Study Guide

Mild/Moderate Middle/Secondary Multi-Content:
English Language Arts
Sample Questions

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Competency 0011
Understand reading comprehension, vocabulary, and analysis and interpretation of literary and informational texts.

1. Read the excerpt below from a poem; then answer the question that follows.

The river is famous to the fish.

The loud voice is famous to silence,
which knew it would inherit the earth
before anybody said so.

The cat sleeping on the fence is famous to the birds
watching him from the birdhouse.

The tear is famous, briefly, to the cheek.

The idea you carry close to your bosom
is famous to your bosom.

The boot is famous to the earth,
more famous than the dress shoe,
which is famous only to floors.

The bent photograph is famous to the one who carries it
and not at all famous to the one who is pictured.

Source: Nye, Naomi Shihab. Famous. Reprinted by permission of author. Copyright © 2009 Naomi Shihab Nye.

Which of the following statements best describes the central idea of the excerpt?

  1. Individuals who seek fame are often superficial and self-centered.
  2. Fame is merely a temporary condition without lasting significance.
  3. Individuals find true fame anywhere their innate qualities are valued.
  4. Fame can be a deceptive and even damaging measure of self-worth.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C. The excerpt illustrates that true fame is not so much a function of general popularity and acclaim as a unique sort of belonging and acceptance.

Competency 0012
Understand strategies and techniques for writing and researching.

2. Use the information below to answer the question that follows.

A writer is developing a research paper and decides to use the passage below to support an idea in the paper.

Writers are hunter-gatherers by nature and need. I started early and never quit. All fiction is based on research. We need voices that aren't ours and experiences we never had. In my case, it's invariably a young person's voice that jumpstarts my next novel. Happily, it keeps happening.

—"The Story as Alternative Universe," by Richard Peck (English Journal, p. 73)

Source: Peck, Richard. The Story as Alternative Universe. Copyright © 2008 by the National Council of Teachers of English. Reprinted with permission.

Which of the following attempts to paraphrase and quote from the passage would be most appropriate for the writer to use in the paper?

  1. According to Richard Peck, writers are hunter-gatherers by nature and need. He believes that all fiction is based on research, and for him, it is usually "a young person's voice" that provides him with a new perspective for "jumpstarting" his next novel (Peck 73).
  2. Most writers are like hunter-gatherers. They "need voices that aren't theirs and experiences they never had." For Richard Peck, it's usually a young person's voice that provides the impulse for beginning a new novel. And "happily," he is able to find that voice regularly (Peck 73).
  3. According to Richard Peck, "writers are hunter-gatherers by nature and need." They must look outside themselves for people, places, and perspectives to use in their works that are new and revealing. To continue to ply their craft, writers "need voices that aren't ours and experiences we never had" (Peck 73).
  4. Most fiction relies on research for its insights. Richard Peck points out that writers are like "hunter-gatherers." By nature and need, they must find "voices" that are not theirs and "experiences" that are not familiar to them. Happily for Peck, this "keeps happening" (Peck 73).
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C. A signal phrase introduces the source of the ideas and quotations used in the paragraph, attributing them appropriately to author Richard Peck. The writer accurately and appropriately paraphrases Peck's central idea. Each quotation is accurate and has been deliberately chosen to capture Peck's unique ideas and forms of expression. The writer avoids unintentional plagiarism or misquoting, as well as ineffective or unnecessary quoting.

Competency 0013
Understand strategies for speaking and listening, engaging in collaborative discussions, and presenting knowledge and ideas.

3. Read the excerpt below from a conversation between three coworkers at an electronics store; then answer the question that follows.

Noelle: We have great products at low prices, but we don't have enough customers. We need to attract more business.

Kevin: Some electronics stores let people try out the products right in the store. People seem to like that.

Donna: Yes, but doesn't that get expensive for the stores? They can't sell used merchandise, right?

Kevin: It's worth the cost if people end up buying something after they try it out. We all know that customers rarely take our word that a product is good.

Donna: Maybe you're right. Some customers think we're just trying to trick them into buying things.

Kevin: Exactly! But if we let them try the products in the store first, they'll convince themselves to buy them.

Noelle: ____________________________________________________

Which of the following responses from Noelle would most clearly indicate that she has been actively listening to Kevin and Donna and wants to build on their ideas?

  1. "Maybe we should increase our advertising in local newspapers and on television."
  2. "I don't know. It can be fun to test-drive a new car, but that doesn't mean you're going to buy it. How can we seal the deal?"
  3. "There will be serious consequences for all of us if sales don't increase sometime soon. We could lose our jobs."
  4. "I guess business is slow everywhere these days, but that's no excuse. We really have to try harder."
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B. By summarizing and then reflecting on Kevin's and Donna's comments, Noelle demonstrates that she has been listening actively. Her question indicates that she would like them to expand on their idea.