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Language ArtsTest Preparation Workbook,

Fifth Course

Help for the Grade 11 End-of-Instruction English III Test

Accompanies Elements of Literatureand Elements of Language

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OKLAHOMALanguage Arts

Test Preparation Workbook

Fifth Course

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Copyright © Holt, Rinehart and Winston

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Teachers may photocopy pages in sufficient quantity for classroom use only, not for resale.

Printed in the United States of America

If you have received these materials as examination copies free of charge, Holt, Rinehart and Winston retains title to the materials and they may not be resold. Resale of examination copies is strictly prohibited.

Possession of this publication in print format does not entitle users to convert this publication, or any portion of it, into electronic format.

ISBN-13 978-0-03-079233-5

ISBN-10 0-03-079233-9

1 2 3 4 5 179 09 08 07

To the Student

This booklet provides you with reading and writing test practice as well as one Oklahoma practice test. We have also included a Mastery Grid, which will help you chart your progress as you work to master the Oklahoma Standards.

This test preparation booklet also includes tips on answering the types of questions you’ll see on the Oklahoma End-of-Instruction English III Test for reading and writing. There are suggestions for answering multiple-choice questions and for responding to writing prompts.

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Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

iii

Table of Contents

To the Student . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

Tracking Your Progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

Test Tips for Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Reading Test Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Reading Selections with Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12–62

Writing Test Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Graphic Organizers for Writing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Writing Prompts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72–116

Oklahoma Grade 11 Practice Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117–144

Answer Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

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iv

TRACKING YOUR PROGRESS

Name

Oklahoma Reading

ObjectiveTestItem

PageNumber

MasteryDate Comments/QuestionsYes No

RL11-1.1 60 142

RL11-1.2 48 138

RL11-1.3 6 22

RL11-1.4 7 22

3 61

6 62

RL11-1.5 6 18

8 22

7 26

8 26

7 30

7 37

8 37

3 45

4 45

8 50

8 53

7 56

6 59

7 59

17 126

31 131

38 135

51 141

55 141

RL11-2.1a 1 45

56 141

RL11-2.1b 5 21

1 52

6 56

32 131

40 135

RL11-2.1c 49 138

RL11-2.1d 57 142

RL11-2.2a 3 21

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v


Name

Oklahoma Reading

ObjectiveTestItem

PageNumber


RL11-2.2a 3 25

RL11-2.2b 10 37

25 130

26 130

RL11-2.2c 5 26

7 46

1 58

6 121

24 130

30 131

33 134

RL11-2.2d 1 40

5 50

RL11-2.3a 4 17

1 21

2 21

1 25

2 25

6 30

1 36

2 36

4 36

5 36

8 46

1 49

5 52

2 58

2 61

7 62

RL11-2.3b 3 29

2 45

2 49

3 49

5 62

14 126

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vi


Name

Oklahoma Reading

ObjectiveTestItem

PageNumber


RL11-2.3b 44 137

47 138

RL11-2.3c 2 17

1 32

2 52

7 121

23 130

43 137

RL11-2.4a 4 21

2 32

1 119

10 121

20 127

RL11-2.4b 1 17

4 40

5 45

9 53

9 121

36 134

45 137

46 138

RL11-2.4c 4 25

9 37

1 43

RL11-2.4d 8 18

6 43

6 46

4 49

RL11-3.1a 50 138

RL11-3.1b 11 37

22 127

29 131

39 135

58 142

RL11-3.2a 5 18

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vii


Name

Oklahoma Reading

ObjectiveTestItem

PageNumber


RL11-3.2a 1 29

8 30

4 32

8 121

RL11-3.2b 7 33

6 36

8 56

18 127

RL11-3.2c 3 17

4 29

27 131

28 131

RL11-3.2d 7 18

5 29

7 50

15 126

16 126

37 135

RL11-3.2e 6 26

3 32

RL11-3.3a 6 33

3 40

6 41

3 43

5 43

4 119

5 119

21 127

54 141

RL11-3.3b 2 43

RL11-3.3c 9 22

4 43

2 119

RL11-3.4a 6 50

3 119

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viii


Name

Oklahoma Reading

ObjectiveTestItem

PageNumber


RL11-3.4a 19 127

42 137

RL11-3.4b 2 29

5 33

53 141

RL11-3.4c 11 122

RL11-3.4d 2 40

RL11-4.1a 4 52

1 55

2 55

RL11-4.1b 3 36

3 52

4 55

RL11-4.1c 7 53

3 55

1 61

35 134

RL11-4.2a 5 41

6 53

3 58

4 58

5 59

4 61

34 134

41 135

RL11-4.2b 10 53

52 141

RL11-4.2c 13 122

RL11-4.2d 5 56

59 142

RL11-4.2e 12 122

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ix


Name

Oklahoma Writing

ObjectiveTestItem

PageNumber


W11-1.1a, W11-1.1b, W11-1.1c, W11-1.1d, W11-1.1e, W11-1.1f, W11-1.2, W11-1.3, W11-1.4, W11-1.5, W11-1.6, W11-2.1a, W11-2.1b, W11-2.1c, W11-2.1d, W11-2.6, W11-3.1a, W11-3.1b, W11-3.1c, W11-3.1d, W11-3.1e, W11-3.1f, W11-3.2a, W11-3.2b, W11-3.2c, W11-3.2d, W11-3.3a, W11-3.3b, W11-3.3c, W11-3.3d, W11-3.4

WP2 81

W11-1.1a, W11-1.1b, W11-1.1c, W11-1.1d, W11-1.1e, W11-1.1f, W11-1.2, W11-1.3, W11-1.4, W11-1.5, W11-1.6, W11-2.4a, W11-2.4b, W11-2.4c, W11-3.1a, W11-3.1b, W11-3.1c, W11-3.1d, W11-3.1e, W11-3.1f, W11-3.2a, W11-3.2b, W11-3.2c, W11-3.2d, W11-3.3a, W11-3.3b, W11-3.3c, W11-3.3d, W11-3.4

WP5 108

W11-1.1a, W11-1.1b, W11-1.1c, W11-1.1d, W11-1.1e, W11-1.1f, W11-1.2, W11-1.3, W11-1.4, W11-1.5, W11-1.6, W11-2.6, W11-3.1a, W11-3.1b, W11-3.1c, W11-3.1d, W11-3.1e, W11-3.1f, W11-3.2a, W11-3.2b, W11-3.2c, W11-3.2d, W11-3.3a, W11-3.3b, W11-3.3c, W11-3.3d, W11-3.4

WP1 72

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Name

Oklahoma Writing

ObjectiveTestItem

PageNumber


W11-1.1a, W11-1.1b, W11-1.1c, W11-1.1d, W11-1.1e, W11-1.1f, W11-1.2, W11-1.3, W11-1.4, W11-1.5, W11-1.6, W11-2.6, W11-3.1a, W11-3.1b, W11-3.1c, W11-3.1d, W11-3.1e, W11-3.1f, W11-3.2a, W11-3.2b, W11-3.2c, W11-3.2d, W11-3.3a, W11-3.3b, W11-3.3c, W11-3.3d, W11-3.4

WP3 90

WP4 99

WP 143

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1

Test Tips for Students: Reading

The primary goal of the practice in this Reading Test section is to help you prepare for the Oklahoma End-of-Instruction English III Test in Reading. This practice will help determine your understanding of different aspects of a reading passage. Basically, if you can grasp the main idea and the author’s purpose, and then pay attention to the details and vocabulary so that you are able to draw inferences and conclusions, you will do well on the test.

Strategies for Answering Multiple-Choice QuestionsHere are some suggestions for taking any standardized reading test:

• First, read the passage as if you were not even taking a test. Do this to get a general overview of both the topic and the tone of a passage.

• Look at the big picture. In other words, examine the most obvious features of the passage. To do this, ask yourself the following questions as you read:

What is the title?

What do you believe is the main idea of a piece of nonfiction or the theme of a piece of fiction?

What do you think is the author’s purpose? to inform? to entertain? to show how to do something?

• Next, read the questions. This will help you to know what information to look for when you re-read.

• Re-read the passage. Underline information that relates to the questions. This will help you when filling in the answers.

• Go back to the questions. Try to answer each one in your mind before looking at the answer choices.

• Finally, read all the answer choices and eliminate those that are obviously incorrect. After this process, mark the best answer.

Types of Multiple-Choice QuestionsMany multiple-choice questions fall into categories. The following are the most common categories.

1. Main idea: The most important point expressed in a reading passage is the main idea. The main idea must relate to the entire passage, not just to a portion of it. After reading a passage, locate and underline the main idea.

2. Significant details: You will most probably be asked to recall specific details from a reading passage. You will know what details to look for if you read the questions before re-reading the passage. Underline these details as you re-read. Remember that correct answers do not always use the precise phrases or words that appear in the passage.

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3. Vocabulary: Standardized tests will often ask you to define a word within the context of the passage. In many instances, the answer choice will include an actual meaning of the word that does not fit the context in which the word appears. Reading the answer choices and then plugging them into the sentence help to determine which answer fits the context of the passage.

4. Conclusion and inference: Standardized tests often want you to draw conclusions or make inferences. There is often some idea within a passage that the author is trying to convey but does not state directly. Sometimes, you must consider various parts of the passage together in order to determine what the author is implying. An answer choice that refers to only one or two sentences or details within the passage is probably not the correct answer.

Other TipsIf you do not understand a passage at first, keep reading. Many times you will find that you know more answers than you first thought. Once you understand the main idea of a passage, you can go from there to figure out the specific information.

As mentioned before, be sure to read all of the answer choices before choosing one. Students often make the mistake of rushing through the multiple-choice questions and marking the first answer choice that seems correct. Also, keep in mind that the people who write standardized tests often create incorrect answer choices that are designed to distract you from the right answer. Such “distractors” include answer choices that are true but not relevant to the question, answer choices that relate to the wrong part of the passage, and answer choices that are too broad or too narrow. Finally, read the questions and the answers as carefully as you would read the passage, and you should succeed on the reading sections of standardized tests.



3

Tips for Students: Writing

The primary goal of the practice in the Writing section is to help you prepare for the Oklahoma End-of-Instruction English III Test in Writing. In order to write a concise com-position, you must learn to organize your thoughts before you begin writing the actual composition. This keeps you from straying too far from the composition’s topic.

Strategies for Answering Composition Questions• First, read the question carefully. Be sure that you understand exactly what the ques-

tion is asking.

• Decide what kind of composition you are being asked to write. You will be asked to respond to a narrative, expository, persuasive, reflective, or descriptive prompt. You should ask yourself, “What is the purpose of this composition?” When you understand the type of response you are being asked to write, you will have a sense of the purpose of your composition.

• Next, organize your thoughts. It is best to write down notes on a separate piece of paper before actually writing the composition. First, determine the main point of your composition. Your topic sentence should include the general topic as well as the main idea. It should set the tone and catch the reader’s attention. Most importantly, make sure it is answering the question. This will be the anchor to your composition. Then, come up with ideas to support your topic sentence. Your ideas should include the major points that you want to cover in your composition.

• Write in complete sentences, and be aware of unity within the composition. In other words, make sure your sentences and paragraphs “flow” smoothly. Sentences should come together smoothly to support the main idea and should be arranged in an order that makes sense to the reader. Be as specific as possible when stating your ideas. Make use of transitional words or phrases if necessary. Also, remember to write neatly.

• Finally, proofread your composition. Check for spelling and punctuation errors. Look for run-on sentences and sentence fragments. Look over verb tenses to see if you have used them correctly. Make the necessary edits as neat as possible.

If you follow the above guidelines, you should succeed on the writing section of standard-ized tests. Remember that practice makes perfect. Read and write as often as possible on whatever subjects you prefer, and you will see that writing compositions will eventually come quite naturally.



4

When It’s Test Time . . .Here are some final tips for test day.

• Be sure that you are well rested.

• Be on time, and be sure that you have the necessary materials.

• Listen to the instructions of the teacher.

• Read directions and questions carefully.

• Remain calm and remember what you have learned in class, and you should do well.

Good luck!



5

ReadingTest Practice

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Reading Test Practice and the Oklahoma Grade 11 End-of-Instruction

English III TestOklahoma Grade 11 End-of-Instruction English III TestIn grade eleven you will prepare for the Oklahoma End-of-Instruction English III Reading Test. This test assesses your readiness for the reading tasks that you will face in day-to-day living and in your future career.

The End-of-Instruction (EOI) Test in ReadingIn the reading portion of the EOI Test, you will be asked to read a variety of literary and expository passages. The sixty multiple-choice questions that follow these passages will assess your ability to comprehend, analyze character traits, compare/contrast ideas, identify problems/solutions, interpret, evaluate, draw conclusions, and make inferences from what you have read.

The following Oklahoma Reading/Literature Standards and Objectives will be covered in Grade 11:

Vocabulary

ComprehensionLiteral Understanding, Inferences and Interpretation, Summary and Generalization, Analysis and Evaluation

LiteratureGenres, Literary Elements, Figurative Language, Literary Works

Research and Information

Reading Test Practice On the following pages you will find the reading test practice section: several selections with test questions that are like those on your Oklahoma test. These questions address the skills and standards that you are expected to master. Preceding these selections and questions are reading strategies and tips that you can use to help you be successful.



7

Strategies for Comprehension

Understanding Main Ideas and Supporting DetailsWhen taking a reading test, you will often be asked to identify a reading selection’s main idea. In order to tackle this type of question, follow these steps:

Step 1: Read the selection and determine the topic.

Step 2: Look at what all the details have in common. The details should point to the main idea. Hint: Pay attention to the first and last sentences. Sometimes you may find a sentence that states the main idea.

Step 3: State the main idea in your own words. Then, look for an answer that closely matches your own. Be careful not to select a detail that merely supports the main idea as your answer.

Step 4: Check to make sure that the details in the selection support your answer.

Identifying Author’s PurposeReading comprehension tests frequently ask you to identify the author’s purpose. While the responses may be specific to the text, each response will usually tie to one of the four general purposes for writing. Use the steps below for help in answering questions about purpose:

Step 1: Look in the text for clues such as the ones below and decide toward which pur-pose most clues point.

• illustrations, diagrams, maps, charts, headings, and bulleted or numbered items (to inform)

• words like should and must, and words that assign value such as worst and best (to influence)

• frequent use of the word I and emotional words (to express)

• use of vivid descriptions, dialogue, rhymes, drama, or humor (to entertain)

Step 2: Look for the response that most closely matches the general purpose you have identified.

Using Context CluesAs you read a selection in a reading test, you may discover that the author uses unfamiliar words. One way to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word is to use context clues. A word’s context is made up of the words and sentences around it. Use the following steps to answer questions about context clues in a selection:

Step 1: Look at the context of the unfamiliar word. See if the words and sentences around it provide clues to the word’s meaning.

Step 2: Use the context clues to make a guess at the unfamiliar word’s meaning.

Step 3: Check your definition by inserting it in the passage in place of the unfamiliar word.



8

Identifying Point of View or BiasWhen you read a selection on a reading test, you may be asked to identify the author’s point of view or identify any bias. Follow these steps to answer such questions:

Step 1: Determine whether the writer uses more positive words or more negative words.

Step 2: Try to answer the question in your own words.

Step 3: Look for the choice that best matches your own answer.

Summarizing a TextStandardized reading tests often ask you to identify the best summary of a reading passage. Follow these steps to choose the best answer to a summary question:

Step 1: Look for the main idea and the most important supporting details as you read the passage slowly and carefully.

Step 2: Consider every answer choice, eliminating those that restate a single detail from the passage, make a general statement about the passage but include no important details, or have little or nothing to do with the passage.

Step 3: Be sure that the answer you choose covers the entire passage by including the main idea and major supporting details.

Making InferencesReading tests often include questions that check your ability to make inferences from a reading passage. Use the following steps to answer inference questions:

Step 1: Skim the passage once for a general understanding; then, re-read it carefully. Keep in mind that most test questions are designed to measure your reading compre-hension, not your reading speed.

Step 2: Locate key words and phrases in the answer choices that match similar words and phrases in the reading passage. You may be able to eliminate some answers right away.

Step 3: Confirm your answer by considering your prior knowledge about the subject of the passage.

Predicting OutcomesSometimes a reading test will ask you the outcome of events in a narrative passage. Use the following process to determine the most likely outcome:

Step 1: Read the passage carefully. Everything you need to know is there. The correct answer must follow easily from the information in the passage—it should never depend on a change in a person or an unlikely turn of events.

Step 2: Using the information in the passage, make a prediction about what will most likely happen next. Ask yourself what will result from the events in the passage.

Step 3: For this kind of question, you will need to read all of the answers before you choose one. Eliminate answers by matching them against what you know from the passage and what you have predicted.



9

Drawing ConclusionsOn a reading test, you may be asked questions that begin like this, “Why do you think . . .” or “Based on the information in the passage, . . .” Questions like these require you to draw a conclusion. Use the steps below to respond to these types of questions:

Step 1: Read the question or stem to identify the topic of the question.

Step 2: Study the answer choices, ruling out those choices that are clearly wrong.

Step 3: Re-read the passage and look for evidence that supports which of the remaining answer choices is correct.

Strategies for Analyzingan Author’s Style and Technique

Analyzing Elements of Character, Theme, or SettingTests on literature often ask about literary elements such as character, theme, or setting.

Step 1: Be sure you understand the three basic literary elements listed above.

Step 2: As with any reading test, read the questions before you read the passage so you know exactly what to look for in the passage.

Step 3: Look for information in the passage that relates to the literary element you are asked to find.

Step 4: Choose the answer that most correctly relates to the details in the passage.

Analyzing ToneAn author’s tone is his or her attitude, conveyed largely through word choice. Use the following steps to respond to reading-test questions about author’s tone:

Step 1: Look at the writer’s diction (word choice). In particular, identify any connotative words the writer uses. Determine what the connotations suggest about the writer’s attitude toward the subject.

Step 2: Read all the answer choices, and eliminate those that are clearly inconsistent with what the diction suggests about the writer’s tone.

Step 3: Examine the remaining answer choices, and choose the one that best describes the tone of the passage. (Beware of answer choices that exaggerate the writer’s attitude.)



10

Analyzing StyleSome reading test questions will ask you to analyze the author’s style. Style refers to the author’s unique manner of expression. In addition to tone (see above), mood is a critical element of style. Mood is the feeling that the literature creates. As in tone, the author’s diction (word choice) is a major component of mood. Another way to analyze style is to classify it as formal or informal. To answer questions about style, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Look at the answer choices.

• Words like admiring, bitter, and comic suggest that the question is focusing on tone or mood.

• Words like slangy, lofty, or elevated suggest that the question is more focused on formality or informality.

Step 2: Eliminate answer choices that are clearly inconsistent with the diction, tone, or mood of the selection.

Step 3: Select the remaining choice that seems most consistent with the diction, tone, or mood of the selection.

Evaluating Rhetorical StrategiesSome tests will test your ability to evaluate rhetorical strategies, including strategies that are not based on solid evidence. One flawed strategy is the use of overgeneralization. Use the following steps to evaluate generalizations you find in your reading:

Step 1: Look for general statements. Words like no one, never, every, and always may signal a general statement. An example of a general statement that sounds like an overgeneral-ization is “All dogs love to play in the water.”

Step 2: Identify the details that support the statement. If there is no support the statement is probably an overgeneralization.

Step 3: Evaluate the support. Does it really support the broad generalization or only a qualified version of the generalization? An example of an overgeneralization that has been qualified is “Some dogs love to play in the water.”



11

Analyzing Literary Devices Many tests on literature will ask you to identify literary devices. The chart below reviews some of the major literary devices.

Device and Definition Example

An allusion is a reference to a person, place, or event from history, literature, religion, myth ology, politics, sport, sci-ence, or pop culture.

The George M. Cohan song “The Yankee Doodle Boy” alludes to the eighteenth-century tune “Yankee Doodle.”

Figurative language describes one thing in terms of another and is not meant to be taken literally. A metaphor compares one thing to something quite unlike it. A simile compares two things using like or as. Personification describes an inanimate object giving it human characteristics.

metaphor: The wind is a rake.

simile: The thick woods were like prison walls.

personification: The flower turned its gaze toward the sun.

Imagery is language that appeals to any of the five senses: sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste.

At the pond, a rustling of dry reeds revealed the brown head of a grackle, who watched the cool, gleaming water with a beady eye.

Irony is the contrast between expectation and reality: between what is said and what is meant (verbal); between what is expected to happen and what really happens (situational); between what a character thinks is true and what the audi-ence knows to be true (dramatic).

verbal irony: “Oh, I absolutely love that hat. Are those real grapes?”

situational irony: A soldier survives many grueling battles abroad only to be run over by an ice cream truck back home.

dramatic irony: A play’s hero thinks her son is dead, but the audience knows that her son is alive.

A symbol is an object, event, person, or animal to which extraordinary meaning is attached.

A skull and crossbones symbolizes danger; red roses symbolize love. These are symbols that everyone uses. Writers try to create fresh symbols.



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Read the selection below. Then read each question and choose the best answer. Use the provided answer sheet at the end of the workbook to record your answers.

The Lady, or the Tiger?by Frank R. Stockton

In the very olden time there lived a semi-barbaric king, whose ideas, though somewhat polished and sharpened by the progressiveness of distant Latin neighbors, were still large, florid, and untrammeled,1 as became the half of him which was barbaric. He was a man of exuberant fancy, and, withal,2 of an authority so irresistible that, at his will, he turned his varied fancies into facts. He was greatly given to self-communing; and when he and himself agreed upon anything, the thing was done. When every member of his domestic and political systems moved smoothly in its appointed course, his nature was bland and genial; but whenever there was a little hitch, and some of his orbs got out of their orbits, he was blander and more genial still, for nothing pleased him so much as to make the crooked straight, and crush down uneven places. Among the borrowed notions by which his barbarism had become semified3 was that of the public arena, in which, by exhibi-tions of manly and beastly valor, the minds of his subjects were refined and cultured. But even here the exuberant and bar-baric fancy asserted itself. The arena of the king was built not to give the people an opportunity of hearing the rhapsodies of dying gladiators, nor to enable them to view the inevitable conclusion of a conflict between religious opinions and hungry jaws, but for purposes far better adapted to widen and develop the mental energies of the people. This vast amphitheatre, with its

encircling galleries, its mysterious vaults, and its unseen passages, was an agent of poetic justice, in which crime was pun-ished, or virtue rewarded, by the decrees of an impartial and incorruptible chance. When a subject was accused of a crime of sufficient importance to interest the king, public notice was given that on an appointed day the fate of the accused person would be decided in the king’s arena—a structure which well deserved its name; for, although its form and plan were borrowed from afar, its purpose emanated solely from the brain of this man, who, every barleycorn a king, knew no tradition to which he owed more allegiance than pleased his fancy, and who ingrafted on every adopted form of human thought and action the rich growth of his barbaric idealism. When all the people had assembled in the galleries, and the king, surrounded by his court, sat high up on his throne of royal state on one side of the arena, he gave a signal, a door beneath him opened, and the accused subject stepped out into the amphitheatre. Directly opposite him, on the other side of the enclosed space, were two doors, exactly alike and side by side. It was the duty and the privilege of the person on trial to walk directly to these doors and open one of them. He could open either door he pleased: he was subject to no guidance or influence but that of the aforementioned impartial and incorruptible chance. If he opened the one, there came out of it a hungry tiger, the fiercest and most cruel that could

1. untrammeled: not hindered or restrained.

2. withal: besides.

3. semified: reduced by half or made partial.



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be procured, which immediately sprang upon him and tore him to pieces, as a punishment for his guilt. The moment that the case of the criminal was thus decided, doleful iron bells were clanged, great wails went up from the hired mourners posted on the outer rim of the arena, and the vast audience, with bowed heads and downcast hearts, wended slowly their homeward way, mourning greatly that one so young and fair, or so old and respected, should have merited so dire a fate. But if the accused person opened the other door, there came forth from it a lady, the most suitable to his years and station that his Majesty could select among his fair subjects; and to this lady he was immediately married, as a reward of his innocence. It mattered not that he might already possess a wife and family, or that his affections might be engaged upon an object of his own selection: the king allowed no such subordinate arrange-ments to interfere with his great scheme of retribution and reward. The exercises, as in the other instance, took place imme-diately, and in the arena. Another door opened beneath the king, and a priest, followed by a band of choristers, and dancing maidens blowing joyous airs on golden horns and treading an epithalamic measure,4 advanced to where the pair stood side by side; and the wedding was promptly and cheerily solemnized. Then the gay brass bells rang forth their merry peals, the people shouted glad hurrahs, and the innocent man, preceded by children strewing flowers on his path, led his bride to his home. This was the king’s semi-barbaric method of administering justice. Its perfect fairness is obvious. The criminal could not know out of which door would come the lady: he opened either he pleased, without having the slightest idea whether, in the next instant, he was to be devoured or married. On some occasions the tiger came out of one door, and on

some out of the other. The decisions of this tribunal were not only fair, they were positively determinate: the accused person was instantly punished if he found himself guilty; and if innocent, he was rewarded on the spot, whether he liked it or not. There was no escape from the judgments of the king’s arena. The institution was a very popular one. When the people gathered together on one of the great trial-days, they never knew whether they were to witness a bloody slaughter or a hilarious wedding. This element of uncertainty lent an interest to the occasion which it could not otherwise have attained. Thus the masses were entertained and pleased, and the thinking part of the community could bring no charge of unfairness against this plan; for did not the accused person have the whole matter in his own hands? This semi-barbaric king had a daughter as blooming as his most florid fancies, and with a soul as fervent and imperious as his own. As is usual in such cases, she was the apple of his eye, and was loved by him above all humanity. Among his courtiers was a young man of that fineness of blood and lowness of station common to the conventional heroes of romance who love royal maidens. This royal maiden was well satisfied with her lover, for he was hand-some and brave to a degree unsurpassed in all this kingdom; and she loved him with an ardor that had enough of barbarism in it to make it exceedingly warm and strong. This love affair moved on happily for many months, until one day the king happened to discover its existence. He did not hesi-tate nor waver in regard to his duty in the premises. The youth was immediately cast into prison, and a day was appointed for his trial in the king’s arena. This, of course, was an especially important occasion; and his Majesty, as well as all the people, was greatly interested in the workings and development of this trial. Never before had such a case occurred; never before

4. treading an epithalamic measure: performing a wedding dance.



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had a subject dared to love the daughter of a king. In after years such things became commonplace enough; but then they were, in no slight degree, novel and startling. The tiger-cages of the kingdom weresearched for the most savage and relentless beasts, from which the fiercest monster might be selected for the arena: and the ranks of maiden youth and beauty throughout the land were carefully surveyed by competent judges, in order that the young man might have a fitting bride in case fate did not determine for him a different destiny. Of course everybody knew that the deed with which the accused was charged had been done. He had loved the princess, and neither he, she, nor any one else thought of denying the fact; but the king would not think of allowing any fact of this kind to interfere with the workings of the tribunal, in which he took such a great delight and satisfac-tion. No matter how the affair turned out, the youth would be disposed of; and the king would take an aesthetic pleasure in watching the course of events, which would determine whether or not the young man had done wrong in allowing himself to love the princess. The appointed day arrived. From far and near the people gathered, and thronged the great galleries of the arena; and crowds, unable to gain admittance, massed themselves against its outside walls. The king and his court were in their places, opposite the twin doors—those fateful portals, so terrible in their similarity. All was ready. The signal was given. A door beneath the royal party opened, and the lover of the princess walked into the arena. Tall, beautiful, fair, his appearance was greeted with a low hum of admiration and anxiety. Half the audience had not known so grand a youth had lived among them. No wonder the princess loved him! What a terrible thing for him to be there! As the youth advanced into the arena, he turned, as the custom was, to bow to

the king: but he did not think at all of that royal personage; his eyes were fixed upon the princess, who sat to the right of her father. Had it not been for the moiety5 of barbarism in her nature it is probable that lady would not have been there; but her intense and fervid soul would not allow her to be absent on an occasion in which she was so terribly interested. From the moment that the decree had gone forth that her lover should decide his fate in the king’s arena, she had thought of nothing, night or day, but this great event and the various subjects connected with it. Possessed of more power, influence, and force of character than any one who had ever before been interested in such a case, she had done what no other person had done—she had possessed herself of the secret of the doors. She knew in which of the two rooms that lay behind those doors stood the cage of the tiger, with its open front, and in which waited the lady. Through these thick doors, heavily curtained with skins on the inside, it was impossible that any noise or suggestion should come from within to the person who should approach to raise the latch of one of them; but gold, and the power of a woman’s will, had brought the secret to the princess. And not only did she know in which room stood the lady ready to emerge, all blushing and radiant, should her door be opened, but she knew who the lady was. It was one of the fairest and loveliest of the damsels of the court who had been selected as the reward of the accused youth, should he be proved innocent of the crime of aspiring to one so far above him; and the princess hated her. Often had she seen, or imagined that she had seen, this fair creature throwing glances of admiration upon the person of her lover, and sometimes she thought these glances were perceived and even returned. Now and then she had seen them talking together; it was but for a moment or two,

5. moiety: share.



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but much can be said in a brief space; it may have been on most unimportant top-ics, but how could she know that? The girl was lovely, but she had dared to raise her eyes to the loved one of the princess; and, with all the intensity of the savage blood transmitted to her through long lines of wholly barbaric ancestors, she hated the woman who blushed and trembled behind that silent door. When her lover turned and looked at her, and his eye met hers as she sat there paler and whiter than any one in the vast ocean of anxious faces about her, he saw, by that power of quick perception which is given to those whose souls are one, that she knew behind which door crouched the tiger, and behind which stood the lady. He had expected her to know it. He under-stood her nature, and his soul was assured that she would never rest until she had made plain to herself this thing, hidden to all other lookers-on, even to the king. The only hope for the youth in which there was any element of certainty was based upon the success of the princess in discovering this mystery; and the moment he looked upon her, he saw she had succeeded, as in his soul he knew she would succeed. Then it was that his quick and anxious glance asked the question, “Which?” It was as plain to her as if he shouted it from where he stood. There was not an instant to be lost. The question was asked in a flash; it must be answered in another. Her right arm lay on the cushioned parapet before her. She raised her hand, and made a slight, quick movement toward the right. No one but her lover saw her. Every eye was fixed on the man in the arena. He turned, and with a firm and rapid step he walked across the empty space. Every heart stopped beating, every breath was held, every eye was fixed immovably upon that man. Without the slightest hesitation, he went to the door on the right and opened it.

Now, the point of the story is this: Did the tiger come out of that door, or did the lady? The more we reflect upon this question the harder it is to answer. It involves a study of the human heart which leads us through devious mazes of passion, out of which it is difficult to find our way. Think of it, fair reader, not as if the decision of the question depended on yourself, but upon that hot-blooded, semi-barbaric princess, her soul at a white heat beneath the combined fires of despair and jeal-ousy. She had lost him, but who should have him? How often, in her waking hours and in her dreams, had she started in wild horror and covered her face with her hands as she thought of her lover opening the door on the other side of which waited the cruel fangs of the tiger! But how much oftener had she seen him at the other door! How in her griev-ous reveries had she gnashed her teeth and torn her hair when she saw his start of rapturous delight as he opened the door of the lady! How her soul had burned in agony when she had seen him rush to meet that woman, with her flushing cheek and sparkling eye of triumph; when she had seen him lead her forth, his whole frame kindled with the joy of recovered life; when she heard the glad shouts from the multitude, and the wild ringing of the happy bells; when she had seen the priest, with his joyous followers, advance to the couple, and make them man and wife before her very eyes; and when she had seen them walk away together upon their path of flowers, followed by the tremen-dous shouts of the hilarious multitude, in which her one despairing shriek was lost and drowned! Would it not be better for him to die at once, and go to wait for her in the blessed regions of semi-barbaric futurity? And yet, that awful tiger, those shrieks, that blood!



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Her decision had been indicated in an instant, but it had been made after days and nights of anguished deliberation. She had known she would be asked, she had decided what she would answer, and, without the slightest hesitation, she had moved her hand to the right.

The question of her decision is one not to be lightly considered, and it is not for me to presume to set myself up as the one person able to answer it. And so I leave it with all of you: Which came out of the opened door—the lady, or the tiger?



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The Lady, or the Tiger?

1. What incident occurs that leads to the princess’ young man being forced to choose between the lady and the tiger?

A The king discovers his daughter is being wooed by one of his subjects.

B The king decides to put on an amusement for his subjects.

C The king decides it is about time for a wedding to take place.

D The king discovers a legal loophole that allows him to take a new wife.

2. How does the princess discover the secret of the doors?

A by hearing noises that indicate what is behind each door

B by using a combination of money and will

C by asking her father

D by observing the lady being led into one of the rooms

3. What is the source of the princess’ internal conflict?

A She must decide which door to point her beloved toward when he appeals for help.

B She thinks her beloved should be killed for admiring the other woman.

C She wonders if her actions will displease her father.

D She is unsure of her feelings for her beloved.

4. When he looks at her from the floor of the arena, what does the young man know about the princess?

A that she has discovered what lay behind each door

B that she has not discovered what lay behind each door

C that she enjoys this as much as he did

D that it is she, not the king, who has ordered this ordeal



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5. Which description best fits the king?

A a brutal but fair and reasonable ruler

B a stubborn ruler who listens to no guidance but his own

C an insecure ruler who relies on others to tell him what to do

D an idealist who believes in justice for all

6. Re-read the following sentence from the selection: “The decisions of this tribunal were not only fair, they were positively determinate: the accused person was instantly punished if he found himself guilty; and if innocent, he was rewarded on the spot, whether he liked it or not.” Based on the context of the sentence and the selection, what does the word determinate mean?

A final, settled

B limited or defined

C resolute

D having a flower at the end of the main stalk and of each stalk below and around it

7. What technique does the author use when he refers to the king’s method of justice by saying, “Its fairness is obvious”?

A hyperbole

B metaphor

C oxymoron

D irony

8. Why does the author address the audience directly at the end of the story?

A to offer his own thoughts about the story’s outcome

B to remind readers that this is only a story

C to pass a moral judgment on the princess

D to offer a reflection on the nature of the human heart




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The Best Camping Trip

When Mom said that we’d be “car camping,” I thought she meant that the whole family would sleep in the car, and I couldn’t imagine all of us bunking down in Old Blue. Well, car camping just means that you drive your car to a remote camp-site and set up camp there. That’s just what we did at the state park last weekend. After arriving at our campsite, we took a short hike to stretch our cramped legs. The weather at the park couldn’t have been more gorgeous. Fluffy clouds slid across a blue-mirrored sky, and squirrels skittered through the cool grass. As Leticia and I took in the scenery, Dad brought up a favorite topic. “The fishing is supposed to be outstanding this time of year,” he said with a gleam in his eye. He knows that Leticia and I have an ongoing debate over which of us is the better fisher. By the time we got back to camp, I could hardly wait to start exploring, but I was ravenous and had to eat supper first. Mom looked up from her first novel of the trip and pointed to some cheese slices and a loaf of bread on the picnic table. “Fend for yourselves,” she said. Before each vacation, Mom collects a pile of books that she’s eager to read. To her, nothing is more relaxing than reading for hours with no interruptions. After supper, Leticia and I made hot chocolate for everyone, and then we grabbed our flashlights and strolled down the camp road. When we saw a group walking back to their camp with several long stringers of fish, Dad couldn’t help but interrogate them about where they’d been fishing. They gave us a map and marked the route to the hot fishing spot. On our way back,

I reminded Leticia about last summer, when I had caught a six-pound large-mouth bass; she countered by reminding me that she had been the first of us to catch a fish on that trip. The next morning, we started off early for the lake. “Remember: You clean what you catch,” Mom called, her nose already in her second novel. Dad navigated us through the woods, his eyes moving back and forth between the map and the trail markings. As we followed him, Leticia and I continued our argument over whether it was better to catch the first fish or the biggest fish. The morning sun broke through the thick canopy of trees and warmed our bare legs as we picked up the pace of our hike. It was going to be a great day. We were out of breath by the time we arrived at the lake. My legs felt like rubber bands, but I couldn’t wait to get my line in the water. As I hurriedly tied on a lure, Leticia caught her breath and looked out over the calm water. Eager to get started, I accidentally poked myself in the thumb with a hook. “Ouch!” “Slow down,” Dad advised. I stuck the afflicted thumb in my mouth. “Looks like you might have to sit this one out,” Leticia joked. “Not on your life,” I said. “Just in case neither of you gets lucky, we have some sandwiches,” Dad said with a grin, holding up a paper sack. “No need for that, Dad. Just watch me,” I said. I inspected my lure one last time and headed for the water. Leticia was just then picking up her fishing rod. “Over there by those trees looks like a nice spot,” Dad



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said, pointing to a stand of trees that hung over the water. As I walked along the bank toward the stand of trees, little splashes of playing fish broke the surface of the water. Leticia was still setting up her line. My first cast landed with a kerplunk. I was determined to catch the first fish as well as the biggest fish. When nothing bit, I reeled in my line and cast it out again. The lure hit just beside a sunken tree trunk, the perfect spot. I sat down in the shade and watched Leticia finally make her way to the water’s edge. It was getting hot, and mosquitoes were starting to swarm around my head. After several minutes without a bite, I felt a big mosquito land on my arm. When I slapped at it, I dropped my fishing rod. The rod fell into the water, but luckily I grabbed it before it went under. Relieved that I was able to save my fishing rod, I weathered Leticia’s laughter.

Finally, Leticia quit laughing and threw out her line. Suddenly, I felt a small jerk on my line followed by another, harder jerk. I quickly pulled back on my rod and began to reel. At the end of my line, a small perch broke the water. I tried to contain my excitement. “Look! Look! I caught the first fish!” I yelled, holding up the little fish. Dad and Leticia were too busy to notice, because Dad was coaching over Leticia’s shoulder as she strained to reel in the biggest fish I had ever seen! When she finally landed it, she jumped up and down as Dad shook his head in disbelief at the huge fish at their feet. Then she looked over to see that I was holding my little perch: I had caught the first fish of the trip, but she had caught the biggest fish. The answer to the debate would have to wait for another year.



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1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?

A The family has a car named Old Blue.

B The family goes car camping at a state park.

C Car camping is fun for the whole family.

D Car camping is easier at remote campsites.

2. Why is the narrator so excited when he catches the perch?

A He caught the first fish.

B He caught the biggest fish.

C Perch are his favorite fish.

D Perch are very difficult fish to catch.

3. Which of the following accurately describes the story’s setting?

A a state park with many impor-tant monuments and statues

B a state park on a river in which visitors can swim

C a state park in the desert, with many tall cliffs

D a state park that includes a lake with trees around it

4. Which of these statements accurately describes the narrator’s relationship with his sister?

A They don’t get along at all.

B They’re friendly but competitive.

C They don’t share any of the same interests.

D One feels very protective of the other.

5. Why does the narrator probably write this journal entry?

A to record the events of his vacation and his feelings about them

B to entertain readers with a mean story about his sister

C to give readers information about the state park he visited

D to persuade people that fishing is the best pastime




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6. In the eighth paragraph, what does the narrator mean when he says, “My legs felt like rubber bands”?

A He has a serious illness.

B He was excited to be fishing.

C He was tired from hiking.

D He has rubber bands in his pockets.

7. In the fourth paragraph from the end, what does the narrator mean when he writes: “I weathered Leticia’s laughter”?

A It did not bother him.

B It did bother him.

C It made him go grey in the face, in spite of his sunburn.

D It made him turn away from her.

8. Based on the context of the fourth paragraph, what does the word ravenous mean?

A sick to one’s stomach

B excited

C extremely hungry

D nervous and tense

9. In the fifth paragraph from the end, the author’s use of the word kerplunk is an example of which of the following?

A simile

B analogy

C alliteration

D onomatopoeia




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On Sunday morning Otto Fuchs was to drive us over to make the acquaintance of our new Bohemian neighbors. We were taking them some provisions, as they had come to live on a wild place where there was no garden or chicken-house, and very little broken land. Fuchs brought up a sack of potatoes and a piece of cured pork from the cellar, and grandmother packed some loaves of Saturday’s bread, a jar of butter, and several pumpkin pies in the straw of the wagon-box. We clambered up to the front seat and jolted off past the little pond and along the road that climbed to the big cornfield. . . . The Bohemian family, grandmother told me as we drove along, had bought the homestead of a fellow countryman, Peter Krajiek, and had paid him more than it was worth. Their agreement with him was made before they left the old country, through a cousin of his, who was also a relative of Mrs. Shimerda. The Shimerdas were the first Bohemian family to come to this part of the county. Krajiek was their only interpreter, and could tell them anything he chose. . . . “If they’re nice people, I hate to think of them spending the winter in that cave of Krajiek’s,” said grandmother. “It’s no better than a badger hole; no proper dugout at all. . . .” The land was growing rougher; I was told that we were approaching Squaw Creek, which cut up the west half of the Shimerdas’ place and made the land of little value for farming. Soon we could see the broken, grassy clay cliffs which indicated the windings of the stream, and the glittering tops of the cottonwoods and

ash trees that grew down in the ravine. Some of the cottonwoods had already turned, and the yellow leaves and shining white bark made them look like the gold and silver trees in fairy tales. . . . Mrs. Shimerda opened the door before we knocked and seized grandmother’s hand. She did not say “How do!” as usual, but at once began to cry, talking very fast in her own language, pointing to her feet which were tied up in rags, and looking about accusingly at everyone. The old man was sitting on a stump behind the stove, crouching over as if he were trying to hide from us. Yulka was on the floor at his feet, her kitten in her lap. She peeped out at me and smiled, but, glancing up at her mother, hid again. Antonia was washing pans and dishes in a dark corner. The crazy boy lay under the only window, stretched on a gunny-sack stuffed with straw. As soon as we entered, he threw a grain-sack over the crack at the bottom of the door. The air in the cave was stifling, and it was very dark, too. A lighted lantern, hung over the stove, threw out a feeble yellow glimmer. . . . Grandmother went on talking in her polite Virginia way. . . . “Haven’t you got any sort of cave or cellar outside, Antonia? This is no place to keep vegetables. How did your potatoes get frozen?” “We get from Mr. Bushy, at the post-office what he throw out. We got no potatoes, Mrs. Burden,” Tony admitted mournfully. When Jake went out, Marek crawled along the floor and stuffed up the door-crack again. Then, quietly as a shadow, Mr. Shimerda came out from behind


from My Ántoniaby Willia Cather



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the stove. He stood brushing his hand over his smooth grey hair, as if he were trying to clear away a fog about his head. He was clean and neat as usual, with his green neckcloth and his coral pin. He took grandmother’s arm and led her behind the stove, to the back of the room. In the rear wall was another little cave; a round hole, not much bigger than an oil barrel, scooped out in the black earth. When I got up on one of the stools and peered into it, I saw some quilts and a pile of straw. The old man held the lantern. “Yulka,” he said in a low, despairing voice, “Yulka; my Antonia!” Grandmother drew back. “You mean they sleep in there—your girls?” He bowed his head.

Tony slipped under his arm. “It is very cold on the floor, and this is warm like the badger hole. I like for sleep there,” she insisted eagerly. “My mamenka have nice bed, with pillows from our own geese in Bohemie. See, Jim?” She pointed to the narrow bunk which Krajiek had built against the wall for himself before the Shimerdas came. Grandmother sighed. “Sure enough, where WOULD you sleep, dear! I don’t doubt you’re warm there. You’ll have a better house after while, Antonia, and then you will forget these hard times. . . .”



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from My Ántonia

1. Why do the grandmother and the narrator go to visit the Shimerda family?

A to borrow money

B to meet their new neighbors

C to invite them to a dance

D to solicit donations for the school play

2. What does the grandmother tell the narrator about how the Shimerdas acquired the homestead of their fellow countryman, Peter Krajiek?

A The Shimerdas won the property from Krajiek in a card game.

B The Shimerdas paid Krajiek more than it was worth.

C The Shimerdas inherited the property from Krajiek.

D The Shimerdas bought the property at a foreclosure auc-tion at the bank.

3. Why is Mrs. Shimerda upset when she answers the door?

A She is having an argument with her husband about which crops to plant.

B She is not dressed to receive company.

C She is uncomfortable due to their living conditions.

D She does not like her neighbors and does not like them to visit.

4. How is the Shimerda family react-ing to the change of seasons in their new home?

A They have made plans to sleep outside to take advantage of the cool breezes.

B They are already cold in the house and do not seem pre-pared for the coming winter.

C They are fine just as they are and pleased with what they brought with them.

D They are crowded but com-fortable as the cold weather approaches.



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5. Which best describes the life of the Shimerdas?

A intellectual

B glorious

C hardscrabble

D fortuitous

6. What kind of a plot device is shown in the following? “. . . I hate to think of them spending the winter in that cave of Krajiek’s,” said grandmother. “It’s no better than a badger hole; no proper dugout at all. . . .”

A foreshadowing

B anticlimax

C epilogue

D denouement

7. In the first paragraph, what does the word provisions mean?

A first aid supplies

B guns and ammunition

C stock of food

D a telescope and a map

8. In the sixth paragraph, what does the word stifling mean?

A suffocating; depriving of oxygen

B embroidering with fine woolen floss

C covered with stalactites and stalagmites

D sweet-smelling; fragrant

from My Ántonia



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A Dinner Party The Coreys were one of the few old families who lingered in Bellingham Place, the handsome, quiet old street which the sympathetic observer must grieve to see abandoned to boarding-houses. The dwellings are stately and tall, and the whole place wears an air of aristocratic seclusion, which Mrs. Corey’s father might well have thought assured when he left her his house there at his death. It is one of two evidently designed by the same architect who built some houses in a characteristic taste on Beacon Street opposite the Common. . . . “Ah, Colonel Lapham! Very glad to see you.” Lapham shook hands with him [Corey] and gasped, “Waiting for Mis’ Lapham,” to account for his presence. He had not been able to button his right glove, and he now began, with as much indifference as he could assume, to pull them both off, for he saw that Corey wore none. By the time he had stuffed them into the pocket of his coat-skirt, his wife and daughter descended. Corey welcomed them very cordially too, but looked a little mystified. Mrs. Lapham knew that he was silently inquiring for Penelope, and she did not know whether she ought to excuse her to him first or not. She said nothing, and after a glance toward the regions where Penelope might conjecturably be lingering, he held aside the portiere1 for the Laphams to pass, and entered the room with them. Mrs. Lapham had decided against low-necks2 on her own responsibility, and

had [decided on] the safety of a black silk, in which she looked very handsome. Irene wore a dress of one of those shades which only a woman or an artist can decide to be green or blue, and which to other eyes looks both or neither, according to their degrees of ignorance. If it was more like a ball dress than a dinner dress, that might be excused to the exquisite effect. . . . Lapham had never seen people go down to dinner arm-in-arm before, but he knew that his wife was distinguished in being taken out by the host, . . . He fetched a long sigh of relief when he sank into his chair and felt himself safe from error if he kept a sharp lookout and did only what the others did. Bellingham had certain habits which he permitted himself, and one of these was tucking the corner of his napkin into his collar; he confessed himself an uncertain shot with a spoon, and defended his practice on the ground of neatness and common-sense. Lapham put his napkin into his collar too, and then, seeing that no one but Bellingham did it, became alarmed and took it out again slyly. He never had wine on his table at home, and on principle he was a prohi-bitionist; but now he did not know just what to do about the glasses at the right of his plate. He had a notion to turn them all down, as he had read of a well-known politician’s doing at a public dinner, to show that he did not take wine; but, after twiddling with one of them a moment, he let them be, for it seemed to him that would be a little too conspicuous, and he felt that everyone was looking. He let


from The Rise of Silas Laphamby William Dean Howells

1. portiere: curtain hanging across a doorway

2. low-necks: fashionable, low-cut dresses



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the servant fill them all, and he drank out of each, not to appear odd. Later, he observed that the young ladies were not taking wine, and he was glad to see that Irene had refused it, and that Mrs. Lapham was letting it stand untasted. He did not know but he ought to decline some of the dishes, or at least leave most of some on his plate, but he was not able to decide; he took everything and ate everything. . . . He began to tell stories of the different young men he had had in his employ. At last he had the talk altogether to himself; no one else talked, and he talked unceasingly. It was a great time; it was a triumph. . . . Ten years ago he, Silas Lapham, had come to Boston a little worse off than nothing at all, for he was in debt for half the money that he had bought out his

partner with, and here he was now worth a million, and meeting you gentlemen like one of you. And every cent of that was honest money—no speculation—every copper of it for value received. And here, only the other day, his old partner, who had been going to the dogs ever since he went out of the business, came and borrowed twenty thousand dollars of him! Lapham lent it because his wife wanted him to: she had always felt bad about the fellow’s having to go out of the business. He took leave of Mr. Sewell with patronizing3 affection, and bade him come to him if he ever got into a tight place with his parish work; he would let him have all the money he wanted; he had more money than he knew what to do with.

3. patronizing: belittling



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from The Rise of Silas Lapham

1. Why might an observer be sorry to see the houses on Bellingham Place become boarding houses?

A It means that the neighborhood and its economy are increasing in value.

B It indicates that commercial real estate is increasing in value.

C It indicates that the neighbor-hood and its economy are in a decline.

D It means that no new apart-ments will be built there for a while.

2. In what ways do the Laphams stand out from the other guests at the dinner party?

A They are overdressed.

B They are underdressed.

C They speak better English than most of the guests.

D They do not live in the neighborhood.

3. Are there any Lapham children who are not at this dinner party?

A the young twins

B a son, Peter

C a daughter, Penelope

D All of the children are present.

4. What makes Lapham believe that his wife has been honored by their host?

A He called her by her first name.

B The host took her down to dinner arm-in-arm.

C He gave her extra wine.

D He named the dessert after her.

5. Why does Lapham feel relieved when he finally sits down at the dinner table?

A He can talk business with the gentleman seated to his left.

B He can slip off his shoes and wiggle his toes.

C He can get some rest at last.

D He can mimic what other diners at the table are doing.



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6. Which action of Irene’s is a source of relief to Silas Lapham?

A She eats all her vegetables.

B She takes her seat next to their host, Mr. Corey.

C She refuses the wine.

D She excuses herself from the dinner table.

7. Based on the context of the fourth paragraph, what does the word lingering mean?

A living

B growing up

C moving slowly

D sleeping

8. From the thoughts of Lapham, what can be inferred about the ways he and his friends regard money?

A Money makes the man.

B Money is not everything.

C Money does not grow on trees.

D Money is the root of all evil.




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The following excerpt is from the story of two young men who take a trip during the Great Depression (1929–1941). Rogers’ work gives a vivid picture of the thousands of people who had lost their jobs and were homeless. We walk silently towards the mountain that had been scarred on the north by a quarry from whose chalk face we hear no noise. [Its] sides destroy the beautiful contours of a green hill that lies in solid shadow with white blooms of laurel showing at the wood’s edge. An old woman wearing an assortment of ragged clothes stops her heavy body and smiles at a worker, who drags his feet heavily along the railroad-track path towards the woman. Like a mass of kneaded dough is the woman’s face, and though she faces the sun, her pallor is like a weak blue-black shadow of a watercolor. “You done got a job at last?” she asks the worker. “No,” he says wearily, “there ain’t no jobs to be got.” “Jes a-carryin your lunch-box to keep in practice, I spose?” The woman laughs, and from her puffy face there slowly fades

a smile of one who has worked too long and hard. The worker continues this aimless journey beside the rails, toward a town that has no jobs for men who helped to build it, or whose good fortune gave them life . . . . Smoke floats in a thin spiral from a large building labeled DUPONT SILK MILL, as near as we can make out from a distance. We pass another single-story building, with a shady lawn that is clean, and filled with benches under low trees that border a large fish-pond. It is a rayon-mill, but we see only about five persons in a long room that is filled with machines. There is only an empty park and a silent mill. A few workers pass us, with their lean shadows dancing before them; each a standardized product of a well-organized system of exploitation that uses enough of the mental and physical strength of a worker to make him (or her) an uncon-scious victim of the system he supports. A small roadster stops beside us, and we sit on an already crowded seat with a white-collar worker and his younger brother. He will be glad to take us across.


from Beyond the Mountainby John C. Rogers



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from Beyond the Mountain

1. Which best describes the rayon-mill?

A It is a thriving business.

B It is in disrepair.

C It is not busy.

D It is abandoned.

2. In the next to last paragraph, how does the setting compare to the people in it?

A They are both alive: a bustling town center filled with people hurrying around.

B They are both relaxed: a peace-ful place where the inhabitants are placid.

C They are both animated: an energetic town with everyone in a celebratory mood.

D They are both depressing: like a ghost town with people who are only shadows of their former selves.

3. Rogers’ description of the moun-tain with a chalk quarry is which form of literary device?

A onomatopoeia

B foreshadowing

C analogy

D alliteration

4. Which of the following best describes John C. Rogers’ opinion of capitalism?

A It is good.

B It is so-so.

C It is evil

D He has no opinion.



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5. Analyze the conversation between the old woman and the worker, and the use of local dialect. Which class of society is indicated?

A the elite

B the educated

C the underclass

D the upper-middle class

6. In this selection, why does Rogers use very few words to describe colors?

A to show the bleak and hopeless lives of the people there

B to show the importance of each item that is described

C to show that colors are best represented by a single word

D to show that most natural beauty is colorless

7. Which of the following is an effec-tive example of the author’s point of view?

A “. . . a green hill that lies in solid shadow with white blooms of laurel showing at the wood’s edge”

B “. . . a shady lawn that is clean, and filled with benches under low trees that border a large fish-pond.”

C “. . . each a standardized product of a well-organized system of exploitation that uses enough of the mental and physical strength of a worker to make him (or her) an uncon-scious victim of the system he supports.”

D “A small roadster stops beside us, and we sit on an already crowded seat with a white-collar worker and his younger brother.”



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The Cremation of Sam McGeeby Robert W. Service

There are strange things done in the midnight sun By the men who moil1 for gold; The Arctic trails have their secret tales That would make your blood run cold; The Northern Lights have seen [strange] sights, But the [strangest] they ever did see Was that night on the marge2 of Lake Lebarge I cremated Sam McGee.

Now Sam McGee was from Tennessee, where the cotton blooms and blows.Why he left his home in the South to roam ‘round the Pole, God only knows.He was always cold, but the land of gold seemed to hold him like a spell;Though he’d often say in his homely way that “he’d sooner live in hell.”

On a Christmas Day we were mushing our way over the Dawson trail.Talk of your cold! through the parka’s fold it stabbed like a driven nail.If our eyes we’d close, then the lashes froze till sometimes we couldn’t see;It wasn’t much fun, but the only one to whimper was Sam McGee.

And that very night, as we lay packed tight in our robes beneath the snow,And the dogs were fed, and the stars o’erhead were dancing heel and toe,He turned to me, and “Cap,” says he, “I’ll cash in this trip, I guess;And if I do, I’m asking that you won’t refuse my last request.”

Well, he seemed so low that I couldn’t say no; then he says with a sort of moan:“It’s the cursed cold, and it’s got right hold till I’m chilled clean through to the bone.Yet ‘taint being dead—it’s my awful dread of the icy grave that pains;So I want you to swear that, foul or fair, you’ll cremate my last remains.”

A pal’s last need is a thing to heed, so I swore I would not fail;And we started on at the streak of dawn; but God! he looked ghastly pale.He crouched on the sleigh, and he raved all day of his home in Tennessee;And before nightfall a corpse was all that was left of Sam McGee.

There wasn’t a breath in that land of death, and I hurried, horror-driven,With a corpse half hid that I couldn’t get rid, because of a promise given;It was lashed to the sleigh, and it seemed to say: “You may tax your brawn and brains,But you promised true, and it’s up to you to cremate those last remains.”

1. moil: toil

2. marge: edge



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Now a promise made is a debt unpaid, and the trail has its own stern code.In the days to come, though my lips were dumb, in my heart how I cursed that load.In the long, long night, by the lone firelight, while the huskies, round in a ring,Howled out their woes to the homeless snows—O God! how I loathed the thing.

And every day that quiet clay seemed to heavy and heavier grow;And on I went, though the dogs were spent and the grub was getting low;The trail was bad, and I felt half mad, but I swore I would not give in;And I’d often sing to the hateful thing, and it hearkened3 with a grin.

Till I came to the marge of Lake Lebarge, and a derelict4 there lay;It was jammed in the ice, but I saw in a trice it was called the “Alice May.”And I looked at it, and I thought a bit, and I looked at my frozen chum;Then “Here,” said I, with a sudden cry, “is my cre-ma-tor-eum.”

Some planks I tore from the cabin floor, and I lit the boiler fire;Some coal I found that was lying around, and I heaped the fuel higher;The flames just soared, and the furnace roared—such a blaze you seldom see;And I burrowed a hole in the glowing coal, and I stuffed in Sam McGee.

Then I made a hike, for I didn’t like to hear him sizzle so;And the heavens scowled, and the huskies howled, and the wind began to blow.It was icy cold, but the hot sweat rolled down my cheeks, and I don’t know why;And the greasy smoke in an inky cloak went streaking down the sky.

I do not know how long in the snow I wrestled with grisly fear;But the stars came out and they danced about [before] again I ventured near;I was sick with dread, but I bravely said: “I’ll just take a peep inside.I guess he’s cooked, and it’s time I looked;” . . . then the door I opened wide.

And there sat Sam, looking cool and calm, in the heart of the furnace roar;And he wore a smile you could see a mile, and he said: “Please close that door.It’s fine in here, but I greatly fear you’ll let in the cold and storm— Since I left Plumtree, down in Tennessee, it’s the first time I’ve been warm.”

3. hearkened: listened carefully

4. derelict: an abandoned ship



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The Cremation of Sam McGee

1. In the first stanza, what does the speaker claim is the “strangest” thing that has happened in the Arctic region?

A seeing the aurora borealis

B hearing wolves howl at night at the midnight sun

C being snow-blinded by a blizzard

D cremating Sam McGee

2. What is it that Sam fears?

A an icy grave

B sunburn

C becoming lost in the tundra

D spiders

3. When did Sam McGee die?

A on Christmas Day

B on New Year’s Eve

C on the summer solstice

D on St. Swithin’s Day

4. Why does the narrator continue to carry the corpse of Sam McGee on his sled?

A He has promised McGee that he would cremate his body.

B No one else would do it.

C He is heading to McGee’s home town.

D He is delivering the corpse to Dawson.

5. Why does the narrator walk away from the blazing furnace?

A He does not want to hear the sizzle.

B He has no other place to go.

C Sam McGee asked to cremate him privately.

D He always takes a walk every day.

6. What mood is created by the following details from the poem?

“awful dread of the icy grave,” “he looked ghastly pale”

A joyfulness and playfulness

B serenity and bliss

C dread and fear

D curiosity and inquisitiveness



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7. In the seventh stanza, what does lashed mean?

A covered in snow

B forced to pull something

C bound with a line

D confined to one’s cabin

8. Based on the context of this selec-tion, what does the word cremation mean?

A to fortify with heavy cream

B to reduce a dead body to ashes by burning

C to purify or bleach by exposure to the sun for sustained periods

D to firmly affix with glue

9. To what sense or senses does Robert W. Service appeal in this poem?

A sight

B hearing

C smell

D all of the senses

10. What is the main conflict in this poem?

A whether to keep a promise to a dead man to cremate him or not

B whether to continue the jour-ney or not

C the conflict of man against man

D the conflict of man against nature in the Arctic wilderness

11. “The Cremation of Sam McGee” is which kind of poem?

A narrative ballad

B sonnet

C allegory

D quatrain




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In this poem Whittier examines the role of Massachusetts senator Daniel Webster in working out the Compromise of 1850—a bill that, among other things, required people to assist in recovering fugitive slaves.

O fallen! so lost! the light withdrawn Which once he2 wore! The glory from his gray hairs gone Forevermore!

Revile him not—the Tempter hath A snare for all; And pitying tears, not scorn and wrath, Befit his fall!

Oh, dumb be passion’s stormy rage, When he who might Have lighted up and led his age, Falls back in night.

Scorn! would the angels laugh, to mark A bright soul driven, Fiend-goaded, down the endless dark, From hope and heaven!

Let not the land once proud of him Insult him now, Nor brand with deeper shame his dim, Dishonored brow.

But let its humbled sons, instead, From sea to lake, A long lament, as for the dead, In sadness make.

Of all we loved and honored, naught Save power remains; A fallen angel’s pride of thought, Still strong in chains.

All else is gone; from those great eyes The soul has fled: When faith is lost, when honor dies, The man is dead!

Then, pay the reverence of old days To his dead fame; Walk backward, with averted gaze, And hide the shame!

Read the next two selections. Then read each question and choose the best answer. Use the provided answer sheet at the end of the workbook to record your answers.

Ichabod1

by John Greenleaf Whittier

1. Ichabod: The name Ichabod is from a verse in the Bible, I Samuel 4:21—”And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel.”

2. he: northern senator Daniel Webster, who supported the Compromise of 1850.



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The Portent1

by Herman Melville

Hanging from the beam, 2

Slowly swaying (such the law), Gaunt the shadow on the green, Shenandoah! The cut is on the crown (Lo, John Brown), And the stabs shall heal no more.

Hidden in the cap Is the anguish none can draw; So your future veils its face, Shenandoah! But the streaming beard is shown (Weird John Brown), The meteor of the war.

1. portent: omen

2. hanging from the beam: In October 1859, abolitionist John Brown and his men raided the U.S. arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley. Brown was hanged in December 1859 for the raid.



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Ichabod / The Portent

1. Why might Whittier have chosen the name “Ichabod” to refer to Webster?

A to represent departed glory

B to represent someone who wore a powdered wig

C to represent man’s longing for truth

D to represent the unknowable aspect of the spirit world

2. According to Whittier, Webster’s role in the Compromise of 1850 had an effect on his character and reputation. Which of the following would show that Webster tarnished himself in Whittier’s opinion?

A “light withdrawn,” “dishonored brow”

B “The glory,” “Revile him not— “

C “Oh, dumb be passion’s stormy rage,”

D “A bright soul driven,”

3. Whittier believed that Webster succumbed to temptation when he argued for a compromise on slavery. What does Whittier mean when he says, “Revile him not—the Tempter hath / A snare for all”?

A As everyone may at some time fall prey to temptation, Webster should not be hated for his actions.

B Since giving into temptation is a personal choice, Webster should be verbally abused.

C Webster should not have yielded to temptation because he was serving as an example to others.

D If Webster had kept his opin-ions to himself, he would not have gotten into this trouble.

4. Why does Melville describe John Brown as “The meteor of the war”?

A John Brown was a famous and successful general of the Civil War.

B Melville was an astronomer as well as a poet.

C Melville often used metaphors, using celestial events to emphasize the mindset of his characters.

D A meteor produces a bright light that draws attention, just as Brown’s raid drew attention to the plight of slaves.



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5. How would you summarize Melville’s attitude toward John Brown and the slavery issue based on this one poem?

A passionate

B petrified

C indifferent

D lax

6. Based on the inferences in Melville’s poem, “The Portent,” what could you conclude about the beliefs of the people of the Shenandoah Valley?

A They do not believe in laws.

B They do not believe in beards.

C They are abolitionists.

D They are pro slavery.




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The Pity of Itby Katharine Lee Bates

I. In South Africa

Over the lonesome African plain The stars look down, like eyes of the slain.

A bumping ride across gullies and ruts, Now a grumble and now a jest, A bit of profanity jolted out, —Whist! Into a hornet’s nest! Curse on the scout! Long-bearded Boers rising out of the rocks, Rocks that already are crimson-splashed, Ping-ping of bullets, stabbings and cuts, As if hell hurtled and hissed, —Then, muffling the shocks, A sting in the breast, A mist, A woman’s face down the darkness flashed, Rest.

All as before, save for still forms spread Under the boulders dripping red.

Over the lonesome African plain The stars look down, like eyes of the slain.

II. In the Philippines

Silvery rice-fields whisper wide How for home and freedom their owners died.

We’ve set the torch to their bamboo town, And out they come in a scampering rush, Little brown men with spears. Shoot! Down they go in a crush, Sickening smears, Hideous writhing huddles and heaps Under the palms and the mango-trees. More, still more! Shoot ’em down Like brown jack-rabbits that scoot With comical leaps Out of the brush. No loot? No prisoners, then. As for these—Hush!

The flag that dreamed of delivering Shudders and droops like a broken wing.

Silvery rice-fields whisper wide How for home and freedom their owners died.



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The Pity of It

1. In Africa, how does the scout perform his or her job?

A The scout sounds an alert against the Boers.

B The scout defects to the side of the Boers.

C The scout leads the attack against the Boers.

D The scout does not see the Boers

2. In the second stanza, what does “Whist!” mean?

A Hush!

B Whistle!

C It is a Boer surname.

D It is a type of cart or wagon.

3. “As if hell hurtled and hissed, . . . ”is an example of which form of figurative language?

A onomatopoeia

B alliteration

C personification

D metaphor

4. What effect does the poet claim the war had on South Africa?

A tragic

B necessary

C inevitable

D cleansing

5. What does the poet say about tak-ing prisoners in the Philippines?

A The soldiers will take prisoners if possible.

B The soldiers will take prisoners but will transport them to Africa.

C The soldiers will convert any prisoners to new soldiers.

D The soldiers will take no prisoners.

6. Summarize the poet’s position on imperialism.

A a human weakness

B a necessary evil

C dreadful and inhumane

D inescapable and incalculable



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George Washington, the first president of the United States, is known as the Father of his Country. In order to attain this high station in life, George had to possess many fine qualities and virtues. This legendary story is about how his unsurpassed brav-ery and honesty were obvious even when he was only a young boy. When young George was growing up, his home was a plantation in Virginia. His father grew many things there, but his pride and joy was his fruit orchard. He grew all kinds of pears, apples, peaches, plums, and cherries. Mr. Washington had one particularly special tree, a cherry tree, that he had planted just at the edge of his orchard. He told everyone how much he valued this tree and how he took special care of it. One spring, just as all of the trees were in bloom, George was given a hatchet as a gift. Immediately, George tried out his new possession. He chopped fence rails, sticks, and anything else he could find. Toward evening, George came to the edge of the orchard. Carried away with the joy of using his new hatchet, George chopped right through his father’s favorite cherry tree. Shortly after that, Mr. Washington took his customary walk around the grounds. To his dismay, he found his prized tree cut down to the ground. Mr. Washington was furious, and he demanded to know what had happened.

He found George and asked, “Do you know what happened to this tree?” George could see his father’s great anger, and he became quite scared. In spite of his fear, George took a deep breath, stood straight and tall, and looked his father directly in the eye. He then uttered these famous words: “I cannot tell a lie. Father, I chopped down your cherry tree.” Now Mr. Washington was extremely angry, but he, too, took a deep breath and then told George to wait in the house. George was very sorry, knowing that what he had done was impulsive and irrespon-sible. He waited anxiously for his father. When Mr. Washington entered the house, he looked at George sternly and said, “Now, George, why did you cut down my tree?” Shaking, George was barely able to explain how he had become so fascinated by his new hatchet that he had committed the act without thinking. His father looked very disappointed and told George how unhappy he was. He said, “This particular tree came from the Old World across the ocean and cannot be replaced.” George felt worse than he had ever felt before, and bowing his head, he said, “I’m sorry.” History scholars have no conclusive evidence that this incident actually occurred. Many people, however, are con-vinced that it did. They also believe that George took his father’s words to heart.


George Washington



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1. What happens first in the story?

A George can not bring himself to lie to his father.

B Mr. Washington sees what had happened to his tree.

C Mr. Washington has George wait in the house.

D George tries his new hatchet.

2. What does the text imply about the events in this story?

A They never really happened.

B They were made up by the author.

C They are possibly true.

D They are based on historical records.

3. Based on the context of the first paragraph, what does the word station mean?

A television company

B position in society

C military base

D train depot

4. Which of these words has the same root word as the word unsurpassed?

A surprising

B uninviting

C trespass

D purposeful

5. Which of these statements is an opinion?

A When young George was growing up, his home was a plantation in Virginia.

B He grew all kinds of pears, apples, peaches, plums, and cherries.

C He told everyone how much he valued this tree.

D His unsurpassed bravery and honesty were obvious even when he was only a young boy.

George Washington



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6. What does the author give you reason to believe about George Washington?

A He will display the same courage and honesty when president.

B He will never disobey his father again.

C He regrets telling his father the truth.

D He grows to hate cherry trees.

7. What is the most likely reason people tell their children this story about George Washington?

A to teach them to fight for the things that they believe are important

B to show them why it is impor-tant to serve in government

C to teach them the value of hard work

D to teach them that honesty is important

8. What is the main idea of this passage?

A George Washington is said to have told the truth, even as a boy.

B George Washington learned the price of disobedience.

C Children did not always have the same rights as they do today.

D Mr. Washington knew his son would become a great man.

George Washington



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Siboney, July 9.—Of course people all over the United States are dying to hear the names of the men who are conspicu-ous for bravery in Shafter’s army. But as a matter of fact nobody with the army is particularly conspicuous for bravery. The bravery of an individual here is not a quality which causes him to be pointed out by his admiring fellows; he is, rather, submerged in the general mass. Now, cowardice—that would make a man con-spicuous. He would then be pointed out often enough, but—mere bravery—that is no distinction in the Fifth Corps of the United States Army. The main fact that has developed in this Santiago campaign is that the soldier of the regular army is the best man stand-ing on two feet on God’s green earth. This fact is put forth with no pretense whatever of interesting the American public in it. The public doesn’t seem to care very much for the regular soldier. The public wants to learn of the gal-lantry of Reginald Marmaduke Maurice Montmorenci Sturtevant, and for goodness sake how the poor old chappy endures that dreadful hard-tack and bacon. Whereas, the name of the regular soldier is probably Michael Nolan and his life-sized portrait was not in the papers in celebration of his enlistment. Just plain Private Nolan, blast him—he is of no consequence. He will get his name in the paper—oh, yes, when he is “killed.” Or when he is “wounded.” Or when he is “missing.” If some good Spaniard shoots him through he will achieve a temporary notoriety, figuring in the lists for one brief moment in which he will appear to the casual reader mainly as part of a total, a unit in the interesting sum of men slain.

In fact, the disposition to leave out entirely all lists of killed and wounded regulars is quite a rational one since nobody cares to read them, anyhow, and their omission would allow room for oil paintings of various really important persons, limned as they were in the very act of being at the front, proud young men riding upon horses, the horses being still in Tampa and the proud young men being at Santiago, but still proud young men riding upon horses. The ungodly Nolan, the sweating, swearing, overloaded, hungry, thirsty, sleepless Nolan, tearing his breeches on the barbed wire entanglements, wallowing through the muddy fords, pursuing his way through the stiletto-pointed thickets climbing the fire-crowned hill—Nolan gets shot. One Nolan of this regiment or that regiment, a private, great chums in time of peace with a man by the name of Hennessy, him that had a fight with Snyder. Nearest relative a sister, chamber-maid in a hotel in Omaha. Hennessy, old fool, is going around looking glum, buried in a taciturn silence, a silence that lasts two hours and eight minutes; touching tribute to Nolan. There is a half-bred fox terrier in the barracks at Reno. Who the deuce gets the dog now? Must by rights go to Hennessy. Brief argument during which Corporal Jenkins interpolates the thoughtful remark that they haven’t had anything to eat that day. End of Nolan. The three shining points about the American regular are his illimitable patience under anything which he may be called upon to endure, his superlative marksmanship and his ability in action to go ahead and win without any example or


Regulars Get No Glory



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leading or jawing or trumpeting whatso-ever. He knows his business, he does. He goes into battle as if he had been fighting every day for three hundred years. If there is heavy firing ahead he does not even ask a question about it. He doesn’t even ask whether the Americans are win-ning or losing. He agitates himself over no extraneous points. He attends exclusively to himself. In the Turk or the Cossack this is a combination of fatalism and wooden-headedness. It need not be said that these qualities are lacking in the regular. After the battle, at leisure—if he gets any—the regular’s talk is likely to be a complete essay on practical field opera-tions. He will be full of views about the management of such and such a brigade, the practice of this or that battery, and be admiring or scornful in regard to the operations on the right flank. He will be a tireless critic, bolstering his opinion with technical information procured heaven only knows where. In fact, he will alarm you. You may say: “This man gabbles too much for to be a soldier.” Then suddenly the regular becomes impenetrable, enigmatic. It is a question of Orders. When he hears the appointed voice raised in giving an Order, he is a changed being. When an Order comes he has no more to say; he simply displays as fine a form of unquestioning obedience as there is to be seen anywhere. It is his sacred thing, his fetish, his religion. Nothing now can stop him but a bullet. In speaking of Reginald Marmaduke Maurice Montmorenci Sturtevant and his life-sized portraits, it must not be supposed that the unfortunate youth admires that sort of thing. He is a man and a soldier, although not so good either as

man or soldier as Michael Nolan. But he is in this game honestly and sincerely; he is playing it gallantly; and, if from time to time he is made to look ridiculous, it is not his fault at all. It is the fault of the public. We are as a people a great collection of the most arrant kids about anything that concerns war, and if we can get a chance to perform absurdly we usually seize it. It will probably take us three more months to learn that the society reporter, invalu-able as he may be in times of peace, has no function during the blood and smoke of battle. I know of one newspaper whose con-tinual cabled instructions to its men in Cuba were composed of interrogations as to the doings and appearance of various unhappy society young men who were decently and quietly doing their duty along o’ Nolan and the others. The cor-respondents of this paper, being already impregnated with soldierly feeling, finally arose and said they’d be blamed if they would stand it. And shame, deep shame, on those who, because somebody once led a cotil-lion, can seem to forget Nolan—Private Nolan of the regulars—shot through, his half-bred terrier being masterless at Reno and his sister being chambermaid in a hotel in Omaha; Nolan, no longer sweat-ing, swearing, overloaded, hungry, thirsty, sleepless, but merely a corpse, attired in about forty cents’ worth of clothes. Here’s three volleys and taps to one Nolan, of this regiment or that regiment, and maybe some day, in a fairer, squarer land, he’ll get his picture in the paper, too.

—Stephen Crane, Cuban War Correspondent 1898



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1. What is the main idea of the passage?

A The American public wants the war to end quickly.

B Regular soldiers do not get the chance to show their true talents on the battlefield.

C The everyday soldiers get no credit for their bravery.

D Only officers show real bravery during battle.

2. What does the author mean when he says that cowardice “would make a man conspicuous”?

A that all the soldiers are brave

B that cowardice is punished in the army

C that many soldiers are cowards

D that no one wants to hear about weak soldiers

3. Which of the following attributes is not one of the “three shining points about the American regular” according to Crane?

A ability to give up “society life”

B illimitable patience

C superlative marksmanship

D ability in action to go ahead and win

4. Who is Michael Nolan?

A a soldier whose bravery was celebrated by all the papers

B a fictional composite the author created to represent a “regular” soldier

C a friend of the author’s who gets shot in battle

D a cowardly soldier who is “Absent Without Leave” (AWOL)



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5. Why does Crane go into detail about Michael Nolan’s friendship with Hennessey, Nolan’s sister in Omaha, and Nolan’s half-breed fox terrier in the barracks in Reno?

A to show some color in this article that is otherwise just about war

B to show the human side of the man who has been killed in battle

C to show that women are involved in the war effort

D to show how other people must pick up the burdens that others leave behind

6. Crane draws parallels between the behavior on the battlefield of “Michael Nolan” and that of “Reginald Marmaduke Maurice Montmorenci Sturtevant.” Who does the author blame for making Sturtevant look ridiculous?

A other soldiers

B other society people

C the public

D officers

7. What literary device does the author use when he says that the omission of the list of killed and wounded regulars “would allow room for paintings of various really important persons”?

A metaphor

B oxymoron

C hyperbole

D irony

8. What does the word disposition in the fifth paragraph mean?

A tendency

B demotion

C idea

D omission




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The first mountain climbers were mostly explorers and scientists. It wasn’t until the mid-1700s that people began to regard climbing as a sport, something to be done just for the fun of it. Mont Blanc in the French Alps was one of the most popular peaks for early enthusiasts of the sport. It was successfully scaled for the first time in 1786. The late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries are called the “golden age of climbing.” During this period, many of the peaks in the Alps were climbed, mostly by climbers from England. In the twentieth century, climbers with increasingly sophisticated equipment attempted higher and more difficult climbs all over the world. In 1953 the world’s tallest peak, Mount Everest in the Himalayas, was successfully scaled by Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal. Since then many expeditions have reached the summit. However, the climb is still a great chal-lenge, and many experienced climbers have met with disaster. For most of us, climbing Mount Everest is out of the question. In addition to the tremendous physical challenge, the costs for travel, supplies, and equipment can be prohibitive. However, there are other kinds of climbing that are appropriate for beginners or people on a limited budget. The key for most beginners is to stay within the right level of ability and experi-ence. Receiving guidance from more experienced climbers for more difficult climbs is also important. The easiest kind of climbing is known as a “scramble” or “walk-up.” No lessons or other climbing equipment are needed for this kind of climb. One simply hikes, usually on a trail, to the top of a mountain. This is a good place for beginners to start.

Although ropes and other climbing gear are not used, a pair of sturdy hiking shoes is recommended. There are also other precautions to take. For example, always climb with others; leave word with some-one (such as a park ranger) as to how many people are in your party, where you are going, and when you plan to return; and dress appropriately. Dressing appropriately can be tricky. It may be ninety degrees and sunny at the bottom of a mountain at noon. By the time you reach the peak several hours later, however, it could be only fifty degrees, cloudy, and windy. In addition to warm but lightweight clothing, you should carry water, sunscreen, and high-energy foods, such as nuts and raisins. For many people, this kind of climbing will completely satisfy their need for outdoor activity. However, others may want to try something more challenging. In rock climbing, ropes are used to belay, or secure, the climber. One person climbs while the other holds the rope. If the climber slips, the partner prevents a serious fall. Rock climbers also learn a technique called rappelling. It is used for descending very steep rock faces. The rope is secured so that it can be pulled down by the last climber who uses it. This kind of rock climbing was begun by very serious climbers who wanted to practice techniques they would use on high moun-tains. However, it has become a fast-growing sport, especially in mountainous places around the country. If you are just getting started in rock climbing, take les-sons from an experienced instructor. You will benefit from the training and safety precautions and see if you like the sport before you invest too much money in it. Rock climbing is not only a great workout, it is also fun!


Go Climb a Rock



52

Go Climb a Rock

1. What is the writer’s main purpose for writing this passage?

A to describe mountain-climbing equipment

B to tell an exciting story about an eventful climb

C to give information and advice about climbing

D to explain how to use rappelling ropes

2. What are the first two paragraphs of this passage mainly about?

A famous climbers

B methods of climbing

C the history of climbing

D safety precautions for climbers

3. According to the selection, when did rock climbing come to be regarded as a sport?

A 1600s

B 1700s

C 1800s

D 1900s

4. Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became famous for climb-ing the world’s highest peak in what part of the world?

A the Himalayas

B the Alps

C the Andes

D New Zealand

5. Which of the following basic safety precautions was not suggested by the author?

A Get the appropriate certification .

B Always climb with others.

C Advise a park ranger of the size of your group, where you are going, and when you plan to return.

D Dress appropriately in layers of lightweight clothing.



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6. In rappelling, a technique used for descending very steep rock faces, how is the rope secured?

A It is secured so that it can be pulled down by the last climber who uses it.

B It is secured so that it can be discarded by the last climber who uses it.

C It is secured so that it can be left in place for use by future climbers.

D It is secured so that it can be used for aerial work.

7. Based on the information in the selection, why have higher and more difficult climbs been attempted during the twentieth century?

A development of increasingly sophisticated equipment

B breakthroughs in world-wide satellite telecommunications

C increased corporate funding

D increased understanding of physiology

8. In the fifth paragraph, what does the word belay mean?

A guide

B follow

C secure

D climb

9. Which is an opinion expressed in the passage?

A The first mountain climbers were mostly explorers and scientists.

B Mont Blanc was scaled for the first time in 1786.

C One kind of climb is known as a “scramble” or “walk-up.”

D Rock climbing is not only a great workout, it is also fun!

10. For which audience would this passage be most appropriate?

A a new rock-climbing class look-ing for step-by-step directions

B a student researching the first expedition to Mount Everest

C someone looking for a informa-tion about a sport

D someone hoping to establish a reputation as a “daredevil”

Go Climb a Rock



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“We have a long way to go. So let us hasten along the road, the road of human tenderness and generosity. Groping, we may find one another’s hands in the dark.” These are the words of economist, social worker, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Emily Green Balch. Balch was born in 1867 in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. After attending private schools as a young girl, she entered Bryn Mawr College and became a member of its first graduat-ing class. She then studied economics in Paris, France, and at both Harvard University and the University of Chicago. Upon completion of her studies, Balch joined the faculty of Wellesley College as a professor of economics and sociology. Balch expressed her compassion for the underprivileged through her involvement with many humanitarian causes, such as racial justice and child labor reform. As an advocate of better wages and working conditions for women, Balch served on a state commission that drafted the first minimum wage law in the United States. Balch was also sensitive to the challenges immigrants to the United States faced. The outbreak of World War I brought Balch and her colleague Jane Addams together in an effort to end the war through peaceful mediation. In 1919 Balch was a founder of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), and became its secretary-treasurer. She developed peace proposals for warring nations and served Congress as a delegate to Scandinavia and Russia, urging their governments to initiate mediation efforts. When Balch returned to the United States, she actively campaigned against U.S. involvement

in the war. Her activism caused her to lose her position at Wellesley College but opened the door for a position on the editorial staff of a liberal weekly publica-tion, The Nation. The position served as an outlet by which Balch could promote world peace. Between World War I and World War II, Balch dedicated much of her time to the League of Nations. In 1926 she went to Haiti as a member of a WILPF committee appointed to investigate conditions and wrote most of the committee’s report, recommending restoration of Haiti’s independence. Balch’s commitment to pacifism was sorely tested during World War II, however, when news of Nazi persecutions reached the United States. Her long asso-ciation with Jewish colleagues and friends caused her to alter her strong pacifist stance in favor of the greater issue of fun-damental human rights. She explained, “A small barking dog cannot stop a dashing train . . . Fascism and national socialism today can be destroyed only through means which are capable of impressing the brutal men of fascism and national socialism . . . We women pacifists have come to recognize this . . . without even for a moment, becoming untrue to our pacifist convictions.” Balch was also instrumental in helping to relocate many Japanese Americans who had been in internment camps during the war. In 1946, at the age of 79, Emily Green Balch received the Nobel Peace Prize in honor of her lifetime efforts to rid the world of war. She continued her associ-ation with the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom until her death in 1961 at the age of 94.


Human Rights Defender: Emily Greene Balch



55

1. Upon completion of her studies, what was Emily Greene Balch’s profession?

A physicist

B statistician

C professor of economics

D statesman

2. Which of the following did Emily Green Balch help found?

A World Wildlife Federation (WWF)

B Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)

C Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU)

D International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)

3. Why does Balch lose her teaching position at Wellesley College?

A She mistreats students who disagreed with her.

B She is offered a new job with the government.

C She campaigns against becom-ing involved with the war.

D She quits to become the head of the WILPF committee.

4. For which publication did Emily Greene Balch work?

A The National Review of Books

B Granta

C The Nation

D The Smithsonian




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5. Why does Balch develop mixed feelings about pacifism during World War II?

A because of the Nazi persecu-tions and her association with Jewish friends

B because of her angry feelings towards the Nazis and the Japanese

C because her Jewish friends became angry with her

D because pacifism was so unpopular in the United States

6. Which of the following is not discussed as a cause championed by Emily Greene Balch?

A child labor laws

B the minimum wage

C racial injustice

D the minimum age for driving

7. In the first paragraph, what does the word hasten mean?

A to move quickly

B to repeat slowly

C to build tall fences or barriers

D to stop at frequent intervals

8. What is the mood of this selection?

A somber

B frivolous

C grandiose

D timid




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Many viral diseases, such as AIDS, smallpox, and polio, cannot be treated effectively by existing drugs. Instead, many viral diseases are combated by prevention, using vaccines. A vaccine is a solution that contains a harmless version of a virus or bacterium. Traditionally, vaccines have been made of disease-causing agents—also called pathogens—that have been treated (chemically or physically) so that they can no longer cause disease. Vaccines can also be produced using active patho-gens that carry surface proteins that are the same as or very similar to a more-harmful virus. When a person receives a vaccine, his or her body recognizes the pathogen’s surface proteins and mobilizes against the pathogen. In the future, if the same pathogen enters the body, the body is prepared to combat it quickly and to prevent or weaken the pathogen’s effects.

Usually, a person who receives a vaccine does not become ill. However, on rare occasions, a vaccine may cause the disease it is intended to protect people against. DNA technology can be used to produce effective vaccines, which may be safer than some traditionally prepared vaccines. The genes for a disease-causing virus’ surface proteins can be inserted into a harmless virus. The transplanted genes cause the harmless virus to produce the surface proteins that alert the body to the presence of the disease-causing virus. DNA technology can also be used to alter the genome of a pathogen so that it can no longer cause a disease. The altered pathogens can then be used as a vaccine against unaltered forms of the pathogen.


DNA Technology Techniques



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1. According to the passage, what is most likely to happen if a person comes in contact with a disease for which he or she has been vaccinated?

A The person’s immune system will be able to resist or weaken its effect.

B The person will develop a milder form of the disease.

C It will be fatal.

D The effects of the vaccine will prevent the person from fight-ing the disease.

2. According to the passage, what is the first step in creating a geneti-cally engineered vaccine?

A Transplanted surface proteins make the harmless virus produce pathogens.

B DNA technology alters the genetic structure of the pathogens.

C The pathogen’s surface proteins are inserted into a harmless virus.

D The vaccine alerts the patient’s body to the presence of the disease.

3. According to the selection, once the genes for a disease-causing virus’ surface proteins are injected into a harmless virus, what do the transplanted genes cause the harmless virus to do?

A implode on contact with any other genetic material

B multiply at an exponential rate

C die

D produce the surface proteins that alert the body to the pres-ence of the disease-causing virus

4. According to the selection, DNA technology can be used to produce effective vaccines. What can be said of these new vaccines?

A They may be safer than some traditionally prepared vaccines.

B They may be less effective than some traditionally prepared vaccines.

C They may be more allergenic than some traditionally pre-pared vaccines.

D They may be more painful than some traditionally prepared vaccines.




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5. According to this selection, why is it is safer to use genetically engi-neered vaccines than traditional ones?

A Traditional vaccines often car-ried viruses.

B Genetic engineering allows doctors to combine pathogens.

C Genetically engineered surface proteins can be transplanted in harmless viruses.

D Genetically engineered vac-cines are better at alerting the body to the presence of pathogens.

6. Based on the content of this selec-tion, what is a vaccine?

A a pathogen

B a solution that contains a harmless version of a virus or bacterium.

C an over-the-counter medica-tion available to all.

D a protein that contains potent, harmful viruses

7. Based on the context of the last paragraph, what is a genome?

A an unhealthy pattern

B an individual’s complete genetic makeup

C a virus

D a recessive genetic trait




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Microwave transmission allows you to make telephone calls across deserts or other areas without wires or fiber-optic networks. But how could you call a friend who lives across the ocean in Australia? In the past, your call would have been carried by one of the cables that run across the ocean floor between continents. Because there are so many telephones, online computers, and fax machines today, the demand is too much for these cables. Communication satellites that orbit the Earth help send these messages. These satellites use solar power to generate electricity. This allows them to operate receivers, transmitters, and antennas. These satellites receive and send microwaves just like telephone tow-ers. Because they are so high above the ground, these satellites can relay signals between telephone exchanges thousands of kilometers apart.

A satellite receives a microwave signal, called an uplink, from a ground station on Earth. The satellite then processes and transmits a downlink signal to another ground station. To keep the signals sepa-rate, the uplink signal consists of electro-magnetic waves with a frequency of around 6 GHz (gigahertz, or 109 Hz), while the downlink signal typically has a lower frequency of about 4 GHz. For maximum efficiency, the trans-mitting antenna of a communications satellite must be aimed so that it covers the largest area of land without the signal becoming too weak. This area is called a satellite footprint. The satellite footprint increases as the distance between the satellite and Earth’s surface increases. With several satellites with large foot-prints, a signal from one location can be transmitted and received anywhere in the world.


Signals and Telecommunications



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1. According to the passage, which of the following statements is correct?

A Communications satellites are most useful when they orbit close to Earth.

B Transatlantic cables are capable of handling all telecommunications between Europe and the Americas.

C Twenty years ago, it would have been impossible to telephone someone who lived in Australia.

D Today, people use more com-munications technology than they have in the past.

2. What energy source do commu-nication satellites use to generate electricity?

A solar

B atomic

C hydro-electric

D internal combustion

3. According to the selection, what is the Earth-to-communications satellite signal called?

A cable network

B uplink

C downlink

D footprint

4. What is the style and intended audience of this selection?

A simplified explanation of a technical subject for the general public

B technical explanation for electrical engineers

C non-technical explanation of a fictional subject for the general public

D highly technical explanation for electrical engineers



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5. Which of the following can be inferred from this passage?

A Local calls are always trans-mitted through fiber-optic networks.

B Communications satellites can transmit signals through the Earth’s atmosphere.

C Repairs to communications satellites must be made by astronauts.

D Communications satellites can transmit microwave signals more effectively than telephone towers can.

6. Based on the context of the first paragraph, what does fiber-optic mean?

A microwave

B capable of transmitting light

C able to communicate over long distances

D telephone

7. What is the main idea of the this passage?

A Communications satellites relieve problems brought on by overpopulation.

B Communications satellites convey information by using downlinks and uplinks with different frequencies.

C Communications satellites are effective because they use solar energy.

D Communications satellites allow people to convey large amounts of information almost anywhere in the world.



WritingTest Practice


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Writing Test Practice and the Oklahoma Grade 11 End-of-Instruction

English III Test Oklahoma Grade 11 End-of-Instruction English III TestIn grade eleven you will take the Oklahoma End-of-Instruction English III Writing Test. This test will ask you to compose a response to a narrative, descriptive, expository, reflective, or persuasive prompt. Your response will require a well-developed and well-organized presentation of ideas that follow a particular format suitable to the purpose and audience. You will be expected to develop your written response by following the steps in the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and producing a final copy.

The End-of-Instruction (EOI) Test in WritingYour response to the writing task will be given five analytic scores that focus on specific writing skills. The following are the scoring rubrics used to assign these scores:

IDEAS AND DEVELOPMENTScore of 4: Content is well suited for the audience and purpose; Main idea or thesis is clear; Ideas are fully developed and elaborated using details, examples, reasons, and/or evidence; Response expresses an insightful perspective towards the topic.

Score of 3: Content is adequate for the audience and purpose; Main idea is evident but may lack clarity; Ideas are developed using some details, examples, reasons, and/or evidence; Response sustains perspective throughout most of the composition.

Score of 2: Content is inconsistent with the audience and purpose; Main idea is not focused and leaves reader with questions and making inferences for understanding; Ideas are minimally developed with few details; Response shows difficulty expressing perspective, and may simply be a list of ideas.

Score of 1: Content is irrelevant to the audience and purpose; Main idea is lacking; Ideas lack development and may be repetitive; Response shows little or no perspec-tive on the topic.

ORGANIZATION, UNITY, AND COHERENCEScore of 4: Introduction engages the reader; There is sustained or consistent focus on the topic; Response has logical and appropriate sequencing, balanced with smooth, effective transitions; Order and structure are strong and move the reader through the text; Conclusion is satisfying.



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Score of 3: Response has an evident introduction to the topic; There is adequate focus and sequencing; Response stays on topic with little digression, using limited but effective transitions; Order and structure are present; Conclusion is appropriate.

Score of 2: Response may lack a clear organizational structure; There is weak evidence of unity, with little or limited sequencing and/or transitions; Details may be randomly placed.

Score of 1: Response lacks logical direction; There is no evidence of organizational structure.

WORD CHOICEScore of 4: Response demonstrates appropriate word choice which conveys the correct meaning, appealing to the audience in an interesting, precise, and natural way; The writing may be characterized by, but not limited to, lively verbs, vivid nouns, imagina-tive adjectives, figurative language, and dialogue; No vague, overused, repetitive language is used (such as a lot, great, very, really); Response uses words that evoke strong images, such as sensory language; ordinary words are used in unusual ways.

Score of 3: Words generally convey the intended message; Response uses a variety of words that are appropriate but do not necessarily energize the writing; The writing may be characterized by attempts at figurative language and dialogue, with some use of lively verbs, vivid nouns, and imaginative adjectives; Few vague, overused, and repetitive words are used.

Score of 2: Word choice lacks precision and variety or may be inappropriate to the audi-ence and purpose; Response relies on overused, simplistic, or vague language (such as a lot, great, very, really); There are few attempts at figurative language and dialogue; Word choice is unimaginative and colorless with images that are unclear or absent.

Score of 1: Word choice indicates an extremely limited or inaccurate vocabulary; There are no attempts at figurative language; Response uses general, vague words that fail to communicate meaning; Text may be too short to demonstrate variety.

SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHSScore of 4: Writing clearly demonstrates appropriate sentence structure, with few or no run-on or fragment errors; Response has a rich variety of sentence structure, types, and lengths; Ideas are organized into paragraphs that blend into larger text; There is evidence of appropriate paragraphing.

Score of 3: Writing adequately demonstrates appropriate sentence structure; Response may contain a small number of run-on or fragment errors that do not interfere with fluency; There is adequate variety of sentence structure; Ideas are organized into paragraphs.

Score of 2: Writing demonstrates lack of control in sentence structure, containing errors such as run-ons and fragments that interfere with fluency; Response has limited variety of sentence structure; There is little or no attempt at paragraphing.

Score of 1: Response has inappropriate sentence structure, with many errors in structure (run-ons, fragments); There is no variety in structure, and no attempt at paragraphing.



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GRAMMAR, USAGE, AND MECHANICSScore of 4: Response demonstrates appropriate use of correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and usage; Errors are minor and do not affect readability.

Score of 3: Response demonstrates adequate use of correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and usage; Errors may be noticeable but do not significantly affect readability.

Score of 2: Response demonstrates minimal use of correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and usage; Errors may be distracting and interfere with readability.

Score of 1: Response demonstrates very limited use of correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and usage.; Errors are numerous and severely impede readability.

Writing Test PracticeOn the following pages you will find the writing test practice section: several writing prompts like those on your Oklahoma writing test. These prompts address the skills and standards that you are expected to master. Preceding these prompts are writing strategies and tips that you can use to help you be successful on your state test.



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Tips for Students: Writing

The primary goal of the practice in this Writing section is to help you prepare for the Oklahoma End-of-Instruction English III Test in writing. In order to write a concise response, you must learn to organize your thoughts before you begin writing the actual response. This keeps you from straying too far from the prompt’s topic.

Strategies for Responding to a Prompt• First, read the prompt carefully. Be sure that you understand exactly what the

prompt is asking.

• Decide what kind of response you are being asked to write. You will be asked to respond to a narrative, expository, persuasive, reflective, or descriptive prompt. You should ask yourself, “What is the purpose of this response? When you understand the type of response you are being asked to write, you will have a sense of the purpose of your composition.

• Next, organize your thoughts. It is best to write down notes on a separate piece of paper before actually writing the response. First, determine the main point of your response. Your topic sentence should include the general topic as well as the main idea. It should set the tone and catch the reader’s attention. Most importantly, make sure it is answering the prompt. This will be the anchor to your response. Then, come up with ideas to support your topic sentence. Your ideas should include the major points that you want to cover in your response.

• Write in complete sentences, and be aware of unity within the response. In other words, make sure your sentences and paragraphs “flow” smoothly. Sentences should come together smoothly to support the main idea and should be arranged in an order that makes sense to the reader. Be as specific as possible when stating your ideas. Make use of transitional words or phrases if necessary. Also, remember to write neatly.

• Finally, proofread your response. Check for spelling and punctuation errors. Look for run-on sentences and sentence fragments. Look over verb tenses to see if you have used them correctly. Make the necessary edits as neat as possible.

If you follow the above guidelines, you should succeed on the writing section of standard-ized tests. Remember that practice makes perfect. Read and write as often as possible on whatever subjects you prefer, and you will see that writing responses will eventually come quite naturally.



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When It’s Test Time . . .Here are some final tips for test day.

• Be sure that you are well rested.

• Be on time, and be sure that you have the necessary materials.

• Listen to the instructions of the teacher.

• Read directions and questions carefully.

• Remain calm and remember what you have learned in class, and you should do well.

Good luck!



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Graphic Organizers For WritingBrainstorming Significant DetailsYou might like to start by noting significant details in a word web. Write your topic in the middle circle. Then write words or phrases that come to mind in the outer circles.

Definition MapThe tool below can be used to brainstorm an extended definition.

What is it not?What are the characteristics ?

Term

What are some examples ?

What is it like?

Class (category to which it belongs)



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Graphic Organizers for WritingCompare & ContrastTo compare and contrast information, use a Venn diagram like the one below to organize your information. Note differences in the outer circles and similarities where the circles overlap.

A B

C

PersuasionIf you need to persuade your reader, you might want to use this organizer. Write your opinion in the arrow at the top. Then list convincing reasons and supporting details.

OpinionStatement:

Reason 1: Reason 2: Reason 3:

Support:

1.

2.

Support:

1.

2.

Support:

1.

2.



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Graphic Organizers for WritingDevelop a ThesisUse the graphic organizer below to develop a thesis. If the prompt calls for an explanation of causes only, then ignore the “Effects” boxes.

Causes EffectsCause 1 Effect 1

Cause 2 Thesis: Effect 2

Cause 3 Effect 3



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WRITING PROMPT 1

Plan, write, and proofread a persuasive article in response to the writing prompt below.

Teenagers often grapple with difficult decisions. Peer pressure is a common factor in many of these decisions. You are preparing an article for your school’s literary magazine. You decide to support the statement: “Do what you believe is right rather than what those around you approve of.”

Write a persuasive article for the literary magazine about the positive effects of doing what you believe is right instead of yielding to negative peer pressure. Apply the state-ment to teens and the decisions they face. Be sure to support your points with details from your own experience, observations, or reading.

As you write your article, be sure to

• Consider the audience, purpose, and occasion for your response.

• Develop a thesis that accurately responds to the requirement of the prompt.

• Include specific examples and relevant details.

• Use transitional words and phrases to connect ideas.

• Organize your response so that the ideas progress logically.

• Proofread your essay for standard grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation.



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STRATEGY FOR RESPONDING TO THE PROMPT

Prewriting

1. Analyze the Prompt. Read the prompt carefully to identify the purpose of and the audi-ence for the prompt.

Purpose. In the prompt above, certain clue words reveal your purpose:“ . . . write a persuasive article . . . about the positive effects . . . ” The phrase about the positive effects is a clue that you are to present one side of an issue. In other words, you are to present an argument that supports an opinion. To determine which opinion you are to support, re-read the prompt carefully. Complete the following sentence:

My purpose is to persuade to .

Audience. According to the prompt, who is your audience? Use the following step-by-step method to analyze the audience identified in the prompt:

Steps Explanation Your Response

Step 1 Ask yourself, “Who is the audience for this response?”

Look to the prompt for clues about your audience.

Step 2 Ask, “What does my audience already know about this situation? What do they need to know?”

Put yourself in your audience’s shoes and imagine what type of information they already have about this situation. Perhaps many of them have been confronted already by negative peer pressure. Make sure to include information that will be of interest to teens reading your article.

Step 3 Ask, “How can I interest my audience in the response I am going to compose?”

Look at the prompt again. What insight can you share with your audience? Then add other informa-tion from your own experiences and observations or from other readings.



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2. Develop Your Plan. The focus of the writing prompt has predetermined the side of the argument you will take. A graphic organizer like the one below is a useful tool to use to brainstorm the details of your argument. Then write your opinion statement and details in the graphic organizer on the next page.



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3. Gather Support. To make your response convincing, you need to include your sup-port—examples, facts, and statistics. In a testing situation, you can use the following sources for support:

• the information provided in the prompt

• information based on your own experiences, observations, and reading

4. Organize Your Response. Use the graphic organizer below to record your opinion statement and jot down the details of your argument. Be sure to use only those boxes you need. You may add more boxes if needed.

OpinionStatement:

Reason 1: Reason 2: Reason 3:

Support:

1.

2.

Support:

1.

2.

Support:

1.

2.



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Drafting Your Response

Use the following framework to draft your response to the writing prompt. Write your draft on the lined pages that follow.

Framework Directions and Explanations

Introduction

• Attract the readers’ interest.

• Establish the situation or topic.

• Present the thesis.

Grab your readers’ attention Try starting with a thought-provoking question, an interesting quotation, or an anecdote.

Set up your topic Give your readers background information, including any definitions, to help them understand facts they might not already know.

State your purpose Let readers know right away why you are writing this article. If the readers know your purpose, it will be easier for them to follow along.

Body

• State and support the first reason.

• State and support the second reason, and so on.

Organize clearly Make sure your argument progresses in a logical order. Since you are making an argument, lead off with your most convincing information.

Make your case Provide details that support each reason in your argument. Use facts, examples, statistics, quota-tions, anecdotes, or expert opinions as evidence.

Conclusion

• Reinforce the thesis.

• Tie the ideas together with a summary.

Summarize your argument Restate your opinion and summarize your reasons.

Finish strongly You might end with a call for students who are wavering under negative peer pressure to stand up for what they believe is right.



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Draft your response in the space below.



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Evaluating, Revising, and Editing Your Response

Use the following strategies to revise your response. You may make your revisions directly on your first draft, or, if necessary, write your revised draft on the lined pages that follow.

Evaluation Guidelines for Persuasive Essay Response

Evaluation Question Tips Revision Techniques

1. Does the response have a clear thesis? Does the thesis address the prompt?

Ask yourself, “Does my response clearly state my opinion? Does my response give supporting details?”

If necessary, revise your thesis to address the prompt accurately.

2. Is the response organ-ized appropriately, to reflect the purpose?

Look back at the type of organization pattern you selected in prewriting. Make sure it is appropriate for the requirements of the prompt.

Rearrange information to make sure your most convincing arguments are presented first.

3. Does the response use specific details to sup-port the thesis?

Place a dot next to each example, illustration, or anecdote.

Elaborate on the thesis by adding details.

4. Does the response contain only information that clearly supports the topic?

Lightly circle each dot that represents a relevant detail.

Cut supporting details that do not relate to specific reasons.

5. Are ideas logically related to one another? Are there gaps in logic or information?

Study the flow from one sentence to the next. Does each idea follow logically from the one before it?

Add details to fill in gaps in logic. Add transitions to improve the flow of ideas.

6. Does the response use appropriate, precise vocabulary?

Review your response for tired, dull vocabulary—words like thing, very, great, bad, and so on.

Replace dull, tired words with more precise, vivid language.

7. Does the response use a variety of sentence beginnings?

Place a check next to sentences beginning with a noun. If your checks are next to most sentences, revise a few.

Rearrange sentences so that some begin with phrases, subordinate clauses, or transitional expressions.



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Draft your revised response in the space below.



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Proofing Your Response

Final Editing Guidelines

Proofread your response to ensure that it

• contains only complete sentences, no fragments.

• shows proper subject-verb agreement, consistent verb tense, and correct use of nominative and subjective case.

• uses correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.

Draft your final response in the space below.



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WRITING PROMPT 2

Plan, write, and proofread an essay in response to the writing prompt below.

Below is part of an advertisement about a writing contest. Read the information about the conditions for the contest.

The Four Seasons Calendar Company Needs You!

Which is your favorite season? Write an essay answering this question. We will feature the best essay for each season in our next calendar.

Write a descriptive essay for this contest. Remember to explain why you chose that season as your favorite. What is it that you like most about that season? Is it the weather or the types of activities that you do during that time of year?

As you write your essay, remember to









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Prewriting

1. Analyze the Prompt. Read the prompt carefully to identify your purpose, audience, and occasion.

Purpose. In the prompt, you are asked to answer a specific question. The prompt also tells you what the format for this response is, whether it is an essay, a newspaper article, a speech, or something else.

Complete the following sentence:

My purpose is to write a describing .





Step 2 Ask, “What does my audience already know about this season? What do they need to know?”

Your audience should be familiar with the season. Your chal-lenge, then, will be to explain why you like it, giving vivid details. Think about how you can make your audience understand something new about this season.

Step 3 Ask, “Does my audience already have a different idea about the topic?”

Remember that your audience may expect you to discuss the sea-son in the way they are used to understanding it. Be sure to acknowl-edge what they already think of when they think of the season.



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2. Brainstorm Examples. You will want to think of different aspects of the season that appeal to you. For example, what do you like about the weather? What are some activities that you like to do during that season? Use the graphic organizer below to list different examples of things you like about the season you chose. Write the season in the center oval of the web.



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3. Organize your Response. Use the graphic organizer below to organize your essay. Review the details you brainstormed using the graphic organizer on the previous page. Now organize the details. Identify the main reasons for why this season is your favorite, and write the reasons in the boxes on the left. Include support for these reasons, such as activities you enjoy, clothes you wear, etc. Then decide in which order you will present your reasons and examples.

My Favorite Season: Reasons Order



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Use the following framework to draft your response to the writing prompt. Write your draft on the lined page that follows.


Introduction

• Use an attention grabber.

• Supply necessary back ground information, including your subject’s larger category.

• Provide a clear thesis.

Get your readers’ attention Use an arresting example or a striking contrast.

Build background Provide background information and mention common thoughts and ideas people have about the season.

Get to the point State your thesis, showing your views of the season and indicating how your essay will progress.

Body

• Discuss the first reason and supporting descriptive details.

• Discuss the secondreason, and so on.

Offer support Provide plenty of descriptive details that appeal to the five senses.

Organize your ideas Arrange your descriptive details in an order that makes sense.

Conclusion

• Summarize your description.

• Briefly explain the impor tance of theseason you chose.

Sum it up Quickly highlight your favorite things about the season.

Provide your opinion Leave readers with a clear state-ment of your ideas about the season’s importance.



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Use the following strategies to evaluate and revise your response. You may make your revisions directly on your first draft, or, if necessary, write your revised draft on the lined pages that follow.

Evaluation Guidelines for Composition Response


1. Does the response have a clear purpose? This purpose may not be stated in so many words, but the whole response should focus on your favorite season.

Ask yourself, “Does my response clearly state which is my favorite season and why?”

If necessary, add details and an explanation of why the season is your favorite.

2. Is the response organ-ized appropriately to reflect the purpose?

Look back at the type of organization pattern you selected in prewriting.

Rearrange information to fit the type of organiza-tional pattern you selected in the prewriting phase.

3. Does the response use descriptive details to support the purpose?

Place a dot next to each example, illustration, and so on.

Elaborate by adding details.


Lightly circle each dot that shows the purpose is true.

Cut elaborations that do not relate to your purpose.





Identify words that repre-sent a stretch for you. If you are not certain of the word’s meaning, revise.

Replace words that you are uncertain about with words that are more familiar.

7. Does the response use a variety of sentence structures?

Identify at least 1 compound sentence (2 independent clauses) and 1 complex (1 independ ent + 1 dependent clause) per paragraph.

Combine ideas to create compound or complex sentences.



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WRITING PROMPT 3

Plan, write, and proofread an expository essay in response to the writing prompt below.

Some people believe a willingness to cheat has become more common in schools. With students entering the workforce to become corporate executives, politicians, airplane mechanics, and nuclear inspectors, how will this habit of cheating affect our world?

Your high school’s student body has formulated and accepted a “no cheating” policy. The student council is holding an essay–writing contest where the topic is comparing the consequences of students cheating with those of adult professionals who cheat on the job. Write an expository essay that compares the possible consequences to themselves and to others of students who cheat while at school and adults who cheat on their job responsibilities.

As you write your essay, be sure to









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Prewriting

1. Analyze the Prompt. Read the prompt carefully to identify your purpose, audience, and occasion.

Purpose. In the prompt, you are asked to compare students cheating and adults cheating on their job responsibilities. The prompt also tells you that this is an essay.


My purpose is to write a comparing .





Step 2 Ask, “What does my audience already know about cheating? What do they need to know?”

Your audience should be familiar with cheat-ing. Your challenge, then, will be to explain why cheating has consequences. Think about how you can make your audience understand something new about this topic.

Step 3 Ask, “Does my audience already have a different idea about the topic?”

Remember that your audience may expect you to discuss cheat-ing on factual tests only, and not cheating on performance or mastery of job-related skills. Be sure to acknowledge all forms of cheating.



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2. Brainstorm Examples. You will want to think of different aspects of cheating. For example, how do students cheat? How do adults cheat on their job responsibilities? What are the possible consequences to others if adults cheat on their job responsibilities? Use the graphic organizer below to compare students who cheat while at school with adults who cheat on their job responsibilities. Write your thoughts on students who cheat in area A. Write your thoughts on adults who cheat on their job responsibilities in area B. Write similarities between the two types of cheating in area C.

A

C

B

3. Gather Support. To make your response convincing, you need to include your sup-port—examples, facts, and details. In a testing situation, you can use the following sources for support:


• information based on your own experiences, observations, and reading



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4. Organize your Response. Use the graphic organizer below to organize your essay. Review the details you brainstormed using the graphic organizer on the previous page. Now organize the details. Use the chart below to organize your thoughts. For each detail, write a sentence you might include in your essay. Then organize your sentences in a logical order.

Detail Possible Sentence Order

Stu

den

ts w

ho

chea

tA

du

lts

wh

o ch

eat

Bot

h



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Introduction


• Supply necessary back-ground information, including your subject’s larger category.

• Provide a clear thesis.

Get your readers’ attention Use an arresting example or a striking contrast.

Build background Provide background information and mention common thoughts and ideas people have about cheating.

Get to the point State your thesis, showing your views of the consequences of cheating and indicating how your essay will progress.

Body

• Discuss the first example, illustration, anecdote, or analogy.

• Discuss the second example, and so on.

Offer support Provide examples that support your thesis. Describe situations that will be of concern to your readers .

Organize your ideas Arrange your examples in an order that makes sense.

Conclusion

• Summarize your viewpoint.

• Briefly explain the importance of some types of cheating.

Sum it up Quickly highlight the key points of your com-parison of the consequences of cheating.

Provide your opinion Leave readers with a clear state-ment of your ideas about the long-term consequences of student cheating as well as the perils brought about by adult professionals who cheat on their job responsibilities.



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Evaluation Guidelines for Expository Response


1. Does the response have a clear thesis? This the-sis may not be stated in so many words, but the whole response should focus on developing a single thesis.

Ask yourself, “Does my response support my thesis?”

If necessary, add details and an explanation of the consequences of cheating.




3. Does the response use specific details to sup-port the thesis?

Place a dot next to each example, illustration, and so on.

Elaborate on the thesis by adding details.


Lightly circle each dot that shows the thesis is true.

Cut elaborations that do not relate to your thesis.








Identify at least 1 compound sentence (2 independent clauses) and 1 complex (1 independent + 1 dependent clause) per paragraph.




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WRITING PROMPT 4

Plan, write, and proofread a narrative in response to the writing prompt below.

Create a story that includes this scene: It is winter when you come upon two strange doors on a snowy hill. What are the doors like? Describe the scene and your feelings. Tell the reader what happens next. Do you knock on the doors? Do they open? What happens next?

As you write your narrative, be sure to

• Use your imagination.

• Focus on the scene on the snowy hillside, describe what it is like as well as your experience of it, and explain what you discover there and what happens next.

• Include plenty of details about what happens, what you see, hear, feel and smell.

• Use transitional words and phrases to connect events and ideas.

• Proofread your story for standard grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation.



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Prewriting

1. Analyze the Prompt. Read the prompt carefully to identify the purpose of and the audi-ence for your response.

Purpose. In the prompt above, certain clue words reveal your purpose: “create a story . . . describe what happens next . . . .” The words story and describe are clues that you are to write a descriptive narrative. Reread the prompt to determine what you are supposed to do in your narrative.


My purpose is to write a describing .

Audience. In this writing prompt, the audience is not named specifically. You will need to think about what audience would read a such a narrative. Use the following step-by-step method to analyze how to address your audience:


Step 1 Ask yourself, “How do I write a story to an unnamed audi-ence?”

Since you do not know the audience, you want to think about what interests many people. You can choose to write your narrative so it appeals to people who are a lot like you. Or you can write it to a more general audience.Either way, be sure your story gives details and information that a general audience can understand and relate to.

Step 2 Ask, “What does my audience expect will happen in a story that begins as strangely as this one?”

Think about different sto-ries you have read with a strange beginning. Decide if you want your story to take a typical turn, or a twist.

Step 3 Ask, “What will my audience need to know in order to fully understand this narra-tive?”

Keep your audience in mind as you write the narrative. Remember to give details and background information so that your reader can follow the story.



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2. Develop a Plot. You will need to formulate a plot plan about what happened on the snowy hillside. This plan may change as you write, but it will help you determine the direction your narrative will take. Use the outline below to plan the plot of your story. Event #1 has been specified by the prompt. You must fill in the rest.

Event 1: You come upon two strange doors on a snowy hillside.

Details about the event:

Event 2:


Event 3:




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3. Gather Support. To make your response convincing, you need to include your sup-port—sensory details about the events that take place in your story. In a testing situation, you can use the following sources for support:


• information based on your own imagination, experiences, observations, and reading

4. Organize your Response. You have details for your narrative as well as a plot plan that tells what happened and what you discovered. Now you need to decide how to organize your narrative.

Chronological order—you will want to discuss the events in the proper time order.

You already listed the events in your story in the plot plan on the previous page. Now make sure they are in chronological order so that your readers will understand what is happening. Use the chart below to organize your details.

Event Details Order



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Introduction


• Give the reader enough information to fully understand the story.

Get your reader interested Begin the story with a description of the snowy hillside or some other hook to make the reader want to read on.

Build background Provide any back-ground information about the characters or setting, if needed.

Body

• Describe the setting.

• Develop the plot.

• Fully describe the characters.

Give the time and place Give the reader more information about the setting if it is important to the story. For example, is it night time? Where is this snowy hillside? Use vivid details that will help the reader visualize the scene.

Let the events unfold Tell what happens. Use dialogue for people’s words.

Develop the characters Describe the characters by telling about more than just their appearance. Use descriptive sentences and tell about their actions and words, too.

Conclusion

• Resolve the plot. Tie up loose ends Bring the story to a close. Tell how any conflicts were solved.



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Evaluation Guidelines for Narrative Response


1. Does the response tell an interesting story based on the prompt?

Ask yourself, “Does this narrative tell what hap-pened? Does it begin with the scene described in the prompt?”

Rewrite the opening paragraph, if necessary, so that it describes the scene of two doors on a snowy hillside.


Review your narrative and make sure the events are listed in a logical order.

Rearrange any events that are not in a logical order. Use transition words such as then, next, and finally.

3. Does the narrative clearly describe the setting?

Look for events that relate to where and when the story took place. Ask yourself, “Can the reader experience this setting with more than one sense?”

If necessary, elaborate your descriptions of the setting. Use descriptions that appeal to different senses (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste).

4. Does the narrative fully develop the characters?

Look for details about a character’s actions, words, and motives.

Add details or descriptions as needed.

5. Does the narrative describe the events in a logical manner?

Read your narrative with a critical eye. Are there any places where it is hard to understand what is hap-pening?

Rewrite the explanation of events to make it easier for the reader to follow the plot.





Identify at least 1 compound sentence (2 independent clauses) and 1 complex (1 independent + 1 dependent clause) per paragraph.




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WRITING PROMPT 5

Plan, write, and proofread a reflective response to the writing prompt below.

The Literature Department of a local college has invited high school students to par-ticipate in their “Honoring People Who Have Guided Us” contest. You have decided to enter the contest. For this contest, you are to write a reflective composition explaining the significance of a quotation and how the quotation relates to your life. Choose one of the following quotations that has meaning to you, and write a reflective composi-tion explaining this meaning.

“Liberty without learning is always in peril; learning without liberty is always in vain.”—John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S. President

“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent in doing nothing.” —George Bernard Shaw, Nobel laureate in literature

“Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open.” —John Barrymore, American actor

“The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.”—Samuel Johnson, English writer

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain.”—Maya Angelou, American poet and historian

“A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of get-ting things done.”—Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the U.S.

“In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.”—Bill Cosby, comedian and actor

“Preservation of one’s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures.”—César Chavez, Civil Rights Activist

As you write your reflective response, be sure to

• Give a general explanation of the quotation.

• Explain how the quotation is meaningful to you and your life.

• Include specific anecdotes showing the relationship between the quotation and your life.


• Organize your composition so your ideas progress logically.

• Edit your composition for standard grammar, usage, punctuation, and spelling.



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Prewriting

1. Analyze the Prompt. Read the prompt carefully to identify your purpose and the audi-ence for your response.

Purpose. In the prompt, you are asked to explain the meaning of a chosen quotation. Then you are to reflect on how the quotation relates to you and your life. Give plenty of examples to show this relationship. The prompt tells you your audience and the format for your description.


My purpose is to write a reflecting on .





Step 2 Ask, “What opinions do the contest judges already have about the quota-tion?”

Your audience will probably have some preconceived ideas about the quotation you chose. Your chal-lenge will be to present your explanation of the quotation in a way that sounds reasonable and insightful. Think care-fully about the mean-ing before you start writing. Make sure to include ideas beyond the surface level.

Step 3 Ask “How can I make my audience clearly understand how the quotation relates to my life?”

Your audience has no way to envision how the quotation relates to you outside of what you say. So make sure to include specific examples of how the quotation relates to your life.



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2. Develop Your Plan. Your composition should first briefly explain the quotation you have chosen and then relate your chosen quotation to you personally. As you write your composition, you will want to describe several events or situations in your life that show how the quotation relates to you so that your audience can clearly see the connections. Use the graphic organizer below to brainstorm the events and situations that you will relate to the quotation. Write your chosen quotation in the center oval. Then write the events and situations in the outer ovals.



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3. Organize Your Details. Now that you have brainstormed details, you will want to organize them so that you can present them logically to your audience. Fill in the quota-tion you have chosen in the top box of the organizer below. Then describe your events or situations on the left. In the right column, explain the connections between the events or situations and the quotation. As you add events, situations, and relationship details to the organizer, you may wish to add additional details that you did not think of while you were brainstorming.

Quotation:

Event or situation Relationship to quotation






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Use the following framework to draft your response to the reflective writing prompt. Write your draft on the lined page that follows.


Introduction


• Introduce the quotation.

• Present your thesis.

Draw your reader in Reference your interest in honoring people who have guided you.

Quote exactly Present the quotation and its source.

Set up your topic Give a brief explanation of the quotation. Then write a thesis that states your main point about how the quotation relates to your life.

Body

• State your personal relationship with the quotation. Write in first person.

• Discuss the first event or situation and explain how it relates to the quotation.

• Discuss the second event, and so on.

Present your point Clearly state why the quotation is meaningful to you.

Organize clearly Make sure your points progress in a logical order.

Make your case Provide details to relate each event or situation to the quotation.

Conclusion

• Reinforce your connec-tion to the quotation.

• Tie the ideas together with a summary.

• Leave your reader with something to think about.

Sum it up Restate the quotation and briefly remind your reader that the person who made the quotation has guided you.

Summarize how you have been guided Include one last sentence about how the quotation relates to your personal situations.

Acknowledge your reader Leave the reader with a deep thought or probing question.



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Draft your reflective response in the space below.



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Use the following strategies to revise your response. You may make your revisions directly on your first draft, or, if necessary, write your revised draft on the lined pages that follow.

Evaluation Guidelines for Composition Response


1. Does the response have a clear purpose? The whole response should reflect on the meaning of a quotation to your life.

Ask yourself, “Does my response explain the quo-tation and what it means to me?”

If necessary, revise your opening paragraph.




3. Does the response use specific details?

Place a dot next to each detail you used.

Elaborate on the composi-tion by adding details.

4. Does the response contain only information that clearly reflects on the topic?

Lightly circle each dot that discusses your connection to the quotation.

Cut elaborations that do not relate to the quotation.





Review your response for tired, dull vocabu-lary—words like thing, very, great, bad, and so on.

Replace dull, tired words with more precise, vivid language.


Place a check next to sentences beginning with a noun. If your checkes are next to most sentences, revise a few.

Rearrange sentences so that some begin with phrases, subordinate clauses, or transitional expressions.



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Draft your revised reflective response in the space below.



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Draft your final reflective response in the space below.



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OklahomaGrade 11

Practice test

Reading And Writing

117-144_HRW_EOL_OK11_PT.indd 117117-144_HRW_EOL_OK11_PT.indd 117 3/6/07 2:27:55 PM3/6/07 2:27:55 PM


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Paired Reading Selections

The following two selections are paired passages, based on similar themes. Read each selection and answer the questions. Then answer the questions that compare the two passages.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor

power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.


The Gettysburg AddressAbraham Lincoln



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1 What task does the speaker pose to his listeners?

A to vote thoughtfully

B to consecrate the battlefield

C to support the cause of the war

D to found a new nation based on liberty

2 Which literary device is used effectively in the last three lines of the speech?

A repetition

B rhyme

C personification

D metaphor

3 According to the speaker, the nation’s challenge in civil war is to

A test if the U.S. can hold together as one nation.

B determine which part of the nation is more powerful.

C free the slaves.

D put down states’ rights.

4 What is the meaning of the words “they gave the last full measure of devotion”?

A The Confederate soldiers fought bravely.

B The Union soldiers loved their country.

C The honored dead gave their lives for their country.

D The people who gathered to listen to the speech are devoted Americans.

5 What is the meaning of the words “this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom”?

A Lincoln abolished slavery in the United States.

B The people will rededicate themselves to the founding principles of the U.S.

C The government of the United States will be divided.

D After this battle, the war is over.

from The Gettysburg Address



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Now read the related selection below. Then read each question and choose the best answer. Use the provided answer sheet at the end of the workbook to record your answers.

The Battle of Blenheim

It was a summer evening; Old Kaspar’s work was done,And he before his cottage door Was sitting in the sun,And by him sported on the greenHis little grandchild Wilhelmine.

She saw her brother Peterkin Roll something large and round,Which he beside the rivulet In playing there had found;He came to ask what he had found,That was so large, and smooth, and round.

Old Kaspar took it from the boy, Who stood expectant by;And then the old man shook his head, And with a natural sigh,“’Tis some poor fellow’s skull,” said he,“Who fell in the great victory.”

“I find them in the garden, For there’s many here about;And often, when I go to plow, The plowshare turns them out!For many thousand men,” said he,“Were slain in that great victory.”

“Now tell us what t’was all about,” Young Peterkin, he cries;And little Wilhelmine looks up With wonder-waiting eyes;“Now tell us all about the war,And what they fought each other for.”

“It was the English,” Kaspar cried, “Who put the French to rout;But what they fought each other for, I could not well make out;But everybody said,” quoth he,“That t’was a famous victory.

“My father lived at Blenheim then, Yon little stream hard by;1

They burnt his little dwelling to the ground, And he was forced to fly;So with his wife and child he fled,Nor had he where2 to rest his head.

“With fire and sword the country round Was wasted far and wide,And many a childing3 mother then And newborn baby died;But things like that, you know, must beAt every famous victory.

“They say it was a shocking sight After the field was won;For many thousand bodies here Lay rotting in the sun;But things like that, you know, must beAfter a famous victory.

“Great praise the Duke of Marlbro’4 won, And our good Prince Eugene.”5

“Why, ‘twas a very wicked thing!” Said little Wilhelmine.“Nay . . nay . . my little girl,” quoth he,“It was a famous victory.”

“And everybody praised the Duke Who this great fight did win.”“But what good came of it at last?” Quoth little Peterkin.“Why, that I cannot tell,” said he,“But t’was a famous victory.”

1. yon . . . hard by: near yonder little stream

2. where: a place in which, anywhere

3. with child: pregnant

4. Duke of Marlbro’: Marlborough, the commander of the English forces

5. Prince Eugene: commander of the Austrian forces



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6 Kaspar’s reaction when he sees the object his grandson is holding is

A disappointment.

B sadness.

C indifference.

D anger.

7 Why is Kaspar unable to tell his grandchildren why the war was fought?

A He is old and forgetful.

B He was told to forget the reasons.

C He never understood the reasons for war.

D He had loyalties on both sides of the fight.

8 With whose attitude does the speaker of the poem agree?

A Kaspar’s

B Peterkin’s

C Wilhelmine’s

D The Duke of Marlborough’s

9 The author reveals contrasting views of war through

A vivid description.

B dialogue.

C the characters’ actions.

D the differences in the charac-ters’ ages.

10 Why does the author use the character of the young girl to make the point that war is “a very wicked thing”?

A to show that girls are frightened by war stories

B to show that the grandfather’s memories are faded

C to contrast her words with her brother’s playing with a skull

D to contrast the feelings of shock and horror of the young with the feelings of indifference of the old

from The Battle of Blenheim



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11 The author of the speech and the author of the poem share similar views that war

A is senseless.

B costs too much.

C unifies a people.

D causes too much loss of life.

12 How do both authors describe the treatment of sacrificed soldiers in the battles?

A At both battlefields fallen soldiers are buried as heroes on consecrated ground.

B At both battlefields bodies are left to rot in the sun.

C At Gettysburg, the battlefield is dedicated as a memorial, but at Blenheim, soldiers lie unburied on farmer’s fields.

D At Blenheim, the Duke of Marlborough praises his brave soldiers, but at Gettysburg, Lincoln declares victory in the Civil War.

13 Which of the following statements is true?

A The people praise President Lincoln at Gettysburg, just as people praise the Duke of Marlborough at Blenheim.

B Lincoln and Marlborough are indebted to their soldiers.

C The speech says that the fallen gave their lives to preserve the Union, but there is no clear cause for the Battle of Blenheim in the poem.

D Lincoln and Marlborough consecrate a portion of the battlefield to their fallen soldiers.

from The Gettysburg Address and from The Battle of Blenheim



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Although it was so brilliantly fine—the blue sky powdered with gold and great spots of light like white wine splashed over the Jardins Publiques1—Miss Brill was glad that she had decided on her fur. The air was motionless, but when you opened your mouth, there was just a faint chill, like a chill from a glass of iced water before you sip, and now and again a leaf came drifting—from nowhere, from the sky. Miss Brill put up her hand and touched her fur. Dear little thing! It was nice to feel it again. She had taken it out of its box that afternoon, shaken out the moth powder, given it a good brush and rubbed the life back into the dim little eyes. “What has been happening to me?” said the sad little eyes. Oh, how sweet it was to see them snap at her again from the red eiderdown!2 . . . But the nose, which was of some black composition, wasn’t at all firm. It must have had a knock somehow. Never mind—a little dab of black sealing wax when the time came—when it was absolutely necessary . . . Little rogue! Yes, she really felt like that about it. Little rogue biting its tail just by her left ear. She could have taken it off and laid it on her lap and stroked it. She felt a tingling in her hands and arms, but that came from walking, she supposed. And when she breathed, something light and sad—no, not sad, exactly—something gentle seemed to move in her bosom. There were a number of people out this afternoon, far more than last Sunday. And the band sounded louder and gayer. That was because the Season had begun.

For although the band played all the year round on Sundays, out of season it was never the same. It was like someone play-ing with only the family to listen; it didn’t care how it played if there weren’t any strangers present. Wasn’t the conductor wearing a new coat, too? She was sure it was new. He scraped with his foot and flapped his arms like a rooster about to crow, and the bandsmen sitting in the green rotunda3 blew out their cheeks and glared at the music. Now there came a little “flutey” bit—very pretty!—a little chain of bright drops. She was sure it would be repeated. It was; she lifted her head and smiled. Only two people shared her “special” seat: a fine old man in a velvet coat, his hands clasped over a huge carved walking stick, and a big old woman, sitting upright, with a roll of knitting on her embroidered apron. They did not speak. This was disappointing, for Miss Brill always looked forward to the conversation. She had become really quite expert, she thought, at listening as though she didn’t listen, at sitting in other people’s lives just for a minute while they talked round her. She glanced, sideways, at the old couple. Perhaps they would go soon. Last Sunday, too, hadn’t been as interesting as usual. An Englishman and his wife, he wearing a dreadful Panama hat and she button boots. And she’d gone on the whole time about how she ought to wear spectacles; she knew she needed them; but that it was no good getting any; they’d be sure to break and they’d never keep on.


Miss Brillby Katherine Mansfield

1. Jardins Publiques: French for “Public Gardens.”

2. eiderdown: bed quilt stuffed with down from an eider duck.

3. rotunda: a circular structure, usually covered by a dome.



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And he’d been so patient. He’d suggested everything—gold rims, the kind that curved round your ears, little pads inside the bridge. No, nothing would please her. “They’ll always be sliding down my nose!” Miss Brill had wanted to shake her. The old people sat on the bench, still as statues. Never mind, there was always the crowd to watch. To and fro, in front of the flower beds and the band rotunda, the couples and groups paraded, stopped to talk, to greet, to buy a handful of flowers from the old beggar who had his tray fixed to the railings. Little children ran among them, swooping and laughing; little boys with big white silk bows under their chins, little girls, little French dolls, dressed up in velvet and lace. And sometimes a tiny staggerer came suddenly rocking into the open from under the trees, stopped, stared, as suddenly sat down “flop,” until its small high-stepping mother, like a young hen, rushed scolding to its rescue. Other people sat on the benches and green chairs, but they were nearly always the same, Sunday after Sunday, and—Miss Brill had often noticed—there was something funny about nearly all of them. They were odd, silent, nearly all old, and from the way they stared they looked as though they’d just come from dark little rooms or even—even cupboards! Behind the rotunda the slender trees with yellow leaves down drooping, and through them just a line of sea, and beyond the blue sky with gold-veined clouds. Tum-tum-tum tiddle-um! tiddle-um! tum tiddley-um tum ta! blew the band. Two young girls in red came by and two young soldiers in blue met them, and they laughed and paired and went off arm in arm. Two peasant women with funny straw hats passed, gravely, leading beautiful smoke-colored donkeys. A cold, pale nun hurried by. A beautiful woman came along and dropped her bunch of violets, and a little boy ran after to hand them to her, and she took them and threw them away as if they’d been poisoned. Dear me! Miss Brill

didn’t know whether to admire that or not! And now an ermine toque4 and a gentle-man in gray met just in front of her. He was tall, stiff, dignified, and she was wear-ing the ermine toque she’d bought when her hair was yellow. Now everything, her hair, her face, even her eyes, was the same color as the shabby ermine, and her hand, in its cleaned glove, lifted to dab her lips, was a tiny yellowish paw. Oh, she was so pleased to see him—delighted! She rather thought they were going to meet that afternoon. She described where she’d been—everywhere, here, there, along by the sea. The day was so charming—didn’t he agree? And wouldn’t he, perhaps? . . . But he shook his head, lighted a cigarette, slowly breathed a great deep puff into her face, and, even while she was still talking and laughing, flicked the match away and walked on. The ermine toque was alone; she smiled more brightly than ever. But even the band seemed to know what she was feeling and played more softly, played tenderly, and the drum beat, “The Brute! The Brute!” over and over. What would she do? What was going to happen now? But as Miss Brill wondered, the ermine toque turned, raised her hand as though she’d seen someone else, much nicer, just over there, and pattered away. And the band changed again and played more quickly, more gayly than ever, and the old couple on Miss Brill’s seat got up and marched away, and such a funny old man with long whiskers hobbled along in time to the music and was nearly knocked over by four girls walking abreast. Oh, how fascinating it was! How she enjoyed it! How she loved sitting here, watching it all! It was like a play. It was exactly like a play. Who could believe the sky at the back wasn’t painted? But it wasn’t till a little brown dog trotted on solemn and then slowly trotted off, like a little “theater” dog, a little dog that had been drugged, that Miss Brill discovered what it was that made it so exciting. They were all on the stage. They weren’t only

4. toque: a close-fitting hat.



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the audience, not only looking on; they were acting. Even she had a part and came every Sunday. No doubt somebody would have noticed if she hadn’t been there; she was part of the performance after all. How strange she’d never thought of it like that before! And yet it explained why she made such a point of starting from home at just the same time each week—so as not to be late for the performance—and it also explained why she had quite a queer, shy feeling at telling her English pupils how she spent her Sunday afternoons. No won-der! Miss Brill nearly laughed out loud. She was on the stage. She thought of the old invalid gentleman to whom she read the newspaper four afternoons a week while he slept in the garden. She had got quite used to the frail head on the cotton pillow, the hollowed eyes, the open mouth and the high pinched nose. If he’d been dead she mightn’t have noticed for weeks; she wouldn’t have minded. But suddenly he knew he was having the paper read to him by an actress! “An actress!” The old head lifted; two points of light quivered in the old eyes. “An actress—are ye?” And Miss Brill smoothed the newspaper as though it were the manuscript of her part and said gently: “Yes, I have been an actress for a long time.” The band had been having a rest. Now they started again. And what they played was warm, sunny, yet there was just a faint chill—a something, what was it?—not sad-ness—no, not sadness—a something that made you want to sing. The tune lifted, lifted, the light shone; and it seemed to Miss Brill that in another moment all of them, all the whole company, would begin singing. The young ones, the laughing ones who were moving together, they would begin, and the men’s voices, very resolute and brave, would join them. And then she too, she too, and the others on the benches—they would come in with a kind of accompaniment—something low, that scarcely rose or fell, something

so beautiful—moving . . . And Miss Brill’s eyes filled with tears and she looked smiling at all the other members of the company. Yes, we understand, we under-stand, she thought—though what they understood she didn’t know. Just at that moment a boy and a girl came and sat down where the old couple had been. They were beautifully dressed; they were in love. The hero and heroine, of course, just arrived from his father’s yacht. And still soundlessly singing, still with that trembling smile, Miss Brill prepared to listen. “No, not now,” said the girl. “Not here, I can’t.” “But why? Because of that stupid old thing at the end there?” asked the boy. “Why does she come here at all—who wants her? Why doesn’t she keep her silly old mug at home?” “It’s her fu-fur which is so funny,” giggled the girl. “It’s exactly like a fried whiting.”5

“Ah, be off with you!” said the boy in an angry whisper. Then: “Tell me, ma petite chérie6—” “No, not here,” said the girl. “Not yet.” On her way home she usually bought a slice of honey-cake at the baker’s. It was her Sunday treat. Sometimes there was an almond in her slice, sometimes not. It made a great difference. If there was an almond it was like carrying home a tiny present—a surprise—something that might very well not have been there. She hurried on the almond Sundays and struck the match for the kettle in a quite dashing way. But today she passed the baker’s by, climbed the stairs, went into the little dark room—her room like a cupboard—and sat down on the red eiderdown. She sat there for a long time. The box that the fur came out of was on the bed. She unclasped the necklet quickly; quickly without looking, laid it inside. But when she put the lid on she thought she heard something crying.

5. whiting: a fish.

6. ma petite chérie: French for “my little darling.”



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14 What causes Miss Brill to realize that others see her as pathetic and ridiculous?

A the remarks made by the Englishman and his wife

B the remarks made by the young girl and boy

C a comment made by the invalid man to whom she reads the paper

D the actions of the band leader

15 Miss Brill’s fur most likely repre-sents

A wealth.

B Miss Brill’s heart.

C Miss Brill’s mind.

D spiritual comfort.

16 In what way are the observations Miss Brill makes about the old people ironic?

A Some of the old people used to be her friends.

B The “old people” are younger than she is.

C She learns that the old people are having conversations about her.

D She doesn’t realize that those observations also apply to her.

17 Read the following sentences from the passage.

The young ones, the laughing ones who were moving together, they would begin, and the men’s voices, very resolute and brave, would join them.

The word resolute means

A steady and determined

B erratic and insistent

C joyous and lilting

D wavering and fearful

Miss Brill



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18 From what point of view is the story written?

A an omniscient (all-knowing) third-person narrator

B a first-person narrator limited to Miss Brill’s thoughts and perceptions

C a first-person omniscient (all-knowing) narrator

D a third-person narrator limited to Miss Brill’s thoughts and perceptions

19 What is the most likely reason that Miss Brill has such an active fantasy life?

A She has a vivid imagination.

B She enjoys drawing attention to herself.

C She is lonely.

D She is emotionally unstable.

20 Which of the following elements of the story contrasts with the character of Miss Brill?

A the setting

B the beggar

C the Englishman and his wife

D the fur

21 What literary device is used in reference to the fur piece?

A simile

B alliteration

C personification

D flashback

22 The setting, characters, and main theme all show that this selection is an example of

A historical fiction.

B mystery.

C realistic fiction.

D science fiction.

Miss Brill



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It took months of negotiation to come to an understanding with the old man. He was in no hurry. What he had the most of was time. He lived up in Río en Medio, where his people had been for hundreds of years. He tilled the same land they had tilled. His house was small and wretched, but quaint. The little creek ran through his land. His orchard was gnarled and beautiful. The day of the sale he came into the office. His coat was old, green and faded. I thought of Senator Catron,1 who had been such a power with these people up there in the mountains. Perhaps it was one of his old Prince Alberts.2 He also wore gloves. They were old and torn and his fingertips showed through them. He car-ried a cane, but it was only the skeleton of a worn-out umbrella. Behind him walked one of his innumerable kin—a dark young man with eyes like a gazelle. The old man bowed to all of us in the room. Then he removed his hat and gloves, slowly and carefully. Chaplin3 once did that in a picture, in a bank—he was the janitor. Then he handed his things to the boy, who stood obediently behind the old man’s chair. There was a great deal of conversation, about rain and about his family. He was very proud of his large family. Finally we got down to business. Yes, he would sell, as he had agreed, for twelve hundred dollars, in cash. We would buy, and the money was ready. “Don4 Anselmo,” I said to him in Spanish, “we have made a discovery.

You remember that we sent that surveyor, that engineer, up there to survey your land so as to make the deed. Well, he finds that you own more than eight acres. He tells us that your land extends across the river and that you own almost twice as much as you thought.” He didn’t know that. “And now, Don Anselmo,” I added, “these Americans are buena gente, they are good people, and they are willing to pay you for the additional land as well, at the same rate per acre, so that instead of twelve hundred dollars you will get almost twice as much, and the money is here for you.” The old man hung his head for a moment in thought. Then he stood up and stared at me. “Friend,” he said, “I do not like to have you speak to me in that manner.” I kept still and let him have his say. “I know these Americans are good people, and that is why I have agreed to sell my house to them. But I do not care to be insulted. I have agreed to sell my house and land for twelve hundred dollars and that is the price.” I argued with him but it was useless. Finally he signed the deed and took the money but refused to take more than the amount agreed upon. Then he shook hands all around, put on his ragged gloves, took his stick and walked out with the boy behind him. A month later my friends had moved into Río en Medio. They had replastered the old adobe house, pruned the trees, patched the fence, and moved in for the summer.


Gentleman of Río en MedioJuan A. A. Sedillo

1. Senator Catron: Thomas Benton Catron, Senator from New Mexico (1912 –1917).

2. Prince Alberts: The Prince Albert was a long, double-breasted coat named after the English Prince Albert, who later became Edward VII.

3. Chaplin: Charlie Chaplin (1889 –1977), known for his great comic performances in silent movies.

4. Don: A title of respect, formerly used for Spaniards of high rank, now used as a title of courtesy.



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One day they came back to the office to complain. The children of the village were overrunning their property. They came every day and played under the trees, built little play fences around them, and took blossoms. When they were spoken to they only laughed and talked back good-naturedly in Spanish. I sent a messenger up to the moun-tains for Don Anselmo. It took a week to arrange another meeting. When he arrived he repeated his previous pre-liminary performance. He wore the same faded cutaway,5 carried the same stick and was accompanied by the boy again. He shook hands all around, sat down with the boy behind his chair, and talked about the weather. Finally I broached the subject. “Don Anselmo, about the ranch you sold to these people. They are good people and want to be your friends and neighbors always. When you sold to them you signed a document, a deed, and in that deed you agreed to several things. One thing was that they were to have the complete possession of the property. Now, Don Anselmo, it seems that every day the children of the village overrun the orchard and spend most of their time there. We would like to know if you, as the most respected man in the village, could not stop them from doing so in order that these people may enjoy their new home more in peace.”

Don Anselmo stood up. “We have all learned to love these Americans,” he said, “because they are good people and good neighbors. I sold them my property because I knew they were good people, but I did not sell them the trees in the orchard.” This was bad. “Don Anselmo,” I pleaded, “when one signs a deed and sells real property one sells also everything that grows on the land, and those trees, every one of them, are on the land and inside the boundaries of what you sold.” “Yes, I admit that,” he said. “You know,” he added, “I am the oldest man in the vil-lage. Almost everyone there is my relative and all the children of Río en Medio are my sobrinos and nietos,6 my descendants. Every time a child has been born in Río en Medio since I took possession of that house from my mother I have planted a tree for that child. The trees in that orchard are not mine, Señor, they belong to the children of the village. Every person in Río en Medio born since the railroad came to Santa Fe owns a tree in that orchard. I did not sell the trees because I could not. They are not mine.” There was nothing we could do. Legally we owned the trees but the old man had been so generous, refusing what amounted to a fortune for him. It took most of thefollowing winter to buy the trees, indivi-dually, from the descendants of Don Anselmo in the valley of Río en Medio.

5. cutaway: A long coat used for formal occasions, so named because part of its lower front is cut away.

6. sobrinos and nietos: Spanish for “nephews and nieces” and “grandchildren.”



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23 Which of the following happens first in the story?

A The village children come to play under the trees.

B The surveyor discovers that Don Anselmo owns more land than he thought.

C The Americans buy the trees from the families to whom they belong.

D Don Anselmo refuses to accept more money.

24 In paragraph 5, why does Don Anselmo most likely feel insulted?

A Staying with the agreed-on price for him is a matter of honor.

B The sum offered by the narra-tor is still to small.

C The narrator uses a disrespect-ful term to address him.

D The narrator implies that he has no business sense.

25 What surprising plot develop-ment occurs in paragraph 5?

A Don Anselmo speaks rudely to the narrator.

B Don Anselmo demands an unreasonable sum of money for the newly discovered acres of land.

C Don Anselmo no longer wishes to sell his house and land.

D Don Anselmo refuses to accept a larger payment than what has been agreed upon.

26 What is the basic conflict in paragraph 7?

A The children refuse to stay off the Americans’ property.

B The Americans are not well liked in the village.

C The children laugh at the narrator’s friends.

D The Americans have damaged Don Anselmo’s property.

Gentleman of Río en Medio



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27 The new owners of the property believe they have bought everything on it. What does Don Anselmo believe?

A Don Anselmo believes that the trees are owned by the children of his village.

B Don Anselmo believes that the trees are owned by the new American owners.

C Don Anselmo believes that the trees are owned by the narrator.

D Don Anselmo believes that the trees are owned by the surveyor.

28 Based on the physical description of Don Anselmo, how could he best be described?

A He has a carefree attitude toward life.

B He has no sense of style.

C He has an innate elegance.

D He is fun-loving.

29 The selection is an example of what type of literature?

A tragedy

B narrative fiction

C humorous fiction

D legal brief

30 Which best describes the person-ality of Don Anselmo?

A conceited and selfish

B dishonest and greedy

C generous and clever

D practical and serious

31 Read the following sentences from the selection.

He shook hands all around, sat down with the boy behind his chair, talked about the weather. Finally, I broached the subject.

The verb to broach means

A to avoid or bypass

B to make a puncture or hole

C to begin a discussion

D to wear a decorative pin

32 The main purpose of this story is to show

A how clever thinking can benefit others.

B how confused and bewildered some people can be.

C that attorneys have morals.

D how complicated it is to purchase a home.

Gentleman of Río en Medio



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For many people, the word “shark” brings up frightening images of a flesh-eating machine. Movies, books, and television shows have contributed to the shark’s reputation as the ultimate preda-tor. But do sharks really deserve all their bad publicity? Considering how many swimmers, divers, and surfers regularly enter shark-infested waters, there are relatively few shark attacks on people—fewer than one hundred per year, less than are killed by bees or lightning. According to one shark researcher, most people who have ever been in the water have probably had a shark swim to within fifteen feet of them. However, sharks really aren’t interested in humans, who are not part of a shark’s normal diet. Sharks have more to fear from humans than humans do from sharks. The number of sharks in the ocean has been falling for decades, mostly because of human activi-ties. Overfishing is partly to blame. Shark products such as fins, teeth, and jaws are in great demand in many countries. Many sharks are killed at a very young age. Others are killed by practices such as “finning,” in which a shark is caught and its fins removed before the shark is put back into the water to die. Sharks mature slowly and give birth to few young. Unfortunately, this means that shark populations will take a long time to recover, if they do at all. As the top preda-tors in a delicate food cycle, sharks serve an important purpose in keeping ocean ecosystems in balance. What do we really know about sharks? They are unusual creatures whose abilities are both frightening and fascinating. Many people are surprised to learn that there

are 340 species of sharks. These species vary greatly in size. The whale shark is the largest fish in the sea, measuring up to fifty feet, while the tiny spined pygmy shark grows to be only about seven inches long. Sharks’ diets and behavior also vary from species to species. People often think of sharks as aggressive predators that hunt and eat large fish and marine mammals. It’s true that all sharks are carnivores, or meat eaters. But two of the largest sharks—the basking shark and the whale shark—feed only on plankton, a collection of microscopic animals and plants. Rather than hunting for their meals, these large sharks are “filter feeders” that swim with their mouths open and strain tiny plants and animals from the water. Sharks possess remarkable jaws. Because the upper and lower halves of their jaws can move independently of each other, sharks can open their mouths extremely wide and swallow large prey. Their jaws can also close with extraordinary force—up to 132 pounds of force per tooth. Many species of sharks have at least five or more rows of teeth. Instead of growing out of the sharks’ jawbones, their teeth are located in fibrous membranes inside their mouths. This allows the teeth to turn forward and outward, so that the shark can bite firmly and hold on to what it bites. If a shark’s tooth falls out, it is quickly replaced by another tooth that shifts forward into position. Sharks have highly powerful senses. Unlike human nostrils, a shark’s are not involved in breathing, but only smelling. Sharks can smell tiny amounts of sub-stances—for instance, one drop of blood in a million drops of water—from as far as a quarter mile away. A shark on the hunt


The World of Sharks



133

swims in the direction pinpointed by its nostrils. Sharks also have keen hearing. They can hear low-pitched sounds from several thousand yards away. Sharks’ eyesight is excellent, as well. Their night vision is particularly good, and they are attracted to bright colors. Sharks are outstanding athletes. Blue sharks can travel distances of over 3,500 miles at speeds of 43 miles an hour. The mako shark is also fast and an incred-ible leaper. Mako sharks have reportedly leapt onto the decks of boats. Because they have gills, sharks must swim constantly in order to breathe and to stay afloat. The hammerhead shark is one of the more unusual sharks. Its head looks like the head of a hammer, with an eye at each end. Some experts believe that the shape of the head gives the shark stability as it swims through the water. Hammerheads spend the days in large schools of up to a hundred sharks. At night, they leave their schools to hunt the ocean depths alone.

Hammerheads have been known to attack people, but they mostly dine on fish. By far, the most infamous shark is the great white—the shark most dangerous to humans. One of the largest recorded great whites weighed over seven thousand pounds and measured over twenty feet long. Although they prefer living in the open seas, great whites often swim into shallow waters, where they have been known to attack swimmers for no apparent reason. Sharks have been swimming the earth’s oceans and seas for more than 350 million years. Of the 340 species of shark, only about 25 species have been known to attack humans. Still, when visiting an ocean beach, it is important to remember that you are entering the shark’s habitat. You can cut down your risk by tak-ing precautions: stay out of the water if you are bleeding, do not swim alone, and do not enter the water at night. While sharks are fascinating creatures that deserve respect, they also require extreme caution.



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33 Based on the selection, what would most likely happen if you swam near a whale shark?

A The whale shark would attack.

B The whale shark would attack, but only if you were wearing bright colors.

C The whale shark would attack, but only if you were making a lot of noise.

D Nothing would happen.

34 According to the selection, how appealing or “appetizing” are humans to sharks?

A extremely “appetizing,” as humans are a major part of a shark’s normal diet

B very “appetizing,” as humans are a large part of a shark’s normal diet

C moderately “appetizing,” as humans are often part of a shark’s normal diet

D not very “appetizing,” as humans are not part of a shark’s normal diet

35 How can sharks bite firmly and hold on to their prey?

A They have five rows of teeth that grow directly from their jawbones.

B They are flesh-eating machines.

C Their upper and lower jaws move independently.

D Their teeth are able to turn forward and outward.

36 Which of the following statements from the selection is an opinion?

A Sharks have highly powerful senses.

B They are unusual creatures whose abilities are both fright-ening and fascinating.

C Mako sharks have reportedly leapt onto the decks of boats.

D Hammerheads have been known to attack people, but they mostly dine on fish.

The World of Sharks



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37 How can the tone of this selection best be described?

A dark and serious

B angry

C suspenseful

D factual and informative

38 Read the following sentence from the selection.

By far, the most infamous shark is the great white—the shark most dangerous to humans.

The word infamous means

A widely known

B fast and powerful

C known to be bad or dangerous

D hungry

39 This selection could best be described as

A a myth.

B animal fiction.

C a feature article.

D a sonnet.

40 What is the author’s main pur-pose in writing this selection?

A to explain why sharks are never truly dangerous to humans

B to persuade readers that oceans would be safer places without sharks

C to inform readers of some interesting facts about sharks

D to express her views about overfishing

41 Why does the author include the fact that most people who have been in the water have probably had a shark swim to within fifteen feet of them?

A to support the statement that there have been relatively few shark attacks on people because sharks are not inter-ested in humans

B to frighten swimmers, surfers, and boaters from entering the water for fear that they might be attacked by sharks

C to reinforce the view that sharks are frightening preda-tors and that people should be terrified of sharks

D to gain sympathy for sharks and to emphasize their impor-tance in the delicate food cycle

The World of Sharks



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Gold Rush Success Stories On January 24, 1848, a man named James Marshall was working along the American River in California when he saw something glint in the water. As Marshall later recounted, “I reached my hand down and picked it up; it made my heart thump, for I was certain it was gold.” Marshall’s discovery was the great-est find in the history of the West. The California Gold Rush helped shape the future of the nation. By 1850, more than 40,000 people from all over the world had gone to California in the hopes of striking it rich. However, some of the greatest success stories of the Gold Rush involved people who never discovered a single nugget. Although James Marshall discovered the first gold, the person most responsible for sparking the Gold Rush was a San Francisco shopkeeper named Samuel Brannan. Marshall and his boss, John Sutter, did not want Sutter’s land overrun by gold seekers. They made a pact to keep the discovery a secret, but they couldn’t prevent Marshall’s coworkers from mining. Soon, Brannan noticed that a few of his customers were paying for their purchases with gold particles. He immediately realized that news of the gold could bring thousands of people to the region—and thousands of new customers to his store. Brannan went out and bought every pickaxe, pan, and shovel in the area. Then he filled a bottle with gold dust and ran through the streets of San Francisco, waving the bottle and shouting about Marshall’s discovery.

As Brannan predicted, the region was soon flooded with gold seekers in need of equipment. Metal pans that Brannan had purchased for twenty cents each he now sold for fifteen dollars per pan. In nine weeks, he made thirty-six thousand dollars. Soon, he was one of the richest people in California. Brannan was not the only person to make a fortune selling mining supplies. In 1853, a tailor named Levi Strauss moved to San Francisco to sell dry goods. His best-selling item was a pair of sturdy can-vas pants, well suited to the rough, dirty work of mining. In the early 1870s, Strauss added metal rivets to the pants and began using blue denim instead of canvas. These pants were the first jeans sold in the United States. More than 130 years later, they are still sold under the name “Levis.” Other famous brand names were also founded during the Gold Rush. In 1848, a chocolate maker’s son named Domingo Ghirardelli migrated from Italy to California to pan for gold, but soon switched to commerce. Ghirardelli’s first businesses—a store and a hotel—burned down in the Great San Francisco Fire of 1851. Undaunted, he decided to build a chocolate factory. Ghirardelli’s new business flourished. In 1893, he and his family purchased an entire block of San Francisco property for their headquarters. The area became known as Ghirardelli Square. Today, it is a San Francisco landmark and popular tourist attraction. As for Ghirardelli’s chocolate, it’s still delicious, and now available all over the country.



137

42 According to the selection, which of the following happens first?

A Strauss moves to San Francisco.

B Gold seekers flood California.

C Brannan runs through the streets of San Francisco.

D Ghirardelli’s first business burns.

43 Which of the following best summarizes the selection’s fifth paragraph?

A Levi Strauss created blue jeans by adding rivets and using denim instead of canvas.

B In addition to Brannan, Levi Strauss also made a fortune selling mining supplies.

C Blue jeans got their start dur-ing the gold rush when Levi Strauss moved to San Francisco and began selling canvas pants.

D The brand name started by Levi Strauss has lasted 130 years.

44 Which of the following conclu-sions can you draw about John Sutter and James Marshall?

A They feel unhappy about the huge numbers of people who come to California.

B They find all the gold before anyone else can get to it.

C They leave California as soon as they can.

D They are grateful to Samuel Brannan for the favor he does them.

45 Which of the following best describes the author’s atti-tude toward Sam Brannan, Levi Strauss, and Domingo Ghirardelli?

A The author envies their good luck and success.

B The author believes that they took advantage of the people who went to California to find gold.

C The author is surprised that they were able to do so well in such difficult times.

D The author admires their resourcefulness, hard work, and determination.

Gold Rush Success Stories



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46 Which of these statements from the selection is an opinion?

A On January 24, 1848, a man named James Marshall was working along the American River in California when he saw something glint in the water.

B Marshall’s discovery was the greatest find in the history of the West.

C In 1853, a tailor named Levi Strauss moved to San Francisco to sell dry goods.

D Ghirardelli’s first businesses—a store and a hotel—burned down in the Great San Francisco Fire of 1851.

47 Which of the following can you infer from the selection?

A No one found substantial amounts of gold in California.

B Those who found gold in California spent all their money on supplies.

C The rush of gold seekers was a great burden on the govern-ment of California.

D Some gold seekers struck it rich in California.

48 Which of the following defini-tions is most well-suited to the meaning of the word undaunted as it is used in the next-to-last paragraph of the selection?

A not giving way to fear

B not discouraged

C not disappointed

D not apprehensive

49 If you were using an outline to take notes from this passage, which of the following would represent three main points in one part of your outline?

A Samuel Brannan, Levi Strauss, and Domingo Ghirardelli

B gold, pick axe, and metal rivets

C gold nuggets, Ghirardelli, and tourist attraction

D gold seekers, strike it rich, and keep the discovery a secret

50 The clue that most conclusively tell you this passage is nonfiction is

A the mention of the Gold Rush.

B the setting in San Francisco.

C the use of dates.

D the use of familiar famous names.




139

When I was a kid in school, we didn’t wear uniforms. In junior high, I argued for school uniforms, believing they would save students—especially girls—time and hassle. Thirty-five years later, as a parent of a ten-year-old, I still think uniforms would improve the quality of life for students. Uniforms in public schools are legal, as long as the uniform does not infringe upon students’ political speech or impose different standards for males and females. Although the Supreme Court has not addressed the legality of uniforms in schools, lower courts have upheld the right of public schools to require uniforms. California has gone so far as to pass a law explicitly making it legal for public schools to adopt uniform requirements, an action designed to reinforce the legality of this kind of local decision. . . . From Seattle to Phoenix to Charleston, praise of uniform policies is profuse. One of the most often cited benefits of requiring uniforms is economic. Uniforms generally cost less than do most clothes that students want to wear. For instance, the yearly cost of uniforms in Long Beach, California, is $70 to $90 for a set of three. Compare that to a trip to the mall! Uniforms also can diminish the display of material wealth among students. If expen-sive jackets, shoes, and outfits aren’t allowed, students are relieved of anxiety over their attire. Wearing uniforms during the school day provides a time whe economic privilege seems equalized. Uniforms promote individuality. Yes, individuality. If students are judged by what they think and how they perform, rather than on how they dress, they are more likely to develop and value diversity of thought. In most school districts, kids already wear uni-forms by social category—jocks, . . . preppies . . .—often without articulating what values and lifestyles these uniforms represent. Long Beach, California, offers impressive evidence that schools where students wear uniforms are safer than those where students don’t. Since Long Beach adopted a uniform requirement for its 83,000 students, there have been a third fewer assault and battery cases, student fights have been cut by half, and student suspensions are down by 32 percent. What compels me to urge school districts to adopt uniforms are the data I’ve collected during the past three years in nine middle and high schools on Long Island. In those schools, the girls report they spend as much as two-and-a-half hours each day selecting their clothes and “getting ready” for school. These girls describe great anxiety about their appearance, particularly their clothes, and report harassment from both males and females about how they look. I long for a safe space for girls that diminishes such pressure and decreases their anxiety. Schools that expect all students to wear the same type of dress offer support to girls in their fragile adolescent years. Studies tell us that nearly all parents welcome uniforms. Students are not so quick to approve of wearing the same dress as their classmates every day. However, many students who first balk at uniforms change their minds once they have tried them. Uniforms honor


Should Public School Students Wear Uniforms?



140

the occasion of school. They help students separate what is expected in school from what they do in malls or on beaches or at movie theaters. Uniforms help create a climate that fosters learning and puts it at the center of students’ lives.

Effects of School Uniforms on Problems at Long Beach, California Criteria 1993 (Non-Uniform) 1994 Uniform Fighting 1,135 cases 554 cases Chemical Substances 71 cases 22 cases Robbery 29 cases 10 cases Vandalism 1,409 cases 1,155 cases

Source: Long Beach Unified School District

Comparison Between Uniform and Non-Uniform Schools Criteria (Uniform) Non-Uniform Absenteeism 29.00% 3.01% Behavior Problems 1.58% 1.74% Substance Abuse 2.68% 2.71% Average Standardized Test Score 52.89 50.58

Source: David L. Brunsma, and Rockquemore, K.A. “Effects of Student Uniforms onAttendance, Behavior Problems, Substance Abuse, and Academic Achievement,” The Journal of Education Research, Volume 92, Number 1, Sept./Oct. 1998, pp. 53–62



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51 Read the following sentence from the article.

Uniforms can diminish the display of material wealth.

The word diminish means

A reveal.

B equalize.

C hide.

D reduce.

52 The author believes which students particularly benefit from school uniforms?

A boys

B girls

C jocks

D preppies

53 According to the article, the Long Beach California School District provides evidence that school uniforms improve students’

A appearance.

B attendance.

C behavior.

D grades.

54 When the author claims “uni-forms honor the occasion of school,” he or she means that, by wearing uniforms, students

A advertise the motto and colors of their school.

B show their pride in the schools’ achievements.

C focus on their studies rather than their social lives.

D can achieve greatness in the name of their school.

55 In the sentence, “From Seattle to Phoenix to Charleston, praise of uniform policies is profuse,” the word profuse refers to

A the quality of praise.

B the amount of praise.

C the tone of praise.

D the frequency of praise.

56 The author supports the argu-ment that uniforms promote individuality by saying that students can be judged by their

A athletic achievements.

B thoughts and actions.

C social cliques.

D vivid personalities.




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57 Which information from the article does the graphic “Comparison Between Uniform and Non-uniform Schools” support?

A the legality impact of school uniforms

B the evidence provided by Long Beach, California

C the time girls spend getting ready for school

D the percentage of parents who welcome school uniforms

58 This selection is an example of what type of literature?

A short story

B persuasive essay

C an excerpt from a novel

D a technical document

59 The information in the two graphics supports what conclusion?

A School uniforms improve students’ behavior.

B Fighting is the one issue that uniforms do not address.

C Uniforms have no apparent effect on social problems in schools.

D Schools in Long Beach, California, are an exception to the findings about uniforms.

60 A basic understanding of prefixes and structural clues can help the reader to understand that the prefix uni- in uniforms means

A same.

B one.

C many.

D opposite.




143

WRITING PROMPT

Plan, write, and proofread a persuasive essay in response to the writing prompt below. Write your essay on your own paper.

You are entering a contest at a local bookstore. As part of a promotion, the bookstore owners are going to feature winning essays on the following quotation: “Formal education will make you a living. Self-education will make you a fortune.”

Give a brief explanation of what this quotation means. Then write an essay that explains whether you agree or disagree with the quotation. Support your viewpoint with reasons and examples. Be sure to include plenty of convincing details.

As you write your essay, be sure to









145

ANSWER SHEET

Name Class Date Score


1. A B C D

2. A B C D

3. A B C D

4. A B C D

5. A B C D

6. A B C D

7. A B C D

8. A B C D


1. A B C D

2. A B C D

3. A B C D

4. A B C D

5. A B C D

6. A B C D

7. A B C D

8. A B C D

9. A B C D

from My Ántonia

1. A B C D

2. A B C D

3. A B C D

4. A B C D

5. A B C D

6. A B C D

7. A B C D

8. A B C D


1. A B C D

2. A B C D

3. A B C D

4. A B C D

5. A B C D

6. A B C D

7. A B C D

8. A B C D


1. A B C D

2. A B C D

3. A B C D

4. A B C D

5. A B C D

6. A B C D

7. A B C D


1. A B C D

2. A B C D

3. A B C D

4. A B C D

5. A B C D

6. A B C D

7. A B C D

8. A B C D

9. A B C D

10. A B C D

11. A B C D

READING TEST PRACTICECircle the correct answer.



147

ANSWER SHEET


READING TEST PRACTICECircle the correct answer.


1. A B C D

2. A B C D

3. A B C D

4. A B C D

5. A B C D

6. A B C D

The Pity of It

1. A B C D

2. A B C D

3. A B C D

4. A B C D

5. A B C D

6. A B C D

George Washington

1. A B C D

2. A B C D

3. A B C D

4. A B C D

5. A B C D

6. A B C D

7. A B C D

8. A B C D


1. A B C D

2. A B C D

3. A B C D

4. A B C D

5. A B C D

6. A B C D

7. A B C D

8. A B C D

Go Climb a Rock

1. A B C D

2. A B C D

3. A B C D

4. A B C D

5. A B C D

6. A B C D

7. A B C D

8. A B C D

9. A B C D

10. A B C D


1. A B C D

2. A B C D

3. A B C D

4. A B C D

5. A B C D

6. A B C D

7. A B C D

8. A B C D


1. A B C D

2. A B C D

3. A B C D

4. A B C D

5. A B C D

6. A B C D

7. A B C D


1. A B C D

2. A B C D

3. A B C D

4. A B C D

5. A B C D

6. A B C D

7. A B C D



149

ANSWER SHEET


Paired Passages:from The Gettysburg Address and The Battle of Blenheim

1. A B C D

2. A B C D

3. A B C D

4. A B C D

5. A B C D

6. A B C D

7. A B C D

8. A B C D

9. A B C D

10. A B C D

11. A B C D

12. A B C D

13. A B C D

Miss Brill

14. A B C D

15. A B C D

16. A B C D

17. A B C D

18. A B C D

19. A B C D

20. A B C D

21. A B C D

22. A B C D

Gentleman of Rio en Medio

23. A B C D

24. A B C D

25. A B C D

26. A B C D

27. A B C D

28. A B C D

29. A B C D

30. A B C D

31. A B C D

32. A B C D

The World of Sharks

33. A B C D

34. A B C D

35. A B C D

36. A B C D

37. A B C D

38. A B C D

39. A B C D

40. A B C D

41. A B C D


42. A B C D

43. A B C D

44. A B C D

45. A B C D

46. A B C D

47. A B C D

48. A B C D

49. A B C D

50. A B C D


51. A B C D

52. A B C D

53. A B C D

54. A B C D

55. A B C D

56. A B C D

57. A B C D

58. A B C D

59. A B C D

60. A B C D

OKLAHOMA PRACTICE TESTCircle the correct answer.


ISBN-13: 978-0-03-079233-5ISBN-10: 0-03-079233-9

Oklahoma

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