CAASPP Grade 11 ELA
star
star
star
star
star
Last updated about 1 month ago
34 questions
Read the text. Then answer questions 1-9.
Moving to the Back of Beyond
When my parents said the three of us were moving out to California, to a place just north of Los Angeles, my mind immediately went to thoughts of Disneyland and Hollywood, glitz and glamour. I imagined a Rodeo Drive shopping spree to pick out a bikini for the endless days I would be spending on the beach. However, I'd forgotten about my parents' penchant for the unconventional; they're definitely "the road less traveled" kind of people. Mom had a gopher snake for a pet when she was younger, and Dad was never happier than when he was climbing near-vertical cliffs that only mountain goats could love. These are not city folk.
They had chosen to buy a 900-square-foot cabin under a 250-year-old oak tree in the high chaparral1 forest out in the back of beyond—so far away from Los Angeles that you couldn't even see the glow of the lights at night. When I first saw where we were going to live, I vacillated between feeling terrified and excited. This would be an adventure, for sure. But this was no camping trip where you could go home to civilization after a few days of roughing it; this was home, and roughing it was the new normal.
On move-in day, we drove fifteen miles out from Antelope Valley—where the nearest grocery store was located—on a two-lane road past llamas, cattle, and horses. Up and up we went, until finally we turned down a dirt road and headed into a canyon full of towering Coulter pines, blue-green sagebrush, and ancient canyon live oaks. I didn't know the names of these plants then, of course; I learned them later. That first day all I saw then was a million shades of green.
We parked under an oak tree that shaded our cabin and a front yard of rock, sand, and sagebrush twice as large as the cabin itself. On the stone staircase that led to the front door, black lizards interrupted their push-ups to twist their heads and eye us as we passed. Scrub jays squawked and hummingbirds zoomed past the eaves, scolding us with their territorial calls.
No cars roared past. No radios blared from a neighbor's house. There were no neighbors-no human neighbors, anyway.
Our new home consisted of one bedroom, one bathroom, and one big room for everything else. A fireplace in the corner of the big room would be our sole source of heat in the winter. A swamp box cooler) would blow a breeze over a big damp pad to keep us cool all summer, or so my father said. But it was early autumn that day, and the temperature was perfect in the shade of the oak tree. Our oak tree, I thought; I was settling in.
Mom wiped a layer of grime off the kitchen counter and muttered about getting a bottle of bleach on our next trip into town. That was the beginning of an important lesson about living in the back of beyond: you don't just zip over to the local convenience store anytime you need something out here. You have to make a careful list and check it twice so that you don't forget anything, because anywhere is a long way from here.
On my first walk around the property, I saw two horned toads, a red-tailed hawk, and some deer tracks. I wondered what else I might find deeper and higher in the canyon. Dad told me the real estate agent had mentioned that coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, rattlesnakes, and even bears roamed these hills. To my surprise, I found I couldn't wait to see them. All of them. I felt my feet taking root in the earth, claiming this place as home.
With no street lamps timed to turn on at sunset, when night came it was darker than anything I had ever experienced. Mom and I went out to look at the stars while Dad tried to unplug the ancient toilet. In the city, or even in the suburbs where I had lived before, you could see only the brightest stars in the sky. But out here, it was like being in a planetarium, except there were no labels typed onto our sky. The sheer number and spread of stars was awe-inspiring.
That first night, we slept on air mattresses on the living room floor because the movers had not yet arrived. There were no curtains on the windows, so when the moon rose, it shone in as if moonbeams were an integral part of the cabin.
Eventually, I moved into the bedroom and Mom and Dad got a foldout bed for the living room. Over the next few months, I began to count the passage of time in full moons rather than by the pages of a calendar, and for the first time I really noticed the days growing shorter in winter and longer in summer.
It's hard to believe, but we've been here for six years now. I've been going to school in the valley, but I feel most at home up here with my wild fellow canyon dwellers. Soon, I will have to leave home for college, and I'm a little afraid of the culture shock I'm sure I will feel when I move back to civilization. Soon I'll be walking on pavement and well-mowed grass again, rooming with strangers, and eating meals in a cafeteria crowded with more people than live within twenty miles of this house. But I know I will come back. The back of beyond is home now.
1. chaparral: a dense thicket of shrubs and small trees
Required
1
The reader can conclude that the narrator is open to living at "the back of beyond" and accepts her new life there.Click three sentences that best support this conclusion.
The reader can conclude that the narrator is open to living at "the back of beyond" and accepts her new life there.
Click three sentences that best support this conclusion.
Our new home consisted of one bedroom, one bathroom, and one big room for everything else. A fireplace in the corner of the big room would be our sole source of heat in the winter. A swamp box (cooler) would blow a breeze over a big damp pad to keep us cool all summer, or so my father said. But it was early autumn that day, and the temperature was perfect in the shade of the oak tree. Our oak tree, I thought; I was settling in.
Mom wiped a layer of grime off the kitchen counter and muttered about getting a bottle of bleach on our next trip into town. That was the beginning of an important lesson about living in the back of beyond: you don't just zip over to the local convenience store anytime you need something out here. You have to make a careful list and check it twice so that you don't forget anything, because anywhere is a long way from here.
On my first walk around the property, I saw two horned toads, a red-tailed hawk, and some deer tracks. I wondered what else I might find deeper and higher in the canyon. Dad told me the real estate agent had mentioned that coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, rattlesnakes, and even bears roamed these hills. To my surprise, I found I couldn't wait to see them. All of them. I felt my feet taking root in the earth, claiming this place as home.
Required
1
Click the two sentences that best support the inference that the narrator's expectations before the move were based on a kind of fantasy.
Click the two sentences that best support the inference that the narrator's expectations before the move were based on a kind of fantasy.
When my parents said the three of us were moving out to California, to a place just north of Los Angeles, my mind immediately went to thoughts of Disneyland and Hollywood, glitz and glamour. I imagined a Rodeo Drive shopping spree to pick out a bikini for the endless days I would be spending on the beach. However, I'd forgotten about my parents' penchant for the unconventional; they're definitely "the road less traveled" kind of people. Mom had a gopher snake for a pet when she was younger, and Dad was never happier than when he was climbing near-vertical cliffs that only mountain goats could love. These are not city folk.
Required
1
The narrator implies that living at the "back of beyond" helps her to connect to the natural world. Which detail from the text best supports this idea?
The narrator implies that living at the "back of beyond" helps her to connect to the natural world. Which detail from the text best supports this idea?
Required
2
What is the author's message about living with nature? Use details from the text to support your answer.
What is the author's message about living with nature? Use details from the text to support your answer.
Required
1
The following question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part AWhich statement best expresses the theme of the text?
The following question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part A
Which statement best expresses the theme of the text?
Required
1
Part BWhich sentence from the text best supports your answer in part A?
Part B
Which sentence from the text best supports your answer in part A?
Required
1
Read the sentence from the text.
When I first saw where we were going to live, I vacillated between feeling terrified and excited.
What does the author communicate to the reader with the use of "vacillated?" Select three options.
Read the sentence from the text.
When I first saw where we were going to live, I vacillated between feeling terrified and excited.
What does the author communicate to the reader with the use of "vacillated?" Select three options.
Required
1
The following question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part AWhat is most likely the author's intent by mentioning the "Rodeo Drive shopping spree" in the following paragraph?
When my parents said the three of us were moving out to California, to a place just north of Los Angeles, my mind immediately went to thoughts of Disneyland and Hollywood, glitz and glamour. I imagined a Rodeo Drive shopping spree to pick out a bikini for the endless days I would be spending on the beach. However, I'd forgotten about my parents penchant for the unconventional; they're definitely"the road less traveled" kind ofpeople. Mom had a gopher snake for a pet when she was younger, and Dad was never happier than when he was climbing near-vertical cliffs that only mountain goats could love. These are not city folk.
The following question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part A
What is most likely the author's intent by mentioning the "Rodeo Drive shopping spree" in the following paragraph?
When my parents said the three of us were moving out to California, to a place just north of Los Angeles, my mind immediately went to thoughts of Disneyland and Hollywood, glitz and glamour. I imagined a Rodeo Drive shopping spree to pick out a bikini for the endless days I would be spending on the beach. However, I'd forgotten about my parents penchant for the unconventional; they're definitely
"the road less traveled" kind of
people. Mom had a gopher snake for a pet when she was younger, and Dad was never happier than when he was climbing near-vertical cliffs that only mountain goats could love. These are not city folk.
Required
1
Part BWhich sentence from the text best supports your answer in part A?
Part B
Which sentence from the text best supports your answer in part A?
Read the text and answer questions 10-18.
Blue Crabs Provide Evidence of Oil Tainting Gulf Food Web
Weeks ago, before engineers pumped in mud and cement to plug the gusher, scientists began finding specks of oil in crab larvae plucked from waters across the Gulf coast.
The government said last week that three-quarters of the spilled oil has been removed or naturally dissipated from the water. But the crab larvae discovery was an ominous sign that crude had already infiltrated the Gulf's vast food web-and could affect it for years to come.
"It would suggest the oil has reached a position where it can start moving up the food chain instead of just hanging in the water," said Bob Thomas, a biologist at Loyola University in New Orleans. "Something likely will eat those oiled larvae . . . and then that animal will be eaten by something bigger and so on."
Tiny creatures might take in such low amounts of oil that they could survive, Thomas said. But those at the top of the chain, such as dolphins and tuna, could get fatal "megadoses."
Marine biologists routinely gather shellfish for study. Since the spill began, many of the crab larvae collected have had the distinctive orange oil droplets, said Harriet Perry, a biologist with the University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Coast Research Laboratory.
"In my 42 years of studying crabs I've never seen this," Perry said.
She wouldn't estimate how much of the crab larvae are contaminated overall, but said about 40 percent of the area they are known to inhabit has been affected by oil from the spill.
While fish can metabolize dispersant and oil, crabs may accumulate the hydrocarbons, which could harm their ability to reproduce, Perry said in an earlier interview with Science magazine.
She told the magazine there are two encouraging signs for the wild larvae-they are alive when collected and may lose oil droplets when they molt.
Tulane University researchers are investigating whether the splotches also contain toxic chemical dispersants that were spread to break up the oil but have reached no conclusions, biologist Caz Taylor said.
If large numbers of blue crab larvae are tainted, their population is virtually certain to take a hit over the next year and perhaps longer, scientists say. The spawning season occurs between April and October, but the peak months are in July and August.
How large the die-off would be is unclear, Perry said. An estimated 207 million gallons of oil have spewed into the Gulf since an April 20 drilling rig explosion triggered the spill, and thousands of gallons of dispersant chemicals have been dumped.
Scientists will be focusing on crabs because they're a "keystone species" that play a crucial role in the food web as both predator and prey, Perry said.
Richard Condrey, a Louisiana State University oceanographer, said the crabs are "a living repository of information on the health of the environment."
Named for the light-blue tint of their claws, the crabs have thick shells and 10 legs, allowing them to swim and scuttle across bottomlands. As adults, they live in the Gulf's bays and estuaries amid marshes that offer protection and abundant food, including snails, tiny shellfish, plants and even smaller crabs. In turn, they provide sustenance for a variety of wildlife, from redfish to raccoons and whooping cranes.
Adults could be harmed by direct contact with oil and from eating polluted food. But scientists are particularly worried about the vulnerable larvae.
That's because females don't lay their eggs in sheltered places, but in areas where estuaries meet the open sea. Condrey discovered several years ago that some even deposit offspring on shoals miles offshore in the Gulf.
The larvae grow as they drift with the currents back toward the estuaries for a month or longer. Many are eaten by predators, and only a handful of the 3 million or so eggs from a single female live to adulthood.
But their survival could drop even lower if the larvae run into oil and dispersants.
"Crabs are very abundant. I don't think we're looking at extinction or anything close to it," said Taylor, one of the researchers who discovered the orange spots.
Still, crabs and other estuary-dependent species such as shrimp and red snapper could feel the effects of remnants of the spill for years, Perry said.
"There could be some mortality, but how much is impossible to say at this point," said Vince Guillory, biologist manager with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Perry, Taylor and Condrey will be among scientists monitoring crabs for negative effects such as population drop-offs and damage to reproductive capabilities and growth rates.
Crabs are big business in the region. In Louisiana alone, some 33 million pounds are harvested annually, generating nearly $300 million in economic activity, Guillory said.
Blue crabs are harvested year-round, but summer and early fall are peak months for harvesting, Guillory said.
Prices for live blue crab generally have gone up, partly because of the Louisiana catch scaling back due to fishing closures, said Steve Hedlund, editor of SeafoodSource.com, a website that covers the global seafood industry.
Fishers who can make a six-figure income off crabs in a good year now are now idled-and worried about the future.
"If they'd let us go out and fish today, we'd probably catch crabs," said Glen Despaux, 37, who sets his traps in Louisiana's Barataria Bay. "But what's going to happen next year, if this water is polluted and it's killing the eggs and the larvae? I think it's going to be a long-term problem."
Excerpt from "Blue Crabs Provide Evidence of Oil Tainting Gulf Food Web" by John Flesher. Copyright © 2010 by The Associated Press. Reprinted by permission of The Associated Press.
Required
1
Select the two sentences from the text that best support the inference that blue crabs may be less impacted by the oil spill than some scientists predict.
Select the two sentences from the text that best support the inference that blue crabs may be less impacted by the oil spill than some scientists predict.
Required
2
Summarize the author's point about why scientists are monitoring the blue crab population so closely. Support your summary using key evidence from the text.
Summarize the author's point about why scientists are monitoring the blue crab population so closely. Support your summary using key evidence from the text.
Required
1
The following question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part ARead this section from the text and the directions that follow.
Weeks ago, before engineers pumped in mud and cement to plug the gusher, scientists began finding specks of oil in crab larvae plucked from waters across the Gulf coast.
The govemment said last week that three-quarters of the spilled oil has been removed or naturally dissipated from the water. But the crab larvae discovery was an ominous sign that crude had already infiltrated the Gulf's vast food web—and could affect it for ears to come.
"It would suggest the oil has reached a position where it can start moving up the food chain instead of just hanging in the water," said Bob Thomas, a biologist at Loyola University in New Orleans. "Something likely will eat those oiled larvae ... and then that animal will be eaten by something bigger and so on."
What is the central idea of the section?
The following question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part A
Read this section from the text and the directions that follow.
Weeks ago, before engineers pumped in mud and cement to plug the gusher, scientists began finding specks of oil in crab larvae plucked from waters across the Gulf coast.
The govemment said last week that three-quarters of the spilled oil has been removed or naturally dissipated from the water. But the crab larvae discovery was an ominous sign that crude had already infiltrated the Gulf's vast food web—and could affect it for ears to come.
"It would suggest the oil has reached a position where it can start moving up the food chain instead of just hanging in the water," said Bob Thomas, a biologist at Loyola University in New Orleans. "Something likely will eat those oiled larvae ... and then that animal will be eaten by something bigger and so on."
What is the central idea of the section?
Required
1
Part BWhich sentence from the text best expresses the same central idea you chose in part A?
Part B
Which sentence from the text best expresses the same central idea you chose in part A?
Required
1
Read the sentence from the text.
The government said last week that three-quarters of the spilled oil has been removed or naturally dissipated from the water.
What does the use of the word dissipated suggest? Select two options.
Read the sentence from the text.
The government said last week that three-quarters of the spilled oil has been removed or naturally dissipated from the water.
What does the use of the word dissipated suggest? Select two options.
Required
2
What inference can be made about the evidence the author uses to support claims in the text? Support your answer with evidence from the text.
What inference can be made about the evidence the author uses to support claims in the text? Support your answer with evidence from the text.
Required
1
What does the conflicting information about the effects of oil on blue crab larvae reveal about the author's point of view?
What does the conflicting information about the effects of oil on blue crab larvae reveal about the author's point of view?
Required
1
How does the last paragraph affect the presentation of information? Select three options.
How does the last paragraph affect the presentation of information? Select three options.
Required
1
Read the sentence from the text.
Scientists will be focusing on crabs because they're a "keystone species" that play a crucial role in the food web as both predator and prey, Perry said.
Which statement best describes what the phrase keystone species adds to the meaning of the text?
Read the sentence from the text.
Scientists will be focusing on crabs because they're a "keystone species" that play a crucial role in the food web as both predator and prey, Perry said.
Which statement best describes what the phrase keystone species adds to the meaning of the text?
Required
1
A student is writing an editorial for the school newspaper about volunteering in the community. Read the excerpt from a draft of the editorial and complete the task that follows.
The Value of Volunteering
There are many positive aspects to volunteering. You gain valuable hands-on experience wherever you are working. If you volunteer in a homework help program at the library, you learn how to teach others.
Some students use volunteering as a way to try out a career direction. A student who wants to be a children's doctor can volunteer in the children's wing of a hospital. You can learn leadership skills as a volunteer. If you work in an afterschool program at the local recreation center, you might find yourself leading a group of children in a game of basketball.
Many teens simply do not have the time to fit another activity into a busy schedule that includes schoolwork, sports, clubs, jobs, and a social life. Some students view their extracurricular activities as a way to accomplish the same goals that volunteering does. You can gain leadership skills as the captain of the volleyball team or organizational skills by working on the high school yearbook.
But one thing you gain from volunteering that you cannot get from other activities is the sense that you are making a difference in the world. This is an intangible benefit that is perhaps the most important aspect of volunteer work. One of the main goals in educating our youth is to teach them to become productive members of society. As a way to reach that goal, there is very little to compare with volunteering.
Choose the transition sentence that would improve the links between the first and the second paragraph.
A student is writing an editorial for the school newspaper about volunteering in the community. Read the excerpt from a draft of the editorial and complete the task that follows.
The Value of Volunteering
There are many positive aspects to volunteering. You gain valuable hands-on experience wherever you are working. If you volunteer in a homework help program at the library, you learn how to teach others.
Some students use volunteering as a way to try out a career direction. A student who wants to be a children's doctor can volunteer in the children's wing of a hospital. You can learn leadership skills as a volunteer. If you work in an afterschool program at the local recreation center, you might find yourself leading a group of children in a game of basketball.
Many teens simply do not have the time to fit another activity into a busy schedule that includes schoolwork, sports, clubs, jobs, and a social life. Some students view their extracurricular activities as a way to accomplish the same goals that volunteering does. You can gain leadership skills as the captain of the volleyball team or organizational skills by working on the high school yearbook.
But one thing you gain from volunteering that you cannot get from other activities is the sense that you are making a difference in the world. This is an intangible benefit that is perhaps the most important aspect of volunteer work. One of the main goals in educating our youth is to teach them to become productive members of society. As a way to reach that goal, there is very little to compare with volunteering.
Choose the transition sentence that would improve the links between the first and the second paragraph.
Required
1
A student is writing an article about safety in high school athletics. Read the draft of the article and complete the task that follows.
Just how safe are high school athletics? Critics would argue that most sports are highly dangerous to those teens who participate in them. Recently football has been the most closely scrutinized. The dangers of the high school gridiron are many: head injuries, knee injuries, and heat exhaustion. It seems as if every year more studies are released implicating the immediate and long-term effects of this highly physical sport. Football, however, is not the only sport that has drawn attention. Any sport that involves contact (basketball, hockey, lacrosse) can leave its players vulnerable to injury. The question then becomes: what is being done to prevent these injuries?
Steps are being taken to reduce the most serious complications of all sports. One way that these issues are being addressed is through the development of new equipment. Another way is through more stringent rules that govern practices as well as game time situations. Most importantly, educating players, coaches, and parents to the real dangers of athletics has taken a new priority.
Through education, regulations, and equipment, high school sports can continue to be a source of entertainment, not danger.
Select the two sentences that provide the best evidence to support the main idea of the paper.
A student is writing an article about safety in high school athletics. Read the draft of the article and complete the task that follows.
Just how safe are high school athletics? Critics would argue that most sports are highly dangerous to those teens who participate in them. Recently football has been the most closely scrutinized. The dangers of the high school gridiron are many: head injuries, knee injuries, and heat exhaustion. It seems as if every year more studies are released implicating the immediate and long-term effects of this highly physical sport. Football, however, is not the only sport that has drawn attention. Any sport that involves contact (basketball, hockey, lacrosse) can leave its players vulnerable to injury. The question then becomes: what is being done to prevent these injuries?
Steps are being taken to reduce the most serious complications of all sports. One way that these issues are being addressed is through the development of new equipment. Another way is through more stringent rules that govern practices as well as game time situations. Most importantly, educating players, coaches, and parents to the real dangers of athletics has taken a new priority.
Through education, regulations, and equipment, high school sports can continue to be a source of entertainment, not danger.
Select the two sentences that provide the best evidence to support the main idea of the paper.
Required
2
A student is writing a report for history class about the importance of the Magna Carta. Read the draft of the report and complete the task that follows.
When we think of the most important government documents in history, we often think first of the U.S. Constitution or the Declaration of Independence. While the importance of these documents can hardly be overestimated, it is all too easy to forget that without the Magna Carta neither of them would have been possible. The Magna Carta was a landmark government document that played a key role in the development of modern democracy. The effects of this critical piece of legislation are still felt today.
The roots of the Magna Carta were tied to the reign of King John, who took control of the English throne in 1199. Almost from the moment he became king, John ruled forcefully over his people, imposing harsh laws and severely punishing anyone who dared not to follow them. He was also focused on becoming even more powerful than he already was and repeatedly declared war on France to widen his kingdom. In need of money to fund his wars, King John required his nobles to pay large fees if they chose not to fight on his behalf.
Eventually, King John's constant abuses of power became too much for the nobles to bear. In 1213, they began a rebellion against the king, and, by 1215, England was on the brink of civil war. Realizing he had no other choice, King John met with his nobles on June 15, 1215, and agreed to sign a document that placed limitations on his power and gave the nobles certain guaranteed rights. First called the Articles of the Barons, the document soon became known as the Magna Carta. Though the Magna Carta did not end the conflict between King John and the nobles, it ultimately remained in place after being revised several times.
The rights guaranteed by the Magna Carta came in time to have a significant effect on England's system of government. Most importantly, it helped to establish a fair legal system that granted everyone the right to due process of the law. It also led to the formation of a legislative body that became known as Parliament. Centuries after it was first written, the Magna Carta's influence was again felt when the United States of America was founded. The abuses of power listed in the Declaration of Independence echo the claims made against King John by his nobles. When the framers wrote the U.S. Constitution, they looked to the Magna Carta to outline the rights of citizens and design the new country's legal system.
Write a conclusion that follows logically from the information in the essay.
A student is writing a report for history class about the importance of the Magna Carta. Read the draft of the report and complete the task that follows.
When we think of the most important government documents in history, we often think first of the U.S. Constitution or the Declaration of Independence. While the importance of these documents can hardly be overestimated, it is all too easy to forget that without the Magna Carta neither of them would have been possible. The Magna Carta was a landmark government document that played a key role in the development of modern democracy. The effects of this critical piece of legislation are still felt today.
The roots of the Magna Carta were tied to the reign of King John, who took control of the English throne in 1199. Almost from the moment he became king, John ruled forcefully over his people, imposing harsh laws and severely punishing anyone who dared not to follow them. He was also focused on becoming even more powerful than he already was and repeatedly declared war on France to widen his kingdom. In need of money to fund his wars, King John required his nobles to pay large fees if they chose not to fight on his behalf.
Eventually, King John's constant abuses of power became too much for the nobles to bear. In 1213, they began a rebellion against the king, and, by 1215, England was on the brink of civil war. Realizing he had no other choice, King John met with his nobles on June 15, 1215, and agreed to sign a document that placed limitations on his power and gave the nobles certain guaranteed rights. First called the Articles of the Barons, the document soon became known as the Magna Carta. Though the Magna Carta did not end the conflict between King John and the nobles, it ultimately remained in place after being revised several times.
The rights guaranteed by the Magna Carta came in time to have a significant effect on England's system of government. Most importantly, it helped to establish a fair legal system that granted everyone the right to due process of the law. It also led to the formation of a legislative body that became known as Parliament. Centuries after it was first written, the Magna Carta's influence was again felt when the United States of America was founded. The abuses of power listed in the Declaration of Independence echo the claims made against King John by his nobles. When the framers wrote the U.S. Constitution, they looked to the Magna Carta to outline the rights of citizens and design the new country's legal system.
Write a conclusion that follows logically from the information in the essay.
Required
1
A student is writing a persuasive speech for his speech class about the value of fine arts programs public education. Read the paragraphs from the student's draft and complete the task that follows.
Value of the Arts
Fine arts programs in public education furnish critical thinking. Artists must evaluate their work for form and substance to ensure it accurately represents their vision and make any adjustments that are needed. Musicians must practice their skills continually and evaluate accuracy of their performance.
Arts programs also encourage goal setting. Both artists and musicians must make a vision of what they want their skills to be, and work to achieve that vision. They must constantly evaluate their abilities and decide what they must do to reach their goals. Goal setting is a skill that will be valuable to them not only in the arts, but also in other areas of life.
What are more concrete or specific words to replace the two underlined words?
A student is writing a persuasive speech for his speech class about the value of fine arts programs public education. Read the paragraphs from the student's draft and complete the task that follows.
Value of the Arts
Fine arts programs in public education furnish critical thinking. Artists must evaluate their work for form and substance to ensure it accurately represents their vision and make any adjustments that are needed. Musicians must practice their skills continually and evaluate accuracy of their performance.
Arts programs also encourage goal setting. Both artists and musicians must make a vision of what they want their skills to be, and work to achieve that vision. They must constantly evaluate their abilities and decide what they must do to reach their goals. Goal setting is a skill that will be valuable to them not only in the arts, but also in other areas of life.
What are more concrete or specific words to replace the two underlined words?
Required
1
A student is writing a report for class about her favorite sport. Select two sentences that are correctly punctuated.
A student is writing a report for class about her favorite sport. Select two sentences that are correctly punctuated.
Required
1
Which sentence uses incorrect parallel structure?
Which sentence uses incorrect parallel structure?
The Birth of Democracy
Listen to the presentation. Then answer questions 25–28.
Excerpt from “The Birth of Democracy” from Calliope, Vol. 21, No. 8, 2011. Copyright© 2011 by Carus Publishing Company. Reused by permission of Carus Publishing Company
Required
1
This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part AWhich conclusion can be made based on the presentation?
This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part A
Which conclusion can be made based on the presentation?
Required
1
Part BWhich detail provides support for your answer in part A?
Part B
Which detail provides support for your answer in part A?
Required
1
According to the presentation, why can the system of government in ancient Athens be called a direct democracy?
According to the presentation, why can the system of government in ancient Athens be called a direct democracy?
Required
1
Complete the table to show the characteristics of each body of Athenian government. Click in the boxes next to the detail that applies to the type of governing body.
Complete the table to show the characteristics of each body of Athenian government. Click in the boxes next to the detail that applies to the type of governing body.
Council | Assembly | |
|---|---|---|
comprised of 500 citizens | ||
met 30 to 40 times per year | ||
superintended religious festivals | ||
every member had the right to speak |
Drafting and Designing
Listen to the presentation. Then answer questions 29–31.
Excerpt from “Drafting and Designing” by Ann Feetham, from Cobblestone, Sept. 2012. Copyright © 2012 by Carus Publishing Company. Reused by permission of Carus Publishing Company.
Required
1
Which conclusion is best supported by evidence from the presentation?
Which conclusion is best supported by evidence from the presentation?
Required
1
Complete the table to show the differences in the characteristics of a traditional American home and Jefferson's home.
Complete the table to show the differences in the characteristics of a traditional American home and Jefferson's home.
faced south | built in valley | faced southwest | made from wood | made from red brick | built on mountaintop | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
traditional American home | ||||||
Jefferson's home |
Required
1
Which details from the presentation best support the idea that Jefferson wanted to control the building of his house? Select three options.
Which details from the presentation best support the idea that Jefferson wanted to control the building of his house? Select three options.
Required
1
A student is writing a research report about the Iditarod Trail and annual dogsled race in norther Alaska. Read the paragraphs from her report and the directions that follow.
Alaska's Iditarod National Historic Trail has a long and rich history of travel and trade routes, including during the Sold Rush of the nineteenth century. Located close to the Arctic Circle, the one-thousand-mile trail system is known for its rugged terrain and harsh winters. But it is primarily known for the internationally famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, commonly referred to as simply the Iditarod. The Iditarod was founded in the 1970s by a few Alaskans determined to commemorate the state's rich history of dogsledding and to honor a famous event: the halt of a serious diphtheria epidemic in 1925, when a crucial medical serum was delivered by dogsled to the Alaskan citizens in need.
The Iditarod is an epic challenge for man and man's best friend: it's a grueling 1150-mile trek from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. Although held in early spring, the conditions are extremely harsh. Each team consists of a human captain (also called a musher leading a team of more than a dozen sled dogs-mostly Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, or Eskimo Dogs. Together, they brave frigid conditions, including frozen tundra and icy forests. "The Last Great Race on Earth, as it is also called, starts during the first week in March with teams generally reaching Nome in 10-15 days.
Select two credible sources that would most likely give the student more information for her paragraphs.
A student is writing a research report about the Iditarod Trail and annual dogsled race in norther Alaska. Read the paragraphs from her report and the directions that follow.
Alaska's Iditarod National Historic Trail has a long and rich history of travel and trade routes, including during the Sold Rush of the nineteenth century. Located close to the Arctic Circle, the one-thousand-mile trail system is known for its rugged terrain and harsh winters. But it is primarily known for the internationally famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, commonly referred to as simply the Iditarod. The Iditarod was founded in the 1970s by a few Alaskans determined to commemorate the state's rich history of dogsledding and to honor a famous event: the halt of a serious diphtheria epidemic in 1925, when a crucial medical serum was delivered by dogsled to the Alaskan citizens in need.
The Iditarod is an epic challenge for man and man's best friend: it's a grueling 1150-mile trek from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska. Although held in early spring, the conditions are extremely harsh. Each team consists of a human captain (also called a musher leading a team of more than a dozen sled dogs-mostly Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, or Eskimo Dogs. Together, they brave frigid conditions, including frozen tundra and icy forests. "The Last Great Race on Earth, as it is also called, starts during the first week in March with teams generally reaching Nome in 10-15 days.
Select two credible sources that would most likely give the student more information for her paragraphs.
Required
1
A student is writing a research report for science class about sunscreens. Read the credible source the student found and the directions that follow.
Source 1: "Understanding how Sunscreen Works" by Tim Sheib
People are exposed to ultraviolet radiation, or UV, from the sun whenever they are outdoors.Ultraviolet rays produce radiation at wave lengths that are shorter than light rays but longer than X-rays. Sunscreen is made to protect skin from the damage UV can cause and is made from a combination of chemicals designed to either reflect light away from the skin or to absorb the sun's rays so that they do not affect the skin. Sunscreens are designed to block two types of ultraviolet radiation. The first type of UV is the one that causes wrinkling and age spots because it affects the deeper skin layers. The second type of UV causes sunburns. Sunscreens are rated by their Sun Protection Factor, or SPF, which indicates how well the sunscreen will protect the skin and approximately how long it will take before the skin begins to burn. For example, SPF 20 sunscreen will prevent burning for 20 times longer than it usually takes a person's skin to burn with no protection at all. However, studies have shown that sunscreens with an SPF higher than 50 are not likely to offer more protection than a sunscreen of 50.
The student found another source. Read Source 2 and click on one sentence that has information with gaps, or information that is inconsistent with the information in Source 1.
A student is writing a research report for science class about sunscreens. Read the credible source the student found and the directions that follow.
Source 1: "Understanding how Sunscreen Works" by Tim Sheib
People are exposed to ultraviolet radiation, or UV, from the sun whenever they are outdoors.
Ultraviolet rays produce radiation at wave lengths that are shorter than light rays but longer than X-rays. Sunscreen is made to protect skin from the damage UV can cause and is made from a combination of chemicals designed to either reflect light away from the skin or to absorb the sun's rays so that they do not affect the skin. Sunscreens are designed to block two types of ultraviolet radiation. The first type of UV is the one that causes wrinkling and age spots because it affects the deeper skin layers. The second type of UV causes sunburns. Sunscreens are rated by their Sun Protection Factor, or SPF, which indicates how well the sunscreen will protect the skin and approximately how long it will take before the skin begins to burn. For example, SPF 20 sunscreen will prevent burning for 20 times longer than it usually takes a person's skin to burn with no protection at all. However, studies have shown that sunscreens with an SPF higher than 50 are not likely to offer more protection than a sunscreen of 50.
The student found another source. Read Source 2 and click on one sentence that has information with gaps, or information that is inconsistent with the information in Source 1.
Source 2: "Ultraviolet Rays and Sunscreen" by Louie Benjamin
The sun produces ultraviolet radiation, which can have damaging effects on the skin. The redness and pain of sunburns is caused by the sun's invisible rays. In addition to sunburn, ultraviolet rays can cause age spots and wrinkling. The combination of ingredients in sunscreen can either reflect or absorb UV radiation and provide protection that is measured in SPF (Sun Protection Factor). The higher the SPF, the more protection the sunscreen provides. The type of sunscreen is also important since some kinds of UV can cause cell damage to the skin.
Required
1
A student is writing an argumentative report about the causes of sleepwalking. She found possible sources for her report. Read the sources and the directions that follow.
Source 1: "What is Sleepwalking?" by Mat Valerio
Sleepwalking is a sleep disorder that causes a person to get up and walk while still asleep, usually during the deepest stages of sleep. While sleepwalking, a person does not often respond when someone asks a question or touches him or her. Though sometimes a sleepwalker will verbally respond, the response will make no sense. A sleepwalking episode can include the person just walking quietly around a room or demonstrating very agitated behavior and trying to "escape" the room.
Source 2: "Is Sleepwalking Genetic?" by Chris Shue
Sleepwalking occurs most often during middle childhood through adolescence. Some adults also sleepwalk, but it is much more common among children. Genetics may play a big role in determining who will be a sleepwalker as the tendency runs in families. Environmental and medical conditions also may contribute to sleepwalking episodes. Sleepwalking was described in some of the earliest recorded medical literature, even before Hippocrates, the "father of medicine," lived.
Source 3: "Am I a Sleepwalker?" by Angelique Kandar
Research has shown that a variety of factors contribute to sleepwalking episodes. Sleepwalkers are usually operating under a severe lack of sleep or have an irregular or hectic sleep schedule. Often, they are under great amounts of stress or anxiety. Some medical conditions, such as abnormal heart rhythms, nighttime seizures, and sleep apnea, have been known to cause sleepwalking. Sometimes a person who has taken a certain medication experiences a sleepwalking episode.
The student wrote down some claims to use in her report. Look at the claims on the table. Determine if the information in the sources supports each claim. Click on the boxes to show the claims that each source supports. A source may have more than one box selected.
A student is writing an argumentative report about the causes of sleepwalking. She found possible sources for her report. Read the sources and the directions that follow.
Source 1: "What is Sleepwalking?" by Mat Valerio
Sleepwalking is a sleep disorder that causes a person to get up and walk while still asleep, usually during the deepest stages of sleep. While sleepwalking, a person does not often respond when someone asks a question or touches him or her. Though sometimes a sleepwalker will verbally respond, the response will make no sense. A sleepwalking episode can include the person just walking quietly around a room or demonstrating very agitated behavior and trying to "escape" the room.
Source 2: "Is Sleepwalking Genetic?" by Chris Shue
Sleepwalking occurs most often during middle childhood through adolescence. Some adults also sleepwalk, but it is much more common among children. Genetics may play a big role in determining who will be a sleepwalker as the tendency runs in families. Environmental and medical conditions also may contribute to sleepwalking episodes. Sleepwalking was described in some of the earliest recorded medical literature, even before Hippocrates, the "father of medicine," lived.
Source 3: "Am I a Sleepwalker?" by Angelique Kandar
Research has shown that a variety of factors contribute to sleepwalking episodes. Sleepwalkers are usually operating under a severe lack of sleep or have an irregular or hectic sleep schedule. Often, they are under great amounts of stress or anxiety. Some medical conditions, such as abnormal heart rhythms, nighttime seizures, and sleep apnea, have been known to cause sleepwalking. Sometimes a person who has taken a certain medication experiences a sleepwalking episode.
The student wrote down some claims to use in her report. Look at the claims on the table. Determine if the information in the sources supports each claim. Click on the boxes to show the claims that each source supports. A source may have more than one box selected.
Source 1 | Source 2 | Source 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
Claim 1: Some outside influences make a person more likely to sleepwalk. | |||
Claim 2: If your mother was a sleepwalker, it is more likely that you will be, too. | |||
Claim 3: When people are sleepwalking they are not aware of their surroundings. | |||
Claim 4: Going to bed at the same time every night can help some children not to sleepwalk. |