Commonly Confused Words
What are you going to _______ to the theater?
a. wear b. where
What is a? (wear)
Which sentence is correctly punctuated and capitalized?
a. Could someone tell me, why the windows are rolled down while its raining outside?
b.Could someone tell me why the windows are rolled down, while its raining outside.
c. Could someone tell me why the windows are rolled down while its raining outside!
d. Could someone tell me, why the windows are rolled down while it's raining outside?
What is d? (Could someone tell me, why the windows are rolled down while it's raining outside?)
Which is the BEST example of personification?
a. The snow was piled up as high as the front door.
b. The wind kicked up all the leaves we raked this morning.
c. We were as thirsty as camels when we came in from the sun.
d. We worried about the flowers getting enough water in the terrible heat.
What is b? (The wind kicked up all the leaves we raked this morning.)
Excerpt from Appetite
Will Wordy
In a house the size of a postage stamp
lived a man as big as a barge.
His mouth could drink the entire river
You could say it was rather large
For dinner he would eat a trillion beans
And a silo full of grain,
Washed it down with a tanker of milk
As if he were a drain.
Which best states the theme of the poem?
a. Healthy appetite can lead to power
b. Too much appetite can leave one empty
c. People should watch how much they eat.
d. People should feed the hungry in their communities.
What is b? (Too much appetite can leave one empty.)
In World War II, military officials used seaplanes for a number of important tasks.
According to the passage, the word officials means
a. authorizations.
b. laws.
c. leaders.
d. politicians.
What is c? (Leaders)
What makes you think _____ coming to dinner?
a. their b. there c. they're
What is c? (They're)
Which sentence is correctly punctuated and capitalized?
a. "Have you read "Paul's case" by Willa Cather?", the teacher asked.
b. "Have you read "Paul's Case" by Willa Cather," the teacher asked.
c. "Have you read 'Paul's Case' by Willa Cather?" the teacher asked.
d. "Have you read 'Paul's case' by Willa Cather?", the teacher asked.
What is c? ("Have you read 'Paul's Case' by Willa Cather?" the teacher asked.)
1 Sighing, Lauren stared down at the photograph in her lap. The portrait was encased in a glistening, pink frame with the words Best Friends scrawled in cursive script at the bottom. The past few weeks of Lauren’s life had been a whirlwind of activity. It seemed like a hundred years since she had had a moment to sit and think.
When the author writes "It seemed like a hundred years since she had had a moment to sit and think", this is an example of ...
a. metaphor
b. hyperbole
c. personification
d. oxymoron
What is b? (hyperbole)
EYAMBA I. of Calabar was a very powerful king. He fought and conquered all the surrounding countries, killing all the old men and women, but the able-bodied men and girls he caught and brought back as slaves, and they worked on the farms until they died.
What effect is accomplished by the author's choice to put this paragraph at the beginning of the story?
a. It lets us know where the story is set.
b. It establishes the king as a powerful and ruthless figure.
c. It demonstrates that the story takes place during a warlike period of history.
d. It illustrates the prevalent attitudes towards the elderly at the time of the story.
What is b? (It establishes the king as a powerful and ruthless figure.)
1 Over the past ten years more than two dozen athletes have died from the medical condition known as heatstroke. Heatstroke occurs when the body’s internal temperature becomes so elevated that its cooling system begins shutting down. Who is most at risk? Surprisingly, it is younger athletes. They often either do not recognize or ignore the warning signs until it’s too late. To make matters worse, children’s bodies are much less efficient than adults at cooling themselves. A promising new product hopes to end the all too common heatstroke trend. It is called a thermometer pill.
According to the article, how many athletes over the last ten years have died from the medical condition known as heatstroke?
a. zero athletes b. ten young athletes
c. less than 2 dozen d. more than 2 dozen
What is d? (More than 2 dozen)
After walking for hours in the hot desert, John's vision became blurry and he began to see _____ of bodies of water miles ahead.
a. illusions b. allusions
What is a? (illusions)
Which sentence is correctly punctuated and capitalized?
a. Warren acted as though he was surprised but I wonder?
b. Warren acted as though he was surprised, but I wonder...
c. Warren acted as though, he was surprised, but I wonder...
d. Warren acted as though he was surprised; but I wonder?
What is b? (Warren acted a though he was surprised, but I wonder...)
Excerpt from Asthma
Information from the CDC
Testing of lung function, called spirometry, is another way to diagnose asthma. A spirometer is a piece of equipment that measures the largest amount of air you can exhale after taking a very deep breath. Airflow can be measured before and after you use an asthma medication.
How were you able to determine the meaning of the word spirometry?
a. diction
b. glossary
c. footnotes
d. context clues
What is d? (Context clues)
Excerpt from The Truth About Diaries
Marie Devers
What’s unexpected are my words on sibling rivalry; 11
in spite of how I act, my brother means the world to me. 12
That’s one fact that stays under lock and combination; 13
How embarrassed I would be, if he knew my admiration. 14
How is the speaker characterized by her wish to keep her diary a secret from her brother?
a. She seems shy and private.
b. She seems helpful and eager.
c. She seems clever and studious.
d. She seems sneaky and dishonest.
What is a? (She seems shy and private.)
Originally students simply had to earn an established number of credits over four years in order to graduate. Don’t they see that students who are required to serve others as a volunteer will become more kind and considerate people in their real life? Instead of being a place where students go and hide all day, high schools would be active, vibrant contributors to the good of the community as a whole. Think of how much more good work could be done!
Which sentence based upon this passage is an example of a hasty over-generalization?
a. There are many good reasons for why requiring service-hours from every American high school student is a good idea for the future.
b. Don’t they see that students who are required to serve others as a volunteer will become more kind and considerate people in their real life?
c. Originally students simply had to earn an established number of credits over four years in order to graduate.
d. It is true that having more graduation requirements will require more personnel to insure that all these requirements are met.
What is b? ("Don’t they see that students who are required to serve others as a volunteer will become more kind and considerate people in their real life?")
Some people thought the movie was really scary, but it has little ______ on me.
a. affect b. effect
What is b? (effect)
Which sentence is correctly punctuated and capitalized?
a. When was the last time you read Catcher In The Rye?
b. When was the last time you read "Catcher in The Rye"?
c. When was the last time you read Catcher in the Rye?
When was the last time you read Catcher in the rye?
What is c? When was the last time you read Catcher in the Rye?
Excerpt from No Cons, All Pros for Reality Shows
Dontavious Tindell
Reality shows, as the name implies, reflect “reality” without any preconceptions or judgments. What happens on a reality show is what really happens in life. We all know, for example, that in real life it’s not WHAT you know, it’s WHO you know. Reality shows demonstrate this truism in episode after episode. Reality shows put a microcosm of American life on display for all to see. They allow everyday people the chance to be on television and become famous!
Which of these is the BEST definition of “truism” as used in this sentence?
a. belief
b. motto
c. principle
d. slogan
What is c? (principle)
Excerpt from That Old Straw Sojourner
David Matherne
So the hat went to school,
Then it kept him somewhat cool (21)
As he worked the plow and mule
Which dictionary definition of cool BEST applies to its use in line 21?
a. calm
b. put off by
c. not so hot
d. fashionable
What is c? (not so hot)
Parents put their children in serious danger by not immunizing. The diseases we immunize against are not gone and they are still deadly. Even chicken pox, a seemingly innocent disease, can kill. Choosing not to immunize endangers sick children and infants who cannot receive shots. It also undermines the community's immunity. Unvaccinated individuals make it easier for diseases to spread.
Which statement implies that parents are harming their children by NOT vaccinating them?
a. “The diseases we immunize against are not gone and they are still deadly.”
b. “While the chicken pox is not fun, there is no reason to immunize a child against it.”
c. “Do you remember getting the chicken pox? Today, we vaccinate kids against this common childhood disease.”
d. “The real culprit undermining the public’s safety is a baseless claim that vaccinations lead to autism.”
What is a? ("The diseases we immunize against are not gone and they are still deadly")
The lawyer will _________ the plaintiff before he goes to court.
a. council b. counsel
What is b? (counsel)
Which sentence is correctly punctuated and capitalized?
a. Henry David Thoreau read a great deal of pre-Revolution literature before writing "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience" and other essays.
b. Henry David Thoreau read a great deal of pre-Revolution literature before writing 'On the Duty of Civil Disobedience' and other essays.
c. Henry David Thoreau read a great deal of preRevolution literature before writing "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience" and other essays.
d. Henry David Thoreau read a great deal of pre-Revolution literature, before writing "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience" and other essays.
What is a? (Henry David Thoreau read a great deal of pre-Revolution literature before writing "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience" and other essays.)
Excerpt from Life on the Mississippi
Mark Twain
"Now I had often seen pilots gazing at the water and pretending to read it as if it were a book; but it was a book that told me nothing. A time came at last, however, when Mr. Bixby seemed to think me far enough advanced to bear a lesson on water-reading. So he began’"
What two things are being compared in this passage?
a. boats and airplanes
b. a river and an ocean
c. the author and Mr. Bixby
d. water reading and book reading
What is d? Water reading and book reading
5 Alisa hurled the ball to Teresa who tossed the ball, missing the net. Teresa sat down somberly with a serious face and sad eyes. She told her older sister how she felt about the basketball team. Teresa admitted that she would like to do other things with her time and that she could never see herself enjoying the game. Frowning, Alisa asked Teresa to stay on the team for the rest of the season—only two weeks remained. With some hesitation, Teresa agreed to stick it out for the rest of season.
In paragraph 5, to stick it out means
a. to keep going
b. to remain bored
c. to stop playing
d. to start practicing
What is a? (To keep going)
To set up your fish aquarium, you must first decide where to put your tank. You should place your fish tank on a stable, sturdy piece of furniture, such as a table. Pick a spot away from direct sunlight, as direct sunlight can harm some fish. After placing your tank in its chosen spot, place a small layer of pebbles at the bottom of the aquarium. Then, put a few underwater plants or other decorations on top of the pebble layer. After adding decorations, fill the tank with water. Because the water will make the tank heavy, fill the tank by using a clean pitcher filled with water. That way, you will not have to move your tank after it is full of water. Finally, put your new fish into your aquarium.
Which of these details does NOT support or fit into this paragraph’s main idea?
a. Fill the tank with water until it reaches about three inches from the top.
b. Dogs are delightful pets indeed, but they also require a lot of responsibility.
c. The pebble layer should be about three inches thick and cover the entire bottom.
d. Make sure that any decorations you put in the tank are designed for fish aquariums.
What is b? (Dogs are delightful pets indeed, but they also require a lot of responsibility.)