Worksheets2nd Benchmark Test Prep
Total questions: 36
Worksheet time: 1hrs 3mins
2. Which phrase helps the reader understand the meaning of the word mandatory in paragraph 8?
“…not the stereotypical school uniform associated with private schools…” (paragraph 2)
“…mostly khaki and blue or khaki and red shirt/blouse and skirt/pants…” (paragraph 2)
“…wearing a uniform can decrease the risk of violence and theft…” (paragraph 3)
“…defines what clothes must be worn to school.” (paragraph 6)
3. Interestingly, even when evidence is available, educators’ perceptions could be at odds with it. For example, a study of educators in 38 North Carolina high schools found that 61% of the responding principals and assistant principals believed that there was a reduction in cases of misbehavior on campus when school uniforms were introduced. In reality, the data showed no change in incidents of crime, violence, and suspensions.
What can be inferred from paragraph 19?
Administrators exaggerate the effectiveness of school uniforms.
Students do not always comply with the school uniform policy.
School uniforms are not as necessary as administrators would believe.
The effects of school uniforms are often presumed but not actually real.
4. Part A
How does the author develop his argument about school uniform policies?
by arguing that school uniform policies are unjust
by presenting evidence for and against school uniform policies
by emphasizing the legality of school uniform policies
by expressing concern about the effects of school uniform policies on students
5. Part B
Which quotation supports the answer in Part A?
There have been nine lawsuits up to 2014. School districts have won almost all the cases, except one.
Students in an online protests wrote; (A school uniform) takes away individuality.
...some students show a reduction in the incidence of misbehavior. But then, there are others that show an increase in student suspension.
...schools are simply trying to find an easy fix for difficult and complex problems
6. Part A
What is the author's primary claim in the "Implifications for Policy" section?
School uniform policies are misguided because they put too great a financial burden on parents.
Despite certain drawbacks, school uniforms symbolize that education and learning are priorities to students.
School uniforms do not resolve discipline problems, therefore students should not have to wear them.
Administrators rely, often unsuccessfully on easy solutions like school uniform policies to address larger systematic problems.
7. Part B
How effectively does the author support this claim?
The claim is well-supported by evidence of the varying effects of school uniform policies on schools.
The claim is well-supported by evidence of the growing number of schools adopting uniforms.
The claim offers valid reasoning about purposes for school uniforms but lacks sufficient evidence to be believed.
The claim offers relevant evidence about the debate surrounding school uniforms but fails to develop any meaningful ideas from the data.
8. How does paragraph 25 develop the author's ideas?
Paragraph 25 presents an alternative perspective on school uniforms to the critique developed in previous sections.
Paragraph 25 summarizes the author's conclusions about school uniforms gathered from personal observations.
Paragraph 25 explains why research on the effects of school uniforms had yielded conflicting results.
Paragraph 25 supports the author's claim that school uniforms are a failed policy that should be abandoned.
Part A
9. How does Wilson use rhetoric to advance the purpose of his speech?
He uses understatement to minimize the costs of war to the United States.
He repeats American objectives to justify the righteousness of the cause.
He uses hyperbole to exaggerate the plight of Germany.
He contrasts the United States with Germany to assure the public of victory.
10. Part B
Select one quotation from the speech that supports the answer in Part A.
We are but one of the champions of the rights of mankind. We shall be satisfied when those rights have been made as secure as the faith and the freedom of nations can make them.
we act...only in armed opposition to an irresponsible government which has thrown aside all considerations of humanity and of right and is running amuck.
It is a distressing and oppressive duty gentlemen of the Congress, which I have performed in thus addressing you. There are, it may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. Ir is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war
For this item, select the answer from the drop-down menu.
Read the sentence from paragraph 1.
We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make.
We seek no (a) for ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make.
12. How does Wilson support the claim that the country has been forced into war?
by emphasizing his reluctance in requesting Congress to act
by highlighting the hostile actions of the German government
by emphasizing the outrage of the public toward Germany
by stressing that democracy is a fragile belief easily destroyed
13. Read the excerpt from paragraph 4.
…the day has come when America is privileged to spend her blood and her might for the principles that gave her birth and happiness and the peace which she has treasured.
What effect does Wilson’s word choice have on the speech?
It expresses an optimistic tone about the outcome of the war.
It expresses an anxious tone about beginning a long and drawn-out conflict.
It expresses an accepting tone about the inevitability of being drawn into war.
It expresses an honored tone about the country upholding responsibilities to the world.
14. In the passage from "Night in the Trenches" how does Rinehart develop the central idea?
by revealing the morbid reality of trench warfare
by describing the hospitality of the men in the trenches
by emphasizing how few women fougth on the front lines
by highlighting her fear while reporting from the battlefront
15. What does Rinehart accomplish through the description of the lagoon in paragraphs 9 -19?
She describes the lagoon to symbolize how prolonged exposure to death causes life to be treated as disposable.
She describes the lagoon to expand her observations from a narrow focus on trenches to a tactical assessment of the landscape.
She describes the lagoon to describe why the men are camped out in trenches and not pushing forward to a better location.
She describes the lagoon to strengthen her earlier observations about the barbarity of the men she interviews.
16. How do Wilson and Rinehart each present war?
Wilson emphasizes the urgency of war, while Rinehart elaborates on the moments of boredom.
Wilson implies that war is necessary, while Rinehart argues that war should be avoided at all cost.
Wilson depicts war in abstract and noble terms, while Rinehart provides gritty, descriptive details.
Wilson expresses concern with how war affects civilians, while Rinehart describes how are affects soldiers.
17. Which concept does Rinehart emphasize that Wilson discounts in his speech?
the great toll of the sacrifices that are required
the animosity between soldiers on opposite sides
the spirit of patriotism
the morality of intervening in a foreign conflict
18. Part A
Which is a central idea of the passage?
After her husband died, Caraway took over his Senate seat in a special election.
Caraway relied heavily on strong political allies to help her maintain her seat in the Senate.
Despite her unassuming demeanor, Caraway achieved many political firsts as a woman.
Caraway was an advocate for the poor who never forgot her humble beginnings.
19. Part B
Which quotation from the passage supports the answer in Part A?
Her parents, William Carroll Wyatt, a farmer and shopkeeper, and Lucy Mildred Burch raised four children.
A few days after his funeral, Govenor Harvey Parnell named Carraway's widow to fill the junior Senator's seat.
But Carraway had an importan ally in Louisiana Senator and political boss Huey Long, with whom Thaddeus Caraway had often allied and whose legislative proposals Hattie Caraway supported.
Carraway became the first woman to preside over the Senate, the first senior woman Senator (when Joe Robinson died in 1937) and the first woman to run a Senate hearing.
20. Why does the author begin the passage about Carraway's political career by focusing on her life before her office?
to show that Caraway aspired to hold public office long before she became a senator
to show that Caraway was politically active even before her husband died
to show that Caraway was the obvious choice to replace her husband in the Senate.
to show that Caraway put forth equal effort in her roles as wife, mother, and politician
21.
1 Hattie Ophelia Wyatt was born on February 1, 1878, on a farm near Bakerville, Tennessee. Her parents William Carroll Wyatt, a farmer and shopkeeper, and Lucy Mildred Burch Wyatt raised four children. Hattie Wyatt briefly attended Ebenezer College in Hustburg, Pennsylvania. At age 14, she entered the Dickson (Tennessee) Normal College and received a B.A. in 1896. She taught school for several years in rural Arkansas, along with her Dickson fiancé, Thaddeus Horatio Caraway. The couple married in 1902 and raised three sons, all future West Point cadets: Robert, Paul, and Forrest. Thaddeus Caraway rose quickly through the political ranks in Arkansas, serving as a prosecuting attorney, winning election to four terms in the U.S. House and two terms in the U.S. Senate. A fiery orator, he earned the epithets1 “Fighting Thad” and “Caustic Caraway.”
Which phase from paragraph 1 helps clarify the meaning of Caustic?
“…her Dickson fiancé…”
“…prosecuting attorney...”
“…winning election to four terms in the U.S. House…”
“A fiery orator…”
22.
Which two quotations from the passage support the inference that Caraway used gender stereotypes of the time period to her political advantage?
“In 1920, during Thaddeus’s first run for the Senate, Hattie Caraway worked in his campaign headquarters, spoke on his behalf, and received much of the credit for his election.” (paragraph 2)
…Hattie Caraway played down her experience as a congressional wife. ‘After equal suffrage in 1920,’ she recalled, ‘I just added voting to cooking and sewing and other household duties.’” (paragraph 2)
“Hattie Caraway, however, offered Governor Parnell a safe choice to sidestep choosing from a field of Arkansas politicians who coveted the seat…” (paragraph 3)
“But behind the facade of the dutiful widow was a woman who had every intention of not surrendering her seat to a chosen male successor.” (paragraph 4)
She confided in her journal that she planned to test "my own theory of a woman running for office".
23. Read the excerpt from paragraph 7.
Known as “Silent Hattie” because she spoke on the floor just 15 times in her career, Caraway nonetheless had a facile wit. She once explained her tendency to avoid speeches: “I haven’t the heart to take a minute away from the men. The poor dears love it so.”
How does the author use rhetoric to develop the purpose of the passage?
The author uses imagery to describe Caraway’s poise and presence on the Senate floor.
The author uses irony to show that Caraway was a better senator than her male counterparts.
The author uses an exaggerated nickname to highlight how resistant Caraway was to public speaking and attention.
The author uses a sarcastic quote from Caraway to illustrate her cleverness as a political figure.
24. How effectively does the author use evidence to support the claim that Caraway's success was due to hard work and merit?
The evidence is flawed because it supports the claim with inaccurate information about Caraway's choices.
The evidence is flawed because it supports the claim with biased opinions of Caraway;s impact on society.
The evidence is accurate because it provides examples of Caraway's accomplishments to support the claim.
The evidence is accurate because it provides personal testimony from Caraway herself to support the claim.
2 In our English ants, the workers in each species are all similar except in size, but among foreign species there are some in which there are two or even more classes of workers, differing greatly not only in size, but also in form. The differences are not the result of age nor of race, but are adaptations to different functions, the nature of which, however, is not yet well understood. Among the termites, those of one class certainly seem to act as soldiers, and among the true ants also some have comparatively immense heads and powerful jaws. It is doubtful, however, whether they form a real army. Bates1 observed that on a foraging expedition, the large-headed individuals did not walk in the regular ranks, nor on the return did they carry any of the booty, but marched along at the side, and at tolerably regular intervals, “like subaltern2 officers in a marching regiment.”…
In paragraph 2, what does the author mean by the term foraging ?
research
military
hunting
hiding
Which quotation support the inference that ants are intelligent insects?
“The community consists, in addition to the young, of males, which do no work, of wingless workers, and one or more queen mothers, who have at first wings, which, however, after one marriage flight, they throw off, as they never leave the nest again…” (paragraph 1)
“In our English ants, the workers in each species are all similar except in size, but among foreign species there are some in which there are two or even more classes of workers, differing greatly not only in size, but also in form.” (paragraph 2)
“The communities of ants are sometimes very large, numbering even up to 500,000 individuals; and it is a lesson to us, that no one has ever yet seen a quarrel between any two ants belonging to the same community.” (paragraph 4)
“They have domestic animals, and indeed it is not going too far to say that they have domesticated more animals than we have. Of these the most important are Aphides…” (paragraph 6)
Read the excerpt from paragraph 2.
Bates observed that on a foraging expedition, the large-headed individuals did not walk in the regular ranks, nor on the return did they carry any of the booty, but marched along at the side, and at tolerably regular intervals, “like subaltern officers in a marching regiment.”
How does the author use rhetoric to support his point of view of ants?
The author uses a simile to describe ants as orderly in the way they move.
The author uses a metaphor to describe ants as aggressive and eager to fight.
The author uses irony to describe ants as followers that act without thought.
The author uses imagery to describe ants as frenzied and constantly moving.
6 But in many cases the community does not consist of ants only. They have domestic animals, and indeed it is not going too far to say that they have domesticated more animals than we have. Of these the most important are Aphides on trees and bushes; others collect root-feeding Aphides into their nests. They serve as cows to the ants, which feed on the honey-dew secreted by the Aphides. Not only, moreover, do the ants protect the Aphides themselves, but collect their eggs in autumn, and tend them carefully through the winter, ready for the next spring. Many other insects are also domesticated by ants, and some of them, from living constantly underground, have completely lost their eyes and become quite blind.…
How does paragraph 6 function in the passage?
By explaining how ants enslave Aphides, the paragraph strengthens the claim that ants are exceptionally cruel.
By including information about where Aphides are found, the paragraph provides additional details about the habitats of ants.
By describing the relationship between ants and Aphides, the paragraph strengthens the claim that ants are sophisticated creatures.
By emphasizing the effects of ants on Aphides, the paragraph implies that ants are an invasive species.
7 When we see a community of ants working together in perfect harmony, it is impossible not to ask ourselves how far they are mere exquisite automatons; how far they are conscious beings. When we watch an ant-hill tenanted by thousands of industrious inhabitants, excavating chambers, forming tunnels, making roads, guarding their home, gathering food, feeding the young, tending their domestic animals—each one fulfilling its duties industriously, and without confusion—it is difficult altogether to deny to them the gift of reason; and all our recent observations tend to confirm the opinion that their mental powers differ from those of men not so much in kind as in degree.
What does industrious mean based on its use in paragraph 7?
content
hardworking
peaceful
sociable
7 When we see a community of ants working together in perfect harmony, it is impossible not to ask ourselves how far they are mere exquisite automatons; how far they are conscious beings. When we watch an ant-hill tenanted by thousands of industrious inhabitants, excavating chambers, forming tunnels, making roads, guarding their home, gathering food, feeding the young, tending their domestic animals—each one fulfilling its duties industriously, and without confusion—it is difficult altogether to deny to them the gift of reason; and all our recent observations tend to confirm the opinion that their mental powers differ from those of men not so much in kind as in degree.
How effectively does the author support the claim in paragraph 7 that ants appear to possess “the gift of reason”?
The claim is poorly supported by insufficient evidence about the behaviors of ants
The claim is poorly supported by contradictory evidence about the abilities of ants.
The claim is somewhat supported by evidence that suggests ants may act with purpose and intention.
The claim is well supported by indisputable evidence that proves ants comprehend a great deal and think logically.
1 Lune-green and amber, a strip of fading sky glowed across the train of the vanished sun. Far below, the opal sea paled to mother-of-pearl. Then, over sea and sky, strode the sudden dark of the tropics and in an instant the southern stars flamed and flared through the violet night. A long, tense moment, with sea and sky waiting, and a rim of raw gold thrust itself above the horizon as the full moon of midsummer climbed toward the zenith1. Rising, its light made a broad causeway across the sea clear to the dark reef which lurked in the shimmering water.
In paragraph 1, how does the author’s use of imagery and word choice impact the passage?
by creating a reverent tone to highlight the striking beauty of the isolated setting
by creating an astonished tone to depict the setting as startling and unexpected
by creating a grim tone to describe the setting as turbulent and chaotic
by creating an anxious tone to express fear about the dangerous setting
14 “It was here that your father died,” said Jim Tom again. “I was lying watching him search among the sponges,” he went on after a pause, “when before my very eyes he was gone. My only son,” he went on, his voice rising as he harked back over forgotten years, “in the jaws of one of those accursed sculpins of the deep water, a dangerous creature ten feet long.”
15 “And then,” asked Jimmy Tom, very softly, as the old man stopped.
16 “And then,” went on the old man, fiercely, “everything went red around me. I gripped my spike and dove and swam, as I never swam before, down to that lurking, ugly demon.… I followed him beyond, to where no man may dare to swim. There he died. As his hateful mouth gaped, I dragged out your father by the arm and brought him back to the top; but when I climbed with him into the canoe he was dead, and I was as you see me now—dead too from the waist down. All the rest of that day and all the night beyond and the next day I paddled and paddled until we came home— my dead son and I. No, no,” went on the old man, “let us try the safer side of the reef.”
by explaining how the grandfather came to raise his grandson
by emphasizing that deep sea diving is a family profession for grandfather and grandson
by highlighting the courage of the grandfather upon which the grandson relies
by stressing the dangers associated with what the grandfather and grandson are about to do
Read the excerpt from paragraphs 16-17.
“All the rest of that day and all the night beyond and the next day I paddled and paddled until we came home—my dead son and I. No, no,” went on the old man, “let us try the safer side of the reef.”
For answer Jimmy Tom quickly fastened in place the outriggers on either side of the canoe, which made it firm and safe to dive from.
What can the reader infer about the grandson from his response to the grandfather?
He does not care about his grandfather and is disinterested in his stories.
He wants to avenge his grandfather somehow for the suffering he has endured.
He intends to prove to his grandfather and himself that he is not afraid of the past.
He is an experienced deep sea diver and does not need assistance from his grandfather.
With a quick stroke, Jimmy Tom reached the many-colored sea-shrub. The moving branches had to be parted carefully with the spike, lest they close and hide, beyond finding, the silky clump growing within their depths. Even as the boy started to slip over his head the cord from which swung the pointed stick, he looked up to see Jim Tom beckoning frantically for him to return. Yet nowhere in the nearby water could he see anything unusual, except a little fish some eight inches long marked with alternate bands of blue and gold, which came close to him and then turned and swam out to sea. Still his grandfather beckoned, his face contorted with earnestness.
21 The boy hesitated. An arm’s length away lay a fortune. It might well be that never again could he find that exact spot if he went back to the surface now. All this passed through his mind in the same second in which he suddenly plunged his bare arm into the center of the gorgonia clump without waiting to use the spike, as all cautious sponge-divers do. Following the clue of the waving silken end, he grasped a soft mass. Even as he pulled out a silk-sponge, worth more than its weight in gold, something sharp as steel and brittle as ice pierced his hand deep, and he felt a score of spines break and rankle in his flesh like splinters of broken glass. By an ill chance he had thrust his hand against one of those chestnut-burs of the ocean, a purple-black sea urchin, whose villainous spines, like those of a porcupine, pierce deep and break off. Setting his teeth against the pain, the boy shifted the silky clump of sponge to his other hand and swam for the canoe with all his might. As he rose he saw his grandfather mouthing the word “Hurry!” every line on his tense face set in an agony of pleading.
by describing the cut the grandson receives from the sea urchin next to the sponges
by highlighting the grandfather’s panicked signals to his grandson
by focusing on the grandson’s actions as he methodically pulls the prized sponges
by contrasting what the grandfather observes in the canoe with what his grandson sees
Which quotation supports the answer in Part A?
“The moving branches had to be parted carefully with the spike, lest they close and hide, beyond finding, the silky clump growing within their depths.” (paragraph 20)
“Yet nowhere in the nearby water could he see anything unusual, except a little fish some eight inches long marked with alternate bands of blue and gold, which came close to him and then turned and swam out to sea.” (paragraph 20)
“Even as he pulled out a silk-sponge, worth more than its weight in gold, something sharp as steel and brittle as ice pierced his hand deep, and he felt a score of spines break and rankle in his flesh like splinters of broken glass.” (paragraph 21)
“As he rose he saw his grandfather mouthing the word ‘Hurry!’ every line on his tense face set in an agony of pleading.” (paragraph 21)
Read the sentence from paragraph 22.
The tiny tick of time which the fish took in turning enabled the old man, with a tremendous heave of his powerful arms, to drag Jimmy Tom bodily over the gunwale just as the fatal jaws snapped shut below him.
What is the effect of the figurative language on the overall passage?
The simile highlights the strength the grandfather displays to save his grandson.
The metaphor conveys that the grandson has learned an important lesson about obedience.
The alliteration emphasizes how closely the grandson came to being killed by the shark.
The personification illustrates the ferociousness of the shark bearing down on the grandson.
1. Which sentence states the central idea of the passage?
School uniforms are unpopular but effective solutions to reducing disciplinary problems and improving academic achievement.
School uniform policies differ from dress code policies, which merely put limitations on what students can and cannot wear.
Further research is needed to prove that the benefits of school uniform policies outweigh the costs.
There are significant financial costs associated with school uniform policies that administrators often disregard.
