Grammar
____ 1. In the following sentence, which word is an adjective?
The gloriously beautiful afternoon drifted slowly into evening.
a. / gloriously / c. / driftedb. / beautiful / d. / evening
____ 2. In the following sentence, which word is an adjective?
After training at the business school, Manny's attitude changed dramatically.
a. / business / c. / dramaticallyb. / training / d. / changed
____ 3. Which sentence has three adjectives?
a. / The fast car sped up and down the street. / c. / Tobey's mother went to the store to buy five different desserts for the party.b. / The brown-haired girl bought three shampoos at the beauty salon. / d. / John quickly realized he had made a big mistake.
____ 4. What must a prepositional phrase include?
a. / a preposition and a noun or pronoun / c. / a preposition and a verb or adverbb. / a preposition and an adjective or article / d. / a preposition and a conjunction or interjection
____ 5. How many prepositional phrases are in the following sentence?
Put the pen near the front of the desk under the pad just behind the box.
a. / one / c. / threeb. / two / d. / Four
____ 6. Which of the following is a sentence fragment?
a. / He plays the piano. / c. / She practiced a lot.b. / Go practice the violin. / d. / A guitar and a drum set.
Literary Analysis: Figurative Language
Identify the type of figurative language used in the following sentence(s).
____ 7. An angry sky loomed overhead.
a. / simile / c. / paradoxb. / metaphor / d. / personification
____ 8. Her novel was a passport to adventure.
a. / simile / c. / paradoxb. / metaphor / d. / personification
____ 9. The rumbling storm sounded like a freight train headed our way.
a. / simile / c. / paradoxb. / metaphor / d. / Personification
Literary Analysis: Sound Devices
____ 10. What type of sound device is illustrated by the word fizz?
a. / alliteration / c. / assonanceb. / consonance / d. / onomatopoeia
____ 11. Which sound device does this phrase demonstrate?
cruel cackles of crazed crones
a. / alliteration / c. / assonanceb. / consonance / d. / onomatopoeia
Reading Skill: Evaluate Sources
____ 12. Which of the following would indicate that an author's main idea is valid?
a. / It is presented with headings and subheadings. / c. / It is fully supported with evidence.b. / It is found in a source that is many years old. / d. / It is presented with vivid language.
Literary Analysis
____ 13. Which of these statements most accurately describes an epic?
a. / An epic is a short poem that usually tells an exciting story. / c. / An epic is usually about a hero whose traits are valued by his or her society.b. / An epic is usually about an ordinary person who faces an extraordinary situation. / d. / An epic is usually narrated in chronological order, with no jumps in time.
____ 14. What do you call an elaborate comparison that extends over several lines in an epic?
a. / an epic simile / c. / an analysisb. / an epithet / d. / a Homeric stanza
____ 15. Which character generally opposes the main character in a literary work?
a. / a secondary character / c. / an antagonistb. / a protagonist / d. / a tragic character
Literary Analysis: Protagonist and Antagonist
Read the selection. Then, answer the question(s).
From the huge waves that splashed the sides of the boat, the crew knew that the storm was approaching. Although the captain had listened to the weather report before setting out, the crew members were not prepared for this type of problem. Their rain gear was insufficient, and the boat seemed dwarfed by the water that was rising around them. The captain was an accomplished sailor, but it would take all of his expertise to get the crew and boat safely back to port.
____ 16. In the selection, why would the captain be considered the protagonist?
a. / He is a minor character who is acted upon by the storm. / c. / He is a major character who plays the role of the villain.b. / He is a minor character who makes poor decisions. / d. / He is a major character who plays the role of the hero.
____ 17. In the selection, what or who is the antagonist?
a. / the crew / c. / the boatb. / the captain / d. / the storm
____ 18. Which of these universal conflicts does the struggle in the passage represent?
a. / human being vs. nature / c. / good vs. evilb. / human being vs. society / d. / younger generation vs. older generation
____ 19. What is a myth?
a. / a story told in dialect / c. / an accurate explanation of why something occurredb. / a fanciful story that explains a natural phenomenon or event / d. / a fictional adventure story
Reading Skill: Analyze Primary Sources
____ 20. Which statement is true of primary sources?
a. / All primary source documents are reliable. / c. / All primary sources are unreliable.b. / Some primary sources are more reliable than others. / d. / All primary sources are published material.
____ 21. Which type of writing would qualify as a primary source?
a. / an encyclopedia entry / c. / a review of someone's biographyb. / a history textbook / d. / a ship captain's log
____ 22. Which of the following is least likely to be a primary source?
a. / a short story / c. / a news articleb. / an autobiography / d. / a diary
Read the passage. Then, answer the following question(s).
(1) When I was little, Grandma always played with me. (2) She taught me how to dance, and she made beautiful clothes for my dolls. (3) She was my special friend, but I had no idea just how special until I was in ninth grade.
(4) Since my family did not have much money, I knew I would never be able to buy a great dress for the school dance. (5) That did not stop me from dreaming, however. (6) Many nights, after I had finished my homework, I would sketch the "perfect" dress. (7) I kept all the sketches on my bedside table. (8) I guess I figured that was a good place to store impossible dreams.
(9) One Monday, Mom and Grandma agreed that we should start shopping for my dress. (10) I dreaded shopping for it; I knew I would never find anything close to my "perfect" dress. (11) Nevertheless, we decided that we would shop for it on Saturday.
(12) That Friday night at dinner, Grandma seemed unusually cheerful, so I asked her why. (13) "Oh, Natalie! I have a surprise," she sang, like a happy little bird, and she reached under the table to pull out a huge, flat box. (14) When I opened it, I gasped and burst into tears. (15) Grandma had made my "perfect" dress!
____ 23. Which sentence contains foreshadowing?
a. / sentence 1 / c. / sentence 4b. / sentence 3 / d. / sentence 5
____ 24. From which point of view is this selection narrated?
a. / first person / c. / third-person limitedb. / second person / d. / third-person omniscient
____ 25. Which statement best summarizes the conflict that the narrator faces?
a. / It is an internal conflict involving confusion about whether or not to go to the dance. / c. / It is an external conflict involving her inability to design a dress for the dance.b. / It is an internal conflict involving fear that she will not be able to go to the dance. / d. / It is an external conflict involving her inability to buy a perfect dress for the dance.
____ 26. Based on the story, what conclusion can you draw about why Grandma decided to make Natalie's "perfect" dress?
a. / Grandma wanted to make Natalie's dream come true. / c. / Grandma did not want to buy Natalie a beautiful dress.b. / Grandma always loved to make doll clothes for Natalie. / d. / Grandma was bored and wanted an interesting project.
____ 27. Which statement could you best use to describe Grandma, given her words and actions?
a. / She is practical and stern. / c. / She is funny and imaginative.b. / She is helpful and generous. / d. / She is thrifty and a bit argumentative.
____ 28. Which of the following helps you make predictions about a text as you prepare to read it?
a. / title and chapter titles / c. / details in the textb. / your own experiences / d. / all of the above
____ 29. In which of the following phrases is a noun used as an adjective?
a. / a complete archive / c. / collection of family lettersb. / a family strong on documents / d. / personal remembrances
____ 30. Choose the sentence that contains a prepositional phrase.
a. / My grandfather McCracken was a genealogist. / c. / I have a small archive myself.b. / You need and want things you don't even know exist. / d. / I come from a family strong on documents.
____ 31. Odysseus' comment to Telemachus, "This is not princely, to be swept / away by wonder at your father's presence," implies which of the following about ancient Greek cultural values?
a. / People expected that princes would be easily amazed. / c. / Princes commonly believed in miracles.b. / People looked up to princes as men of imagination. / d. / Princes were not expected to display emotion.
____ 32. In Part 2 of the Odyssey, the hero, Odysseus, appears disguised as which of the following?
a. / a suitor / c. / a beggarb. / Eumaeus / d. / a priest of Zeus
____ 33. The episode about Argus, Odysseus' dog, is important to the plot because it emphasizes
a. / the length of Odysseus' absence from home. / c. / the epic's main theme of loyalty vs. treachery.b. / Eumaeus' awareness of Odysseus' disguise. / d. / the qualities that people and animals have in their youth.
____ 34. What is the likeliest reason the disguised Odysseus makes up a story and tells Penelope that her husband will be home soon?
a. / to give himself a few days to figure out whether he wishes to stay / c. / to ensure that she does not unwittingly give away his presenceb. / to avoid a painful scene / d. / to make the surprise of his true identity all the greater
____ 35. Which of the following character traits does Penelope reveal in Part 2 of the Odyssey?
a. / stubbornness and fear / c. / prudence and loyaltyb. / weakness and longing / d. / indecision and panic
____ 36. Which of the following is an important theme in Part 2 of the Odyssey?
a. / Good triumphs over evil. / c. / The quest for power never ends.b. / Separation weakens relationships. / d. / Old age triumphs over youth.
____ 37. Toward the end of Part 2, how does Penelope test Odysseus?
a. / She disguises herself to see if he will recognize her even if she is not as beautiful as he remembers. / c. / She pretends that she has moved their marriage bed in order to see if Odysseus knows their secret sign.b. / She tells him that she almost married one of the suitors. / d. / She challenges him to string the great bow a second time just to be sure.
____ 38. Which of the following ancient Greek cultural values is demonstrated by Odysseus' slaughter of the suitors?
a. / Violence is never justified. / c. / Intelligence is more highly prized than physical strength.b. / Even heroes sometimes allow their emotions to get the better of them. / d. / Revenge is sometimes justified, even if it involves violence.
English I
Final Exam
Directions: Read the following passage and then answer questions 1-7.
“A Simple Gesture”
(1) One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd." I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
(2) As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible melancholy in his eyes. My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses I saw a tear in his eye.
(3) As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives." He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends. He said yes. We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.
(4) Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half the books. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.
(5) Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak.