Persuasion
Excerpt from Animal Bill of Right By Academic Writing
Animals deserve to have laws which protect them from being harmed or abused. However, here in the United States some animals are used for food or experimented on for new products, such as medicine. An Animal Bill of Rights is needed to help stop animal misuse and mistreatment. When many people think of animals, they tend to think of animals that are pets, like a cat or a dog. However, many never think about the thousands of animals out there that are being used in unmeaningful ways. For example, mice, pigs, rats, hamsters, fish, or farm animals. Although I am not a vegan, I would still approve this bill.
Which detail from the passage best communicates the author’s main claim?
A) However, here in the United States some animals are used for food
B) When many people think of animals, they tend to think of animals that are pets
C) An Animal Bill of Rights is needed to help stop animal misuse and mistreatment.
D) Although I am not a vegan, I would still approve this bill.
C) An Animal Bill of Rights is needed to help stop animal misuse and mistreatment.
In paragraph 1, the word intimidating means —
F) encouraging
G) confident
H) fearless
J) frightening
J) frightening
Based on the last stanza, the reader can conclude that the speaker —
A) wants to write about winning a race
B) hopes to finish writing soon
C) has begun expressing ideas freely
D) hopes to learn organizational skills
C) has begun expressing ideas freely
Both the author of the letter and the speaker in the poem would most likely consider a blank page to be a —
F) distraction
G) challenge
H) mystery
J) commitment
G) challenge
I Won’t Go Back By Ishak
[1] When I go back
[2] pictures of the past come
[3] the most pleasant memories have become fairy tales
[4] Come and then go.
[5] Look with other eyes
[6] Changing colors may talk to me teach me
[7] If it had been, I would draw you into oblivion
[8] Orchards bloom when the time comes. Oh, time…
[9] I will write tears and sorrows, in a book that has no title
[10] I will not go back, I will not have a meeting I will not go
[11] back … To go back.
[12] I won’t have a meeting.
[13] I won’t go back…
The words “tears” and “sorrows” highlight that the speaker -
A) is unable to forget
B) fears the past
C) feels sad again
D) wishes for more
Excerpt from Mars One: Exciting or a Hoax? By Harry Keller
The Mars One project has received quite a bit of press lately. This project plans to establish a human colony on Mars in 2023 with four people. The project is the brainchild of Bas Lansdorp, a Dutch businessman. You must give him credit for creativeness. Much of the financing will come from a 24-hour television reality show that will follow every step of the project, including watching the new “Martians” as they adapt to the harsh Mars environment. According to the Mars One website, this project will use existing technology. The habitat consists of modules that will arrive on Mars over a period of years and will be moved into place by a Mars rover. The first colonists will do the final assembly. Every two years, four more colonists will arrive until the total population consists of twenty immigrants. At that point, the colony intends to be self-sustaining, requiring no additional supplies from Earth. No kidding! At $10,000 per pound, Earth will not continue sending oxygen, water, food, Mars suits, and more to Mars regularly. If you haven’t guessed yet, the trips by the colonists will be one-way only. There’s absolutely no provision for bringing them home. Even with an estimated $6 billion budget, the money just isn’t there. So, who will these colonists be? Interestingly, Lansdorp proposes to charge for the privilege of taking a one-way trip.
What is the author’s main claim in the passage?
A) The Mars One project is a dangerous mission.
B) The Mars One project will be funded by reality TV.
C) The Mars One project will be hard work and take many years to establish.
D) The Mars One project does not seem like a very good idea.
D) The Mars One project does not seem like a very good idea.
The author uses the questions in paragraph 4 to —
F) suggest that her opinions were not accepted by others
G) prove that maturity has enhanced her ability to write
H) show that there are benefits to being able to speak two languages
J) explain how false assumptions kept her from pursuing her interest in writing
J) explain how false assumptions kept her from pursuing her interest in writing
In stanza 2, the poet’s use of a metaphor suggests that —
A) words help writers generate ideas
B) ideas can overwhelm writers
C) exercise helps writers develop their thoughts
D) writers depend on others to complete their work
A) words help writers generate ideas
How does the author’s purpose for writing in “Dear Fellow Writer” differ from the poet’s purpose in “What the Page Says”?
F) Mora persuades people to start writing, while the poet describes a writer’s effort.
G) Mora provides information about writing strategies, while the poet encourages a writer to use a specific strategy.
H) Mora describes the writing process for readers, while the poet does not.
J) Mora entertains readers with a story about writing, while the poet does not.
F) Mora persuades people to start writing, while the poet describes a writer’s effort.
The Bashful Earthquake By Oliver Herford
[1] The Earthquake rumbled
[2] And mumbled
[3] And grumbled;
[4] And then he bumped,
[5] And everything tumbled—
[6] Bumpyty-thump!
[7] Thumpyty-bump!—
[8] Houses and palaces all in a lump!
[9] Oh, what a crash!
[10] Oh, what a smash!
[11] “How could I ever be so rash?”
[12] The Earthquake cried.
[13] “What under the sun
[14] Have I gone and done?
[15] I never before was so mortified!”
[16] Then away he fled,
[17] And groaned as he sped:
[18] “This comes of not looking before I tread.”
The poet uses personification throughout the poem to convey that the Earthquake -
A) was not invited to stay
B) believes he was only trying to help
C) wants to make up for his mistakes
D) did not wish to cause so much damage
D) did not wish to cause so much damage
Excerpt from Values are Changing By Kelsey
Our values in America are changing from being moral to having material things. In 1950 we were still thinking about freedom and equality, but once we got to the 70s and 80s, we started thinking about owning a home or having a ton of money (Shiller 2). We should focus on the individual rights we have. We are obligated to many of our rights. However, people in other countries don’t even have many of the same rights. To show that we believe in our values, we have to support other countries that give their people the same rights that we have (Gilpin 3).
Which statement would the author most likely agree with?
A) American’s are spoiled.
B) American’s are mean.
C) American’s are wealthy.
D) American’s are lazy.
A) American’s are spoiled.
Based on her letter, how has the author’s Hispanic heritage influenced her message?
F) She wants to encourage people to write about what makes their culture unique.
G) She wants to communicate the idea that a person from any culture can become a writer.
H) She wants to celebrate the accomplishments of Hispanic authors.
J) She wants to emphasize the importance of storytelling in Hispanic culture.
G) She wants to communicate the idea that a person from any culture can become a writer.
In the poem, the speaker’s mood changes from —
F) uncertain to discouraged
G) frustrated to joyous
H) lonely to peaceful
J) relaxed to excited
G) frustrated to joyous
What is one difference between the author of the letter and the speaker in the poem?
F) The author gets her inspiration to write from her feelings, while the speaker is inspired by others.
G) The author expresses a willingness to begin writing, while the speaker has difficulty transforming thoughts into words.
H) The author is content with her first attempt at writing, while the speaker continuously edits and revises.
J) The author prefers reading more than writing, while the speaker enjoys both reading and writing.
G) The author expresses a willingness to begin writing, while the speaker has difficulty transforming thoughts into words.
A Dream By Thomas Moore
[1] I thought this heart enkindled lay
[2] On Cupid's burning shrine:
[3] I thought he stole thy heart away,
[4] And placed it near to mine.
[5] I saw thy heart begin to melt,
[6] Like ice before the sun;
[7] Till both a glow congenial felt,
[8] And mingled into one!
The simile in line 6 helps the reader understand that the heart -
A) melted to water
B) warmed and changed
C) is unfeeling like ice
D) will now be upset
B) warmed and changed
Excerpt from It’s Not Me, It’s You By Dean Culpepper & Lorraine Killion
American adults and an increasing number of children are not meeting the recommended amounts of daily physical activity. Research has documented the effects of low activity on health, and increasingly new research has shown that low activity levels now impact academic achievement. Physical education (PE) can play an important role if the children participating are obtaining enough physical activity while in class and the PE program has not been targeted with cutbacks. The purpose of this study was to identify the amount and intensity of activity in PE classes. The results indicate that on average students at all levels are not meeting the activity requirements. In addition, PE teachers’ perceptions of physical activity in their own class do not match actual activity levels. PE teachers must do a better job of increasing activity levels in their classrooms. Mounting research indicates students perform better academically if they are physically active. PE is the only subject where teachers can organize activities that meet both activity and intensity requirements.
What is the author’s main purpose in writing this passage?
A) to explain why academics are declining
B) to describe research done on PE classes
C) to suggest a solution to improve student health
D) to share concerns on PE activity levels
D) to share concerns on PE activity levels
How does the author organize paragraphs 8 through 10?
A) By listing common practices used by writers
B) By comparing strategies writers use to develop their ideas
C) By stating reasons writers avoid trying different techniques
D) By identifying problems writers encounter while revising their work
A) By listing common practices used by writers
Which lines from the poem reflect a lesson that the speaker learns?
A) “In lush gardens,/the words will bloom up all around you,”
B) Quickly marching words,/all in a line,
C) “Start with any scribble,/and soon the ideas will form.”
D) Hello, words./Hello, victory!
C) “Start with any scribble,/and soon the ideas will form.”
Read lines 6 through 10 from the poem.
Fill my lines. Crowd me with words, / all kinds of words— / happy, joyous words, / angry, jangled words, / burdened words, sad words,
Which sentences from the letter express the same idea as these lines from the poem?
A) We don’t just talk about writing. We sit by ourselves inside or outside, writing at airports or on kitchen tables, even on napkins.
B) I’ve learned that some writers are quiet and shy, others noisy, others just plain obnoxious. Some like enchiladas and others like sushi; some like rap and others like rancheras.
C) When I was in grade school in El Paso, Texas (where I was born), I read comic books and mysteries and magazines and library books. I was soaking up language.
D) Living hurts, so sometimes we write about a miserable date, a friend who betrayed us, the death of a parent. Some days, though, we’re so full of joy we feel like a kite.
D) Living hurts, so sometimes we write about a miserable date, a friend who betrayed us, the death of a parent. Some days, though, we’re so full of joy we feel like a kite.
Excerpt from Casey at Bat By Ernest Lawrence Thayer
[1] It looked extremely rocky for the Mudville nine
[2] that day: The score stood four to six with just an
[3] inning left to play; And so, when Cooney died at
[4] first, and Burrows did the same, A pallor wreathed
[5] the features of the patrons of the game.
[6] A straggling few got up to go, leaving there the
[7] rest With that hope that springs eternal within the
[8] human breast; For they thought if only Casey
[9] could get one whack, at that They'd put up even
[10] money, with
[11] Casey at the bat. But Flynn preceded Casey,
[12] and so likewise did Blake, But the former was a
[13] pudding, and the latter was a fake; So on that
[14] stricken multitude a death-like silence sat, For
[15] there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting
[16] to the bat.
The speaker believes that -
A) the fans are unhappy
B) the game is lost for sure
C) only Casey can win the game
D) only the fans have hope
C) only Casey can win the game
Excerpt from Robot vs. Animal By Ian Man
The workers of the developed world spent the 20th century watching themselves get replaced by machines. This was as much true for horses as for humans. Despite thousands of years of vital service to everyone from farmers to generals, they were replaced after the introduction of the internal combustion engine and automobiles. In 1898, the world’s first conference on urban planning took place in New York City, and every expert in attendance was worried about the “Great Manure Crisis”—millions of pounds of the stuff, every day, produced by the hundreds of thousands of horses that made up the street traffic in the world’s great industrial cities. That manure attracted flies, which in turn spread disease; and then there was the other issue of growing and transporting food into cities just to feed so many horses. Like the car, horses caused us problems even as they made our lives easier. Fast-forward to now, and a world where robots can complete jobs for humans. Will history repeat its self? When we invent new machinery, we impact our natural kingdom just as much as we do ourselves.
What inference can be made based on the author’s question at the end of the passage?
A) Robots have historically been stronger.
B) Robots are not as efficient as horses.
C) Robots may become the new automobile.
D) Robots will lose popularity.
C) Robots may become the new automobile.
Which sentence from the letter best supports the author’s claim that reading helps writers
develop their skills?
A) Without practice, you will never learn to hear and sing your own unique song.
B) Revising is now one of my favorite parts of being a writer, though I didn’t always feel that way.
C) We’re curious to see what others are doing with words, but—what is more important—we like what happens to us when we open a book, how we journey into the pages.
D) In the last twenty years, I’ve spent more and more time writing my own books for children and adults.
C) We’re curious to see what others are doing with words, but—what is more important—we like what happens to us when we open a book, how we journey into the pages.
Read these lines from the poem.
Here it is again, / that ghostly blank page / staring me down, / glaring at me in defiance. / “Here,” the page says, “place your words here.”
These lines highlight the speaker’s discomfort because they show that —
F) the page does not provide the speaker with useful ideas
G) the speaker does not feel like writing at that particular moment
H) the page appears to be taunting the speaker
J) the speaker is unsure where to write his thoughts
H) the page appears to be taunting the speaker
Read these excerpts from the letter and the poem.
Writing is my way of knowing myself better, of hearing myself, of discovering what is important to me and what makes me sad, what makes me different, what makes me me—of discovering my own true name. — “Dear Fellow Writer,” (paragraph 12)
know how to find the key / to unlock, inside me, that treasure chest / chock full of brilliant words and thorny thoughts? — “What the Page Says,” (lines 33–35)
Based on these excerpts, the reader can conclude that both the author and the poet share a similar belief that —
A) searching for ideas in various places improves writing
B) expressing thoughts orally is easier than writing
C) writing develops a person’s sense of self
D) writing helps others resolve their conflicts
C) writing develops a person’s sense of self
The Great Figure By William Carlos Williams
[1] Among the rain
[2] and lights
[3] I saw the figure 5
[4] in gold
[5] on a red
[6] firetruck
[7] moving with weight and urgency
[8] tense
[9] unheeded
[10] to gong clangs
[11] siren howls
[12] and wheels rumbling
[13] through the dark city.
The speaker sees the firetruck as -
A) beautiful
B) useful
C) important
D) loud
What does the word unheeded mean?
A) to notice but disregard
B) need to be able to see
C) to completely ignore
D) to show no interest
C) important
A) to notice but disregard