Strategies
When approaching multiple choice questions, what should you do when assessing all the answer options?
Read each one and eliminate answers that don't seem correct at all...
Read the sentence below.
"I was walking down the hallway when—wait, did you hear that strange noise?"
Why is the dash used in this sentence?
A) To separate items in a list
B) To indicate a sudden break in thought or interruption
C) To introduce a direct quotation
D) To show that a word has been misspelled
B) To indicate a sudden break in thought or interruption
"As the students rushed in to finish their projects, the classroom was a beehive of activity."
What type of figurative language is used in this sentence?
A) Simile
B) Metaphor
C) Personification
D) Hyperbole
B) Metaphor
Read the story summary below.
After spending weeks trying to impress the popular kids by pretending to like things he actually hated, Julian realized he hadn't spoken to his real friends in a month. When he finally reached out to them, they welcomed him back without question, and he felt like he could finally breathe again.
Which of the following best states the universal theme of this passage?
A) Popularity is the most important part of middle school.
B) It takes hard work and dedication to change your personality.
C) True friends will accept and support each other for who they really are.
D) You should never try to make new friends.
C) True friends will accept and support each other for who they really are.
What is the acronym we use to remember what belongs in a body paragraph?
CER
When reading two part questions, what should you always do before moving on?
Check to make sure part A and part B match up/go together
Read the original quotation and the revised version below.
Original: "The principal, after carefully considering all the feedback from the student council and the teachers, decided to approve the new schedule."
Revised: "The principal . . . decided to approve the new schedule."
What is the purpose of the ellipsis in the revised sentence?
A) To show a pause for dramatic effect
B) To emphasize the importance of the principal's decision
C) To indicate that words from the original quote have been left out
D) To separate an introductory phrase from the rest of the sentence
C) To indicate that words from the original quote have been left out
"The ancient oak tree groaned heavily under the weight of the thick winter snow."
What is the author emphasizing by using personification in this sentence?
A) The tree is making a literal speaking sound.
B) The snow is falling very loudly.
C) The tree is struggling against the heavy burden of the snow.
D) The tree is angry at the harsh winter weather.
C) The tree is struggling against the heavy burden of the snow.
Read the excerpt below.
"I couldn't believe my eyes when the treasure chest opened. My heart pounded against my ribs. My brother, however, just shrugged his shoulders and went back to looking at his phone."
How does the author’s use of first-person point of view affect the reader's understanding of the scene? A) It reveals the inner thoughts and feelings of every character in the room.
B) It limits the reader to experiencing the excitement solely through the narrator's perspective.
C) It provides an objective, outside description of the treasure.
D) It proves that the brother is the actual main character of the story
B) It limits the reader to experiencing the excitement solely through the narrator's perspective.
What does CER stand for?
Claim Evidence Reasoning
When you first open the test, what should you do?
Scan through all the texts and questions-- notice how many readings/what kind of readings and ANALYZE THE OPEN RESPONSE PROMPT
Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
A) My older sister, who just graduated from college is moving to Boston.
B) My older sister who just graduated from college, is moving to Boston.
C) My older sister who just graduated, from college is moving to Boston.
D) My older sister, who just graduated from college, is moving to Boston.
D) My older sister, who just graduated from college, is moving to Boston.
Read the sentence below.
"Don't worry about trying to convince Marco to join the team; you're just barking up the wrong tree."
What does the phrase "barking up the wrong tree" mean in this context?
A) Looking for something in the wrong place or pursuing a false lead
B) Acting too aggressively toward a friend
C) Trying to climb something that is too difficult
D) Practicing for a sport in the woods
A) Looking for something in the wrong place or pursuing a false lead
Read the scenario below.
Maria desperately wanted to audition for the school play, but she knew her parents needed her to watch her little sister after school so they could work. She lay awake agonizing over the decision for days, torn between her dream and her family duties.
What type of conflict is Maria primarily experiencing in this scenario?
A) Character vs. Nature
B) Character vs. Society
C) Character vs. Character (External)
D) Character vs. Self (Internal)
D) Character vs. Self (Internal)
What does TTT stand for and where does it belong in your essay?
Topic/Text/Thesis
Intro and Conclusion paragraphs
What active reading strategy should you use while reading the passages on MCAS?
Take two column notes to track details to help with your open response
OR
Highlight/annoate the text for specific details
Choose the sentence that uses commas correctly.
A) The exhausted, muddy hiker finally reached the top of the steep trail.
B) The exhausted, muddy, hiker finally reached the top of the steep trail.
C) The exhausted muddy, hiker finally reached the top of the steep trail.
D) The exhausted muddy hiker, finally reached the top of the steep trail.
A) The exhausted, muddy hiker finally reached the top of the steep trail.
Read the sentence below.
"I had to wait in line for a million years just to get tickets to the concert!"
Why does the speaker use hyperbole in this sentence?
A) To show exactly how much time passed
B) To express extreme frustration and exaggerate how long the wait felt
C) To describe the history of the concert venue
D) To compare the concert to a historical event
B) To express extreme frustration and exaggerate how long the wait felt
Read the excerpt below.
The sky suddenly turned a bruised purple, and the wind began to howl aggressively through the bare trees. "We should really get back to the cabin," Sarah whispered, shivering even though it was the middle of July.
What literary device is the author primarily using to build suspense in this passage?
A) Flashback
B) Foreshadowing
C) Irony
D) Resolution
B) Foreshadowing
How is a Thesis different from a claim?
The thesis is the overall claim for the entire essay, and the claim provides a focus for each paragaph
What should you use the white paper for during ELA MCAS?
1) taking two column notes/annotations
2) Creating a graphic organizer for the essay
"Even though it was raining heavily outside we still decided to play the soccer match."
What is the correct way to write the underlined part of the sentence?
A) outside, we still
B) outside; we still
C) outside: we still
D) Leave as is.
A) outside, we still
Read the sentence below.
"The campfire hissed and crackled as the damp wood slowly burned away."
Which words from the sentence are examples of onomatopoeia?
A) campfire, wood
B) damp, slowly
C) hissed, crackled
D) burned, away
C) hissed, crackled
Read the sentence below.
Without saying a single word, Marcus handed his last five-dollar bill to the shivering man on the corner and then walked the three miles home in the freezing rain.
What does this indirect characterization reveal about Marcus's personality?
A) He is careless and irresponsible with his money. B) He is highly athletic and enjoys taking long walks. C) He is deeply compassionate and selfless.
D) He is stubborn and refuses to ask for help.
C) He is deeply compassionate and selfless.
How many body paragraphs are necessary to score well on the MCAS essay?
AT LEAST 2 body paragraphs, but 3 is great if it makes sense for the prompt!