Options For Youth English 9/10 Diagnostic

Directions:  Read the following selection. Then answer the questions that follow.

• A.

  Depressing

• B.

  Mysterious

• C.

  Awkward

• D.

  Somber

The main conflict in this story takes place between the narrator and

• A.

  Margarita Martinez

• B.

  Her parents

• C.

  Senora Arellano

• D.

  Herself

The imagery in lines 25-26 appeals to which sense?

• A.

  Sight

• B.

  Smell

• C.

  Touch

• D.

  Hearing

In the climax of the story, the narrator

• A.

  Walks through the crowded schoolyard

• B.

  Talks to Margarita about Senora Arallano

• C.

  Debates whether to show her ability

• D.

  Memorizes the names of Inca rulers

The narrator's claim that the book is too difficult for her is ironic because the

• A.

  Narrator dislikes reading and is only pretending to be unable to read it

• B.

  Reader realizes that the narrator is embarrassed by her inability to read it

• C.

  Man intentionally chose a book he knew would be too difficult for her

• D.

  Reader knows that she can read it but that the man is unaware of her ability

• A.

  Entertain

• B.

  Persuade

• C.

  Express feelings

• D.

  Inform

Monitor your understanding of lines 13–15. In the winter, snowy owls

• A.

  Change their diet because lemmings are harder to catch

• B.

  Stop eating mammals and mostly eat plants

• C.

  Hunt exclusively at night to avoid predators

• D.

  Travel across the tundra with hares and ptarm

Use context clues in lines 1–3 from Owls Aren't Wise and Bats Aren't Blind to decide what it means to do something by stealth.

• A.

  Using force

• B.

  Showing emotion

• C.

  Very quickly

• D.

  With great speed

Which context clues from Owls Aren't Wise and Bats Aren't Blind give you a clue to the meaning of diurnally in line 7?

• A.

  Hunting

• B.

  Great surprise

• C.

  Daylight

• D.

  High Arctic

Which context clues from Owls Aren't Wise and Bats Aren't Blind give you a clue to the meaning of dynamics in line 32?

• A.

  Canada and the United States

• B.

  Reference to lemming

• C.

  Much remains

• D.

  Lemming/snowy owl relationship

• A.

  I would rather have a horse

• B.

  Have a horse

• C.

  On my sixteenth

• D.

  On my sixteenth birthday

Choose the correct way to punctuate the transition in sentence 6.

• A.

  However, owning a horse is cheaper, better for your health, and much more enjoyable than owning a car.

• B.

  However owning, a horse is cheaper, better for your health, and much more enjoyable than owning a car.

• C.

  However owning a horse, is cheaper, better for your health, and much more enjoyable than owning a car.

• D.

  However owning a horse is cheaper, better for your health and much more enjoyable, than owning a car.

The choice of the word wheels in sentence 16 is inappropriate because the

• A.

  Tone of the paragraph is too formal for a slang term

• B.

  Reader may not know that wheels means the same as car

• C.

  Writer has a more neutral attitude about cars than the word suggests

• D.

  Word may have negative connotations for some readers

Choose the best way to vary the sentence structures in sentences 19 and 20.

• A.

  Using up calories, a rider contracts and relaxes muscles to stay balanced. A person burns about five calories a minute while riding a horse.

• B.

  A rider uses up calories and contracts and relaxes muscles to stay balanced. A person burns about five calories a minute while riding a horse.

• C.

  A rider uses up calories and contracts and relaxes muscles to stay balanced. A person burns about five calories a minute while riding a horse.

• D.

  A rider uses up calories contracting and relaxing muscles to stay balanced. A person rides a horse and burns about five calories a minute.

Choose the correct way to punctuate the transition in sentence 25.

• A.

  In addition to coordination riding a horse requires balance, and flexibility.

• B.

  In addition to coordination, riding a horse requires balance and flexibility.

• C.

  In addition to coordination riding a horse, requires balance and flexibility.

• D.

  In addition, to coordination riding a horse requires balance and flexibility.

Choose the best way to revise sentence 32 using an adjective clause introduced by a relative pronoun.

• A.

  Drivers who long for the open road seldom find it.

• B.

  If drivers look for the open road, they seldom find it.

• C.

  Drivers long for the open road, but they rarely f ind it.

• D.

  Although drivers may long for the open road, they rarely find it.

Which precise adjective would best replace bad in sentence 33?

• A.

  Poor

• B.

  Disagreeable

• C.

  Unpleasant

• D.

  Dense

Which phrase contains an example of sensory language?

• A.

  "The average horse costs less to buy"

• B.

  "you can pay well over $8,000"

• C.

  "when it comes to your health"

• D.

  "thick clop-clop of the horse's hooves"

• A.

  The warmth of the tent makes the narrator feel peaceful and sleepy

• B.

  Communication between climbers is easy despite the blaring wind.

• C.

  Sleeping bags are close together and oxygen is scarce.

• D.

  The narrator feels comfortable despite the cramped and hazardous conditions.

Which statement best describes the mood in lines 4–54?

• A.

  The powerful language creates an optimistic mood.

• B.

  Discussion of eating and sleeping creates a hypnotic mood.

• C.

  The rapid succession of dialogue creates a mood of confusion.

• D.

  Repeated questioning creates a mood of uncertainty.

Based on the excerpt, which character trait best describes the narrator?

• A.

  Determined

• B.

  Apprehensive

• C.

  Generous

• D.

  Conceited

The description of the wind in line 16 appeals to which sense?

• A.

  Hearing

• B.

  Sight

• C.

  Touch

• D.

  Smell

• A.

  Repetition

• B.

  Parallelism

• C.

  Analogy

• D.

  Rhetorical question

What opposing argument does the author anticipate in lines 34–44?

• A.

  Purebred dogs are more likely to be free of health problems.

• B.

  Changes in the German shepherd have improved its ability to spring forward.

• C.

  The standards of the American Kennel Club are subjective.

• D.

  Potential buyers must consider many factors before purchasing a dog.

The author's two purposes in writing this essay were to

• A.

  Persuade and entertain

• B.

  Inform and entertain

• C.

  Persuade and express feelings

• D.

  Express feelings and entertain

• A.

  Were not always as popular as they currently are

• B.

  Are excellent at performing tasks that require being in water

• C.

  Were originally from Newfoundland, not Labrador

• D.

  Have undergone many changes to become the breed seen today

The subheadings "History" and "Temperament" are clues that the author's primary purpose was to

• A.

  Inform or explain

• B.

  Persuade

• C.

  Entertain

• D.

  Express feelings

The writers of "Dogs Like Us" and Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds have different perspectives about the

• A.

  Personalities of some dog breeds

• B.

  Lineage of some dog breeds

• C.

  Upkeep of some dog breeds

• D.

  Effectiveness of breed standards

Which statement is most likely to be written by both authors?

• A.

  Dog buyers should do research before purchasing a puppy.

• B.

  German Shepherds are likely to live longer than Labradors.

• C.

  The traditions of dog breeding should be rigorously maintained.

• D.

  Mixed-breed dogs are typically more intelligent than purebred dogs.

The Greek word root aesthet means "sense" or "perception." What does aesthetically mean in line 41 of "Dogs Like Us"?

• A.

  Having to do with smell

• B.

  Appealing to sense of sight

• C.

  Seeming to sound familiar

• D.

  Relating to sense of touch

The Latin word root ver means "turn." In line 53 of Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds, the word versatile means able to

• A.

  Bend with ease

• B.

  Change direction

• C.

  Roll over often

• D.

  Perform many roles

The Greek word root bio means "life," and the Greek word root mech means "machine." In line 44 of "Dogs Like Us," the word biomechanical relates to the way that

• A.

  Species interact

• B.

  Structures are built

• C.

  Living things move

• D.

  Engines operate

• A.

  Sentence 1

• B.

  Sentence 2

• C.

  Sentence 3

• D.

  Sentence 4

Choose the correct way to rewrite sentences 5 and 6 as one sentence containing one independent clause and one subordinate clause.

• A.

  When he goes exploring on his own, Jerry learns about the tunnel by watching some older boys swimming in a rocky bay.

• B.

  Jerry goes exploring on his own one day and he learns about the tunnel by watching some older boys swimming in a rocky bay.

• C.

  Jerry goes exploring on his own one day and learns about the tunnel by watching some older boys swimming in a rocky bay.

• D.

  Exploring alone one day, Jerry learns about the tunnel by watching some older boys swimming in a rocky bay.

Use correct grammar to choose the proper punctuation for sentence 7.

• A.

  These boys jump into the water; and they surface on the other side of a big rock.

• B.

  These boys jump into the water; They surface on the other side of a big rock.

• C.

  These boys jump into the water, and they surface on the other side of a big rock.

• D.

  These boys jump into the water, they surface on the other side of a big rock.

Which sentence in the second paragraph uses a tone that is not appropriate for a literary analysis?

• A.

  Sentence 6

• B.

  Sentence 7

• C.

  Sentence 8

• D.

  Sentence 9

Choose the best way to rewrite sentence 10 using more precise words.

• A.

  Jerry then begins to instantly whimper, showing his nature.

• B.

  Jerry then begins to cry a lot, showing his nature.

• C.

  Jerry then begins to cry aloud, showing his real nature.

• D.

  Jerry then begins to wail, revealing his childlike nature.

Choose the best way to rewrite sentence 12 using more precise words.

• A.

  Jerry goes back to the place where he's staying and waits for his mother to come home from the beach.

• B.

  Jerry returns to the vacation villa and waits impatiently for his mother to come home from the beach.

• C.

  Jerry returns to the place where he's staying and waits a lot for his mother to come home.

• D.

  Jerry goes back to the room where he's staying and waits a long time for his mother to come home from the beach.

Use correct grammar to choose the proper punctuation for sentence 14.

• A.

  The story states that Jerry "nagged and pestered and pestered until she went with him to a shop."

• B.

  The story states that Jerry, "nagged and pestered and pestered until she went with him to a shop."

• C.

  The story states that Jerry, "nagged and pestered and pestered until she went with him to a shop".

• D.

  The story states that Jerry: "nagged and pestered and pestered until she went with him to a shop."

Sentence 18 supports the key point of the thesis statement because it

• A.

  Explains that the beach is a safe place for mothers and sons

• B.

  Demonstrates Jerry's growing independence and maturity

• C.

  Shows Jerry's determination to swim through the tunnel

• D.

  Illustrates that Jerry's mother is overprotective

The coordinating conjunction that can best combine sentences 22 and 23 is

• A.

  But

• B.

  And

• C.

  Or

• D.

  So

• A.

  Detached

• B.

  Curious

• C.

  Hesitant

• D.

  Gleeful

In lines 6–9, the speaker uses a metaphor to compare children's activities to

• A.

  The balloonman's whistle

• B.

  Puddles of water

• C.

  The actions of pirates

• D.

  Sets of marbles

In line 10, the phrase "when the world is puddle-wonderful" reveals the poet's

• A.

  Belief that water is necessary for survival

• B.

  Preference for summer over winter

• C.

  Concern about children playing in the rain

• D.

  Love of the rains of springtime

• A.

  Maintain a lawn properly

• B.

  Idle away an afternoon

• C.

  Keep snakes away from crops

• D.

  Make hay from the cuttings

The poet's style in "Mowing" can be characterized by his use of

• A.

  Frequent similes and sensory language

• B.

  Contractions and slang words

• C.

  Witty humor and sarcastic tone

• D.

  Elaborate sentences and formal diction

Answer the following quesiton about BOTH poems:  what theme do the two poems share?

• A.

  Determination helps you develop a strong character.

• B.

  The natural world has a great influence on human activities.

• C.

  Children often learn best when allowed to explore on their own.

• D.

  Actual events often exceed people's expectations.

• A.

  The Guide gives useful directions tovi sitors who wish to reach the park and see the efficient and admirable project.

• B.

  The New York Times writes that the Guide had directions for people who wanted to see the admirable project for themselves.

• C.

  The Guide was a useful source and included directions to the park for those who wanted to see the construction in progress

• D.

  According to The New York Times, the Guide told people how to get to the park to see the construction in progress.

The best way to evaluate the validity of this source is to

• A.

  Read short stories written about Central Park

• B.

  Research in other sources to verify the facts

• C.

  Read other articles written by the same author

• D.

  Research the history of New York City architecture

Which question would best help you narrow research on the construction of Central Park?

• A.

  How many people visited Central Park in 1859?

• B.

  When was the Central Park Zoo first built?

• C.

  What resources were needed to build Central Park?

• D.

  Which roadways run through Central Park?