item analysis comprehension and written response

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1 Assessment Practice Assessment Practice RI 1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. RL 4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone. W 5 Strengthen writing by revising and editing. L 6 Acquire and use accurately general academic words and phrases; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge. check readiness Read aloud the paragraph under ASSESS and stress to students that this is not the full Unit Test, but a way for them to check their readiness for it. Then have students examine the skills standards listed under REVIEW and look back in the unit or in the Student Resource Bank for any skills they need to review. read the texts Remind students to keep unit goals in mind as they read each passage, paying particular attention to these literary and reading skills: style make inferences author s purpose To help students focus on style while reading, encourage them to ask questions such as Why does this selection hold my interest? How does Hawthorne s style compare to Hemingway s style? assess Taking this practice test will help you assess your knowledge of these skills and determine your readiness for the Unit Test. review After you take the practice test, your teacher can help you identify any standards you need to review. RL 1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. RL 4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone. W 5 Strengthen writing by revising and editing. L 6 Acquire and use accurately general academic words and phrases; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge. Practice Test Take it at thinkcentral.com. KEYWORD: HML10N DIRECTIONS Read the following selections, and then answer the questions. from The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne On entering the shop, she found an old man there, a humble resident of Pyncheon-street, and whom, for a great many years past, she had suffered to be a kind of familiar of the house. He was an immemorial personage, who seemed always to have had a white head and wrinkles, and never to have possessed but a single tooth, and that a half-decayed one, in the front of the upper jaw. Well advanced as Hepzibah was, she could not remember when Uncle Venner, as the neighborhood called him, had not gone up and down the street, stooping a little and drawing his feet heavily over the gravel or pavement. But still there was something tough and vigorous about him, that not only kept him in daily breath, but enabled him to fill a place which would else have been vacant, in the apparently crowded world. To go of errands, with his slow and shuffling gait, which made you doubt how he ever was to arrive anywhere; to saw a small household s foot or two of firewood, or knock to pieces an old barrel, or split up a pine board, for kindling-stuff; in summer, to dig the few yards of garden-ground, appertaining to a low-rented tenement, and share the produce of his labor at the halves; in winter, to shovel away the snow from the sidewalk, or open paths to the wood-shed, or along the clothesline; such were some of the essential offices which Uncle Venner performed among at least a score of families. Old Man at the Bridge by Ernest Hemingway An old man with steel rimmed spectacles and very dusty clothes sat by the side of the road. There was a pontoon bridge across the river and carts, trucks, and men, women and children were crossing it. The mule-drawn carts staggered up the steep bank from the bridge with soldiers helping push against the spokes of the wheels. The trucks ground up and away heading out of it all and the peasants plodded along in the ankle deep dust. But the old man sat there without moving. He was too tired to go any farther. It was my business to cross the bridge, explore the bridgehead beyond and find out to what point the enemy had advanced. I did this and returned over answer the questions Direct students to pages R93 R101 of the Handbook to review test-taking strategies. Urge students to use active reading strategies when they read test materials. For example, before they read a passage, suggest that they skim the questions that follow it. 924 unit 8: author s style and voice differentiated instruction NA_L10PE-u08-tap.indd 924 for english language learners Assessment Practice: Work Backward Prepare students by having them read the questions before reading the passage and supplementary selections. Have pairs find unfamiliar words in test directions and questions and follow these steps: 1. Write each word on an index card. 2. Look up the meaning in a dictionary and write it on the back of the card. 3. Use the cards to practice the words with your partner and to teach them to others. 1/7/11 11:40:38 P 924 unit 8: author s style and voice

2 the bridge. There were not so many carts now and very few people on foot, but the old man was still there. Where do you come from? I asked him. From San Carlos, he said, and smiled. That was his native town and so it gave him pleasure to mention it and he smiled. I was taking care of animals, he explained. Oh, I said, not quite understanding. Yes, he said, I stayed, you see, taking care of animals. I was the last one to leave the town of San Carlos. He did not look like a shepherd nor a herdsman and I looked at his black dusty clothes and his gray dusty face and his steel rimmed spectacles and said, What animals were they? Various animals, he said, and shook his head. I had to leave them. I was watching the bridge and the African looking country of the Ebro Delta and wondering how long now it would be before we would see the enemy, and listening all the while for the first noises that would signal that ever mysterious event called contact, and the old man still sat there. What animals were they? I asked. There were three animals altogether, he explained. There were two goats and a cat and then there were four pairs of pigeons. And you had to leave them? I asked. Yes. Because of the artillery. The captain told me to go because of the artillery. And you have no family? I asked, watching the far end of the bridge where a few last carts were hurrying down the slope of the bank. No, he said, only the animals I stated. The cat, of course, will be all right. A cat can look out for itself, but I cannot think what will become of the others. What politics have you? I asked. I am without politics, he said. I am seventy-six years old. I have come twelve kilometers now and I think now I can go no further. This is not a good place to stop, I said. If you can make it, there are trucks up the road where it forks for Tortosa. I will wait a while, he said, and then I will go. Where do the trucks go? Towards Barcelona, I told him. I know no one in that direction, he said, but thank you very much. Thank you again very much. item analysis comprehension and written response Style Word Choice Sentence Structure Tone Imagery Practice Test items 3, 6, 12, 13 1, 5, 13 3, 7, 13 2, 8, 12 Make Inferences 2, 10, 11, 12 unit pages , 857, 879, 887, , , 879, Author s Purpose 4, 9, vocabulary items unit pages Etymology 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 writing and grammar items 909 unit pages Personification On thinkcentral.com students can complete an interactive version of this practice test and receive remediation for the skills they have not yet mastered. assessment practice 925 for struggling readers Assessment Support Consider these options for completing the Assessment Practice: Have students work backward to review the test questions before reading the passage. Select random questions in the Assessment and have students demonstrate how and where to look for the answers. Ask students to locate unfamiliar vocabulary words in the Assessment. Elicit the words meanings from the class. Have students record useful testing words and definitions in their journal for later reference. Read the selection or parts of it aloud to aid in student comprehension. assessment practice 925

3 answers Reading Comprehension Model a thinking process for answering multiple-choice questions. 1. B is correct. All five sentences in the paragraph are long. That fact alone eliminates A, C, and D. 2. B is correct. The statement effectively summarizes lines A and C are not supported by any details in the passage. D is incorrect because daily breath (line 10) is figurative, not literal. 3. D is correct. The sentence describing Uncle Venner in lines 3 6 reflects the author s good-natured tone. A is incorrect because Hawthorne s tone is not harsh. B is incorrect because the tone is formal. C is incorrect because sentence variety and vivid details prevent monotony. 4. A is correct. Hawthorne packs the paragraph with vivid, positive description. B is incorrect because the description is gentle, not harsh. C is a weak choice because although Venner is poor, discussing poverty is secondary to characterization in the selection. D is incorrect because the community is kind, not indifferent, to Venner. 5. D is correct. Long sentences such as those in paragraph 11 alternate with the passage s mostly short sentences. A is untrue, and B is incorrect because close reading shows the presence of some long sentences. C is incorrect because most of the sentences are short but complete. 6. A is correct. Both in dialogue and in description, Hemingway uses everyday vocabulary. Therefore, C is incorrect. B can be eliminated because the overall purpose seems to describe the situation as it actually existed. D is incorrect because although terms such as pontoon bridge (paragraph 1) and bridgehead (paragraph 2) occur, they do not dominate the selection. 7. D is correct. The first paragraph is serious and straightforward. A is incorrect because although the narrator s feeling by the end of the selection might be described as bitter, it is not so at the beginning. B is incorrect because there is no sense of fun in the selection. C is incorrect because the narration is neither negative nor mocking. 926 unit 8: author s style and voice He looked at me very blankly and tiredly, then said, having to share his worry with some one, The cat will be all right, I am sure. There is no need to be unquiet about the cat. But the others. Now what do you think about the others? Why they ll probably come through it all right. You think so? Why not, I said, watching the far bank where now there were no carts. But what will they do under the artillery when I was told to leave because of the artillery? Did you leave the dove cage unlocked? I asked. Yes. Then they ll fly. Yes, certainly they ll fly. But the others. It s better not to think about the others, he said. If you are rested I would go, I urged. Get up and try to walk now. Thank you, he said and got to his feet, swayed from side to side and then sat down backwards in the dust. I was taking care of animals, he said dully, but no longer to me. I was only taking care of animals. There was nothing to do about him. It was Easter Sunday and the Fascists were advancing toward the Ebro. It was a gray overcast day with a low ceiling so their planes were not up. That and the fact that cats know how to look after themselves was all the good luck that old man would ever have. Reading Comprehension Use the excerpt from The House of the Seven Gables (p. 924) to answer questions The author s style includes his use of sentences that are A. all short sentences B. all long sentences C. mostly short sentences D. a mix of long and short sentences 8. D is correct. The repetition emphasizes that the old man sits for a long time; and paragraph 1 says, He was too tired to go any farther. A is incorrect because although the man is in danger, he appears to know it. B is incorrect because the man sits patiently. C is incorrect because the man is friendly, not sad. 9. C is correct. The story describes the war s effects upon an elderly civilian. A has some relevance, but it ultimately is incorrect because the old man is the focus of the story. B can be eliminated because the old man s 2. From the imagery in lines 9 11, you can infer that Uncle Venner A. succeeds through his charm B. survives by being useful C. is somewhat overweight D. has breathing problems 3. The author s style can best be characterized by his use of A. long descriptions and a harsh tone B. lyrical language and an informal tone C. flowery language and a monotonous tone D. detailed descriptions and a good-natured tone dismissal of politics is ironic in view of his plight. D is incorrect because although the soldier-narrator mentions his duties (paragraph 2), his chief focus is on the old man. 10. D is correct. Uncle Venner is serious about his errands; the old man is serious about his animals. A is incorrect because Venner is energetic. B is incorrect because neither character seems angry. C is incorrect because both characters are self-reliant.

4 Assessment Practice 4. The author s purpose in this excerpt is most likely to A. paint an affectionate portrait of a local character B. ridicule an eccentric old man C. illustrate the hardships of poverty D. highlight the indifference of the community Use Old Man at the Bridge (pp ) to answer questions One element of the author s style is his use of A. mostly long sentences B. all very short sentences C. long sentences and some incomplete sentences D. mostly short, simple sentences and some long sentences 6. The author s choice of words can best be characterized as A. conversational C. flowery B. exaggerated D. technical 7. The tone in paragraph 1 is A. bitter C. sarcastic B. playful D. somber 8. The author repeats variations of the phrase the old man sat there in paragraphs 1, 2, and 11 to create an impression of A. foolishness C. sorrow B. impatience D. weariness 9. The author s primary purpose in writing this story is to A. describe an elderly man s fondness for his animals B. persuade readers that politics is unimportant C. portray the effects of war on the citizens of a country D. evaluate the duties of a soldier in times of war Use both selections to answer question What can you infer about the old men in the two selections? A. They are tired from all of the work that they do. B. One of them is sad and one is angry because they must work for other people. C. Because they are elderly, both must rely on others to care for them. D. Both take their work and responsibilities seriously. SHORT CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE Write three or four sentences to answer each question. 11. Why do you think the author has a soldier narrate Old Man at the Bridge? In what way does this choice help the author achieve his purpose? 12. List five words or images from the excerpt from The House of the Seven Gables that describe Uncle Venner. What can you infer about Venner from these words and images? Write two to three paragraphs to answer this question. 13. Describe the differences in the two authors writing styles. Give examples of word choice, sentence structure, and tone in your answer. 927 SHORT CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE Possible responses: 11. The soldier-narrator s view of the old man is both matter-of-fact and sympathetic. He communicates information to the reader that the old man could not: the nature of his mission and the imminent arrival of the enemy. The soldier s understanding of the old man s fate makes that fact seem more tragic. Through the soldier s eyes, the reader sees the point of the author s purpose (that is, showing the effects of war upon civilians) namely, that those fighting a war feel helpless because they cannot protect the people for whom they are fighting. 12. Words and images include old man ; humble ; a kind of familiar of the house ; immemorial personage ; seemed always to have had a white head and wrinkles ; a single tooth ; stooping ; drawing his feet heavily ; tough and vigorous ; and slow and shuffling gait. The reader can infer that Venner is a poor, aged man, that he is well known locally, and that he is strong and energetic but slow-moving. 13. Hawthorne s style is formal, with elevated language and long descriptive sentences. Hemingway s style is informal and journalistic, using plain language and extensive dialogue. Most of Hawthorne s sentences are complex or compound-complex; most of Hemingway s are simple or compound. Hawthorne s tone is gently humorous; Hemingway s is somber. Student examples of word choice will vary. differentiated instruction for english language learners Assessment Vocabulary To help students understand the Reading Comprehension questions, teach or review these key vocabulary words: Items 3 and 6: characterized described Item 4: excerpt part of a longer work Item 5: element part Item 8: variations different ways of saying the same thing Item 9: primary main for english language learners Vocabulary Support On the board, list the terms shown in italics. Then give the examples in random order and have students classify them. Elicit additional examples from students. tone: Hawthorne s phrase an immemorial personage expresses affection for Uncle Venner. diction: In Old Man at the Bridge, Hemingway uses military terms like pontoon bridge and bridgehead. imagery: Uncle Venner had a single tooth, and that a half-decayed one, in the front of the upper jaw. author s style: Unlike Hawthorne, Hemingway writes mostly in short sentences. assessment practice 927

5 answers Vocabulary 1. A is correct. The clue grave clearly points to gravel. B, C, and D obviously have no etymological connection to grave. 2. A is correct. The somewhat obscure meaning of familiar domestic servant comes from famulus. B comes from a related Latin word, but the choice makes no sense in the context of the sentence. C and D are obviously unrelated to famulus. 3. B is correct. The connection between humilis and humble is evident. A is incorrect because although the word low appears in the definition of humilis, garden-ground does not derive from humilis and makes little sense in context. C and D are unrelated to humilis. 4. D is correct. In both sound and meaning, stupian is clearly close to stooping. A is untrue in both etymology and meaning. B is nonsensical, for it speaks of exiting by entering. C fits the meaning of the sentence but not the etymology. 5. C is correct. Staggered and stakra are similar in sound as well as meaning. A, B, and D have meanings that are conceivable in the sentence but are clearly not related to stakra. 6. C is correct. The prefix con- and the general sound of tangere are clues to the derivation of contact. A, B, and D lack any etymological resemblance to the clue words; and of the three choices, only signal would fit meaningfully into the sentence. 7. C is correct. The derivation of politics from polis is obvious in view of the meaning of politics. A and D can be eliminated because they show no resemblance to polis. B is incorrect because the presence of the letters p and l in planes is not enough to indicate a derivation from polis. 928 Vocabulary Use the etymology clues to help you choose the correct modern English word from the reading selections. 1. Which of the following words from The House of the Seven Gables comes from the Old French word grave, meaning pebbly shore? A. Gravel B. Kindling-stuff C. Paths D. Pavement 2. The Latin word famulus means servant. Which word in The House of the Seven Gables comes from the word famulus? A. Familiar B. Famous C. Personage D. Resident 3. Which of the following words from The House of the Seven Gables comes from the Latin word humilis, meaning low? A. Garden-Ground B. Humble C. Immemorial D. Vigorous 4. The Old English word stupian means to bow or bend. Which word in The House of the Seven Gables comes from the word stupian? A. Appertaining B. Entering C. Shuffling D. Stooping 5. Which of the following words from Old Man at the Bridge is an alteration of the Old Norse word stakra, staka, meaning to push? A. Advanced B. Plodded C. Staggered D. Swayed 6. The Latin prefix con- means together and the past participle tangere means to touch. Which of the following words from Old Man at the Bridge comes from con- + tangere? A. Bank B. Bridgehead C. Contact D. Signal 7. Which of the following words from Old Man at the Bridge comes from the Greek word polis, meaning city? A. Business B. Planes C. Politics D. Towns 928 unit 8: author s style and voice

6 Assessment Practice Revising and Editing DIRECTIONS Read this passage, and answer the questions that follow. (1) Pablo Picasso s painting Guernica portrays the destruction of a town during the Spanish Civil War. (2) It is an abstract composition of colors and forms. (3) Tormented animals and tortured human image fill the canvas. (4) In the painting, a snorting bull and a writhing horse seem pained. (5) The painting also depicts human suffering. (6) Picasso painted a woman clutching her dead child. (7) His purpose was to expose the horrors of war. 1. What is the most effective way to combine sentences 1 and 2 into a complex sentence? A. Pablo Picasso s painting Guernica portrays the destruction of a town during the Spanish Civil War; however it is an abstract composition of colors and forms. B. Pablo Picasso s painting Guernica portrays the destruction of a town during the Spanish Civil War, it is an abstract composition of colors and forms. C. Pablo Picasso s painting Guernica, which is an abstract composition of colors and forms, portrays the destruction of a town during the Spanish Civil War. D. Pablo Picasso s painting Guernica portrays the destruction of a town during the Spanish Civil War in an abstract composition of colors and forms. 2. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 3? A. Change tortured to torturing B. Insert comma after animals C. Change image to images D. Make no change 3. What is the most effective way to revise sentence 5 to include personification? A. The painting also shows human suffering in great detail. B. The painting also cries out against human suffering. C. The painting also demonstrates examples of human suffering. D. The painting also displays images of human suffering. 4. Which transitional word or phrase should be added to the beginning of sentence 6? A. For instance, C. Nevertheless, B. In conclusion, D. On the other hand, 5. What change, if any, should be made to sentence 7? A. Change horrors to horrors B. Change expose to exposing C. Change war to wars D. Make no change answers Revising and Editing 1. C is correct. Sentence 2 is included as a subordinate clause beginning with which. In A, there are two main clauses. B is wrong because it uses an ungrammatical comma splice between the two sentences. D combines the two sentences into one simple sentence in which the idea in sentence 2 has been reduced to a prepositional phrase. 2. C is correct. Two images fill the canvas tormented animals and tortured humans. A, B, and D do not correct the problem. 3. B is correct. The phrase cries out attributes a human emotional gesture to a painting. A, C, and D are incorrect because the verbs shows, demonstrates, and displays give literal rather than figurative descriptions and do not imply specifically human attributes. 4. A is correct. Sentence 6 provides an example of the suffering mentioned in sentence 5. B is incorrect because sentence 6 does not present a conclusion. C and D are incorrect because sentence 6 does not provide a contrast to the idea in sentence D is correct. The sentence is correct as written. The possessive form of horrors in A is wrong. B and C are also incorrect. 929 differentiated instruction for struggling readers Assessment Support: Personification Remind students that personification is a figure of speech in which human qualities are given to an animal, object, or idea. Have students review the answer choices for item 3 to identify the sentence that gives human emotions to the painting. assessment practice 929