NYS English Regents

1. NYS English Regents Preparing for the 2011 Exam

2. Part 1: Listening • Listen to a passage • Take notes • Answer multiple choice questions • You will not see the questions while before or during the reading of the passage. Therefore it is imperative that you take good notes.

3. Part 2: Reading Comprehension • Read two prose passages • Answer multiple choice questions for each passage • Questions address • Main idea • Details • Vocabulary in context • Drawing inferences • Tone • Technique

4. Part 3: Reading Comprehension and Short Response • Read two prose passages • Answer multiple choice questions for each passage • Questions address • Main idea • Details • Vocabulary in context • Drawing inferences • Tone • Technique • Construct two short responses to the passages

5. Part 3 Short Response 1 • Write a well-developed paragraph in which you use ideas from both passages to establish a controlling idea about ________________. Develop your controlling idea using specific examples and details from each passage.

6. Part 3 Short Response 1 Grading • Score Point 2 • presents a well-developed paragraph • demonstrates a basic understanding of the texts • establishes an appropriate controlling idea • supports the controlling idea with clear and appropriate details from both texts • uses language that is appropriate • may exhibit errors in conventions that do not hinder comprehension • Score Point 1 • has a controlling idea OR • implies a controlling idea OR • has an unclear controlling idea AND • supports the controlling idea with partial and/or overly general information from the texts • uses language that may be imprecise or inappropriate • exhibits errors in conventions that may hinder comprehension • Score Point 0 • is off topic, incoherent, a copy of the task/texts, or blank • demonstrates no understanding of the task/texts • is a personal response

7. Part 3 Short Response 2 • Choose a specific literary element (e.g., theme, characterization, structure, point of view, etc.) or literary technique (e.g., symbolism, irony, figurative language, etc.) used by one of the authors. Using specific details from that passage, in a well-developed paragraph, show how the author uses that element or technique to develop the passage.

8. Part 3 Short Response 2 Grading • Score Point 2 • presents a well-developed paragraph • provides an appropriate explanation of the literary element or technique chosen • supports the explanation with clear and appropriate evidence from the text • uses language that is appropriate • may exhibit errors in conventions that do not hinder comprehension • Score Point 1 • provides an explanation of the literary element or technique OR • implies an explanation of the literary element or technique OR • has an unclear explanation of the literary element or technique AND • supports the explanation with partial and/or overly general information from the text • uses language that may be imprecise or inappropriate • exhibits errors in conventions that may hinder comprehension • Score Point 0 • is off topic, incoherent, a copy of the task/text, or blank • demonstrates no understanding of the task/text • is a personal response • Note: Since the question specifies choosing one of the authors, if the student responds using both passages, score the portion of the response that would give the student the higher score.

9. Part 4: The Critical Lens Essay • Discuss two works of literature you have read from the particular perspective of the statement that is provided for you in the Critical Lens. In your essay: • provide a valid interpretation of the statement • agree or disagree with the statement as you have interpreted it • support your opinion using specific references to appropriate literary elements from the two works.

10. Part 4 Continued • Be sure to: • Provide a valid interpretation of the critical lens that clearly establishes the criteria for analysis • Indicate whether you agree or disagree with the statement as you have interpreted it • Choose two works you have read that you believe best support your opinion • Use the criteria suggested by the critical lens to analyze the works you have chosen • Avoid plot summary. Instead, use specific references to appropriate literary elements (for example: theme, characterization, setting, point of view) to develop your analysis • Organize your ideas in a unified and coherent manner • Specify the titles and authors of the literature you choose • Follow the conventions of standard written English

11. Part 4 Grading • Meaning: the extent to which the response exhibits sound understanding, interpretation, and analysis of the task and text(s) • Development: the extent to which ideas are elaborated using specific and relevant evidence from the text(s) • Organization: the extent to which the response exhibits direction, shape, and coherence • Language Use: the extent to which the response reveals an awareness of audience and purpose through effective use of words, sentence structure, and sentence variety • Conventions: the extent to which the response exhibits conventional spelling, punctuation, paragraphing, capitalization, grammar, and usage