2021 STAAR English 2

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Nancy has not used the most effective word in sentence 4. Which word should replace have to create a more effective sentence?

Which of these sentences should Nancy add at the beginning of the second paragraph (sentences 7–15) to serve as the most effective position statement for her essay?

Which sentence in the fourth paragraph (sentences 22–30) is extraneous and should be deleted?

Nancy is concerned that she has included a redundant sentence in the fifth paragraph (sentences 31–35). Which sentence should be deleted from the paragraph?

Which sentence should be added before sentence 1 to create a more effective introduction for his essay?

Reese is considering adding this idea to his second paragraph (sentences 4–8).

Where should Reese insert this idea?

Reese needs a better transition between the second paragraph (sentences 4–8) and the third paragraph (sentences 9–14). Which sentence should replace sentence 9 to create a more effective transition?

Reese wants to improve the clarity of sentence 12. How should sentence 12 be revised?

Which sentence should Reese add after sentence 18 to provide additional support for the inference in sentence 19?

What change is needed in sentence 1?

What change is needed in sentence 12?

What is the correct way to write sentences 13 and 14?

What change is needed in sentence 17?

What change, if any, is needed in sentence 24?

What change should be made in sentence 2?

What change, if any, should be made in sentence 10?

What change, if any, should be made in sentence 21?

What is the correct way to write sentence 28?

Use The Piano Shop on the Left Bank (pp. 26–28) to answer questions 19–25.

Read this quotation from paragraph 17 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.

Why does the narrator use a metaphor to describe his response to playing the piano?

In paragraph 8 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, Luc suggests that the narrator —

In paragraph 1 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, which idea is introduced?

Read this quotation from paragraph 16 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.

What can the reader infer about the narrator’s wife based on her words?

In paragraph 17 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, how does the narrator feel about playing the Stingl piano in the piano shop?

In paragraph 1 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, why does the narrator describe the piano as “a strange and wonderful combination of the robust and the delicate”?

Read this quotation from paragraph 1 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.

What is the narrator’s purpose for including this description?

Use “From Those Old Piano Blues” (pp. 29–30) to answer questions 26–33.

In the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues,” how does the author mainly organize his ideas?

Read this quotation from paragraph 2 of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues.”

What does the author’s use of musical terminology convey in the quotation?

Which quotation best shows that the author of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues” is relieved someone wants his old piano?

What is the purpose of the information in the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

Read this dictionary entry.

Which definition most closely matches the meaning of boom as it is used in paragraph 4 of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

In the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues,” what is the primary purpose of paragraph 7?

Which word from the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues” means “an approximate amount”?

Which is the best summary of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

Many families in America once owned acoustic pianos, but there are now fewer families who want them. In fact, if you have an old piano, it can be very hard to sell it or find someone who wants it. That’s why there are companies now offering to pick up old pianos. It is sad these instruments were once prized but have little value today, unless someone is willing to restore them to their original working condition.

Although acoustic pianos were once a popular item in American life, many are now being disposed of or recycled for parts. Changes in American entertainment, as well as the space and upkeep required to own an acoustic piano, have led people to pursue other interests or purchase less expensive digital pianos. However, the number of Americans learning to play the piano has not changed, which shows that the instrument is still appreciated.

Use The Piano Shop on the Left Bank and “Those Old Piano Blues” to answer questions 34–37.

In the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank and the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues,” with which statement would both authors most likely agree?

While the narrator of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank finds an old Stingl valuable enough for him to spend a lot of money on it, the author of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues” —

What is one notable difference between the two excerpts?

What feeling is conveyed by both the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank and the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

Which sentence from the selection best expresses the author’s opinion about the culture of high school?

In paragraph 2, what is the author’s main reason for including the anecdote about Mattie Stepanek?

In paragraph 4, what does grandeur most nearly mean?

What evidence does the author primarily use to support her message?

Read this quotation from paragraph 10.

Based on the quotation, the author views her high-school years as a source of —

Based on paragraphs 4 and 5 of the selection, what can be inferred about the author?

According to the selection, the author urges high-school students to be —

Which sentence from paragraph 5 best illustrates the author’s feeling that her life experiences have made her more confident?

What do the repeated italicized words “bang-bang-bang-bang-bang” in both paragraphs 1 and 5 emphasize?

In paragraph 2, what does exhume mean?

Which quotation best suggests that Kevin probably feels increasing pressure from external expectations?

How are paragraphs 8 through 10 important to the development of the plot?

Why does the author include the extended flashback in paragraph 1?

What does the narrator suggest about Kevin in paragraph 3?

Read this quotation from paragraph 7.

Based on the quotation, the reader can infer that Kevin feels —

Nancy has not used the most effective word in sentence 4. Which word should replace have to create a more effective sentence?

Which of these sentences should Nancy add at the beginning of the second paragraph (sentences 7–15) to serve as the most effective position statement for her essay?

Which sentence in the fourth paragraph (sentences 22–30) is extraneous and should be deleted?

Nancy is concerned that she has included a redundant sentence in the fifth paragraph (sentences 31–35). Which sentence should be deleted from the paragraph?

Which sentence should be added before sentence 1 to create a more effective introduction for his essay?

Reese is considering adding this idea to his second paragraph (sentences 4–8).Where should Reese insert this idea?

Reese needs a better transition between the second paragraph (sentences 4–8) and the third paragraph (sentences 9–14). Which sentence should replace sentence 9 to create a more effective transition?

Reese wants to improve the clarity of sentence 12. How should sentence 12 be revised?

Which sentence should Reese add after sentence 18 to provide additional support for the inference in sentence 19?

What change is needed in sentence 1?

What change is needed in sentence 12?

What is the correct way to write sentences 13 and 14?

What change is needed in sentence 17?

What change, if any, is needed in sentence 24?

What change should be made in sentence 2?

What change, if any, should be made in sentence 10?

What change, if any, should be made in sentence 21?

What is the correct way to write sentence 28?

Use The Piano Shop on the Left Bank (pp. 26–28) to answer questions 19–25.Read this quotation from paragraph 17 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.Why does the narrator use a metaphor to describe his response to playing the piano?

In paragraph 8 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, Luc suggests that the narrator —

In paragraph 1 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, which idea is introduced?

Read this quotation from paragraph 16 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.What can the reader infer about the narrator’s wife based on her words?

In paragraph 17 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, how does the narrator feel about playing the Stingl piano in the piano shop?

In paragraph 1 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, why does the narrator describe the piano as “a strange and wonderful combination of the robust and the delicate”?

Read this quotation from paragraph 1 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.What is the narrator’s purpose for including this description?

Use “From Those Old Piano Blues” (pp. 29–30) to answer questions 26–33.In the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues,” how does the author mainly organize his ideas?

Read this quotation from paragraph 2 of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues.”What does the author’s use of musical terminology convey in the quotation?

Which quotation best shows that the author of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues” is relieved someone wants his old piano?

What is the purpose of the information in the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

Read this dictionary entry.Which definition most closely matches the meaning of boom as it is used in paragraph 4 of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

In the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues,” what is the primary purpose of paragraph 7?

Which word from the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues” means “an approximate amount”?

Which is the best summary of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

Use The Piano Shop on the Left Bank and “Those Old Piano Blues” to answer questions 34–37.In the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank and the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues,” with which statement would both authors most likely agree?

While the narrator of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank finds an old Stingl valuable enough for him to spend a lot of money on it, the author of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues” —

What is one notable difference between the two excerpts?

What feeling is conveyed by both the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank and the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

Which sentence from the selection best expresses the author’s opinion about the culture of high school?

In paragraph 2, what is the author’s main reason for including the anecdote about Mattie Stepanek?

In paragraph 4, what does grandeur most nearly mean?

What evidence does the author primarily use to support her message?

Read this quotation from paragraph 10.Based on the quotation, the author views her high-school years as a source of —

Based on paragraphs 4 and 5 of the selection, what can be inferred about the author?

According to the selection, the author urges high-school students to be —

Which sentence from paragraph 5 best illustrates the author’s feeling that her life experiences have made her more confident?

What do the repeated italicized words “bang-bang-bang-bang-bang” in both paragraphs 1 and 5 emphasize?

In paragraph 2, what does exhume mean?

Which quotation best suggests that Kevin probably feels increasing pressure from external expectations?

How are paragraphs 8 through 10 important to the development of the plot?

Why does the author include the extended flashback in paragraph 1?

What does the narrator suggest about Kevin in paragraph 3?

Read this quotation from paragraph 7.Based on the quotation, the reader can infer that Kevin feels —

Reese is considering adding this idea to his second paragraph (sentences 4–8).

Where should Reese insert this idea?

Use The Piano Shop on the Left Bank (pp. 26–28) to answer questions 19–25.

Read this quotation from paragraph 17 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.

Why does the narrator use a metaphor to describe his response to playing the piano?

Read this quotation from paragraph 16 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.

What can the reader infer about the narrator’s wife based on her words?

Read this quotation from paragraph 1 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank.

What is the narrator’s purpose for including this description?

Use “From Those Old Piano Blues” (pp. 29–30) to answer questions 26–33.

In the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues,” how does the author mainly organize his ideas?

Read this quotation from paragraph 2 of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues.”

What does the author’s use of musical terminology convey in the quotation?

Read this dictionary entry.

Which definition most closely matches the meaning of boom as it is used in paragraph 4 of the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues”?

Use The Piano Shop on the Left Bank and “Those Old Piano Blues” to answer questions 34–37.

In the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank and the excerpt from the article “Those Old Piano Blues,” with which statement would both authors most likely agree?

Read this quotation from paragraph 10.

Based on the quotation, the author views her high-school years as a source of —

Read this quotation from paragraph 7.

Based on the quotation, the reader can infer that Kevin feels —