What do you mean STAAR is 2 days away?

Wait, This Sounds Slightly Better (Revising)

100

What is the most effective way to combine sentences 4 and 5?

A. She was poised to place a can of tomato sauce on its designated shelf, which caused her to shriek and toss the can over her should when a raucous voice from behind startled her.

B. She was poised to place a can of tomato sauce on its designated shelf, and she was startled by a raucous voice from behind that shrieked and tossed the can over her shoulder.

C. She was poised to place a can of tomato sauce on its designated shelf when a raucous voice from behind is what startled her and tossing the can over her shoulder, it caused her to shriek.

D. She was poised to place a can of tomato sauce on its designated shelf when a raucous voice from behind startled her, causing her to shriek and toss the can over her shoulder.

D. She was poised to place a can of tomato sauce on its designated shelf when a raucous voice from behind startled her, causing her to shriek and toss the can over her shoulder.

200

What is the best transition to add to the beginning of sentence 7?

(6) The can dented as it hit the floor, a tiny stream of tomato juice escaping from its side. (7) The echo from an annoyingly loud laugh ricocheted through the aisle, and Sawyer quickly spun around, immediately recognizing a classmate of her older brother's.

A. Obviously
B. Likewise
C. Suddenly
D. However

C. Suddenly

300

What revision, if any, should be made in sentence 41?

(41) Sawyer smiled with the sudden realization that what she just might be making was a new friend as she left the store.

A. Sawyer smiled as she left the store and the sudden realization that she just might be making a new friend.
B. With the sudden realization that she just might be as she left the store making a new friend, Sawyer smiled.
C. Sawyer smiled as she left the store with the sudden realization that she just might be making a new friend.
D. No change is needed

C. Sawyer smiled as she left the store with the sudden realization that she just might be making a new friend.

400

Which sentence can replace sentence 2 to help develop the introduction to this story?

(1) Sawyer smiled as she surveyed her surroundings. (2) She loved her new job and thought it was fun. (3) Wheeling a flat cart of canned goods through Aisle 6, she was enjoying the quiet environment and the complete solitude.

A. She had landed the perfect job, stocking shelves at a local grocery store.
B. She was glad she had found a job that allowed her to make it to swim team in the evenings.
C. She was a little chilly, so she was quite thankful that she had worn a jacket.
D. She looked carefully around the room, interested by everything she saw in front of her.

A. She had landed the perfect job, stocking shelves at a local grocery store.

500

Sentence 37 contains some redundancy. Rewrite sentence 37 in a clear and effective way.

(37) After an awkward moment of silence, the two coworkers both began to laugh, and Sawyer realized she might have misjudged Carlos.

After an awkward moment of silence, the two coworkers began to laugh, and Sawyer realized she might have misjudged Carlos.

OR

After an awkward moment of silence, the coworkers both began to laugh, and Sawyer realized she might have misjudged Carlos.

Nobody Actually Talks Like This (Revising)

100

What revision should be made in sentence 10?

(10) On top of all this, cities contain millions of people, who constantly generate heat by using machines and participate in other activities.

A. On top of all this, cities contain millions of people, and the people constantly generate heat by using machines and also participation in other activities?
B. On top of all this, constantly generating heat by using machines and participating in other activities are cities, which contain millions of people.
C. On top of all this, cities contain millions of people, who constantly generate heat by using machines and participating in other activities.
D. On top of all this are cities that contain millions of people, and they constantly generate heat, use machines, and participate in other activities.

C. On top of all this, cities contain millions of people, who constantly generate heat by using machines and participating in other activities.

200

What is the most effective way to revise sentence 22?

(22) Of course, planting trees in places can be a challenge with little available soil.

A. Of course, planting trees in places with little available soil can be a challenge.
B. Of course, with little available soil, there is a challenge of planting trees in places.
C. Of course, planting trees in places can be a challenge with little available soil to plant.
D. Of course, a challenge with planting trees can be in places with little available soil.

A. Of course, planting trees in places with little available soil can be a challenge.

300

Maeve wants to use a more effective word than old in sentence 25. Which word should replace old in this sentence?

(24) A second way to tackle the problem of excessive city heat is to use lighter-colored building materials. (25) Old materials, especially those used for roofs and pavement, tend to be dark in color.

A. Mature
B. Traditional
C. Regular
D. Habitual

B. Traditional

400

Maeve has included redundant information in sentence 27. What is the most effective way to revise this sentence?
(27) An alternative approach for cooling paved areas and for cooling buildings is to add a reflective coating.

A. An alternative approach for cooling paved areas and buildings is to add a reflective coating.
B. An alternative approach is to add a reflective coating and another way for cooling paved areas and buildings.
C. An alternative approach for cooling paved areas is to add a reflective coating for cooling buildings.
D. An alternative approach is to add a reflective coating for cooling with paved areas and buildings.

A. An alternative approach for cooling paved areas and buildings is to add a reflective coating.

500

Which sentence should come before sentence 16 to serve as a topic sentence for the fourth paragraph (sentences 16-18)?

(16) First, excessive heat can cause physical problems such as dehydration for people and some animals. (17) Plus, muggy heat is uncomfortable--a fact that leads many city dwellers to run their air conditioners around the clock. (18) Not only does this place enormous demands on the energy supply, it can also be very expensive.

A. Anyone who has spent time in an urban heat island knows that the stifling heat can be unbearable.
B. Research centers are beginning to pay closer attention to areas designated as urban heat islands.
C. Urban heat islands can be located by measuring the temperatures in the city and surrounding areas.
D. The higher temperatures found in urban heat islands are concerning for a number of reasons.

D. The higher temperatures found in urban heat islands are concerning for a number of reasons.

Found the Missing Period (Editing)

100

What change needs to be made in sentence 9?

(9) Barrett and their siblings insisted, though, and Grandma was a good sport, as usual.

A. change their to his
B. delete the comma after though
C. change and Grandma to Grandma
D. change was to is

A. change their to his

200

What change needs to be made in sentence 3?

(3) For local and national information, she read the daily gazette, her local newspaper, and watched the news on television.

A. change national to nationol
B. change daily gazette to Daily Gazette
C. change her to their
D. change and watched to she watched

B. change daily gazette to Daily Gazette

300

What change needs to be made in sentence 5?

(4) Grandma had expressed no interest in joining the computer age. (5) Barrett interrupted his familys' laughter by saying, "I think Grandma would enjoy a computer if we taught her how to use it. (6) Let's do it!"

A. Change interrupted to interrupts
B. Change familys' to family's
C. Change the comma after saying to a period
D. Change it to them

B. Change familys' to family's

400

What change needs to be made in sentence 11?

(11)The kids showed her how to research plants and connect between other community gardeners in her city.

A. Change showed to shown
B. Insert a comma after plants
C. Change between to with
D. Change city to City

C. Change between to with

500

What change, if any, needs to be made in sentence 12?

(12) They also taught her how to set up an email account, browse news stories, and compose letters and documents.

A. Change they to but
B. Change account to acount
C. Change compose to composed
D. No change is needed

D. No change is needed

Hey Kids, Spelling is FUN! (Editing)

100

What change, if any, needs to be made in sentence 4?

(4) The tradition is past down from generation to generation.

Change past to passed

200

What change needs to be made in sentence 7?

(6) Many mothers hope that their daughters will grow up to become skilled weavers and continue the ancient Mayan tradition. (7) Like their ancestors, modern-day Mayan women wove intricate and beautiful designs. (8) Their creations are rich with meaning, yet made for practical use.

A. Delete the comma after ancestors
B. Change wove to weave
C. Change intricate to intracate
D. Change beautiful to more beautiful

B. Change wove to weave

300

Gianna has made an error in sentence 9. Select the answer that corrects this error.

(9) The women made a profit __ selling their wares to an admiring worldwide audience.

A. for
B. by
C. despite
D. about

B. by

400

What change needs to be made in sentence 10?

(10) Some buyers are able to decipher the meaning behind the designs, others simply enjoy the vibrant colors in this unique, wearable art.

A. Change are able to being able
B. Change decipher to desipher
C. Change the comma after designs to a semicolon
D. Change enjoy to enjoyed

C. Change the comma after designs to a semicolon

500

What is the correct way to write sentence 11?

(11) In any event, there is a rich tradition of Mayan weaving, it seems to be as loved today as it was in generations long ago.

A. In any event, the rich tradition of Mayan weaving seems to be as loved today. As it was in generations long ago.
B. In any event, there is rich tradition of Mayan weaving. Which seems to be as loved today as it was in generations long ago.
C. In any event, the rich tradition of Mayan weaving seems to be as loved today as it was in generations long ago.
D. In any event, there is a rich tradition it is Mayan weaving that seems to be as loved today as it was in generations long ago.

C. In any event, the rich tradition of Mayan weaving seems to be as loved today as it was in generations long ago.

Reading Questions You Can Answer Even if You Didn't Read the Whole Passage for Some Reason

100

Which details from paragraphs 2 and 3 best supports the key idea that neglecting to cite sources is wrong?

A. Citing sources is the proper thing to do because it credits others for their ideas.
B. It is dishonest to take the work of others and try to pass it off as our own.
C. Citing sources is a common practice when using something from another writer.
D. It is difficult to ask permission from most writers whose ideas we use.

B. It is dishonest to take the work of others and try to pass it off as our own.

200

In paragraph 11 of the excerpt from Finding Dorothy, what does the word spindly mean?

(11)...At first, everyone had been afraid to ride it. The spindly spokes didn't look as if they could support the massive lacquered cars, fitted with grills, that could hold up to sixty people at a time.

A. hollow and light
B. arched and twisted
C. long and thin
D. straight and overlapping

C. long and thin

300

Which quotation from the article shows that the area that became Venice was a good place to take refuge from invaders?

A. Instead of car-filled streets, the city of Venice in Italy has a system of winding canals. (p.1)
B. The islands had long been used by fishermen but were inhospitable and mostly uninhabited. (p.3)
C. Although many of the refugees eventually returned to the mainland, some people remained on the islands. (p. 4)
D. Even so, Venice's natural-turned-urban setting has special challenges. (p. 11)

B. The islands had long been used by fishermen but were inhospitable and mostly uninhabited. (p.3)

400

In paragraph 2 of the story "Good Enough," what does the word insinuated mean?

(2)...Although Austin had not called out Joey specifically, he had insinuated that players lacking focus and unwilling to "go the extra mile" would be replaced on game day.

A. Believed
B. Confided
C. Hinted
D. Assured

C. Hinted

500

In line 12 of the poem "Simply Me," the word meticulously means --

(12) It's / amazing, the blend of fabric / woven meticulously.

A. carefully
B. rigidly
C. hurriedly
D. easily

A. carefully