Study Guide

English
Sample Questions

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Competency 0001
Demonstrate the ability to comprehend, interpret, and analyze literature.

1. Read the excerpt below from "The Open Boat," a short story by Stephen Crane; then answer the question that follows.

A singular disadvantage of the sea lies in the fact that, after successfully surmounting one wave, you discover that there is another behind it, just as important and just as nervously anxious to do something effective in the way of swamping boats. In a ten-foot dinghy one can get an idea of the resources of the sea in the line of waves that is not probable to the average experience, which is never at sea in a dinghy. As each slaty wall of water approached, it shut all else from the view of the men in the boat, and it was not difficult to imagine that this particular wave was the final outburst of the ocean, the last effort of the grim water. There was a terrible grace in the move of the waves, and they came in silence, save for the snarling of the crests.

In the wan light the faces of the men must have been gray. Their eyes must have glinted in strange ways as they gazed steadily astern. Viewed from a balcony, the whole thing would, doubtless, have been weirdly picturesque. But the men in the boat had no time to see it, and if they had had leisure, there were other things to occupy their minds.

In the excerpt, Crane uses personification and imagery to develop which of the following themes characteristic of U.S. literature during the nineteenth century?

  1. the desire to become self-reliant
  2. the futility of trying to control nature
  3. the struggle against oppression
  4. the uniqueness of regional landscapes
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B. In the excerpt, Crane personifies the ocean waves, describing them as "just as nervously anxious to do something effective in the way of swamping boats" and the ocean as "grim." The men are unable to avoid the waves' relentless onslaught, which seems to imprison them within a "slaty wall of water." The waves possess "a terrible grace," moving in silence except for "the snarling of the crests." As depicted in the excerpt, Nature possesses a relentless force that people are powerless to resist.

Competency 0002
Demonstrate the ability to comprehend, interpret, and analyze informational and persuasive texts.

2. Read the excerpt below from I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, a memoir by Maya Angelou; then answer the question that follows.

The barrenness of Stamps1 was exactly what I wanted, without will or consciousness. After St. Louis, with its noise and activity, its trucks and buses, and loud family gatherings, I welcomed the obscure lanes and lonely bungalows set back deep in dirt yards. The resignation of its inhabitants encouraged me to relax. They showed me a contentment based on the belief that nothing more was coming to them, although a great deal more was due. Their decision to be satisfied with life's inequities was a lesson for me. Entering Stamps, I had the feeling that I was stepping over the border lines of the map and would fall, without fear, right off the end of the world. Nothing more could happen, for in Stamps nothing happened.

________________________
1 Stamps: town in Arkansas

Source: Angelou, Maya. From I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS, copyright © 1969 and renewed 1997 by Maya Angelou. For on-line information about other Random House, Inc. books and authors, see the Internet web site at http://www.randomhouse.com. Used by permission of Random House, Inc.

In the excerpt, Angelou uses the words "barrenness," "obscure," and "lonely" to suggest that the residents of the town of Stamps are:

  1. fearful of outsiders.
  2. tolerant of eccentricity.
  3. resistant to change.
  4. saddened by experience.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C. In the excerpt, Angelou describes Stamps as a town of "obscure lanes and lonely bungalows," suggesting that the town's residents deliberately isolate themselves from outside influences. By deciding "to be satisfied with life's inequities," the townspeople ensure that nothing will happen to change the status quo. The "barrenness" of the town is an absence of a desire to protest injustice and inequality. The townspeople's contentment with the status quo is a survival mechanism that has left them in a state of limbo, living in a town barren of a future, where "[n]othing more could happen."

Competency 0003
Understand strategies and techniques for writing arguments.

3. A writer has drafted the short paragraph below as part of a persuasive essay.

For many students who are finishing up high school, taking a year off before heading to college may be a wise decision. In fact, today, some colleges even strongly encourage potential college first-years to take time off before attending. Taking time off can allow a student to explore his or her career interests, travel abroad and learn a new language, volunteer for a political campaign, or simply work full time to save money. ____________

Which of the following sentences would be most effective for the writer to use in the blank as a conclusion to the paragraph?

  1. Some high school students are not accepted at the colleges that they would like to attend, so they reapply to them the next year.
  2. There are many students who spend their first year of college partying, sleeping late, and skipping classes, which is a terrible waste.
  3. Some colleges have found that high school students who take a year off before attending college end up earning better grades in college.
  4. There are many exciting opportunities to take advantage of after high school, and going to college is only one of them.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: D. The first two sentences of the paragraph introduce the idea that, for many students, taking a year off between high school and college may be advisable. Next, a list of several constructive ways in which to spend a year off is provided. The statement "There are many exciting opportunities to take advantage of after high school, and going to college is only one of them" effectively sums up the central idea of the paragraph without introducing additional details.

Competency 0004
Understand strategies and techniques for writing informative and explanatory texts.

4. A writer has drafted the short paragraph below as part of an expository essay.

Diana Chang is a contemporary Chinese American poet. She spent much of her childhood in China. Her work reflects her cultural heritage. Her work often exhibits the use of ancient Chinese verse forms.

Which of the following edited versions of the paragraph should the writer use in the essay to fully engage the reader and provide the clearest meaning?

  1. Diana Chang, who spent most of her childhood in China, is a contemporary Chinese American poet whose work reflects her cultural heritage. In fact, many of her poems exhibit the influence of ancient Chinese verse forms.
  2. Many contemporary Chinese American poets exhibit the use of ancient Chinese verse forms in their works. Diana Chang spent much of her childhood in China and now lives in the United States. As a result, her work often reflects her Chinese cultural heritage.
  3. Diana Chang spent much of her childhood in China. Now, she spends much of her adult life writing poetry. She is Chinese American. She writes poetry that reflects her cultural heritage. She writes poetry that reflects ancient Chinese verse forms.
  4. Many poets reflect their cultural heritage in their works. They use ancient verse forms. One contemporary Chinese American poet, Diana Chang, spent much of her childhood in China and now lives in the United States.
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Correct Response: A. In the most effectively edited version of the paragraph, the first three sentences of the original draft are combined to subordinate information in the clearest and most appropriate way. Also, the last sentence is linked effectively to the preceding sentence by employing a transitional phrase ("In fact, . . .).

Competency 0005
Understand strategies and techniques for writing narratives.

5. Which of the following versions of a paragraph from a piece of narrative writing best demonstrates the use of vivid, concrete details to describe a place?

  1. In my town, the most popular breakfast spot is Josie's Diner. Situated just off the main highway, the diner has been a favorite with both locals and out-of-towners ever since it opened in 1972. Once you try the pancakes at Josie's, you will understand why many people refuse to eat pancakes anywhere else.
  2. I have been a loyal patron of Josie's Diner for many years. I am a local, but many other loyal customers travel from great distances. Because Josie's is close to a major highway, there are always many interesting people at the counter when I stop in for breakfast. Most of us are there for one thing: the pancakes.
  3. Josie's Diner may look like a ramshackle house, but it is really breakfast heaven. Inside, friendly chatter and clattering dishes drown out the rumble of traffic from the nearby highway. The torn vinyl stools at the stainless-steel counter are front-row seats for the best breakfast in town: a short stack of hot buttermilk pancakes.
  4. Even though Josie's is a roadside diner like hundreds of other roadside diners, it has become a popular place in our town, and for miles around, to eat breakfast. The diner itself is nothing special to look at inside or out, but the people who come from near and far are not there for the view. They are there for the pancakes.
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C. Specific sensory details such as "clattering dishes," "torn vinyl stools," and "hot buttermilk pancakes" create a vivid impression of Josie's Diner.

Competency 0006
Understand methods of researching to build and present knowledge.

6. 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. The signal phrase "According to Richard Peck" introduces the source of the ideas and quotations used in the paragraph while attributing them appropriately to author Richard Peck. The central idea of the passage is paraphrased appropriately; each quotation is accurate and has been deliberately chosen to capture Peck's unique ideas and forms of expression.

Competency 0007
Understand strategies for speaking and listening and for engaging in collaborative discussions.

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

A guest at a dinner party has just finished a delicious meal and feels full but could eat more if it were considered socially appropriate to do so. The host of the dinner party approaches the guest, and the conversation below occurs.

Host: Well, I see that you've cleaned your plate. Would you like to have some more?

Dinner Guest: No, thank you. The meal was delicious, but I'm full.

Host: Oh, nonsense. You must have some more to eat. Please. There's plenty!

Guest: Oh, no, thank you. I really couldn't. It was a wonderful meal, but I don't think I could eat another bite.

Host: Are you sure? You seemed to enjoy the main course so much. Please try some more, will you?

Source: Koester, Jolene and Myron W. Lustig, et al. From Intercultural Competence: Interpersonal Communication across Cultures, copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Used with permission.

Which of the following factors would be most important for the guest to consider before responding to the host?

  1. the host's facial expressions
  2. the difference in age between the guest and host
  3. the host's cultural background
  4. the differences in body language used by the guest and host
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: C. In this case, the host's cultural background would be the most relevant factor for the guest to consider, because in some cultures, one or two initial "no, thank you" responses are not interpreted as a true negative response. In the host's culture, it may be customary to offer a second helping three or four times before finally withdrawing the offer.

Competency 0008
Understand strategies and techniques for presenting knowledge and ideas.

8. Which of the following versions of an excerpt from a speech would be most appropriate for a student to use when delivering the speech to members of a college scholarship committee?

  1. "The grades I received in high school are evidence of my insatiable interest in biology, specifically in toxicology and molecular biology. During my tenth-grade biology class, lessons on protein biosynthesis stimulated my intellect and compelled me to take my studies seriously. Volunteering at the local hospital has solidified my desire to expand my breadth of knowledge by majoring in pre-medical sciences."
  2. "Let's be real. My grades in high school were not what you could call stellar. I mean, I barely picked up a book until final exam week during my second year. To be honest, I was more interested in hanging out with my friends than in studying. But volunteering at the hospital made me do a complete 180. I decided to take my science classes seriously so I could go to medical school and become a doctor."
  3. "Volunteering at Crestview Community Hospital was the best experience of my life. My high school bio classes taught me a lot, especially my classes with Ms. Cole, but the hands-on experience I got from working with actual patients has been amazing. I have also made contacts that will help me as I pursue a pre-med major and eventually go into medicine as a career."
  4. "My high school career has been defined by hard work and curiosity. In addition to taking full advantage of classroom experiences to learn as much as I could about toxicology, I have sought opportunities outside of school. For example, I volunteered at a local hospital, where I acquired invaluable hands-on experience working with patients. Medicine has become my passion, and I look forward to pursuing that passion with an undergraduate major in pre-medical sciences."
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Correct Response: D. A speech delivered to members of a college scholarship committee should contain language that clearly communicates the speaker's message and is sufficiently formal to demonstrate respect for the committee members without being stilted or overly technical. Given that the speaker's purpose is to secure a scholarship, a self-confident yet modest tone is appropriate.

Competency 0009
Understand language in context and conventions of English.

9. Which of the following pairs of words acquired new, specialized meanings due to the influence of the field of psychology?

  1. broadcast, screen
  2. introvert, inhibition
  3. network, window
  4. sedan, coupe
Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Correct Response: B. The word introvert was first used in the late seventeenth century to mean "to concentrate upon oneself." The word inhibition was first used in the fourteenth century to mean "something that forbids or restricts." Each of these words took on specialized meanings in the field of psychology in the late nineteenth century: introvert came to mean "to produce psychological introversion in," and inhibition came to mean "a mental process imposing restraint on behavior."