Pre-AP English II Semester 2 Final Exam

Which of the following is an example of a theme?

• A young girl travels through a magical kingdom.

• Love is stronger than hatred.

• A prince is cursed by an evil witch.

• A boy finds a treasure map in his attic.

Imagine coming home after a long day at school, only to spend hours working on assignments instead of relaxing or spending time with family. For many students, homework adds unnecessary stress and takes away from valuable free time. While some argue that homework reinforces learning, research shows that excessive assignments do more harm than good. Schools should eliminate homework because it increases student stress, reduces time for extracurricular activities, and does not always improve academic performance.

Read the body paragraph above. Which of the following is the REASONING of the paragraph?

• One major reason schools should get rid of homework is that it causes too much stress for students.

• Most students already spend six to eight hours in school, and then they have to do even more work at home.

• For example, a study from the Journal of Educational Psychology found that "more than 60% of students report feeling stressed on a daily basis due to excessive homework, leading to anxiety, sleep deprivation, and even physical health problems" (Smith 24).

• This shows that too much homework can make students feel overwhelmed and even sick. Instead of helping students learn, it makes them exhausted and frustrated. Schools should focus on students’ health and happiness by giving them less homework or none at all.

Which of the following is a simile?

• A) “Her smile was the sun, lighting up the room.”

• B) “He was a rock, steady and unwavering.”

• C) “The clouds were like cotton candy in the sky.”

• D) “The engine roared to life.”

What is an allusion?

• A reference to another literary work, person, or historical event

• A direct quote from a famous work

• A description that appeals to the senses

• A rhyme scheme in a poem

What is poetry?

• A) A type of persuasive essay

• B) A literary form that uses rhythm, sound, and meaning to create emotion and imagery

• C) A historical document written in verse

• D) A type of writing that follows a strict grammatical structure

What does logos refer to in persuasive writing?

• The appeal to logic and reasoning

• The use of credibility to persuade

• The emotional impact of an argument

• A poetic device used in speeches

Imagine coming home after a long day at school, only to spend hours working on assignments instead of relaxing or spending time with family. For many students, homework adds unnecessary stress and takes away from valuable free time. While some argue that homework reinforces learning, research shows that excessive assignments do more harm than good. Schools should eliminate homework because it increases student stress, reduces time for extracurricular activities, and does not always improve academic performance.

Which part of the introduction paragraph is the HOOK?

• Imagine coming home after a long day at school, only to spend hours working on assignments instead of relaxing or spending time with family.

• For many students, homework adds unnecessary stress and takes away from valuable free time.

• While some argue that homework reinforces learning, research shows that excessive assignments do more harm than good.

• Schools should eliminate homework because it increases student stress, reduces time for extracurricular activities, and does not always improve academic performance.

In 1953, Oveta Culp Hobby was named Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, which was a newly created cabinet post.

• Simple Sentence

• Compound Sentence

• Complex Sentence

What is a metaphor?

• A comparison using “like” or “as”

• A direct comparison that states one thing is another

• A humorous exaggeration

• A contradiction in terms

Which of the following is an example of a statistic?

• A) “One out of five students prefers studying in the morning.”

• B) “My grandfather always said, ‘Hard work pays off.’”

• C) “The river flowed like a silver ribbon through the valley.”

• D) “She had a Mona Lisa smile.”