CAHSEE on Target UC Davis, School and University Partnerships

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3 CAHSEE on Target English Language Arts Curriculum Published by The University of California, Davis, School/University Partnerships Program 2006 Director Sarah R. Martinez, School/University Partnerships, UC Davis Developed and Written by Syma Solovitch, School/University Partnerships, UC Davis Reviewers Jennifer Osborne, UC Davis English Graduate Faith Paul, School/University Partnerships, UC Davis Linda Whent, School/University Partnerships, UC Davis Sarah Rees, School/University Partnerships, UC Davis Design and Layout Bo Botelli, Publications Coordinator Jack Zhang, Publications Assistant Advising Services, UC Davis The CAHSEE on Target curriculum was made possible by funding and support from the California Academic Partnership Program, GEAR UP, and the University of California Office of the President. We also gratefully acknowledge the contributions of those teachers and administrators at Sacramento High School and Woodland High School who piloted the CAHSEE on Target curriculum. Copyright The Regents of the University of California, Davis campus, All Rights Reserved. Pages intended to be reproduced for students activities may be duplicated for classroom use. All other text may not be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the copyright holder. For further information, please visit the School/University Partnerships Web site at:

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5 Introduction to the CAHSEE The CAHSEE stands for the California High School Exit Exam. The English Language Arts section of the CAHSEE consists of 72 multiple-choice questions (45 reading items and 27 writing items) and one essay (accounting for 18% of the section). The items span across 6 distinct strands: Word Analysis: 7 Questions Reading Comprehension (Informational Text): 18 Questions Literary Response & Analysis: 20 Questions Writing Conventions: 15 Questions Writing Strategies: 12 Questions Writing Applications: 1 Essay (18% of the total score) What is CAHSEE on Target? CAHSEE on Target is a tutoring course specifically designed for the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). The goal of the program is to pinpoint each student s areas of weakness and to then address those weaknesses through classroom and small group instruction, concentrated review, computer tutorials and challenging games. Each student will receive a separate workbook for each strand and will use these workbooks during their tutoring sessions. These workbooks will present and explain each concept covered on the CAHSEE, and introduce effective strategies for reading comprehension, essay writing, and text revision.

6 Literary Text and the CAHSEE On the CAHSEE you will be given several passages to read, followed by a series of multiple-choice questions that test your understanding of the text. There are a total of 38 reading comprehension questions on the CAHSEE: 18 questions based on informational text and 20 questions based on literary text. Like the Reading Comprehension strand of the CAHSEE, the Literary Response & Analysis tests your ability to understand what you are reading; here, however, the emphasis is on literary text. Literary text refers to passages written in a literary style, such as poems, short stories, and plays. A literary style of writing makes use of figurative language and literary devices to create a powerful image for the reader. Figurative Language Authors use figurative language to help the reader visualize (or see) what is happening in a story or poem. It is language that uses imaginative comparison, rather than literal statement, to give the reader a feeling about the subject. When you read poetry or literature, you must be able to recognize figurative language and understand how it is used. Here are the most common forms of figurative language: A. Similes A simile is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things, using the words like or as. Example: Her hands were as cold as ice. Example: She moves like a snail. What does this mean? 2

7 Exercise: Read the following poem and underline all of the similes. Then answer the questions that follow. Willow and Ginkgo The willow is like an etching, Fine-lined against the sky. The ginkgo is like a crude sketch, Hardly worthy to be signed. The willow s music is like a soprano, Delicate and thin. The ginkgo s tune is like a chorus With everyone joining in. The willow is sleek as a velvet-nosed calf; The ginkgo is leathery as an old bull. The willow s branches are like silken thread; The ginkgo s like stubby rough wool. The willow is like a nymph with streaming hair; Wherever it grows, there is green and gold and fair. The willow dips to the water, Protected and precious, like the king s favorite daughter. The ginkgo forces its way through gray concrete; Like a city child, it grows up in the street. Thrust against the metal sky, Somehow it survives and even thrives. My eyes feast upon the willow, But my heart goes to the ginkgo. Eve Merriam

8 1. In which stanza does the author contrast the texture, or feel of the ginkgo and the willow? How does she distinguish them? 2. In the last stanza, Merriam writes, My eyes feast upon the willow, but my heart goes to the ginkgo. What does she mean by this? 3. Why do you think she feels this way? Your Turn: Make up three similes of your own. Each simile should contain at least one adjective

9 B. Metaphors A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things. However, unlike a simile, the words like and as are not used in a metaphor. A metaphor states that one thing is something else. Example: Her skin is velvet. (Note: The author does not state that her skin is like velvet or as soft as velvet. She states that it is velvet.) Example: In the following verse from Shakespeare s Macbeth, life is compared to a shadow, a player, and a tale. Out, out, brief candle. Life s but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. from Shakespeare s Macbeth Exercise: Underline any metaphors in the following poem: Dreams Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow. Langston Hughes 5

10 Practice: Each sentence below contains either a simile or a metaphor. Beside each sentence, write an S for simile or an M for metaphor. 1. Today in class Tim was as sharp as a whistle. 2. Stop being such a mother hen and mind your own business! 3. I m as blind as a bat without my glasses. 4. The sprinter shot across the field like lightning. 5. Dina is the sunshine to which her parents wake each morning. 6. Henry is as strong as an ox. 7. My sister s office is a pigpen. Your Turn: Make up three metaphors of your own. Each metaphor should contain at least one adjective For more exercises go to the following Web site: 6

11 C. Personification Personification means giving human qualities, feelings, action, or characteristics to non-human objects. Example: The trees whispered in the wind. The verb whispered is a human action, while a tree is a non-human object. Example: The sun poked its head out from the clouds and shone. Here, the sun is being compared to a person or animal. These words create a more colorful picture for the reader than the words, The sun appeared through the clouds. Example: In the following poem, fog, which is a non-human object, is given the human actions of sitting and looking. Fog The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking over harbor and city on silent haunches and then moves on. Carl Sandburg 7

12 Practice: Explain how personification is used in each sentence and the images created through its use. 1. The chair wept under the weight of the 300-pound man. 2. The angry wind blew onto the man on the narrow road. Your Turn: Make up three examples of personification

13 Exercise: Underline all examples of personification in the poem, and answer the questions that follow. Little Boy Blue The little toy dog is covered with dust, But sturdy and staunch he stands; And the little toy soldier is red with rust, And his musket moulds in his hands. Time was when the little toy dog was new, And the soldier was passing fair; And that was the time when our Little Boy Blue Kissed them and put them there. Now, don t you go till I come, he said, And don t you make any noise! So, toddling off to his trundle-bed, He dreamt of the pretty toys; And, as he was dreaming, an angel song Awakened our Little Boy Blue--- Oh! the years are many, the years are long, But the little toy friends are true! Ay, faithful to Little Boy Blue they stand, Each in the same old place--- Awaiting the touch of a little hand, The smile of a little face; And they wonder, as waiting the long years through In the dust of that little chair, What has become of our Little Boy Blue, Since he kissed them and put them there. Eugene Field

14 Questions based on Little Boy Blue by Eugene Field: 1. What is this poem about? 2. What is the effect of personification in this poem? For more examples of personification, go to the following Web site: 10

15 D. Onomatopoeia Onomatopoeia is the imitation of natural sounds in word form. These words help us form mental pictures about the things, people, or places that are described. Examples: Bong! Hiss! Buzz! Splash! Crackle! Pop! Moo! Crunch! Exercise: Read the next poem and underline all onomatopoeias: The Rusty Spigot The rusty spigot sputters, utters a splutter, spatters a smattering of drops, gashes wider; slash, splatters, scatters, spurts, finally stops sputtering and splash! gushes rushes splashes clear water dashes. Eve Merriam Your Turn: Write a sentence that uses two or three onomatopoeias. 11

16 CAHSEE on Target Review: Read the poem Corner by Ralph Pomeroy. Underline all examples of figurative language and write beside the line S for simile, M for metaphor, P for personification, or O for onomatopoeia. Then answer the question that follows. Corner The cop slumps alertly at his motorcycle supported by one leg like a leather stork His glance accuses me of loitering can see his eyes moving like a fish in the green depths of his green goggles His ease is fake. I can tell. My ease is fake. And he can tell. The fingers armored by his gloves Splay and clench, itching to change something As if he were my enemy or my death I just stand there watching, I spit out my gum, which has gone stale. I knock out my new cigarette Which is my bravery, It is all imperceptible: The way I shift my weight, the way he creaks in the saddle. The traffic is specific though constant The sun surrounds me, divides the street between us His crash helmet is whiter in the shade. It is like a bullring as they say it is just before the fighting I cannot back down. I am there. Everything holds me back. I am in danger of disappearing into the sunny dust, My Levis bake and my T shirt sweats, My cigarette makes my eyes burn But I don t dare drop it. 12

17 Who made him my enemy? Prince of coolness, King of fear Why do I lean here waiting? Why does he lounge there watching? I am becoming sunlight My hair is on fire. My boots run like tar. I am hung up by the bright air. Something breaks off all of a sudden And he blasts off, quick as a craven Snug in his power; watching me watch. Ralph Pomeroy Question based on Corner : In the last stanza, the author writes, I am becoming sunlight, My hair is on fire. Does the author mean this literally? Explain the effect created by these words. 13

18 Other Literary Terms to Learn for the CAHSEE: 1. Climax: the highest point of a story, often where great change occurs Example: In the reality TV show, The Apprentice, the climax occurs when Donald Trump looks one candidate in the eye and says, You re fired! 2. Conflict: the tension and suspense (A character may be in conflict with himself, another person, or with natural forces.) Example: In the play Romeo and Juliet, the conflict arises from the love affair between two members of rivaling families. 3. Dialogue: a conversation between two or more people Example: I ve had enough of this nonsense! exclaimed Emily. Well, I haven t! retorted Ruth. In fact, I m just getting started! 4. Flashback: the shifting back to events that took place at an earlier time, allowing the narrator to compare what is currently occurring in the story with what occurred earlier. Example: The movie, Saving Private Ryan, is told almost entirely in flashback. We get memories of the person telling the story and learn, only at the end of the movie, the identity of this person. 14

19 5. Foil: a character who serves as a contrast to the main character; a character whose traits are in direct contrast to those of the main character, thereby highlighting or emphasizing the traits of the main character Example: Cartoon character Elmer Fudd is the foil for Bugs Bunny. With his baby-like way of talking and shaky voice, it seems like he is always on the verge of tears. He believes anything he s told, thus falling right into Bugs trap. Elmer hates being a fool, but Bugs manages to make a fool out of him every time. Example: In the Sherlock Holmes stories, Dr. Watson was a foil for Sherlock Holmes. Dr. Watson was average in every way, while Sherlock was unusual in every way, even eccentric at times. 6. Foreshadowing: a hint, or suggestion, of what s to come Foreshadowing serves two purposes: A. It engages the reader s interest by building suspense and excitement. B. It prepares the reader for the events that follow. Example: In Shakespeare s play Macbeth, the conversation among the three witches foreshadows the events that will follow. Example: In horror movies, events are often foreshadowed through the weather: a character who turns out to be evil might arrive during a storm in the middle of the night. 15

20 7. Irony: the contrast between what is said and what is meant, or between the appearance of things and their reality Examples: The next two poems use irony. Read them and answer the questions that follow. We Real Cool We real cool. We Left school. We Lurk late. We Strike straight. We Sing sin. We Thin gin. We Jazz June. We Die soon. Gwendolyn Brooks Explain the use of irony in the poem. 16

21 Happiness Explain the use of irony in the poem: I asked the professors who teach the meaning of life to tell me what is happiness. And I went to famous executives who boss the work of thousands of men. They all shook their heads and gave me a smile as though I was trying to fool with them And then one Sunday afternoon I wandered out along the Desplaines river And I saw a crowd of Hungarians under the trees with their women and children and a keg of beer and an accordion. Carl Sandburg 17

22 8. Monologue: an extended solo speech by a character in a play (Note: Mono means one.) For an example of a monologue, see the example for soliloquy. 9. Narrator: the person speaking to us in a story or telling the story 10. Point of view: the angle from which a story is told, most commonly first or third person: First-person point of view: the narrator is one of the characters in the story (Note: The pronoun I or me is used to tell the story.) Third-person point of view: the narrator is not a character in the story (Note: The pronoun he or she is used to tell the story.) Example: Who do you think is the narrator of this poem? Two People She reads the paper, while he turns on TV; she likes the mountains, he craves the sea. He d rather drive, she ll take the plane; he waits for sunshine; she walks in the rain. He gulps down cold drinks, she sips at hot; he asks, Why go? She asks, Why not? In just about everything they disagree, but they love one another and they both love me. Who do you think is the narrator of this poem? Eve Merriam 18

23 11. Repetition: a technique in which the same word or phrase is repeated throughout a poem or story in order to highlight or emphasize something. Example: The following poem contains several examples of repetition. Underline any words or phrases that are repeated and answer the question that follows. And They Obey What effect is created by the repetition of these phrases? Smash down the cities. Knock the walls to pieces. Break the factories and cathedrals, warehouses and homes Into loose piles of stone and lumber and black burnt wood: You are the soldiers and we command you. Build up the cities. Set up the walls again. Put together once more the factories and cathedrals, warehouses and homes Into buildings for life and labor: You are workmen and citizens all: We command you. Carl Sandburg 12. Setting: the place and time in which a story or play occurs Example: The setting for the Wizard of Oz is small town in Kansas during the 1940 s. While the film begins in black and white, it shifts to color when the setting changes to the Land of Oz. 19

24 13. Soliloquy: a speech that a character makes in a drama in order to show his or her feelings and inner conflicts (Note: Below is one of the most famous soliloquies in history, from Shakespeare s Hamlet.) To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to, tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish d. To die, to sleep; To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there s the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause: there s the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor s wrong, the proud man s contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law s delay, The insolence of office and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscover d country from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pith and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action.--soft you now! The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons Be all my sins remember d. 20

25 14. Stanza: groups of lines that have been separated from other groups of lines in a poem (Note: Poems consist of stanzas, just as essays and stories consist of paragraphs. Stanzas are to poems as paragraphs are to essays and stories.) Example: The following poem is made up of several stanzas. My Papa s Waltz The whiskey on your breath Could make a small boy dizzy; But I hung on like death: Such waltzing was not easy. We romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf; My mother s countenance Could not unfrown itself. The hand that held my wrist Was battered on one knuckle; At every step you missed My right ear scraped a buckle. You beat time on my head With a palm caked hard by dirt, Then waltzed me off to bed Still clinging to your shirt. Theodore Roethke This poem consists of stanzas. A. one B. two C. three D. four 21

26 15. Tone: The emotion of a piece of writing; a writer shows his attitude toward a subject through the tone that he uses. Tone can be lighthearted, bitter or gloomy. Example: Read the next poem and answer the questions that follow. 1. What is the tone of the poem? A Teamster s Farewell (Sobs En Route to a Penitentiary) Good-by now to the streets and the clash of wheels and locking hubs, The sun coming on the brass buckles and harness knobs. The muscles of the horses sliding under their heavy haunches, Good-by now to the traffic policeman and his whistle, The smash of the iron hoof on the stones, All the crazy wonderful slamming roar of the street-- O God, there s noises I m going to be hungry for. Carl Sandburg 2. What does the poem s tone convey about the author s attitude toward the familiar scenes of every street life? 22

27 Literary Genres on the CAHSEE Genre means type or kind. On the CAHSEE, you must know the major genres that occur in both fiction and non-fiction. A. Fiction (something made up; something that didn t happen) Novel: a long work of fiction that tells the story of fictional characters and events (Note: Novels generally consist of multiple chapters.) Short Story: a short work of fiction that tells the story of fictional characters and events (Note: Short stories do not generally consist of chapters.) Play: a story to be performed, generally on the stage (Note: Plays generally consist of two or more acts, and each act consists of various scenes.) Poem: a piece of writing, often in verse, that is set out in short lines, often with noticeable rhythm B. Non-Fiction: something that happened i. Literary Text Biography: a book in which the author tells the true story of someone else s life Autobiography/Memoir: a book in which the author tells the true story of his or her own life ii. Informational Text Article: a piece of writing that gives information about a subject Essay: a piece of writing in which the author shares his or her reflections, thoughts and opinions on a certain subject (Note: An essay is always written from the author s point of view.) ESSAY 23

28 Review of Literary Terms Climax: the highest point of a story, often where great change occurs Conflict: the tension and suspense in a story Dialogue: a verbal exchange between two or more people Flashback: a shifting back to events that took place at an earlier time Foil: a character who serves as a contrast to the main character Foreshadowing: a hint, or suggestion, of what s to come Genre: type or kind (Literary genres include plays, poems, short stories and novels) Irony: the contrast between what is said and what is meant, or between the appearance of things and their reality Monologue: an extended solo speech by a character in a play (or sometimes a poem) Narrator: the person speaking to us in a story or telling the story Point of view: the angle from which a story is told (generally 1st or 3rd person point of view) Repetition: a technique in which the same word or phrase is repeated throughout a poem or story in order to highlight or emphasize something Setting: the place and time in which a story or play occurs Soliloquy: a speech that a character makes in a drama in order to show his or her feelings and inner conflicts Stanza: groups of lines that have been separated from other groups of lines in a poem Tone: the emotion of a piece of writing 24

29 Literary Jeopardy: Board Genres Literary Terms Figurative Language $100 $100 $100 $200 $200 $200 $300 $300 $300 $400 $400 $400 $500 $500 $500 25

30 Review of Question Strategies for the CAHSEE In the Reading for Information workbook, you learned the five basic strategies for answering CAHSEE questions. These strategies can also be used in the Literary Response & Analysis strand. Below is a review of the five basic question types and the strategies that work best for each one. Question Type Strategy Right There! Skim & Scan for a particular fact & look for an answer in the same words as the text. In Other Words... Skim & Scan for the reference & then look for an answer stated in different words from the text. This type of question tests your comprehension and ability to paraphrase (summarize) what you have read. Up Here! Just use your brain. No need to go back to the text. BIG Idea What s the Big Idea... Look at big idea places: 1. Title 2. 1st paragraph 3. Last paragraph beginning end Read All! No shortcuts! Read the whole text, from beginning to end! 26

31 Review of Question Strategies (Continued) Let s look at each of these question types in greater detail: 1. Right There! These questions are based on one detail in the passage. You need to locate the information and find an answer choice that is stated in the same words as those used in the passage. Strategies for Right There Questions: Skim & scan to find the particular reference Look for an answer choice that is stated in the same words: Below are examples of question stems for Right There questions from the Literary Response strand of the CAHSEE. Sample Question Stems on the CAHSEE According to the passage, what did... do? What is the play s setting? In which stanza of the poem does the author mention...? Where does the drama take place? 27

32 CAHSEE on Target 2. In Other Words These questions are often based on an idea, rather than a specific and isolated detail. Find the part in the text that talks about this and then look for an answer that summarizes the idea. The answer will be stated in different words than those used in the text. Strategies for In Other Words Questions: Skim & scan for the particular section referred to in the question. Read what you need: about three to five lines before and three to five lines after the citation to make sure you understand the content. Look for an answer choice in which the fact is rephrased or paraphrased. Below are examples of question stems for In Other Words questions from the Literary Response strand of the CAHSEE. Sample Question Stems on the CAHSEE Which statement best illustrates? Which information supports the idea that.? Which statement best summarizes? 28

33 3. Up Here! Certain questions on the CAHSEE test your knowledge of a term or concept and your ability to recognize an example of that term/concept. Others ask a question that has one answer choice that would make sense. There is no need to go back to the text. All the information you need is contained in the question and answer choices. You can answer the question by using common sense and applying what you have already learned. Strategies for Up Here Questions: Think! Apply what you know. Consider each answer choice and think about if it makes sense in the context of the question. Cross out answer choices that do not make sense or that do not fully answer the question. Below are examples of question stems for Up Here questions from the Literary Response strand of the CAHSEE. Sample Question Stems on the CAHSEE Which of the following expressions from the text is an example of a metaphor? Which sentence below is an example of a simile? What is the meaning of the phrase contempt in this sentence? In which sentence from the passage does the author acknowledge...? (if there is only one answer that makes sense) How is Karl a foil character in the drama? How does the reader know that the story is a dramatic monologue? 29

34 CAHSEE on Target 4. What s the Big Idea? Big Idea questions ask you to identify the theme or purpose of a passage, the author s tone, or the point of view. For these questions, you can often find the answer in the first and last paragraphs, and sometimes in the title. Strategies for Big Idea Questions: Look at the title. Look at the first paragraph. Look at the last paragraph. Below are examples of question stems for Big Idea questions from the Literary Response strand of the CAHSEE. Sample Question Stems on the CAHSEE This story is an example of which of the following genres of writing? What is the theme? Which sentence BEST expresses an important theme in this drama? What is the author s purpose? What is the narrator s point of view? Which pair of nouns BEST describes the mood of this poem? 30

35 5. Read All! Some questions on the CAHSEE ask you to analyze a character s motivations or follow the development of the story s plot and characters. For these questions, the answer is not directly stated in one place. You must read the entire story carefully and draw conclusions based on a number of clues. Below are examples of question stems for Read All questions from the Literary Response strand of the CAHSEE. Sample Question Stems on the CAHSEE The narrator MOST likely because...? How does the character s attitude about herself change during the story? Based on the information in the passage, which of the following is MOST likely to happen? What does the character learn in the story? Why does the author use in the story? Example: Why does the author use irony in the story? Why does the character in the story? Example: Why does the character lie in the story? Which of the following sentences BEST explains the main character s biggest problem in the story? What kind of person is? What is the organization of the poem? What is the sequence of events? What would be a possible solution to...? 31

36 CAHSEE on Target Recognizing Read All! Questions Read All! questions will often focus on the feelings or attitudes of a character, the changes or growth that a single character goes through, on relationships between characters, and the lessons learned by a character, or on character traits. Other times, these questions focus on a particular literary technique or device that reoccurs throughout the passage. You can usually recognize these types of questions from the beginning. Let s look at some Read All! questions that appeared on the CAHSEE in the past. Underline the part of the sentence that lets you know that this is a Read All! question: Example from the CAHSEE of a Read All Question: How does the students attitude about the garden change during the play? Source: The School Garden Example from the CAHSEE of a Read All Question: Which of the following BEST describes the relationship between Gray Beaver and White Fang? Source: White Fang Example from the CAHSEE of a Read All Question: Which of the following strategies does the author use MOST frequently to describe California? Source: California: A Tribute 32

37 Quiz on Question Types for the CAHSEE Directions: For each CAHSEE question in the first column, write the Question Type in the second column. (Note: The answer choices are not given, nor are they needed to identify the type of question.) Choose from the following: Right There! In Other Words... Up Here! What s the Big Idea? Read All! Question What is the main purpose of Darrow s article? Which of the following BEST describes the relationship between Gray Beaver and White Fang? Which sentence BEST describes the theme? What does the word eccentricities mean in the following sentence from the passage? Which of the following is NOT a correct rewording of the following sentence? What tone does the author establish in the article? Which sentence from the story contains an example of a simile? How does Annie s father feel when Wei and Frances arrive? How is Karl a foil character in the drama? According to the article, why is it surprising that Wyoming was the first state to allow women to vote? From whose point of view is the action in this story seen?? Question Type 33