STAAR English II

Read paragraph 15.

His old scaly hand crawls over to touch my knee. His fingers are white, the nails cracking and dull, like old silver.

In this paragraph, the author uses imagery to —

• show the son’s fear of being touched by his father

• imply that the father may not really be dying after all

• emphasize how aged and decrepit the father appears to his son

• suggest that the son has little respect for his father

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

Why does the narrator use a metaphor to describe his response to playing the piano?

• To explain how he is able to remember a piece of music

• To show how sharing music increases enjoyment

• To suggest that owning a piano can spark enthusiasm

• To reveal the depth of his feelings towards the piano

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.1.6

Read this quotation from paragraph 16 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank. “Think of it as an investment in personal expression.” What can the reader infer about the narrator’s wife based on her words?

• The wife believes it is more important to invest in the arts than in other things.

• The wife does not believe people should deny themselves things that they want

• The wife views the piano as an attractive addition to their living room.

• The wife sees music as a necessary outlet for her husband’s creativity.

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

Read this quotation from paragraph 1 of the excerpt from The Piano Shop on the Left Bank. I was nervous, almost spellbound; suddenly this great impractical hulk was the gateway to a territory from which I had been absent for too long. Something said “Yes!” before I even touched the keyboard. What is the narrator’s purpose for including this description?

• To explain where he is shopping for a piano

• To highlight his doubts about wanting a piano

• To show how he exaggerates when describing events

• To reveal the strength of his desire to play the piano again

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

CCSS.RL.5.6

What type of essay do I have to write for STAAR English II?

• PERSUASIVE

• ANALYTICAL

• EXPOSITORY

• NARRATIVE

How much do you know about the STAAR English Tests?

• Expert- Very Knowledgeable

• Advanced- Almost Everything

• Intermediate- A little bit

• Novice- Nothing Really

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RI. 9-10.10

CCSS.RI.11-12.10

CCSS.RL.11-12.10

CCSS.RL.8.10

The English II STAAR/EOC is _____.

• Monday

• Tuesday

• Wednesday

• Thursday

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5

CCSS.RI.8.3

CCSS.RI.9-10.3

What does the author’s use of musical terminology convey in the quotation?

• How the popularity of the piano has shifted like notes in a song

• How piano dealers use musical language when they speak

• How piano tones affect the price of the instruments

• How piano music will persist despite its decrease in popularity

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.2.6

Read this quotation from paragraph 10.

What could happen if you allowed yourself to step outside the cages and breathe in the fresh air of your freedom?

Based on the quotation, the author views her high-school years as a source of —

• transition

• confinement

• order

• discipline

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.2.6

Which sentence from paragraph 5 best illustrates the author’s feeling that her life experiences have made her more confident?

• During our visit we commented to each other how the colors, unlike the desert’s browns and dull greens, were an elegant mix of reds, pinks, and yellows.

• In high school, I was standing on top of the rocks, but no incisions had been made—no canyon had been formed.

• There was a river and it was flowing, but I did not see the layers beneath.

• I have faith that in the end that process will reveal magnificent layers that inspire rather than repress and remain buried.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.2.6