Grammar
Research
Claim
Poetry
Random Grammar Usage
100
After Lisa and Ted won first place at the cooking contest, a reporter interviewed ____________ and __________ parents.
A) him/them
B) her/them
C) them/their
D) they/their
C) them/their
100
Origami
Can you create a whole world out of pieces of paper? You can if you know origami. Origami is the Japanese art of creating shapes and figures by folding pieces of paper. Without scissors or glue, origami artists can make paper animals, flowers, or objects like boats or windmills. The word origami comes from the Japanese words oru, meaning “to fold”, and kami, meaning “paper”. Some people think it might have been introduced to Japan in the early seventh century by the Chinese, after they began to make paper.
Most origami sculptures are made from a few basic shapes, like the bird, fish, kite, and frog. Diagrams that show how to make origami pieces are easily available, not only in books, but also from online sources. They show how to create origami through a series of descriptively named folds: for example, the valley fold, the mountain fold, the petal fold, or the pleat. In addition, events like the Pacific Coast Origami conference offer exhibitions and workshops for beginners as well as for advanced origami artists.
Origami is a beautiful art that anyone can try. It can be difficult at first but if you stay patient and follow careful instructions , you can be an origami artist too!
Which of the following internet keywords would best help someone find more information about other basic folds used in origami?
A) paper history
B) advanced origami styles
C) simple origami
D) origami shapes
C) simple origami
100
Directions: A student is writing an argumentative report about the best way to improve the quality of life in her city. She found possible sources for her report. Read the sources and the directions that follow.
Source 1: “Spending Money for the Town” by Ray Butler According to Mayor Greg Davidson, the city has received a grant of $100,000. This money is to be used to improve the quality of life here. He has received several suggestions. One is that the playgrounds of two parks should be improved. Another is that more trails for hiking and biking should be added. Those additions would help increase exercise. A number of young people have also suggested building a skateboard park.
Source 2: “What Makes People Happy with Their City?” by Rosalie Davis A recent survey of residents of twenty cities showed some interesting findings. Those people who were most happy with life in their towns had several things in common. All of them had activity programs for children. The activities ranged from swimming and soccer to skating and art. Several of them also had drama and music programs. There were also activity programs for adults. Almost all of the towns included volunteer programs for both adults and children.
The student wrote down some claims to use in her report. Look at the claim on the table. Decide if the information in Source 1, Source 2, both sources, or neither source supports the claim. Select one box for each claim below.
100
Exerpt from "Pit Ponies" poem
(16)And are set down in the sun and real air,
Which are strange to them. They are humble
And modest, their heads are downcast, they
Do not expect to see very far. But one
(20) Is attempting a clumsy gallop. It is
Something he could do when he was very young.
When he was a little foal a long time ago
And he could run fleetly on his long foal’s legs,
And almost he can remember this.
What does gallop mean as used in line 20?
A) Run rapidly in leaps
B) walking
C) shy
D) confused
A) Run rapidly in leaps
100
Which sentence correctly punctuates dialogue?
A) “Thanks for all of your support and encouragement, Jordan Kate said,” with tears in her eyes.
B) Jordan stood behind the curtain repeatedly whispering, “You got this! We believe in you! Think of only the lines!"
C) Upon reaching the stage, she slammed her right foot and exclaimed, “Ouch”
D) “be strong”, I shouted to Selena as she stepped onto the stage to give her
performance.
B) Jordan stood behind the curtain repeatedly whispering, “You got this! We believe in you! Think of only the lines!"
200
Choose the correct pronoun to complete the sentence.
The best way for us to appreciate the amazing national parks is to visit them
A) Yourselves
B) Myself
C) Ourselves
D) Themselves
C) Ourselves
200
Choose two sources that would most likely give the student more information for the paragraph from her report.
A) Firefly Extravaganza
www.fireflysentertainment.com
Travel the world to view spectacular firefly light shows.
B) How to Catch Fireflies
www.howtocatchfireflies.com
Here you will find step-by-step instructions for catching fireflies in your own backyard.
C) Firefly Sanctuary Club
www.fireflyrescue.com
Firefly populations are disappearing. Learn what you can do to save them.
D) Fire Blog
www.awesomefireflies.com/blog
I am a nature lover. Come read about my journey around the world in search of unique fireflies
E) Fireflies – Science Encyclopedia
www.scienceencyclopedia.org
They are winged beetles, often called fireflies or lightning bugs.
F) BioFacts About Fireflies
www.insectsbioluminscience.com
Fireflies use a process called bioluminescence to produce light within their bodies.
E and F
200
Read the claim below.
Video games are valid learning tools.
Select two pieces of evidence that best support the claim.
A) Video games can teach important problem-solving skills and strategy.
B) Playing any video game can potentially lead to sleep deprivation.
C) Playing video games in excess has been linked to having a low attention span to other important life obligations.
D) Playing video games has been shown to increase brain volume.
A and D
200
Exerpt from "Pit Ponies" poem
They come like the ghosts of horses, shyly,
To this summer field, this fresh green,
Which scares them.
They have been too long in the blind mine,
(5) Their hooves have trodden only stones
And the soft, thick dust of fine coal,
And they do not understand the grass.
For over two years their sun
Has shone from an electric bulb
(10) That has never set, and their walking
Has been along the one, monotonous
Track of the pulled coal-trucks.
In line 1, what does “ghosts of horses” mean?
A) The ponies feel disconnected from nature due to working in the mines so long.
B) The spirits of horses that died in the pulling of the ore inside the mines.
C) The ponies are covered in coal after working so hard to collect the coal.
D) The sound of a pony rolling on the grass to play for the first time shocks them.
A) The ponies feel disconnected from nature due to working in the mines so long.
200
Which sentence contains correct subject-verb agreement?
A) All of the stores, including CVS, was offering vaccinations for the flu.
B) Mrs. Rikard and Mr. Miller do after school activities at the school.
C) The sculpture of the artist’s visions are very interesting.
D) Neither the students nor the teachers want to miss the Spooktacular event.
D) Neither the students nor the teachers want to miss the Spooktacular event.
300
How could the author rewrite the sentence below to correctly use an object pronoun?
*Renee and Donell gave Arthur and I the rest of the cookies.*
A) She and Donell gave Arthur and I the rest of the cookies.
B) Renee and he gave Arthur and I the rest of the cookies.
C) Renee and Donell gave Arthur and me the rest of the cookies.
D) Renee and Donell gave him and I the rest of the cookies.
C) Renee and Donell gave Arthur and me the rest of the cookies.
300
The student needs to find credible and trustworthy sources that contain relevant information. Which sources would be most relevant in developing this research paper? Pick three. Be sure to scroll down to see all of the options.
A) www.beesinshowbizzzz.com
Bees and honey play a big role in pop culture. From Winnie the Pooh to the Bee Movie, without bees in nature, there would be no reason to have honeybees in books, movies, songs, and tv shows….
B) www.ruralbeekeepers.org
It's estimated that cross-pollination from bees helps 30% of the world’s food crops and 90% of wild plants to grow. That means, without bees, most of the plants, including food and native plants, would go extinct…
C) www.bimpact.com
Since 2006, nearly 1/3 of all honeybee colonies in the US have disappeared due to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a disorder caused by a combination of global warming, loss of habitat, pesticide exposure, invasive parasites, and inadequate food supply…
D) www.honeybeeheroes.com
Protect bees from pesticides. Pesticides kill beneficial insects including pollinators and natural enemies that control common pests like aphids. Provide a variety of food for bees. Provide a year-round, clean source of water for bees. Provide shelter for bees….
E) www.backyardbeecrafts.net
The ancient Egyptians used honey and beeswax for many uses. Honey was used as food, medicine, and to preserve the dead. Beeswax has also played an important role in magic rituals, preserving, and as medicine. For $10.99 plus shipping and handling, Backyard Bee Crafts will send a jar of wax and project options so you too can create magic!
If you're afraid of death by bees, have no fear! It takes about 1,100 bee stings to kill a human. If you are still frightened, read about ways to protect yourself from bees in your yard…
B, C, D
300
What does the subheading "Think Twice Before Texting While Driving" imply the section will mostly be about?
A) Humans are able to multitask effectively while driving.
B) Too much texting and driving can have dangerous consequences.
C) The human brain has an unlimited ability to focus.
D) Brains function best when they are processing multiple things.
B) Too much texting and driving can have dangerous consequences.
300
(25) One rolls on her back with joy in the clean grass!
And they all, awkwardly and hesitantly, like
Clumsy old men, begin to run, and the field
Is full of happy thunder. They toss their heads,
Their manes fly, they are galloping in freedom.
(30) The ponies have come above ground, they are galloping!
In line 28, what does the metaphor “the field is full of happy thunder” suggest?
A) Living in the mine has made the ponies fierce.
B) The ponies are sad because of conditions in the mine.
C) Working underground for so long has made the ponies blind and unable to run.
D) The ponies are all loudly running through the grass.
D) The ponies are all loudly running through the grass.
300
Choose the sentence that contains a correctly punctuated series.
A) I’ll have cheese, ketchup, lettuce and mayo on this hamburger.
B) He stepped around the car across the street, and onto the sidewalk.
C) Planning the engagement, sending out invitations, and getting a reservation count, and finalizing everyone's purchases on their gowns and tuxedos are all part of good wedding planning.
D) The Art teacher adjusted her bow, shuffled her assignments, looked at the students, and began her lesson.
E) The pizza was delicious packed with all kinds of meats and vegetables.
D) The Art teacher adjusted her bow, shuffled her assignments, looked at the students, and began her lesson.
400
How could the author rewrite this sentence for clarity? Choose all that apply.
Karima told her aunt that her sweater had a hole in it.
A) Karima and her aunt discussed the hole in her sweater.
B) Karima said, “My sweater has a hole in it.”
C) Karima told her aunt, “My sweater has a hole in it.”
D) Karima told her aunt there was a hole in her sweater.
E) Karima explained to her aunt that her sweater had a hole in it.
B and C
400
A student is writing a research report about earthworms. Read the sentences from his report and the directions that follow.
Although native to Europe, earthworms are found underground throughout North America and western Asia. They do not live in deserts or regions where there is frost or permanent snow and ice because the ground is too hard. Typically only a few inches long, earthworms have been known to grow to 14 inches in length. Earthworms' bodies are made up of ring-like sections called annuli. These sections are covered in setae, or small hairs, which the worm uses to move and dig tunnels. As the earthworm moves through the soil, their tunnels aerate, or add air to, the ground. An earthworm can eat up to one third of its body weight in a day. That would be equal to a 75-pound child eating 25 pounds of food in one day!
Which source would most likely give the student more information for the paragraph from his report?
A) www.scienceunderground.com
Learn about what crawls and burrows in the dirt below you and how they can live underground!
B) www.earthscience.com
Purchase our videos about George the Earthworm helps him solve the problems that go on underground.
C) www.scienceecosave.com
Here I discuss the different animals I find every week in the woods and which ones help our ecosystems.
D) www.scienceprotects4u.com
Learn how to keep underground creatures from coming into your home by taking a few simple steps.
A) www.scienceunderground.com
Learn about what crawls and burrows in the dirt below you and how they can live underground!
400
Read the following excerpt from the text.
Drive carelessly, though, and you might miss out on the rest of your life. Why anyone would risk their life for a text is quite perplexing.
How does the author’s word choice help develop the point of view?
A) Data and facts reinforce the tragic outcomes of texting while driving.
B) Polished language demonstrates the author’s intelligence about the topic.
C) Bias logic reveals the author’s desperate attempt to gain attention for this issue.
D) Strong words show the author’s personal dislike for texting while driving.
A) Data and facts reinforce the tragic outcomes of texting while driving.
400
(5) Their hooves have trodden only stones
And the soft, thick dust of fine coal,
And they do not understand the grass.
For over two years their sun
Has shone from an electric bulb
(10) That has never set, and their walking
Has been along the one, monotonous
Track of the pulled coal-trucks.
What is the importance of lines 5 through 9?
A) They suggest that the ponies prefer playing to working underground than playing above ground.
B) They show the ponies have lived underground without being familiar with life above ground.
C) They reveal what was once natural behavior for the ponies.
D) They indicate that one pony is much smarter than the others.
B) They show the ponies have lived underground without being familiar with life above ground.
400
Which three ways could the author rewrite the sentence to correct the run-on?
A) The sub sandwich was delicious, it was packed with steak and all kinds of vegetables.
B) The sub sandwich was delicious, and it was packed with steak and all kinds of vegetables.
C) The sub sandwich was delicious, and packed with steak and all kinds of vegetables.
D) The sub sandwich was delicious. Packed with steak and all kinds of vegetables.
E) The sub sandwich was delicious and packed with steak and all kinds of vegetables.
F) The sandwich was delicious; it was packed with steak and all kinds of vegetables.
B, E, F
500
Name the shift if applicable:
Whenever Lana chases a story she makes sure to take her recorder.
A) Pronoun Number Shift
B) Pronoun Person Shift
C) Pronoun Gender Shift
D) Both
E) Not Applicable
E) Not Applicable
500
A student is writing a report about sleep. Read both sources and answer the following question.
Source 1: “During Sleep” by Dr. Howard Dell
If you are like some people, you may think that sleep is a process during which the body and brain shut off, but this is not the case. The body goes through a series of stages during sleep in which body and brain activity change. Most of these changes are not noticed nor remembered. However, sleep does usually follow a pattern. Muscle activity and breathing slow in the initial stages of sleep. The body's temperature also decreases. Sometimes during sleep, the heart can begin to beat more quickly, blood pressure can rise, and many muscles experience small movements. These changes often happen during dreams.
The student took notes about information in the sources. Select two notes that correctly paraphrase, or restate, information from both sources.
A) You go through a series of stages during sleep.
B) People can easily sleepwalk during sleep.
C) We do not remember what happens during sleep.
D) People can sleepwalk during a stage of deep sleep.
E) We dream once each night.
F) During stages of sleep heart rate and muscle activity are affected.
A and F
500
6 Driving, texting, and talking on the phone are all cognitively complex tasks; they require sophisticated brain functions such as memory, attention, problem solving, and decision making. To better understand how the brain handles such tasks, the NSC compiled a report drawn from a number of research studies. The report concluded that the brain can’t perform two cognitively complex tasks at the same time. Instead, it switches quickly from one task (such as checking the intersection ahead) to the next (such as glancing at a text). That switch happens so fast, it feels as if you’re paying attention to both things at once. In reality, your overtaxed mind is overlooking important chunks of information— such as that red light you just blew through. Assuming that the brain can be successful with both at the same time is a decision that could be fatal.
What is the most powerful claim the author makes in paragraph 6?
A) The brain’s attention span isn’t long enough to text and drive.
B) The brain has a limited ability to focus.
C) The brain can’t do multiple complex tasks without overlooking something important.
D) It’s hard for the brain to function properly when it’s busy with other tasks.
C) The brain can’t do multiple complex tasks without overlooking something important.
500
What causes the horses to change their perspectives?
A) When a horse makes an attempt to run but falls trying since the horse hasn’t run since it was young.
B) In the beginning, when they come from out of the cave to breathe the air and see the sun.
C) When a horse playfully rolls in the grass.
D) The cave has been enlarged letting in more sunlight and fresh air.
C) When a horse playfully rolls in the grass.
500
Which sentence contains an error in comma usage? Choose all that apply.
A) The student who studies most effectively will of course receive the highest grade.
B) Carey, pass the gatorade to your teammates at the end of the bleachers.
C) Nonetheless Mr. Miller believes everyone should be excused from doing her homework.
D) There was a very loud ruckus coming from the direction of your basement, Daniel.
E) The teen forgot, however, where she had placed the keys to her mother’s house.
F) Where are you, Julian? Dad is supposed to be here to pick us up this morning.
G) Yes, the trophy was given to the winner after he crossed the finish line.
A and C
600
Name the shift if it is applicable:
Melissa and Devin wrote my letter to Congress a long time ago.
A) Pronoun Number Shift
B) Pronoun Person Shift
C) Pronoun Gender Shift
D) Both
E) Not Applicable
D) Both
600
5 Phone use while driving causes an immense amount of traffic violations that create dangerous situations. The NSC estimates that texting plays some part in at least 100,000 crashes per year. Talking on the phone plays an even bigger part. The NSC estimates that 1.2 million crashes a year—about 21 percent of all auto accidents—involve talking on a phone, including hands-free calls, while driving. In 2009, distracted driving led to accidents that injured half a million people and killed another 5,500, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. These statistics are something that should shock and offend all people that get behind the wheel.
Which detail from paragraph 5 provides the best support for the position that texting while driving can negatively impact the lives of others?
A) The NSC estimates that texting plays some part in at least 100,000 crashes per year.
B) The NSC estimates that 1.2 million crashes a year—about 21 percent of all auto accidents—involve talking on a phone.
C) Phone use while driving causes an immense amount of traffic violations that create dangerous situations.
D) In 2009, distracted driving led to accidents that injured half a million people and killed another 5,500, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
D) In 2009, distracted driving led to accidents that injured half a million people and killed another 5,500, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
600
How do the horses' perspectives change by the end of the poem?
A) In the beginning of the poem, they can't see anything, but by the end they are happily eating the clean grass.
B) In the beginning, they are strong, but at the end of the poem, they are clumsy and can't walk well.
C) In the beginning, they are scared of what is around them. By the end of the poem, they are joyful.
D) At the beginning of the poem, they preferred to be around people. In the end, they are shy around people.
C) In the beginning, they are scared of what is around them. By the end of the poem, they are joyful.
600
Choose the best sentence to add descriptive detail to the paragraph.
A) Reading books had always been Grace’s a distraction for Grace since Alex wasn’t there.
B) The noisy bus filled with roars of laughter and the drumming sounds of constant chitchat.
C) Reading books had always been Grace’s a distraction for Grace since Alex wasn’t there.
D) Grace felt a sense of distress because the book she lost belonged to the library.
B) The noisy bus filled with roars of laughter and the drumming sounds of constant chitchat.
700
All of these are in third person point of view except (Choose all that apply):
A) She
B) You
C) He
D) Them
E) We
F) my
B, E, F
700
Which statement from the text least supports the position that a driver’s reaction time does not change while using his phone?
A) The report concluded that the brain can’t perform two cognitively complex tasks at the same time.
B) That switch happens so fast, it feels as if you’re paying attention to both things at once.
C) That’s bad because every millisecond counts behind the wheel.
D) He traveled an extra 6.4 meters (21 feet) or more than one car length before hitting the breaks.
D) He traveled an extra 6.4 meters (21 feet) or more than one car length before hitting the breaks.
700
Which two lines best show the change in the horses' perspective?
A) They come like the ghosts of horses, shyly,
B) They have bunched their muscles against
C) But now they have come out of the underworld
D) Something he could do when he was very young.
E) One rolls on her back with joy in the clean grass!
A and E
700
Choose the pair of words that best replace the underlined words.
A) drafted; mash
B) rushed; munch
C) fluttered; smash
D) gusted; bite
E) flowed; consume
E) flowed; consume