Common Test Questions & Vocab
What should you do if you are not sure what answer choice is the correct one? a) Don't bubble in any answer and leave it blank b) Spend 15 minutes trying to decide on an answer c) Eliminate the obvious wrong answer choices and then make an educated guess
C
How can you get full credit (2 out of 2) on your short answer questions? In other words, what should you do when you are answering the short answer questions?
1. Restate the question in your own words & answer it (making an inference). 2. Provide 2 pieces of evidence (quotes!). 3. Explain your evidence.
Why should you underline or circle key words in the questions?
To help you understand EXACTLY what each question is asking you and help you know what to focus on when you read the passage. The questions are often tricky and if you don't read them carefully and focus on the key words you might make a careless mistake when answering the question!
True or False: You should always reread what you wrote before moving on to the next question. Why or why not?
TRUE! You should always reread what you wrote as your answer to make sure that... 1. You didn't make any careless mistakes in spelling, punctuation or grammar that would make it difficult for someone to understand. 2. You made an inference in your answer and provided TWO pieces of evidence. 3. You actually answered the EXACT question you are being asked to answer
What are at least 3 things you can do to annotate/code the passages you are reading?
1. Underline or highlight important words and sentences. 2. Circle words you don't know and use context clues to try to figure out what the words mean. 3. Write questions and notes in the margins.
True or False: You should read all the answer choices, even if the first or second answer sounds correct to you.
TRUE! Almost every question will have 2 answer choices that are somewhat easy to eliminate and then 1 answer choice that is there to trick you! So you should read and reread each answer choice carefully and check back to the text to make sure you are choosing the correct answer and not the trick answer!
What are some ways you can use your planing page before starting to write your essay?
(1) Make a T-chart, a Venn Diagram or a 3-Column chart for compare & contrast essays. (2) Jot down notes about what you plan to write in each paragraph of your essay. (3) Look back at the text and then write down all the possible pieces of evidence you might want to use (that way you can choose from those pieces of evidence while writing your essay). 4. Students may offer another option (as long as it sounds reasonable/logical, answer may be accepted and points granted)
Read it again and/or underline clues or key words
Your teachers always tell you to "go back and check your work" when you are done. How should you "check your work" on the state test?
Reread each question carefully and the answer you chose, and check the text again to make sure you still think that is the right answer. Also, make sure you have bubbled in ALL the questions on your scantron
How many paragraphs should your essay have?
The number of paragraphs will vary depending on the question; however, you should have an introduction, at least 2 body paragraphs (use the hand method!!!), and a conclusion. If the essay question asks you to compare and contrast two texts, then you should have 2 body paragraphs. If the essay question asks you to state an author's argument, and then evaluate whether the author provided sufficient evidence, then you should also have 2 body paragraphs (the first paragraph to talk about the author's argument, and the second paragraph to discuss whether the author provides sufficient evidence).
What you are being asked to make an educated guess based on the information provided, what are you being asked to do.
To determine if the article informs, persuades, explains, etc.
List at least one way to use the online tools to help you stay focused as you read the passage.
The notes feature, highlight portions of the passage, use the line feature to help you stay focused, or other tools available to you on the testing site.
True or False, If the question includes All of the Above as an answer choice, that is obviously the correct answer.
False - while often times this is true, it is not always the case.
What is the difference in an argumentative and expository essay?
Both have 4-5 paragraphs, but an argumentative essay has a counterclaim and rebuttal but an expository essay does not have this.