marx and Stalin arrayed at the footstead."

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." Sometimes signs are sent by bad spirits. I waited again on the flat rock, fasting, taking no food. I was very still—I could feel the sky above me and the earth beneath. I waited till the sun was beginning to sink. Then three deer passed in the valley going east—they did not mind me or see me. There was a white fawn with them—a very great sign. Which details does the author include to describe the setting? Select two options.

"waited again on the flat rock" "the sun was beginning to sink"

Read the passage from A Raisin in the Sun. MAMA: Lord have mercy, baby. You done gone and bought your grandmother a hat? TRAVIS (very proud): Open it! She does and lifts out an elaborate, but very elaborate, wide gardening hat, and all the adults break up at the sight of it. RUTH: Travis, honey, what is that? TRAVIS (who thinks it is beautiful and appropriate): It's a gardening hat! Like the ladies always have on in the magazines when they work in their gardens. BENEATHA (giggling fiercely): Travis—we were trying to make Mama Mrs. Miniver—not Scarlett O'Hara! MAMA (indignantly): What's the matter with you all! This here is a beautiful hat! (Absurdly.) I always wanted me one just like it! Which word or phrase from the text best supports the idea that the adults think the hat is inappropriate?

(giggling fiercely)

What is the key difference between a central idea and a motif?

A central idea is abstract, while a motif is concrete.

Which statement best explains a difference between a character vs. self conflict and a character vs. character conflict?

A character vs. self conflict is an internal conflict, while a character vs. character conflict is an external conflict.

Which sentence best describes the relationship between a counterclaim and a rebuttal?

A counterclaim states an opposing viewpoint to the claim, which a rebuttal fairly and logically addresses.

Read the passage from chapter 17 of The Prince. Therefore a prince, so long as he keeps his subjects united and loyal, ought not to remind the reproach of cruelty; because with a few examples he will be more merciful than those who, through too much mercy, allow disorders to arise, from which follow murders or robberies; for these are wont to injure the whole people, whilst those executions which originate with a prince offend the individual only. Which statement best summarizes the author's claim?

A cruel prince may be better for his subjects in the long run.

Read this passage from chapter 10 of The Prince. Therefore, a prince who has a strong city, and had not made himself odious, will not be attacked, or if anyone should attack he will only be driven off with disgrace; again, because that the affairs of this world are so changeable, it is almost impossible to keep an army a whole year in the field without being interfered with. And whoever should reply: If the people have property outside the city, and see it burnt, they will not remain patient, and the long siege and self-interest will make them forget their prince; to this I answer that a powerful and courageous prince will overcome all such difficulties by giving at one time hope to his subjects that the evil will not be for long, at another time fear of the cruelty of the enemy, then preserving himself adroitly from those subjects who seem to him to be too bold. Which statement best summarizes the central idea of the passage?

A prince should reassure his subjects during an attack.

Which statement best describes the theme of a fictional text?

A theme is an idea about a topic that is not directly stated.

Consider this claim: School uniforms should be mandatory for all students. Which statement gives the strongest evidence to support this claim?

According to the board of education, "school uniforms improve behavior, build school spirit, and develop a student's sense of belonging."

What kind of evidence best supports reasons in an argument?

All evidence should be reliable and varied, using personal experiences only when relevant.

Read the excerpt from act 1, scene 3, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar and the background information on the allusion it contains. CASSIUS. And why should Caesar be a tyrant then?Poor man, I know he would not be a wolfBut that he sees the Romans are but sheep.He were no lion, were not Romans hinds.Those that with haste will make a mighty fireBegin it with weak straws. What trash is Rome?What rubbish, and what offal? when it servesFor the base matter to illuminateSo vile a thing as Caesar! But, O grief,Where hast thou led me? I perhaps speak thisBefore a willing bondman: then I knowMy answer must be made. But I am armedAnd dangers are to me indifferent. CASCA. You speak to Casca, and to such a manThat is no fleering tell-tale. Hold, my hand.Be factious for redress of all these griefsAnd I will set this foot of mine as farAs who goes farthest. CASSIUS. There's a bargain made.Now know you, Casca, I have moved alreadySome certain of the noblest-minded RomansTo undergo with me an enterpriseOf honourable dangerous consequence.And I do know by this, they stay for meIn Pompey's Porch. For now this fearful nightThere is no stir or walking in the streets;And the complexion of the elementIn favour's like the work we have in hand,Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible. Background information: Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, known in English as Pompey the Great, was a Roman general and political leader. Together with Caesar and Crassus, Pompey ruled as a member of the first Roman triumvirate. As a leader, Pompey was a capable administer and worked to help Rome grow and prosper. Among other projects, he built a large amphitheater in Rome. This amphitheater was named after him, and its annex became known as Pompey's Porch. During this time, Pompey married Caesar's daughter, Julia. After her death, however, Pompey and Caesar began to grow apart, and within a few years, Pompey sided with the senate against Caesar. War followed. In 48 BCE, Pompey's armies were defeated, and he was murdered by former allies who were afraid of Caesar's power. Which statement best explains the meaning added by the allusion in this excerpt?

Alluding to Pompey invokes the history of his opposition to Caesar, showing that the conspirators in the play are part of a longstanding battle against a tyrant.

Read the sentence from an interpretive literary analysis. Amy Tan describes Jing-mei's mother's efforts to get her to become a prodigy: "I soon found out why Old Chong had retired from teaching piano. He was deaf." Which revision of this sentence most accurately uses a literary term?

Amy Tan points out the irony in Jing-mei's mother's efforts to get her to become a prodigy: "I soon found out why Old Chong had retired from teaching piano. He was deaf."

Read the passage. Congress needs to pass legislation to protect the endangered species—and all organisms—currently threatened by climate change. All Americans realize that these creatures deserve the chance to survive without threats outside of their control. If Congress fails to address this today, then we all lose. Which fallacies appear in this passage? Select three options.

An appeal to emotion is used to make people feel guilty if they do not support the legislation. A false dilemma is used to claim that legislation is the only way to protect the environment. A bandwagon appeal is used to suggest that every American wants to help endangered species.

What is the definition of anecdotal evidence?

Anecdotal evidence is evidence that is based on personal experience or short narratives.

Read the excerpt from a speech petitioning people to adopt animals in need. I am here today to persuade you to see the benefit of adopting your next pet from the animal shelter instead of purchasing it from a pet store. It is crucial to see the value in adopting animals and hopefully putting pet stores out of business. The health and well-being of our animal friends is what is at stake here. Many people think it would be fun to get a cute designer animal from a boutique pet shop, but once we all know the truth behind their practices, we will be lining up at the shelter to fall in love with an animal in need. Your new dog may not be a purebred dog with official papers and a customized small size, but you will know that your animal is healthy and eternally grateful that you provided him with a warm home. Which ideas from the excerpt would be most appropriate to include in a summary? Select two options.

Animals bred through pet shops suffer health problems. People need to adopt animals instead of going to pet shops.

Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 2, of Julius Caesar. [ANTONY.] But here's a parchment with the sealof Caesar;I found it in his closet. 'Tis his will.Let but the commons hear this testament—Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read—And they would go and kiss dead Caesar's wounds,And dip their napkins in his sacred blood,Yea, beg a hair of him for memory,And, dying, mention it within their wills,Bequeathing it as a rich legacyUnto their issue. What is the best summary of this monologue?

Antony displays Caesar's will and says that if the people read it, they would worship Caesar so much that they would want something from him to worship as a relic.

Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 2, of Julius Caesar. [BRUTUS.] If then that friend demandwhy Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer:not that I loved Caesar less, but that I lovedRome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, anddie all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to liveall free men? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him.As he was fortunate, I rejoice at it. As he wasvaliant, I honour him. But as he was ambitious, Islew him. There is tears for his love, joy for hisfortune, honour for his valour, and death for hisambition. What is the effect of Brutus's speech that claims that Caesar's ambition led to his death?

Antony exposes Brutus's folly by showing how Caesar did not seek to be king.

Read the excerpt from act 5, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. ANTONY. Villains, you did not so, when your vile daggersHacked one another in the sides of Caesar:You showed your teeth like apes, and fawned like hounds,And bowed like bondmen, kissing Caesar's feet,Whilst damnèd Casca, like a cur, behind,Struck Caesar on the neck. O you flatterers! Cur and dog mean the same thing denotatively. Which statement best explains why Antony uses the word cur rather than dog to describe Casca?

Antony has contempt for Casca and is insulting him.

Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. SERVANT. Thus, Brutus, did my master bid me kneel.Thus did Mark Antony bid me fall down,And, being prostrate, thus he bade me say."Brutus is noble, wise, valiant, and honest.Caesar was mighty, bold, royal, and loving.Say I love Brutus, and I honour him.Say I feared Caesar, honoured him, and loved him.If Brutus will vouchsafe that AntonyMay safely come to him and be resolvedHow Caesar hath deserved to lie in death,Mark Antony shall not love Caesar deadSo well as Brutus living, but will followThe fortunes and affairs of noble BrutusThorough the hazards of this untrod stateWith all true faith." So says my master Antony. What is the best summary of this monologue?

Antony sends his servant to respectfully tell Brutus that Antony loves and honors him, as he did Caesar. Then the servant says that if Antony can safely come and inquire about Caesar's death, then Antony will be loyal to Brutus.

Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. [ANTONY.] First, Marcus Brutus, will I shake with you—Next, Caius Cassius, do I take your hand—Now, Decius Brutus, yours;—now yours, Metellus;—Yours, Cinna;—and my valiant Casca, yours;—Though last, not last in love, yours, good Trebonius.Gentlemen all,—alas, what shall I say?My credit now stands on such slippery groundThat one of two bad ways you must conceit me:Either a coward or a flatterer.That I did love thee, Caesar, O, 'tis true.If then thy spirit look upon us now,Shall it not grieve thee dearer than thy death,To see thy Antony making his peace,Shaking the bloody fingers of thy foes—Most noble!—In the presence of thy corse? What is the best summary of this monologue?

Antony shakes the hands of all the conspirators and says he knows that his love for Caesar puts him in an unstable position. Then he imagines that it would break Caesar's heart to see Antony making peace with his assassins.

Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. ANTONY. Post back with speed, and tell him [Octavius] what hath chanced.Here is a mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome,No Rome of safety for Octavius yet.Hie hence and tell him so.—Yet stay awhile.Thou shalt not back till I have borne this corpseInto the market-place. There shall I tryIn my oration how the people takeThe cruel issue of these bloody men;According to the which, thou shalt discourseTo young Octavius of the state of things.Lend me your hand.[Exeunt with CAESAR's body] What is the best summary of this monologue?

Antony tells Octavius's servant to tell Octavius what has happened and to say that Rome is not safe for Octavius yet. Antony tells him to hurry, but then tells him to wait until after he takes Caesar's body to the marketplace to see how the people react to his eulogy.

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 3, scene 2. ANTONY. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend1445me your ears.I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.The evil that men do lives after them;The good is oft interrèd with their bones.So let it be with Caesar. The noble BrutusHath told you Caesar was ambitious.1450If it were so, it was a grievous fault,And grievously hath Caesar answered it.Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest—For Brutus is an honourable man,So are they all, all honourable men—1455Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.He was my friend, faithful and just to me.But Brutus says he was ambitious,And Brutus is an honourable man.He hath brought many captives home to Rome,1460Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept.Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,1465And Brutus is an honourable man.You all did see that on the LupercalI thrice presented him a kingly crown,Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition? Which conclusion does this excerpt best support?

Antony wants to make the people angry by defending Caesar.

Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. ANTONY. Therefore I took your hands, but was indeedSwayed from the point by looking down on Caesar.Friends am I with you all, and love you all,Upon this hope: that you shall give me reasonsWhy and wherein Caesar was dangerous. What is the central idea of this excerpt?

Antony will be friends with the conspirators if they tell him why they killed his beloved Caesar.

Which image would be the best choice for convincing a middle school audience to clean up litter on a local waterway?

B

Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Dred Scott v. Sandford, written by Justice Taney. It will be observed, that the plea applies to that class of persons only whose ancestors were negroes of the African race, and imported into this country, and sold and held as slaves. The only matter in issue before the court, therefore, is, whether the descendants of such slaves, when they shall be emancipated, or who are born of parents who had become free before their birth, are citizens of a State, in the sense in which the word "citizen" is used in the Constitution of the United States. . . . . . . The question before us is, whether the class of persons described in the plea in abatement compose a portion of this people, and are constituent members of this sovereignty? We think they are not, and that they are not included, and were not intended to be included, under the word "citizens" in the Constitution, and can therefore claim none of the rights and privileges which that instrument provides for and secures to citizens of the United States. Which statement best describes an effective counterclaim to the claim in this passage?

Because Dred Scott and his family were born in the United States, they are citizens with all the rights granted by the Constitution.

Read the passage from A Raisin in the Sun. BENEATHA (laughingly noticing what her mother is doing): Mama, what are you doing? MAMA: Fixing my plant so it won't get hurt none on the way . . . BENEATHA: Mama, you going to take that to the new house? MAMA: Un-huh— BENEATHA: That raggedy-looking old thing? MAMA (stopping and looking at her): It expresses ME! RUTH (with delight, to BENEATHA): So there, Miss Thing! How would the tone change if the word hideous replaced the word raggedy?

Beneatha would be harshly criticizing her mother instead of gently teasing her.

Read the passage from A Raisin in the Sun. WALTER (as he dances with RUTH): You know, when these New Negroes have their convention— (Pointing at his sister.)—that is going to be the chairman of the Committee on Unending Agitation. (He goes on dancing, then stops.) Race, race, race! . . . Girl, I do believe you are the first person in the history of the entire human race to successfully brainwash yourself. (BENEATHA breaks up and he goes on dancing. He stops again, enjoying his tease.) Damn, even the N double A C P takes a holiday sometimes! (BENEATHA and RUTH laugh. He dances with RUTH some more and starts to laugh and stops and pantomimes someone over an operating table.) I can just see that chick someday looking down at some poor cat on an operating table and before she starts to slice him, she says . . . (Pulling his sleeve back maliciously.) "By the way, what are your views on civil rights down there? . . ." He laughs at her again and starts to dance happily. The bell sounds. BENEATHA: Sticks and stones may break my bones but . . . words will never hurt me! How does the playwright develop the theme in this passage?

Beneatha's reaction to Walter's teasing shows that even family members who see the world differently can get along with one another.

Read the two excerpts from act 3, scene 2, of Julius Caesar. [BRUTUS.] If then that friend demandwhy Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer:not that I loved Caesar less, but that I lovedRome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, anddie all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to liveall free men? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him.As he was fortunate, I rejoice at it. As he wasvaliant, I honour him. But as he was ambitious, Islew him. There is tears for his love, joy for hisfortune, honour for his valour, and death for hisambition. Who is here so base that would be abondman? [ANTONY.] Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept.Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,And Brutus is an honourable man.You all did see that on the LupercalI thrice presented him a kingly crown,Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,And sure he is an honourable man. Which statement best compares the two monologues?

Both Brutus and Antony ask rhetorical questions to make points.

How are prefixes and suffixes alike? Select two options.

Both are a type of affix. Both can change a word's meaning.

Which statement best describes the similarities between the feminist and historical approaches to literary analysis?

Both consider how cultural and political forces affect the literary work.

Read the two passages from A Raisin in the Sun. Passage 1: RUTH: You know what I'm going to do soon as I get in that new house? BENEATHA: What? RUTH: Honey—I'm going to run me a tub of water up to here . . . (With her fingers practically up to her nostrils.) And I'm going to get in it—and I am going to sit . . . and sit . . . and sit in that hot water and the first person who knocks to tell me to hurry up and come out— BENEATHA: Gets shot at sunrise. RUTH (laughing happily): You said it, sister! Passage 2: MAMA (eying the box, which is obviously a gift): What is that? WALTER (taking it from RUTH and putting it on the table in front of MAMA): Well—what you all think? Should we give it to her? RUTH: Oh—she was pretty good today. MAMA: I'll good you— She turns her eyes to the box again. BENEATHA: Open it, Mama She stands up, looks at it, turns and looks at all of them, and then presses her hands together and does not open the package. WALTER (sweetly): Open it, Mama. It's for you. (MAMA looks in his eyes. It is the first present in her life without its being Christmas. Slowly she opens her package and lifts out, one by one, a brand-new sparkling set of gardening tools. WALTER continues, prodding.) Ruth made up the note—read it . . . MAMA (picking up the card and adjusting her glasses): "To our own Mrs. Miniver—Love from Brother, Ruth, and Beneatha." Ain't that lovely . . . TRAVIS (tugging at his father's sleeve): Daddy, can I give her mine now? WALTER: All right, son. (TRAVIS flies to get his gift.) MAMA: Now I don't have to use my knives and forks no more . . . Which statement best compares the two passages?

Both passages show that the family members enjoy celebrating life's simple pleasures.

Which character in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar must decide whether or not to join the conspiracy to kill his friend Caesar?

Brutus

Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 2, of Julius Caesar. BRUTUS. Be patient till the last.Romans, countrymen, and lovers! Hear me for mycause, and be silent, that you may hear. Believe mefor mine honour, and have respect to mine honour, thatyou may believe. Censure me in your wisdom, andawake your senses, that you may the better judge.If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend ofCaesar's, to him I say that Brutus' love to Caesarwas no less than his. If then that friend demandwhy Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer:not that I loved Caesar less, but that I lovedRome more. ANTONY. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend meyour ears.I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.The evil that men do lives after them;The good is oft interrèd with their bones.So let it be with Caesar. The noble BrutusHath told you Caesar was ambitious.If it were so, it was a grievous fault,And grievously hath Caesar answered it.Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest—For Brutus is an honourable man,So are they all, all honourable men—Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.He was my friend, faithful and just to me. How does Brutus's reason for giving his monologue compare to Antony's reason for giving his?

Brutus announces that he wants to explain why he killed Caesar, while Antony says that he is simply there to give Caesar a proper burial.

Read the two excerpts from act 3, scene 2, of Julius Caesar. SECOND PLEBEIAN. Peace, silence! Brutus speaks. FIRST PLEBEIAN. Peace, ho! BRUTUS. Good countrymen, let me depart alone,And, for my sake, stay here with Antony.Do grace to Caesar's corpse, and grace his speechTending to Caesar's glories, which Mark Antony,By our permission, is allowed to make.I do entreat you, not a man departSave I alone till Antony have spoke.[Exit] SECOND PLEBEIAN. Most noble Caesar! We'll revenge his death. THIRD PLEBEIAN. O royal Caesar! ANTONY. Hear me with patience. ALL. Peace, ho! ANTONY. Moreover, he hath left you all his walks,His private arbours, and new-planted orchards,On this side Tiber. He hath left them you,And to your heirs for ever—common pleasuresTo walk abroad and recreate yourselves.Here was a Caesar. When comes such another? Which statement best compares the last remarks in the two monologues?

Brutus creates closure, whereas Antony stimulates anger.

Read the excerpt from act 2, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. BRUTUS. The exhalations whizzing in the airGive so much light that I may read by them. [Opens the letter and reads] "Brutus, thou sleep'st. Awake, and see thyself.Shall Rome, etc.? Speak, strike, redress."—"Brutus, thou sleep'st. Awake!"Such instigations have been often droppedWhere I have took them up."Shall Rome, etc.?" Thus must I piece it out:Shall Rome stand under one man's awe? What, Rome?My ancestors did from the streets of RomeThe Tarquin drive when he was called a king."Speak, strike, redress!" Am I entreatedTo speak and strike? O Rome, I make thee promise,If the redress will follow, thou receivestThy full petition at the hand of Brutus! What effect does the letter have on Brutus?

Brutus decides to join the conspiracy to kill Caesar.

ead the excerpt from act 2, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. [BRUTUS.] Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius.We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar,And in the spirit of men there is no blood.O, that we then could come by Caesar's spirit,And not dismember Caesar! Why is this passage an example of verbal irony?

Brutus does not want to be a butcher but has to dismember Caesar.

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 3, scene 2. [BRUTUS.] If then that friend demandwhy Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer:not that I loved Caesar less, but that I lovedRome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, anddie all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to liveall free men? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him.As he was fortunate, I rejoice at it. As he wasvaliant, I honour him. But as he was ambitious, Islew him. Which paraphrase of the passage is the best?

Brutus explains that if people ask why he killed Caesar, he will tell them that it is not because he did not love Caesar, but because he loved Rome more. He asks the people, "Would you rather have Caesar alive, and we all die as slaves, or Caesar dead, and we die free?" He says he is sad because he and Caesar were friends. He honors Caesar's bravery, but Caesar was too ambitious, so he had to be killed.

Read the excerpt from act 1, scene 2, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. CASSIUS. Ay, do you fear it?Then must I think you would not have it so. BRUTUS. I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well.But wherefore do you hold me here so long?What is it that you would impart to me?If it be aught toward the general good,Set honour in one eye and death i'th' other,And I will look on both indifferently;For let the gods so speed me as I loveThe name of honour more than I fear death. What moral dilemma does this excerpt express?

Brutus has to decide between loyalty to Caesar and his own honor.

Which scenario would show an example of situational irony?

Brutus says that he is about to do something that will make him well, but ends up killing himself.

Read the excerpt from act 2, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. CASCA. You shall confess that you are both deceived.Here, as I point my sword, the sun arises,Which is a great way growing on the south,Weighing the youthful season of the year.Some two months hence up higher toward the northHe first presents his fire, and the high eastStands, as the Capitol, directly here. BRUTUS. Give me your hands all over, one by one. CASSIUS. And let us swear our resolution. BRUTUS. No, not an oath. If not the face of men,The sufferance of our souls, the time's abuse—If these be motives weak, break off betimes,And every man hence to his idle bed. What effect does Cassius's request to swear a resolution have on Brutus?

Brutus says that swearing a resolution is not necessary to fight tyranny.

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 1, scene 2. BRUTUS. Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius,That you would have me seek into myselfFor that which is not in me?70 CASSIUS. Therefore, good Brutus, be prepared to hear.And since you know you cannot see yourselfSo well as by reflection, I, your glass,Will modestly discover to yourselfThat of yourself which you yet know not of.75And be not jealous on me, gentle Brutus.Were I a common laugher, or did useTo stale with ordinary oaths my loveTo every new protester; if you knowThat I do fawn on men and hug them hard80And after scandal them: or if you knowThat I profess myself in banquetingTo all the rout: then hold me dangerous. Which statement best summarizes the conflict in this passage?

Brutus suspects that Cassius's flattery is fueled by intentions that will put him at risk, and Cassius assures Brutus that he is honest and trustworthy.

Which conflict most affects the plot in acts 1 and 2 of Julius Caesar?

Brutus trying to decide whether his love of Rome is stronger than his love for Caesar

Read the excerpt from act 2, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. BRUTUS. Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius,To cut the head off and then hack the limbs,Like wrath in death and envy afterwards—For Antony is but a limb of Caesar.Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius.We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar,And in the spirit of men there is no blood.O, that we then could come by Caesar's spirit,And not dismember Caesar! But, alas,Caesar must bleed for it. And, gentle friends,Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfully.Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods,Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds.And let our hearts, as subtle masters do,Stir up their servants to an act of rage,And after seem to chide 'em. This shall makeOur purpose necessary, and not envious;Which so appearing to the common eyes,We shall be called purgers, not murderers.And for Mark Antony, think not of him,For he can do no more than Caesar's armWhen Caesar's head is off. Which statement best explains Brutus's motivation in this scene?

Brutus wants people to think of the conspirators as honorable, not evil.

Read the excerpt from act 2, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. BRUTUS. O ye gods,Render me worthy of this noble wife! [Knocking within] Hark, hark, one knocks. Portia, go in a while,And by and by thy bosom shall partakeThe secrets of my heart.All my engagements I will construe to thee,All the charactery of my sad brows.Leave me with haste. [Exit PORTIA] Which statement best explains Brutus's motivation in this scene?

Brutus wants to keep Portia out of the conspiracy to protect her.

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 1, scene 2. CASSIUS. Ay, do you fear it?Then must I think you would not have it so. BRUTUS. I would not, Cassius; yet I love him well.But wherefore do you hold me here so long?90What is it that you would impart to me?If it be aught toward the general good,Set honour in one eye and death i'th' other,And I will look on both indifferently;For let the gods so speed me as I love95The name of honour more than I fear death. Which prediction about the plot does this passage most support?

Brutus will die.

Read the passage from act 4, scene 3, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. BRUTUS. No man bears sorrow better. Portia is dead. CASSIUS. Ha! Portia? BRUTUS. She is dead. CASSIUS. How scaped I killing when I crossed you so?O insupportable and touching loss!Upon what sickness? BRUTUS. Impatient of my absence,And grief that young Octavius with Mark AntonyHave made themselves so strong—for with her deathThat tidings came. With this, she fell distraught,And, her attendants absent, swallowed fire. CASSIUS. And died so? BRUTUS. Even so. CASSIUS. O ye immortal gods! Which statement best describes how an element of tragedy in this excerpt reveals the theme that uninformed decisions lead to tragic ends?

Brutus's decision to join the conspiracy has led to a catastrophe, the death of his wife.

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 1, scene 2. [CASSIUS.] For once, upon a raw and gusty day,The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores,Said Caesar to me "Darest thou, Cassius, nowLeap in with me into this angry flood,110And swim to yonder point?" Upon the word,Accoutred as I was, I plungèd inAnd bade him follow. So indeed he did.The torrent roared, and we did buffet itWith lusty sinews, throwing it aside,115And stemming it with hearts of controversy.But ere we could arrive the point proposed,Caesar cried 'Help me, Cassius, or I sink!' Which details should be included in a paraphrase of the passage? Select three options.

Caesar asked Cassius to jump into the river with him. Cassius leapt into the river and Caesar followed. Caesar needed Cassius to save him from drowning.

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 1, scene 2. CAESAR. Calpurnia! CASCA. Peace, ho! Caesar speaks. CAESAR. Calpurnia! CALPURNIA. Here, my lord. CAESAR. Stand you directly in Antonio's way5 When he doth run his course.—Antonio! ANTONY. Caesar, my lord? CAESAR. Forget not, in your speed, Antonio,To touch Calpurnia, for our elders sayThe barren, touchèd in this holy chase,10Shake off their sterile curse. Which ideas would best fit in a summary of this passage? Select two options.

Caesar asks Antony to give Calpurnia luck to conceive. Caesar and Calpurnia have not yet had children.

Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. [CAESAR.] So in the world: 'tis furnished well with men,And men are flesh and blood, and apprehensive;Yet in the number I do know but oneThat unassailable holds on his rank,Unshaked of motion; and that I am heLet me a little show it even in this—That I was constant Cimber should be banished,And constant do remain to keep him so. What is the best summary of this monologue?

Caesar refuses to reverse Cimber's banishment. He says that, although the world is full of reasonable men, he is the only one who stands firm, and he will stick by his sentence to prove it.

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 1, scene 2. CASCA. I know not what you mean by that, but I am sure265Caesar fell down. If the tag-rag people did notclap him and hiss him, according as he pleased anddispleased them, as they use to do the players inthe theatre, I am no true man. BRUTUS. What said he when he came unto himself?270 CASCA. Marry, before he fell down, when he perceived thecommon herd was glad he refused the crown, heplucked me open his doublet and offered them histhroat to cut. An I had been a man of anyoccupation, if I would not have taken him at a word,275I would I might go to hell among the rogues. And sohe fell. Which prediction about the plot does this passage most support?

Caesar will be killed by his people.

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 1, scene 1. [FLAVIUS.] See whether their basest mettle be not moved.60They vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness.Go you down that way towards the Capitol;This way will I. Disrobe the images,If you do find them decked with ceremonies. MARULLUS. May we do so?65You know it is the feast of Lupercal. FLAVIUS. It is no matter; let no imagesBe hung with Caesar's trophies. I'll about,And drive away the vulgar from the streets:So do you too, where you perceive them thick. What do the images of disrobing statues of Caesar and taking down his trophies suggest about Caesar?

Caesar will soon be stripped of his position of power.

Which sentence includes a nonrestrictive clause?

Camels, which sway from side to side as they walk, are often called ships of the desert.

Read the excerpt from act 1, scene 3, of Julius Caesar. [CASSIUS.] Cassius from bondage will deliver Cassius.Therein, ye gods, you make the weak most strong;Therein, ye gods, you tyrants do defeat.Nor stony tower, nor walls of beaten brass,Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron,Can be retentive to the strength of spirit;But life, being weary of these worldly bars,Never lacks power to dismiss itself.If I know this, know all the world besides,That part of tyranny that I do bearI can shake off at pleasure. [Thunder still] CASCA. So can I.So every bondman in his own hand bearsThe power to cancel his captivity. How does Cassius's proclamation affect Casca?

Casca says that he will also fight Caesar's rise to power.

Read the excerpt from act 5, scene 3, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. TITINIUS. O Cassius, Brutus gave the word too early,Who having some advantage on OctaviusTook it too eagerly: his soldiers fell to spoil,Whilst we by Antony are all enclosed. [Enter PINDARUS] PINDARUS. Fly further off, my lord, fly further off,Mark Antony is in your tents, my lord:Fly, therefore, noble Cassius, fly far off. CASSIUS. This hill is far enough. Look, look, Titinius,Are those my tents where I perceive the fire? TITINIUS. They are, my lord. CASSIUS. Titinius, if thou lovest me,Mount thou my horse and hide thy spurs in him,Till he have brought thee up to yonder troopsAnd here again, that I may rest assuredWhether yond troops are friend or enemy. TITINIUS. I will be here again, even with a thought. What moral dilemma does this excerpt express?

Cassius must decide whether or not to send his best friend into the camp.

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." "This is a very strong dream," he said." It may eat you up." "I am not afraid," I said and looked at him with both eyes. My voice sounded thin in my ears but that was because of the smoke. He touched me on the breast and the forehead. He gave me the bow and the three arrows. "Take them," he said. "It is forbidden to travel east. It is forbidden to cross the river. It is forbidden to go to the Place of the Gods. All these things are forbidden." "All these things are forbidden," I said, but it was my voice that spoke and not my spirit. He looked at me again. "My son," he said. "Once I had young dreams. If your dreams do not eat you up, you may be a great priest. If they eat you, you are still my son. Now go on your journey." Which theme is best supported by the resolution described in this passage?

Change is necessary to achieve growth.

In an interpretive literary essay, what is the purpose of commentary in body paragraphs?

Commentary explains how evidence supports the writer's viewpoints.

What is the definition of connotation?

Connotation is the emotion or idea that is associated with a word.

Which image is the best choice for convincing an audience of kindergarten students to take action against bullying?

D

Read the meanings of the word fold, then read the sentence. Definition 1. n., a crease in fabric or a piece of paper Definition 2. v., to bend Definition 3. n., a group of people with common beliefs Definition 4. v., to incorporate one food ingredient into another When making cake batter, it is important to fold the flour into the butter before adding the rest of the ingredients. What is the meaning of fold as it is used in this sentence?

Definition 4

Read the passage from Ronald Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" speech. Where four decades ago there was rubble, today in West Berlin there is the greatest industrial output of any city in Germany—busy office blocks, fine homes and apartments, proud avenues, and the spreading lawns of park land. Where a city's culture seemed to have been destroyed, today there are two great universities, orchestras and an opera, countless theaters, and museums. Where there was want, today there's abundance. . . . From devastation, from utter ruin, you Berliners have, in freedom, rebuilt a city that once again ranks as one of the greatest on earth. . . . In the 1950s, Khrushchev predicted: "We will bury you." But in the West today, we see a free world that has achieved a level of prosperity and well-being unprecedented in all human history. In the Communist world, we see failure, technological backwardness, declining standards of health, even want of the most basic kind—too little food. Even today, the Soviet Union still cannot feed itself. After these four decades, then, there stands before the entire world one great and inescapable conclusion: Freedom leads to prosperity. Freedom replaces the ancient hatreds among the nations with comity and peace. Freedom is the victor. Which statement best describes Reagan's main message for his audience in this excerpt?

Democracy leads to greater prosperity than communism does.

Read the excerpt from act 2 of A Doll's House. Rank: [leaning towards her] Nora—do you think he is the only one—? Nora: [with a slight start] The only one—? Rank: The only one who would gladly give his life for your sake. Nora: [sadly] Is that it? Rank: I was determined you should know it before I went away, and there will never be a better opportunity than this. Now you know it, Nora. And now you know, too, that you can trust me as you would trust no one else. Nora: [rises, deliberately and quietly] Let me pass. Rank: [makes room for her to pass him, but sits still] Nora! Nora: [at the hall door] Helen, bring in the lamp. [Goes over to the stove.] Dear Doctor Rank, that was really horrid of you. Rank: To have loved you as much as anyone else does? Was that horrid? Nora: No, but to go and tell me so. There was really no need— Rank: What do you mean? Did you know—? [MAID enters with lamp, puts it down on the table, and goes out.] Nora—Mrs. Helmer—tell me, had you any idea of this? Nora: Oh, how do I know whether I had or whether I hadn't? I really can't tell you—To think you could be so clumsy, Doctor Rank! We were getting on so nicely. Rank: Well, at all events you know now that you can command me, body and soul. So won't you speak out? Nora: [looking at him] After what happened? Rank: I beg you to let me know what it is. Nora: I can't tell you anything now. Rank: Yes, yes. You mustn't punish me in that way. Let me have permission to do for you whatever a man may do. Nora: You can do nothing for me now. Besides, I really don't need any help at all. You will find that the whole thing is merely fancy on my part. It really is so—of course it is! [Sits down in the rocking-chair, and looks at him with a smile.] You are a nice sort of man, Doctor Rank! Don't you feel ashamed of yourself, now the lamp has come? Which statement best describes the way this interaction affects the plot?

Doctor Rank's admission of love prolongs the suspense because now Nora cannot ask him for help.

Nico is brainstorming reasons to support this claim for his argumentative essay. Bob Dylan deserved to win the Nobel Prize. Which reasons would be the most effective? Select two options.

Dylan has been internationally acclaimed for more than half a century. Dylan is first and foremost a poet, and poetry is often accompanied by music.

Read the excerpts from two articles written about the same topic. Article 1 Taxpayers will fund most of the new arena, at a cost of $300 million. We will all be asked to share the burden of a facility that may well be replaced in 10 years, when the powers that be decide that we need yet another upgrade. Article 2 The construction of the arena will cost the city $300 million. Taxpayers will assume 90 percent of the cost. Several protesters showed up at city hall Tuesday to express their disapproval of the decision. They were forcibly removed by police after two hours. Which comparison of the two excerpts is most accurate?

Excerpt 1 is subjective and opinionated, while excerpt 2 is objective and verifiable.

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." I told and he listened. After that, I wished to tell all the people but he showed me otherwise. He said, "Truth is a hard deer to hunt. If you eat too much truth at once, you may die of the truth. It was not idly that our fathers forbade the Dead Places." He was right—it is better the truth should come little by little. I have learned that, being a priest. Perhaps, in the old days, they ate knowledge too fast. Which theme is best reflected in the resolution of this excerpt?

Facing the truth is not an easy task.

Read the passage from "Marriage Is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe. On the second evening of his return from Lagos Nnaemeka sat with his father under a cassia tree. This was the old man's retreat where he went to read his Bible when the parching December sun had set and a fresh, reviving wind blew on the leaves. "Father," began Nnaemeka suddenly, "I have come to ask for forgiveness." "Forgiveness? For what, my son?" he asked in amazement. "It's about this marriage question." "Which marriage question." "I can't—we must—I mean it is impossible for me to marry Nweke's daughter." "Impossible? Why?" asked his father. "I don't love her." "Nobody said you did. Why should you?" he asked. "Marriage today is different . . ." "Look here, my son," interrupted his father, "nothing is different. What one looks for in a wife are a good character and a Christian background." Nnaemeka saw there was no hope along the present line of argument. What does this passage reveal about the cultural environment?

Fathers and sons are beginning to have different ideas about what marriage is.

Read this paragraph from chapter 5 of The Prince. But when cities or countries are accustomed to live under a prince, and his family is exterminated, they, being on the one hand accustomed to obey and on the other hand not having the old prince, cannot agree in making one from amongst themselves, and they do not know how to govern themselves. For this reason they are very slow to take up arms, and a prince can gain them to himself and secure them much more easily. But in republics there is more vitality, greater hatred, and more desire for vengeance, which will never permit them to allow the memory of their former liberty to rest; so that the safest way is to destroy them or to reside there. Which option best states the main idea of the passage?

Former republics are more difficult to rule than hereditary states, and they will rebel if they are not tightly controlled.

Kaveh is preparing a presentation about the positive effects of community gardening on neighborhood residents. How can Kaveh most effectively organize and present this topic? Select two options.

He can refer to specific sources he used when conducting his research. He can ask rhetorical questions to create a dramatic and engaging effect.

Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince. But when cities or countries are accustomed to live under a prince, and his family is exterminated, they, being on the one hand accustomed to obey and on the other hand not having the old prince, cannot agree in making one from amongst themselves, and they do not know how to govern themselves. For this reason they are very slow to take up arms, and a prince can gain them to himself and secure them much more easily. But in republics there is more vitality, greater hatred, and more desire for vengeance, which will never permit them to allow the memory of their former liberty to rest; so that the safest way is to destroy them or to reside there. How does Machiavelli work to achieve his secondary purpose—to inform his readers?

He explains that principalities don't know how to rule themselves. He describes the emotions of people in a conquered republic.

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." After a time, I myself was allowed to go into the dead houses and search for metal. So I learned the ways of those houses—and if I saw bones, I was no longer afraid. The bones are light and old—sometimes they will fall into dust if you touch them. But that is a great sin. What does the narrator's response to the setting reveal about his character?

He gains knowledge through experience.

Read the excerpt from act 4, scene 3, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. BRUTUS. Bear with me, good boy, I am much forgetful.Canst thou hold up thy heavy eyes a while,And touch thy instrument a strain or two? LUCIUS. Ay, my lord, an't please you. BRUTUS. It does, my boy.I trouble thee too much, but thou art willing. LUCIUS. It is my duty, sir. BRUTUS. I should not urge thy duty past thy might.I know young bloods look for a time of rest. LUCIUS. I have slept, my lord, already. BRUTUS. It was well done, and thou shalt sleep again.I will not hold thee long. If I do live,I will be good to thee. [Music, and a song] This is a sleepy tune. O murderous slumber,Lay'st thou thy leaden mace upon my boy,That plays thee music?—Gentle knave, good night;I will not do thee so much wrong to wake thee.If thou dost nod thou break'st thy instrument;I'll take it from thee, and, good boy, good night.Let me see, let me see, is not the leaf turned downWhere I left reading? Here it is, I think. What does this interaction reveal about Brutus's character? Select two options.

He has trouble relaxing. He treats his servants humanely.

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." It is not true what some of the tales say, that the ground there burns forever, for I have been there. Here and there were the marks and stains of the Great Burning, on the ruins, that is true. But they were old marks and old stains. It is not true either, what some of our priests say, that it is an island covered with fogs and enchantments. It is not. It is a great Dead Place—greater than any Dead Place we know. Everywhere in it there are god-roads, though most are cracked and broken. Everywhere there are the ruins of the high towers of the gods. How does visiting the Place of the Gods affect the narrator?

He learns that there is nothing supernatural to fear in the destroyed city.

Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Dred Scott v. Sandford, written by Justice Taney. The question then arises, whether the provisions of the Constitution, in relation to the personal rights and privileges to which the citizen of a State should be entitled, embraced the negro African race, at that time in this country, or who might afterwards be imported, who had then or should afterwards be made free in any State; and to put it in the power of a single State to make him a citizen of the United States, and endue him with the full rights of citizenship in every other State without their consent? Does the Constitution of the United States act upon him whenever he shall be made free under the laws of a State, and raised there to the rank of a citizen, and immediately clothe him with all the privileges of a citizen in every other State, and in its own courts? The court thinks the affirmative of these propositions cannot be maintained. And if it cannot, the plaintiff in error could not be a citizen of the State of Missouri, within the meaning of the Constitution of the United States, and, consequently, was not entitled to sue in its courts. Why is Justice Taney's argument ineffective?

He uses a previous status of African Americans as evidence.

Read the two headlines. 1.) Protestors Continue Rally Despite Police Requests to Stop 2.) Attempts to Shut Down Rally Met with Civil Disobedience Which statement best compares the two headlines?

Headlines 1 and 2 both use clear, objective language.

Read the excerpt from act 3 of A Doll's House. Helmer: Do you know, you ought to embroider. Mrs. Linde: Really? Why? Helmer: Yes, it's far more becoming. Let me show you. You hold the embroidery thus in your left hand, and use the needle with the right—like this—with a long, easy sweep. Do you see? Mrs. Linde: Yes, perhaps— Helmer: But in the case of knitting—that can never be anything but ungraceful; look here—the arms close together, the knitting-needles going up and down—it has a sort of Chinese effect—. That was really excellent champagne they gave us. Mrs. Linde: Well,—goodnight, Nora, and don't be self-willed any more. Helmer: That's right, Mrs. Linde. Mrs. Linde. Goodnight, Mr. Helmer. Helmer [accompanying her to the door]: Goodnight, goodnight. I hope you will get home all right. I should be very happy to—but you haven't any great distance to go. Goodnight, goodnight. [She goes out; he shuts the door after her, and comes in again.] Ah!—at last we have got rid of her. She is a frightful bore, that woman. How does the conflict between Helmer's private and public selves develop the theme that appearances can be deceiving?

Helmer acts kindly toward Mrs. Linde while she is present, but insults her when she leaves.

Read the excerpt from act 2 of A Doll's House. Helmer: And it is just by interceding for him that you make it impossible for me to keep him. It is already known at the Bank that I mean to dismiss Krogstad. Is it to get about now that the new manager has changed his mind at his wife's bidding— Nora: And what if it did? Helmer: Of course!—if only this obstinate little person can get her way! Do you suppose I am going to make myself ridiculous before my whole staff, to let people think that I am a man to be swayed by all sorts of outside influence? I should very soon feel the consequences of it, I can tell you! And besides, there is one thing that makes it quite impossible for me to have Krogstad in the Bank as long as I am manager. Nora: Whatever is that? Helmer: His moral failings I might perhaps have overlooked, if necessary— Nora: Yes, you could—couldn't you? Helmer: And I hear he is a good worker, too. But I knew him when we were boys. It was one of those rash friendships that so often prove an incubus in afterlife. I may as well tell you plainly, we were once on very intimate terms with one another. But this tactless fellow lays no restraint on himself when other people are present. On the contrary, he thinks it gives him the right to adopt a familiar tone with me, and every minute it is "I say, Helmer, old fellow!" and that sort of thing. I assure you it is extremely painful for me. He would make my position in the Bank intolerable. Which statements best describe the conflict? Select two options.

Helmer is controlling and does not want to be seen as one who lets his wife sway or control him. Helmer does not like the way Krogstad tries to be his equal, and he wants to fire him from the bank.

Read the excerpt from act 2 of A Doll's House. Nora: What are you going to do? Helmer: [looking among his papers] Settle it. [Enter MAID.] Look here; take this letter and go downstairs with it at once. Find a messenger and tell him to deliver it, and be quick. The address is on it, and here is the money. Maid: Very well, sir. [Exit with the letter.] Helmer: [putting his papers together] Now then, little Miss Obstinate. Nora: [breathlessly]. Torvald—what was that letter? Helmer: Krogstad's dismissal. Nora: Call her back, Torvald! There is still time. Oh Torvald, call her back! Do it for my sake—for your own sake—for the children's sake! Do you hear me, Torvald? Call her back! You don't know what that letter can bring upon us. Helmer: It's too late. Nora: Yes, it's too late. Helmer: My dear Nora, I can forgive the anxiety you are in, although really it is an insult to me. It is, indeed. Isn't it an insult to think that I should be afraid of a starving quill-driver's vengeance? But I forgive you nevertheless, because it is such eloquent witness to your great love for me. [Takes her in his arms.] And that is as it should be, my own darling Nora. Come what will, you may be sure I shall have both courage and strength if they be needed. You will see I am man enough to take everything upon myself. Nora: [in a horror-stricken voice]. What do you mean by that? Helmer: Everything, I say— Nora: [recovering herself] You will never have to do that. Helmer: That's right. Well, we will share it, Nora, as man and wife should. That is how it shall be. [Caressing her.] Are you content now? There! There! Not these frightened dove's eyes! The whole thing is only the wildest fancy! Now, you must go and play through the Tarantella and practise with your tambourine. I shall go into the inner office and shut the door, and I shall hear nothing; you can make as much noise as you please. [Turns back at the door.] And when Rank comes, tell him where he will find me. [Nods to her, takes his papers and goes into his room, and shuts the door after him.] How does the interaction between Helmer and Nora advance the plot?

Helmer thinks that Nora is afraid his reputation will suffer, heightening the suspense about her real secret.

Which questions may be applied to literary analysis from a feminist approach? Select three options.

How is the relationship between men and women portrayed? Does the literature depict patriarchy uncritically or challenge it? Do characterizations reflect a traditional social hierarchy?

Paco's teacher has asked him to add a transition in the introduction to his argumentative essay in favor of abolishing tuition at public colleges. (1) Today, even many blue-collar, retail, and clerical jobs require applicants to have a college degree. (2) _____, going to college—even a public college—is becoming more and more expensive. (3) What's a student with little money to do? (4) The only way to make higher education accessible to students with low incomes is to abolish tuition at public colleges. Which expression should be added to sentence 2 to best clarify the relationships among Paco's ideas?

However

Read the passage. (1) Since prehistoric times, milk has been a vital source of nutrition for human beings. (2) Some doctors and nutritionists believe that consuming milk can be detrimental to our health. (3) Milk is one of the most nutrient-dense beverages we can consume and it should be an essential part of a healthy diet. (4) Drinking just one 8-ounce glass of milk per day puts you well on your way to meeting recommended daily intakes for important nutrients. Which transition would be best to use at the beginning of sentence 2?

However

Read the excerpt from act 3 of A Doll's House. Nora: Maybe. But you neither think nor talk like the man I could bind myself to. As soon as your fear was over—and it was not fear for what threatened me, but for what might happen to you—when the whole thing was past, as far as you were concerned it was exactly as if nothing at all had happened. Exactly as before, I was your little skylark, your doll, which you would in future treat with doubly gentle care, because it was so brittle and fragile. [Getting up.] Torvald—it was then it dawned upon me that for eight years I had been living here with a strange man, and had borne him three children—. Oh, I can't bear to think of it! I could tear myself into little bits! How does the passage demonstrate a view that was commonly held during the 1800s?

In the 1800s, women were expected to be submissive to men, and Nora is discovering that Helmer has taken advantage of that.

Which questions best help determine whether a news source is reputable and objective? Select three options.

In what order does the news source choose to present the headlines? Does the news source use language that might lead to an emotional response? What type of language do the reporters use in the published news stories?

Read the excerpt from "The Role of Social Media in the Arab Uprisings" by Heather Brown, Emily Guskin, and Amy Mitchell. Passing along information is an important part of the news process. Earlier [Project for Excellence in Journalism] research finds the role of Twitter in disseminating breaking news is not limited to the Arab uprisings—the death of Whitney Houston, for example, was announced on Twitter 55 minutes prior to the [Associated Press] confirming the story. Twitter, Facebook and other new media offer ways for the Arab-American news media to reach audiences, but also pose a threat to smaller outlets. In addition to keeping up with the online presence of larger news organizations, Arab-American media are forced to compete with user-generated content that is rapidly available to audiences. The utility of social media in accessing information became clear during the Arab uprisings and events such as Egypt's parliamentary and presidential elections. However, [Suzanne] Manneh of New America Media points out that the credibility of this information is difficult to verify "depending on where it's from, to whom it's attributed, [and] especially when various events are happening very quickly." What reasons do the authors give to support the claim that social media both helps and threatens smaller media outlets? Select two options.

Information is sometimes shared on social media before it is released by traditional media. News organizations must compete with one another and with social media to reach audiences.

How does an effective argumentative essay address counterclaims?

It acknowledges counterclaims and provides a fair and objective rebuttal.

Read the excerpt from Franklin Roosevelt's request for a declaration of war. Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. What is the impact of the loaded language in this paragraph?

It calls attention to the urgency of the message.

How does adding the affix -etic to the words energy, athlete, and poet change the meanings of these words?

It changes them from nouns to adjectives.

Read the line from Robert Hayden's poem "Monet's 'Waterlilies,'" then look at the painting Water Lilies by Claude Monet. O light beheld as through refracting tears. How does this line relate to the artwork?

It compares the painting to an emotional experience.

Which statement best describes historical criticism?

It considers the time and place in which a literary work was written.

Which statements describe characteristics of a restrictive clause? Select three options.

It contains a subject and a verb. It is not set apart by punctuation. It is essential to the meaning of the sentence.

Read the poem "Sonnet in Primary Colors" by Rita Dove. This is for the woman with one black wingperched over her eyes: lovely Frida, erectamong parrots, in the stern petticoats of the peasant,who painted herself a present—wildflowers entwining the plaster corsether spine resides in, that flaming pillar—this priestess in the romance of mirrors. Each night she lay down in pain and roseto the celluloid butterflies of her Beloved Dead,Lenin and Marx and Stalin arrayed at the footstead.And rose to her easel, the hundred dogs pantinglike children along the graveled walks of the garden, Diego'slove a skull in the circular windowof the thumbprint searing her immutable brow. How does this poem resemble an Elizabethan sonnet?

It contains exactly 14 lines.

Which statements best describe a text with a compare-and-contrast structure? Select three options.

It contains words such as although, similarly, and yet.It describes similarities between two or more things. It discusses differences between two or more things.

Read the excerpt from act 5, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. CASSIUS. Then if we lose this battle,You are contented to be led in triumphThrough the streets of Rome? BRUTUS. No, Cassius, no:Think not, thou noble Roman,That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome.He bears too great a mind. But this same dayMust end that work the ides of March begun;And whether we shall meet again I know not. How does Shakespeare's use of triumph instead of victory affect the meaning of the passage?

It creates a greater sense of humiliation for the defeated.

Read the passage from chapter 17 of The Prince. Coming now to the other qualities mentioned above, I say that every prince ought to desire to be considered clement and not cruel. Nevertheless he ought to take care not to misuse this clemency. Cesare Borgia was considered cruel; notwithstanding, his cruelty reconciled the Romagna, unified it, and restored it to peace and loyalty. And if this be rightly considered, he will be seen to have been much more merciful than the Florentine people, who, to avoid a reputation for cruelty, permitted Pistoia to be destroyed. Therefore a prince, so long as he keeps his subjects united and loyal, ought not to mind the reproach of cruelty; because with a few examples he will be more merciful than those who, through too much mercy, allow disorders to arise, from which follow murders or robberies; for these are wont to injure the whole people, whilst those executions which originate with a prince offend the individual only. How does the repetition of the words cruel and cruelty affect the tone of the paragraph?

It creates a matter-of-fact tone as Machiavelli demonstrates the positive effects of a ruler's cruelty.

Read the excerpt from act 2 of A Doll's House. Nurse: What, out again? In this horrible weather? You will catch cold, ma'am, and make yourself ill. Nora: Well, worse than that might happen. How are the children? Nurse: The poor little souls are playing with their Christmas presents, but— Nora: Do they ask much for me? Nurse: You see, they are so accustomed to have their mamma with them. Nora: Yes, but, nurse, I shall not be able to be so much with them now as I was before. Nurse: Oh well, young children easily get accustomed to anything. Nora: Do you think so? Do you think they would forget their mother if she went away altogether? Nurse: Good heavens!—went away altogether? How does the interaction between the nurse and Nora advance the plot?

It demonstrates that Nora is considering leaving her children.

Read the passage from "Two Kinds." And I started to play. It was so beautiful. I was so caught up in how lovely I looked that at first I didn't worry how I would sound. So it was a surprise to me when I hit the first wrong note and I realized something didn't sound quite right. And then I hit another and another followed that. A chill started at the top of my head and began to trickle down. Yet I couldn't stop playing, as though my hands were bewitched. I kept thinking my fingers would adjust themselves back, like a train switching to the right track. I played this strange jumble through two repeats, the sour notes staying with me all the way to the end. How is this passage an example of an internal conflict?

It describes the narrator's thoughts and feelings as she struggles through a poor performance.

Read the paragraph. Each year, though different, is also the same. In spring, the sun comes out, green things begin to shoot up from the brown soil, and people begin to smile again. In summer, the days are long, the gardens are a riot of color, and people are relaxed and casual. In fall, the days shorten, the leaves turn and start to fall, and people welcome the warmth of a pullover and a jacket. In winter, the nights are long, the trees are bare, and people shiver, longing for the sun. How does the use of parallelism enhance the paragraph?

It emphasizes the cyclical nature of the year.

Read the excerpt from act 5, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. OCTAVIUS. Come, come, the cause. If arguing make us sweat,The proof of it will turn to redder drops.Look, I draw a sword against conspirators.When think you that the sword goes up again?Never, till Caesar's three and thirty woundsBe well avenged, or till another CaesarHave added slaughter to the sword of traitors. How does Shakespeare's use of the word slaughter rather than murder affect the meaning of the passage?

It emphasizes the savagery of the assassins' actions toward Caesar.

Read this excerpt from the poem "Monet's 'Waterlilies'" by Robert Hayden. Here space and time exist in lightthe eye like the eye of faith believes.The seen, the knowndissolve in iridescence, becomeillusive flesh of lightthat was not, was, forever is. O light beheld as through refracting tears.Here is the aura of that worldeach of us has lost.Here is the shadow of its joy. What is the best evidence that this poem is written in free verse?

It has no set meter.

Read the excerpt from act 2, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. [BRUTUS.] And for Mark Antony, think not of him,For he can do no more than Caesar's armWhen Caesar's head is off. How does this example of dramatic irony affect the audience?

It heightens suspense because Mark Antony is dangerous.

How is foreshadowing most useful to the audience?

It helps them make predictions.

Read the stanza from "Monet's 'Waterlilies'" by Robert Hayden. O light beheld as through refracting tears.Here is the aura of that worldeach of us has lost.Here is the shadow of its joy. How does the imagery in the stanza contribute to the poem's overall meaning?

It illustrates a sense of misfortune.

Read the excerpt from act 4, scene 3, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. [BRUTUS.] Messala, I have here receivèd letters,That young Octavius and Mark AntonyCome down upon us with a mighty power,Bending their expedition toward Philippi. MESSALA. Myself have letters of the selfsame tenor. BRUTUS. With what addition? MESSALA. That by proscription and bills of outlawry,Octavius, Antony, and LepidusHave put to death an hundred senators. BRUTUS. Therein our letters do not well agree.Mine speak of seventy senators that diedBy their proscriptions, Cicero being one. CASSIUS. Cicero one! MESSALA. Ay, Cicero is dead,And by that order of proscription. How does this interaction affect the plot?

It informs the audience about events that took place off stage.

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 1, scene 2. [FLAVIUS.] Go you down that way towards the Capitol;This way will I. Disrobe the images,If you do find them decked with ceremonies. MARULLUS. May we do so?65You know it is the feast of Lupercal. FLAVIUS. It is no matter; let no imagesBe hung with Caesar's trophies. I'll about,And drive away the vulgar from the streets:So do you too, where you perceive them thick.70These growing feathers plucked from Caesar's wingWill make him fly an ordinary pitch,Who else would soar above the view of men,And keep us all in servile fearfulness. [Exeunt] How does this scene most contribute to the plot?

It introduces opposition to Caesar.

Read the counterclaim from an argumentative essay. Bob Dylan's lyrics are just as effective without musical accompaniment. Which reason would best refute the counterclaim?

It is impossible to separate song lyrics from the music that accompanies them.

Read the claim. Children should avoid playing violent video games that could have a negative influence; instead, they should play nonviolent games, of which there are thousands available. Read the counterclaim. Because there is no proven link between violence in video games and real-life violence, children should, with adult supervision, be given the opportunity to play any video games they choose. Read the rebuttal. While the proof of a link is debatable, what is not debatable is the foolishness of allowing children to choose whatever video game they would like, since it empowers children unnecessarily. Which statement best analyzes the rebuttal?

It is ineffective because it does not provide a logical reason for opposing the counterclaim.

Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 2, of Julius Caesar. [ANTONY.] For Brutus is an honourable man,So are they all, all honourable men—Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.He was my friend, faithful and just to me.But Brutus says he was ambitious,And Brutus is an honourable man.He hath brought many captives home to Rome,Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill.Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept.Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,And Brutus is an honourable man.You all did see that on the LupercalI thrice presented him a kingly crown,Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?Yet Brutus says he was ambitious,And sure he is an honourable man. How is the word honourable used in the context of Antony's speech?

It is used as a negative and ironic word to describe Brutus.

When you write an interpretive literary analysis using a quotation, why should you discuss literature that you have read in the analysis?

It provides evidence to support the interpretation of the quotation.

Read the excerpt from act 5, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. [CASSIUS.] Two mighty eagles fell, and there they perched,Gorging and feeding from our soldiers' hands;Who to Philippi here consorted us.This morning are they fled away and gone,And in their steads do ravens, crows, and kitesFly o'er our heads and downward look on us,As we were sickly prey. Their shadows seemA canopy most fatal, under whichOur army lies ready to give up the ghost. MESSALA. Believe not so. CASSIUS. I but believe it partly;For I am fresh of spirit, and resolvedTo meet all perils very constantly. How does the use of the word fresh affect the meaning of the passage?

It reveals Cassius's sense of optimism.

Read the excerpt from Justice Sotomayor's speech "A Latina Judge's Voice." For me, a very special part of my being Latina is the mucho platos de arroz, gandules y pernir—rice, beans and pork—that I have eaten at countless family holidays and special events. My Latina identity also includes, because of my particularly adventurous taste buds, morcilla, pig intestines; patitas de cerdo con garbanzo, pigs' feet with beans; and Ia lengua y orejas de cuchifrito, pigs' tongue and ears. I bet the Mexican-Americans in this room are thinking that Puerto Ricans have unusual food tastes. Some of us, like me, do. How does the speaker's use of Spanish names for food most affect the tone and meaning of this excerpt?

It shows her strong connection to her heritage.

Read the excerpt from act 5, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. MESSENGER. Prepare you, generals.The enemy comes on in gallant show.Their bloody sign of battle is hung out,And something to be done immediately. ANTONY. Octavius, lead your battle softly on,Upon the left hand of the even field. OCTAVIUS. Upon the right hand, I; keep thou the left. How does the use of the word gallant add to the meaning of the sentence?

It suggests that the enemy is courageous.

Read the excerpt from act 5, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. BRUTUS. No, Cassius, no:Think not, thou noble Roman,That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome.He bears too great a mind. But this same dayMust end that work the ides of March begun;And whether we shall meet again I know not.Therefore our everlasting farewell take.Forever and forever farewell, Cassius.If we do meet again, why, we shall smile.If not, why then, this parting was well made. How does Shakespeare's use of the word everlasting most affect the meaning of this passage?

It suggests that they will not meet again.

Which statements are examples of ethics? Select two options.

Journalists must double-check all sources used in an article. Journalists must research and report the news without bias.

Read the excerpt from act 2 of A Doll's House. Nora: [quickly] He mustn't get the letter. Tear it up. I will find some means of getting money. Krogstad: Excuse me, Mrs. Helmer, but I think I told you just now— Nora: I am not speaking of what I owe you. Tell me what sum you are asking my husband for, and I will get the money. Krogstad: I am not asking your husband for a penny. Nora: What do you want, then? Krogstad: I will tell you. I want to rehabilitate myself, Mrs. Helmer; I want to get on; and in that your husband must help me. For the last year and a half I have not had a hand in anything dishonourable, amid all that time I have been struggling in most restricted circumstances. I was content to work my way up step by step. Now I am turned out, and I am not going to be satisfied with merely being taken into favour again. I want to get on, I tell you. I want to get into the Bank again, in a higher position. Your husband must make a place for me— Nora: That he will never do! Krogstad: He will; I know him; he dare not protest. And as soon as I am in there again with him, then you will see! Within a year I shall be the manager's right hand. It will be Nils Krogstad and not Torvald Helmer who manages the Bank. Nora: That's a thing you will never see! Krogstad: Do you mean that you will—? Nora: I have courage enough for it now. Krogstad: Oh, you can't frighten me. A fine, spoilt lady like you— Nora: You will see, you will see. Krogstad: Under the ice, perhaps? Down into the cold, coal-black water? And then, in the spring, to float up to the surface, all horrible and unrecognisable, with your hair fallen out— Nora: You can't frighten me. Krogstad: Nor you me. People don't do such things, Mrs. Helmer. Besides, what use would it be? I should have him completely in my power all the same. Nora: Afterwards? When I am no longer— Krogstad: Have you forgotten that it is I who have the keeping of your reputation? [NORA stands speechlessly looking at him.] Well, now, I have warned you. Do not do anything foolish. When Helmer has had my letter, I shall expect a message from him. And be sure you remember that it is your husband himself who has forced me into such ways as this again. I will never forgive him for that. Goodbye, Mrs. Helmer. [Exit through the hall.] What conflict does Krogstad introduce?

Krogstad tries to blackmail Nora into getting Helmer to keep him at the bank by exposing her forgery.

Read the sentence from an interpretive literary analysis. L. Frank Baum describes Oz as a place with "stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits," "banks of gorgeous flowers," and "birds with rare and brilliant plumage" in order to distinguish it from the "gray prairies" where Dorothy lives. Which revision contains the most accurate use of a literary term?

L. Frank Baum uses imagery to distinguish Oz from the "gray prairies" where Dorothy lives, describing it as a place with "stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits," "banks of gorgeous flowers," and "birds with rare and brilliant plumage."

Read the passage from act 5, scene 3, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. [TITINIUS.] Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius?Did I not meet thy friends, and did not theyPut on my brows this wreath of victory,And bid me give it thee? Didst thou not hear their shouts?Alas, thou hast misconstrued everything!But hold thee, take this garland on thy brow.Thy Brutus bid me give it thee, and IWill do his bidding. Brutus, come apace,And see how I regarded Caius Cassius.By your leave, gods,—this is a Roman's part:Come, Cassius' sword, and find Titinius' heart. Which theme is best expressed by the text evidence in the excerpt?

Loyalty to one's superior is more important than life.

Read the excerpt from act 1, scene 1, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar and the background information on the allusion it contains. Excerpt: [FLAVIUS.] See whether their basest mettle be not moved.They vanish tongue-tied in their guiltiness.Go you down that way towards the Capitol;This way will I. Disrobe the imagesIf you do find them decked with ceremonies. MARULLUS. May we do so?You know it is the feast of Lupercal. FLAVIUS. It is no matter; let no imagesBe hung with Caesar's trophies. I'll about,And drive away the vulgar from the streets:So do you too, where you perceive them thick.These growing feathers plucked from Caesar's wingWill make him fly an ordinary pitch,Who else would soar above the view of men,And keep us all in servile fearfulness. Background information: In Rome, February 15 was Lupercalia, an annual festival celebrating the myth of the she-wolf that saved the lives of the infant twins Romulus and Remus. According to legend, the two boys became the founders of Rome. The festival is also said to have celebrated the god who protected flocks from hungry wolves. Which statement best explains the meaning added by the allusion in this excerpt?

Lupercal alludes to an important patriotic festival, and celebrating Caesar on Lupercal indicates his high position in Rome.

Read the passage from chapter 17 of The Prince. Therefore a prince, so long as he keeps his subjects united and loyal, ought not to mind the reproach of cruelty; because with a few examples he will be more merciful than those who, through too much mercy, allow disorders to arise, from which follow murders or robberies; for these are wont to injure the whole people, whilst those executions which originate with a prince offend the individual only. What meaning is emphasized by the use of the words merciful and mercy in the passage?

Machiavelli forces readers to carefully consider the meanings of the words merciful and mercy.

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 2, scene 1. DECIUS. Shall no man else be touched, but onlyCaesar? CASSIUS. Decius, well urged. I think it is not meetMark Antony, so well beloved of Caesar,Should outlive Caesar. We shall find of himA shrewd contriver. And you know his means,35If he improve them, may well stretch so farAs to annoy us all; which to prevent,Let Antony and Caesar fall together. BRUTUS. Our course will seem too bloody, CaiusCassius,To cut the head off and then hack the limbs,40Like wrath in death and envy afterwards—For Antony is but a limb of Caesar.Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius.We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar,And in the spirit of men there is no blood.45O, that we then could come by Caesar's spirit,And not dismember Caesar! But, alas,Caesar must bleed for it. And, gentle friends,Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfully.Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods,50Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds.And let our hearts, as subtle masters do,Stir up their servants to an act of rage,And after seem to chide 'em. This shall makeOur purpose necessary, and not envious,55Which so appearing to the common eyes,We shall be called purgers, not murderers.And for Mark Antony, think not of him,For he can do no more than Caesar's armWhen Caesar's head is off.60 Which conclusion does this excerpt best support?

Mark Antony's life will be spared because he will be useless without Caesar.

Read the excerpt from act 5, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. CASSIUS. Messala. MESSALA, standing forth. What says my general? CASSIUS. Messala,This is my birthday; as this very dayWas Cassius born. Give me thy hand, Messala.Be thou my witness that, against my will,As Pompey was, am I compelled to setUpon one battle all our liberties.You know that I held Epicurus strongAnd his opinion. Now I change my mind,And partly credit things that do presage.Coming from Sardis, on our former ensignTwo mighty eagles fell, and there they perched,Gorging and feeding from our soldiers' hands;Who to Philippi here consorted us.This morning are they fled away and gone,And in their steads do ravens, crows, and kitesFly o'er our heads and downward look on us,As we were sickly prey. Their shadows seemA canopy most fatal, under whichOur army lies ready to give up the ghost. MESSALA. Believe not so. CASSIUS. I but believe it partly;For I am fresh of spirit, and resolvedTo meet all perils very constantly. Which central idea does this speech about omens best support?

Maybe fate does control everything.

Read the passage from "Marriage Is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe. "Father," began Nnaemeka suddenly, "I have come to ask for forgiveness." "Forgiveness? For what, my son?" he asked in amazement. "It's about this marriage question." "Which marriage question." "I can't—we must—I mean it is impossible for me to marry Nweke's daughter." "Impossible? Why?" asked his father. "I don't love her." "Nobody said you did. Why should you?" he asked. "Marriage today is different . . ." "Look here, my son," interrupted his father, "nothing is different. What one looks for in a wife are a good character and a Christian background." Nnaemeka saw there was no hope along the present line of argument. "Moreover," he said, "I am engaged to marry another girl who has all of Ugoye's good qualities, and who . . ." His father did not believe his ears. "What did you say?" he asked slowly and disconcertingly. "She is a good Christian," his son went on, "and a teacher in a Girls' School in Lagos." "Teacher, did you say? If you consider that a qualification for a good wife, I should like to point out to you, Emeka, that no Christian woman should teach. St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians says that women should keep silence." How does this passage define the traditional roles of men and women?

Men make decisions, and women accept those decisions.

Read the excerpt from act 3 of A Doll's House. Mrs. Linde: You seemed to me to imply that with me you might have been quite another man. Krogstad: I am certain of it. Mrs. Linde: Is it too late now? Krogstad: Christine, are you saying this deliberately? Yes, I am sure you are. I see it in your face. Have you really the courage, then—? Mrs. Linde: I want to be a mother to someone, and your children need a mother. We two need each other. Nils, I have faith in your real character—I can dare anything together with you. Krogstad [grasps her hands]. Thanks, thanks, Christine! Now I shall find a way to clear myself in the eyes of the world. Ah, but I forgot— How does the conflict in this passage develop a theme?

Mrs. Linde resolves the conflict by committing to a new life with Krogstad, which develops the theme that new beginnings are always possible.

Read the excerpt from act 2 of A Doll's House. Nora: How should you understand it? A wonderful thing is going to happen! Mrs. Linde: A wonderful thing? Nora: Yes, a wonderful thing! But it is so terrible, Christine; it mustn't happen, not for all the world. Mrs. Linde: I will go at once and see Krogstad. Nora: Don't go to him; he will do you some harm. Mrs. Linde: There was a time when he would gladly do anything for my sake. Nora: He? Mrs. Linde: Where does he live? What evidence from the text supports the prediction that Mrs. Linde will get back together with Krogstad?

Mrs. Linde says that Krogstad would have done anything for her.

Read the excerpt from act 2 of A Doll's House. Mrs. Linde: When you introduced him to me yesterday, he declared he had often heard my name mentioned in this house; but afterwards I noticed that your husband hadn't the slightest idea who I was. So how could Doctor Rank—? Nora: That is quite right, Christine. Torvald is so absurdly fond of me that he wants me absolutely to himself, as he says. At first he used to seem almost jealous if I mentioned any of the dear folk at home, so naturally I gave up doing so. But I often talk about such things with Doctor Rank, because he likes hearing about them. Mrs. Linde: Listen to me, Nora. You are still very like a child in many things, and I am older than you in many ways and have a little more experience. Let me tell you this—you ought to make an end of it with Doctor Rank. What prediction does this excerpt best support?

Mrs. Linde will accuse Nora of having an affair.

Read the passage from "Marriage Is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe. In this passage, Nnaemeka speaks first, and Nene speaks second. "Yes. They are most unhappy if the engagement is not arranged by them. In our case it's worse—you are not even an Ibo." This was said so seriously and so bluntly that Nene could not find speech immediately. In the cosmopolitan atmosphere of the city it had always seemed to her something of a joke that a person's tribe could determine whom he married. At last she said, "You don't really mean that he will object to your marrying me simply on that account? I had always thought you Ibos were kindly disposed to other people." "So we are. But when it comes to marriage, well, it's not quite so simple. And this," he added, "is not peculiar to the Ibos. If your father were alive and lived in the heart of Ibibio-land he would be exactly like my father." "I don't know. But anyway, as your father is so fond of you, I'm sure he will forgive you soon enough. Come on then, be a good boy and send him a nice lovely letter . . ." "It would not be wise to break the news to him by writing. A letter will bring it upon him with a shock. I'm quite sure about that." Which statement correctly analyzes this passage in terms of its historical context?

Nene is surprised how different her values are from people who live far from a city.

Read the passage from "Marriage Is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe. This passage is a conversation between a father named Okeke and his adult son, Nnaemeka. In the passage, Okeke speaks first. "Whose daughter is she, anyway?" "She is Nene Atang." "What!" All the mildness was gone again. "Did you say Neneataga, what does that mean?" "Nene Atang from Calabar. She is the only girl I can marry." This was a very rash reply and Nnaemeka expected the storm to burst. But it did not. His father merely walked away into his room. This was most unexpected and perplexed Nnaemeka. His father's silence was infinitely more menacing than a flood of threatening speech. That night the old man did not eat. When he sent for Nnaemeka a day later he applied all possible ways of dissuasion. But the young man's heart was hardened, and his father eventually gave him up as lost. "I owe it to you, my son, as a duty to show you what is right and what is wrong. Whoever put this idea into your head might as well have cut your throat. It is Satan's work." He waved his son away. Which statement best describes how Nnaemeka challenges patriarchy?

Nnaemeka says that he will marry Nene against Okeke's wishes.

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Mrs. Linde: Listen to me, Nora dear. Haven't you been a little bit imprudent? Nora: [sits up straight] Is it imprudent to save your husband's life? Mrs. Linde: It seems to me imprudent, without his knowledge, to— Nora: But it was absolutely necessary that he should not know! My goodness, can't you understand that? It was necessary he should have no idea what a dangerous condition he was in. It was to me that the doctors came and said that his life was in danger, and that the only thing to save him was to live in the south. Do you suppose I didn't try, first of all, to get what I wanted as if it were for myself? I told him how much I should love to travel abroad like other young wives; I tried tears and entreaties with him; I told him that he ought to remember the condition I was in, and that he ought to be kind and indulgent to me; I even hinted that he might raise a loan. That nearly made him angry, Christine. He said I was thoughtless, and that it was his duty as my husband not to indulge me in my whims and caprices—as I believe he called them. Very well, I thought, you must be saved—and that was how I came to devise a way out of the difficulty— Mrs. Linde: And did your husband never get to know from your father that the money had not come from him? Nora: No, never. Papa died just at that time. I had meant to let him into the secret and beg him never to reveal it. But he was so ill then—alas, there never was any need to tell him. Mrs. Linde: And since then have you never told your secret to your husband? Nora: Good Heavens, no! How could you think so? A man who has such strong opinions about these things! And besides, how painful and humiliating it would be for Torvald, with his manly independence, to know that he owed me anything! It would upset our mutual relations altogether; our beautiful happy home would no longer be what it is now. Which statement best compares Nora and Mrs. Linde's traits?

Nora believes that lying with good intentions is fine, while Mrs. Linde believes that lying to one's husband is wrong.

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Nora: Come here. [Pulls her down on the sofa beside her.] Now I will show you that I too have something to be proud and glad of. It was I who saved Torvald's life. Mrs. Linde: "Saved"? How? Nora: I told you about our trip to Italy. Torvald would never have recovered if he had not gone there— Mrs. Linde: Yes, but your father gave you the necessary funds. Nora: [smiling] Yes, that is what Torvald and all the others think, but— Mrs. Linde: But— Nora: Papa didn't give us a shilling. It was I who procured the money. Mrs. Linde: You? All that large sum? Nora: Two hundred and fifty pounds. What do you think of that? Mrs. Linde: But, Nora, how could you possibly do it? Did you win a prize in the Lottery? Nora: [contemptuously] In the Lottery? There would have been no credit in that. Mrs. Linde: But where did you get it from, then? Nora: [humming and smiling with an air of mystery]. Hm, hm! Aha! Mrs. Linde: Because you couldn't have borrowed it. Nora: Couldn't I? Why not? Mrs. Linde: No, a wife cannot borrow without her husband's consent. Nora: [tossing her head] Oh, if it is a wife who has any head for business—a wife who has the wit to be a little bit clever— Based on this passage, which statement is the most accurate inference to make about Nora?

Nora has a deep love for her husband to go to such an extreme length to save him.

Read the excerpt from act 2 of A Doll's House. Nora: [going up to HELMER] I have wanted you so much, Torvald dear. Helmer: Was that the dressmaker? Nora: No, it was Christine; she is helping me to put my dress in order. You will see I shall look quite smart. Helmer: Wasn't that a happy thought of mine, now? Nora: Splendid! But don't you think it is nice of me, too, to do as you wish? Helmer: Nice?—because you do as your husband wishes? Well, well, you little rogue, I am sure you did not mean it in that way. But I am not going to disturb you; you will want to be trying on your dress, I expect. Nora: I suppose you are going to work. Helmer: Yes. [Shows her a bundle of papers.] Look at that. I have just been into the bank. [Turns to go into his room.] Nora: Torvald. Helmer: Yes. Nora: If your little squirrel were to ask you for something very, very prettily—? Helmer: What then? Nora: Would you do it? Helmer: I should like to hear what it is, first. Nora: Your squirrel would run about and do all her tricks if you would be nice, and do what she wants. Helmer: Speak plainly. Nora: Your skylark would chirp about in every room, with her song rising and falling— Helmer: Well, my skylark does that anyhow. Nora: I would play the fairy and dance for you in the moonlight, Torvald. What prediction does this excerpt best support?

Nora is going to beg Helmer to let Krogstad keep his job.

Read the excerpt from act 2 of A Doll's House. Nora: [glancing at the card] Oh! [Puts it in her pocket.] Rank: Is there anything wrong? Nora: No, no, not in the least. It is only something—it is my new dress— Rank: What? Your dress is lying there. Nora: Oh, yes, that one; but this is another. I ordered it. Torvald mustn't know about it— Rank: Oho! Then that was the great secret. Nora: Of course. Just go in to him; he is sitting in the inner room. Keep him as long as— Rank: Make your mind easy; I won't let him escape. Which statement explains the dramatic irony in this passage?

Nora is lying about having a second dress, but Rank does not know.

Read the excerpt from act 2 of A Doll's House. Rank: And what other nice things am I to be allowed to see? Nora: Not a single thing more, for being so naughty. [She looks among the things, humming to herself.] Rank: [after a short silence] When I am sitting here, talking to you as intimately as this, I cannot imagine for a moment what would have become of me if I had never come into this house. Nora: [smiling] I believe you do feel thoroughly at home with us. Rank: [in a lower voice, looking straight in front of him] And to be obliged to leave it all— Nora: Nonsense, you are not going to leave it. Rank: [as before] And not be able to leave behind one the slightest token of one's gratitude, scarcely even a fleeting regret—nothing but an empty place which the first comer can fill as well as any other. Nora: And if I asked you now for a—? No! Rank: For what? Nora: For a big proof of your friendship— Rank: Yes, yes! Nora: I mean a tremendously big favour— Rank: Would you really make me so happy for once? Nora: Ah, but you don't know what it is yet. Rank: No—but tell me. Nora: I really can't, Doctor Rank. It is something out of all reason; it means advice, and help, and a favour— Rank: The bigger a thing it is the better. I can't conceive what it is you mean. Do tell me. Haven't I your confidence? Nora: More than anyone else. I know you are my truest and best friend, and so I will tell you what it is. Well, Doctor Rank, it is something you must help me to prevent. You know how devotedly, how inexpressibly deeply Torvald loves me; he would never for a moment hesitate to give his life for me. What does the audience know that Doctor Rank does not?

Nora is manipulating Doctor Rank for a favor.

Read the excerpt from act 2 of A Doll's House. Rank: The bigger a thing it is the better. I can't conceive what it is you mean. Do tell me. Haven't I your confidence? Nora: More than anyone else. I know you are my truest and best friend, and so I will tell you what it is. Well, Doctor Rank, it is something you must help me to prevent. You know how devotedly, how inexpressibly deeply Torvald loves me; he would never for a moment hesitate to give his life for me. Rank: [leaning towards her] Nora—do you think he is the only one—? Nora: [with a slight start] The only one—? Rank: The only one who would gladly give his life for your sake. Nora: [sadly] Is that it? Rank: I was determined you should know it before I went away, and there will never be a better opportunity than this. Now you know it, Nora. And now you know, too, that you can trust me as you would trust no one else. Nora: [rises, deliberately and quietly] Let me pass. What inference does this excerpt best support?

Nora realizes that she can no longer ask Doctor Rank for help because he is in love with her.

Read the excerpt from act 2 of A Doll's House. Helmer: Rank led me to expect a splendid transformation. Rank: [in the doorway] I understood so, but evidently I was mistaken. Nora: Yes, nobody is to have the chance of admiring me in my dress until tomorrow. Helmer: But, my dear Nora, you look so worn out. Have you been practising too much? Nora: No, I have not practised at all. Helmer: But you will need to— Nora: Yes, indeed I shall, Torvald. But I can't get on a bit without you to help me; I have absolutely forgotten the whole thing. Helmer: Oh, we will soon work it up again. Nora: Yes, help me, Torvald. Promise that you will! I am so nervous about it—all the people—. You must give yourself up to me entirely this evening. Not the tiniest bit of business—you mustn't even take a pen in your hand. Will you promise, Torvald dear? Helmer: I promise. This evening I will be wholly and absolutely at your service, you helpless little mortal. Ah, by the way, first of all I will just— [Goes towards the hall door.] Nora: What are you going to do there? Helmer: Only see if any letters have come. Nora: No, no! don't do that, Torvald! Helmer: Why not? Nora: Torvald, please don't. There is nothing there. How does Ibsen use dramatic irony to create suspense in this passage?

Nora tells Helmer that there are no letters in the box, while the audience knows that there is a letter from Krogstad.

Read the excerpt from act 2 of A Doll's House. Nora: [putting her arms round her neck] Dear old Anne, you were a good mother to me when I was little. Nurse: Little Nora, poor dear, had no other mother but me. Nora: And if my little ones had no other mother, I am sure you would—What nonsense I am talking! [Opens the box.] Go in to them. Now I must—. You will see tomorrow how charming I shall look. Nurse: I am sure there will be no one at the ball so charming as you, ma'am. [Goes into the room on the left.] Nora: [begins to unpack the box, but soon pushes it away from her]. If only I dared go out. If only no one would come. If only I could be sure nothing would happen here in the meantime. Stuff and nonsense! No one will come. Only I mustn't think about it. I will brush my muff. What lovely, lovely gloves! Out of my thoughts, out of my thoughts! One, two, three, four, five, six— [Screams.] Ah! there is someone coming—. [Makes a movement towards the door, but stands irresolute.] What prediction does this excerpt best support?

Nora will decide to leave her family.

Read the passage from "Marriage Is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe. Then one day he received a letter from Nene, and in spite of himself he began to glance through it perfunctorily until all of a sudden the expression on his face changed and he began to read more carefully. . . . Our two sons, from the day they learnt that they have a grandfather, have insisted on being taken to him. I find it impossible to tell them that you will not see them. I implore you to allow Nnaemeka to bring them home for a short time during his leave next month. I shall remain here in Lagos . . . The old man at once felt the resolution he had built up over so many years falling in. He was telling himself that he must not give in. He tried to steel his heart against all emotional appeals. It was a re-enactment of that other struggle. He leaned against a window and looked out. The sky was overcast with heavy black clouds and a high wind began to blow filling the air with dust and dry leaves. It was one of those rare occasions when even Nature takes a hand in a human fight. Very soon it began to rain, the first rain in the year. It came down in large sharp drops and was accompanied by the lightning and thunder which mark a change of season. Okeke was trying hard not to think of his two grandsons. But he knew he was now fighting a losing battle. He tried to hum a favorite hymn but the pattering of large rain drops on the roof broke up the tune. His mind immediately returned to the children. How could he shut his door against them? By a curious mental process he imagined them standing, sad and forsaken, under the harsh angry weather—shut out from his house. That night he hardly slept, from remorse—and a vague fear that he might die without making it up to them. How does Okeke's change in attitude challenge the patriarchy?

Okeke wants to see his grandsons even though they are not the product of a traditional arranged marriage.

Read this prompt. Create a multimedia presentation for the claim that countries around the world need to increase food production to support a continually growing population. Use research and evidence to support your opinion. Use persuasive techniques and a variety of visual aids in your presentation. Which statement provides the best support for this claim?

On average, 83 million people are added to the world's population every year.

Which statement best describes a cause-and-effect relationship in a play?

One action is a cause, which leads to another action that is the effect of the first action.

Read the two passages. Passage 1 Many people think that standardized testing is unnecessary; however, standardized testing is the only way to measure student achievement. Viewing student testing only from a student's perspective is missing the point. If we think of it in practical terms, we can see that testing students gives us a baseline to assist those students in their areas of greatest need. Without standardized testing, that assistance would not be possible. Passage 2 Students experience anxiety during standardized testing. Everyone knows this, and everyone should realize that no child deserves to feel unnecessary stress. Imagine one of your own children suffering through the rigors of a week—or more—of testing. Imagine that anxiety, even though there were clearly alternatives available to avoid it. This is just one of the many reasons to eliminate standardized testing in our schools. How do the fallacies in the first passage differ from the fallacies in the second?

Passage 1 contains a false dilemma, while passage 2 contains a bandwagon appeal.

Read the two passages about school uniforms. Passage 1 School uniforms could alter students' attitudes toward their education. If students wear the same clothing each day, they will not have to think about what to wear on a daily basis. In addition, having a uniform could boost students' confidence and reduce envy or embarrassment. Conforming to one uniform might also help students fit in more easily. Passage 2 School uniforms have no place in education, especially since we are trying to instill the principles of individuality and diversity in our children. School uniforms destroy students' abilities to be themselves. I have seen schools where uniforms are required; the students' faces tell the whole story. By enforcing uniforms in school, we are clearly not giving students a choice in what they wear. But when we take away choice, more than just choice is lost. Which statement best compares how the authors develop their arguments?

Passage 1 uses a logical approach, while passage 2 contains appeals to emotion.

Read the two passages. Passage 1 The need for standardized testing in education is a sensitive topic to some. Many fear that the use of these tests with students of all ages would lead to a decline in both academic growth and innovation; however, if standardized testing continues to be a reliable and objective source of measuring student achievement, we must conclude that the means justify the end. We can simply state the results of a 100-year analysis of testing research for proof: 93 percent of studies on student testing found a favorable outcome for student achievement. Passage 2 When the Brookings Institution, a 100-year-old organization made up of experts in education and government, reports that up to 80 percent of standardized test score improvements were temporary and did not lead to improvements in learning, we must realize that student testing is not working. I have visited several schools during testing time, so I can personally vouch for the negative effect that standardized tests have on students' emotions. Standardized testing is unnecessary and must end. How does the evidence in the first passage differ from the evidence in the second?

Passage 1 uses logical evidence, while passage 2 uses anecdotal evidence.

Read the two passages. Passage 1 Raising the minimum wage for workers will provide a significant boost to the economy. For example, changing the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour would add $22 billion to the economy by increasing people's purchasing power. Household spending would increase by $48 billion in one year with a similar minimum wage increase. Increased earnings lead to increased spending and a greater demand for products and services. This phenomenon then leads to the need for more workers and, thereby, job growth. Passage 2 The current federal minimum wage for workers is $7.25. If the government increased that by $1.75, studies show that household spending would also increase—by $48 billion annually. An economic move like this makes too much sense to ignore. A rise in household spending would mean an expansion in the profits of many businesses, including small businesses. As a small-business owner, I would certainly welcome the extra income. The last time the minimum wage was increased, my profit margin increased substantially. My fellow small-business owners experienced a similar profit growth that year. Which passage provides more effective evidence, and why?

Passage 2 is more effective because the evidence is logical and is supported by anecdotes.

Read the passage from "Marriage Is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe. In this conversation, Nnaemeka speaks first, and Nene speaks second. "You have lived in Lagos all your life, and you know very little about people in remote parts of the country." "That's what you always say. But I don't believe anybody will be so unlike other people that they will be unhappy when their sons are engaged to marry." "Yes. They are most unhappy if the engagement is not arranged by them. In our case it's worse—you are not even an Ibo." This was said so seriously and so bluntly that Nene could not find speech immediately. In the cosmopolitan atmosphere of the city it had always seemed to her something of a joke that a person's tribe could determine whom he married. At last she said, "You don't really mean that he will object to your marrying me simply on that account? I had always thought you Ibos were kindly disposed to other people." "So we are. But when it comes to marriage, well, it's not quite so simple. And this," he added, "is not peculiar to the Ibos. If your father were alive and lived in the heart of Ibibio-land he would be exactly like my father." Which statement about historical context is most relevant to the passage?

People in large cities and rural villages had different opinions of how people should choose marriage partners.

Read the excerpt from an editorial. State lawmakers are considering overturning a law that forbids the sale of lottery tickets on Sundays. Proponents of the bill claim that the reason for the potential change is a result of consumer demand. These "state leaders" clearly have no concept of how to maintain family values. Playing the lottery is just as despicable as gambling in a casino and should be outlawed altogether. Which detail reveals the writer's purpose?

Placing "state leaders" in quotation marks indicates that the writer is mocking the lawmakers.

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 2, scene 4. PORTIA. I prithee, boy, run to the Senate House;Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone.—Why dost thou stay? LUCIUS. To know my errand, madam. PORTIA. I would have had thee there and here again5Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there.[Aside] O constancy, be strong upon my side;Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue.I have a man's mind, but a woman's might.How hard it is for women to keep counsel!10[To LUCIUS] Art thou here yet? LUCIUS. Madam, what should I do?Run to the Capitol, and nothing else?And so return to you, and nothing else? PORTIA. Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well,For he went sickly forth; and take good note15What Caesar doth, what suitors press to him.Hark, boy, what noise is that? LUCIUS. I hear none, madam. Which conclusion does this excerpt best support?

Portia wants to take action, but she cannot.

Read the passage from act 2, scene 1, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. BRUTUS. Kneel not, gentle Portia. . . . You are my true and honourable wife,As dear to me as are the ruddy dropsThat visit my sad heart. PORTIA. If this were true, then should I know this secret. . . .Tell me your counsels; I will not disclose 'em.I have made strong proof of my constancy,Giving myself a voluntary woundHere in the thigh. Can I bear that with patience,And not my husband's secrets? Which details best support the theme that loyalty to one's spouse is important? Select two options.

Portia's insistence that she will not tell Brutus's secrets to anyone Portia's self-inflicted wound to prove that she is constant

Read the passage from a letter that President Jimmy Carter wrote to Congress in 1977. This message brings together a great variety of programs. It deals not only with ways to preserve the wilderness, wildlife, and natural and historical resources which are a beautiful and valued part of America's national heritage: it deals also with the effects of pollution, toxic chemicals, and the damage caused by the demand for energy. Each of these concerns, in its own way, affects the environment; and together they underscore the importance of environmental protection in all our lives. Which statement best describes the overall claim?

Protecting the environment is essential for maintaining Americans' quality of life.

Read the passage from A Raisin in the Sun. MAMA (sensing their facetiousness): What's the matter with you all? WALTER: Ain't nothing the matter with us. We just telling you 'bout the gentleman who came to see you this afternoon. From the Clybourne Park Improvement Association. MAMA: What he want? RUTH (in the same mood as BENEATHA and WALTER): To welcome you, honey. WALTER: He said they can't hardly wait. He said the one thing they don't have, that they just dying to have out there is a fine family of fine colored people! (To RUTH and BENEATHA.) Ain't that right! RUTH (mockingly): Yeah! He left his card— BENEATHA (handing card to MAMA): In case. MAMA reads and throws it on the floor—understanding and looking off as she draws her chair up to the table on which she has put her plant and some sticks and some cord. MAMA: Father, give us strength. (Knowingly—and without fun.) Did he threaten us? BENEATHA: Oh—Mama—they don't do it like that anymore. He talked Brotherhood. He said everybody ought to learn how to sit down and hate each other with good Christian fellowship. Which statement best summarizes the theme in this passage?

Racism exists even when racists do not talk openly about their views.

Read the excerpt from Ronald Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" speech. Where four decades ago there was rubble, today in West Berlin there is the greatest industrial output of any city in Germany—busy office blocks, fine homes and apartments, proud avenues, and the spreading lawns of park land. Where a city's culture seemed to have been destroyed, today there are two great universities, orchestras and an opera, countless theaters, and museums. Where there was want, today there's abundance. Which statement best explains the use of rhetoric in this paragraph?

Reagan uses parallelism to compare the past to the present.

Which statement best defines the term rhetoric?

Rhetoric is the art of effective, persuasive speaking or writing.

Read the paragraph. (1) When I get to my home town, my first stop will be my uncle's old gas station to fill the car. (2) My second stop will be Lancer's Diner for some homemade cherry pie. (3) Next, I'll drop in for a visit with old Mr. Butterworth, who lived next door to us. (4) My last stop will be the house I grew up in to see who lives there now. What revision should be made to maintain parallel structure?

Sentence 3 should be revised to read, "My next stop will be old Mr. Butterworth's for a chat with my favorite neighbor."

Read the excerpt from act 2, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. BRUTUS. Kneel not, gentle Portia. PORTIA. I should not need if you were gentle Brutus.Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus,Is it excepted I should know no secretsThat appertain to you? Am I your selfBut as it were in sort or limitation?To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed,And talk to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the suburbsOf your good pleasure? If it be no more,Portia is Brutus' harlot, not his wife. BRUTUS. You are my true and honourable wife,As dear to me as are the ruddy dropsThat visit my sad heart. PORTIA. If this were true, then should I know this secret.I grant I am a woman, but withalA woman that Lord Brutus took to wife.I grant I am a woman, but withalA woman well reputed, Cato's daughter.Think you I am no stronger than my sex,Being so fathered and so husbanded?Tell me your counsels; I will not disclose 'em.I have made strong proof of my constancy,Giving myself a voluntary woundHere in the thigh. Can I bear that with patience,And not my husband's secrets? BRUTUS. O ye gods,Render me worthy of this noble wife! What effect does Brutus's secrecy have on his wife, Portia? Select three options.

She feels like she is not really Brutus's wife if he cannot be honest with her. She thinks that Brutus is unfairly keeping her in the dark because she is a woman. She harms herself to prove to Brutus that she is strong enough to keep his secret.

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Helmer: [calls out from his room]. Is that my little lark twittering out there? Nora: [busy opening some of the parcels]. Yes, it is! Helmer: Is it my little squirrel bustling about? Nora: Yes! Helmer: When did my squirrel come home? Nora: Just now. [Puts the bag of macaroons into her pocket and wipes her mouth.] Come in here, Torvald, and see what I have bought. Helmer: Don't disturb me. [A little later, he opens the door and looks into the room, pen in hand.] Bought, did you say? All these things? Has my little spendthrift been wasting money again? Nora: Yes but, Torvald, this year we really can let ourselves go a little. This is the first Christmas that we have not needed to economize. Helmer: Still, you know, we can't spend money recklessly. Nora: Yes, Torvald, we may be a wee bit more reckless now, mayn't we? Just a tiny wee bit! You are going to have a big salary and earn lots and lots of money. Helmer: Yes, after the New Year; but then it will be a whole quarter before the salary is due. Which inference about Nora does this passage best support?

She is glad that she finally has money to spend on gifts for the holidays.

Read the passage from "Two Kinds." She walked over and stood in front of the TV. I saw her chest was heaving up and down in an angry way. "No!" I said, and I now felt stronger, as if my true self had finally emerged. So this was what had been inside me all along. "No! I won't!" I screamed. She yanked me by the arm, pulled me off the floor, snapped off the TV. She was frighteningly strong, half pulling, half carrying me toward the piano as I kicked the throw rugs under my feet. She lifted me up and onto the hard bench. I was sobbing by now, looking at her bitterly. Her chest was heaving even more and her mouth was open, smiling crazily as if she were pleased I was crying. "You want me to be something that I'm not!" I sobbed. "I'll never be the kind of daughter you want me to be!" "Only two kinds of daughters," she shouted in Chinese. "Those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind! Only one kind of daughter can live in this house. Obedient daughter!" Which statement best explains the motivation for the actions of the narrator's mother?

She is intrinsically motivated by her belief that children should obey their parents.

Read the excerpt from "The Role of Social Media in the Arab Uprisings" by Heather Brown, Emily Guskin, and Amy Mitchell. Almost immediately after the Arab uprisings began, there was debate over the role and influence of social media in the ouster of Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and the imminent overthrow of [Egyptian president Hosni] Mubarak . In covering what some deemed the Facebook or Twitter revolutions, the media focused heavily on young protesters mobilizing in the streets in political opposition, smartphones in hand. And since then, the violent and sectarian unrest in Syria has brought increased attention to the role of citizen journalism. Social media indeed played a part in the Arab uprisings. Networks formed online were crucial in organizing a core group of activists, specifically in Egypt. Civil society leaders in Arab countries emphasized the role of "the internet, mobile phones, and social media" in the protests. Additionally, digital media has been used by Arabs to exercise freedom of speech and as a space for civic engagement. Now, research is emerging that reexamines in a more detailed way the role that social media played in the Arab uprisings. What is the claim in this excerpt?

Social media affected the Arab Spring, but its impact was not what the news media originally thought it was.

Read the passage from "Marriage Is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe. "What did Our Lord say?" asked another gentleman. "Sons shall rise against their fathers; it is there in the Holy Book." "It is the beginning of the end," said another. The discussion thus tending to become theological, Madubogwu, a highly practical man, brought it down once more to the ordinary level. "Have you thought of consulting a native doctor about your son?" he asked Nnaemeka's father. "He isn't sick," was the reply. "What is he then? The boy's mind is diseased and only a good herbalist can bring him back to his right senses. The medicine he requires is Amalile, the same that women apply with success to recapture their husbands' straying affection." "Madubogwu is right," said another gentleman. "This thing calls for medicine." "I shall not call in a native doctor." Nnaemeka's father was known to be obstinately ahead of his more superstitious neighbours in these matters. "I will not be another Mrs. Ochuba. If my son wants to kill himself let him do it with his own hands. It is not for me to help him." Which statement best describes the cultural divide that this passage illustrates?

Some men in the village use Christianity as a guide, while others rely on local medicine.

Read the excerpt from "A Latina Judge's Voice" by Hon. Sonia Sotomayor. If I had pursued my career in my undergraduate history major, I would likely provide you with a very academic description of what being a Latino or Latina means. For example, I could define Latinos as those peoples and cultures populated or colonized by Spain who maintained or adopted Spanish or Spanish Creole as their language of communication. You can tell that I have been very well educated. That antiseptic description, however, does not really explain the appeal of morcilla—pig's intestine—to an American-born child. It does not provide an adequate explanation of why individuals like us, many of whom are born in this completely different American culture, still identify so strongly with those communities in which our parents were born and raised. What does Sotomayor accomplish by using the words "morcilla—pig's intestine"?

Sotomayor brings the audience's attention to the uniqueness of her culture.

Read the excerpt from "A Latina Judge's Voice" by Hon. Sonia Sotomayor. I also hope that by raising the question today of what difference having more Latinos and Latinas on the bench will make will start your own evaluation. For people of color and women lawyers, what does and should being an ethnic minority mean in your lawyering? For men lawyers, what areas in your experiences and attitudes do you need to work on to make you capable of reaching those great moments of enlightenment which other men in different circumstances have been able to reach? For all of us, how do [we] change the facts that in every task force study of gender and race bias in the courts, women and people of color, lawyers and judges alike, report in significantly higher percentages than white men that their gender and race has shaped their careers, from hiring, retention to promotion, and that a statistically significant number of women and minority lawyers and judges, both alike, have experienced bias in the courtroom? What is Sotomayor's intended purpose in posing three powerful questions in a row?

Sotomayor wants the audience to pose serious questions of their own about diversity on the bench.

Read this prompt. Create a multimedia presentation claiming that teaching children more than one language is beneficial to their brain development. Use research and evidence to support your opinion. Use persuasive techniques and a variety of visual aids in your presentation. Which statement provides the best support for this claim?

Speaking multiple languages improves comprehension and problem-solving skills.

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." Why should I lie about it? I am a priest and the son of a priest. If there are spirits, as they say, in the small Dead Places near us, what spirits must there not be in that great Place of the Gods? And would not they wish to speak? After such long years? I know that I felt myself drawn as a fish is drawn on a line. I had stepped out of my body—I could see my body asleep in front of the cold fire, but it was not I. I was drawn to look out upon the city of the gods. Which theme is reflected in this passage?

Spiritual experiences can lead to greater understanding.

Which sentence contains the strongest example of imagery?

Stars shimmered in the sky like a sea of tiny candles.

Read this prompt. Create a multimedia presentation for the claim that it is important to invest in early childhood education. Use research and evidence to support your opinion. Use persuasive techniques and a variety of visual aids in your presentation. Which statement provides the best support for this claim?

Students who had early childhood education perform better academically than students who did not.

Which sentence uses dashes correctly?

Sydney draws visitors from all around the world to see its iconic architectural masterpiece—the Sydney Opera House.

Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Dred Scott v. Sandford, written by Justice Taney. The question then arises, whether the provisions of the Constitution, in relation to the personal rights and privileges to which the citizen of a State should be entitled, embraced the negro African race, at that time in this country, or who might afterwards be imported, who had then or should afterwards be made free in any State; and to put it in the power of a single State to make him a citizen of the United States, and endue him with the full rights of citizenship in every other State without their consent? Does the Constitution of the United States act upon him whenever he shall be made free under the laws of a State, and raised there to the rank of a citizen, and immediately clothe him with all the privileges of a citizen in every other State, and in its own courts? Which statement could best be used as an effective counterclaim to this claim?

Taney cannot deny Scott citizenship because it is a federal right.

Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Dred Scott v. Sandford, written by Justice Taney. Upon the whole, therefore, it is the judgment of this court, that it appears by the record before us that the plaintiff in error is not a citizen of Missouri, in the sense in which that word is used in the Constitution; and that the Circuit Court of the United States, for that reason, had no jurisdiction in the case, and could give no judgment in it. Its judgment for the defendant must, consequently, be reversed, and a mandate issued, directing the suit to be dismissed for want of jurisdiction. What claim does Taney make in this passage?

The Missouri circuit court does not have jurisdiction in the case against Sanford.

Read the excerpt from act 4, scene 3, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. [CASSIUS.] A friend should bear his friend's infirmities,But Brutus makes mine greater than they are. BRUTUS. I do not, till you practice them on me. CASSIUS. You love me not. BRUTUS. I do not like your faults. CASSIUS. A friendly eye could never see such faults. BRUTUS. A flatterer's would not, though they do appearAs huge as high Olympus. How does the allusion in this passage connect to the central idea of the passage?

The allusion emphasizes the size of the faults that Brutus sees in Cassius, which will lead to an honest discussion of the roots of the friends' conflict.

Read the passage from an argumentative essay. Healthcare costs are becoming an issue for many Americans. In just two years, the average family has seen an increase of 3 percent in insurance costs. The increase rises to 25 percent when you include families who buy insurance on an exchange. At this rate, health care will soon be completely unaffordable for most Americans. Therefore, lowering the cost of health insurance must be a priority for lawmakers. Which statement best explains why the argument is logical?

The argument contains relevant reasons supported with facts and data.

Read the excerpt from "The Role of Social Media in the Arab Uprisings" by Heather Brown, Emily Guskin, and Amy Mitchell. Social media indeed played a part in the Arab uprisings. Networks formed online were crucial in organizing a core group of activists, specifically in Egypt. Civil society leaders in Arab countries emphasized the role of "the internet, mobile phones, and social media" in the protests. Additionally, digital media has been used by Arabs to exercise freedom of speech and as a space for civic engagement. Now, research is emerging that reexamines in a more detailed way the role that social media played in the Arab uprisings. In July 2012 a report was published by the United States Institute of Peace based on an extensive content analysis of bit.ly links from the uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Bahrain. Bit.ly links, or short URLs, are predominantly used in social media such as Twitter. The authors came to some conclusions that countered the initial assumption that social media was a causal mechanism in the uprisings. Which statement best evaluates the effectiveness of the evidence in the text?

The argument is convincing because the authors use varied forms of relevant evidence, including well-researched studies and verifiable data.

Read the passage from an argumentative essay. Vaccines are a safe and effective way to avoid harmful diseases. The proof lies in the history books—smallpox has not been seen in the United States since 1948, or anywhere else in the world since 1977. That is because smallpox vaccines eradicated the disease from the planet. Despite the obvious effectiveness of vaccination, opponents argue that vaccines can contain harmful ingredients, such as aluminum, which, in excess, may lead to neurological damage. However, until studies show a direct and irrefutable link between vaccines and harmful outcomes due to their ingredients, we should continue to give our bodies the best chance for survival by receiving vaccinations. Which statement best evaluates the effectiveness of the argument?

The argument is strong because the claim is supported by logical evidence and a counterclaim is considered.

Read the passage. The salaries of athletes who take part in professional sports are well earned and well deserved. These athletes benefit more than just fans like me. In a recent survey, 92 percent of children stated that they viewed at least one athlete as a role model; 75 percent go on to state that they learn about fair play and sportsmanship from professional athletes. While not all athletes exhibit sportsmanship, most kids focus on athletes with admirable traits, since 76 percent of children surveyed agree that it is never okay to taunt an opponent. Which statement best evaluates the evidence used in this argument?

The author presents empirical evidence, then uses logical evidence to highlight the connection between the data and the claim.

Which statement best describes how an author uses indirect characterization?

The author uses actions, thoughts, and speech to reveal character traits to an audience.

Read the excerpt from act 5, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. OCTAVIUS. Come, come, the cause. If arguing make us sweat,The proof of it will turn to redder drops.Look, I draw a sword against conspirators.When think you that the sword goes up again?Never, till Caesar's three and thirty woundsBe well avenged, or till another CaesarHave added slaughter to the sword of traitors. How does the motif in this passage connect to the central idea?

The blood motif suggests that revenge will lead to violence and death.

Which sentence correctly uses parallel structure?

The boss wants to know who can take the late shift tonight, who can open tomorrow morning, and who can work on the holiday.

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." When I woke, the sun was low. Looking down from where I lay, I saw a dog sitting on his haunches. His tongue was hanging out of his mouth; he looked as if he were laughing. He was a big dog, with a gray-brown coat, as big as a wolf. I sprang up and shouted at him but he did not move—he just sat there as if he were laughing. I did not like that. When I reached for a stone to throw, he moved swiftly out of the way of the stone. He was not afraid of me; he looked at me as if I were meat. No doubt I could have killed him with an arrow, but I did not know if there were others. Moreover, night was falling. Which statement best describes the primary conflict that the narrator experiences in this passage?

The conflict is character vs. nature, since the narrator encounters a dog that presents a danger to him.

Read the passage from "Two Kinds." When my mother told me this, I felt as though I had been sent to hell. I whined and then kicked my foot a little when I couldn't stand it anymore. "Why don't you like me the way I am? I'm not a genius! I can't play the piano. And even if I could, I wouldn't go on TV if you paid me a million dollars!" I cried. My mother slapped me. "Who ask you be genius?" she shouted. "Only ask you be your best. For you sake. You think I want you to be genius? Hnnh! What for! Who ask you!" "So ungrateful," I heard her mutter in Chinese, "If she had as much talent as she has temper, she would be famous now." Which cultural differences are revealed through this conflict? Select two options.

The daughter wants to be valued for what she is, while the mother believes that the girl should always strive to be more. The daughter believes that her mother should accept and love her, but the mother believes that she should help her daughter succeed.

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." That is all of my story, for then I knew he was a man—I knew then that they had been men, neither gods nor demons. It is a great knowledge, hard to tell and believe. They were men—they went a dark road, but they were men. I had no fear after that—I had no fear going home, though twice I fought off the dogs and once I was hunted for two days by the Forest People. When I saw my father again, I prayed and was purified. He touched my lips and my breast, he said, "You went away a boy. You come back a man and a priest." I said, "Father, they were men! I have been in the Place of the Gods and seen it! Now slay me, if it is the law—but still I know they were men." How does the dialogue support the theme of the passage?

The dialogue supports the theme that knowledge is gained by taking risks, because it illustrates that the narrator makes a discovery by breaking the rules.

Amira is writing a literary analysis of Amy Tan's "Two Kinds," Maxine Hong Kingston's The Woman Warrior, and Jade Snow Wong's Fifth Chinese Daughter. Which thesis statement is the most effective?

The difference between a child's desires and a parent's dreams can lead to conflict and rebellion, as shown in Amy Tan's "Two Kinds," Maxine Hong Kingston's The Woman Warrior, and Jade Snow Wong's Fifth Chinese Daughter.

Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Brown v. Board of Education, written by Justice Warren. Segregation of white and colored children in public schools has a detrimental effect upon the colored children. The impact is greater when it has the sanction of the law, for the policy of separating the races is usually interpreted as denoting the inferiority of the negro group. A sense of inferiority affects the motivation of a child to learn. Segregation with the sanction of law, therefore, has a tendency to [retard] the educational and mental development of negro children and to deprive them of some of the benefits they would receive in a racial[ly] integrated school system. Whatever may have been the extent of psychological knowledge at the time of Plessy v. Ferguson, this finding is amply supported by modern authority. Any language in Plessy v. Ferguson contrary to this finding is rejected. We conclude that, in the field of public education, the doctrine of "separate but equal" has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. Therefore, we hold that the plaintiffs and others similarly situated for whom the actions have been brought are, by reason of the segregation complained of, deprived of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. Which statement accurately summarizes the opinion of the court?

The doctrine of "separate but equal" takes away African American citizens' rights to an equal public education.

Read the two passages from A Raisin in the Sun. Passage 1: MAN (coming in): Thank you. BENEATHA: My mother isn't here just now. Is it business? MAN: Yes . . . well, of a sort. WALTER (freely, the Man of the House): Have a seat. I'm Mrs. Younger's son. I look after most of her business matters. RUTH and BENEATHA exchange amused glances. Passage 2: MAMA (to WALTER): Son—(She goes to him, bends down to him, talks to his bent head.) Son . . . Is it gone? Son, I gave you sixty-five hundred dollars. Is it gone? All of it? Beneatha's money too? WALTER (lifting his head slowly): Mama . . . I never . . . went to the bank at all . . . MAMA (not wanting to believe him): You mean . . . your sister's school money . . . you used that too . . . Walter? . . . WALTER: Yessss! All of it . . . It's all gone . . . There is total silence. RUTH stands with her face covered with her hands; BENEATHA leans forlornly against a wall, fingering a piece of red ribbon from the mother's gift. MAMA stops and looks at her son without recognition and then, quite without thinking about it, starts to beat him senselessly in the face. BENEATHA goes to them and stops it. BENEATHA: Mama! MAMA stops and looks at both of her children and rises slowly and wanders vaguely, aimlessly away from them. Which statement best compares the two passages?

The first passage hints that the family should not trust Walter with money or business matters, and the second passage confirms it.

Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince. But when cities or countries are accustomed to live under a prince, and his family is exterminated, they, being on the one hand accustomed to obey and on the other hand not having the old prince, cannot agree in making one from amongst themselves, and they do not know how to govern themselves. For this reason they are very slow to take up arms, and a prince can gain them to himself and secure them much more easily. What features of the passage identify it as using a cause-and-effect structure? Select three options.

The first sentence lists specific conditions followed by what might eventually happen. The second sentence starts with the expression "for this reason." The second sentence lists potential consequences of the situation described.

Read the passage. Social media is here to stay. No amount of complaining by a generation who cannot even turn on a computer will change the fact that we live in a social media world. Increasing access to social media for people who are unfamiliar with it or afraid of using it should be the first step toward making the playing field a bit more even for everyone. The author is thinking of adding one of these sentences to the end of the passage. Which sentence contains a fallacy?

The global community has a strong access model, and we don't want to be left behind.

Read the headline. Governor Raids Funding for After-School Programs for Preschoolers Which statement best evaluates the objectivity of the headline?

The headline is not objective because the word raids adds emotion to the language.

Hannah is writing an argument about free speech on the internet. Read her claim. The danger is that protection will turn into censorship, eroding our constitutional right to freedom of speech. What reasons can Hannah use to support her claim? Select two options.

The internet is one place people can speak their minds without fear. It is impossible to know whether the people we entrust with the job of judging online content will act in our best interests.

Read the claim. Human bodies have developed over time to support a vegetarian diet. Which sentence provides the best supporting evidence for the claim?

The length of human intestines is better suited to digest food derived from plants than to digest meat.

Read the excerpt from act 3, scene 2, of Julius Caesar. ANTONY. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.The evil that men do lives after them;The good is oft interrèd with their bones.So let it be with Caesar. The noble BrutusHath told you Caesar was ambitious.If it were so, it was a grievous fault,And grievously hath Caesar answered it. What are the central ideas of this excerpt? Select two options.

The mistakes men make are remembered after their deaths, but their merits die with them. If Caesar was power hungry, it was a serious flaw, and he paid seriously for it.

Which statement best explains the cultural conflict that occurs between the mother and the daughter in "Two Kinds"?

The mother has moved to the United States from China and wants to preserve the Chinese family structure, but the daughter wants independence like a US teenager.

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." At first I was afraid to approach him—then the fear left me. He was sitting looking out over the city—he was dressed in the clothes of the gods. His age was neither young nor old—I could not tell his age. But there was wisdom in his face and great sadness. You could see that he would have not run away. He had sat at his window, watching his city die—then he himself had died. But it is better to lose one's life than one's spirit—and you could see from the face that his spirit had not been lost. I knew, that, if I touched him, he would fall into dust—and yet, there was something unconquered in the face. How does the conflict at the beginning of the paragraph move the plot forward?

The narrator realizes that the god was a man.

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." When I woke, the sun was low. Looking down from where I lay, I saw a dog sitting on his haunches. His tongue was hanging out of his mouth; he looked as if he were laughing. He was a big dog, with a gray-brown coat, as big as a wolf. I sprang up and shouted at him but he did not move—he just sat there as if he were laughing. I did not like that. When I reached for a stone to throw, he moved swiftly out of the way of the stone. He was not afraid of me; he looked at me as if I were meat. No doubt I could have killed him with an arrow, but I did not know if there were others. Moreover, night was falling. How does the narrator react to the conflict in this passage?

The narrator remains calm and levelheaded as he tries to get away from the dog.

Read the definitions. com = with ple = to complete pli = to be courteous, to comply with ment = an action or object Which sentence uses the underlined word correctly?

The necklace was a perfect complement to her outfit.

Which sentence is correctly punctuated?

The observatory theater has three weekday showings—11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.

Read the passage from "Marriage Is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe. "I shall never see her," was the reply. From that night the father scarcely spoke to his son. He did not, however, cease hoping that he would realize how serious was the danger he was heading for. Day and night he put him in his prayers. Nnaemeka, for his own part, was very deeply affected by his father's grief. But he kept hoping that it would pass away. If it had occurred to him that never in the history of his people had a man married a woman who spoke a different tongue, he might have been less optimistic. "It has never been heard," was the verdict of an old man speaking a few weeks later. In that short sentence he spoke for all of his people. This man had come with others to commiserate with Okeke when news went round about his son's behaviour. By that time the son had gone back to Lagos. "It has never been heard," said the old man again with a sad shake of his head. "What did Our Lord say?" asked another gentleman. "Sons shall rise against their fathers; it is there in the Holy Book." "It is the beginning of the end," said another. How does this passage reinforce the traditional social hierarchy?

The older men in the village commiserate with Okeke regarding Nnaemeka's decision to disobey him.

Read the passage. (1) State leaders must ensure the safety of all citizens by stopping the construction of landfills. (2) Piles of garbage in an area close to homes can cause harmful diseases. (3) My uncle lived very close to a landfill and recently became very ill. (4) I am certain that many of his neighbors have also suffered due to the harmful nature of the landfill. What is the most accurate analysis of the reason presented in the second sentence?

The reason is not logically sound, because the writer does not include strong factual evidence.

Read the sentence. The children, who were lucky, got presents. Which statements accurately describe the sentence? Select two options.

The sentence contains a nonrestrictive clause. All of the children got presents.

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." All the same, when I came to the Place of the Gods, I was afraid, afraid. The current of the great river is very strong—it gripped my raft with its hands. That was magic, for the river itself is wide and calm. I could feel evil spirits about me, I was swept down the stream. Never have I been so much alone—I tried to think of my knowledge, but it was a squirrel's heap of winter nuts. There was no strength in my knowledge any more and I felt small and naked as a new-hatched bird—alone upon the great river, the servant of the gods. Which statement best explains how the narrator interacts with the setting?

The setting makes him lose hope.

Read the excerpt from act 2, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. CASCA. Let us not leave him out. CINNA. No, by no means. METELLUS. O, let us have him, for his silver hairsWill purchase us a good opinion,And buy men's voices to commend our deeds.It shall be said his judgment ruled our hands.Our youths and wildness shall no whit appear,But all be buried in his gravity. BRUTUS. O, name him not. Let us not break with him,For he will never follow anythingThat other men begin. CASSIUS. Then leave him out. CASCA. Indeed he is not fit. What is this scene's impact on the audience? Select two options.

The verbal irony adds some humor to the scene. The verbal irony shows the audience that Casca is easily led.

Read the passage. The cost of health care is rising in America. The amount that an average family must pay for insurance is simply unaffordable. I know this because my family is an average American family—and we are worried. The people who make decisions about health care do not seem to think about the effect of the rising costs on hardworking people like my husband and me. Which statement best explains why the evidence provided in the text is a fallacy?

The writer uses an appeal to emotion by portraying her family as abandoned by policy makers.

What are the characteristics of a theme in literature? Select two options.

Theme is established through the conflicts and their resolution. Theme is conveyed as a message about a topic related to the plot.

Read this paragraph from chapter 5 of The Prince. Whenever those states which have been acquired as stated have been accustomed to live under their own laws and in freedom, there are three courses for those who wish to hold them: the first is to ruin them, the next is to reside there in person, the third is to permit them to live under their own laws, drawing a tribute, and establishing within it an oligarchy which will keep it friendly to you. Because such a government, being created by the prince, knows that it cannot stand without his friendship and interest, and does its utmost to support him; and therefore he who would keep a city accustomed to freedom will hold it more easily by the means of its own citizens than in any other way. What is the most important idea the author wants readers to know?

There are three means of holding a newly acquired state that is accustomed to freedom.

What do the words partial, palatial, and potential have in common?

They have the same suffix.

How are paraphrasing and summarizing similar? Select three options.

They include details of the text. They are written with new words. They include the main idea of the original text.

Which statements are true of external conflicts? Select three options.

They propel the plot of a story. They take place between two characters in a story. They happen when a character is at odds with society.

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Nora: Hide the Christmas Tree carefully, Helen. Be sure the children do not see it until this evening, when it is dressed. [To the porter, taking out her purse.] How much? Porter: Sixpence. Nora: There is a shilling. No, keep the change. [The porter thanks her, and goes out. Nora shuts the door. She is laughing to herself, as she takes off her hat and coat. She takes a packet of macaroons from her pocket and eats one or two; then goes cautiously to her husband's door and listens.] Yes, he is in. [Still humming, she goes to the table on the right.] What do the stage directions tell the reader about Nora?

They show Nora's mood and her approach to her husband.

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Nora: Really! Did a big dog run after you? But it didn't bite you? No, dogs don't bite nice little dolly children. You mustn't look at the parcels, Ivar. What are they? Ah, I daresay you would like to know. No, no—it's something nasty! Come, let us have a game! What shall we play at? Hide and Seek? Yes, we'll play Hide and Seek. Bob shall hide first. Must I hide? Very well, I'll hide first. [She and the children laugh and shout, and romp in and out of the room; at last NORA hides under the table, the children rush in and out for her, but do not see her; they hear her smothered laughter, run to the table, lift up the cloth and find her. Shouts of laughter. She crawls forward and pretends to frighten them. Fresh laughter. Meanwhile there has been a knock at the hall door, but none of them has noticed it. The door is half opened, and KROGSTAD appears, he waits a little; the game goes on.] Krogstad: Excuse me, Mrs. Helmer: Nora: [with a stifled cry, turns round and gets up on to her knees] Ah! what do you want? Krogstad: Excuse me, the outer door was ajar; I suppose someone forgot to shut it. Nora: [rising] My husband is out, Mr. Krogstad. How do the stage directions in brackets affect the meaning of the text?

They show that Nora goes from playing happily with her children to being startled by Krogstad, an unwelcome visitor.

Read the excerpt from Frederick Douglass's July 4, 1852, speech on the hypocrisy of American slavery. Douglass was an abolitionist and a formerly enslaved person. Whether we turn to the declarations of the past, or to the professions of the present, the conduct of the nation seems equally hideous and revolting. America is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future. How do the words hideous, revolting, and false most affect the tone and meaning of this passage?

They show the speaker's disgust over slavery.

Read the passage from chapter 17 of The Prince. Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred; because he can endure very well being feared whilst he is not hated, which will always be as long as he abstains from the property of his citizens and subjects and from their women. But when it is necessary for him to proceed against the life of someone, he must do it on proper justification and for manifest cause, but above all things he must keep his hands off the property of others, because men more quickly forget the death of their father than the loss of their patrimony. Besides, pretexts for taking away the property are never wanting; for he who has once begun to live by robbery will always find pretexts for seizing what belongs to others; but reasons for taking life, on the contrary, are more difficult to find and sooner lapse. But when a prince is with his army, and has under control a multitude of soldiers, then it is quite necessary for him to disregard the reputation of cruelty, for without it he would never hold his army united or disposed to its duties. What impact do the words feared and hatred have on the meaning of the passage?

They suggest that a ruler who is feared can retain power, while a ruler who is hated is less likely to do so.

Read the passage from "Marriage Is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe. The prejudice against Nnaemeka's marriage was not confined to his little village. In Lagos, especially among his people who worked there, it showed itself in a different way. Their women, when they met at their village meeting, were not hostile to Nene. Rather, they paid her such excessive deference as to make her feel she was not one of them. But as time went on, Nene gradually broke through some of this prejudice and even began to make friends among them. Slowly and grudgingly they began to admit that she kept her home much better than most of them. What cultural value is revealed through the women's actions toward Nene?

They value strong housekeeping skills.

Read the scenario. The editor-in-chief of a magazine emails this list to her entire staff: -Seek the truth without bias. -Always fact-check your information. -Never compromise your principles. Which statement about this list is most likely true?

This list is a code of ethics, because it is a set of guidelines based on ideals.

Read the excerpt from act 5, scene 3, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. MESSALA. Seek him, Titinius, whilst I go to meetThe noble Brutus, thrusting this reportInto his ears. I may say, "thrusting" it,For piercing steel and darts envenomedShall be as welcome to the ears of BrutusAs tidings of this sight. TITINIUS. Hie you, Messala,And I will seek for Pindarus the while. [Exit MESSALA] Why didst thou send me forth, brave Cassius?Did I not meet thy friends, and did not theyPut on my brows this wreath of victory,And bid me give it thee? Didst thou not hear their shouts?Alas, thou hast misconstrued everything!But hold thee, take this garland on thy brow.Thy Brutus bid me give it thee, and IWill do his bidding. Brutus, come apace,And see how I regarded Caius Cassius.By your leave, gods,—this is a Roman's part:Come, Cassius' sword, and find Titinius' heart. What moral dilemma does this excerpt express?

Titinius feels guilty that Cassius is dead, and decides he must kill himself.

Read the passage from A Raisin in the Sun. MAMA (to WALTER): Son—(She goes to him, bends down to him, talks to his bent head.) Son . . . Is it gone? Son, I gave you sixty-five hundred dollars. Is it gone? All of it? Beneatha's money too? WALTER (lifting his head slowly): Mama . . . I never . . . went to the bank at all . . . MAMA (not wanting to believe him): You mean . . . your sister's school money . . . you used that too . . . Walter? . . . WALTER: Yessss! All of it . . . It's all gone . . . There is total silence. RUTH stands with her face covered with her hands; BENEATHA leans forlornly against a wall, fingering a piece of red ribbon from the mother's gift. MAMA stops and looks at her son without recognition and then, quite without thinking about it, starts to beat him senselessly in the face. BENEATHA goes to them and stops it. BENEATHA: Mama! MAMA stops and looks at both of her children and rises slowly and wanders vaguely, aimlessly away from them. MAMA: I seen . . . him . . . night after night . . . come in . . . and look at that rug . . . and then look at me . . . the red showing in his eyes . . . the veins moving in his head . . . I seen him grow thin and old before he was forty . . . working and working and working like somebody's old horse . . . killing himself . . . and you—you give it all away in a day— (She raises her arms to strike him again.) BENEATHA: Mama— MAMA: Oh, God . . . (She looks up to Him.) Look down here—and show me the strength. Which statement is the best summary of the theme in this passage?

Unintentional betrayal can lead to severe consequences.

Which headlines can be considered objective? Select two options.

University Athletic Director Resigns amid Controversy Softball League Umpire Admits Error on Final Play

Which statement from a city mayor's speech is an example of hyperbole?

Voting in the municipal election is a matter of life and death.

Which sentences correctly use parentheses? Select two options.

We went to the state fair (held in the state capital) for the first time this year. For my birthday, my parents got me tickets to Hamilton (my favorite musical!).

What is an example of an effective rhetorical question in a presentation about the importance of investing in clean water?

What would happen to long-term health if everyone had access to clean water?

Read the excerpt from act 3 of A Doll's House. Helmer [kissing her on the forehead]: Goodnight, my little singing-bird. Sleep sound, Nora. Now I will read my letters through. [He takes his letters and goes into his room, shutting the door after him.] Nora [gropes distractedly about, seizes HELMER'S domino, throws it round her, while she says in quick, hoarse, spasmodic whispers]: Never to see him again. Never! Never! [Puts her shawl over her head.] Never to see my children again either—never again. Never! Never!—Ah! the icy, black water—the unfathomable depths—If only it were over! He has got it now—now he is reading it. Goodbye, Torvald and my children! [She is about to rush out through the hall, when HELMER opens his door hurriedly and stands with an open letter in his hand.] How do the stage directions best support the theme that the truth can never be hidden? Select two options.

When Nora wraps her shawl around herself, she is attempting to hide from Helmer and symbolically keep her secrets hidden. When Helmer stands with the open letter, he is showing Nora that he knows of her actions and wants to confront her.

Karol is writing an argumentative essay for his high school paper. Read his claim. Classes should not begin before 9 a.m. Which statements provide the best evidence to support his claim? Select two options.

When teenagers get enough sleep, fewer use drugs or become depressed. Students who drive to school when tired are more likely to have accidents.

Read the passage from "By the Waters of Babylon." After a while, I knew that my belly was hungry. I could have hunted for my meat, but I did not hunt. It is known that the gods did not hunt as we do—they got their food from enchanted boxes and jars. Sometimes these are still found in the Dead Places—once, when I was a child and foolish, I opened such a jar and tasted it and found the food sweet. But my father found out and punished me for it strictly, for, often, that food is death. Now, though, I had long gone past what was forbidden, and I entered the likeliest towers, looking for the food of the gods. I found it at last in the ruins of a great temple in the mid-city. A mighty temple it must have been, for the roof was painted like the sky at night with its stars—that much I could see, though the colors were faint and dim. It went down into great caves and tunnels—perhaps they kept their slaves there. But when I started to climb down, I heard the squeaking of rats, so I did not go—rats are unclean, and there must have been many tribes of them, from the squeaking. But near there, I found food, in the heart of a ruin, behind a door that still opened. I ate only the fruits from the jars—they had a very sweet taste. How does the resolution in this passage help develop the theme about rules?

When the narrator decides to ignore his father's words and eat the food of the gods, he realizes that he is learning to make his own choices.

Which scenario is an example of extrinsic motivation?

When the temperature suddenly dropped, Lacey ran into a heated shop to warm up.

Which questions may be applied to a literary analysis from a historical approach? Select two options.

Who was the intended audience at the time of publication? What social, political, and cultural forces prevailed when the text was written?

Which statements use rhetorical devices? Select two options.

Without a solution, we are in trouble. Without a solution, the trouble will be great. We do not need a solution right away, since two days is plenty of time to solve this global issue.

Read the excerpt from act 3 of A Doll's House. Nora: And I—how am I fitted to bring up the children? Helmer: Nora! Nora: Didn't you say so yourself a little while ago—that you dare not trust me to bring them up? Helmer: In a moment of anger! Why do you pay any heed to that? Nora: Indeed, you were perfectly right. I am not fit for the task. There is another task I must undertake first. I must try and educate myself—you are not the man to help me in that. I must do that for myself. And that is why I am going to leave you now. Helmer [springing up]: What do you say? Nora: I must stand quite alone, if I am to understand myself and everything about me. It is for that reason that I cannot remain with you any longer. Which 1800s societal expectation does the excerpt most challenge?

Women were expected to raise children and be caregivers.

Read the passage from chapter 17 of The Prince. Among the wonderful deeds of Hannibal this one is enumerated: that having led an enormous army, composed of many various races of men, to fight in foreign lands, no dissensions arose either among them or against the prince, whether in his bad or in his good fortune. This arose from nothing else than his inhuman cruelty, which, with his boundless valour, made him revered and terrible in the sight of his soldiers, but without that cruelty, his other virtues were not sufficient to produce this effect. How does the author's diction affect the tone in this passage?

Words like wonderful, boundless, valour, revered, and virtues support a tone of admiration.

Read the excerpt from a news report. A local youth group, collaborating with Splash and Dash Car Wash, raised more than $450 for their annual trip to Washington, DC. These boys and girls, who work as mentors for younger children in our community, set a goal, organized the plan for a car wash, and worked with local businesses to find the perfect partner for their project. Working side by side with Splash and Dash Car Wash employees, the group washed nearly one hundred cars. As a result, they surpassed their fundraising goals and are able to focus on planning their trip. One student said, "This car wash was successful beyond our wildest dreams." The trip to Washington, DC, is scheduled for May 19. While they visit the nation's capital, students will tour the monuments, explore the Smithsonian museums, and meet with other youth groups from around the country. They are scheduled to leave early in the morning on May 19. The manager of Splash and Dash said that he and his staff will be there to see the students off on their trip. "These kids are our future leaders. It is wonderful to see their hard work rewarded," he said. Which headline best matches the subject and language of the article?

Youth Group's Successful Car Wash Funds Trip to DC

Read this prompt. Create a multimedia presentation about the harmfulness of standard farming methods that use pesticides, as compared to organic farming techniques. Use research and evidence to support your opinion. Use persuasive techniques and a variety of visual aids in your presentation. What would be the most effective visual aid for this prompt?

a chart showing how commonly used chemicals negatively affect farmers' health

What is an effective claim in an argumentative essay?

a clear statement that can be argued in favor of or against using reasoning

What is the most accurate definition of resolution?

a conclusion to the entire plot

Read the sample body paragraph. Dorothy's experiences in The Wizard of Oz provide an example of the idea of being lost and feeling confused. Most readers can relate to this feeling from a variety of personal experiences. This universal truth allows readers to connect to the character, and in turn to feel less lonely and isolated themselves. What type of evidence should be added to this paragraph to support the stated reason?

a description of Dorothy's specific experience

What is foreshadowing?

a literary technique that gives hints about the future and builds suspense in a drama

Consider this claim from an editorial. Candidate Wilkins is the best choice for state representative because of her ability to inspire young people to vote. Which examples of evidence would best support this claim? Select three options.

a live television report from a youth fundraiser for Wilkins's campaign a printed transcript of a campaign speech given by Wilkins at a local high school a graph showing an increase in social media posts from young people about Wilkins during the campaign

Read the excerpt from Franklin Roosevelt's request for a declaration of war. It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. Which best describes the type of appeal used in this part of the speech?

a logical appeal

Read the excerpt from Ronald Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" speech. While we pursue these arms reductions, I pledge to you that we will maintain the capacity to deter Soviet aggression at any level at which it might occur. And in cooperation with many of our allies, the United States is pursuing the Strategic Defense Initiative—research to base deterrence not on the threat of offensive retaliation, but on defenses that truly defend; on systems, in short, that will not target populations, but shield them. By these means we seek to increase the safety of Europe and all the world. Which type of appeal is used in this part of the speech?

a logical appeal

What is a monologue?

a long address given by a character in a story, movie, or play

What is a universal theme?

a message about the human condition that people, regardless of differences, understand on a personal level

What is the best definition of an appositive?

a noun or noun phrase that modifies a noun

Read this prompt. Create a multimedia presentation about clothing and waste. Use research and evidence to support your opinion. Use persuasive techniques and a variety of visual aids in your presentation. Which is the most effective combination of visual aids for this prompt?

a photo of a landfill full of clothing and a graph showing statistics on how much clothing gets thrown away

What is the definition of catharsis?

a process in a tragedy in which a character heals, often through a painful realization

Read the reason from a body paragraph of an interpretive literary analysis. In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, the main character's indecisiveness and inability to remove an evil king from power causes the deaths of several other characters, leading to his own death. What evidence should be added to the sample paragraph to support the reason?

a quotation from Hamlet that gives an example of a death caused by indecision

Read the body paragraph from an interpretive analysis of literary texts. Amy Tan uses figurative language in "Two Kinds" to express a young Chinese American girl's frustration with her mother's expectation of perfection. Tan's main character remembers thinking, "Such a sad, ugly girl! I made high-pitched noises like a crazed animal, trying to scratch out the face in the mirror." What should come next in this body paragraph?

a reason that supports the writer's thesis

What are the characteristics of fixed poetry? Select three options.

a regular rhyme scheme lines of equal length a set number of lines

What should a strong conclusion in a literary analysis always include? Select three options.

a restatement of the quotation a rephrased thesis statement a summary of the main points

Which multimedia element would best appeal to an audience's sense of ethics in a presentation about managing privacy in the healthcare system?

a video testimonial about a doctor using a patient's records for improper reasons

Read the passage from an argumentative essay. (1) Bernie Sanders has argued that no one should have to pay tuition to go to college. (2) This will only increase the tax burden on the middle classes. To improve the relationship between ideas, the writer should revise sentence 2 by

adding "however" to the beginning of the sentence.

Where should the writer include a counterclaim in an argumentative essay?

after the supporting evidence for the claim

In the introductory paragraph of a literary analysis, where should writers place their viewpoint of the quotation they analyze?

after their interpretation of the quotation

Which words contain a suffix? Select two options.

amplify brilliance

The term pathos is best defined as

an appeal to emotions.

Which best defines a logical fallacy?

an error in reasoning

What elements does an effective interpretation of a quotation in a literary analysis always contain? Select three options.

an explanation of the meaning in the interpretation an explanation of the author's viewpoint an explanation of the connection to literature

Read the passage from "Two Kinds." In spite of these warning signs, I wasn't worried. Our family had no piano and we couldn't afford to buy one, let alone reams of sheet music and piano lessons. So I could be generous in my comments when my mother bad-mouthed the little girl on TV. "Play note right, but doesn't sound good! No singing sound," complained my mother. "What are you picking on her for?" I said carelessly. "She's pretty good. Maybe she's not the best, but she's trying hard." I knew almost immediately I would be sorry I said that. "Just like you," she said. "Not the best. Because you not trying." She gave a little huff as she let go of the sound dial and sat down on the sofa. The little Chinese girl sat down also to play an encore of "Anitra's Dance" by Grieg. I remember the song, because later on I had to learn how to play it. What conflict occurs in the passage?

an external conflict between the narrator and her mother over whether the girl on television is playing well

Read the passage from "Two Kinds." "You want me to be something that I'm not!" I sobbed. "I'll never be the kind of daughter you want me to be!" "Only two kinds of daughters," she shouted in Chinese. "Those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind! Only one kind of daughter can live in this house. Obedient daughter!" "Then I wish I weren't your daughter. I wish you weren't my mother," I shouted. As I said these things I got scared. It felt like worms and toads and slimy things crawling out of my chest, but it also felt good, as if this awful side of me had surfaced, at last. "Too late change this," said my mother shrilly. And I could sense her anger rising to its breaking point. I wanted see it spill over. And that's when I remembered the babies she had lost in China, the ones we never talked about. "Then I wish I'd never been born!" I shouted. "I wish I were dead! Like them." Which conflicts are revealed in the passage? Select two options.

an internal conflict within the narrator, who is frightened by the extremity of her anger at her mother an external conflict between the narrator, who is demanding independence, and her mother, who is demanding obedience

Read the passage from "Two Kinds." In fact, in the beginning, I was just as excited as my mother, maybe even more so. I pictured this prodigy part of me as many different images, trying each one on for size. I was a dainty ballerina girl standing by the curtains, waiting to hear the right music that would send me floating on my tiptoes. I was like the Christ child lifted out of the straw manger, crying with holy indignity. I was Cinderella stepping from her pumpkin carriage with sparkly cartoon music filling the air. In all of my imaginings, I was filled with a sense that I would soon become perfect. My mother and father would adore me. I would be beyond reproach. I would never feel the need to sulk for anything. But sometimes the prodigy in me became impatient. "If you don't hurry up and get me out of here, I'm disappearing for good," it warned. "And then you'll always be nothing." What conflict is indicated by the underlined sentences?

an internal conflict within the narrator, who wants to be a prodigy but has not found the right activity

Read the excerpt from act 5, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. CASSIUS. Why, now, blow wind, swell billow, and swim bark!The storm is up, and all is on the hazard. The storm imagery functions as what motif in the play?

an omen suggesting a tragic end to the battle

Read the sentence. The English poet and playwright William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in the mid-1500s. Which terms describe the underlined portion of the sentence? Select three options.

appositive phrase restrictive

Which type of fallacy uses circular reasoning to support an argument?

begging the claim

Read the definitions. bio = life anthrop = human micro- = small meteoro = high in the air -logy = study of Which word is spelled correctly?

biology

What are the most effective techniques to present text in a multimedia presentation? Select three options.

bulleted text headings quotations

Read the passage. (1) Ask young people today if they know of anyone who has had smallpox, and they might ask, "What's smallpox?" (2) That is because this disease was eradicated from the planet decades ago, thanks to vaccinations. (3) Despite the obvious effectiveness of vaccination, opponents of this procedure argue that humans are better off fighting diseases on their own without adding anything potentially harmful to their bodies. (4) Still, the American Academy of Pediatrics says that vaccines can be 99 percent effective, and the Centers for Disease Control claims that, over a 10-year period, vaccines allowed 322 million children to avoid illnesses. (5) So the next time someone tells you that vaccines are poisoned apples that will lead to a fate like Snow White's, counter their argument with the facts. (6) The bottom line is that vaccines are safe to use and save lives. How can the writer use understatement in this passage?

by adding the phrase "so a few lives might be saved" to the end of sentence 4

Read the excerpt from "The Role of Social Media in the Arab Uprisings" by Heather Brown, Emily Guskin, and Amy Mitchell. Now, research is emerging that reexamines in a more detailed way the role that social media played in the Arab uprisings. In July 2012 a report was published by the United States Institute of Peace based on an extensive content analysis of bit.ly links from the uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Bahrain. Bit.ly links, or short URLs, are predominantly used in social media such as Twitter. The authors came to some conclusions that countered the initial assumption that social media was a causal mechanism in the uprisings. Instead, the study suggests that the importance of social media was in communicating to the rest of the world what was happening on the ground during the uprisings. How do the authors support the claim in this passage?

by examining the type of web links that were generated in nations that took part in the Arab uprisings

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Nora: Good gracious, can't you understand? There was no old gentleman at all; it was only something that I used to sit here and imagine, when I couldn't think of any way of procuring money. But it's all the same now; the tiresome old person can stay where he is, as far as I am concerned; I don't care about him or his will either, for I am free from care now. [Jumps up.] My goodness, it's delightful to think of, Christine! Free from care! To be able to be free from care, quite free from care; to be able to play and romp with the children; to be able to keep the house beautifully and have everything just as Torvald likes it! And, think of it, soon the spring will come and the big blue sky! Perhaps we shall be able to take a little trip—perhaps I shall see the sea again! Oh, it's a wonderful thing to be alive and be happy. [A bell is heard in the hall.] How does the author use Nora to explore a social issue?

by exploring the benefits of living with no debt

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Nora: Speak low. Suppose Torvald were to hear! He mustn't on any account—no one in the world must know, Christine, except you. Mrs. Linde: But what is it? Nora: Come here. [Pulls her down on the sofa beside her.] Now I will show you that I too have something to be proud and glad of. It was I who saved Torvald's life. Mrs. Linde: "Saved"? How? Nora: I told you about our trip to Italy. Torvald would never have recovered if he had not gone there— Mrs. Linde: Yes, but your father gave you the necessary funds. Nora: [smiling] Yes, that is what Torvald and all the others think, but— Mrs. Linde: But— Nora: Papa didn't give us a shilling. It was I who procured the money. How does the author develop a social issue in this passage?

by introducing the conflict that Nora is proud of her accomplishment but has to keep it secret

How does a writer support a counterclaim after stating it? Select three options.

by restating the original claim by providing reasons by supporting it with evidence

Read the passage from A Doll's House. Helmer: That is like a woman! But seriously, Nora, you know what I think about that. No debt, no borrowing. There can be no freedom or beauty about a home life that depends on borrowing and debt. We two have kept bravely on the straight road so far, and we will go on the same way for the short time longer that there need be any struggle. Nora: [moving towards the stove]. As you please, Torvald. Helmer: [following her]. Come, come, my little skylark must not droop her wings. What is this! Is my little squirrel out of temper? [Taking out his purse.] Nora, what do you think I have got here? Nora: [turning around quickly]. Money! Helmer: There you are. [Gives her some money.] Do you think I don't know what a lot is wanted for housekeeping at Christmas-time? Nora: [counting]. Ten shillings—a pound—two pounds! Thank you, thank you, Torvald; that will keep me going for a long time. Helmer: Indeed it must. How does the author use the character of Torvald Helmer to explore a social issue?

by revealing attitudes related to spending and saving that many men held during the Victorian era

Read the passage. (1) Fights have been a part of hockey for decades, but should they continue to characterize the sport? (2) For my part, I believe that fighting should not be allowed in hockey. (3) Hockey fights lead to injuries for the players, such as pulled muscles and concussions. (4) Hockey fights set a poor example for fans watching, particularly children. (5) Children will look to athletes as role models and mimic their behaviors, leading to violence or injuries. How can the passage best be revised to eliminate logical fallacies and improve clarity? Select three options.

by revising sentence 5 to eliminate the use of slippery slope by adding the transition for example to the beginning of sentence 5

When revising an essay, how can a writer best connect ideas more clearly?

by using transitions to create logical relationships among the claim, reasons, and evidence

Read the chart. HOMOPHONE MEANING by beside or near buy to purchase something bye expression that is short for goodbye Choose the correct homophones to complete the sentence. Jiya went to the shop _____ the dentist's office to _____ materials for her project.

by, buy

Which scenarios are examples of internal conflict? Select two options.

character feeling guilty a character weighing options

Read the passage from "Two Kinds." I had assumed that my talent-show fiasco meant I never had to play the piano again. But two days later, after school, my mother came out of the kitchen and saw me watching TV. "Four clock," she reminded me as if it were any other day. I was stunned, as though she were asking me to go through the talent-show torture again. I wedged myself more tightly in front of the TV. "Turn off TV," she called from the kitchen five minutes later. I didn't budge. And then I decided. I didn't have to do what mother said anymore. I wasn't her slave. This wasn't China. I had listened to her before and look what happened. She was the stupid one. She came out from the kitchen and stood in the arched entryway of the living room. "Four clock," she said once again, louder. "I'm not going to play anymore," I said nonchalantly. "Why should I? I'm not a genius." She walked over and stood in front of the TV. I saw her chest was heaving up and down in an angry way. "No!" I said, and I now felt stronger, as if my true self had finally emerged. So this was what had been inside me all along. "No! I won't!" I screamed. What type of conflict occurs in the passage?

character vs. character

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 1, scene 2. CASCA. Why, there was a crown offered him: and beingoffered him, he put it by with the back of his hand,thus; and then the people fell a-shouting.230 BRUTUS. What was the second noise for? CASCA. Why, for that too. CASSIUS. They shouted thrice. What was the last cry for? CASCA. Why, for that too. BRUTUS. Was the crown offered him thrice?235 CASCA. Ay, marry, was't; and he put it by thrice, everytime gentler than other; and at every putting by,mine honest neighbours shouted. What kind of conflict does this passage best illustrate?

character vs. society

Read the excerpt from act 4, scene 1, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. [ANTONY.] And now, Octavius,Listen great things—Brutus and CassiusAre levying powers. We must straight make head.Therefore let our alliance be combined,Our best friends made, our means stretched,And let us presently go sit in council,How covert matters may be best disclosed,And open perils surest answerèd. OCTAVIUS. Let us do so: for we are at the stake,And bayed about with many enemies;And some that smile have in their hearts, I fear,Millions of mischiefs. What type of conflict does this interaction describe?

character vs. society

What are types of external conflict in literature? Select three options.

character vs. society character vs. nature character vs. character

What types of evidence support inferences about characters in a play? Select three options.

characters' thoughts and actions characters' appearances and ways of dressing characters' responses to other characters

When analyzing an argument, which elements should you focus on most? Select three options.

claim reasons evidence

Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince. There are, for example, the Spartans and the Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes, establishing there an oligarchy: nevertheless they lost them. The Romans, in order to hold Capua, Carthage, and Numantia, dismantled them, and did not lose them. They wished to hold Greece as the Spartans held it, making it free and permitting its laws, and did not succeed. So to hold it they were compelled to dismantle many cities in the country, for in truth there is no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining them. What organizational structure does Machiavelli use to develop the central idea in this passage?

compare and contrast

Read the passage from A Raisin in the Sun. LINDNER (looking around at the hostile faces and reaching and assembling his hat and briefcase): Well—I don't understand why you people are reacting this way. What do you think you are going to gain by moving into a neighborhood where you just aren't wanted and where some elements—well—people can get awful worked up when they feel that their whole way of life and everything they've ever worked for is threatened. Which connotations are associated with the phrase "worked up"? Select three options.

concerned anxious angry

Read the passage from Ronald Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" speech. Perhaps this gets to the root of the matter, to the most fundamental distinction of all between East and West. The totalitarian world produces backwardness because it does such violence to the spirit, thwarting the human impulse to create, to enjoy, to worship. The totalitarian world finds even symbols of love and of worship an affront. Who is Reagan's intended audience for this part of his speech?

democratic Germans

A reporter is planning to write a review of the newest restaurant in town for a city magazine. According to guidelines from the Society of Professional Journalists, what should she do before she writes the review?

dine at the restaurant without alerting the management that she is coming in to do a review

Where should you include supporting evidence in an outline for an argumentative essay? Select two options.

directly after the reasons as support for the rebuttal

Read the passage from A Raisin in the Sun. [LINDNER:] But you've got to admit that a man, right or wrong, has the right to want to have the neighborhood he lives in a certain kind of way. And at the moment the overwhelming majority of our people out there feel that people get along better, take more of a common interest in the life of the community, when they share a common background. Which words best describe Lindner's tone, based on his use of the phrase "in a certain kind of way"?

disdainful and demeaning

Which pair of words share the same prefix?

disintegrate and disappear

A form of irony that is understood by the audience but not by the characters in a play is

dramatic irony.

Read the sentence. For optimal health, eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, _______________, and sleep at least seven hours a night. Which clause completes the sentence by creating parallelism?

exercise regularly

Read the scenario. Joe, a reporter for Main Street News, covered a campaign rally for Jiya Patel, who is running for county commissioner. While at the rally, he interviewed the candidate and some audience members as his research for the article. He then wrote an article describing the rally, the candidate's platform, and the reasons her supporters believe that she is the best person for this job. When he finished, he turned his article in to his editor. As the editor reviews this story, he sees a public report on campaign donations and learns that Joe has made a sizeable contribution to Patel's campaign. What is the most ethical action for the editor to take?

explain to the reporter that the newspaper cannot run the story because of perceived bias based on donations, so the article is being reassigned

Which steps are part of the process of citing supporting details? Select four options.

finding repeated words and phrases determining the central idea looking for facts and examples considering all the evidence

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 1, scene 2. SOOTHSAYER. Beware the ides of March. CAESAR. What man is that? BRUTUS. A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March. CAESAR. Set him before me; let me see his face. CASSIUS. Fellow, come from the throng; look upon Caesar.25 CAESAR. What say'st thou to me now? Speak once again. SOOTHSAYER. Beware the ides of March. This passage is an example of

foreshadowing.

Poetry that does not follow a specific form and does not have a set rhyme pattern is known as

free verse.

Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Dred Scott v. Sandford, written by Justice Taney. The question before us is, whether the class of persons described in the plea in abatement compose a portion of this people, and are constituent members of this sovereignty? We think they are not, and that they are not included, and were not intended to be included, under the word "citizens" in the Constitution, and can therefore claim none of the rights and privileges which that instrument provides for and secures to citizens of the United States. On the contrary, they were at that time considered as a subordinate and inferior class of beings, who had been subjugated by the dominant race, and, whether emancipated or not, yet remained subject to their authority, and had no rights or privileges but such as those who held the power and the Government might choose to grant them. What type of logical error underlies the argument that African Americans were inferior?

genetic fallacy

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 2, scene 2. CALPURNIA. When beggars die there are no comets seen;The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes. What does the symbol of comets represent in this excerpt?

glory

The term internal conflict refers to a struggle between a character and

him- or herself.

In acts 1 and 2 of Julius Caesar, with whom is Brutus most in conflict?

himself

Read Mireille's rebuttal to the counterclaim that Bob Dylan's lyrics cannot be considered literature. Although it is true that Bob Dylan is primarily a songwriter, I consider his lyrics to be just as good as any poetry. Mireille's teacher has asked her to revise the underlined clause to make it logical and objective. Which is the best revision?

his lyrics use poetic devices such as allusion and metaphor

Read the excerpt from President Ronald Reagan's speech on the night before the 1980 presidential election. I believe we can embark on a new age of reform in this country and an era of national renewal. An era that will reorder the relationship between citizen and government, that will make government again responsive to people, that will revitalize the values of family, work, and neighborhood and that will restore our private and independent social institutions. The tone of this speech could best be described as expressing a feeling of

hope.

Read the passage from "Marriage Is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe. The first paragraph is a letter that Okeke sends to his son Nnaemeka. I have found a girl who will suit you admirably—Ugoye Nweke, the eldest daughter of our neighbour, Jacob Nweke. She has a proper Christian upbringing. When she stopped schooling some years ago, her father (a man of sound judgment) sent her to live in the house of a pastor where she has received all the training a wife could need. Her Sunday School teacher has told me that she reads her Bible very fluently. I hope we shall begin negotiations when you come home in December. On the second evening of his return from Lagos Nnaemeka sat with his father under a cassia tree. This was the old man's retreat where he went to read his Bible when the parching December sun had set and a fresh, reviving wind blew on the leaves. Which idea from this passage can be analyzed from both feminist and historical perspectives?

how a woman could be considered "proper" in this culture during this period

If retro means "back" and spec means "to see or look," what is the best definition of the phrase in retrospect in the sentence below? In retrospect, I probably should have taken better notes on that topic.

in considering the past

Read the definitions, then choose the word that correctly completes the sentence. in- = not aud = to hear -ible = can be done -ity = state or condition of My grandfather spoke so quietly that his words were almost

inaudible.

Khaled has found a reliable chart that reports statistics on the increase of drought conditions in the United States. He plans to use this graphic in his presentation on climate change. Which piece of information must be included with the graphic?

its publisher and date of publication

Read the excerpt from act 5, scene 2, of Julius Caesar. [Alarum. Enter BRUTUS and MESSALA] BRUTUS. Ride, ride, Messala, ride, and give these billsUnto the legions on the other side. [Loud alarum] Let them set on at once, for I perceiveBut cold demeanour in Octavius' wing,And sudden push gives them the overthrow.Ride, ride, Messala, let them all come down. [Exeunt] What does Shakespeare mean by the phrase "cold demeanour" as spoken by Brutus in this passage?

lack of enthusiasm

Read the passage from chapter 17 of The Prince. Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred; because he can endure very well being feared whilst he is not hated, which will always be as long as he abstains from the property of his citizens and subjects and from their women. But when it is necessary for him to proceed against the life of someone, he must do it on proper justification and for manifest cause, but above all things he must keep his hands off the property of others, because men more quickly forget the death of their father than the loss of their patrimony. Besides, pretexts for taking away the property are never wanting; for he who has once begun to live by robbery will always find pretexts for seizing what belongs to others; but reasons for taking life, on the contrary, are more difficult to find and sooner lapse. What type of evidence does Machiavelli use to support his claim in this passage?

logical evidence

Read the passage from chapter 17 of The Prince. Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, it is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with. Because this is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as long as you succeed they are yours entirely; they will offer you their blood, property, life, and children, as is said above, when the need is far distant; but when it approaches they turn against you. And that prince who, relying entirely on their promises, has neglected other precautions, is ruined; because friendships that are obtained by payments, and not by greatness or nobility of mind, may indeed be earned, but they are not secured, and in time of need cannot be relied upon; and men have less scruple in offending one who is beloved than one who is feared, for love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails. What type of evidence does Machiavelli most use to support the argument that it is better for a prince to be feared than loved?

logical evidence in the form of generalizations

What three things must a writer use to develop a successful argument?

logical reasoning, relevant evidence, and persuasive diction

Read the excerpt from "The Role of Social Media in the Arab Uprisings" by Heather Brown, Emily Guskin, and Amy Mitchell. Arab-American news outlets find they must compete with this abundance of online content in order to evolve alongside readers who are increasingly turning to the internet for information. Newspapers have made the greatest inroads here so far, with most offering at least some form of digital content, while still maintaining print versions for older generations and those who prefer a physical newspaper. Radio programs, in light of the continuing challenge to find advertising sponsorship, are beginning to shift online. Arab-American television, on the other hand, has yet to even really find a place amid the satellite programming available from Arab countries. According to the text, which type of Arab American news outlet competes most successfully with online content?

newspapers

Read the excerpt from a speech by the class president petitioning the principal to build a new stadium. Our stadium is crumbling, and the effects have been felt for generations! If we built a new stadium, our community would benefit, and millions would flock to town for the home games. Profits would soar, as local businesses would be flooded with new clients on game nights. And your legacy as the best principal ever would be established for all to see. Which rhetorical technique is the speaker using?

overstatement

Comparethe dictionary and thesaurus entriesfor the word compliment. What information about the word compliment can be found in both the dictionary and thesaurus entries?

parts of speech

Which scenarios are considered ethically acceptable for journalists? Select three options.

paying money to attend a conference about climate change in order to do research for an article ending an investigation because it may lead to violence and disunity in a local community interviewing the CEOs of two insurance companies that are competing against each other

Which motivators are examples of extrinsic motivation? Select three options.

receiving good grades paying discount prices getting a reward

Read the excerpt from act 5, scene 1, of Julius Caesar. OCTAVIUS. Come, Antony, away!Defiance, traitors, hurl we in your teeth.If you dare fight to-day, come to the field.If not, when you have stomachs. What is the tone of this passage?

scornful

Read the scenario. A journalist researches a possible scheme by a financial services company to steal money from its clients. He has one source, a woman who lost all of the money that she had invested with the company. He also talks to competing firms, who say that the company in question has no ethics. With just this information, the journalist publishes a story accusing the company of stealing clients' money. Which part of the code of ethics set by the Society of Professional Journalists does the journalist most violate?

seeking the truth and reporting news without bias

Which prewriting steps are part of research for an argumentative essay? Select three options.

selecting and forming a claim about a specific topic identifying evidence to include to support your reasons investigating counterclaims that go against your claim

Read the passage from "Two Kinds." I could see why my mother was fascinated by the music. It was being pounded out by a little Chinese girl, about nine years old, with a Peter Pan haircut. The girl had the sauciness of a Shirley Temple. She was proudly modest like a proper Chinese Child. And she also did this fancy sweep of a curtsy, so that the fluffy skirt of her white dress cascaded slowly to the floor like the petals of a large carnation. Which Chinese cultural values are revealed by the passage?

self-control and conformity

Read the definition. censor cen·sor [Latin censor, the Roman magistrate tasked with registering Roman citizens] noun1. a person who supervises conduct and morals verb1. to examine something in order to suppress it2. to delete anything considered objectionable sensor sen·sor [Latin sentire, "to perceive"] noun1. a device that responds to a physical stimulus and transmits an impulse in response Which words complete the sentence correctly? In recent years, engineers have invented a __________ capable of __________ offensive language from live television feeds.

sensor, censoring

Read the passage. (1) Wearing school uniforms has a positive impact on students' attitudes toward their education. (2) Both recent studies and interviews with school administrators demonstrate that uniforms have a direct impact on school pride. (3) Some researchers have found that uniforms do not improve attendance or academic achievement. (4) Regardless, having a uniform could boost students' confidence and reduce their stress, two factors that will inevitably make their learning more productive. (5) Eliminating a focus on appearance will help students focus on what truly matters. Which sentence is a counterclaim?

sentence 3

Read the passage. (1) Ask young people today if they know of anyone who has had smallpox, and they might ask, "What's smallpox?" (2) That is because this disease was eradicated from the planet decades ago, thanks to vaccinations. (3) Despite the obvious effectiveness of vaccination, opponents of this procedure argue that humans are better off fighting diseases on their own without adding anything potentially harmful to their bodies. (4) Still, the American Academy of Pediatrics says that vaccines can be 99 percent effective, and the Centers for Disease Control claims that, over a 10-year period, vaccines allowed 322 million children to avoid illnesses. (5) So the next time someone tells you that vaccines are poisoned apples that will lead to a fate like Snow White's, counter their argument with the facts. (6) The bottom line is that vaccines are safe to use and save lives. Which sentence in the passage contains an allusion?

sentence 5

Read the definitions. shear = v., to cut sheer = adj., thin soar = v., to fly at a great height sore = adj., feeling pain If you look through the _____ curtains, you can watch the birds _____ over the ocean. Which homophones correctly complete the sentence?

sheer, soar

Read the excerpt from Prime Minister Winston Churchill's "Their Finest Hour" speech, delivered to the United Kingdom's House of Commons in 1940. During the first four years of the last war the Allies experienced nothing but disaster and disappointment. That was our constant fear: one blow after another, terrible losses, frightful dangers. Everything miscarried. And yet at the end of those four years the morale of the Allies was higher than that of the Germans, who had moved from one aggressive triumph to another, and who stood everywhere triumphant invaders of the lands into which they had broken. The rhetorical technique used in this excerpt is

shift.

What types of irony are used in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar? Select three options.

situational irony dramatic irony verbal irony

Read the poem "Sonnet in Primary Colors" by Rita Dove. This is for the woman with one black wingperched over her eyes: lovely Frida, erectamong parrots, in the stern petticoats of the peasant,who painted herself a present—wildflowers entwining the plaster corsether spine resides in, that flaming pillar—this priestess in the romance of mirrors. Each night she lay down in pain and roseto the celluloid butterflies of her Beloved Dead,Lenin and Marx and Stalin arrayed at the footstead.And rose to her easel, the hundred dogs pantinglike children along the graveled walks of the garden, Diego'slove a skull in the circular windowof the thumbprint searing her immutable brow. What structural element is apparent in this poem?

stanzas

Read Ara's rebuttal from an argumentative essay. While it is true that changing class times poses logistical problems, the fact remains: students at our high school are not getting enough sleep, and this is affecting their ability to learn. What kind of evidence would best support the rebuttal? Select three options.

statistics about how many hours teenagers need to sleep statistics about the sleeping habits of high school students information about the effects of sleep deprivation on teenagers

Read the definitions. taught /tôt/verbpast tense of teach, meaning to show or explain how to do something taut /tôt/adj.pulled tight pours /pôrs/verbmoves in a continuous flow pores /pôrs/verbstudies intently The students were __________ that an accomplished scientist always _____ over the results of an experiment. Which homophones correctly complete the sentence?

taught, pores

Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Dred Scott v. Sandford, written by Justice Taney. The question before us is, whether the class of persons described in the plea in abatement compose a portion of this people, and are constituent members of this sovereignty? We think they are not, and that they are not included, and were not intended to be included, under the word "citizens" in the Constitution, and can therefore claim none of the rights and privileges which that instrument provides for and secures to citizens of the United States. On the contrary, they were at that time considered as a subordinate and inferior class of beings, who had been subjugated by the dominant race, and, whether emancipated or not, yet remained subject to their authority, and had no rights or privileges but such as those who held the power and the Government might choose to grant them. What is Taney's claim in this passage?

that African American people were not part of the group considered citizens by the Constitution

Read the passage from chapter 17 of The Prince. Nevertheless he ought to be slow to believe and to act, nor should he himself show fear, but proceed in a temperate manner with prudence and humanity, so that too much confidence may not make him incautious and too much distrust render him intolerable. What meaning is emphasized by the words temperate, prudence, and humanity in the paragraph?

that a prince should only be cruel when necessary

Read the first three paragraphs of Franklin Roosevelt's request for a declaration of war. Beyond Congress, who is his primary intended audience?

the American public

Read the passage from "Two Kinds." "You want me to be something that I'm not!" I sobbed. "I'll never be the kind of daughter you want me to be!" "Only two kinds of daughters," she shouted in Chinese. "Those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind! Only one kind of daughter can live in this house. Obedient daughter!" What cultural value is revealed through the mother's words?

the Chinese value that children should obey their parents

To summarize the central idea in a text, readers should identify the topic and then identify

the author's opinion about the topic.

In a play, which element related to theme is introduced in act 1, built up in act 2, and resolved in act 3?

the central conflict

Read this paragraph from chapter 5 of The Prince. There are, for example, the Spartans and the Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes, establishing there an oligarchy: nevertheless they lost them. The Romans, in order to hold Capua, Carthage, and Numantia, dismantled them, and did not lose them. They wished to hold Greece as the Spartans held it, making it free and permitting its laws, and did not succeed. So to hold it they were compelled to dismantle many cities in the country, for in truth there is no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining them. And he who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it, may expect to be destroyed by it, for in rebellion it has always the watchword of liberty and its ancient privileges as a rallying point, which neither time nor benefits will ever cause it to forget. And whatever you may do or provide against, they never forget that name or their privileges unless they are disunited or dispersed, but at every chance they immediately rally to them, as Pisa after the hundred years she had been held in bondage by the Florentines. What idea is stressed in the passage?

the dismantling of an acquired state

Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince. There are, for example, the Spartans and the Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes, establishing there an oligarchy: nevertheless they lost them. The Romans, in order to hold Capua, Carthage, and Numantia, dismantled them, and did not lose them. They wished to hold Greece as the Spartans held it, making it free and permitting its laws, and did not succeed. So to hold it they were compelled to dismantle many cities in the country, for in truth there is no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining them. And he who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it, may expect to be destroyed by it, for in rebellion it has always the watchword of liberty and its ancient privileges as a rallying point, which neither time nor benefits will ever cause it to forget. And whatever you may do or provide against, they never forget that name or their privileges unless they are disunited or dispersed, but at every chance they immediately rally to them, as Pisa after the hundred years she had been held in bondage by the Florentines. What text evidence supports Machiavelli's primary purpose to persuade readers that a conquering prince must destroy a former republic if he hopes to hold it? Select three options.

the explanation of how Rome held Capua, Carthage, and Numantia the description of liberty as a rallying cry for rebellion in former republics the example of the Florentines losing control over Pisa

Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Brown v. Board of Education, written by Justice Warren. We come then to the question presented: Does segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race, even though the physical facilities and other "tangible" factors may be equal, deprive the children of the minority group of equal educational opportunities? We believe that it does. . . . To separate them from others of similar age and qualifications solely because of their race generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely ever to be undone. . . . Segregation of white and colored children in public schools has a detrimental effect upon the colored children. The impact is greater when it has the sanction of the law, for the policy of separating the races is usually interpreted as denoting the inferiority of the negro group. A sense of inferiority affects the motivation of a child to learn. Segregation with the sanction of law, therefore, has a tendency to [retard] the educational and mental development of negro children and to deprive them of some of the benefits they would receive in a racial[ly] integrated school system. Whatever may have been the extent of psychological knowledge at the time of Plessy v. Ferguson, this finding is amply supported by modern authority. Any language in Plessy v. Ferguson contrary to this finding is rejected. What reason does Warren give for believing that "separate but equal" does not give minority children equal educational opportunities?

the findings that a sense of inferiority affects the motivation to learn

In "By the Waters of Babylon," what conflicts does the setting present for the main character? Select three options.

the forces of nature versus the will of humans a sense of fear versus a desire to grow observance of society's rules or one's own ideas

Read the passage from the opinion of the court in Dred Scott v. Sandford, written by Justice Taney. The question before us is, whether the class of persons described in the plea in abatement compose a portion of this people, and are constituent members of this sovereignty? We think they are not, and that they are not included, and were not intended to be included, under the word "citizens" in the Constitution, and can therefore claim none of the rights and privileges which that instrument provides for and secures to citizens of the United States. On the contrary, they were at that time considered as a subordinate and inferior class of beings, who had been subjugated by the dominant race, and, whether emancipated or not, yet remained subject to their authority, and had no rights or privileges but such as those who held the power and the Government might choose to grant them. What fallacy can you identify and discredit to develop a counterclaim to this claim?

the idea that African American people are inferior based on perceptions from an earlier time

Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince. There are, for example, the Spartans and the Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes, establishing there an oligarchy: nevertheless they lost them. The Romans, in order to hold Capua, Carthage, and Numantia, dismantled them, and did not lose them. They wished to hold Greece as the Spartans held it, making it free and permitting its laws, and did not succeed. So to hold it they were compelled to dismantle many cities in the country, for in truth there is no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining them. And he who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it, may expect to be destroyed by it, for in rebellion it has always the watchword of liberty and its ancient privileges as a rallying point, which neither time nor benefits will ever cause it to forget. And whatever you may do or provide against, they never forget that name or their privileges unless they are disunited or dispersed, but at every chance they immediately rally to them, as Pisa after the hundred years she had been held in bondage by the Florentines. What text evidence supports Machiavelli's secondary purpose to inform readers about the tactics Sparta and Rome used to hold cities and their effectiveness? Select three options.

the list of cities conquered by Sparta and Rome the description of how Sparta had held Greece the explanation of how Rome dismantled Greek cities

Read the excerpt from "Marriage Is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe. Nnaemeka, for his own part, was very deeply affected by his father's grief. But he kept hoping that it would pass away. If it had occurred to him that never in the history of his people had a man married a woman who spoke a different tongue, he might have been less optimistic. "It has never been heard," was the verdict of an old man speaking a few weeks later. In that short sentence he spoke for all of his people. This man had come with others to commiserate with Okeke when news went round about his son's behaviour. By that time the son had gone back to Lagos. "It has never been heard," said the old man again with a sad shake of his head. "What did Our Lord say?" asked another gentleman. "Sons shall rise against their fathers; it is there in the Holy Book." "It is the beginning of the end," said another. What cultural value does this excerpt of the text best reveal?

the mandate to marry within one's tribe

What are the central ideas in a play?

the most important points an author wants to convey

Read the excerpt from act 4, scene 3, of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. [BRUTUS.] Messala, I have here receivèd letters,That young Octavius and Mark AntonyCome down upon us. . . . MESSALA. Myself have letters of the selfsame tenor. BRUTUS. With what addition? MESSALA. That by proscription and bills of outlawry,Octavius, Antony, and LepidusHave put to death an hundred senators. BRUTUS. Therein our letters do not well agree.Mine speak of seventy senators that diedBy their proscriptions, Cicero being one. CASSIUS. Cicero one! MESSALA. Ay, Cicero is dead,And by that order of proscription. What is the central idea of this excerpt?

the ruthlessness of power

What is the definition of tone?

the speaker's attitude toward the topic or a character

Read the outline. I. Introduction A. Quotation and interpretation B. Thesis statement II. First text A. Reason and connection B. Commentary Which element from the first text is missing?

the supporting evidence

Which details in a story are most related to setting? Select three options.

time location atmosphere

Read the passage from A Doll's House. [SCENE: A room furnished comfortably and tastefully, but not extravagantly. At the back, a door to the right leads to the entrance-hall, another to the left leads to Helmer's study. Between the doors stands a piano. In the middle of the left-hand wall is a door, and beyond it a window. Near the window are a round table, arm-chairs and a small sofa. In the right-hand wall, at the farther end, another door; and on the same side, nearer the footlights, a stove, two easy chairs and a rocking-chair; between the stove and the door, a small table. Engravings on the walls; a cabinet with china and other small objects; a small book-case with well-bound books. The floors are carpeted, and a fire burns in the stove. It is winter. A bell rings in the hall; shortly afterwards the door is heard to open. Enter NORA, humming a tune and in high spirits. She is in outdoor dress and carries a number of parcels; these she lays on the table to the right. She leaves the outer door open after her, and through it is seen a porter who is carrying a Christmas Tree and a basket, which he gives to the maid who has opened the door.] Nora: Hide the Christmas Tree carefully, Helen. Be sure the children do not see it until this evening, when it is dressed. [To the porter, taking out her purse.] How much? Why does the author of the play include the first paragraph of stage directions?

to allow the reader to visualize the play's setting

Why do authors use causal relationships in plays? Select three options.

to create mystery and tension to propel the plot forward to keep the story engaging

Read the excerpt from Julius Caesar, act 2, scene 3. SOOTHSAYER. None that I know will be; much that35I fear may chance.Good morrow to you. Here the street is narrow.The throng that follows Caesar at the heels,Of senators, of praetors, common suitors,Will crowd a feeble man almost to death.I'll get me to a place more void, and there40Speak to great Caesar as he comes along. What are the purposes of the imagery in this excerpt? Select three options.

to emphasize how dangerously packed the streets are to highlight the idea that Caesar suffers from illness to suggest that Caesar will soon be put to death

Why would dashes be used in a sentence? Select three options.

to emphasize particular information to indicate the importance of certain ideas to set off nonessential elements containing commas

Why does Roosevelt use repetition in his request for a declaration of war?

to emphasize the threat posed by Japan

Read the excerpt from "A Latina Judge's Voice" by Hon. Sonia Sotomayor. First, as Professor Martha Minnow has noted, there can never be a universal definition of wise. Second, I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life. What is the purpose of Sotomayor's use of the word wise?

to emphasize the value of a Latina woman's experience

What is the most important reason to cite evidence in an argumentative essay?

to give credit for the ideas used to the appropriate sources in an organized format

Read the sentence. In film production, it is the role of directors to envision the script that tells a story, to develop an artistic lens that enhances their ideas, and guiding the team that will carry out their vision. How should the underlined section be revised to create parallel structure?

to guide the team that will carry out their vision

Read this passage from chapter 5 of The Prince. There are, for example, the Spartans and the Romans. The Spartans held Athens and Thebes, establishing there an oligarchy: nevertheless they lost them. The Romans, in order to hold Capua, Carthage, and Numantia, dismantled them, and did not lose them. They wished to hold Greece as the Spartans held it, making it free and permitting its laws, and did not succeed. So to hold it they were compelled to dismantle many cities in the country, for in truth there is no safe way to retain them otherwise than by ruining them. And he who becomes master of a city accustomed to freedom and does not destroy it, may expect to be destroyed by it, for in rebellion it has always the watchword of liberty and its ancient privileges as a rallying point, which neither time nor benefits will ever cause it to forget. And whatever you may do or provide against, they never forget that name or their privileges unless they are disunited or dispersed, but at every chance they immediately rally to them, as Pisa after the hundred years she had been held in bondage by the Florentines. What is Machiavelli's primary purpose in writing this passage?

to persuade readers that a conquering prince must destroy a former republic if he hopes to hold it

Read the excerpt from "The Role of Social Media in the Arab Uprisings" by Heather Brown, Emily Guskin, and Amy Mitchell. In July 2012 a report was published by the United States Institute of Peace. . . . . . . The study suggests that the importance of social media was in communicating to the rest of the world what was happening on the ground during the uprisings. . . . Data from the Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project at least somewhat supports this conclusion with its findings that the majority of Egyptians are not online. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of the total population do not use the internet. When looking specifically at those with a college education, use of social media for obtaining political information is more prevalent than in other segments of the population. Though most of the country is disconnected from the internet, 84% of those who are online say they visit social networking sites for news about Egypt's political situation. These findings point to social media's important role in spreading information, but do not necessarily indicate that social media was a mobilizing force in the uprisings. How do the authors use statistics to support their claim?

to show that even though social media use was limited, it was often directly connected to politics

Read the passage from Ronald Reagan's "Tear Down This Wall" speech. Perhaps this gets to the root of the matter, to the most fundamental distinction of all between East and West. The totalitarian world produces backwardness because it does such violence to the spirit, thwarting the human impulse to create, to enjoy, to worship. The totalitarian world finds even symbols of love and of worship an affront. . . . As I looked out a moment ago from the Reichstag, that embodiment of German unity, I noticed words crudely spray-painted upon the wall, perhaps by a young Berliner, "This wall will fall. Beliefs become reality." Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom. What is Reagan's main purpose in this passage?

to urge an end to communism

Read the excerpt from "The Role of Social Media in the Arab Uprisings" by Heather Brown, Emily Guskin, and Amy Mitchell. In July 2012 a report was published by the United States Institute of Peace based on an extensive content analysis of bit.ly links from the uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Bahrain. Bit.ly links, or short URLs, are predominantly used in social media such as Twitter. The authors came to some conclusions that countered the initial assumption that social media was a causal mechanism in the uprisings. Instead, the study suggests that the importance of social media was in communicating to the rest of the world what was happening on the ground during the uprisings. "New [or social] media outlets that use bit.ly links are more likely to spread information outside of the region than inside it, acting like a megaphone more than a rallying cry." Data from the Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project at least somewhat supports this conclusion with its findings that the majority of Egyptians are not online. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of the total population do not use the internet. When looking specifically at those with a college education, use of social media for obtaining political information is more prevalent than in other segments of the population. Though most of the country is disconnected from the internet, 84% of those who are online say they visit social networking sites for news about Egypt's political situation. These findings point to social media's important role in spreading information, but do not necessarily indicate that social media was a mobilizing force in the uprisings. What types of evidence do the authors use in this excerpt? Select two options.

verifiable facts that explain why social media's impact was so broad during the uprisings statistics that describe Egyptians' use of the internet and social media during the uprisings