Strategies

for Language Arts Tests

Read the ques5ons rst!

When you read the ques5ons rst you prepare your mind for reading the selec5on. Study any graphs, charts and/or diagrams. Get an idea of what the passage will be about. Pay aEen5on to any vocabulary words they give. Write them on your scratch paper. Make sure you understand what each ques5on is asking you. The best reason for reading the ques5ons rst is Many ques*ons can be answered without reading the selected text!

69. Read this sentence. Hallidie believed that the cables would be strong enough to pull the cable cars up the steep slopes of the city. Which words from this sentence are adjec*ves? A strong, steep B would, enough C slopes, city D believed, pull 70. Which of the following sentences from paragraph 3 would make the most logical concluding sentence for that paragraph? A As a result, Hallie began making wire cables. B He hired William E. Eppelsheimer, a German engineer, to design the rst cable-car line. C Now he was ready to go onboard. D Hallidie also needed a franchise to build the system.

71. Read this sentence. About one month aNer the test run, the Clay Street Hill line opened for public use. (Kessler 21) What is the correct way to punctuate the in-text cita*on? A use (Kessler, 21) B use. (Kessler, 21) C use (Kessler 21). D use. (Kessler 21). 72. Read this sentence. San Francisco, ____________________, is the only city today where the cable car s5ll operates. Which word or phrase could best provide a transi*on in this sentence that would unify its ideas with the previous sentence? A however B for example C as a result D nonetheless

73. Read this sentence Puppet theaters can be traced back to ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and China;__________, some people believe that puppet theaters may have been the rst theatre of any kind. Which word or phrase could best provide an eec*ve transi*on between the two parts of the sentence? A in fact B even so C besides D addi5onally 74. Read this sentence There is four common types of puppets: shadow gures, rod puppets, marioneEes, and hand puppets. What is the correct way to write the underlined words? A There is B There are C There are D They re

75. Read this sentence. The puppets are quite memorable because their shadows are so intricate. Which underlined word is spelled incorrectly? A quite B memorible C their C intricate 75. Which statement in paragraph 3 of Kelsey s draR should be supported with facts and details? A The Chinese used shadow gures made of animal skins or cardboard. B Rod puppets are more lifelike gures. C The third kind of puppet, the marioneEe, is dicult to manipulate. D Hand puppets are the fourth type of puppet.

When you must read the text to nd the answer, read carefully!
Try reading only the rst and last paragraphs as well as the rst sentence of all other paragraphs. Use your scratch paper to write down any important words. Use your scratch paper to take notes about important ideas.

Look for Context Clues!

Check the text and ques5on for clues to the meaning. Look for rela5onships between words in deni5on ques5ons. Break down large words to gure out their meaning. Use the reading strategies you learned in class.

Vocabulary-in-Context Ques*ons Reading words in context makes guring out tough vocabulary much easier. The test makers use Vocabulary-in-Context ques5ons to test this important skill. Every 5me you read challenging text (a dicult novel or a quality newspaper), you gure out the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context. The context of a word is the words that surround it. If you re stuck on an unfamiliar word, focus on any familiar words in the same sentence.

Vocabulary in Context (Example)

For example, try to use the context clues in the following sentences to gure out the meaning of the word feigned: Keith feigned being sick so he could stay home from school. Using the clues sick and stay home from school makes it easier to understand that feigned means faked.

Vocabulary in Context (Example)

The thief kept his illicit wealth in a closet in the basement. We re looking at a thief who is keeping illicit wealth in a closet in the basement. Using these clues, we come to the conclusion that illicit means illegal.

Vocabulary in Context (Prac5ce)

Incensed by his opponent s behavior, the tennis player smashed his racket on the ground.
Incensed means A. interested B. amused C. unmoved D. enraged

Vocabulary in Context (Prac5ce)

We re looking at someone who has smashed his racket on the ground. This person is not interested in or amused by his opponents behavior. And he is denitely not unmoved (his reac5on is highly emo5onal.) We can conclude that he is enraged. D (enraged) would be the correct answer choice.

Vocabulary in Context (Prac5ce)

Since I had lost a few checker pieces, I used pennies to represent the missing ones. Represent means to A. replace B. reject C. support D. revise

Vocabulary in Context (Prac5ce)

The speaker had lost some checker pieces and used pennies instead. To use one thing instead of another is to replace it. A. Would be the correct answer.

Vocabulary in Context (Example)

Though I was the one who came up with the concept for the design, she came up with the nal product. Concept means A. color B. idea C. money D. sketch

Vocabulary in Context (Prac5ce)

A major clue in this sentence is found in the word though because it indicates the speaker did something that was the opposite of the person who came up with the nal product. Looking at the possible answers, I can see that the opposite of coming up with the nal product would be coming up with the ini5al idea. B Would be the correct answer.

Answer the ques5ons!

Eliminate any obviously wrong answers. Choose the best answer from the remaining choices. Bubble in the answer on your answer sheet; make sure you bubble in the correct space.

Double Trouble Answer Choices

In the Language sec5on of the Language Arts Test, underlined ques5ons test your ability to correct gramma5cal errors in a sentence. The test makers underline only the specic phrase being tested. This is where you focus your aEen5on.

Double Trouble Answer Choices

A great strategy for underlined ques5ons is to eliminate Double Trouble answer choices. On underlined ques3ons, there is rarely more than one error in a sentence, but these ques5ons will usually have one and some5mes two answer choices that correct more than one error. These are Double Trouble choices.

Double Trouble Answer Choices

Double Trouble answer choices trick you into believing that because they correct more than one error, they must be the right answer choice. But they are not. The strategic thing to do is to immediately eliminate those answer choices that correct more than one error. Don t even consider them. By doing this you greatly increase your chances of choosing the right answer.

Double Trouble
Here is a sample quesAon to pracAce on. The lm Jaws was release in the 1970 s. A were release in the 1970 s. B was released in the 1970 s. C were released in the 1970 s. D Correct as is You can automa5cally eliminate answer C because it makes two correc5ons; was is changed to were, and release is changed to released. This is double trouble. Don t waste your 5me considering this answer.

Try these Double Trouble problems

Did you know that doctor Lu is going to receive an award next week? A Doctor Lu is going B Doctor Lu are going C doctor Lu, is going D Correct as is What answer choice can you automa5cally eliminate.

Double Trouble
You can automa5cally eliminate choice B because it makes two correc5ons: Doctor Lu are going. That s Double Trouble. There should only be one correc5on in the answer. You ve just increased your chances of gefng the right answer by 25 %

Double Trouble (prac5ce)

As she entered the oce, Rachel asked, Hello, is anyone there? A there . B there C there? D Correct as is What answer choice can you automa5cally eliminate?

Double Trouble
You can automa5cally eliminate answer choice A because it makes two changes.

Double Trouble (prac5ce)

Travel East on Route 90 to get from Boston to SeaEle. A East on route 90 B east on route 90 C east on Route 90 D Correct as is

Which answer choice can you automa5cally eliminate?

Double Trouble
You can automa5cally eliminate answer choice B.

Double Trouble (prac5ce)

Please give the informa5on to him and I so we can use it later on. A he and me so B him and me so C he and I. So D Correct as is Which answer choice can you automa5cally eliminate?

Double Trouble
You can automa5cally eliminate answer choice A and answer choice C because they both make two correc5ons each. These types of quesAons never need more than one correcAon. By elimina5ng these two choices you increase your chance of gefng the right answer by 50%.

Elimina*on strategies.
Very oNen on standardized tests, whether it s Math, English, Science, or Social Studies, you will see correct as is, all of the above, or none of the above as the last answer choice given. If you don t know the answer to the quesAon, immediately eliminate these answers. Most of the 5me they are wrong. Test makers use these op5ons to trick you. They are answers that make you feel comfortable.

Elimina5on Strategies
In the Language sec5on of the English Language Arts Test, correct as is, all of the above, or none of the above are oNen used with Double Trouble answers. So it is possible to eliminate both answer types and have to choose from the only two remaining answers. That really increases your chances of gefng the answer correct.

Subs5tu5on Strategy
MulAple meaning ques5ons test your understanding of words that have more than one meaning. For example, the word part can be a verb (to part your hair) and it can be a noun (I got a part in the play). A great strategy for mul5ple meaning ques5ons is to rule out answer choices that contain the wrong parts of speech. For example, if you re looking for an answer containing a verb ( to dance, to cut, to feast) you can rule out any answer choice containing a noun (a dance, a cut, a feast).

Mul5ple Meaning Ques5ons (Prac5ce)

The dancers swayed to the sound of the beat. In which sentence does the word beat mean the same thing as in the sentence above? A. The team found its opponents dicult to beat.

B. The owner was arrested because he beat his dog. C. A steady beat is essen5al for any musical performer. D. The priest beat the drum throughout the ceremony.

Mul5ple Meaning Ques5ons (Prac5ce)

The word beat is used as a noun (a name of a person, place, or thing) in the sentence. Answers A. B. and D. use the word as a verb (an ac5on word). Only in answer C. is the word used as a noun. So C. is the correct answer.

Mul5ple Meaning Ques5ons (Prac5ce)

The crowd was asked to form a straight line. In which sentence does the word form mean the same thing as in the sentence above? (Ask yourself if the word is used as a noun or a verb, then eliminate any answer that doesn t use it the same way.) A. The test form was marked clearly with the leEer C. B. Stanley decided that wearing a hat was not good form. C. The clerk lled out the form with his leN hand. D. To form a support group, the husbands met once a week.

Mul5ple Meaning Ques5ons (Prac5ce)

The word form is used as a verb in the ques5on. It must be used as a verb in the answers. Any other use of the word (as a noun) is wrong. Answers A, B, and C use the word as a noun. D is the only answer that uses the word as a verb (an ac5on word). The correct answer is D.

Mul5ple Meaning Ques5ons (Prac5ce)

The new manager decided to address issue in his speech. In which sentence does the word address mean the same thing as in the sentence above? A. The address of the designer s oce was uptown. B. The poli5cian s address was long and tedious. C. The facility was designed to address the needs of residents. D. The homeless person was of no xed address.

Mul5ple Meaning Ques5ons (Prac5ce)

The word address is used as a verb in the ques5on. (The new manager is going to take ac5on) Answers A, B, and D use the word as a noun. Answer C is the only answer that uses the word as a verb. The correct answer is C.