Are you ready for the HSPT?

1. Are you ready for the HSPT? Holy Spirit HSPT Thursday: November 29, 2012

2. HSPT overview Verbal (English) Time: 16 minutes Format: 60 multiple-choice questions Topics Tested: Synonyms and antonyms, analogies, logic, and verbal classifications Quantitative (Math) Time: 30 minutes Format: 52 multiple-choice questions Topics Tested: Series, geometric and non-geometric comparisons, and number manipulations Reading (English) Time: 25 minutes Format: 62 multiple-choice questions Topics Tested: Ability to understand central meanings and details of reading passages Mathematics (Math) Time: 45 minutes Format: 64 multiple-choice questions Topics Tested: Mathematical concepts and problem solving, arithmetic, elementary algebra, and basic geometry Language Skills (English) Time: 25 minutes Format: 60 multiple-choice questions Topics Tested: Capitalization and punctuation, spelling, usage, and composition

3. HSPT – English • Three general categories: 1) Verbal – Analogies, Synonyms/ Antonyms, Spelling 2) Reading 3) Language skills - Capitalization, Punctuation, and Usage (Grammar)

4. Verbal Section16 min – 60 questions • Analogies – types: • source • location • sequential • reciprocal • cause and effect • creator/creation • provider/provision • object/function • use/tool • whole/part • synonym/definition • antonym/contrast • intensity • Strategy – try to put your words in sentences to fully understand their relationship

5. HSPT - Reading Comprehension • Strategies • Read the passage! • Tentative summary • Openings and endings • Extraneous information • Get into author’s mind • Emotion words • Key words • Inferences • Generalizations • Context clues 25 minutes 62 questions

6. Reading • Read through the passage before answering the questions. • Read through the entire passage and the questions before you do anything. (If you do not familiarize yourself with the passage first, looking for answers become not only time-consuming but also dangerous because you might miss the context of the answer you are looking for. • As you read, focus on: 1. passage's main point 2. the author's tone 3. paragraph topics Don't spend time worrying about the specific details of the passage. • Read through the questions. Eliminate answer choices that don't relate to the information in the passage or that contain debatable words such as always, never, and so on.

7. Reading Use the information in the passage to answer the questions, not information that's in your head. There are four major kinds of reading comprehension questions. 1.Main-idea questions - Questions that ask for the central thought or significance of the passage. 2.Fact questions - specific details- Questions that asks for explicitly stated ideas. Distinguish fact from opinion. 3. Inference questions - drawing inferences- Questions that asks for a statement’s intended meaning. 4. Word-in-context questions - context meaning- Questions that ask for the meaning of a word depending on the context.

8. Reading • Choose general answers for main-point questions. • Choosing Titles. Sometimes reading comprehension questions may ask you to choose a title for the passage. Choices that will be given would often be ideas taken from the passage but the best answer would always be the one that relays the central idea of the passage. • The correct answers to these questions are solidly based on clues in the passage and not your vivid imagination. • Keep in mind that the answers to specific-information questions may paraphrase the information in the passage.

9. HSPT - Language SkillsCapitalization, Punctuation, and Usage (grammar)…rules to live by • 60 questions – 25 min • Capitalization – when a word should and should not be capitalized • Punctuation - proper use of English punctuation including the comma (,), period (.), semicolon (;), colon (:) and quotes (“&”) • Usage – basic English grammar rules

10. CapitalizationKey Rules • Capitalize the first word of a complete sentence. • Incorrect: the car’s doors were unlocked. • Correct: The car’s doors were unlocked. • Capitalize the names of countries. • Incorrect: I can’t wait to visit france. • Correct: I can’t wait to visit France. • Capitalize the four cardinal directions only when they refer to a specific place. • Incorrect: My classmate is from the south. • Correct: My classmate is from the South. • Incorrect: We should drive South for three hours. • Correct: We should drive south for three hours.

11. CapitalizationKey Rules – cont. • Names of holidays, days of the week, and months of the year must be capitalized • Celebrating Columbus Day on a Monday always ensures a long weekend in October. • Titles, special roles, or occupations must be capitalized when used in conjunction with a person’s name or when used in direct address • Our school’s principal is Principal O’Fallon • When a direct quotation contains a complete sentence, the first word of that quoted sentence must be capitalized. • Jack asked, “May I have an extra day for the assignment?” If quote is a fragment – do not capitalize the first word Mr. Johnson said of the experience, “its made me a better man.”

12. Punctuation! The term punctuation refers to the convention of placing non-letter characters like commas (,) and periods (.) in a sentence to indicate the relationships among parts of the sentence.

13. Punctuation • Quotation marks are used to set off and represent exact language – not for emphasis! • Incorrect - Suzie said she “loves” him. • Correct – Suzie said she loves him.

14. Punctuation Punctuation of direct quotations: “…” 1. When a sentence includes both quoted and non-quoted material, separate the two with commas. Commas are written outside of opening quotations and inside of closing quotations. Incorrect: He told me “Stop by the store on your way home.” Correct: He told me, “Stop by the store on your way home.” Incorrect: He told me “, Stop by the store on your way home.” Correct: He told me, “Stop by the store on your way home.” Incorrect: “I don’t remember what color her coat was”, said Jessica. Correct: “I don’t remember what color her coat was,” said Jessica.

15. Punctuation Punctuation of direct quotations: “…” 2. Periods and commas must be written inside of closing quotation marks,but colons and semicolons must be written outside of closing quotation marks. Incorrect: He warned me, “Don’t drive too fast”. Correct: He warned me, “Don’t drive too fast.” Incorrect: He warned me, “Don’t drive too fast;” I didn’t listen. Correct: He warned me, “Don’t drive too fast”; I didn’t listen.

16. Punctuation Punctuation of direct quotations: “…” 3. Question marks and exclamation points are written inside of closing quotation marks if a question or exclamation is being quoted. If an entire sentence (inclusive of a direct quotation) forms a question or exclamation, the question mark or exclamation point is written outside of closing quotation marks. Incorrect: He asked, “Why is their flag yellow”? Correct: He asked, “Why is their flag yellow?” Incorrect: Why would he shout, “Come home now?” Correct: Why would he shout, “Come home now”?

17. PunctuationComma

18. Punctuation Comma Follow each word in a series with a comma, except in the case that one such word ends a sentence. Incorrect: I need a backpack that is big durable and waterproof. Correct: I need a backpack that is big, durable, and waterproof.

19. Punctuation Comma Use commas to separate independent clauses when they are joined by any of these seven coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet. Incorrect: The game was over but the crowd refused to leave. Correct: The game was over, but the crowd refused to leave. Incorrect: The student explained her question yet the instructor still didn't seem to understand. Correct: The student explained her question, yet the instructor still didn't seem to understand.

20. Punctuation Comma Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause. Common starter words for introductory clauses that should be followed by a comma include after, although, as, because, if, since, when, while. While I was eating, the cat scratched at the door. Because her alarm clock was broken, she was late for class. If you are ill, you ought to see a doctor. When the snow stops falling, we'll shovel the driveway.

21. PunctuationComma • Comma splice • When two sentences are joined with a comma and there is no conjunction present. • Incorrect: Tom read the book, his friend saw the movie. • Correct: Tom read the book. His friend saw the movie

22. PunctuationComma • Separate appositives from surrounding text with commas. An appositive is a word or phrase that does not include a verb and adds some description to the relevant noun. Incorrect: Brad a kid from my school hit a home run at the baseball game. Correct: Brad, a kid from my school, hit a home run at thebasebalgame.

23. PunctuationComma • Use a comma to separate an introductory phrase of five or more words from the rest of a sentence Incorrect: When the chartered school bus arrived all passengers disembarked. Correct: When the chartered school bus arrived, all passengers disembarked.

24. Punctuation Semicolon • When two directly related independent clauses are joined into a single sentence without a conjunction, a semicolon must be used. Incorrect: I’ve read three novels for my English class I didn’t like any of them. Correct: I’ve read three novels for my English class; I didn’t like any of them.

25. Usage: Grammar • Know your basic rules for the eight parts of speech • noun • pronoun • adjective • verb • adverb • preposition • conjunction • interjection Oh, No!

27. Language Skills –Spelling • Each question presents four sentences. Your job is to identify the one sentence that contains a misspelled word. The key to succeeding in this section is being able to recognize misspelled words, or violations of common patterns of spelling.

28. General Spelling Rules • Plurals – 1. to make a word that ends in –s, -z, -x, -sh, -ch, or –ss plural, add –es to the end. class : classes 2. to make a word that does not end in –s, -z, -x, -sh, -ch, or –ss plural, add –s to the end. pallet: pallets 3. To pluralize a word that ends in a consonant followed by –y , change the –y to -i and add –es. lady : ladies 4. To pluralize a word that ends in a vowel followed by –y, add –s. day: days

29. Spelling – other general rules - to form a gerund from most verbs that ends in –ie, replace the –ie with y before adding –ing. lie: lying - ibefore e, except after c, or when sounded like ay, as in neighbor and weigh. Incorrect: niether Correct: neither Incorrect: recieve Correct: receive Incorrect: biege Correct: beige

30. Language Skills Composition • These questions test one’s ability to relate ideas to each other using written English. • Composition questions test… • 1) one’s ability to relate two adjacent ideas using well-chosen words or phrases • 2) one’s ability to develop an idea in a focused manner over the course of a paragraph.

31. Composition • Choose the word that best joins the following thoughts. • This question type presents a compound sentence or a pair of sentences and asks you to choose a word to fill in a blank joining the two sentences. • You will have four words to choose from. • To answer this type of question correctly, first, determine the relationship between the two given ideas, and second, choose the potential answer that matches that relationship. • For example: • The two senators from Virginia supported the bill, ______ the citizens of their home state opposed the bill. • and • but • furthermore • therefore

32. Composition • The two senators from Virginia supported the bill, ______ the citizens of their home state opposed the bill. • and • but • furthermore • therefore In this case, the correct answer is B. The senators support the bill, but the citizens oppose it. Support and opposition are opposites, and but is the only word among the potential answers that that indicates a relationship of opposites.

33. Composition • Common connecting words and phrases and the type of relationship they imply. Connecter - Relationship And - similarity Also - similarity But - opposites However - opposites Nonetheless - opposites Nevertheless - opposites Whereas - different but not necessarily opposite Furthermore - continuation In addition - continuation Therefore - cause and effect Consequently - cause and effect Though - contrast

34. Composition Which version of this sentence expresses the idea more clearly? Questions that ask you to “best” complete a sentence or express an idea “clearly” each offer four potential formulations of the same sentence. The correct answer is grammatically correct, most concise, and least confusing. For example: 2. Which sentence expresses the following idea most clearly? (A) The doctors, having achieved the impossible. (B) Impossible, the doctors have achieved it. (C) The doctors have achieved the impossible. (D) Achieving the impossible, doctors.

35. Composition 2. Which sentence expresses the following idea most clearly? (A) The doctors, having achieved the impossible. (B) Impossible, the doctors have achieved it. (C) The doctors have achieved the impossible. (D) Achieving the impossible, doctors. The correct answer is C. Potential answers A and D are not grammatically correct. The placement of impossible at the beginning of potential answer B makes the sentence circuitous and makes the antecedent of it unclear.

36. Composition • The HSPT may ask you several questions about different aspects of a well-written paragraph. Several examples of this question type appear below. • Which topic is best suited for a one-paragraph composition? • The characteristic of a topic that determines whether or not it is suitable for a one- paragraph composition is its scope. If a topic attempts to address too much information, it cannot be articulated effectively in one paragraph. • Which topic is best suited for a one-paragraph composition? • The Rise of Julius Caesar • Epic Poems and Greek Mythology • The Steam Age in American Technology • The Proper Method for Baking Traditional Brownies

37. Composition Which topic is best suited for a one-paragraph composition? • The Rise of Julius Caesar • Epic Poems and Greek Mythology • The Steam Age in American Technology • The Proper Method for Baking Traditional Brownies In this example, the correct answer is D. Topics A-C all seek to address topics whose scopes are too broad.

38. Composition • Which sentence would belong in a composition with the title “______”? This question format also touches on the idea of scope so bear in mind the example above. For a sentence to belong in a composition, that sentence must express an idea that falls within the scope of the paragraph’s title. 4. Which sentence would belong in a composition with the title “New Sports at the 2012 Winter Olympics”? (A) Every four years, the Olympic Committee considers adding new sports to the schedule of competition. (B) Athlete safety is paramount for members of the Olympic Committee. (C) The Summer Olympics include such diverse sports as basketball, BMX biking, and table tennis. (D) One of Spain’s traditional sports is a game called Jai Alai.

39. Composition 4. Which sentence would belong in a composition with the title “New Sports at the 2012 Winter Olympics”? (A) Every four years, the Olympic Committee considers adding new sports to the schedule of competition. (B) Athlete safety is paramount for members of the Olympic Committee. (C) The Summer Olympics include such diverse sports as basketball, BMX biking, and table tennis. (D) One of Spain’s traditional sports is a game called Jai Alai. In this example, answers B-D do not fit under the title because they reference ideas that are not introduced in the given title: B) athlete safety, C) Summer Olympics, and D) traditional Spanish sports. Answer A, on the other hand, introduces an idea that is within the scope of the title: how the Olympic Committee chooses the Winter Olympics’ new sports.

40. Composition Select the best topic sentence for the following paragraph. The purpose of a topic sentence is to introduce the overarching theme that unifies the information expressed in all of the paragraph’s following sentences. To choose a good topic sentence: a. Examine the given paragraph and decide what theme unifies its sentences. b. choose the topic sentence that introduces this theme. 5. Select the best topic sentence for the following paragraph: Some jackets have very thin lining, but they are made with waterproof material. Other coats contain a very thick, warm lining, but are made from material that absorbs moisture. If you do not choose the outerwear appropriate for your journey outdoors, you may end up freezing or soaked. (A) The Midwest contains several different climates. (B) Men’s outerwear style has evolved over the past year. (C) Boots, jackets, and hats are all hiking necessities. (D) When planning an excursion outdoors, one must choose appropriate outerwear.

41. Composition 5. Select the best topic sentence for the following paragraph: Some jackets have very thin lining, but they are made with waterproof material. Other coats contain a very thick, warm lining, but are made from material that absorbs moisture. If you do not choose the outerwear appropriate for your journey outdoors, you may end up freezing or soaked. (A) The Midwest contains several different climates. (B) Men’s outerwear style has evolved over the past year. (C) Boots, jackets, and hats are all hiking necessities. (D) When planning an excursion outdoors, one must choose appropriate outerwear. In this example, for topic sentences A-C to be appropriately addressed, the following paragraph would have to also mention A) the Midwest, B) style, or C) boots and hats. Topic sentence D represents all of the sentences in the given paragraph while not requiring that additional unmentioned information be fully addressed.

42. Composition Select the best concluding sentence for the following paragraph. The purpose of a concluding sentence is to summarize the preceding paragraph or to give the last step in the chronological telling of a story. 6. Select the best concluding sentence for the following paragraph: The President of the United States possesses several powers over the government’s budget. The president can veto a budget proposed by the Congress. The president’s executive office also executes all of the expenditures included in the budget. The crucial power that the executive lacks is the power to decide what funding is allotted to each budget item; that power is reserved to the Congress. (A) The president’s powers give him extensive, but not total, control over the government’s purse. (B) The President of the United States is more well-known than any other head of state in the world. (C) The president should be granted more extensive powers. (D) The United States budget is an unwieldy policy instrument.

43. Composition The President of the United States possesses several powers over the government’s budget. The president can veto a budget proposed by the Congress. The president’s executive office also executes all of the expenditures included in the budget. The crucial power that the executive lacks is the power to decide what funding is allotted to each budget item; that power is reserved to the Congress. (A) The president’s powers give him extensive, but not total, control over the government’s purse. (B) The President of the United States is more well-known than any other head of state in the world. (C) The president should be granted more extensive powers. (D) The United States budget is an unwieldy policy instrument. In this example, answer B discusses an unmentioned topic: presidential popularity. Answer C would be appropriate for a more argumentative paragraph in which costs and benefits of greater powers had been discussed. Answer D discusses an unmentioned subject: policy effectiveness. Answer A is correct because it summarizes the preceding paragraph

44. Composition Select the best order for the following sentences. Questions of this format ask you to assemble a given set of sentences into the order most appropriate for a paragraph. A well-organized paragraph needs a topic sentence and a concluding sentence. Based on the guidance above, you know how to pick out a good topic and good concluding sentence. The remaining sentences need to be put in such an order that each builds on the previous sentence, developing the idea introduced in the topic sentence in a step-by-step way.

45. 7. Select the best order for the following sentences: (1) This price spike made fuel efficiency a higher priority characteristic of the cars they drove, resulting in increased purchases of fuel-efficient cars. (2) Over the last year, fuel-efficient cars have become more popular. (3) Many of the cars built and sold over the previous decade were sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and light trucks, each of which featured many desirable characteristics but consumed a lot of fuel. (4) In the last eighteen months, fuel prices spiked to unprecedented levels and have remained somewhat volatile since. (A) 1, 2, 3, 4 (B) 2, 4, 1, 3 (C) 4, 3, 2, 1 (D) 2, 3, 4, 1

46. 7. Select the best order for the following sentences: (1) This price spike made fuel efficiency a higher priority characteristic of the cars they drove, resulting in increased purchases of fuel-efficient cars. (2) Over the last year, fuel-efficient cars have become more popular. (3) Many of the cars built and sold over the previous decade were sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and light trucks, each of which featured many desirable characteristics but consumed a lot of fuel. (4) In the last eighteen months, fuel prices spiked to unprecedented levels and have remained somewhat volatile since. (A) 1, 2, 3, 4 (B) 2, 4, 1, 3 (C) 4, 3, 2, 1 (D) 2, 3, 4, 1 In this example, the correct answer is D. In this example, sentence 2 makes a good topic sentence, and sentence 1 makes a good concluding sentence. Sentences 3 and 4 develop the idea introduced in sentence 2 in an orderly way.

47. Composition Which sentence does not belong in the following paragraph? For this question format, you need to find the sentence that either refers to an idea outside of the scope of the paragraph’s topic sentence, or fails to develop the ideas discussed in the preceding sentences.

48. Composition 8. Which sentence does not belong in the following paragraph? • Many more professional football players than others suffer from late-onset brain conditions like Alzheimer’s. (2) Although players wear helmets, many players suffer concussions during the course of a season. (3) To help prevent long-term injury to players, the National Football League (NFL) is developing stricter guidelines for the treatment of players with concussions. (4) Another problem with standard football equipment is that many players forgo kneepads, risking injury to ligaments and tendons. (A) sentence 1 (B) sentence 2 (C) sentence 3 (D) sentence 4

49. Composition 8. Which sentence does not belong in the following paragraph? • Many more professional football players than others suffer from late-onset brain conditions like Alzheimer’s. (2) Although players wear helmets, many players suffer concussions during the course of a season. (3) To help prevent long-term injury to players, the National Football League (NFL) is developing stricter guidelines for the treatment of players with concussions. (4) Another problem with standard football equipment is that many players forgo kneepads, risking injury to ligaments and tendons. (A) sentence 1 (B) sentence 2 (C) sentence 3 (D) sentence 4 In this example, sentences 1-3 develop the idea of late-onset brain conditions in football players caused by injury. Sentence 4, on the other hand, introduces a new idea: the general topic of sports injury in football. Because sentence 4 is the sentence that deviates from the scope of the rest of the paragraph, sentence 4 should be removed.

50. General Test Taking Strategies for HSPT • Answer every question – Do not leave any blank • If you are getting close to the end of your time, fill in the bubbles for the remaining questions – all the same bubble for each questions - statistically you will get some of them correct. • Get plenty of rest the night before the exam and be sure to eat a good breakfast before the exam. • Read the question before you look at the answer. • Come up with the answer in your head before looking at the possible answers, this way the choices given on the test won't throw you off or trick you. • Read all the choices before choosing your answer. • Always read the entire question carefully, and don't make assumptions about what the question might be.