ENGLISH PAPER 2

Nonfiction Reading Test TV

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. Refer
to the text to check your answers when appropriate.
Televisions show sounds and
pictures. They get data from
cables, discs, or over-the-air
signals. They turn this data into
sounds and images. People watch
news and shows on them. You
probably call them TVs.

John Baird made the first TV in

1925. It had one color. It could
only show 30 lines. This was just
enough room for a face. It didn't
work well, but it was a start.
The first TV station was set up in
1928. It was in New York. Few
people had TVs. The broadcasts
were not meant to be watched.
They showed a Felix the Cat doll
for two hours a day. The doll spun
around on a record player. They
were experimenting. It took many
years to get it right.
By the end of the 1930s, TVs were
working well. America got its first
taste at the 1939 World's Fair.
This was one of the biggest
events ever. There were 200
small, black and white TVs set up
around the fair. The U.S.
President gave a speech over the
TVs. The TVs were only five inches
big but the people loved it.
They wanted TVs. But World War
II was going on during this time.
Factories were busy making guns
and bombs. When the war was
over, TV spread across the
country.
By 1948 there were 4 big TV networks in
America. They aired their shows from 8 to
11 each night. Local shows were aired at
other times. Most of the time, nothing
was shown at all. TV was not "always on"
like it is now.
Color TVs came out in 1953. They cost too
much money for most. Also, shows were
aired in black and white. By 1965, color
TVs were cheaper. TV stations started
airing shows in color. People had to
switch if they wanted to see the shows.
Now most TVs are high-def. This means
that they have many lines on them. This
makes the image clear. TVs have come a
long way since Baird's 30 line set. High-
def TVs have 1080 lines. There are state
of the art sets called 4K TVs. These TVs
have 3,840 lines. Some people watch TV
in 3D. I wonder what they will come up
with next. Smell-o-vision anyone?
1. When did color TVs come out?
a. 1925 b. 1953
c. 1939 d. 1965
2. Which was not true about the first TV?
a. It could only show one color. b. It only had 30 lines.
c. It did not have sound. d. It did not work well.
3. When did networks start showing programs in color?
a. 1948 b. 1953
c. 1965 d. 1939
4. Why did the first TV station only show Felix the Cat for two hours a day?
a. They were running tests. b. Felix the Cat was really
popular.
c. Felix the Cat had been a big radio star. d. Felix the Cat was the only
show that they had.

5. Which of these events slowed the spread of TVs?

a. The World's Fair of 1939 b. The Civil War
c. The election of the U.S. President. d. World War II

6. What is the author's main purpose in writing this?

a. He is trying to explain how a TV works. b. He is telling readers how TVs
became popular.
c. He is describing the history of the TV. d. He is trying to get people to
watch more TV.
7. Why did many families switch to color TVs in 1965?
a. Color TVs cost a lot of money. b. Many shows were only shown
in color.
c. Color TVs came out in 1965. d. World War II ended and
troops returned home.

8. Why was 1939 an important year for TV?

a. Many Americans were introduced to TV. b. The first color TV was
released.
c. The first TV station began broadcasting. d. John Baird created the first TV.
9. How many lines does a 4K TV have?
a. 30 b. 1,080
c. 4,000 d. 3,840

10. Which happened first?

a. The 1939 World's Fair b. The release of high-def TVs
c. The end of World War II d. The release of color TVs
1) CONTRACTIONS

Directions: Find the two words in each sentence that can make a contraction and
underline them. Then, write the contraction on the line.

1. If we know this, we will make some money for sure!

_______we’ll______

2. Rocky has not given up the fight yet.

__________________

3. They are going to help us get through this.

__________________

4. He does not seem to understand simple instructions.

__________________

5. She will go to the dance with you.

__________________

6. I will not give up my dreams for this.

__________________

7. The pirate will not learn to swim.

__________________

8. It would not be that hard for him.

__________________

9. Who are these people and what do they want?

__________________

10. I could not stop if I tried.

__________________

11. How is that project coming along?

__________________

12. If it were not for his behavior, the class would be eating lunch now.
__________________

13. Ask as many questions as you want; it is your business.

__________________

14. If I were you, I would try a little harder.

__________________
15. I have given up on waiting for her.
__________________

16. I hate cupcakes: they will be the death of me.

__________________

17. Please do not throw things in class.

__________________

18. I have not even started doing make-up work.

__________________

19. This will be tough if you were not listening.

__________________

20. Let us work really hard on this unit since it’s so important.
__________________

21. He has not even started his homework!

__________________

2) IDIOM

Idioms Test 1
Directions: Determine the meaning of the bolded expression. Choose the best
answer.

Idiom: A common expression understood figuratively, as the literal definition makes

no sense.

1. After going to the zoo, the mall, and the movies, Cassie was sick of bending over
backwards to entertain her nieces.
a. Cassie was doing very little to entertain her nieces.
b. Cassie was making small efforts to entertain her nieces.
c. Cassie was trying very hard to entertain her nieces.
d. Cassie was not trying at all to entertain her nieces.

2. Bobby would have been playing ball until the cows came home if it hadn’t been for Suzie
dragging him home for dinner.
a. Bobby was just about to stop playing ball.
b. Bobby didn’t even want to play ball to begin with.
c. Bobby prefers nature to athletics.
d. Bobby would have continued playing ball for a long time.
3. Mr. Johnson was very particular about the arrangement of his classroom, so the thing he
hated most was when his students caused a ruckus with their wild horseplay.
a. Mr. Johnson hated when his students pretended to be animals.
b. Mr. Johnson hated when his students played sports.
c. Mr. Johnson hated when his students wrestled around with each other.
d. Mr. Johnson hated when his students made animal noises.

4. Eric wanted to fix his cousin’s computer, but he was already having problems setting up
his Aunt’s Wi-Fi network and he didn’t want to open a whole new can of worms.
a. Eric was sick of spending his time helping his family.
b. Eric wanted to go fishing instead of working on computers.
c. Eric was having difficulties untangling the computer wires.
d. Eric was not ready to begin working on a complicated new problem.

5. Even though Candace already had a new job, she submitted her two week notice and
conducted herself in a professional way at her old job because she didn’t want to burn
bridges.
a. Candace didn’t want to ruin her positive relationship with her old employer.
b. Candace wasn’t ready to start her new job.
c. Candace was really going to miss her old job.
d. Candace was waiting until her last day to rub it in everyone’s face that she was leaving.

6. World renowned country western super group The Mountain Boys can sell out an arena
at the drop of a hat.
a. The Mountain Boys may be able to sell out an arena, but it will take a long time.
b. The Mountain Boys can sell out an arena very quickly.
c. The Mountain Boys are always willing to perform at charity events.
d. The Mountain Boys enforce a dress code at all of their shows.

7. Vivian expected Craig to sob uncontrollably when she broke up with him; however, Craig
kept a stiff upper lip.
a. Craig cried even more than Vivian had expected.
b. Craig cried about as much as Vivian had expected.
c. Craig cried a little less than Vivian had expected.
d. Craig did not cry.
8. Mrs. Robinson expects Cassie and my presentation to be good, but we have been working
on it every night for the last week, so we are really going to knock her socks off.
a. Cassie and the speaker are not prepared to give a good presentation.
b. Cassie and the speaker intend on hitting Mrs. Robinson rather than presenting.
c. Cassie and the speaker’s presentation will far exceed Mrs. Robinson’s expectations.
d. Cassie and the speaker’s presentation will meet Mrs. Robison’s expectations.

9. Over the summer Brian was really excited about being placed in the advanced math class,
but after getting his syllabus on the first day and seeing the workload, he was ready to jump
ship.
a. Brian was even more excited about the math class than he was over the summer.
b. Brian wanted to start working on his math assignments right away.
c. Brian did not want to be in the advance math class anymore.
d. Brian wanted to cause some trouble in the advanced math class.
10. Jose had a hard time comparing the iPhone to the Samsung phone because to him they
were apples and oranges.
a. Jose can hardly tell the difference between the two phones because they are so similar.
b. Jose believes that the phones are so different from one another that they cannot be
compared.
c. Jose doesn’t know anything about phones so he may as well be thinking about fruits.
d. Jose is too hungry to think about phones at this time.

11. When Brian felt pretty good about getting the a pair of roller-skates for his birthday, until
he saw his twin brother Ryan open up his GameBox X-9000, and then Brian felt like he got
the short end of the stick.
a. Brian felt like Ryan received a better gift than he.
b. Brian was quite pleased with his roller skates.
c. Brian wanted a long stick that he could use to support himself on hikes.
d. Brian feels bad for Ryan because Ryan wanted roller-skates.

12. After Ms. Smith caught Darnisha chewing gum for the third time, Ms. Smith scheduled a
parent teacher conference with Darnisha’s mother. When Darnisha’s mother came into Ms.
Smith’s classroom, she was chewing gum. Ms. Smith thought to herself, “the apple doesn’t
fall far from the tree.”
a. Ms. Smith thinks that Darnisha dresses like her mother.
b. Ms. Smith thinks that Darnisha acts a lot like her mother.
c. Ms. Smith is surprised to see that Darnisha’s mother came.
d. Ms. Smith thinks that Darnisha’s mother lives very close to the school.

13. Brad was accusing us of stealing his phone until he found it, and now he’s trying to
sweep it under the rug.
a. Brad thinks that his phone will be safer if he hides it under the rug.
b. Brad wants to do something to make up for his mistake.
c. Brad is trying to locate a signal for his phone so that he can use it.
d. Brad wants to pretend that the incident never happened.

14. Keisha got up a started yelling at Ronnie and threatening him but Ronnie didn’t even
flinch because he knew that her bark was worse than her bite.
a. Ronnie thinks that Keisha will get in trouble for yelling.
b. Ronnie thinks that Keisha has bad breath.
c. Ronnie thinks that Keisha is loud but not dangerous.
d. Ronnie thinks that Keisha has a crush on him.

15. You might think that Billy Parker is the kid who has everything, but if you saw the list of
chores his parents give him, I guarantee that you wouldn’t want to be in his shoes.
a. You wouldn’t want your shoes to get as dirty as Billy’s when he’s doing his chores.
b. If you have to do as many chores as Billy, you’ll want a pair of comfortable shoes.
c. Billy shoes are so uncomfortable that doing his chores is really unpleasant.
d. Billy has so many chores to do that it is unpleasant to imagine doing them all.
3) FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
Figurative Language Worksheet 1
Directions: Read the lines of poetry. Slashes represent line breaks. Figure out which
technique is being used: simile, metaphor, hyperbole, or personification. In the boxes,
explain how you figured out your answer. It is possible that more than one technique is
being used. If you can, explain each.

1. Like burnt-out torches by a sick man's bed

Which technique is being used?

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

2. Drip—hiss—drip—hiss fall the raindrops / on the oaken log which burns, and
steams,
and smokes the ceiling beams. / Drip—hiss—the rain never stops.

Which technique is being used?

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

3. When the stars threw down their spears, / And water'd heaven with their tears,

Which technique is being used?

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

4. The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,

The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
Which technique is being used?

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

5. I do not care to talk to you although / Your speech evokes a thousand sympathies,
Which technique is being used?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

6. The sun was shining on the sea, / Shining with all his might:
Which technique is being used?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

7. The leaves are little yellow fish / swimming in the river.

Which technique is being used?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

8. The old clock down in the parlor / Like a sleepless mourner grieves,
Which technique is being used?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole
How do you figure?
(write a sentence explaining your answer)

9. By the lakes that thus outspread / Their lone waters, lone and dead / Their sad
waters, sad and chilly
Which technique is being used?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)

10. Fame is a bee. / It has a song -- / It has a sting --

Which technique is being used?

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________
Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole

How do you figure?

(write a sentence explaining your answer)
4) IRREGULAR PAST TENSE
5) FICTION STORY WRITING : WRITE YOUR CONTINUATION OF THE STORY