End of course Exam Review

1. End of course Exam Review English I

2. When can you use a dictionary or thesaurus on the test? Whenever you want

3. How many paragraphs should your literary composition be? 4

4. When you open your READING test packet, what is the first thing you should do? Read the short answer questions to set a “purpose for reading,” so you can look for answers as you read

5. What is the one word that should never appear in your expository essay? “YOU” (also your & you’re)

6. Explain a crossover OER? A response in which you must make a connection between both reading selections

7. Why is the first sentence of an OER so important? The first sentence must completely and specifically answer the question.

8. Describe a good thesis statement. A good thesis statement is: • One complete sentence • NOT a question • Very clear and specific - (not general or broad) • Can be challenged – is debatable • Gives reader a clear idea of where the essay is going

9. Can you write about a personal experience when you write a literary composition? Yes. BUT you must write about yourself as a character. Change your name, and write only in 3rd person.

10. What is the purpose of text evidence in an OER? Text evidence is the words or lines from a story that you use to PROVE what you said in the first sentence, your ANSWER.

11. Where should your thesis statement be in an expository essay? The very first sentence

12. What is the relationship between text evidence and commentary in an OER? You can’t have one without the other. Text evidence proves your answer to the question. Commentary is YOUR voice explaining exactly what the text evidence is saying and how it supports your answer. You have to help your reader understand the quote.

13. WRITING TEST:Explain what you have to accomplish in 4 hours • 1 Expository Essay • 1 Literary Composition • 1 “Wildcard” – could be another expository or literary • 30 multiple choice • 15 Revising • 15 Editing

14. Why would you need to use a dictionary when working on the reading multiple choice section? If you do not know the meaning of a word in the question or the meaning of a word in the answer choices, LOOK IT UP 

15. Why is the EOC exam important for you? You have to pass all of your EOC exams to graduate from high school.

16. If your expository essay does not have a clear and specific thesis statement, what will you likely do in your essay? • Since a thesis statement is like a “road map” for your essay, it guides your writing and gives you direction. • Without a clear and specific thesis, your essay will likely lose focus, seem disorganized, and confuse your reader.

17. When is it acceptable to write in 1st person in your literary composition? You may use “I” “me” “we” or “us” in dialogue only.

18. READING TEST:Explain what you have to accomplish in 4 hours? 30 Multiple Choice (Reading Comprehension) 2 Single Story OERs 1 Crossover OER

19. When should you indent? • Every time you begin a new paragraph • You will indent a total of 4 times. • Literary is 4 paragraphs. • Expository is 4 paragraphs.

20. About how many minutes should you use to plan and prewrite your story or essay? • Take 10 minutes to plan and prewrite. • This will leave you 50 minutes to write, revise, and edit.

21. Explain what you should do with your planning and prewriting time for literary? • Think about the prompt. • Make list of possible conflicts that would go good with the prompt. • Decide who your character is going to be. • Choose and conflict. • Know exactly HOW the conflict will be resolved by the end. • Know HOW you will connect your story to the prompt.

22. Why is it better to have a small, simple conflict in your story You only have 26 lines. You must write an interesting story with a conflict that can be fully developed and resolved. You can only manage this if your character’s struggle is somewhat simple and uncomplicated.

23. How should you spend your planning and prewriting time for expository? • Think about the prompt. • Your job is to EXPLAIN what YOUTHINK about the topic. • Make a list based on the topic. • Think about how you can answer the prompt very specifically in a way that will allow you to write a focused essay about the topic. • Carefully write your thesis statement – getting it just right.

24. If a thesis statement has to be debatable, what will you use to support it? • Use real life examples to prove and support your thesis statement. • So if you say “basketball teaches life lessons,” you must give real examples – concrete details – to prove your point. • If you say “forgiveness is better than holding on to anger,” you must give detailed examples to prove your point.

25. What should you do if other kids in your testing room are finished with time left? (and they will) IGNORE THEM! To do well on this test, you must use all the time that is given. You are the only person that matters, so even if everyone is finished and you are not, do NOT feel pressured to rush! It’s YOUR score, after all.

26. Final Thoughts . . . • I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it. ~Thomas Jefferson • The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.  ~Donald Kendall • Some people dream of success... while others wake up and work hard at it.  ~Author Unknown • Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end.  It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do, and you've done it.  ~Margaret Thatcher