10th Grade TCAP Review

TCAP Review

By Donna Kapa

​Passage Set 1

"Over-Practicing Makes Perfect" + "Practice Doesn’t Make Perfect"

Multiple Choice

Text Excerpt (Paragraph 5):

“These gains in mental efficiency free up resources for other tasks: infusing the music you’re playing with greater emotion and passion...”

Question: What does the word infusing most likely mean as used in the sentence?

• accomplishing

• filling

• sharing

• producing

​Explanation

The word infusing means to fill or add something. The music is “filled” with emotion because the player can focus more deeply.

Multiple Choice

Text Excerpt (Paragraph 2):

“When the subjects first tackled the exercise, they used up a lot of metabolic power…”

Question: Why does the author describe the subjects “tackling” the task?

• To show the task required great effort

• To show it was part of a competition

• To show it involved athletic training

• To show the subjects had training beforehand

​Explanation

The word “tackled” suggests a challenge. It emphasizes the effort participants had to exert early in the process.

Multiple Choice

Text Excerpt (Paragraph 2):

“By the end of the learning process, the amount of effort… declined about 20 percent…”

Question: Which sentence best supports the idea that overlearning leads to efficiency?

• “...move a cursor on a screen…”

• “...measured the participants’ energy expenditure…”

• “...oxygen they inhaled and carbon dioxide they breathed out…”

• “...the amount of effort they expended... had declined...”

​Explanation

This quote shows that effort decreased, even after the task was learned. That proves overlearning builds efficiency.

Multiple Select

Text Excerpt (Paragraph 11):

“Practice isn’t sufficient.”
“Natural ability requires a huge investment of time…”

Question: What does Malcolm Gladwell believe about practice?

There are two correct responses.

• He thinks practice is the only key to success.

• He says natural ability is unimportant.

• Practice isn’t sufficient.

• He claims anyone can succeed at anything with enough effort.

• Natural talent still matters and must be developed.

​Explanation

Gladwell’s nuanced view shows that talent and practice are both necessary — not just one or the other.

​Passage 2

"Roots: Saga of an American Family"

Multiple Choice

Text Excerpt:

“Alarmed by the passing canoes, huge families of baboons, roused from sleep, began bellowing, springing about and shaking palm-tree fronds.”

Question: What does the word roused most likely mean as used in paragraph 3?

• frightened

• awakened

• excited

• confused

​Explanation

In this sentence, roused from sleep clearly means the baboons were awakened. Their loud and wild behavior followed being woken up suddenly.

Multiple Choice

Text excerpt: Paragraph 4

“...large, fierce fish that the women would club with their paddles and stow away for a succulent evening meal.”

Question: What does this sentence suggest about the women in the canoes?

• They are skilled and prepared to gather food during their travels.

• They are trying to impress the elders of the village.

• They are wasteful with their resources.

• They rely mostly on men to provide food.

​Explanation

The women’s actions show they are resourceful and experienced — ready to turn a chance moment into dinner.

Multiple Choice

Text excerpt: Paragraph 5

“...a vast living carpet of seafowl — hundreds of thousands of them — rose and filled the sky.”

Question: What tone is created by the description in paragraph 5?

• chaotic and overwhelming

• gloomy and uncertain

• vibrant and awe-inspiring

• tense and suspenseful

​Explanation

The words vast, living carpet, and filled the sky give a sense of scale and beauty — the reader shares in Binta’s wonder.

Multiple Choice

Text excerpt: Paragraphs 7–10

“Little Kunta basked thus every day in his mother’s tenderness... Omoro smiled when a tiny hand reached out and grasped the dark, slender spear...”

Question: What central idea is developed in paragraphs 7–10?

• Binta must bear most of the responsibility for Kunta’s care.

• Omoro is bound to have less influence than Binta.

• Binta and Omoro show their devotion to Kunta in different ways.

• Binta and Omoro may burden Kunta with their expectations.

​Explanation

Binta provides physical and emotional care; Omoro offers dreams and symbolic guidance. Their love for Kunta is shown through different expressions.

Multiple Choice

Text excerpt: Paragraph 10

“Wherever he was, Kunta was happy most of the time...”
“Great hunter or warrior / You will be one day…”

Question: Which sentence best states a theme of the passage?

• Parents’ lives change in dramatic ways when a child is born.

• Parents experience great joy and delight with the birth of a child.

• Children cannot understand their parents’ hopes.

• Children are influenced by their community as well as their parents.

​Explanation

Both Binta and Omoro are lovingly involved with Kunta. The passage is rich with imagery that celebrates parental joy and pride.

​Language Questions

Multiple Choice

Parallel Structure (9-10.L.CSE.1)

Which sentence uses parallel structure correctly?

• She likes hiking, to swim, and running.

• He wants to learn Spanish, cooking, and how to draw.

• The committee valued honesty, hard work, and creativity.

• They were known for being brave, bold, and to speak clearly.

​Explanation

All three items in the list are nouns that match in form — a key feature of parallel structure.

Multiple Choice

Phrases & Clauses (8.L.CSE.1.a)

Which sentence contains an introductory phrase?

• After a long day of hiking, we were ready to rest.

• We were ready to rest because we had been hiking.

• We were tired and hungry.

• We hiked all day and took breaks when we could.

​Explanation

A sentence that begins with a prepositional phrase before the subject, which is an introductory phrase.

Multiple Choice

Sentence Variety (8.L.CSE.1.c)

Which of these is a compound-complex sentence?

• I was late, so I missed the bus.

• I ran to the stop even though I was late.

• Although I was late, I ran to the stop, and I still missed the bus.

• I missed the bus, and I walked to school.

​Explanation

The correct response contains one dependent clause (Although I was late) and two independent clauses — the definition of compound-complex.

Multiple Choice

Voice (Active vs. Passive – 8.L.CSE.1.d)

Which sentence is written in passive voice?

• The students completed the lab early.

• The lab was completed early by the students.

• The students worked hard and finished early.

• They turned in the lab before class ended.

​Explanation

The sentence is passive because the subject (the lab) receives the action.

Multiple Choice

Verb Mood (8.L.CSE.1.d)

Which sentence uses the subjunctive mood?

• If he studies, he will pass the test.

• He studies every day after school.

• If I were you, I’d read the instructions again.

• The teacher gave the students a study guide.

​Explanation

The subjunctive mood expresses a hypothetical or contrary-to-fact condition — shown in If I were you...

Multiple Choice

Punctuation – Semicolons (9-10.L.CSE.2)

Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?

• I enjoy science; but I don’t like chemistry.

• I enjoy science; because it’s interesting.

• I enjoy science; it challenges my thinking.

• I enjoy science it challenges my thinking.

​Explanation

Two related independent clauses can be joined with a semicolon.

Multiple Choice

Style in Context (9-10.L.KL.3)

Which version of this sentence is most appropriate for a formal research paper?

• I was like, “This stuff is super complicated!”

• The data presented several complex variables.

• This topic was kinda all over the place.

• The study was wild but sorta helpful.

​Explanation

Formal academic language is the best fit for a research paper.

Multiple Choice

Context Clues (9-10.L.VAU.4.a)

What does resilient most likely mean in this sentence?

“Despite multiple failures, she remained resilient and determined.”

• lazy

• emotional

• uncertain

• strong

​Explanation

The clue “despite multiple failures” implies she stayed strong — the meaning of resilient.

Multiple Choice

Morphological Clues (9-10.L.VAU.4.b)

What does the word reconstruct most likely mean?

• to destroy again

• to look over

• to change completely

• to build again

​Explanation

The prefix “re-” means again and “construct” means build — so it means build again.

Multiple Choice

Reference Tools (9-10.L.VAU.4.c)

What reference would best help you learn how to pronounce a new word?

• thesaurus

• encyclopedia

• dictionary

• atlas

​Explanation

A dictionary gives definitions, syllables, and pronunciation — perfect for figuring out how a word sounds.