Worksheets2019 English II STAAR Test
Total questions: 58
Worksheet time: 15hrs 30mins
Select This Answer
J.T. would like to add the following sentence to the first paragraph (sentences 1–6).
Where is the most effective place to insert this sentence?
After sentence 1
After sentence 2
After sentence 4
After sentence 5
J.T. wants to use a more appropriate transition in sentence 11.
(11) Furthermore, they walk in perfect step by following the direction of an announcer.
Which of the following can best replace Furthermore in this sentence?
For example
In conclusion
Overall
Instead
What is the most effective revision to make in sentence 15?
(15) A misstep by just one student creates a flaw in the perfectly coordinated display that is visible.
A misstep by just one student and a flaw is created that is visible in the perfectly coordinated display.
A misstep by just one student creates a visible flaw in the perfectly coordinated display.
A misstep by just one student creates a flaw in the perfectly coordinated display, the flaw is visible.
A misstep by just one student creates a visible flaw that can be seen in the perfectly coordinated display.
J.T. has included an extraneous sentence in his paper. Which of these sentences should be deleted from this paper?
Sentence 9
Sentence 13
Sentence 18
Sentence 20
Read the selection and choose the best answer to each question. Then fill in the answer on your answer document.
Mimi has written this essay to express her opinion about reusable water bottles. Read Mimi’s essay and look for the revisions she should make. Then answer the questions that follow.
Make the Switch!
Select This Answer
Mimi’s essay does not have a strong position statement. Which of the following sentences should replace sentence 6 to serve as an effective position statement?
It’s foolish to buy several bottles of water each day when there’s no good reason for doing this.
People need to stop doing this now and protest against bottled-water companies.
These problems can be solved, however, if people choose to drink water from reusable containers instead of plastic bottles.
The list of problems that people are causing, such as increasing pollution, by buying bottled water is endless.
What is the most effective way to combine sentences 8 and 9?
Bottled water may be attractively packaged, but it is simply processed tap water.
Bottled water is simply processed tap water because it is attractively packaged.
Bottled water may be attractively packaged, so it is simply processed tap water.
Bottled water is attractively packaged, because it is simply processed tap water
Mimi wants to improve the transition between the third paragraph (sentences 14–18) and the fourth paragraph (sentences 19–23). Which sentence can be added before sentence 19 to accomplish this goal?
Because bottled water can cost so much, a reusable water bottle is a wise investment.
People think bottled water is harmless, and other plastic containers are just as bad.
Money is a concern for many people, so it should be saved whenever possible.
Bottled water is a huge monetary expense, but the cost to our planet is even greater.
(21) Also consider that chemicals are released by these many bottles when they are discarded into landfills over hundreds of years and decompose.
What is the most effective way to revise sentence 21?
Also consider that many bottles are discarded into landfills, where the bottles release chemicals as they decompose over hundreds of years.
Also consider that landfills are filled with released chemicals, where they decompose many discarded bottles over hundreds of years.
These bottles, decomposing over hundreds of years, should also be considered to release chemicals where they have been discarded into landfills.
Over hundreds of years, landfills are filled with many bottles, and it should also be considered that the bottles decompose and release chemicals.
Mimi wants to conclude her essay by motivating her readers to take action. Which of the following statements should she insert after sentence 29 to accomplish this goal?
The future of our planet depends on people like you doing away with a terrible threat—plastic water bottles.
We should make the decision today to be smart about our finances and responsible with our planet by opting for reusable water bottles.
Think of how much you can help the fish in our lakes, rivers, and oceans by avoiding bottled water.
Choose reusable water bottles, and watch your savings grow.
What change, if any, needs to be made in sentence 2?
Change being to I am
Insert a comma after childhood
Change plays to playing
Sentence 2 should not be changed.
What is the correct way to write sentence 5?
I pull gently at its crisp brown shell, the aroma of its gooey sweetness that teases my nostrils.
As I pull gently at its crisp brown shell, the aroma of its gooey sweetness teases my nostrils.
Pulling gently at its crisp brown shell, the aroma of its gooey sweetness teasing my nostrils.
When I pull gently at its crisp brown shell, and the aroma of its gooey sweetness teasing my nostrils.
How should sentence 8 be changed?
Insert a comma after grass
Change reminds to reminding
Change playing to to play
Change Soccer to soccer
What change, if any, is needed in sentence 18?
Insert a comma after way
Change is processed to has processed
Change centers’ to centers
Sentence 18 should not be changed.
What change, if any, needs to be made to sentence 20?
Delete the comma
Insert a comma after today
Change innocent to inocent
Make no change to sentence 20.
Read the selection and choose the best answer to each question. Then fill in the answer on your answer document.
Adam has written this essay to encourage his classmates to try a new food source. Read Adam’s essay and look for the corrections he needs to make. When you finish reading, answer the questions that follow.
Select This Answer
What change, if any, should be made in sentence 1?
Change Organization to organization
Change the colon to a comma
Change species to species’
No change is needed in sentence 1.
What change, if any, should be made in sentence 11?
Delete since
Change accustomed to acustomed
Change to trying to to try
No change is needed in this sentence.
What change should be made in sentence 14?
Change Doing to When we do
Delete the comma after though
Change preferances to preferences
Change simply to simple
What change, if any, should be made in sentence 18?
Change whose to who’s
Change brought to bringing
Delete the comma after try
No change is needed in sentence 18.
WRITTEN COMPOSITION: Persuasive
Think carefully about the following question. Do people have to be competitive in order to succeed?
Write an essay stating your position on whether competition is necessary for success.
Be sure to —
• state your position clearly
• use appropriate organization
• provide specific support for your argument
• choose your words carefully
• edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling
In which lines does the poet use personification to create a somber mood?
Lines 3 through 5
Lines 9 and 10
Lines 17 through 19
Lines 28 and 29
20 And you never know why (I was lying before when I said I knew). You never know the force that drives you wild to paint that sky, that bird flying, and is never satisfied today
Lines 20 and 21 suggest that the speaker —
wants to be honest about how little he understands the creative impulse
does not want to mislead his daughter into believing that she has special talent
is now willing to risk hurting his daughter’s self-esteem by telling her the truth about her work
wants to admit his confusion about the sometimes-stifling life choices that creative people make
Read lines 26 and 27 from the poem.
This image can best be interpreted as meaning that —
a child sees the sky as a magical ocean full of mysterious creatures
the speaker hopes to save his daughter from a terrible future
artists experience a sea of wild and unpredictable emotions
there is a danger that artists may get lost in their own creations
30 (while the birds change from green to blue to brown).
The final line of the poem suggests that —
the daughter will develop an interest in more practical pursuits as she matures
the speaker expects his daughter’s art to transform as she grows older
the daughter’s paintings will become more whimsical as she develops her technical skills
the speaker believes that his daughter will one day be a successful professional artist
Which sentence describes a shift in the poem’s focus?
In stanza 1, the speaker focuses on his daughter’s creative struggles, while in stanza 2, he imagines her eventual success as an artist.
In stanza 1, the speaker focuses on his daughter’s paintings, while in stanza 2, he describes his own artwork.
In stanza 1, the speaker focuses on his daughter’s art as an expression of childhood, while in stanza 2, he considers her future as a mature artist.
In stanza 1, the speaker focuses on his daughter’s early artistic success, while in stanza 2, he questions whether she should pursue a career as a painter.
Read paragraph 15.
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
What does paragraph 16 reveal about the son?
He blames himself for his father’s long absences.
He thinks his father never gave them the opportunity to be close.
He is too willing to forgive his father for lying.
He is unwilling to share what he knows with his father
Which line of dialogue provides the best evidence that the father is questioning his priorities?
“Now all that seems so unimportant, you know?”
“Remembering a man’s stories makes him immortal, did you know that?”
“I had dinner with a prime minister once, William.”
“I wasn’t going to tell you about the two-headed lady, Mr. Smarty-pants,” he says.
3 “Let me guess,” I say. “He planted them and a huge vine grew up into the clouds, and at the top of the clouds was a castle, where a giant lived.” 4 “How did you know?” 5 “And a two-headed woman who served him tea, no doubt.”
In paragraphs 3 through 5, the phrases “Let me guess” and “no doubt” give the son’s dialogue a tone that is —
naive
hypercritical
indignant
sarcastic
17 “I’ll tell you what the problem was,” he says, lifting his hand from my knee and motioning for me to come closer. And I do. I want to hear. The next word could be his last.
Paragraph 17 suggests that the son is motivated to listen to his father because —
he values his father’s advice
he regrets not paying attention to his father in the past
he believes his father is dying
he believes his father will tell him a secret
Which sentence best describes the father’s moral dilemma?
He must choose between impressing his son with outlandish stories and admitting that he is a financial failure.
He must resolve feelings about his failure to persuade his son to follow in his footsteps.
He must decide whether to continue to pursue his dreams or devote himself to helping his son.
He must reconcile his lifelong desire to be important with the knowledge that he neglected his family.
Paragraph 20 reveals that the father views his childhood home of Ashland as —
a place of tremendous comfort
a place with limited opportunities
the best place to raise a family
a place of haunting memories
The story explores the theme of a son —
disappointing his father
imitating his father
trying to impress his father
making peace with his father
Read these quotations from the two selections.
These quotations provide evidence that both the speaker in “To a Daughter with Artistic Talent” and the narrator in the excerpt from Big Fish feel —
as though they must prove something
embarrassed by their ignorance
compelled to admit their mistakes
challenged to explain something difficult
What is a difference in how the two selections portray fathers?
While the father in “To a Daughter with Artistic Talent” is optimistic, the father in the excerpt from Big Fish is cynical.
While the father in “To a Daughter with Artistic Talent” seems caring, the father in the excerpt from Big Fish seems self-centered.
While the father in “To a Daughter with Artistic Talent” is open-minded, the father in the excerpt from Big Fish is judgmental.
While the father in “To a Daughter with Artistic Talent” seems defensive, the father in the excerpt from Big Fish seems relaxed.
Both the daughter’s paintings in “To a Daughter with Artistic Talent” and the father’s stories in the excerpt from Big Fish —
depict a world that seems more fanciful than realistic
contain imagery drawn from well-known fairy tales
are difficult for others to understand
portray heroic characters
Read these quotations.
Both quotations use imagery that conveys a sense of —
inner turmoil
stubbornness
guilt
exaggerated self-confidence
Which sentence best states a difference between the attitude of the speaker in the poem and the attitude of the narrator in the story?
The speaker in the poem worries that his daughter gets carried away by her imagination, while the narrator in the story admires the way his father uses his imagination.
The speaker in the poem believes that his daughter paints to express her true feelings, while the narrator in the story believes that his father tells stories to escape reality.
The speaker in the poem thinks his daughter paints to bring them closer together, while the narrator in the story thinks his father tells stories to distance himself from others.
The speaker in the poem believes that painting is good for his daughter’s health, while the narrator in the story worries that his father’s stories are a symptom of illness.
Select the image of the Lion
What is the author’s purpose for writing this article?
To encourage people to visit national parks
To advocate for coexistence of humans and wildlife in urban areas
To explain methods for tracking a cougar through Griffith Park
To persuade people to convert urban cities back to natural spaces
Which words from paragraph 7 best help the reader understand the meaning of the word resiliency?
relish my experiences
cougar kin
adapt to life
urban interface
6 Why can’t a mountain lion live in a city? Why is the human-built environment seen as off-limits to wildlife? If it’s good enough for a mountain lion, who are we to judge?
Why does the author use rhetorical questions in paragraph 6?
To argue that human-built environments are not suitable for wildlife
To illustrate a shift in her perspective regarding wildlife habitats
To explain that mountain lions are vastly different from other types of wildlife
To prove that she has experience on the subject of mountain lions
In paragraph 12, why does the author refer to milkweed plants as “gas stations” for monarch butterflies?
Milkweed plants are enjoyed by several species of butterflies.
Milkweed plants are becoming more available in cities.
Milkweed plants can be grown in any environment.
Milkweed plants are essential for the migration of monarch butterflies.
5 And then I had a life changing epiphany. This cat has more of an imagination than I do.
In paragraph 5, the author conveys a tone of —
relief
surprise
humiliation
pride
What is one conclusion the author makes about wildlife?
Certain urban spaces should be abandoned by people because wildlife need them more.
Larger species of wildlife are not as strong as smaller species of wildlife.
Humans need to change their understanding of wildlife preservation.
More national parks should be formed to help wildlife.
Read this quotation from paragraph 9.
Why does the author include this idea?
To emphasize that wildlife living in urban areas is more common than people think
To compare the wildlife found in different regions of California
To describe Mark Zuckerberg’s disapproval of the foxes living on the Facebook campus
To question whether the foxes are safe living in Menlo Park
14 Adopting an expanded view of the national park ethic in our urban spaces would exponentially increase our ability to protect wildlife and biodiversity around the world.
In paragraph 14, what does biodiversity mean?
Decisions about nature made by people
Understanding and respecting nature
Multiple species of plants and animals
Animals living in populated urban areas
Read the selection and choose the best answer to each question. Then fill in the answer on your answer document.
Select Answer A.
Read this quotation from paragraph 4.
Why does the author use this comparison?
To illustrate the level of excitement a movie can provide
To explain the filmmaking techniques used by movie directors
To show how movies help people cope with real-world worries
To describe the mental processes involved with making a movie
Which word from paragraph 3 means “powerful” or “effective”?
potent
racing
attentional
literally
What is the primary purpose of the boxed information at the end of the article?
To persuade readers to watch movies in an actual theater rather than at home
To explain why movies watched at home are less enjoyable
To give advice for ways to enhance the home movie-watching experience
To demonstrate why the convenience of watching movies at home is appealing
In paragraph 1 of the article, what type of evidence does the author present?
Factual data
Personal experience
Persuasive argument
Anecdotal details
Which statement best expresses the main idea of paragraph 5?
Movies can cause people to become emotional.
The way people relate to a movie depends on how realistic it is.
Movies can make people ignore the difference between reality and fiction.
People lose awareness of their surroundings in a movie theater.
According to paragraph 6, what does the limbic system control?
Emotions
Selective attention
Comprehension
Spacial awareness
Why does the author include paragraph 7?
To contrast the enjoyment received from older and newer movies
To express concern regarding the ways people often watch movies today
To suggest that newer movies lack emotional appeal for viewers
To explain why theater attendance has declined in recent years
Which of these best describes the author’s purpose for writing this article?
To inform people about what makes a movie-watching experience enjoyable
To analyze the techniques moviemakers use to create popular movies
To compare the experiences of watching a movie at home and in a theater
To persuade people to avoid watching movies on smart phones
