8th Grade TCAP Review

TCAP Review

By Donna Kapa

​Passage 1

"How Science Saved the Eiffel Tower" (Informational)

Multiple Choice

Excerpt: “This year marks the iconic structure’s 125th birthday.”

Question: What does iconic most likely mean?

• unsafe

• boring

• famous

• strong

​Explanation

“Iconic structure” means it’s widely recognized — a famous symbol of Paris.

Multiple Choice

Text: “Getting a 'like' on social media seems to reinforce the idea that we are popular...”

Question: What does reinforce mean?

• question

• deny

• strengthen

• ignore

​Explanation

To reinforce means to make something stronger — likes strengthen our feeling of being liked.

Multiple Choice

(Author’s Purpose – Paragraph 5)
Excerpt: “...referred to the Tower as a ‘giddy ridiculous tower… like a gigantic black smokestack.’”

Question: Why does the author include this quotation?

• To show how Eiffel responded to critics

• To show how writers and artists supported the Tower

• o provide evidence of how strongly people disliked the Tower

• To contrast Eiffel’s style with modern architecture

​Explanation

The quotation reveals how harshly the tower was criticized when it was built.

Multiple Choice

Excerpt: “Eiffel began studying the motion of objects racing down a cable from the Tower’s second floor.”

Question: What can the reader infer about Eiffel?

• He was trying to break a world record

• He was interested in new scientific experiments

• He wanted to climb to the top

• He was bored with architecture

​Explanation

Eiffel used the tower to run tests — showing his interest in scientific research.

Multiple Choice

Excerpt: “From 1903 through 1912, Eiffel used his own money to publish charts and weather maps.”

Question: How does this sentence support the text’s structure?

• It explains why the tower needed repairs

• It shows Eiffel’s need for money

• It supports the idea that Eiffel used the tower for science

• It shows how Eiffel communicated with other countries

​Explanation

This sentence provides an example of Eiffel’s scientific investment and supports the passage’s central idea.

Multiple Choice

Text Excerpt:

“In fact, one of the more striking instruments installed on the Tower from its earliest days was a giant manometer.”

Part A Question: What is the denotation of the word striking in this context?

• dangerous or harmful

• impressive or attention-grabbing

• confusing or difficult

• sharp and disruptived

Multiple Choice

Part B Question: Which detail from the passage best supports the denotation of striking in this context?

• “A manometer consists of a U-shaped tube containing mercury…”

• “By 1900, manometers were common.”

• “The difference in height… is a measure of the pressure…”

• “The Tower’s enormous one stretched from its summit to its base.”

​Explanation

The detail that explains what made the manometer striking — its massive size from the top of the tower to its base made it unusual and visually impressive.

​Passage 2

Excerpt from "O Pioneers!" by Willa Cather (Literary Fiction)

Multiple Choice

Excerpt: “...the howling wind blew under them as well as over them.”

Question: What does howling most likely suggest?

• gentle wind

• cold but calm air

• loud, strong wind

• dry weather

​Explanation

Howling describes a powerful, noisy wind — adding to the setting’s harshness.

Multiple Choice

Excerpt: “A mist of fine snowflakes was curling and eddying about the cluster of low drab buildings huddled on the gray prairie, under a gray sky."

Question: What mood is created by this description?

• joyful

• hopeful

• bleak

• romantic

​Explanation

The author’s diction — words like howling wind, low, drab buildings, gray prairie and gray sky — paints a picture of a cold, empty landscape. These word choices work together to create a bleak, harsh mood, reflecting the physical and emotional isolation of the setting.

Multiple Choice

Excerpt: “She wore a man’s long ulster… as if it were very comfortable and belonged to her.”

(ulster - a long, loose overcoat.)

Question: What do these details reveal about Alexandra?

• She’s practical and confident

• She’s trying to impress others

• She’s embarrassed by her clothes

• She dislikes frilly clothes

​Explanation

Alexandra doesn’t care about appearances — she values comfort and function.

Multiple Choice

Excerpt: “She walked rapidly and resolutely…”

Question: What can you infer about her personality?

• She’s worried about her brother

• She’s in a rush for no reason

• She’s unsure where she’s going

• She’s determined and self-assured

​Explanation

The characterization conveyed by the word resolutely shows she walks with purpose and confidence.

​Language

Multiple Choice

Sentence: After the hike, Maya felt completely famished and searched her backpack for a snack.

Question: What does famished most likely mean?

• thirsty

• sleepy

• hungry

• annoyed

​Explanation

The phrase searched her backpack for a snack suggests she was extremely hungry.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence best fits a report to parents about school safety?

• We’re totally freaking out about the new lockdown rules.

• The administration’s latest guidelines might cause a stir.

• I guess it’s fine, but it seems like a lot of rules for no reason.

• Recent safety protocols were implemented to ensure student protection.

​Explanation

The correct response uses a formal tone and academic vocabulary, which suits a report. The others are too casual or opinionated for a formal context.

Multiple Choice

Which revision best improves this sentence by using punctuation to clarify meaning?

• Let’s eat students!

• Let’s eat, students.

• Let’s eat. Students.

• Let’s, eat students.

​Explanation

Use a comma of direct address to avoid confusion and make the meaning clear: we're talking to students, not eating them!

Multiple Choice

Which sentence uses passive voice?

• The essays were submitted before midnight by the students.

• The students submitted their essays before midnight.

• Everyone was excited about the writing contest.

• The teacher praised the students for their work.

​Explanation

The correct response is passive because the subject (essays) receives the action. Passive voice often includes a form of “to be” + past participle (e.g., were submitted).

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is a compound-complex sentence?

• I brought my umbrella because it looked like rain.

• The wind blew hard, and the rain fell heavily.

• Although I forgot my coat, I brought an umbrella, and I stayed dry.

• I forgot my coat and got wet.

​Explanation

A compound-complex sentence combines a dependent clause (Although I forgot my coat) with two independent clauses — it’s a compound-complex structure.

Multiple Choice

What does the word reluctantly most likely mean in this sentence?

“She reluctantly agreed to join the committee, though her expression showed hesitation.”

• excitedly

• instantly

• proudly

• unwillingly

​Explanation

The word hesitation in the sentence is a context clue that shows she didn’t want to join the committee.

Multiple Choice

Text: “A tall man in a derby hat was looking speculatively at the closed doors of the bank vault.”

Question: What does speculatively mean?

• thoughtfully

• nervously

• secretly

• angrily

​Explanation

In this case, the man is:

looking closely (thanks to the root “spec” - to look or to see)

and thinking or evaluating (thanks to the full meaning of “speculatively”)

Which makes “thoughtfully” the most accurate answer in context.

Multiple Choice

Knowing the root “bene” means good or well, what does beneficial most likely mean?

• harmful

• optional

• helpful

• confusing

​Explanation

The root bene means good; beneficial describes something that is good for you or helpful.

Multiple Choice

What is the function of the underlined phrase in this sentence?

Before the sun rose, the campers packed their bags.

• It is an introductory phrase.

• It is a subject.

• It is a prepositional object.

• It is a complete sentence.

​Explanation

The underlined phrase is a dependent clause that provides time context at the beginning of the sentence.