English 10

Midterm Exam Review

Your exam will cover the following topics. Feel free to review any/all notes from the first semester to help prepare for the exam.

Short Stories/Reading ResearchWriting

Reading strategiesReliabilityComplete Sentences

Context cluesCredibilitySentence Fragments

Text structureCitationCommas

Author’s PurposePlagiarism Vivid words

Point of ViewThesisParts of Speech

Characterization

Drama Affixes Hyperbole

Tragedy/ComedyRootsIdiom

Stage directionsPrefixMetaphor

Characters Suffix Personification

Simile

Allusion

Define the following terms:

Text Structure

Chronological order

Compare/contrast

Problem/solution

Cause/effect

Sequence

Author’s purpose

Inform

Persuade

Entertain

Prediction

Characterization –

indirect

direct

Narrator

First-person

Third person limited

Third person omniscient

Research

Thesis

Source

Citation

Plagiarism

Reliability

Credibility

Affixes

Roots

Prefix

Suffix

Writing

Complete sentences

Sentence fragment

Comma 1

2

3

Colon

Parts of speech

Noun

Verb

Adjective

Adverb

Allusion

Example -

Hyperbole

Example –

Idiom

Example

Metaphor

Example

Personification

Example

Simile

Example

Connotation

Categorize the following words as having positive, neutral, or negative connotation.

Positive / Neutral / Negative
House, dump, home
Exotic, foreign, strange
Babble, talk, chat
Dinner, feast, slop
Sound, tune, noise
Beast, animal, pet
Fragrance, stench, smell
Venerable, old, decrepit

Read each of the following sentences. Decide from the context whether the speaker is showing approval or disapproval of the topic. Then circle the best word to put into the sentence. The first one is done for you.

  1. “The sooner we move out of this (home, dump),” said Jack, “the happier I’ll be.”
  2. This cell phone is (expensive, overpriced), but I don’t mind paying extra because it has so many useful features.
  3. You’re lucky to have Wilma on your committee. She has lots of (original, crazy) ideas.
  4. Boss Reed and his (cronies, employees) have controlled the politics in this city for more than twenty years. I certainly hope the other party wins this year!
  5. It was a beautiful spring day, and the (stench, scent) of apple blossoms filled the whole yard.
  6. I hope I don’t have to share an office with Janice. Sandra told me how (curious, nosy) she can be.
  7. “I think Fay is an excellent president,” said the principal. “She really knows how to (manage, meddle).”
  8. Will you please turn your stereo off? I can’t concentrate with all that (music, noise).

Vivid words Practice

Make your writing more interesting by writing with vivid imagery. Readers should easily picture your writing.

Underline the stronger verb from the parentheses that should be included in the sentences below.

  1. Because of her physical handicaps, teachers (tutored, helped) Wilma Rudolph at home.
  2. Her brothers and sisters (told, encouraged) her to do all her exercises.
  3. Wilma (grew, thrived) and became a strong young woman.
  4. When she (ran, sprinted) to victory at the Olympics, she was thrilled!
  5. At a hometown victory parade, Wilma (asked, insisted) that everyone – black and white – be allowed to attend.

Underline the vivid words.

1. The soft, gentle rain seeped into the ground.

2. Heavy snows drifted into the doorways.

3. Dusty air swirled the leaves.

4. Icy, icicle spears dripped onto the pavement.

5. Roaring rivers rolled over the banks.

6. Sharp comments fell upon our ears.

7. Soft, cuddly puffs of cotton fell from the box.

Look at the sentences below. Rewrite each sentence and include more vivid language. An example is completed for you.

Original Revised

The mouse ran across the room. The flea infested brown rodent scurried from under the

cabinet to escape the orange striped tabby dashing after him.

The tornado was very close to my house.

It was windy and loud.

It made me nervous and I was scared.

Comma Practice

The following sentences are missing commas. It is your job to place the commas where they belong.

  1. The waiter ignored the rude obnoxious customer.
  2. Joey ate all of his peas but he refused to eat his lima beans.
  3. Richard caught the ball ran for five yards and scored a touchdown.
  4. Since the expansion of the Internet research has become much less tedious.
  5. Maurice bought new rims for the shiny new Corvette.
  6. Handguns knives and other weapons are turning up in locker checks.
  7. I went shipping yesterday but I forgot my wallet.
  8. As cucumbers grow their vines need room to expand.
  9. Because we have a test tomorrow I’m not going to the party.
  10. I want to become a doctor so I have to take a lot of science classes.

Colon Practice

Use a colon [ : ] before a list or an explanation that is preceded by a clause that can stand by itself. Think of the colon as a gate, inviting one to go on.Each of the following sentences needs a colon.

1. Many jobs interest me teaching, writing, editing, and social work.

2. There were a number of famous people at the restaurant Brittany Spears, Jack Nicholson, and Helen Hunt.

3. There are a lot of chores I do not like doing dishes, washing windows, and vacuuming rugs.

4. He was a world class athlete a rowing champion.

5. She did not pass the most important of her exams math.