Sign in

English 11

Unit 10

Test Skills for Reading and Writing

7 topics · 27 practice questions · Free responseNot yet reviewed

Take the unit testFlashcards

Notes

Reading questions

  • Words in context: predict a meaning from the sentence, then substitute choices.
  • Central idea and purpose: look for the whole passage's point; avoid too narrow, too broad or extreme choices.
  • Inference and evidence: choose what the text supports directly; reject additions.

Writing and language questions

  • Transitions: decide the logical relationship (contrast, cause, example, addition) first.
  • Boundaries and punctuation: avoid comma splices; a colon follows a complete clause; commas set off nonessential information.
  • Form, structure and sense: agreement, tense, pronouns, logical comparison and modifiers.

Strategy

  • Read the question first, eliminate wrong answers, watch the clock, and check that your answer directly addresses what is asked.

Topics in this unit

Each topic has its own short notes and practice.

Practice

"The mayor's remarks were meant to placate the angry crowd, and by the end of her speech, the shouting had faded." As used in the sentence, "placate" most nearly means:
Passage: "Students often cram the night before an exam. Yet studies show that reviewing material a little each day for a week leads to far better memory than one long session." Which choice best states the main idea?
Passage: "After the town added bike lanes, the number of cyclists doubled, and the number of accidents did not change." Which inference is best supported?
"The experiment failed twice. ___ the team redesigned the equipment before trying a third time." Which transition is best?
Which choice conforms to Standard English? "The roots of the old oak tree ___ deep into the soil."
"Rosa packed a notebook, a calculator, and ___ for the test." Which choice is parallel?

Free response

Write your answer first, then open the scoring guide.

Free-response question

Read this original passage: "In 2015, the town of Alder Creek replaced its paper permit forms with an online system. Staff worried that residents without home internet would be left out. Instead, the library began offering free help sessions, and the number of completed permits rose by a third. The town's experience suggests that new technology succeeds when it is paired with human support."

(a) State the central idea of the passage in one sentence.

Show the answer and scoring guide

New technology worked in Alder Creek because the town paired it with human help for residents.

Check off the points you earned:

(b) What inference can be drawn about the staff's initial worry? Support it with evidence from the passage.

Show the answer and scoring guide

The worry was reasonable but turned out to be manageable. Evidence: after the library offered help sessions, completed permits rose by a third.

Check off the points you earned:

(c) The following sentence is written: "The town replaced forms, however, the staff worried about residents." Identify the error and correct it.

Show the answer and scoring guide

Error: a comma splice (and a misused transition). Correction: "The town replaced its forms; however, the staff worried about residents."

Check off the points you earned:

Previous unitUnit 9: Advanced Grammar and Style