English 10 MCAP Test Prep Boxes 25 -30

English 10

MCAP Test Prep

Boxes 25 -30

By Cynthia Phillips

​Box 25

Short Narratives

Narrative Techniques​

​Zhang always wanted to get into the elite music school, Julliard. From the age of three, she practiced the piano four hours a day, and she quickly surpassed every pianist her age that she knew. However, her application to Julliard was rejected. She cried and cried for hours. 

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Which statement best describes how ​the conflict helps make the story engaging?

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​Suspense is created because the reader wonders whether Zhang will live or die. 

Suspense is created because Zhang's second application to Julliard is inevitable. 

The feeling of overwhelming loss leads the reader to wonder how Zhang will cope with her failure. 

Tension is created because Zhang must contend with rival pianists throughout her life. 

Which conclusion most logically resolves the plot of the story?​

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​Zhang abandons music and becomes a painter, to which she is better suited. 

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Zhang learns that hard work, not just talent, is necessary to be a great musician. 

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Zhang eventually discovers that loving music is its own reward. 

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Zhang applies to Julliard again, and she is miraculously accepted for some reason. 

The terms "rising action" and "climax" best describe​ which narrative element?

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​Character 

Conflict 

Plot 

Point of view 

Which of the following ​is most clearly an example of imagery?

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She thought for a moment. "Well, good luck," she finally said. 

Oh dear, oh dear. He couldn't stop thinking about the wedding.

Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead and stung his eyes. 

Love was a powerful force pushing him ever forward. 

​Expository Thesis Statements

Gathering Information​

Expository Paragraph Development

Expository Essays​

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​Box 26

If selected for the scholarship, I will build my French language skills by studying in France and Belgium and then use these language skills to study public health in Haiti and Algeria.

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Which statement best evaluates the effectiveness of this thesis statement?​

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This thesis statement is not effective; it does not respond to all parts of the prompt. 

This thesis statement is effective; it responds to the parts of the prompt that are interesting. 

This thesis statement is not effective; it does not respond to the prompt but instead goes off on an unrelated tangent. 

This thesis statement is effective; it responds to all parts of the prompt. ​

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Which of the following supporting details would best ​support an expository essay section titled "Kingston City Park's Place in History"?

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Kingston City Park has been a popular destination for those interested in agriculture and soil science, as its grounds are populated by a rare hybrid of thistle and bluegrass. 

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The Kingston County Courthouse was the site of one of the more controversial decisions in American legal history, which came to be known as Timmons v. Vacuum.

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Kingston City Park has occupied 18 acres in downtown Kingston since its dedication in 1898, though plans are underway to expand it slightly in the coming years. 

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In 1910, then-President William Howard Taft visited Kingston City Park where he participated in Kingston's annual corn dog eating contest, actually winning by a large margin. 

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​Which of the following sentences is most likely a concluding sentence?

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As you can see, all of history's great leaders, from Alexander the Great to Winston Churchill, made sure they were accountable for their major decisions. 

The most important qualities for a leader are honesty, accountability, and the ability to get along with a wide range of people. 

As historian Clive Peach points out, "It's no accident Lincoln became known as 'Honest Abe' — the name stuck because honesty is one of the central values we demand from our leaders and Abraham Lincoln was known for being forthright." 

The third key quality for a leader is the ability to relate to others from a variety of backgrounds, since it makes him or her sympathetic to the needs of more citizens. 

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​Box 27

Argumentative Claims

Arg​umentative Paragraph Development

Argumentative Essays​

​Which sentence best anticipates and responds to a counterclaim to this claim?

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​The Olympics should be held in the same country every four years.

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The Olympics have always moved around, but it is time to change that tradition. 

Even though many countries want to host the Olympics, only a few can afford it. 

Moving the Olympics around allows people to learn about other countries, so it makes sense to change locations.  

Not many countries want to host the Olympics, so it makes sense to have it in one place. 

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Choose the most relevant and credible evidence for this claim.

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Students should perform Shakespeare plays ​using the original language, not

"easier" modernized versions of the play.

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The themes of Shakespeare's plays are surprisingly mature, and most of them need to be edited in order to be made appropriate for a school setting. 

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I read my first original Shakespeare play in sixth grade, and while it was difficult and I didn't understand everything, the experience did nothing but increase my love for the theater. 

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According to Shakespeare scholar Juliet Rosalind, Shakespearean language is difficult for students not only because the words themselves are unfamiliar but because they describe ideas and situations that reflect Shakespeare's time, not our own. 

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After the Maplewood Middle School Drama Club performed scenes from Macbeth, 94 percent of students reported that they felt that speaking Shakespeare's original language had been a valuable experience. 

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What is the counterclaim in the passage?​

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Football, not baseball, should be considered the national pastime. Baseball, which is popular, has been around longer than football. But more people watch and enjoy football than baseball. Also, football is mostly played in the United States, while baseball is played all over the world.​

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​Box 28

​Claims and Counterclaims

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Types of evidence​

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​Box 29

Prewriting

Unity and Focus

Wordiness and Redundancy​

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​Box 30

​Transitional Elements

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Maintaining a Formal Style​