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Expository Essay
Expository Extras!
Revising
Editing
Test Taking Strategies
100
How do you hook your reader?
Possible answers: question, anecdote, statement, fact, statistic, or quote.
100
What is the purpose of an expository essay?
To explain a topic, how to do something, provide information.
100
When you are revising a passage, what are you doing?
Add words, examples, or sentences. Remove repetitions, incomplete thoughts, and off topic sentences. Move words and sentences around to sound better. Substitute boring words, or dead words, with better choices, repetitive (redundant) words, or incorrect words, with better choices.
100
What resource can you use to help with editing(spelling words correctly)?
a dictionary
100
What is the duration of each day of the STAAR test?
4 hours
200
How do you write your thesis?
Carefully read the prompt. Rewrite the prompt as a question, and then answer that question making sure to include at least 2 main ideas for your essay and key words from the prompt. (PQA Strategy!!!)
200
How should you start each topic sentence?
With a transition word.
200
(1)I was not afraid of a little pinch, so I went to work. (2)I'd see a crawfish, but there were always too fast for me to catch. (3) I tried to mimic my more experienced cousins, that had captured several. The author needs to add a transition word to help move readers from sentence 1 to sentence 2. Which transition could be BEST added to the beginning of sentence 2? a. Consequently, b. Later, c. Meanwhile d. Occasionally,
d. Occasionally,
200
What is the correct way to write these two sentences? The brain stem connects your brain to your spinal cord. Which connects to most of the nerves in your body. a. The brain stem connects your brain to your spinal cord, this connects to most of the nerves in your body. b. Connecting your brain to your spinal cord and then to most of the nerves in your body. c. Connecting your brain to your spinal cord. It connects to most of the nerves in your body. d. The brain stem connects your brain to your spinal cord, which connects to most of the nerves in your body.
d. The brain stem connects your brain to your spinal cord, which connects to most of the nerves in your body.
200
Name a few ways you can take brain breaks during the test.
Stretch. Close your eyes for one minute. Take a few deep breaths. (**Cannot stand up!**)
300
What does an expository essay look like?
1. Introduction (contains Hook, background sentence & thesis) 2. Body paragraph one (main idea 1) 3. Body paragraph two (main idea 2) 4. Optional Body paragraph three (main idea 3) 5. Conclusion
300
Name some transition words you might use.
First, second, third, finally, another, therefore, however, etc.
300
The word because does not appropriately connect the two clauses in the following sentence: The young boy led his schoolmates in songs because rescuers worked to free them from the wreckage. Which word should replace because? a. if b. while c. although d. where
b. while
300
What change, if any, needs to be made to this sentence? With all its intricacies, the human brain is a sensative and delicate organ. a. Change intricacies to intracacies b. Change sensative to sensitive c. Change delicate to delacate d. No changes are needed.
b. Change sensative to sensitive
300
On day one of the writing STAAR, how should you pace yourself? What piece should you do first, second, third, etc?
1st: Read all of prompt page, use your PQA strategy and plan the essay on a blank page. 2nd: Complete the multiple choice section of the test, bubbling in the correct answers on your scan tron. 3rd: Go back and begin your rough draft. 4th: Revise and edit: use a dictionary & a thesaurus!! Last: In your BEST handwriting, write your final copy.
400
What is a controlling idea?
Your thesis...what the paper is all about...the answer to the question form of the prompt.
400
What can you refer to as an example in an expository essay?
A personal experience, a famous person's experience, something that happened to your friend or parent, examples from literature or music.
400
First period id English, second is science, third is math, and fourth is Spanish. Phew, it's finally lunchtime. I can catch my breath before I have to dive back into my hectic schedule. And my busy day isn't over when the last school bell rings. Then I'm off to soccer practice or piano lessons, and have homework to do. Most days I feel as though there's no time left for me to choose what to do. I've talked to my seventh-grade classmates about this issue, and almost everyone shares my feelings. I have a suggestion for our school principal. The author has not stated a clear position in this paper. Which sentence could BEST end the paragraph, and serve as a position statement (thesis statement) for the rest of the essay? a. I think students are entirely too busy. b. I hope that the principal will take the time to listen to a student suggestions. c. A flex period is something I would like to talk about in this paper. d. I want to propose that students get a "flex" period three days a week.
d. I want to propose that students get a "flex" period three days a week.
400
What change should be made to the following sentence: One day, while watching some elephants at the campsite, Downer has an idea a.Change "while watching" to "he was watching" b. Delete the comma after campsite c. Change has to had d. Change idea to ideal
c. Change has to had.
400
What should you do the night before your test(s)?
Pack what you need for the test and get a good night's sleep.
500
Draw your graphic organizer that you will use to plan your expositor essay.
Answers may vary.
500
How should you conclude your expository essay?
Revisit the thesis. Summarize your main ideas.
500
Which sentence could be added to the end of this paragraph to strengthen the introduction to this paper? During the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics, most people weren't watching the athletes. Instead they were watching the small boy who was walking next to the famous Chinese basketball player. The boy's entrance brought enthusiastic cheers. That's because nine-year-old Lin Hao was more than just a kid. a. He was a great kid. b. He was in school. c. He was a national hero. d. He was exceptionally cute.
c. He was a national hero.
500
(1) Just a few months earlier, Hao had been at school on a typical day. (2) Without warning, the ground beneath him began to tremble. (3) Hao's school was at the very heart of an earthquake. (4) Windows shattered, and shelves toppled over. (5) Finally the whole building collapsed. (6) Hao somehow managed to climb out of the rubble and save himself. (7) He risked his life to pull two of his classmates to safety. The author would like to add the following sentence to this paragraph. Then, despite his own injuries, Hao went back into the ruins. Where is the BEST place to insert this sentence? a. After sentence 1 b. After sentence 2 c. After sentence 4 d. After sentence 6
d. After sentence 6
500
What should you do on the morning of your test(s)?
Eat a healthly breakfast, be on time to school, bring your water bottle and highlighter, and be ready to show your awesome-ness!