Gift of the Magi

EMCParadigm Publishing Saint Paul, Minnesota

MISSOURI ASSESSMENT

PROGRAM PRACTICE

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Staff Credits

EditorialLaurie SkibaManaging Editor

Brenda OwensEditor

Nichola TorbettAssociate Editor

Becky PalmerAssociate Editor

Jennifer J. AndersonAssociate Editor

Valerie MurphyEditorial Assistant

Soo Jin LinkEducational Writer

DesignShelley Clubb Production Manager

Lisa Beller Design and Production Specialist

© 2003 EMC Corporation

All rights reserved. The assessment materials in this publication may be photocopied for class-room use only. No part of this publication may be adapted, reproduced, stored in a retrievalsystem, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,recording, or otherwise without permission from the publisher.

Published by EMC/Paradigm Publishing875 Montreal WaySt. Paul, Minnesota 55102800-328-1452www.emcp.comE-mail: [email protected]

Printed in the United States of America.10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 XXX 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11

Cover CreditsCover Designer: C. Vern Johnson

Gas [Detail], 1940. Edward Hopper.

Last of the Buffalo [Detail], 1889. Albert Bierstadt.

His Hammer in His Hand [Detail], from the John Henry Series, 1944–47. Palmer Hayden.

ISBN 0-8219-2782-5

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Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Test-Taking Skills Practice Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Preparing for Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Answering Multiple-Choice Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Answering Reading Comprehension Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Making Inferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Finding the Main Idea or Theme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Using Context Clues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Answering Constructed-Response Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Responding to Writing Prompts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Analyzing a Writing Prompt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Planning Your Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Drafting Your Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Revising Your Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Grade 9 MAP Practice Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Unit 1 Test

Reading (“National Storytelling Youth Olympics”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Unit 2 Test

Reading (“Birches”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Unit 3 Test

Reading (“The Gift of the Magi”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

Unit 4 Test

Reading (from The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Unit 5 Test

Reading (“An Encounter with an Interviewer”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

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Unit 6 Test

Reading (from “The Grass”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95

Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99

Unit 7 Test

Reading (“A Soul Who Selected Her Own Society”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106

Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109

Unit 8 Test

Reading (“Overcoming the Odds”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116

Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119

Unit 9 Test

Reading (“A Poison Tree”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126

Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129

Unit 10 Test

Reading (“Crazy Quilt”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136

Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140

Unit 11 Test

Reading (“The Writing Life”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147

Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150

Unit 12 Test

Reading (from “Nightmare Number Three”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157

Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160

Scoring Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167

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Introduction

The EMC Masterpiece Series, Literature and the Language Arts textbook program has been designed toaddress the competencies assessed by the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) test. Competencies aredeveloped throughout the program, giving students the opportunity to internalize them through multiplepractice opportunities. The Test-Taking Skills Worksheets and MAP Practice Tests in this book are only asmall part of this practice.

AN INTEGRATED APPROACH

Carefully constructed practice opportunities for reading and writing are integrated throughout theLiterature and the Language Arts textbook program. Development of these skills is outlined in the LessonPlans book, located in the Literacy Resource binder. There you will find a comprehensive list of integratedreading, writing, and other communication arts activities.

The Reading Strategies Resource, also located in the Literacy Resource binder, is specifically designed tohelp Missouri students internalize the reading strategies they need, not only to succeed on the MAP andother standardized tests, but to become proficient, lifelong readers. The Reading Strategies Resource coverseight reading strategies that help students monitor their comprehension as they read the selections in thetextbook and answer reading comprehension questions after reading.

Each Reading Strategy Mini-Lesson helps students work through a textbook selection by focusing on onespecific reading strategy that they learn to use before, during, and after reading. A fix-up strategy isprovided for students who need extra help. Work with the reading strategy culminates with a Test Practicepage in which students are asked to demonstrate their successful use of the reading strategy by answeringsample multiple-choice and constructed-response questions. Questions focus on:

• Making inferences

• Drawing conclusions

• Interpreting visual material

• Finding the main idea

• Analyzing a text’s organizational features

• Understanding sequence

• Evaluating the author’s purpose

• Understanding point of view

• Classifying and reorganizing information

• Distinguishing fact from opinion

• Comparing and contrasting

• Determining cause and effect

• Understanding literary devices

The Teaching Notes for each Reading Strategy Mini-Lesson include sample think-aloud discussions thatmodel effective ways to approach each standardized test question.

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Writing practice can be found in the Guided Writing lessons at the end of each unit, in the Writer’sJournal prompts following each selection, and on the Selection Tests and Unit Tests. Writing tasks stressthe importance of prewriting prior to drafting, even in timed writing situations.

MISSOURI ASSESSMENT PROGRAM PRACTICE BOOK

In addition to the assessment practice integrated throughout the core components of Literature and theLanguage Arts, test practice can be found in Missouri Assessment Program Practice books, available forgrades six through twelve in print and downloadable online (www.emcp.com) formats.

TEST-TAKING SKILLS WORKSHEETS. This book contains a set of test-taking skills worksheets that help studentsuse the strategies and skills they develop as they work through the Literature and the Language Artsprogram to succeed on standardized tests. These worksheets cover such topics as making inferences, usingcontext clues, and finding the main idea; they also give students tips on answering multiple-choice,constructed-response and writing-prompt questions. Each worksheet contains instruction followed bymultiple practice opportunities.

SAMPLE MAP TESTS. You will also find in this book twelve practice tests integrated with the twelve literatureunits in the textbook. Each practice test contains a reading passage related to the unit, followed bymultiple-choice and constructed-response reading comprehension questions. As on the actual MAP,constructed-response questions progress from recall or low-level interpretation to various higher-levelthinking tasks.

Following the reading test for each unit is an independent essay prompt for writing practice. These writingtests follow the same format as Session Two of the MAP.

MAP PRACTICE SCORING GUIDE. Based on actual MAP scoring procedures, the Scoring Guide at the back ofthis book includes correlations to the Show-Me Content and Process Standards, scoring criteria, andsample top-score-point responses for all test-taking skills worksheet and MAP practice test items.

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Test–Taking Skills Practice WorksheetsPREPARING FOR TESTS

Standardized tests like the MAP and others are a common part of school life. These guidelines will help youprepare for and take a variety of tests.

TEST-TAKING TIPS

EXERCISE

Test-Taking Strategies

Write a brief response to each set of suggestions above. Do you use these strategies now? Which wouldhelp you most on your next test?

1. Preparing for a test

2. Taking a test

Preparing for a Test

• Pay attention in class. Exercises and activitiesthroughout the year help you practice skillsthat will benefit you on standardized tests.

• Know what to expect. Your teacher can provide you with information about the testsyou will be taking.

• Get plenty of sleep the night before the testand eat a healthy breakfast in the morning.

• Arrive on time. Running late can raise yourstress level and hurt your performance.

Taking a Test

• Read directions and questions carefully.

• Consider every choice. Don’t be fooled by distractors, or answers that are almost correct.

• Spend test time wisely. Within each section,answer the easiest questions first and comeback to the more difficult questions later.

• Make sure to record your answer on the correctline of the answer sheet. As you mark eachanswer, ask yourself “Am I on the right questionnumber in the right section of the test?” and “Is this the answer I mean to mark?”

• Use any extra time to check your work.

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Test–Taking Skills Practice WorksheetsANSWERING MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS

On many standardized tests, including Session Three of the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) test,questions are multiple-choice and have a single correct answer. The guidelines below will help you answerthese kinds of questions effectively.

TIPS FOR ANSWERING MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS

Read each question carefully. Pay special attention to any words that arebolded, italicized, written in all capital letters, or otherwise emphasized.

Read all choices before deciding on the answer.

Eliminate any answers that do not make sense, that disagree with whatyou remember from the passage, or that seem too extreme. Also, iftwo answers have the same meaning, you can eliminate both.

Beware of distractors. These are incorrect answers that look attractivebecause they are partially correct, they contain a common misconcep-tion, or they apply the right information in the wrong way. Distractorsare based on common mistakes students make.

Rule out incorrect answers; then choose the answer that is most accurate or complete. Pay special attention to choices such as none ofthe above or all of the above.

If a question seems too difficult, skip it and come back to it later. Keepin mind, though, that most tests allow you to go back only to questions within a section.

To make sure your answers are scanned accurately, be sure to fill in allcircles solidly.

EXERCISE

Answering Multiple-Choice Questions

Read Speech to the Convention of the American Equal Rights Association by Sojourner Truth on pages457–458 of your textbook. Then select the best answer to each of the following questions.

1. 1. To what audience does Truth speak in this speech?

A. both male and female slaves

B. slave owners only

C. both men and women sympathetic to Truth’s cause for gaining equal rights for all

D. women only

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2. What is the purpose of Truth’s speech?

A. to help gain equal rights for African-American men

B. to persuade the audience to grant full freedom and rights to African-American women

C. to inspire slave owners to free their slaves

D. to inform listeners of what it is like to be a slave

3. Why does Truth call her audience members “chil’n”?

A. because her audience is full of children

B. because she is speaking directly to little children

C. because that’s what she calls everyone

D. because she is old enough to be the mother of all those attending

4. Who or what, according to Truth, is preventing colored women from gaining equal rights?

A. men in power who are unwilling to give women their rights

B. African-American womens’ ignorance and lack of intelligence

C. selfish white women who want equal rights only for themselves

D. the devil

5. The word idle in the second column on page 457 means

A. heroic

B. proud

C. doing nothing

D. very busy

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ANSWERING READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

Reading comprehension questions ask you to read a short piece of writing and answer several questionsabout it. To answer reading comprehension questions, follow these steps:

1. Read through all the questions quickly.

2. Read the passage with the questions in mind.

3. Reread the first question carefully. If you know the answer, mark it and go to step 6. If you don’t, goto step 4.

4. Scan the passage to look for key words related to the question. When you find a key word, slowdown and read carefully.

5. Answer the question.

6. Repeat steps 3–5 to answer the rest of the questions.

EXERCISE

Answering Reading Comprehension Questions

Read “Exploring the Greece of Odysseus” by Laurel Miranda on pages 144–145 of your textbook. Thenselect the best answer to the questions that follow.

1. What is the meaning of the word arresting in this passage?

A. capturing

B. breathtaking

C. captivating

D. brawny

2. Who is Odysseus?

A. the author’s son

B. a mythological figure

C. a resident of modern-day Greece

D. a ghost

3. The second paragraph ends with a quotation. Whose words are inside the quotationmarks?

A. Ellen Switzer’s

B. Homer’s

C. Odysseus’s

D. Laurel Miranda’s

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4. Which of the following best describes the character of Forest as he is depicted in theselection?

A. clever and brave

B. tired and bored

C. young and restless

D. curious and excited

5. What would you expect to find in the following paragraphs of this essay?

A. a retelling of the Odyssey

B. an account of the author’s trip to Greece

C. detailed information about Greek mythology

D. a list of Forest’s interests and hobbies

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MAKING INFERENCES

Sometimes the answers to reading comprehension questions can be found in the text you have read. Othertimes, however, you will need to make an inference in order to answer the question. Making an inferencemeans putting together the clues given in the text with your own prior knowledge to make an educatedguess. For example, read the following passage:

Tabitha spent all day in the woods looking for and gathering different kinds of leaves for her scienceproject. As she walked home, she began to develop an itch on her leg. She looked down and saw that herlegs were covered with red blotches. Soon, not only were her legs itching but also her arms and hands.Tabitha began to panic and ran home in the hopes that her father could relieve the itch and make therash disappear.

What is the cause of Tabitha’s itchy rash? The passage itself does not say, but it does give you clues:spending time in the woods, developing an itch, and being covered with red blotches. By putting theseclues together with your prior knowledge, you can be pretty certain that Tabitha stepped in poison ivywhile looking for leaves.

As you make inferences, remember that each inference needs to fit with all of the clues in the passage andwith your prior knowledge. In multiple-choice questions, you can eliminate answers that contradict the textand those for which there is no evidence. Then, from the remaining answers, choose the one that seemsmost logical.

EXERCISE

Read Theodore L. Thomas’s short story “The Test”on pages 892–895 of your textbook. Then use clues fromthe story and your prior knowledge to answer the inference questions that follow.

1. What kind of person is MOST LIKELY going to pass this kind of driver’s test? One who is

A. careful

B. traumatized

C. carefree

D. confident

2. What is the significance of the two grooves worn into the floor?

A. They indicate that Robert really is still dreaming.

B. They show that Robert is actually a machine.

C. They indicate how easy it is for Robert to go with the men.

D. They demonstrate how many people have failed the test in this way.

3. Based on the information presented on the first page (page 892), one can infer that Robert

A. hates driving

B. loves driving

C. would rather sit in the passenger seat so that he can enjoy the ride

D. is indifferent about driving

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4. Why would a driver’s test such as the one described in this story be useful? Use details from the story tosupport your answer.

5. Predict how this experience will affect Robert’s thoughts and feelings about reality. Use details from theselection to support your prediction.

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FINDING THE MAIN IDEA OR THEME

Many standardized test questions will ask you to identify the main idea or theme of a passage of text. Ingeneral, nonfiction texts have main ideas; literary texts (poems, stories, novels, plays, and personal essays)have themes. Sometimes, however, the term main idea is used to refer to the theme of a literary work,especially an essay or poem.

The main idea is a brief statement of what the author wants you to know, think, or feel after reading thetext. In some cases, the main idea will actually be stated. Check the first and last paragraphs for a sentencethat sums up the entire passage.

Usually, however, the author will not tell you what the main idea is, and you will have to infer it. To infer amain idea, ask yourself these questions about the text:

• Who or what is this passage about?

• What does the author want me to know, think, or feel about this “who” or “what”?

• If I had to tell someone in one sentence what this passage is about, what would I say?

After you have a main idea in mind, check to see whether all the details in the passage fit that mainidea. If any detail contradicts your statement, you need to revise that statement.

TIPS FOR ANSWERING MULTIPLE-CHOICE MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS

• Eliminate any statement that contains incorrect information.

• Eliminate any statement that applies only to one paragraph or section of the passage.

• If two statements are similar, choose the one that contains more information, as long as all information is correct.

Following a literary passage, you might be asked to identify the theme, or central idea, of the passage. Thetheme is usually a general statement or insight about life. It is expressed through the plot, images,characters, and symbols in a text. To find the theme of a passage, ask yourself these questions:

• How and why has the main character or speaker changed by the end of the story?

• What has the main character learned by the end of the story?

• How is the reader supposed to feel about the events of the story?

• What is the author trying to say about life?

• What is the “moral” or lesson of the story?

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EXERCISE

1. Read “I Have a Dream” on pages 462–464 of your textbook. Which of the following statements BEST expresses the main idea of this speech?

A. Together, Americans can achieve the dream of equality for all people.

B. Even a hundred years after the freeing of the slaves, African Americans are treated withinjustice.

C. African Americans will never be satisfied until they have achieved equality.

D. African Americans have finally achieved the dream of freedom.

2. Turn to page 758 in your textbook and read the poem “Courage” by Anne Sexton. Which ofthe following statements BEST expresses the theme of the poem?

A. Only a handful of people have real courage.

B. The truly courageous are those that sacrifice their lives for someone else.

C. Fighting in a war is the greatest sign of courage.

D. Courage can be found in many different forms and in almost every life.

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USING CONTEXT CLUES

Some standardized test questions will ask you to choose the best definition for a word that might beunfamiliar to you. You can often figure out the meaning of this word by using context clues. Contextclues frequently can be found in nearby words and phrases that provide hints about the word.

EXAMPLES

comparison clue The dog meandered down the street like a couple out for a leisurely Sunday drive.

Couples on leisurely Sunday drives move rather slowly and without a specific direction in mind. Meanderedmust mean something like “took a slow, winding path.”

contrast clue I don’t have the exact measurements with me, but I can give you anapproximation.

The word but signals a contrast between exact measurements and an approximation. Approximation mustmean “estimate, inexact guess.”

restatement clue Alissa is known for her unusual garb. I’ve never known anyone else with such oddtaste in clothes!

As the second sentence suggests, garb means “clothing.”

apposition clue Greg barged into the meeting unannounced, crying, “I hate to interrupt, but thisis really an importunity, a matter that cannot wait!”

By restating the word importunity in different terms, the apposition indicates that importunity means “anurgent matter, an emergency.”

examples clue There were several inauspicious signs, including a black cat in the middle of thestreet, a broken mirror in the restroom, and thirteen peas left on his plate atdinner.

From the signs listed here— a black cat, a broken mirror, and the number thirteen —you can guess thatinauspicious means “unlucky.”

cause and effect clue Trevor couldn’t come to the party because he had another engagement.

If it meant Trevor couldn’t be in a particular place at a particular time, an engagement must mean“somewhere one has promised to be.”

The following table shows words that signal each type of context clue. Look for these words in thesentences around an unfamiliar word to see if they signal a context clue.

comparison and, like, as, just as, as if, as though

contrast but, nevertheless, on the other hand, however, although, though, in spite of

restatement that is, in other words, or

examples including, such as, for example, for instance, especially, particularly

cause and effect if/then, when/then, thus, therefore, because, so, as a result of, consequently

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EXERCISE

Read the following sentences. Then choose the best definitions for the underlined words.

1. My dog Willie cowered like a scaredy-cat while I yelled at him for chewing up my brand newleather shoes.

A. crouched

B. growled

C. stared

D. hissed

2. I thought I had the right time to meet my girlfriend, but I found out I was erroneous when Ishowed up two hours late!

A. correct

B. afraid

C. wrong

D. frustrated

3. The barrier was made of a porous substance that looked like a sponge or an airy loaf ofbread.

A. capable of great power

B. filled with holes

C. smooth and strong

D. used for cleaning

4. Because of my teacher’s ambiguity, I was unsure about how to answer the question.

A. absence

B. answer

C. short-temper

D. lack of clarity

5. The St. Louis Cardinals’ loss to the Chicago Cubs was inconsequential. Since it was a pre-season game, it wasn’t that important.

A. unsuccessful

B. worrisome

C. uninteresting

D. insignificant

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ANSWERING CONSTRUCTED-RESPONSE QUESTIONS

In addition to multiple-choice questions, many standardized tests, including the Missouri AssessmentProgram (MAP) test, include constructed-response questions that require you to write answers in the testbooklet.

Constructed-response questions might ask you to identify key ideas or examples from the text by writing asentence about each. In other cases, you will be asked to write a paragraph in response to a question aboutthe selection and to use specific details from the passage to support your answer.

EXAMPLE

Essay prompt: Richard Brautigan’s poem “All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace” can be easilymisunderstood if one does not know that it is a satirical piece. How do the images in the poem help tocreate a satirical tone? Use details from the selection to support your answer.

Short response: Images such as a “cybernetic meadow where mammals and computers live together inharmony” and a “cybernetic forest filled with pines and electronics” work to satirize the popular beliefthat technology makes our world a better place. These images border on the absurd in order forBrautigan to poke fun at those who believe that humans beings and technology can live in harmony.Using exaggeration, Brautigan shows just how ridiculous our lives would be if we became too dependenton machines.

The MAP also contains constructed-response questions that ask you to apply information or ideas from a textin a new way. For example, you might be asked to write a letter from the point of view of a character fromthe text. Another question might ask you to use information from the text in a particular imaginary situation.As you answer these questions, remember that you are being evaluated based on your understanding of thetext. Although these questions offer opportunities to be creative, you should still include ideas, details, andexamples from the passage you have just read.

The following tips will help you answer constructed-response questions effectively.

TIPS FOR ANSWERING CONSTRUCTED-RESPONSE QUESTIONS

• Before reading the passage, skim the questions. When you skim, you glance through materialquickly to get a general idea of what it is about.

• As you read, underline any information that relates to the questions. After you have finished reading, you can decide which of the underlined details to use in your answers.

• On extra paper or in the margin of your test booklet, list the most important points to include ineach answer. Then number them to show the order in which they should be included. Finally, draftyour answer.

• On the MAP, the constructed-response questions progress from easiest to most complex. Answer the easiest questions first.

• If you have extra time, use it to revise and proofread your answers.

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EXERCISE

Turn to page 739 and read “Thank You, M’am” by Langston Hughes. Then answer the constructed-response questions below.

1. Explain how Roger and Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones first meet.

2. Why does Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones decide to help Roger even after he tries to steal fromher? Use details from the selection to support your answer.

3. The way Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones handled the situation with Roger communicates manythings about her character. Write a letter to your mayor explaining why she should be nominated for“Citizen of the Week.” Make sure you describe at least two aspects of her character and that you usedetails from the selection to support your answer.

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4. Imagine that you are Roger in this story. Write a one-paragraph thank-you letter to Mrs. Luella BatesWashington Jones.

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RESPONDING TO WRITING PROMPTS

Many standardized tests, including the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) test, include writing sectionsthat ask you to respond to a prompt by writing an essay.

When you take writing tests, be sure you know how your essay will be evaluated. MAP essays are evaluatedon the following criteria:

• whether your essay has a beginning, middle, and end

• how well you use paragraphs

• how smoothly your paper flows from one idea to another

• whether you stay on topic

• whether you use enough details and examples

• how precise and vivid your language is

• how varied your sentences are

• how well you use writing techniques such as imagery, humor, point of view, and voice

• whether your essay shows a clear sense of your audience and purpose for writing

• how correctly you use grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling

No matter what kind of essay you are writing, follow this two-step rule: 1) State a thesis, and 2) Explain andsupport it. The “thesis” in an essay is a statement of the main idea. It should come in the introductoryparagraph. The rest of your essay, which is just as important, contains an explanation and supporting detailsfor your thesis. The more specific examples and concrete details you can supply to support your thesis, thebetter you are likely to score. Your conclusion, which is the last paragraph of your essay, should sum up yourthesis and your support for it.

Use an abbreviated version of the writing process to write an answer to each writing prompt. Follow thesesteps:

1. Preview the test. Figure out which questions will take longest to answer, and budget your time.Plan time for planning, drafting, and reviewing your work. Stick to your plan.

2. Analyze the prompt. Essay prompts contain clues about what is expected of you. You can use thewriting prompt to help you identify your purpose and audience and to narrow your topic.

3. Plan your response. Once you’ve understood the writing prompt, you need to collect and organizeyour thoughts about it. First, brainstorm ideas using whatever method is most comfortable for you.If you don’t immediately have ideas, try freewriting for five minutes or drawing a cluster chart. Then,organize the ideas you came up with. A simple outline or chart can help. For example, the followinggraphic organizer might help you organize a compare and contrast essay.

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Subject #1 Subject #2

Similarity or Difference #1



Think in advance about other charts that can help you organize your ideas.

Before moving on, reread the prompt to make sure you are writing about the topic.

4. Write your answer. Include your thesis in your introduction. Then follow your organizational plan towrite each body paragraph. Devote one paragraph to each major point of support for your thesis.Write quickly and keep moving. Don’t spend too much time on any single paragraph, but try tomake your answer as complete as possible. End your essay with a conclusion that sums up yourmajor points.

5. Revise your answer. Make sure you have included everything you were asked to include. On theMAP, you will find a Writer’s Checklist on the page following the writing prompt. Each statement inthis checklist refers to one of the scoring criteria. Check to see that your essay possesses each featurelisted in the checklist. Make any necessary corrections to your essay.

EXERCISE

Below is a writing prompt that mirrors those you will find on the MAP. Read the prompt. Then use the list ofsteps above to prepare your response. Space has been provided for your prewriting notes as well as for youressay.

Many of the selections in your literature book deal with the theme of heroism. Based on what you have read and learned, write to explain your own definition of a hero or heroine.

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WRITER’S CHECKLIST

❏ My paper has a beginning, middle, and end.

❏ My paper uses paragraphing appropriately.

❏ My paper flows smoothly from one idea to another.

❏ My paper stays on topic.

❏ My paper includes details and examples.

❏ My paper uses precise and vivid language.

❏ My paper includes a variety of sentences structures.

❏ My paper includes correct grammar/usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.

1. Plan your essay here.

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2. Write your essay on the lines below.

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ANALYZING A WRITING PROMPT

The first step in responding to a writing prompt is to analyze the prompt itself. You can use the writingprompt to help you identify your purpose and audience and to narrow your topic.

Your purpose is your reason for writing. On the MAP, you may be asked to write to inform or to persuade.

• Informative writing explains, describes, or instructs. Textbooks, encyclopedias, research reports, andnewspaper articles are examples of informative writing.

• Persuasive writing attempts to convince readers to believe as the author believes. Editorials,campaign speeches, and opinion essays are examples of persuasive writing.

Your audience is the group of people you want to read what you are writing. Often, the writing promptspecifies who your audience is. For example, if the prompt asks you to write to persuade the school boardto add an additional extracurricular activity or club, your audience is the school board. In informativeprompts, the audience may be missing. In that case, assume that your audience is the essay scorer, a personmuch like your teacher.

The topic is the subject you will write about. In the example above, the topic is the extracurricular activityor club you want the school board to approve. Often, the writing prompt will give you a general topic, andyou will need to select a specific aspect of that topic to cover in your essay. Consider the following prompt:

EXAMPLEIn the excerpt from Mississippi Solo, Eddy L. Harris describes how he came to learn thingshe never knew about himself during the difficult moments of canoeing up the MississippiRiver. Think about a time when you learned something new about yourself during anespecially difficult time. Write to explain how the experience led you to learn somethingnew about yourself.

This prompt specifies a general topic: difficult times that lead to new understandings about yourself. Inorder to write the response, however, you will need to narrow this topic to one specific time and onespecific quality or thing you learned about yourself during that time.

EXERCISE

Analyze each of the following prompts by identifying the purpose, the audience, and the topic. Thennarrow each topic so that it would be manageable in a four-page handwritten essay.

1. Several of the selections you read deal with the advantages and disadvantages of technology. Forexample, while the Internet can be a useful tool for research, it can also be used to target childrenand young adults in a harmful way. Imagine that your school is debating whether or not they shouldallow students to have access to the Internet during school hours. Write an editorial to yournewspaper persuading the town and school board to agree with your position on this issue.

Purpose: __________________________________________________________________________________

Audience: ________________________________________________________________________________

Topic: ____________________________________________________________________________________

Narrowed topic: __________________________________________________________________________

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2. Filmmakers have often relied on literature to make films. For example, Shakespeare’s The Tragedy ofRomeo and Juliet has been made into a movie numerous times over the years. Think about a film youhave seen that is based on literature (a play, a novel, an autobiography, or some other work). Write afilm review for your school newspaper that compares and contrasts the movie version with itsoriginal literary version.

Purpose: __________________________________________________________________________________

Audience: ________________________________________________________________________________

Topic: ____________________________________________________________________________________

Narrowed topic: __________________________________________________________________________

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PLANNING YOUR RESPONSE

Once you have analyzed the writing prompt to identify purpose, audience, and topic, you are ready to planyour response.

1. Narrow your topic. The first step is to narrow your topic. The topics presented in writing promptsare intentionally broad so that they can appeal to a wide variety of students. In order to focus youressay on a single controlling idea, you will need to narrow the broad topic. A good way to narrowthe topic is by creating a cluster chart. Around the center of a cluster chart, you write subtopicsrelated to the broader topic in the middle. Then you add supporting details for each subtopic. Studythe writing prompt below and the cluster chart HaMou created in order to narrow the topic.

EXAMPLE

In the excerpt from Mississippi Solo, Eddy L. Harris describes how he came to learn things he never knewabout himself during the difficult moments of canoeing up the Mississippi River. Think about a time whenyou learned something new about yourself during an especially difficult time. Write to explain how theexperience led you to learn something new about yourself.

down a set

dog died

floodbest friendmoved way

felt like giving up

all things eventually die

learned ways to mourn

final tennismatch to go

to state

tried physically and

mentally

insurance did not cover loss

photo albumdestroyed

damaged house

didn’t have seat belt on

nobody injured,but scary

both sadafraid wewould losefriendship

still closefriends

car wastotalled

Difficult times that led to newunderstandings

of myself

car accident

HaMou remembered five difficult times that led to learning something new about herself. From those five,she must now choose just one to write about.

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2. Gather ideas. Once you have narrowed your topic, you need to gather ideas about it. Commonmethods for gathering ideas include brainstorming, freewriting, clustering, questioning,analyzing, and using sensory detail charts, timelines, story maps, and pro and con charts. Tolearn more about each of these methods, read the Language Arts Survey Writing Resource 2.9 and2.12–2.21.

3. Organize your ideas. Once you have generated ideas for your essay, it’s time to organize them.Writing can be organized in different ways:

Method Description

Chronological Order Write about events in the order in which they happened or in the order they should be done.

Spatial Order Describe parts in the order of their location in space—forexample, from back to front, left to right, or top to bottom.

Order of Importance Write details or reasons from least important to most importantor from most to least important.

Comparison and Contrast Present unique characteristics of one subject followed by unique Order characteristics of the other subject. Alternatively, present one

quality of both subjects followed by a second quality, and so on.

Cause and Effect Order Present one or more causes followed by one or more effects.Alternatively, present effects followed by causes.

Part by Part Order Present material in such a way that each idea is connectedlogically to the one that precedes it and/or to the one thatfollows it.

Using the method of organization that makes the most sense, create a rough outline of yourresponse. In a rough outline, you simply list your main ideas in the order they should appear inyour response. Using chronological organization, HaMou created the following rough outline for heressay about a difficult time that taught her something new about herself.

EXAMPLE

Difficult Time: Best Friend Moved Away

• had been best friends since kindergarten

• told me during our weekly slumber party

• cried a lot

• helped her pack

• was afraid we would grow apart and no longer be best friends

• am still best friends with her even though she lives 1,000 miles away

• learned that I am capable of having long-distance friendships

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EXERCISE

Follow the steps outlined above to plan a response to each of the writing prompts that follow. Try using adifferent technique to gather ideas for each prompt. Finish by creating a rough outline for each response.

1. Several of the selections you read deal with the advantages and disadvantages of technology. Forexample, while the Internet can be a useful tool for research, it can also be used to target childrenand young adults in a harmful way. Imagine that your school is debating whether or not they shouldallow students to have access to the Internet during school hours. Write an editorial to yournewspaper persuading the town and school board to agree with your position on this issue.










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2. Filmmakers have often relied on literature to make films. For example, Shakespeare’s The Tragedy ofRomeo and Juliet has been made into a movie numerous times over the years. Think about a film youhave seen that is based on literature (a play, a novel, an autobiography, or some other work). Write afilm review for your school newspaper that compares and contrasts the movie version with itsoriginal literary version.










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DRAFTING YOUR RESPONSE

Once you have planned your response, use your plan to write a draft.

Draft an introduction. The introduction to an essay is your hook. It invites readers into your essay. Itshould raise questions in readers’ minds and make them want to read on because they want the answers tothose questions. An effective introduction can start with a quotation, a question, an anecdote, an intriguingfact, or a description. The bait at the end of the hook is your thesis statement, a one-sentence summary ofyour main idea. Here is HaMou’s introduction for her response on a difficult experience that led her to learnsomething new about herself.

EXAMPLEHave you ever had someone you love move over a thousand miles away from you? Oneyear ago, my best friend Arju told me that she and her family were moving to California. Iwill never forget that day. We were having our weekly slumber party at my house. Right inthe middle of laughing hysterically during the movie Princess Bride, Arju interrupts mylaughter by saying, “I have something important to tell you. I’ve been meaning to tell youfor about two weeks now.” After a long pause and after my insistence that she stop keepingme in suspense, she told me the terrible news. I thought I would lose my best friendforever when she told me she was leaving. However, it has been a year and we are still bestfriends. I always thought that your best friend had to live in the same city as you, but Ilearned through Arju’s move that I am capable of having a best friend no matter how manymiles lie between us.

Draft body paragraphs. The body of a piece of writing is the longest part. It contains most of theinformation on your topic and should fulfill the purpose specified in the writing prompt.

Follow your rough outline to write each body paragraph. Devote one paragraph to each major point ofsupport for your thesis. Write quickly and keep moving. Don’t spend too much time on any singleparagraph, but try to make your response as complete as possible.

Draft a conclusion. In the conclusion of an essay, you bring together the main points you included in thebody paragraphs and create a sense of closure to the issue you raised in your thesis.

Creating a sense of closure is difficult for many students. The chart on the next page shows some possibleways HaMou might accomplish this task:

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Method Example

Make a generalization

Restate your thesis and major supporting ideas in differentwords

Summarize the points madeearlier in the essay

Include a lesson or a moral

Encourage your reader to support your viewpoint or take specific action

Expand your thesis or main idea by connecting it to the reader’s own interests

Link your thesis to a larger issue or concern

Which of these options do you think would work best for HaMou’s conclusion?

Use transitions effectively. Transitions are words and phrases that provide a smooth shift from one ideato the next in your writing. They should be used as necessary throughout your paper, but they areespecially important in connecting the body paragraphs. The transition words you use depend on themethod of organization you have chosen.

EXAMPLES

Chronological order: first, second, third, next, then, finally, after that

Spatial order: next to, adjoining, above, below, beside, beyond, around, near, under, beneath

Order of importance: more important, less important, most important, least important

Comparison and contrast order: likewise, similarly, in contrast, another difference, alike, comparable,conversely

Part by part order: Any words or phrases that indicate the relationship or connection between ideas

Maybe every friendship needs to be tested like mine and Arju’s was.

If Arju had never moved, I would have never realized that I amable to maintain long-distance friendships.

After the shock and the crying and the work of helping her getready to leave, Arju and I emerged as stronger friends than weever had been before.

I realize now that friendship is not determined by location orproximity; instead, it is determined by dedication andcommitment.

Don’t ever let distance get in the way of your friendships.Believe me, if I can maintain long distance relationships, so can you.

Consider the ways that your definition of friendship might need to be broadened.

Arju’s move has not only opened my mind to long-distancefriendships. It has also caused me to broaden my definition ofwhat friendship means. All kinds of friendships are possible.

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EXERCISE

Select one of the prompts for which you planned a response on the worksheet “Planning Your Response.”Use the plan you have created to draft a response to the prompt.

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REVISING YOUR RESPONSE

Once you have written a draft, use the Writer’s Checklist following the prompt to review what you have written.

Does your paper have a beginning, a middle, and an end?

Have you used paragraphing appropriately?

Do your ideas flow smoothly from one to another with the help of transitions?

Does your paper stay on topic?

Does your paper include enough details and examples?

Can you make your word choices more precise or more vivid?

Do you vary your sentence structures?

Have you made any errors in grammar/usage, punctuation, capitalization, or spelling?

Thinking about these questions should help you make improvements to your response. To avoid wastingtime erasing and rewriting large sections of your response, use proofreading symbols to mark corrections.Familiarize yourself with the following proofreading marks.

PROOFREADER’S SYMBOLS

Symbol and Example Meaning of a Symbol

The very first time Delete (cut) this material.

cat’ cradle Insert (add) something that is missing.

Georze Replace this letter or word.

All the horses king’s Move this word to where the arrow points.

french toast Capitalize this letter.

the vice-President Lowercase this letter.

housse take out this letter and close up space.

book keeper Close up space.

gebril Change the order of these letters.

end. “Watch out,” she yelled. Begin a new paragraph.

Love conquers all Put a period here.

Welcome friends. Put a comma here.

Getthe stopwatch Put a space here.

Dear Madam Put a colon here,

She walked he rode. Put a semicolon here.

name brand products Put a hyphen here.

cats meow Put an apostrophe here.

cat’s cradle Let it stand. (Leave as it is.)

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EXERCISE

Review the practice response you wrote on the “Drafting Your Response” worksheet or on a practice testyour teacher has administered. Use the questions above to improve your draft, and practice using theproofreader’s symbols to mark changes to it.

Summarize the changes you made here:

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MAP Practice, Grade 9UNIT 1 TEST

READING

DIRECTIONS

This passage is about an annual event that celebrates the art and craft of storytelling. Read thepassage. Then answer Numbers 1 through 8.

“National Storytelling Youth Olympics”The National Storytelling Youth Olympics is an eventwhere thousands of kids from grades 6 to 12 competeagainst each other by telling stories. It is sponsored by theMaster’s Degree Program in Reading and Storytelling atEast Tennessee State University. The sole purpose of this event is to promote and encourage both the art andscience of storytelling among middle school and highschool students. Although this event is competitive, itsunderlying intent and goal is to provide students across thenation with a reason to practice numerous noncompetitiveskills.

Those skills include sportsmanship, responsiblebehavior, and an attitude of respect for others and thestorytelling genre. The eventual goal of the NationalStorytelling Youth Olympics is to encourage every class-room in America to discover (or rediscover) the beauty ofstorytelling and story performance.

The National Storytelling Youth Olympics takes placeusually around the first weekend in March. Students fromall over the country arrive by bus, plane, or automobile inJohnson City, Tennessee. They usually arrive on Thursday or Friday. Those that arrive on Thursday take advantage of their early arrival by telling stories at local schools. On Friday, anevening meal is prepared for all contestants, coaches, and parents. Games are played, stories are told,and lifetime friendships begin. Saturday is the day of the big event. A luncheon is held in theafternoon so contestants can familiarize themselves with the surroundings and do a sound check.

The event is divided into three categories separated by grades. Contestants are judged not only bytheir storytelling performance, but also by the attitude and behavior they display during the entireweekend. A winner is picked from each of the three categories; however, there is an overall winnerwho is granted the name of Grand Torch Bearer. This person is selected not only by the judges, but also by the contestants. After the winners have been announced, the contestants retreat back totheir hotel where a celebratory ice cream party is held; and believe it or not, they tell more stories!This is what the National Storytelling Youth Olympics is all about: developing a love for the art of storytelling.

Joe Bowman and his teacher Diane Judy, displaying the trophy Joe won at the NationalStorytelling Youth Olympics in 1999.

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Joe Bowman did just that. He has been developing his lovefor storytelling since the sixth grade. His efforts and hardwork were rewarded when he received the title Grand TorchBearer in 1999 with the story titled “The Pirate.” This story was actually a song that he rewrote to tell as a story. It is the story of a young pirate who wants to become aBroadway singer. “The Pirate” reflects Joe’s favorite type ofstory to tell—humorous. He also likes to tell folk tales andstories with lessons, especially lessons that teach character inpeople. As a tenth grader at Daniel Boone High School inGray, Tennessee, he keeps busy by telling these types ofstories at libraries, homes for the elderly, local coffee houses,elementary schools, churches, and competitions. Joe is alsoinvolved in the school choir and drill team. He will becompeting in the National Storytelling Convention to beheld in Kingsport, Tennessee, in the summer of 2000.

1. Which of the following sets of words best describes the Grand Torch Bearer?

A. competitive, ambitious, talented

B. respectful, responsible, skilled

C. athletic, determined, creative

D. imaginative, individualistic, cynical

2. The author MOST LIKELY wrote this selection to

A. entertain readers by discussing storytelling

B. persuade readers to donate money to the National Storytelling Youth Olympics

C. inform readers about a friendly, fun competition

D. inspire readers to take up storytelling

3. Why would someone MOST LIKELY choose to attend the National Storytelling Youth Olympics?

A. to refine storytelling skills while meeting new friends

B. to compete fiercely with the best storytellers in the country

C. to earn money and fame

D. to tell stories at nursing homes, churches, schools, and libraries

4. Which of the following statements provides the MOST convincing support for the idea that JoeBowman has developed a love for the art of storytelling?

A. He revised a song about a pirate to make it into a story.

B. He was the Grand Torch Bearer in 1999.

C. He competed in the National Storytelling Convention in 2000.

D. He tells stories at libraries, homes for the elderly, coffee houses, schools, and churches.

Joe Bowman storytelling at his local elementary school in Gray, Tennessee.

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5. What is the purpose of the National Storytelling Youth Olympics?

A. to spread a love of and talent for storytelling

B. to promote responsibility and respect

C. to generate interest in the Master’s Degree program in Reading and Storytelling

D. to select a Grand Torch Bearer

6. Contestants who participate in the National Storytelling Youth Olympics have a very busy schedule.List three activities and the days that those activities take place.

7. Joe Bowman won the title of Grand Torch Bearer in 1999 with “The Pirate,” which is based on a songthat he rewrote as a story. What three qualities can you infer about Joe Bowman’s character based onthis information? Use details from the text to support your answer.

8. Imagine that you are a marketing specialist who has been hired to promote the National StorytellingYouth Olympics. Create text for a flyer that advertises and promotes this event based on theinformation presented in the passage.

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WRITING

DIRECTIONS

Now you will write a paper in response to a writing prompt. First, read the prompt in the box below.

Then use the separate paper your teacher has given you for your prewriting activity (such asbrainstorming, listing, freewriting, clustering, mapping, or drawing).

After you finish your prewriting activity, write your first draft on the separate paper your teacher hasgiven you. Look back at your prewriting activity for ideas.

WRITING PROMPT

In the article you just read, Joe Bowman mentions that he especially likes telling stories that carrymessages about who we human beings are and how we should live. Think of a story with a messagethat is meaningful to you. This could be a fable, a parable, a children’s story, or some other literarywork. Then write an essay in which you briefly relate the story, identify its theme or message, anddiscuss how it conveys that theme.

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UNIT 1 TEST

WRITING: FINAL COPY

DIRECTIONS

Now you have time to revise your draft. Reread your draft and think about the Writer’s Checklistbelow. Check every box that makes a true statement about your draft.


For every box you did not check, make the necessary revisions on your draft before you write yourfinal copy on pages 43 through 47.









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Please use ONLY a Number 2 pencil to write your final copy.

FINAL COPY

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FINAL COPY

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FINAL COPY

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FINAL COPY

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FINAL COPY

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READING

DIRECTIONS

This poem by Robert Frost describes how the sight of certain trees reminds the speaker of hischildhood. Read the passage. Then answer Numbers 1 through 8.

“Birches” by Robert FrostWhen I see birches bend to left and rightAcross the lines of straighter darker trees,I like to think some boy’s been swinging them.But swinging doesn’t bend them down to stay

As ice storms do. Often you must have seen themLoaded with ice a sunny winter morningAfter a rain. They click upon themselvesAs the breeze rises, and turns many-coloredAs the stir cracks and crazes their enamel.

Soon the sun’s warmth makes them shed crystal shellsShattering and avalanching on the snow crust—Such heaps of broken glass to sweep awayYou’d think the inner dome of heaven had fallen.They are dragged to the withered bracken by the load,

And they seem not to break; though once they are bowedSo low for long, they never right themselves:You may see their trunks arching in the woodsYears afterwards, trailing their leaves on the groundLike girls on hands and knees that throw their hair

Before them over their heads to dry in the sun.But I was going to say when Truth broke inWith all her matter of fact about the ice storm,I should prefer to have some boy bend themAs he went out and in to fetch the cows—

Some boy too far from town to learn baseball,Whose only play was what he found himself,Summer or winter, and could play alone.One by one he subdued his father’s treesBy riding them down over and over again

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Name________________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________________

Until he took the stiffness out of them,And not one but hung limp, not one was leftFor him to conquer. He learned all there was To learn about not launching out too soonAnd so not carrying the tree away

Clear to the ground. He always kept his poiseTo the top branches, climbing carefullyWith the same pains you use to fill a cupUp to the brim, and even above the brim.Then he flung outward, feet first, with a swish,

Kicking his way down through the air to the ground.So was I once myself a swinger of birches.And so I dream of going back to be.It’s when I’m weary of considerations,And life is too much like a pathless wood

Where your face burns and tickles with the cobwebsBroken across it, and one eye is weeping From a twig’s having lashed across it open.I’d like to get away from earth awhileAnd then come back to it and begin over.

May no fate willfully misunderstand meAnd half grant what I wish and snatch me awayNot to return. Earth’s the right place for love:I don’t know where it’s likely to go better.I’d like to go by climbing a birch tree,

And climb black branches up a snow-white trunkToward heaven, till the tree could bear no more,But dipped its top and set me down again.That would be good both going and coming back.One could do worse than be a swinger of birches.

1. In this selection, the word subdued means

A. crushed

B. enlightened

C. overcame

D. gave in

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Name________________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________________

2. To what does the speaker of the poem compare the broken ice?

A. a sunny winter morning

B. seashells on a beach

C. pieces of heaven broken on the ground

D. girls on their hands and knees with their hair over their heads

3. The author most likely wrote this selection in order to

A. express his feelings about a childhood experience

B. persuade readers to swing on birches

C. inform readers about birch trees

D. inspire readers to become poets

4. How is swinging toward heaven from a birch tree important to this poem?

A. It makes the rhyme scheme work better.

B. It creates a mood of tension and anxiety.

C. It puts the speaker in danger.

D. It symbolizes escape from daily worries.

5. Which of the following is a theme of this poem?

A. taking time in the winter for yourself

B. trying something you have never tried before

C. swinging higher than you ever have before

D. taking time out from everyday problems

6. List two reasons given in the poem for why birches sometimes have branches that are bent to theground.

7. Why does the speaker want to believe an explanation that is not true? Use details from the text tosupport your answer.

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Name________________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________________

8. Imagine that you are a birch tree. Write a short journal entry about how it feels to a) experience anice storm OR b) have young children swing on your branches.

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Name________________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________________


WRITING

DIRECTIONS

Now you will write a paper in response to a writing prompt. First, read the prompt in the box below.

Then use the separate paper your teacher has given you for your prewriting activity (such asbrainstorming, listing, freewriting, clustering, mapping, or drawing).

After you finish your prewriting activity, write your first draft on the separate paper your teacher hasgiven you. Look back at your prewriting activity for ideas.

WRITING PROMPT

The speaker in “Birches” is craving a break from the routine of his adult life. Many people find it hardto put aside work and family duties in order to take time for themselves. Imagine that you work for atravel agency and that your job is to convince people like the speaker in “Birches” to take long,leisurely vacations. Where would you recommend the speaker go to recapture the feeling he got fromswinging from birches? Think of a vacation destination for him. Then write an essay using logical andemotional appeals to convince the speaker to take the vacation you are suggesting.

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Name________________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________________

UNIT 2 TEST

WRITING: FINAL COPY

DIRECTIONS

Now you have time to revise your draft. Reread your draft and think about the Writer’s Checklistbelow. Check every box that makes a true statement about your draft.


For every box you did not check, make the necessary revisions on your draft before you write yourfinal copy on pages 54 through 58.









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FINAL COPY

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FINAL COPY

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FINAL COPY

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FINAL COPY

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FINAL COPY

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Scoring Guide

Test-Taking Skills PracticeWorksheets

PREPARING FOR TESTS1. Responses will vary. 2. Responses will vary.

ANSWERING MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS1. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 3; Process

Standard(s): 1.5, 1.62. Answer: B; Content Standard(s): 3, 5; Process

Standard(s): 1.7, 4.33. Answer: D; Content Standard(s): 3,5; Process

Standard(s): 1.54. Answer: A; Content Standard(s): 3,4; Process

Standard(s): 1.5; 3.15. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 3,5; Process

Standard(s): 1.6, 3.5

ANSWERING READING

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS1. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 3,5; Process

Standard(s): 1.6, 3.52. Answer: B; Content Standard(s): 3,5; Process

Standard(s): 1.5, 1.63. Answer: A; Content Standard(s): 3,5; Process


Standard(s): 1.55. Answer: B; Content Standard(s): 3,5; Process

Standard(s): 1.5, 3.2, 3.5

MAKING INFERENCES1. Answer: B; Content Standard(s): 2,5; Process


Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 1.73. Answer: B; Content Standard(s): 2,5; Process

Standard(s): 1.5, 1.7, 3.5

Item No: 4Content Standards: 1, 2, 4, 5Process Standards: 1.5, 1.7, 2.4, 3.5, 4.1

Item 4:Why would a driver’s test such as the onedescribed in this story be useful? Use detailsfrom the story to support your answer.

Scoring Guide:2 points—The response identifies at least TWOadvantages to this new kind of driver’s test andsupports the answer with evidence from thetext. 1 point—The response identifies ONEadvantage and supports the answer withevidence from the text.0 points—other

Example of a top-score-point response:Being able to experience a car accident whileunder hypnosis provides the driver with anopportunity to “practice” how to behave andrespond during an accident. As a result, it willhelp to “make better drivers.” In addition,experiencing such a terrifying and traumaticexperience will help make “more careful driversfor the rest of their lives.” People will drivewith more caution after having undergone suchan event because they will never want toexperience such a life-threatening event again.

Item No: 5Content Standards: 2, 4Process Standards: 1.7, 2.3

Item 5Predict how this experience will affect Robert’sthoughts and feelings about reality. Use detailsfrom the selection to support your prediction.

Scoring Guide:2 points – The response contains a predictionand supports it with AT LEAST TWO detailsfrom the text.1 point – The response contains a predictionsupported by ONLY ONE detail from the text.0 points – other

Example of a top-score-point response:In the future, Robert Proctor is likely to doubtwhether what he is experiencing is reallyhappening. The car accident that seemed soreal to him was actually a simulation, which willmake him wonder if his other experiencesmight be simulations, as well. In addition, theuniformed man at the end of the storyresponds to Robert’s question about reality bysaying “How does any of us know?” Thisquestion is likely to plague Robert in the future.

FINDING THE MAIN IDEA OR THEME1. Answer: A; Content Standard(s): 2, 5; Process

Standard(s): 1.5

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2. Answer: D; Content Standard(s): 2, 5; ProcessStandard(s): 1.5

USING CONTEXT CLUES1. Answer: A; Content Standard(s): 7; Process

Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 3.2, 3.52. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 7; Process

Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 3.2, 3.53. Answer: B; Content Standard(s): 7; Process

Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 3.2, 3.54. Answer: D; Content Standard(s): 7; Process

Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 3.2, 3.55. Answer: D; Content Standard(s): 7; Process

Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 3.2, 3.5

ANSWERING CONSTRUCTED-RESPONSE

QUESTIONSItem No: 1Content Standard(s): 2, 4Process Standard(s): 1.5, 1.8, 2.3

Item 1:Explain how Roger and Mrs. Luella BatesWashington Jones first meet.

Scoring Guide:2 points – The response accurately identifieshow they meet AND explains it in some detail.1 point – The response identifies whathappened but offers NO explanation.0 points – other

Example of a top-score-point response:Roger and Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jonesfirst meet when Roger tries to steal her purse.However, because the purse was so heavy andbecause Roger was so skinny, the weight of thepurse caused Roger to fall. As a result, Mrs.Luella Bates Washington Jones was able tocatch Roger, and she takes the opportunity toteach him a lesson.

Item No: 2Content Standard(s): 2, 4Process Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 2.3, 2.4, 4.3

Item 2:Why does Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jonesdecide to help Roger even after he tried to stealfrom her? Use details from the selection tosupport your answer.

Scoring Guide:2 points – The response offers a plausibleexplanation for why she helps Roger andsupports it with TWO details from the text.

1 point – The response offers a plausibleexplanation for why she helps Roger andsupports it with ONE detail from the text.0 points – other

Example of a top-score-point response:At one point, Mrs. Luella Bates WashingtonJones says, “You ought to be my son.” Onereason why she decides to help him is becauseshe sees him as a son. As a result, she treats himlike her own child by providing him with food,shelter, and guidance—even if it is for only onenight. She also says, “I would teach you rightfrom wrong,” which could be another reasonwhy she helps Roger rather than turning him into the police, which might not teach him thelesson she wants him to learn about being kindand generous toward people.

Item No: 3Content Standard(s): 1, 4, 6Process Standard(s): 1.6, 2.3, 2.4, 4.1, 4.3

Item 3:The way Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Joneshandled the situation with Rogercommunicates many things about hercharacter. Write a letter to your mayorexplaining why she should be nominated for“Citizen of the Week.” Make sure you describeat least two aspects of her character and thatyou use details from the selection to supportyour answer.

Scoring Guide: 2 points – The response identifies at least TWOcharacteristics AND supports each with at leastTWO details from the selection. Conventions ofbusiness letter writing are also observed.1 point – The response offers ONEcharacteristic AND supports it with AT LEASTONE detail from the text. Conventions ofbusiness letter writing may be lacking.0 points – other

Example of a top-score-point response:Dear Mayor _________:I would like to nominate Mrs. Luella BatesWashington Jones for “Citizen of the Week”because she is a woman who really cares aboutteaching children right from wrong. Eventhough she does not have any children of herown, she treats those she meets on the street asif they are her own. For example, one night onher way home from the store, a little boy tried

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to steal her purse. She caught him and insteadof taking him to jail, she took him home withher and treated him as if he were her own sonby providing him with a place to wash up anda warm home-cooked meal. She is anextremely kind and compassionate womanwho displayed her generosity and kindness inorder to provide the boy with a good model forhow to treat others. She also taught him tonever steal again by giving him $10 to buy apair of blue suede shoes. This seems like anodd way to teach him not to steal, but shewanted to make the point that asking forsomething is much better than stealing. As sheherself told the boy, “Well, you didn’t have tosnatch my pocketbook to get some suedeshoes…You could of asked me.”Sincerely,Joanna Frye

Item No: 4Content Standard(s): 1, 4, 6Process Standard(s): 1.6, 1.8, 2.3, 2.4, 3.6

Item 4:Imagine that you are Roger in this story. Write aone-paragraph thank-you letter to Mrs. LuellaBates Washington Jones.

Scoring Guide:2 points – The response accurately reflectsRoger’s perspective AND supports it with adetail from the story. Conventions of personalletter writing are also observed.1 point – The response accurately reflectsRoger’s perspective but does NOT support itwith a detail from the story. Conventions ofpersonal letter writing may be lacking.0 points – other

Example of a top-score-point response:Dear Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones,I tried to say, “Thank you, m’am,” to you theother night, but for some reason, I could notget the words out of my mouth. Even if I hadsaid those words to you, I wanted to saysomething other than just “Thank you.” So, Ithought I’d write this letter to tell you that Ireally learned a lot from you that night wespent together. No one has ever treated methe way you did. Most people would havetaken me to jail, but you fed me and gave memoney instead. You are the nicest lady I haveever met. Like you said, I will never forget you.

Your friend (hopefully),RogerP.S. Thank you for not taking me to jail. Andthank you for my new blue suede shoes. I love‘em!

RESPONDING TO WRITING PROMPTS1. Content Standard: 4; Process Standard: 2.1.

Responses will vary. Check to make sure thatstudents understand how to organize an essayresponse before they begin drafting.

2. Content Standard: 4; Process Standard: 2.4.Responses will vary. Use the Writing ScoringGuide on page 183 to evaluate responses.

ANALYZING A WRITING PROMPT1. Content Standard: 4; Process Standards:

2.1, 4.2Purpose: to persuadeAudience: townspeople and school boardTopic: access to Internet during school hoursNarrowed topic: responses will vary

2, Content Standard: 4; Process Standard: 2.1Purpose: to informAudience: studentsTopic: movie and literary versionsNarrowed topic: responses will vary

PLANNING YOUR RESPONSE1. Content Standard: 4; Process Standards: 1.4,

1.6, 1.8, 2.1. Responses will vary. Check to make sure that students understandhow to organize an essay response before theybegin drafting.

2. Content Standard: 4; Process Standards: 1.4,1.6, 1.8, 2.1. Responses will vary. Check to make sure that students understandhow to organize an essay response before theybegin drafting.

DRAFTING YOUR RESPONSEContent Standard: 4; Process Standard: 2.4.Responses will vary. Students’ drafts shouldshow clear evidence of an introduction, a body,and a conclusion and should use transitions toconnect ideas. You may wish to have studentsreview each other’s drafts or to collect andreview the drafts yourself. Students will beasked to revise these drafts on the worksheetcalled “Revising Your Response.”

REVISING YOUR RESPONSEContent Standard: 4; Process Standard 2.2.Responses will vary. Note the kinds of changesstudents make to their drafts. Use the WritingScoring Guide on page 184 to evaluate finalresponses.

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Grade 9 MAP Practice Tests

UNIT 1 TEST

READING1. Answer: B; Content Standard(s): 3; Process

Standard(s): 1.5, 3.32. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 3; Process

Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 3.53. Answer: A; Content Standard(s): 3, 7; Process

Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 1.74. Answer: D Content Standard(s): 3; Process

Standard(s): 1.5, 1.7, 3.55. Answer: A; Content Standard(s): 3, 7; Process


Item No.: 6Content Standard(s): 3Process Standard(s): 1.5

Item 6:Contestants who participate in the NationalStorytelling Youth Olympics have a very busyschedule. List three activities and the days thatthose activities take place.

Scoring Guide:2 points – The response includes THREEactivities along with the days on which theytake place.1 point – The response includes TWO activitiesalong with the days.0 points – other

Example of a top-score-point:If contestants arrive on Thursday, they can tellstories at local schools. On Friday, contestantsand/or parents meet with the storytellingcoaches during dinner. Finally, on Saturday,contestants compete and present their storiesto friends, families, and judges.

Examples of acceptable responses:• Friday: play games, tell stories, eat dinner• Saturday: eat lunch, do a sound check, get

familiar with the surroundings, compete,watch winners presented, celebrate with icecream party

Item No.: 7Content Standard(s): 3Process Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 1.7

Item 7:Joe Bowman won the title of Grand TorchBearer in 1999 with “The Pirate,” which isbased on a song that he rewrote as a story.What three qualities can you infer about JoeBowman’s character based on this information?Use details from the text to support youranswer.

Scoring Guide:2 points – The response identifies THREEqualities AND supports each with details fromthe text.1 point – The response identifies TWO qualitiesAND supports each with details from the text,or it identifies THREE qualities, but someevidence is lacking.0 points – other

Example of a top-score-point:To receive the title of Grand Torch Bearer, youmust be responsible, be respectful, tell storieswell, and display sportsmanship. As a result,one can infer that Joe Bowman possesses thesequalities. In addition, to rewrite a song into astory takes a lot of talent, creativity, andimagination—qualities that Joe Bowman musthave.Item No.: 8Content Standard(s): 3, 5Process Standard(s): 1.8, 2.4, 2.6

Item 8:Imagine that you are a marketing specialistwho has been hired to promote the NationalStorytelling Youth Olympics. Create a flyer thatadvertises and promotes this event based onthe information presented in the passage.

Scoring Guide:2 points – The response provides a creativepromotion of the event, including at leastTHREE details from the text.1 point – The response promotes the event,including TWO details from the text.0 points – other

Example of a top-score-point:Do you like to tell stories? Do you like to travel?Are you itching to meet new friends from allover the nation? Or how about a chance to tellyour friends that you competed in theOlympics? If you answer yes to all thesequestions, you may just be the perfectcandidate to compete in the annual National

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Storytelling Youth Olympics. Check out ouronline site athttp://www.etsu.edu/stories/yourtho.htm formore information. You may well be on yourway to becoming an Olympic champion!

WRITINGUse the Writing Scoring Guide on page 184 toevaluate responses.

UNIT 2 TEST

READING1. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 2, 7; Process

Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 3.32. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 2; Process

Standard(s): 1.5, 1.63. Answer: A; Content Standard(s): 2; Process

Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 3.74. Answer: D; Content Standard(s): 2; Process

Standard(s): 1.5, 1.65. Answer: D; Content Standard(s): 2; Process


Item No.: 6Content Standard(s): 2Process Standard(s): 1.5, 1.8

Item 6:Frost explains several reasons why the birches’branches bend. List two (real or imaginary)reasons.

Scoring guide:2 points – The response identifies TWO reasonswhy the birches’ branches are bent. 1 point – The response identifies ONE reasonwhy the birches’ branches are bent.0 points – other

Example of top-score-point response: One reason why the branches bent is becauseice from an ice storm weighed the branchesdown. Another more creative reason is that ayoung boy used the branches to swing on.

Item No.: 7Content Standard(s): 1, 2Process Standard(s): 1.5, 1.7

Item 7:Why does the speaker want to believe anexplanation that is not true? Use details fromthe text to support your answer.

Scoring guide:2 points – The response is plausible and uses atleast TWO details from the poem.1 point – The response is plausible but usesonly ONE detail from the poem, or theresponse uses details from the poem but doesnot infer from them a plausible explanation forthe speaker’s desire.0 points – other

Example of top-score-point response: The speaker deliberately misinterprets the bentbranches because he is nostalgic for a timewhen he swung from birches. This activityseems to symbolize the author’s desire to becarefree like he was when he was a young boy.He states that he dreams of becoming a branchswinger whenever “I’m weary ofconsiderations, / And life is too much like apathless wood.” These lines suggest that whenlife becomes too complicated or unclear, thespeaker likes to escape those burdens bydreaming about the time he used to swing ontrees as if he had no care in the world.


Item 8:Imagine that you are a birch tree. Write a short journal entry about how it feels to a) experience an ice storm OR b) have youngchildren swing on your branches.

Scoring guide:2 points – The response makes reference to atleast TWO details from the passage ANDemploys at least ONE convention of journalwriting.1 point – The response makes reference to atleast ONE detail from the passage. Conventionsof journal writing may be lacking.0 points – other

Example of top-score-point response: For choice a): 10/31/03Wouldn’t you know it? It’s Halloween andalready we get hit with the first ice storm of theseason. I hate storms like these. I’d muchrather have snow than ice because ice willweigh down my branches so low that they willskim the ground. I hate when that happens.Droopy branches make me look sick and

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depressed when I’m really not. However, theice crystals that form around my branches arepretty. They’re like a glass shell protecting meuntil they fall off like broken glass, gathering ina heap at my trunk.

For choice b):6/15/03School’s out. That means all these kids whohave free time will be visiting me. I can’t wait. Ilove it when they climb all over me and swingon my branches. It makes me feel young again.It also makes me feel useful—like I’m providingthem with entertainment and fun. But I’m verypicky about the people I like. I only like littlekids to swing on my branches because theydon’t cause strain. And I also like those kidswho know how to swing, like that young boywho doesn’t launch out too quickly, whichprevents my branches from touching theground. He also knows how far up the branchto climb so that he gets a nice smooth swing.It’s those kids who are tall and weigh morethan fifty pounds who I don’t like. Every timethey start swinging, I feel like my branch isgoing to break off.

WRITINGUse the Writing Scoring Guide on page 184 toevaluate responses.

UNIT 3 TEST

READING

1. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 2; ProcessStandard(s): 1.5, 1.8

2. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 2; ProcessStandard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 1.7

3. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 2; ProcessStandard(s): 1.4, 1.5

4. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 2; ProcessStandard(s): 1.5, 1.7, 2.5

5. Answer: D; Content Standard(s): 2; ProcessStandard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 1.7


Item 6:How do you know that the Youngs are poor?Identify three details from the text that conveyto us that the Youngs live in poverty.

Scoring guide:2 points – The response lists THREE details fromthe text that imply that the Youngs are poor.1 point – The response lists TWO details fromthe text that imply that the Youngs are poor.0 points – other

Example of top-score-point response: The beginning of the story tells us that Dellabargained with merchants just to save one ortwo pennies. Only a poor person would worryabout saving pennies. The descriptions of theirflat also suggest that they are poor: “it certainlyhad that word [beggar] on the lookout for themendicancy squad.” Finally, Della sold her hairto buy a Christmas present for Jim, whichsuggests that they are poor.

Example of acceptable details:• Their income is only $20/week.• Della has been saving for months and only

has $1.87 to buy a present for Jim.• Della wears old clothes.• Jim sold his watch to buy Della a present.

Item No.: 7Content Standard(s): 2, 5Process Standard(s): 1.5, 1.7, 3.3

Item 7:Why do you think O. Henry chose “The Gift ofthe Magi” to be the title of this story? Usedetails from the passage to support youranswer.

Scoring guide:2 points – The response accurately explainswhy the author chose this title and includesTWO details from the text.1 point – The response explains why the authorchose this title and includes ONE detail fromthe text.0 points – other

Example of top-score-point response: The narrator states at the end that Della andJim are foolish because they “unwiselysacrificed for each other the greatest treasuresof their house.” But the narrator quicklyamends this statement, saying that they are the“wisest” and “are the magi” because theypossess the art of giving and, therefore,understand and demonstrate the true meaningof Christmas. Because this is a story about twopeople giving and sacrificing for each other

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Gift of the Magi

Documents

Transcript of Gift of the Magi