Vocabulary
What does ANALYZE mean?
To look closely
When we broke camp in the morning it seemed as if the entire land was covered with the animals. They were in such throngs that the sound of their hoofs was like the rumbling of distant thunder.
One could compare the scene to nothing more than to an ocean of dark water surrounding us on every side, pitching and tossing as if under the influence of a strong wind.
Which statement best describes what the underlined metaphor in the sentence adds to the meaning of the text?
A. The reader can tell that the companions accepted the fact that there were many animals around them.
B. The reader can tell that the companions were very concerned about all of the animals near them.
C. The reader can tell that the companions were very much wondering where all the animals came from. D. The reader can tell that the companions were surprised to see so many herds of animals in the distance.
B. The reader can tell that the companions were very concerned about all of the animals near them.
What is a claim? What do you need once you have a claim?
The counterclaim is the other side of the argument.
Click on the two sentences that contain errors in spelling.
A-The lungs are a major organ involved in the respiration process.
B-The restaurant earned a satisfactory rating from the restaurant inspector.
C- A computer technician sometimes has to be industreous in his or her job.
D-The grocery store superviser watched over the cashiers closely during the busy time of the day.
E. The teacher's rubric contained many provisions to be met for students to earn an A on their research paper.
C. industreous --> industrious
D. superviser --> supervisor
OR
If you are pretty, love will find you.
What does it mean to INFER?
To make an educated guess
Near the mouth of the ravine we came upon a small log cabin, which had evidently been built by trappers, but the emigrants on their way into the Oregon country had converted it into a post office, by sticking here and there, in the crevices of the logs, letters to be forwarded to their friends in the States. Hung on the wall where all might see it, was a general notice requesting any who passed on their way to the Missouri River to take these missives, and deposit them in the nearest regular post office.
What does the word missives most likely mean?
A. logs
B. signs
C. letters
D. trappers
Identify the counterclaim in the following paragraph:
A. Some people say that cell phones should be banned from schools, because they distract from learning.
B. Others say that students should be allowed to carry cell phones for emergency purposes.
C. There are plenty of other, less-disruptive ways for parents and students to communicate with students during the school day.
B. Others say that students should be allowed to carry cell phones for emergency purposes.
Select the two sentences that are punctuated correctly.
a.While I was growing up in the Midwest my favorite question to hear from my parents was “Guess where we're going this time?”
b. Although by that point, my parents had the whole vacation planned out; the moment they told me, I started looking up the location to see what activities were available.
c. When I was eight my family voted on a vacation to New York City where we stayed in downtown Times Square. Then later when I was ten we flew to Florida again, this time we departed on a cruise to Mexico, Jamaica and the Bahamas for a second time.
d. The places I have already visited make my curiosity even greater, and I think that it's important to view the world and ways of life from a different point of view.
b. Although by that point, my parents had the whole vacation planned out; the moment they told me, I started looking up the location to see what activities were available.
d. The places I have already visited make my curiosity even greater, and I think that it's important to view the world and ways of life from a different point of view.
Main idea is what the test is mostly about.
What does it mean to COMPARE AND CONTRAST?
To look at the similarities AND differences
When we broke camp in the morning it seemed as if the entire land was covered with the animals. They were in such throngs that the sound of their hoofs was like the rumbling of distant thunder.
What does the phrase broke camp mostly suggest?
Select three options.
1 The travelers left the territory.
2 The travelers ruined the area.
3 The travelers woke at sunrise.
4 The travelers moved from the site.
5 The travelers destroyed the supplies.
6 The travelers evacuated the surroundings.
1. The travelers left the territory.
4. The travelers moved from the site.
6. The travelers evacuated the surroundings.
Consider this claim:
"Cheerleading, which requires great physical skill, is a legitimate sport."
A. Researchers have concluded that cheerleading is now the leading cause of catastrophic injuries for all high school and college females.
B. A high school senior told the school newspaper: "My brother is a football player, and as a cheerleader, I train just as hard, take just as many risks, and compete just as seriously as he does."
C. The American Medical Association, the nation's largest physicians' group, officially recognizes cheerleading as a sport.
C. The American Medical Association, the nation's largest physicians' group, officially recognizes cheerleading as a sport.
Read the paragraph from the text.
From personal experience, Mr. Perlman advises students that in order to succeed in music, art, or anything outside of "normal" activities, "First of all, you have to love what you do. That's number one. And number two, you have to have some sort of discipline. I always felt I was more successful when I had a routine . . . routine is much easier. You spend a certain time of the day doing A and a certain time of the day doing B. In music, for example, no matter how much of a gift you have, practicing is very important, so if you're serious, you have to practice. Being programmed, in some ways, is very, very effective. And as long as you program in some free time, just to rest, then you're O.K. Whatever the extracurricular activities, dancing or sports or music, if you're programmed up to the gills, as a result—at least I found this in my case—you can lose enjoyment."
Why did the author use the phrase programmed up to the gills in the paragraph? Select two options
A. to show that Perlman does not believe that students should be overly scheduled
B. to show that Perlman suggests that students should have extremely rigorous schedules
C. to show that Perlman feels that when students are programmed they lose enjoyment in their activities
D. to show that Perlman suggests that students participate in programs that teach them about their craft
E.to show that Perlman believes that students should not participate in more than one program at a time
F.to show that Perlman believes that having a schedule that is too full can make students feel as though they cannot breathe
A. to show that Perlman does not believe that students should be overly scheduled
F. to show that Perlman believes that having a schedule that is too full can make students feel as though they cannot breathe
Human Activity and Earthquakes
When Americans think of earthquakes, they tend to think of California, a state known for its frequent seismic activity. In recent years, however, people in Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas have been feeling the ground shake more often. An increase in oil and gas drilling in these states has led to "human-induced" earthquakes—those resulting from human activity. When wastewater is disposed of during gas and oil drilling, the water is forced deep underground. The resulting buildup of pressure can cause fault lines (cracks in the earth's crust) to shift. According to Mark Petersen, head of the U.S. Geological Survey's earthquake hazard mapping project, "In the past five years, the USGS has documented high shaking and damage in areas of these six states, mostly from induced earthquakes."
What is the main idea of this passage?
A. An increase in oil and gas drilling has caused a corresponding increase in earthquakes in six states.
B. Residents of six U.S. states have experienced an increase in earthquake activity in recent years.
A. An increase in oil and gas drilling has caused a corresponding increase in earthquakes in six states.
What does it mean to EVALUATE?
To judge
(is it good or bad? Is it right or wrong?)
The reader can infer that the Perlmans believe in both practice and passion. Which sentence from the text best supports this inference?
A. "First of all, you have to love what you do. That's number one. And number two, you have to have some sort of discipline."
B. "All students must also sing in the chorus, where they harmonize and experience a different form of musical expression. Time for recreational sports and arts and crafts rounds out the program."
C. "Mrs. Perlman said, 'At the end of the session, we have two concerts. One is an evening of orchestral and choral music, and then we have a chamber music marathon.'"
D. "Everybody who comes to visit gets it. They're there for a minute and a half and they want to stay forever."
A. "First of all, you have to love what you do. That's number one. And number two, you have to have some sort of discipline."
A student is writing a research report about pandas in captivity, in areas such as zoos and wildlife preserves. Read the sentences from her report and the directions that follow.
Pandas are an endangered species that have fascinated people the world over for centuries. Pandas live in the mountain ranges of China. Although the Chinese government has been able to protect a portion of the panda's habitat, much of the animals' land has been used for farming or has been clear-cut and used for land-development purposes. Currently there are as few as 1,600 pandas living in their natural habitat of China. With the declining population of pandas, biologists and researchers have found it necessary to try raising pandas in captivity. Currently there are approximately 300 pandas living in captivity around the world, mostly in China. Raising pandas in captivity is a challenge.
Select two sources that would most likely give the student more information for the paragraph from her report.
This site contains a variety of links to webcams showing baby pandas at zoos all over the world.
B www.raisingpandas.com This site reviews the difficulties of panda reproduction and the delicate nature of raising baby pandas outside their natural habitat.
C.www.pandasinthewild.com This site looks at the life cycle of a panda and how the panda has adapted to living in various mountainous regions of China.
D.Panda Rescue by Ashley Smith Read this first-hand account of rescuing pandas from the hands of poachers in China.
E The Pandas of China by Fae Albert Read this book about zoologist James Daigle and his five years spent living in the mountains with pandas.
F Born at the National Zoo by Shelby Duncan Read this first-hand account, by National Zoo veterinarian Dr. Michael Guess, of raising and caring for pandas at the zoo.
B www.raisingpandas.com This site reviews the difficulties of panda reproduction and the delicate nature of raising baby pandas outside their natural habitat.
F Born at the National Zoo by Shelby Duncan Read this first-hand account, by National Zoo veterinarian Dr. Michael Guess, of raising and caring for pandas at the zoo.
"Running is my favorite sport."
Is running an example of Active Voice, Gerund, adjective, preposition?
What is the theme of the following video?
If a question asks you to SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER WITH EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT, what is it asking for?
a quotation or paraphrase that helps PROVE your answer is true.
Excerpt From personal experience, Mr. Perlman advises students that in order to succeed in music, art, or anything outside of "normal" activities, "First of all, you have to love what you do. That's number one. And number two, you have to have some sort of discipline. I always felt I was more successful when I had a routine . . . routine is much easier. You spend a certain time of the day doing A and a certain time of the day doing B. In music, for example, no matter how much of a gift you have, practicing is very important, so if you're serious, you have to practice. Being programmed, in some ways, is very, very effective. And as long as you program in some free time, just to rest, then you're O.K. Whatever the extracurricular activities, dancing or sports or music, if you're programmed up to the gills, as a result—at least I found this in my case—you can lose enjoyment."
Select the phrases that best explain why the author chose to include this paragraph. Select two options.
A. to show that Perlman loves discipline more than he loves music
B. to show that Perlman suggests that music students practice more than they relax
C. to show that Perlman uses his own life experiences to help guide the music students
D. to show that Perlman does not wish for students to choose to participate in normal activities
E. to show that Perlman feels that programming students will cause them to lose love for their art
F. to show that Perlman believes that students can benefit greatly from having structured schedules
C. to show that Perlman uses his own life experiences to help guide the music students
F. to show that Perlman believes that students can benefit greatly from having structured schedules
Click on two sentences that are not relevant to the student’s argument and so should be deleted.
Television has become part of many people’s everyday life. While there is such a thing as too much television viewing, it is not something that needs to be eliminated completely. Each year, television manufacturers and broadcast companies make new products like high-definition screens and on-demand program selection. People’s lives are busier than ever. After a long day at school or on the job, people need to unwind. Watching a show can achieve the relaxation that people are looking for. A comedy or sporting event can act as entertaining stress relief. Additionally, the full schedules of most households leave little room for family time. Again, television can be the answer. A program that all family members enjoy can be one of the few times in the busy week that can be set aside to be together. News programs also provide information to stay updated on current events. When used correctly, television offers a chance for relaxing and bonding.
Each year, television manufacturers and broadcast companies make new products like high definition screens and on-demand program selection.
News programs also provide information to stay updated on current events.
Insert the commas
On November 16 2001 the first Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Socerer’s Stone, opened in movie theaters around the United States.
On November 16, 2001, the first Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Socerer’s Stone, opened in movie theaters around the United States.
What is the theme of the following video?