Writing
What is the purpose of a topic sentence?
A. To conclude the paragraph.
B. To provide background information
C. To introduce the main idea of a paragraph
D. Compare two ideas
C. To introduce the main idea of a paragraph
Cara picked almost one hundred tomatoes from her garden, _____ she hoped for even more next year.
Which conjunction BEST completes the sentence?
BUT
As his experiments got increasingly outlandish, his fellow scientists started calling him Dr. Icarus.
Comparing the scientist's work to the Greek myth of Icarus is an example of which type of figurative language?
Allusion
What is the main difference between a THEME and a CENTRAL IDEA...?
A theme is a lesson to be taken away from a text based on what happens and the text is about.
A central idea is the topic or main focus of a text.
When is “National Ice Cream” month?
JULY
A student is writing an essay about creatures that live in underwater caves. Select the two sentences that most clearly introduce the topic.
A. Many new kinds of animals have been found in underwater caves.
B. Underwater caves are some of the least explored places on the planet.
C. Some underwater caves are long tunnels that stretch for hundreds of miles.
D. Living in an underwater cave is a unique challenge for the species found there.
A & D
Jen finished her homework, ____ that she would have the rest of the day free.
Which conjunction BEST completes this sentence?
SO
Big brother made a deliberate mistake, helping his little sister win the game.
What is the meaning of the word deliberate in the sentence?
A. Purposeful
B. Accidental
C. Humorously
D. Cautiously
Which of the following could be considered THEMES for the text "Thank You, Ma'am" by Langston Hughes?
A. Compassion can be the strongest of teachers.
B. A teenage boy resorts to theft in order to get what he wants.
C. Change is possible for everyone, no matter where you may start.
D. Sharing your past may help others navigate their own.
E. Theft is okay under certain circumstances.
A,C, & D
Knights who competed in jousting tournaments were much like the famous, professional athletes people admire today.
Which correction should be made to the underlined phrase?
A. famous, professional,
B.famous professional,
C. famous professional
D. Leave as is.
C. famous professional
A student is writing an essay about bird-watching. Select the two sentences that most clearly introduce the topic.
A. Birds, like other wild animals, are best observed from a distance.
B. There are many reasons why people want to spend hours watching birds.
C. Watching birds is a fun way to spend time outdoors and learn about nature.
D. Some kinds of birds are comfortable around people and will even approach them.
B & C
Waiting in a long line outside the post office, the mail carrier told the customers it was about to close for the evening.
What is the correct way to rewrite this sentence?
A. About to close for the evening, the customers were told waiting in a long line outside the post office that they were about to close for the evening.
B. The mail carrier told the customers while waiting in a long line outside the post office that it was about to close for the evening.
C. Waiting in a long line outside the post office, the customers learned from the mail carrier that it was about to close for the evening.
D. Learning that the post office was about to close for the evening while waiting outside, the customers were told about it by the mail carrier.
C. Waiting in a long line outside the post office, the customers learned from the mail carrier that it was about to close for the evening.
"The baby bounded up the steps without holding on, and his mom was not pleased with his intrepid behavior."
Based on this sentence, what is the meaning of the word intrepid?
A. Brave
B. Nervous
C. Careful
D. Overwhelming
A. Brave
Which quote from "Scrooge & Marley" best supports the following theme: Even the hardest of hearts may soften and become open to compassion and love.
A. "I present him to you: Ebenezer Scrooge . . . England’s most tightfisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!"
B. "Don’t say that! Spirit, remove me from this place."
C. "I am listening. [The chorus sings full volume now, until . . . the song ends here.] Spirit, it must be time for us to take our leave. I feel in my heart that it is . . . that I must think on that which I have seen here . . ."
D. "Thank you, Bob . . . and Mrs. Cratchit, too. No one else is toasting me, . . . not now . . . not ever. Of that I am sure . ."
C. "I am listening. [The chorus sings full volume now, until . . . the song ends here.] Spirit, it must be time for us to take our leave. I feel in my heart that it is . . . that I must think on that which I have seen here . . ."
Skillful courageous knights who won jousts would receive prizes of land and money from their lords.
Which correction should be made to the underlined phrase?
A. Skillful courageous,
B. skillful, courageous
C. Skillful, courageous,
D. Leave as is
B. Skillful, courageous
The paint was peeling off the wall of the old house.
Which revision most improves the sentence by adding vivid language?
A. The cracked paint peeled off of the sides of the old, abandoned house.
B. The blazing sun from over the years had bleached, broken, and peeled the paint off the old wooden house.
C. The faded paint was beginning to peel off of the walls of the empty, old house.
D. The white paint on the old house was slowly peeling away from the surface of the outer walls.
B. The blazing sun from over the years had bleached, broken, and peeled the paint off the old wooden house.
Select all of the sentences that do not use commas correctly.
A. The brown, pelican was perched on the pier next to the fishing boat.
B. Jake’s study group describes him as enthusiastic, determined, and capable.
C. We watched as the chameleon turned from green, to brown, then back, to green.
D. The man was humbled, delighted, and awestruck to be in the presence of the queen.
A & C
The basketball player showed agility as she quickly switched directions, dribbled around her feet, and made a perfect shot from beyond the arc.
Which word means the same as agility as it is used in the sentence?
A. Awareness
B. Stiffness
C. Flexibility
D. Thoroughness
C. Flexibility
Which of the following could be considered a THEME for the poem "Mother to Son" by Langston Hughes?
A. There will be trials in life, but keep pushing through and don't give up.
B. Life can be easy if you just try your best.
C. Don't listen to other's advice or guidance, just forge your own path.
D. Power leads to corruption.
A. There will be trials in life, but keep pushing through and don't give up.
Storming around the house, looking for her boots, Hallie was late for school.
What is the best way to revise this sentence?
A. Hallie was late for school while storming around the house, looking for her boots.
B. Looking for her boots storming around the house, Hallie was late for school.
C. Looking for her boots, Hallie was late for school and storming around the house.
D. Late for school, Hallie was storming around the house looking for her boots.
D. Late for school, Hallie was storming around the house looking for her boots.
The performer started juggling while riding a unicycle.
Which revision most precisely describes the performer’s actions?
A. The performer slowly circled the floor of the crowded arena while tossing several bowling pins into the air.
B. The unicyclist was wearing a white uniform that sparkled under the lights while he juggled and rode the unicycle.
C. A hush fell over the audience as the unicyclist rode across the tightrope while juggling five oversized bowling pins.
D. A performer skillfully juggled while balancing on a unicycle in front of an attentive audience.
C. A hush fell over the audience as the unicyclist rode across the tightrope while juggling five oversized bowling pins.
Christoper Columbus was an explorer from modern day Spain.
Christoper Columbus made four voyages to the Americas.
Christoper Columbus discovered the Americas in 1492.
Some disagree that Christoper Columbus discovered the Americas.
Which sentence combines the sentences above to reduce wordiness and redundancy?
A. While there is some disagreement, Christopher Columbus, an explorer who was from modern day Spain, is credited with discovering the Americas in 1492 on one of his four voyages to the area.
B. Christopher Columbus was an explorer from modern day Spain, and he made four voyages to the Americas, and he discovered the Americas in 1492, but some disagree that he discovered the Americas.
C. Christopher Columbus, an explorer from modern day Spain, made four voyages to the Americas; Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas in 1492, but some disagree that he discovered the Americas.
D. On one of his four voyages to the Americas, Christopher Columbus, who was an explorer from modern day Spain, discovered the Americas in 1492; however, some disagree that Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas.
A. While there is some disagreement, Christopher Columbus, an explorer who was from modern day Spain, is credited with discovering the Americas in 1492 on one of his four voyages to the area.
1. On a cold winter day, the Anderson family set out to build a snowman. 2. They used the freshly fallen snow in their front yard. 3. It had been snowing all night and in the early morning. 4. The snow packed into big snowballs easily, and the children worked together to stack the snowman. 5. Once the snowman was built, the family collected items to decorate the snowman. 6. A carrot was used for the snowman’s nose, sticks for his arms, mittens for his hands, and an old cowboy hat to keep his head warm. 7. The children played all day outside, since it had snowed all night and in the early morning.
In the paragraph above, which sentence can be deleted because it is repetitive?
Sentence 3
Little Things
by Ebeneze Cobham Brewer
Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean
And the pleasant land.
Thus the little minutes,
Humble though they be,
Make the mighty ages
Of eternity.
What is a theme of this poem?
A. The minutes tick by slowly.
B. Never underestimate the power of a child.
C. Drops of water and grains of sand are very small.
D. The small things are as important as the big things.
D. The small things are as important as the big things.
Choose one of the following numbers:
65
18
5
99
99