💡 Central & Key Ideas
$100 — Marjory Stoneman Douglas
What is the central idea of the passage?
A. Douglas spent many years living and working in Florida.
B. Douglas used research and writing to increase awareness of the Everglades.
C. Douglas became interested in animals after moving to Florida.
D. Douglas wrote about several different environments during her career.
Douglas used research and writing to help people understand and protect the Everglades.
Answer: B
Why: The passage develops Douglas as someone who studied the Everglades carefully and used writing to help other people understand its importance. That idea can be supported by several details across the text rather than one isolated fact. Your Unit 1 notes identify her research and The Everglades: River of Grass as major evidence.
Test Strategy:
Central idea = WHOLE TEXT.
Ask: “Which answer can several important details prove?”
$100
How does the author first introduce Marjory Stoneman Douglas to the reader?
A. by explaining her connection to protecting the Everglades
B. by describing every book she wrote during her career
C. by explaining how Florida developed after she arrived
D. by listing the animals that lived in the Everglades
By explaining her connection to protecting the Everglades
Answer: A
Why: The text introduces Douglas through the role she played in helping people understand and value the Everglades, which prepares readers for the rest of the passage.
Test Strategy:
“First introduce” = look at the beginning.
Do not choose something that happens much later.
$100
Which of the following sentences includes an example of personification?
A. The grass reached nearly twelve feet above the ground.
B. The glossy purple flowers appeared above the tall grass.
C. The proud flower bowed before the plants around it.
D. The dark-green leaves had rusty-brown undersides.
The proud flower bowed before the plants around it.
Answer: C
Why: “Proud” and “bowed” give the flower human qualities/actions. The other choices describe literal appearance.
Test Strategy:
THING → HUMAN ACTION/ TRAIT/ QUALITY
$100
Replace enviroment with
A. enviroment
B. environment
C. environmant
D. enviornment
environment
Answer: B
Why: B) is the standard spelling of environment.
Test Strategy:
Do not automatically choose “no change.”
Examine every letter.
$100 — Short Vowel
Which syllable contains a short vowel sound?
A. mu in music
B. ti in tiger
C. splen in splendid
D. ro in robot
splen in splendid
Answer: C
Why: In splen, the vowel e is followed by consonants that close the syllable. The vowel makes its short sound.
Test Strategy:
Look at the vowel.
Is it closed in by a consonant?
Closed syllable → try the short vowel sound.
$200 — Protectors of the Land: John Muir
What is the central idea of the passage?
A. Muir traveled through several wilderness areas during his lifetime.
B. Muir enjoyed observing plants and animals wherever he traveled.
C. Muir used writing and conservation work to build support for wilderness.
D. Muir became interested in protecting nature after visiting Yosemite.
Muir used writing and conservation work to build support for wilderness.
Answer: C
Why: The text emphasizes Muir’s writing, conservation efforts, public influence, and support for protecting wilderness. The other choices are either too narrow or do not represent the larger idea of the section.
Test Strategy:
Eliminate answers that are true but too small.
$200
How does the author illustrate the idea that Douglas was committed to the Everglades?
A. by explaining that she enjoyed living near natural areas
B. by describing her years of research and environmental writing
C. by explaining that she frequently visited other parts of Florida
D. by describing several animals found throughout the wetlands
By describing her years of research and environmental writing
Answer: B
Why: Long-term research and writing are actions that demonstrate commitment. They show what Douglas did, not merely what she liked.
Test Strategy:
“How does the author illustrate the idea…”
Look for actions/details that demonstrate the idea.
$200
Which of the following phrases includes an example of personification for plants?
A. “coffee-brown water”
B. “ten or twelve feet”
C. “prince among its fellows”
D. “dark-green glossy leaves”
“prince among its fellows”
Answer: C
Why: Calling a plant a “prince” gives it a human social role or rank. The other choices create imagery but not personification.
Test Strategy:
Don’t confuse imagery with personification.
Ask: “What human behavior, feeling, role, or quality is being given?”
$200
Replace conservasion with
A. conservation
B. conservasion
C. conservition
D. conservashion
conservation
Answer: A
Why: Conservation ends with -tion, not -sion in this word.
Test Strategy:
Look for familiar word parts and suffixes.
$200 — Long Vowel
Which syllable contains a long vowel sound?
A. fan in fantastic
B. tic in fantastic
C. frag in fragment
D. ti in tiger
ti in tiger
Answer: D
Why: Ti is an open syllable because it ends with the vowel. The i says its name: long /ī/.
Test Strategy:
Open syllable → vowel is open at the end → try the long vowel sound.
Quick reminder:
ti / ger
The first syllable ends with i, so try long /ī/.
$300 — Part A / Part B
Part A
What key idea does the author introduce in the section about Wangari Maathai in "Protectors of the Land"?
A. Maathai preferred working outdoors rather than attending school.
B. Maathai used community action to address environmental problems.
C. Maathai believed every environmental problem had one solution.
D. Maathai became interested in nature only after reaching adulthood.
Maathai used community action to address environmental problems.
Answer: B
Why: The section develops Maathai’s use of the Green Belt Movement, tree planting, and community action to solve environmental and community problems.
Test Strategy:
For Part B ask: “Which detail most directly PROVES my Part A answer?”
$300
How does the author illustrate the idea that John Muir admired nature?
A. by listing the dates on which he traveled through Florida
B. by explaining the different roads he used during his journey
C. by describing plants closely and stopping to study specimens
D. by describing the supplies he carried while traveling south
By describing plants closely and stopping to study specimens
Answer: C
Why: Detailed descriptions show close attention, while stopping to collect specimens shows that his admiration affects his behavior.
Test Strategy:
Ask: “Which choice SHOWS the idea instead of just mentioning the topic?”
$300
Which of the following sentences includes an example of personification?
A. The vines formed a thick wall around the traveler.
B. The tree welcomed the travelers into the forest.
C. The flowers grew beside the edge of the stream.
D. The grass appeared taller near the wet ground.
The tree welcomed the travelers into the forest.
Answer: B
Why: A tree cannot literally “welcome” someone in the human sense.
Test Strategy:
Ask: Could the nonhuman thing literally do this?
If not, but a person could, it is likely personification.
$300
Paula told Maya about the empty lot. She believed the garden could improve the neighborhood.
Replace She with
A. She (no change)
B. Paula
C. they
D. it
B. Paula
Answer: B
Why: “She” could refer to Paula or Maya. Replacing it with “Paula” makes the antecedent clear.
Test Strategy:
Pronoun → draw an arrow to the noun.
If you could draw two arrows, revise.
$300 — Break the Big Word
Which is the best way to divide the word fantastic into syllables to help read it?
A. fan / tas / tic
B. fa / nta / stic
C. fant / ast / ic
D. fanta / st / ic
fan / tas / tic
Answer: A
Why: fan, tas, and tic each give the reader manageable syllable chunks. Each contains a short vowel closed by consonants.
Test Strategy:
BIG WORD = break it → read each part → blend it → check the word.
Say it:
fan — tas — tic → fantastic
$400 — The Writings of John Muir
What is the central idea of paragraphs 5–8?
A. Florida’s environment caused Muir to reconsider continuing his journey.
B. Muir believed southern plants were more valuable than northern plants.
C. Muir’s encounter with unfamiliar nature deepened his curiosity and admiration.
D. Collecting plant specimens became the only purpose of Muir’s journey.
Muir’s encounter with unfamiliar nature deepened his curiosity and admiration.
Answer: C
Why: Across paragraphs 5–8, Muir notices unfamiliar plants, describes them closely, leaves his route to collect specimens, and reacts with wonder. Those details work together to show growing fascination with nature.
Test Strategy:
Ask: “What idea keeps showing up across several paragraphs?”
$400 — SELECT TWO
Which two details from the passage develop the idea that Muir’s actions were influenced by the surrounding environment?
A. Muir records the date of his observations.
B. Muir leaves his route to collect specimens.
C. Muir notices water oaks near streams.
D. Muir struggles through water and tangled vines.
E. Muir continues traveling toward the Gulf.
Muir leaves his route to collect specimens. Muir struggles through water and tangled vines.
Answers: B and D
Why: B) shows nature causing Muir to change his route. D) shows the physical environment affecting how he moves and travels. The other choices may be true, but they do not as directly show the environment influencing his actions.
Test Strategy:
For Select Two, test every option separately.
Don’t stop after finding one good answer.
$400
Why is describing a plant as being aware of its “high rank” an example of personification?
A. The description compares the plant with another plant.
B. The description tells readers exactly how tall the plant is.
C. The description gives the plant human awareness and status.
D. The description explains where the plant grows naturally.
The description gives the plant human awareness and status.
Answer: C
Why: Awareness of rank is a human mental/social quality.
Test Strategy:
If the question asks why, name the exact human quality or action.
$400
The plants surrounded Muir as they moved through the tangled vines.
Replace they with
A. they (no change)
B. the plants
C. Muir
D. them
Muir
Answer: C
Why: The intended person moving through the vines is Muir. “They” makes the sentence unclear and could incorrectly refer to the plants.
Test Strategy:
Ask: Who is actually doing the action?
$400 — Short or Long?
Which statement correctly describes the first syllable in each word?
A. robot begins with a short vowel; rabbit begins with a long vowel.
B. robot begins with a long vowel; rabbit begins with a short vowel.
C. Both words begin with short vowel syllables.
D. Both words begin with long vowel syllables.
robot begins with a long vowel; rabbit begins with a short vowel.
Answer: B
Why:
ro / bot → ro is open → long /ō/
rab / bit → rab is closed → short /ă/
Test Strategy:
Don't judge the whole word.
Look at one syllable at a time.
OPEN = LONG
CLOSED = SHORT
This is a useful starting strategy, not a rule that works for every English word. For example: about, team, home, car, want, find, ago, boy
$500 — Part A / Part B
Part A
What key idea does the author develop in paragraph 7 of The Writings of John Muir?
A. Muir’s curiosity about nature affects the choices he makes.
B. Muir begins to believe that traveling alone is too dangerous.
C. Muir decides that Florida is not worth exploring any further.
D. Muir becomes more interested in completing his trip quickly.
Muir’s curiosity about nature affects the choices he makes.
Answer: A
Why: Muir does more than simply notice plants. He changes his behavior by going out of his way to study and collect them.
Test Strategy:
Evidence questions are about directness.
“True” is not enough. Ask: “Does this detail actually prove the idea?”
$500
How does the author develop the idea that Maathai’s childhood experiences influenced her later work?
A. by contrasting her childhood home with places she visited later
B. by listing the schools she attended before becoming an activist
C. by connecting her early experiences with nature to later protection efforts
D. by describing the different jobs held by members of her community
By connecting her early experiences with nature to later protection efforts
Answer: C
Why: Her firsthand childhood memories establish a strong connection with nature, while her later environmental work shows how that connection developed into action.
Test Strategy:
When a question asks how an idea develops, look for a connection across the text—not one isolated detail.
$500
How does the personification help the reader understand Muir’s view of nature?
A. It shows that Muir considers nature impressive and worthy of admiration.
B. It shows that Muir thinks plants should be classified by social rank.
C. It shows that Muir believes unfamiliar plants are difficult to identify.
D. It shows that Muir prefers plants that are larger than nearby plants.
It shows that Muir considers nature impressive and worthy of admiration.
Answer: A
Why: Muir’s royal/human descriptions elevate the plants and show admiration rather than simply describing their physical features.
Test Strategy:
Personification questions may go beyond identification:
THING → HUMAN QUALITY → EFFECT/MEANING
$500
Replace protection was importent with
A. protection was importent
B. protection were important
C. protection was important
D. protection were importent
protection was important
Answer: C
Why: C fixes the spelling of important and preserves correct subject-verb agreement with singular protection.
Test Strategy:
Editing questions may contain more than one issue.
Check spelling, pronouns, agreement, and meaning before selecting.
Bonus — $700 Double Jeopardy
music • splendid • robot • plastic
Which TWO words begin with an open syllable that usually has a long vowel sound?
A. music and robot
B. splendid and plastic
C. music and splendid
D. robot and plastic
music and robot
Answer: A
Why:
mu / sic → mu is open → long vowel
ro / bot → ro is open → long vowel
But:
splen / did → closed → short e
plas / tic → closed → short a
Test Strategy:
Mark the syllable first. Then ask:
Does it end with the vowel or does a consonant close it?