tennesse grade 8 tcap a t p e sampler

EMCParadigm Publishing Saint Paul, Minnesota

TENNESSEE GRADE 8TCAP ACHIEVEMENT TEST

PRACTICE EXERCISESSAMPLER

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Staff Credits

EditorialLaurie SkibaManaging Editor

Brenda OwensEditor

Nichola TorbettAssociate Editor

Jennifer J. AndersonAssociate Editor

Valerie MurphyEditorial Assistant

Lori ColemanEducational Writer

DesignShelley Clubb Production Manager

Erica Tava Production Specialist

© 2005 EMC Corporation

All rights reserved. The assessment materials in this publication may be photocopied for class-room use only. No part of this publication may be adapted, reproduced, stored in a retrievalsystem, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,recording, or otherwise without permission from the publisher.

Published by EMC/Paradigm Publishing875 Montreal WaySt. Paul, Minnesota 55102800-328-1452www.emcp.comE-mail: [email protected]

Printed in the United States of America.10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 XXX 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11

Cover CreditsCover Designer: C. Vern Johnson

The Human Condition, 1934. Rene Magritte.

The Farm, 1921–1922. Joan Miró.

The Persistence of Memory, 1931. Salvador Dali.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ..............................................................................................................iv

Unit 1: Working Toward Your Dreams

Answering Questions about Content............................................................1

Unit 1 Mini-Test ...........................................................................................7

Unit 2: Family Ties

Answering Questions about Grammar and Conventions ..............................9

Unit 2 Mini-Test .........................................................................................22

Unit 3: Going Down the Road

Answering Questions about Meaning.........................................................25

Unit 3 Mini-Test .........................................................................................30

Unit 4: Understanding Conflict

Answering Questions about Techniques and Skills

Unit 4 Mini-Test .........................................................................................41

Unit 5: Open a Book, Open a World

Answering Questions about Vocabulary .....................................................44

Unit 5 Mini-Test .........................................................................................48

Unit 6: Far Horizons

Answering Questions about Organization ..................................................52

Unit 6 Mini-Test .........................................................................................57

Unit 7: Folklore of the Americas

Answering Questions about the Writing Process.........................................60

Unit 7 Mini-Test .........................................................................................66

Unit 8: Stories to Tell—Fiction

Answering Questions about Grammar and Conventions ............................69

Unit 8 Mini-Test .........................................................................................80

Answer Key ..............................................................................................................83

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INTRODUCTION

This sampler book was developed for teachers in Tennessee using the EMC MasterpieceSeries who wish to offer students practice in answering the types of questions on theTCAP Achievement Test. The Tennessee Grade 8 TCAP Achievement Test Practice ExercisesBook Sampler is designed to be used with Responding to Literature, the title in the series forstudents in grade 8. This sampler contains only units 1 and 2 to show the format ofthe complete book; Tennessee Grade 8 TCAP Achievement Test Practice Exercises. Ifyou need to review the complete book, please call 800-328-1452.

The instruction and questions in this book correlate directly to the Tennessee StatePerformance Indicators as they are organized into the seven CRT Reporting Categories:Content; Grammar and Conventions; Meaning; Techniques and Skills; Vocabulary;Writing/Organization; and Writing Process. Each of the first eight units of Responding toLiterature is linked with one of the Reporting Categories (Grammar and Conventions isaddressed in two units—unit 2 and unit 8). This gives you ample time in the course of theschool year to work on each of these language arts skills individually before administeringthe test in April.

Each unit provides direct instruction, opportunities to demonstrate understanding of thematerial, and a mini-test. The material in each unit is closely tied to the content of thesame unit in the textbook.

To review the Tennessee Board of Education’s CRT Reporting Categories with StatePerformance Indicators, go to http://tennessee.gov/education/assessment/tsachspirl8.pdf

Textbook Program OverviewWe at EMC know you want your students to reach higher, think more deeply, andachieve more. Why not choose a literature program that supports your goals?

Recent studies show students are not being challenged enough in school and thatstudent themselves are calling for higher academic expectations that will help themprepare for college, work, and beyond. Our Masterpiece Series, Literature and LanguageArts is a rich, challenging program specially designed to motivate your students to godeeper and learn to love literature in the process.

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U N I T 1 R E S P O N D I N G T O L I T E R AT U R E © EMC

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Expect more from your students with the EMC Masterpiece Series, Literature and theLanguage Arts program. Our program provides the tools to help you bring greatliterature to every student in your class—without compromising your expectations.Students achieve a higher level of critical literacy that will enable them to become a moreindependent readers and thinkers.

✓ Great selections for readers at all levels—nothing watered down

✓ Direct coaching in the reading strategies used by proficient readers

✓ Scaffolded critical thinking questions - questions worth thinking about

✓ Frequent writing opportunities

✓ Ongoing formative assessments in reading and writing

For more information about the EMC Masterpiece Series, Literature and the Language Arts,go to http://emcp.com. From the web site, under the State Standards link, you may obtainadditional Tennessee specific documentation for the EMC Masterpiece Series, Literature andthe Language Arts program.

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UNIT 1: WORKING TOWARD YOUR DREAMS

Answering Questions about ContentAnswering a question about content usually involves reading a selection and making adetermination about the plot, theme, genre, point of view, characters, literary elements, orauthor’s purpose.

Plot A plot is a series of events in a story. A plot usually involves the introduction of a conflict,its development, and its resolution.

Sometimes the elements of a plot are shown on a plot pyramid:

Exposition: introduction; provides background information

Inciting incident: the event that triggers the central conflict

Climax: high point of suspense in the story

Crisis: point in the story where something happens to decide the future course of events

Resolution: point where the central conflict ends

Dénouement: final material that completes the story

Exposition

IncitingIncident Resolution

Climax

Crisis

Dénouement

Risi

ng A

ctio

n

Falling Action

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˛ Read, or reread, the story “Born Worker” by Gary Soto, which begins on page 36 ofyour textbook. Which of the following is the climax of the story?

A when Arnie proposes the work arrangement to JoséB when Arnie and José arrive at Mr. Clemens’s house to clean the poolC when José rescued Mr. Clemens from a fall into the poolD when Arnie returned to speak with the fireman

ThemeThe theme of a selection is its main idea. It is a broad statement about a topic. A story’stheme is not the same as the subject. Many stories share the same subject but have differentthemes because they make unique statements about the subject.

Subject Themes

friendship friendship is more important than moneygood friends are hard to findhaving a few close friends is better than having many distant friends

life life is a journey in which you choose your directionlife is a precious gift to be treasured

˛ In the story “Born Worker,” which of the following is a possible theme?

A integrity, or moral strength, involves honesty and a strong work ethic B a good business sense is important in getting ahead in lifeC fathers are proud of their sons no matter whatD coming from a privileged background impresses people

GenreA genre is a type or category of literary work. There are a wide variety of genres. Somecommon ones include the following:

• Poetry: involves language used in special ways so that its sound reflects itsmeaning more powerfully than in ordinary speech or writing. Lyrical poetryrelies heavily on sound; narrative poetry is verse that tells a story.

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• Fiction: is a made-up story. Fiction can range in length from a short story to afull-length novel.

• Drama: is a story told through characters played by actors. The script of adrama, or play, typically consists of characters’ names, dialogue spoken by thecharacters, and stage directions.

• Letters: are written correspondence between two people. Letters can be formalor informal. A group of letters that tell a story is called epistolary writing.

• Advertisements: are the use of media—television, radio, Internet pages,newspapers, magazines, and other publishing formats—to promote a product orservice. Advertisements try to get consumers to buy the product or service theypromote.

• Historical fiction: tells a story that is partly based on actual historical settings orevents. The story itself is made up. Writers of historical fiction use specifichistorical details to help make their stories come alive.

• Biography: is a story of a person’s life told by a different person. A biographycan tell about a person’s entire life or a part of it.

• Autobiography: is a story of a person’s life told by that person. Anautobiographer may tell about his or her entire life or only a part of it.

• Essay: is a short nonfiction work that expresses a writer’s thoughts about a singlesubject or idea. A good essay develops that idea, or thesis, by using supportingdetails. An essay can be narrative, persuasive, informative, or personal. Anarrative essay tells a story to make a point. A persuasive essay attempts toadvance an opinion. An informative essay communicates facts. A personal essayrelates something about the life of the writer.

˛ Read, or reread, the reading “The Story of Iqbal Masih” on pages 29-32 of yourtextbook. Which of the following genres best describes the reading?

A historical fictionB narrative poemC biographyD autobiography




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Point of ViewPoint of view is the perspective from which a story is told. If the story is told from thefirst-person point of view, the narrator uses the pronouns I and we and is a part of or awitness to the action. When a story is told from a third-person point of view, the narratoris outside the action; uses words such as he, she, it, and they; and avoids the use of I and we.

First-person point of view I heard the story of a Pakistani boy who escapedforced labor. We decided we had to do something to help.

Third-person point of view He was a great believer in the power of dreams.They were migrant workers, farming the fields ofcentral California.

Point of view can also be described as limited or omniscient. In a literary work writtenfrom a limited point of view, everything is seen and described from the eyes of a singlecharacter. In a story written from an omniscient point of view, the narrator knowseverything and can see into the minds of all the characters.

˛ Read, or reread, a portion of Chaim Potok’s story “Moon,” which begins on page 14of your textbook. Look for the pronouns the narrator uses. Does the narrator knowabout the thoughts and feelings of more than one character? Which best describesthe point of view used by Potok?

A first-person limited point of viewB first-person omniscient point of viewC third-person limited point of viewD third-person omniscient point of view

CharactersA character is a person or animal who takes part in the action of a literary work. The actof creating or describing a character is called characterization. An author revealsinformation about a character in the following ways:

• by describing his or her physical characteristics• through dialogue between the character and other characters• by showing what other characters think and say about him or her• by describing what the character does, says, or thinks



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˛ Chaim Potok uses each of the following methods of characterization in “Moon.” Findan example of each in the story. On the line, write the page number and first sentenceof each example.

1. describing his or her physical characteristics:

2. dialogue between the character and other characters:

3. showing what other characters think and say about him or her:

4. describing what the character does or thinks:

Literary ElementsWriters use a wide variety of literary elements to shape meaning. Using literary “tools” suchas symbolism can make an author’s ideas more powerful. Literary elements can appear infiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama alike. Following are some common literary elements.

Literary element Definition Example

symbol a thing that stands for or a red rose is commonly used represents both itself to symbolize loveand something else

foreshadowing the act of hinting at events a character’s dream might that will happen later in foreshadow a future event in the a literary work story

flashback a part of a story that a character suddenly remembers presents events that something that happened to him happened at an earlier time or her as a child

irony a difference between a character is preparing for the appearance and reality funeral of a sister, when the sister

comes knocking at the door

mood the feeling or emotion an author may describe a scary, the writer creates in a dark, place with eerie noises to literary work create a frightening mood

tone a writer’s attitude toward an author might write about athe subject or reader as tragic event using a sad or shown in a literary work angry tone




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˛ In the story “Born Worker,” José does all the work and helps Mr. Clemens, whileArnie gets the credit. This is an example of which of the following?

A moodB symbolC foreshadowingD irony

Author’s PurposeAn author can have one or more purposes in writing a particular selection. Sometimesthese purposes can overlap.


Purpose Examples

to inform news article, research paper, informative essay

to persuade editorial, advertisement, persuasive essay

to tell a story biography, short story, novel, narrative essay

to reflect on an idea or event letter, diary entry, personal essay

to share a creative perspective oem, song lyrics, cartoon

˛ Which of the following best describes the author’s purpose in “The Story ofIqbal Masih,” which begins on page 29 of your textbook?

A to persuade the reader not to buy Pakistani rugsB to inform the reader about the life and death of IqbalC to reflect on the meaning of Iqbal’s campaign to end child laborD to persuade the reader to help children like Iqbal


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Go On

UNIT 1 MINI-TEST

Directions Read the Revised Student Model, “Making a Difference,” on pages 50-51 of the Guided Writing Lesson for Unit 1, and answer thefollowing questions.

1 The first paragraph of the selection is which part of the plot?

A expositionB climaxC resolutionD inciting incident

2 Which answer best describes the theme of the selection?

F Mr. Henry is a hero for his work during the boycottG Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the busH the perseverance of black people during the boycott made a difference in

American historyJ black people suffered many injustices before 1956

3 Which answer best describes the genre of the selection?

A essayB historical fictionC narrative poemD biography

4 Which best describes the point of view of the narrator of the selection?

F first-person limitedG third-person limitedH first-person omniscientJ third-person omniscient




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5 Which answer best indicates how the author characterizes Dr. King?

A describing his or her physical characteristics: B dialogue between the character and other characters C showing what other characters think and say about him or her D describing what the character does, says, or thinks

6 The last sentence of the third paragraph, “For over a year, Mr. Henry wondered if his actions would make any difference as he walked back and forth to work,” is anexample of which of the following?

F flashbackG symbolH ironyJ tone

7 Which of the following best describes the author’s purpose?

A to narrate the story of Mr. Henry’s lifeB to persuade people to give up their seats on the bus for othersC to inform the reader about the bus boycottD to narrate the story of Dr. King’s life




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UNIT 2: FAMILY TIES

Answering Questions about Grammar and ConventionsAnswering questions about grammar and conventions usually means reading severalsentences and choosing the one written correctly or the one written incorrectly. Questionsmay involve the use of commas, usage errors, prepositions and prepositional phrases, run-on sentences, parts of speech, appositives and infinitives, formatting, gerund and participialphrases, and pronoun-antecedent agreement.

CommasCommas are used for many different reasons. They are used in compound sentences, in aseries of items, and with introductory words, appositives, and interrupters.

In a compound sentence, a conjunction such as and, but, or, nor, yet, so, or for separates twoparts, each of which could stand on its own as a complete sentence. The comma comesbefore the conjunction.

Her grandmother wanted to teach her to make rolls, but the girl didn’t want to learn.

One grandma was from Taiwan, and the other was from Pennsylvania.

In a series, or list, that appears in a sentence, a comma separates each item.

Molly read, sang songs, went to the university, and traveled.

The daughters laundered the curtains, rugs, and slipcovers.

When a sentence begins with an introductory word, such as well, oh, yes, or no, a commashould follow.

Well, I don’t know if Grandpa wants me to visit.

No, I don’t think we should clean the house for Thanksgiving.




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Commas are sometimes used with appositives. An appositive is a noun or pronoun placednext to another noun or pronoun to identify or explain it. Set off the appositive withcommas if it affects the meaning of the sentence. If the appositive does not affect themeaning of the sentence, don’t set it off with commas.

My grandmother, Grandma Ling, spoke Chinese. (If you take out the appositive, it isn’tclear to which grandmother the speaker is referring.)

Martin’s little sister Cheryl loved bringing her friends to see their grandfather. (This iscorrect if Martin only has one little sister because removing “Cheryl” doesn’t change themeaning of the sentence. If Martin had more than one little sister, then commas around“Cheryl” would be necessary.)

Some sentences have interrupters—words or phrases that interrupt the flow of thesentence. Set these off with commas.

Abuelo’s children, including Arturo’s mother, migrated from Puerto Rico to theUnited States.

Mama kept some very strange things, such as a bowl of worms, in her house.

˛ Which sentence uses commas correctly?

A The Great Sioux Nation originated as an alliance of bands that spoke threelanguages: Dakota, Lakota and Nakota.

B Martin stood on the curb unable to move, when he saw his grandfather.C However, Puerto Ricans currently do not vote in U.S. presidential elections.D Fathers believe change is a threat and, they mistrust boys.




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Usage Errors

subject-verb agreement

For a subject and a verb to “agree,” they need to both be singular or both plural.


Singular subject and verb Grandpa comes to see us once in awhile.

Plural subject and verb My grandmothers love to cook.

Wrong Most people in my family is from Nigeria.

Right Most people in my family are from Nigeria.

Wrong One of the peaches are ripe.

Right One of the peaches is ripe.

Wrong “Legacies” are one of my favorite poems.

Right “Legacies” is one of my favorite poems.

Problems sometimes occur when the subject is more complicated. Look for thesimple subject and make sure the verb agrees with it.

˛ Select the sentence in which the subject and verb agree.

A Family traditions such as celebrating a special holiday are important to mostpeople.

B “First Lesson” and “My Father’s Hands Held Mine” is a poem about fathers.C “For My Sister Molly Who in the Fifties” are one of many poems by Alice

Walker.D Stories and poems about grandparents, such as “Abuelito Who” by Sandra

Cisneros, reveals how important the connection is between grandparents andgrandchildren.



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pronouns

Errors commonly occur with compound subjects that contain pronouns. To make sure youhave used the correct pronoun, read each subject alone with the verb. You will “hear” thecorrect pronoun. (Me had suspicions about the mural painter? I had suspicions about themural painter.)

Likewise, pronouns that occur in the predicate of a sentence are usually only tricky whenthey are part of a compound. Again, read the sentence with each part of the compoundseparately. (The bachelor told the story to I? The bachelor told the story to me.)

˛ Select the sentence in which the correct pronoun is used.

A Margie’s grandfather told Tommy and she about books.B My abuelo looked forward to the days when my mom and I would visit.C Jerry and me became fast friends at the cabin in the mountains.D Paul Bunyan and him brought a load of wood down the Mississippi River.

double negatives

In standard English, a double negative is never used. Sometimes negatives are disguised, soyou must look closely at a sentence. Contractions can contain negatives (isn’t = is not;hasn’t = has not, etc.). Hardly and scarcely are also negatives.

Wrong Lou and me had suspicions about the mural painter.

Right Lou and I had suspicions about the mural painter.

Wrong Either Kino or her took care of Coyotito.

Right Either Kino or she took care of Coyotito.

Wrong The bachelor told the story to Cyril and I.

Right The bachelor told the story to Cyril and me.

Wrong The aunt was busy scolding the girls and he.

Right The aunt was busy scolding the girls and him.



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˛ Select the sentence that is written without a double negative.

A You can’t scarcely blame fathers for wanting to protect their daughters. B I thought Abuelo didn’t know nothing about writing.C Mama never talks meanly about anybody.D There wasn’t nothing my sister Molly couldn’t do.

comparative and superlative adjectives

Comparative adjectives should be used when comparing two things. Superlative adjectivesare used only when talking about a group of three or more.


Wrong I don’t want to know how to make no rolls.

Right I don’t want to know how to make any rolls.

Wrong Cheryl and Martin couldn’t hardly believe it when theirgrandfather came.

Right Cheryl and Martin could hardly believe it when theirgrandfather came.

Comparative Superlative

better best

worse worst

more eager most eager

less bright least bright



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˛ Select the sentence that uses the correct adjective form.

A. Of all our relatives, Aunt Thelma is the more skilled cook.B Martin is the oldest of the two children.C My classmates think Bailey White is the funnier writer of them all.D Hope was Here is the best book I’ve read all year.

commonly confused words

There are many pairs of words of which people frequently use one when they mean theother. Here are a few:

where/were: The word where has to do with location. The word were is a past tense form of is.

I wonder where she is?

We were in the shed.

which/that: Both of these words can be used in clauses that modify, or add description to,a noun. The word that is used when the clause is restrictive, meaning that the addeddescription is a part of the definition of the noun. The word which is used when the clauseis nonrestrictive, meaning that the added description is simply more information about thenoun. Clauses with that don’t have commas. Clauses with which have commas.

The medicine bag that Grandpa brought with him is meant to become Martin’s.

The medicine bag, which contained several items, had been passed down throughgenerations.


Wrong Martin is the taller of all his friends. (“all” implies more than two)

Right Martin is the tallest of all his friends.

Wrong Between my sister and me, she was most mortified by Mama’shouse.

Right Between my sister and me, she was more mortified by Mama’shouse.



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The announcement that guests would be coming for Thanksgiving shocked Louiseand Bailey.

The typewriter, which Mama kept under the kitchen sink, didn’t even work.

who/whom: The word who should be used when it is the subject and could be replaced bythe words I or he, for example. Look for the verb in the sentence and see if who is thesubject—the performer of the action. The word whom should be used as an object in thesentence, as the receiver of the action instead of the performer of the action. It iscommonly used in phrases such as to whom, from whom, for whom, etc.

The people who visited Mama’s house were all very nice.

The guests whom Mama invited arrived promptly at noon.

Molly, who in the fifties when to college, is my favorite sister.

This poem is for Molly, to whom I will always be grateful.

˛ Select the sentence that is written correctly.

A The relatives who I once met where all living in Ohio.B Abuelo’s book of poetry, that he was writing in, is full of stories and poetry.C We were wondering where you keep the worms.D Cisneros loves her abuelito whom throws coins like rain.

Misplaced Modifiers

prepositions and prepositional phrases

Prepositional phrases are phrases that begin with a preposition like for, from, to, over,under, during, between, among, around, off, on, past, until, and with. Prepositional phrases arecommon and useful writing tools, but writers must make sure that they appear in theproper place in the sentence and that they modify the right word.




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gerund and participial phrases

Like prepositional phrases, gerund and participial phrases are commonly put in thewrong place in the sentence. Gerund phrases include gerunds: nouns formed from verbsin their –ing form.

Biking is my favorite exercise.

I like going to the amusement park.

I heard the laughing that came from the group surrounding Grandpa on the porch.

Visiting my grandpa is one of my favorite activities.

Participial phrases have participals: verbs in their –ing or –ed forms. They modify nounsor pronouns.

Tired, I had a hard time staying awake.

Working like crazy, we managed to clean the house in record time.

The typewriter, broken and dirty, sat under the kitchen sink.

Make sure that gerund phrases and participial phrases are part of a complete sentence.Make sure participial phrases modify the right word.


Wrong After cleaning the entire house, the cooking was begun. (Thesubject is “cooking.” “Cooking” didn’t clean the house; the sisters did.)

Right After cleaning the entire house, the sisters began cooking.orThe cooking was begun after the entire house was clean.

Wrong A fringed leather vest hung on Grandpa’s thin frame, whichwas decorated with beads. (The vest, not Grandpa’s frame, wasdecorated with beads.)

Right A fringed leather vest, which was decorated with beads, hungon Grandpa’s thin frame.



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appositive and infinitive phrases

An appositive is a noun or pronoun that provides additional information about anothernoun or pronoun next to it. An appositive phrase is a phrase containing an appositive thatserves the same purpose.

Grandpa’s father, Iron Shell, was forced to go to a boarding school.

Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve’s story “The Medicine Bag” was inspired by thepersonal experience of a friend.

Appositive phrases are set off by commas when they are nonessential. Essential appositivephrases, which are not set off by commas, are needed to indicate exactly which one ofvarious possibilities is being named. In these sentences, for example, the first has anonessential appositive phrase; the second one has an essential appositive phrase.

The dangling worms, the worst thing in the kitchen, were revolting to Bailey. (Thephrase “the worst thing in the kitchen” describes the dangling worms but doesn’t identifythem.)

Mama’s daughter Louise wanted to throw away the old typewriter. (“Louise” tells whichdaughter wanted to throw it away.)


Wrong Walking down the road slowly toward the house. (Incompletesentence)

Right Walking down the road slowly toward the house, Grandpalooked around at all our neighbors.

Wrong Grandpa and the lady went to the meeting room movingswiftly down the hall. (The meeting room isn’t moving swiftly;Grandpa is.)

Right Moving swiftly down the hall, Grandpa and the lady went tothe meeting room.



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An infinitive is a verb in its form that uses to. An infinitive phrase includes an infinitive.

Grandpa was too tired to visit.

We have to hurry if we want to finish by Thanksgiving.

To play competitive soccer takes a lot of strength.

Make sure that infinitive phrases keep to and the rest of the verb together. Make sure theyare part of a complete sentence.


Wrong Billy’s mom Nancy is on vacation this week. (If you assumeBilly has only one mom, then “Nancy” is nonessential and should beset off by commas.)

Right Billy’s mom, Nancy, is on vacation this week.

Wrong Alice Walker an African American feminist is the author ofmany works. (The phrase “an African American feminist” isnonessential and should be set off by commas.)

Right Alice Walker, an African American feminist, is the author ofmany works.

Wrong Alice Walker’s novel, The Color Purple, won a Pulitzer Prize.(She has written many novels, some of which have not won PulitzerPrizes, so it is necessary to identify which novel. “The ColorPurple” is an essential appositive phrase, so it should not be set offby commas.)

Right Alice Walker’s novel The Color Purple won a Pulitzer Prize.

Wrong Amy Ling, a Chinese-American poet and educator. (Make surethat sentences with appositive phrases are complete sentences.)

Right Amy Ling, a Chinese-American poet and educator, taught atthe University of Wisconsin in Madison.



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˛ Select the sentence that is written correctly.

A Judith Ortiz Cofer a Puerto Rican-American author writes in both English andSpanish.

B Arturo’s grandfather asked, Arturo, to get the notebook for him.C It is important to learn as much as you can about your family’s traditions and

histories.D To try to understand why your father acts the way he does.

Run-On SentencesRun-on sentences are sentences that actually contain two complete sentences without thecorrect punctuation. You can usually detect a run-on sentence by reading it aloud. A naturalpause in the middle might indicate that a period is needed and a new sentence begun.

Read the following run-on sentences aloud to determine where the first sentence ends andthe second sentence begins.

Judith Ortiz Cofer is an author from Puerto Rico she wrote “An Hour with Abuelo.”

Bailey White’s story “Good Housekeeping” is an example of a personal essay it isbased on real events.


Wrong Louise and Bailey began to randomly pick up items from thefloor.

Right Louise and Bailey began to pick up items randomly from thefloor.

Wrong To ignore your grandfather inconsiderately.

Right To ignore your grandfather is inconsiderate.

Right It is mean to ignore your grandfather inconsiderately.



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You should have noticed where the run-on occurred in each sentence. The sentencesshould have been written like this:

Judith Ortiz Cofer is an author from Puerto Rico. She wrote “An Hour withAbuelo.”

Bailey White’s story “Good Housekeeping” is an example of a personal essay. It isbased on real events.

or

Bailey White’s story “Good Housekeeping” is an example of a personal essay; it isbased on real events.

Sometimes a run-on sentence does have punctuation, but it isn’t the correct punctuation. Acomma separating two sentences is not correct. A comma can be used in a compoundsentence, however, with a conjunction (connecting word) like but or and. A semicolon canalso be used. If you use a semicolon, you don’t need use a conjunction.


Run-on sentence Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve is from the RosebudReservation, many of her stories are linked to theexperiences of the Rosebud Sioux people.

Compound sentence Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve is from the RosebudReservation, and many of her stories are linked to theexperiences of the Rosebud Sioux people.

Compound sentencewith semicolon

Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve is from the RosebudReservation; many of her stories are linked to theexperiences of the Rosebud Sioux people.

Two sentences Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve is from the RosebudReservation. Many of her stories are linked to theexperiences of the Rosebud Sioux people.



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˛ Select the sentence that is not a run-on sentence.

A Grandpa came to visit our family, he walked a very long way to get here.B I went to visit my grandfather in the nursing home, he read to me from his

notebook.C My grandmothers come from very different backgrounds, but they both love me

very much.D My sister has taught me many things about growing up she thinks education is

very important.




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UNIT 2 MINI-TEST

Directions Read the question and all the possible responses before selecting thebest response.

1 Select the sentence that is written correctly.

A My relatives, including my wacky uncle are coming for dinner.B I went to my grandparents’ house, and helped them in the yard.C Her cousins went to Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi.D Well no one is sure when we are meeting.


F Spaghetti with meatballs are my favorite dinner.G Here come the Johnson’s dog.H Mathematics were Molly’s favorite subject.J When were Grandma and Grandpa coming over?


A I don’t know if I’ll ever see my sister again.B The book about Puerto Rico which my grandfather wrote is wonderful.C Between Grandma Ling and Grandma Traub, Grandma Traub is tallest.D It isn’t fair to Louise and I that we should have to clean the whole house.


F Aunt Hilda listened to Vern and I play the piano.G Aunt Hilda listened to Vern and me play the piano.H Either Aunt Hilda or he were bored.J Either Aunt Hilda or him was bored.





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A Willy’s parents took him to school speeding crazily down the road.B Willy’s parents speeding crazily down the road took him to school.C Speeding crazily down the road Willy’s parents took him to school.D Speeding crazily down the road, Willy’s parents took him to school.


F The grits that Mama made this morning where delicious.G The grits, which Mama made this morning, where delicious.H The grits, that Mama made this morning, were delicious.J The grits that Mama made this morning were delicious.


A The ancestors about whom my grandmother spoke were from India.B The ancestors who my grandmother spoke about were from India.C The ancestors that my grandmother spoke about were from India.D The ancestors my grandmother who spoke about were from India.


F Hope was Here is a book about a girl who works in a diner by Joan Bauer.G His uncle said he was coming to visit over the phone.H The woman was wearing a pink jogging suit while pushing a wheelchair.J Ben went out to see what Bill was doing for whatever reason.

9 Select the best way to rewrite this sentence.

Hal came over to visit us we had gone out to dinner.

A Hal came over to visit us; and we had gone out to dinner.B Hal came over to visit us, and we had gone out to dinner.C Hal came over to visit us, but we had gone out to dinner.D Hal came over to visit us but we had gone out to dinner.




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10 Select the best way to rewrite this sentence.

My family is huge I have four brothers and four sisters.

F My family is huge. I have four brothers and four sisters.G My family is huge, I have four brothers and four sisters.H My family is huge and I have four brothers and four sisters.J My family is huge; and I have four brothers and four sisters.




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UNIT 3: GOING DOWN THE ROAD

Answering Questions about MeaningWhen you answer questions about meaning, you will use skills related to the followingways of thinking about what you are reading:

• formulate questions while reading• identify an appropriate title for a passage• determine the cause-effect relationship in a text• make inferences and predictions• identify a time period or culture in a text• determine the influence of culture on a theme

Ask QuestionsActive, engaged readers think about what they are reading as they read. In other words,they regularly check in to make sure they understand what they are reading. Here are someideas for asking questions as you read:

• Turn chapter titles and headings into questions.• Ask yourself what the text is offering and what the author is saying to you.• Ask yourself what you should know about the material and about what you

already know about it.• Question graphics and visual material. Translate what the information they offer

into words.• Use who, what, when, where, why, and how.




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˛ Read the passage and choose the question that is most valid to ask yourself.

The Lewis and Clark ExpeditionAlmost 50 men set forth from Saint Louis as the expedition began in May 1804. Thefirst leg of the journey covered well-known terrain that was frequently traveled byAnglo traders. After wintering among the Mandan Indians in what is now NorthDakota, the team set off again, 33 members strong, in April 1805.

A How was the weather during the winter of 1804-1805?B What part of the journey is this?C What day did the expedition leave?D Who was in charge—Lewis or Clark?

Identify a TitleA good title reflects the main idea, or theme, of a piece of writing. To identify anappropriate title for a piece of writing, determine the main idea or theme. Then, look atthe titles you have to choose from and decide which best reflects the theme.

˛ Read the following passage and decide which title best fits.

The invention of automobiles and the construction of roads to accommodate themcompletely changed the landscape of the United States. When the large interstatefreeways were built in the 1950s and 1960s, entire neighborhoods had to bedestroyed to accommodate them. With these wider routes available for high-speedtravel, small towns and their businesses—once frequented by train travelers andtravelers on smaller roads—dried up. However, the automobile, invented by anAmerican named Henry Ford, quickly became an icon that defined the Americancharacter. Americans loved the freedom offered them by their cars, and they loved toexplore their vast country in them.

A The Destruction of NeighborhoodsB Changing America in the 1950sC Henry FordD The History of Auto Travel in the United States




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Determine Cause and EffectMany texts explain events in terms of what they caused or what caused them. Figuring outwhat is the cause and what is the effect can help you understand relationships among eventsin history, for example, or between elements of a plot. Text that discusses cause and effectrelationships often contains key words such as because, as a result, consequently, therefore, dueto, and so.

˛ Read this passage and answer the following questions.

Math is an important part of our daily lives. For example, you can travel safely in a caracross a long, large bridge because civil engineers used math to figure out how manytons of moving weight the bridge can hold. You can land and take off safely in anairplane because air traffic controllers use math to keep track of the number and thespeed of the planes. Every time you use a computer, you are benefiting from a practicalapplication of math.

Which of these is a cause?

A you can travel safely in a car across a long, large bridgeB you use a computerC math is an important part of our daily livesD civil engineers used math to figure out how many tons of moving weight a bridge

can hold

Which of these is an effect?

A math is an important part of our daily livesB you can travel safely in a car across a long, large bridgeC civil engineers used math to figure out how many tons of moving weight a bridge

can holdD air traffic controllers use math to keep track of the number and the speed of the

planes




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Infer and PredictAs you read, you can make inferences and predictions about what is happening and whatwill happen, based on what you already know about the subject. This skill involves thefollowing:

• thinking about what you know about the subject• thinking about what you are learning about the subject and about how to apply

that new knowledge• thinking about what will happen next in the reading

˛ Read this passage and answer the following questions.

Lewis and Clark’s journey back east went much the same way as the journey west.The expedition members split up from time to time to explore different routes, butthe group still relied on Native peoples to inform them of the best routes, to serve asguides, to provide horses, and to furnish food. As the expedition had run out of goodsto trade for food and supplies, they were even more dependent on the good will ofthe Indians they met.

Based on the passage, which of the following is a logical inference?

A Lewis and Clark are good friends.B Clark relied on Native peoples more than Lewis did.C The Native peoples didn’t really want to provide supplies.D Without help from Native peoples, the expedition would have been much more

difficult.

Based on the passage, which of the following is a logical prediction?

A Lewis and Clark’s expedition will conclude without too many problems.B The Native peoples will stop helping the expedition.C The expedition’s horses will starve.D The expedition will end when they can’t find any more Native peoples.




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Understanding Time Periods and Cultural ContextsThe context of a story—the time and place in which it is set—contributes much to theoverall meaning of the story. The culture of the people in the story or telling the story alsocontributes to meaning. For example, when you read the excerpt from the journals ofLewis and Clark (pages 124-130), you have to keep in mind

• when their journey took place• where they went• what culture the writers came from and what cultures the people they encounter

came from

Certain words and descriptions can provide clues about the time period or cultural contextof a particular text. Look through pages 124-130 for clues that the journals were written asearly as 1805.

Culture and Ethnicity

Culture and ethnicity can have a profound influence on the themes and issues of a literarytext. The Lewis and Clark expedition, for example, would have been described quitedifferently by a Native American writer of the time than it was in the journals.

˛ Read Chapter 14 from Blue Highways by William Least Heat Moon, on pages 138-140 of your textbook. In which time period does this story take place?

A 1890sB 1920sC 1980sD 2020s



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