English II STAAR New Item Sampler 2023

What are the most likely reasons the author includes paragraph 6?

Select TWO correct answers.

• To acknowledge the importance and the role technology has in our lives

• To reveal that people in the past foresaw that technology would cause major problems

• To explain that England has an impressive history of technological innovation

• To reassure the reader that the author is not advising people to

  stop using technology completely

• To suggest that we should change our approaches to developing medicines and ensuring food safety

Read these sentences from paragraph 8.

Record your answer in the space provided.

The word (1) provides the best clue to the meaning of the word intrusive as it is used in paragraph 8.

Read this quotation from paragraph 9.

Which of the following statements represent ideas emphasized in

the emotional appeal in this quotation?

Select TWO correct answers.

• People should not attempt to

  reduce the number of daily

  decisions they have to make.

• Certain ways of using technology can have regrettable outcomes.

• It is too difficult to rest properly if a person owns a large number of networked devices.

• People should remember to focus

  on what is essential and rewarding

  in life.

• Manual projects are a better use

  of one’s time than tasks that rely on technology.

This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.

Part A.

Which of these best states the author’s main claim about technology?

• We need to continue to innovate our technology so that we can eventually reduce the harms it causes.

• Technology is the primary source of all the problems in our

  world today.

• We should make thoughtful choices about technology and avoid

  being overly dependent on it.

• Over time, technological devices become more advanced, while

  society struggles to improve.

This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.

PART B.

Which sentence from the selection best supports the answer to Part A?

• For many, keeping up with the most current methods of learning, working, and entertaining themselves is a must. (paragraph 1)

• One concern is that light from computer and phone screens can eventually cause teary, overworked eyes. (paragraph 2)

• In the era of location-tracking software and GPS mapping, people

  traveling over long distances take comfort in the routes offered by

  computers and satellites. (paragraph 3)

• Users should evaluate whether they are making good use of digital

  applications or whether the applications are dominating their time

  without working in their best interests. (paragraph 4)

Read the question carefully. Then record your answer in the box provided.

Read this quotation from paragraph 7.

How does the author’s use of language in this quotation affect the reader? Support your answer with evidence from the selection.

Record your answer in the space provided.

In stanza 4 (lines 10–12), the poet uses the word (1) to

emphasize the fox’s delicate beauty.

Which lines from the poem support the impulse to connect with nature?

Select TWO correct answers.

• It was an ordinary morning: November, thin light, (line 1)

• an untamed patch of land and, across the lagoon, (line 4)

• he might be a dog at first for he trotted and sniffed/like a dog

  (lines 7–8)

• found/a patch of sand beneath a tree and turned himself

  (lines 12–13)

• My God/I was tired of being a person. (lines 19–20)

This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.

Part A

The poet’s description of the setting emphasizes —

• a clear portrayal of life

• the importance of preserving nature

• a sense of playfulness

• the freedom of the outdoors

This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.

Part B

Which phrase from the poem best supports the answer to Part A?

• something red move outside (line 3)

• untamed patch of land (line 4)

• head tucked into his tail (line 14)

• safe enough to rest (line 17)