Preparation Manual

Domain I—Integrated Language Arts, Diverse Learners and the Study of English

Competency 001—The teacher understands and applies knowledge of relationships among the language arts and between the language arts and other aspects of students' lives and learning.

1. When instructing students about résumé writing, it is most appropriate for the teacher to emphasize the importance of which of the following?

1. Maintaining a first-person point of view
2. Highlighting positive personality characteristics
3. Embellishing the objective and skills sections
4. Using formal and sophisticated language

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option D is correct because a résumé should be written in formal, professional language and be free of slang or conversational language. Option A is incorrect because a professional résumé should remain in the formal third-person format. Option B is incorrect because résumés should highlight specific tasks and accomplishments but exclude general, cliché attributes. Option C is incorrect because résumés should be concise and to the point and should avoid exaggerating or embellishing any skills.

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2. A teacher instructs students to read a short story on their own and keep track of the major events by listing them in their notebooks as they read. The next day, the teacher asks the students to use their lists to write a summary of the story. A primary benefit of the activity is that it helps students

1. retain comprehension of literature.
2. make personal connections with literature.
3. write creatively when responding to literature.
4. develop analytical thinking skills about literature.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option A is correct because this activity helps students to understand the relationship between reading and writing by allowing students to reflect on the story and then create a summary based on their responses. Option B is incorrect because the students are not asked to connect literature to their own experiences for this assignment. Option C is incorrect because the students are not asked to use creative writing to respond to the story for this assignment. Option D is incorrect because the students are primarily being asked to demonstrate summarization of a text based on their initial notes, so a lower-level understanding than analysis is being practiced in this assignment.

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3. Which of the following assignments best integrates math and expository writing to assess specific skills in both areas?

1. An argument paper that is either for or against including basic computation in the math curriculum
2. A research paper about the important contributions of a particular early mathematician
3. A procedural essay explaining the steps involved in solving a particular math equation
4. A reflective essay that describes the students' memories of learning math concepts at an early age

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct because in explaining the process of solving a math equation, the students must develop a full understanding of the process; furthermore, explaining the process in writing reinforces the students' understanding of the process as well as their writing skills. Option A is incorrect because this assignment is persuasive rather than expository and is not focused on a targeted math skill. Option B is incorrect because although this assignment reinforces writing and researching skills, having a mathematician as the topic will not reinforce the students' learning of mathematical concepts. Option D is incorrect because although this assignment does tie the two subjects together and reinforce writing skills, it will not necessarily reinforce the math concepts because students may be focusing their writing solely on their difficulties with the concept.

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4. A high school teacher reads a text aloud to students daily while students follow along with their own copies of the text. By hearing the text read aloud, students gain an understanding of how which of the following elements contributes to the quality of writing?

1. Themes and motifs
2. Text structure
3. Setting and characterization
4. Sentence structure

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option D is correct because seeing and hearing the connection between written and spoken language will help students understand the role of punctuation in writing and can help them better understand different sentence structures. Option A is incorrect because the activity does not automatically improve writing about motifs or themes. Option B is incorrect because most students will need further instruction to be able to identify and recreate the elements of text structures. Option C is incorrect because listening to a text read aloud does not help students gain a better understanding of setting and characterization.

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Competency 002—The teacher is aware of the diversity of the student population and provides instruction that is appropriate for all students.

5. A seventh-grade English teacher is assessing students' understanding of the persuasive essay by having them complete an in-class persuasive writing assignment. To most appropriately support an English learner (EL) in the class who writes at the advanced level of English-language proficiency, the teacher should provide the student with which of the following?

1. Simple sentence stems that facilitate the EL's ability to write about familiar concepts
2. Instructions in the EL's native language when discussing familiar concepts
3. Complex sentence stems that facilitate the EL's ability to write about abstract concepts
4. Permission to write about abstract concepts in the EL's native language

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct because complex sentence stems would aid the EL in writing about abstract concepts in the same manner that a native English speaker might write, which is an appropriate goal for an EL writing at the advanced level of English-language proficiency. Option A is incorrect because the use of simple sentence stems is appropriate for a beginner and/or intermediate EL but not for an advanced EL. Option B is incorrect because this is a beginning-level accommodation, and the teacher should no longer be giving a student who is an advanced EL instructions in his or her native language. Option D is incorrect because the student should not be using native language, except in the earliest stage of the beginning proficiency level.

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6. When giving a seventh-grade class an informational essay to read, a teacher wants to ensure that an English learner (EL) in the class who is reading at the intermediate English-language proficiency level is able to comprehend the language. Which of the following supports will best promote the EL's comprehension while reading?

1. Providing the EL a word list that gives a familiar synonym for words likely to be unfamiliar
2. Providing the EL a list of commonly used sentence stems used in informative articles
3. Having the EL record events that are most important to remember in a graphic organizer
4. Having the EL illustrate the parts of the article that he or she finds interesting

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option A is correct because providing word lists of synonyms will ensure that ELs will not have to struggle to understand unknown words; they will be better able to understand the content of the informational text. Option B is incorrect because providing ELs with a list of commonly used sentence stems might help them in writing, but it will not help them with comprehension during reading. Option C is incorrect because to complete a graphic organizer, an EL would have to understand the content of the text. Option D is incorrect because while illustrating is a good strategy, it does not help develop language comprehension.

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7. An English learner (EL) speaking at the beginning level of English-language proficiency can be expected to speak with

1. a variety of sentence structures.
2. a variety of verb tenses.
3. abstract ideas and terms.
4. single words and short phrases.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option D is correct because an EL at the beginning level of English-language proficiency mainly speaks using short words and phrases about recently practiced, memorized, or highly familiar material. Options A, B, and C are incorrect because these skills are too advanced for an EL at the beginning level of English-language proficiency.

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8. A high school teacher has assigned a novel for students to read outside of class. Which of the following strategies will be most helpful for a student who struggles with basic reading comprehension?

1. Working with a partner while reading the novel
2. Watching the film version of the novel before reading the novel
3. Having extra time to finish reading the novel
4. Choosing a different novel that is at a lower reading level for the class

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct because seeing the film version helps provide needed context and a basic plot outline; it will also help the student distinguish the different characters so that when reading the novel, the student will already have a basic understanding and can use this background knowledge to develop a deeper understanding. Option A is incorrect because working with a partner does not ensure that the student will be able to comprehend the text, and this strategy places too much responsibility on the partner to help the struggling student. Option C is incorrect because while providing extra time is an acceptable modification, it does not automatically improve comprehension. Option D is incorrect because allowing the student to read a text at a lower level does not help improve the student's comprehension of the text unless the teacher provides additional support.

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9. A seventh-grade teacher assigns the following in-class writing prompt: "Write a descriptive paragraph about a place that is special to you." Which TWO of the following modifications of the assignment will best support an English learner who is writing at the beginning level of English-language proficiency?

1. Providing the student with a list of descriptive adjectives to use
2. Allowing the student to dictate a description to another student
3. Asking the student to list objects found in the place
4. Having the student draw and label a picture of the place
5. Having the student copy a teacher-created paragraph

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct because at the beginning level of language proficiency, the student should be able to complete a simple list of objects. Option D is correct because this modification allows the student to use the language skills that have already been acquired and provides appropriate language practice for the student. Option A is incorrect because while providing adjectives can help some students improve their writing, providing a list of adjectives without helping the student understand the meaning of the words will not help the student; furthermore, at this level of language proficiency, the student may lack the grammar knowledge to correctly use the adjectives. Option B is incorrect because at the beginning level of language proficiency, the student will lack the language skills to verbalize a description. Option E is incorrect because copying a teacher-created paragraph does not help support an English learner's writing skills.

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Competency 003—The teacher understands the structure and development of the English language and provides students with opportunities to develop related knowledge and skills in meaningful contexts.

10. From which of the following two languages did eighteenth-century writers, such as Samuel Johnson, borrow words and coin new words using the languages' morphemes?

1. Contemporary Spanish and Portuguese
2. Ancient Sanskrit and Phoenician
3. Classical Greek and Latin
4. Medieval French and Italian

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct because during the eighteenth century, adoption of Greek and Latin words into English became increasingly popular, as did the practice of inventing new words based on these ancient languages. Options A, B, and D are incorrect because though these languages have influenced English, they were not significant influences during this time.

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11. Which of the following activities best helps students learn to use affixes to determine the meaning of unknown vocabulary?

1. Choosing an affix to study and having students use a dictionary to define words that use the affix
2. Creating a list of words containing affixes and having students sort them into categories based on like parts
3. Having students use flash cards to memorize the meaning of common affixes and take a quiz on their meanings
4. Having students examine a list of words that contain common affixes and write the meaning of each word part

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option D is correct because this activity will develop students' understanding of how affixes create meaning in a word and will build their knowledge of the meanings of common affixes. Option A is incorrect because although this activity will build students' understanding of the chosen affix, focusing on one affix is not sufficient. Students require knowledge of a variety of affixes in order to effectively determine meanings of unknown words. Option B is incorrect because although this activity will build students' understanding of word parts, simply sorting the words into like categories does not teach the meaning of the affixes or how they translate into creating meaning in other words. Option C is incorrect because although this activity will develop students' knowledge of the meaning of several affixes, memorizing affixes without a word-based context is not an effective way to teach students to analyze how the word parts create meaning in words.

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12. Which of the following statements best describes the impact of texting and other social media communications on the evolution of the English language?

1. The proliferation of automatic spell-check technology is eliminating the need to teach spelling and grammar.
2. The brief, truncated nature of these communications is leading to changes in punctuation rules.
3. Literature with complex language, such as that by Shakespeare and Milton, is becoming irrelevant to today's learners.
4. New words such as "blogosphere" and "unfollow" are becoming accepted parts of the English lexicon.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option D is correct because dictionaries including Oxford and Webster's have added new words stemming from social media communication, such as "selfie" and "mash-up." Option A is incorrect because while auto-correct technologies can help to fix spelling errors, the fundamentals of grammar and spelling are still vital for students to learn. Option B is incorrect because although proper punctuation is often not included in brief, informal communications, rules for punctuating sentences have not changed. Option C is incorrect because the themes in complex literature are timeless and relevant regardless of how the language evolves and changes.

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13. Which of the following activities best allows a teacher to informally assess the reading abilities of English learners (ELs)?

1. Administering a reading comprehension quiz to the class
2. Examining students' scores on standardized reading tests
3. Holding a whole-class discussion about a reading passage
4. Observing students reading aloud with partners

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option D is correct because this activity allows the teacher to move around the room and listen to many students reading and speaking without the use of a formal assessment. Option A is incorrect because a reading comprehension quiz is a formal assessment. Option B is incorrect because while standardized tests measure students' performance at a particular point in the year, standardized tests of English do not usually reflect ELs' true abilities; informal assessments provide a more well-rounded picture of their skills. Option C is incorrect because although a whole-class discussion provides a teacher with a picture of the whole-class level of understanding of the passage, this activity is not effective for assessing an individual student's ability level. Also, this activity is focused on speaking rather than reading.

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Domain II—Literature, Reading Processes and Skills for Reading Literary and Nonliterary Texts

Competency 004—The teacher understands reading processes and teaches students to apply these processes.

14. To best help students with comprehension while reading informational texts, a teacher should provide students with instruction in which of the following skills?

1. Making predictions
2. Identifying a purpose for reading
3. Outlining the narrative structure
4. Recording questions that come to mind

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option D is correct because asking oneself questions while reading informational text promotes metacognition and higher-level comprehension of the text. Option A is incorrect because making predictions is generally a prereading strategy and would not specifically help a student while reading expository text. Option B is incorrect because setting a purpose for reading is primarily a prereading strategy. Option C is incorrect because informational texts have a different organizational pattern and structure than narrative texts, so there is no reason to learn about the narrative structure.

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15. An eleventh-grade English teacher is planning a lesson using the poem "The Hollow Men" by T. S. Eliot. The following is an excerpt from the poem.

The eyes reappear
As the perpetual star
Multifoliate rose
Of death's twilight kingdom
The hope only
Of empty men.

Which of the following strategies for word identification and analysis will best help students determine the meaning of "multifoliate"?

1. Graphophonic
2. Contextual
3. Syntactical
4. Structural

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option D is correct because the most effective word identification strategy involves analyzing the prefix "multi" and the root "folio." Option A is incorrect because it requires students to determine meaning based on the sounds of the phonemes and does not provide sufficient information to decode the meaning of the word. Option B is incorrect because though the word "rose" does provide some contextual clues to the meaning of the word and supports the conclusion that the word has something to do with plants, it does not provide sufficient context to adequately decode the complete meaning of the word. Option C is incorrect because although the student can use syntactical analysis to determine that the word is an adjective, knowing the part of speech is not going to help the student determine the meaning of the word.

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Competency 005—The teacher understands reading skills and strategies for various types of nonliterary texts and teaches students to apply these skills and strategies to enhance their lifelong learning.

Questions 16–18 refer to the following information. Sentences are numbered sequentially.

16. Which of the following best describes the purpose of the first sentence in the excerpt?

1. Describing an anecdote of the speaker's life when moving to South Australia
2. Using an antithetical statement to contrast the speaker's life with Australia's growth
3. Including a parenthetical statement about Australia's development
4. Creating an analogy between the speaker's chronological development and that of South Australia

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option D is correct because the speaker is comparing her life to South Australia's chronological development. Option A is incorrect because the main purpose of the sentence is not a short amusing story, although it does open the rest of the paragraph up to doing so. Option B is incorrect because Spence's moving with her family and the development of Australia are not being sharply contrasted. Option C is incorrect because no parenthesis, or information included as an aside, is part of sentence 1.

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17. A primary reason for the allusion in sentence 2 is to

1. explain a purpose for the subject that follows.
2. demonstrate that the speaker is well-read.
3. compare the lives of the speaker and Wordsworth.
4. characterize the speaker's native country.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option A is correct because the allusion is used to introduce the subject that follows, a description of how she is a product of her upbringing and like her mother. Option B is incorrect because even though she alludes to a famous literary text, her main purpose is to illustrate her point, not show that she is well-read. Options C and D are incorrect because she is not drawing a comparison of her life to Wordsworth or characterizing her native country through the use of the allusion.

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18. When guiding the students through analyzing the excerpt, the teacher should ensure that students understand how sentences 3–6 are primarily used to describe the speaker's

1. view of her life's events and milestones.
2. opinions about issues concerning various women's roles.
3. character-defining roots and attributes.
4. family connections and how they evolved over time.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct because the point of these sentences is to discuss her parents and forebears from whom she has derived various attributes. Options A and B are incorrect because the sentences do not focus on specific life events or opinions about women's issues. Option D is incorrect because the family connections mentioned are not primarily mentioned to highlight their evolution; rather, the sentences demonstrate how particular attributes have been passed down to her.

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19. Students in a science class are reading a textbook chapter. Which of the following strategies will best support students' comprehension of the chapter?

1. Studying the characteristics of effective persuasion in the chapter
2. Examining the various points of view in the chapter
3. Skimming and scanning the significant text features of the chapter
4. Comparing and contrasting themes in parallel chapters

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct because text features give the reader a quick glimpse of the content of the text that follows. Option A is incorrect because persuasive writing is unlikely to be found in a science textbook chapter. Option B is incorrect because a science textbook would not be written with varying points of view. Option D is incorrect because theme is most often studied in literary texts, not science texts.

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Competency 006—The teacher understands literary elements, genres and movements and demonstrates knowledge of a substantial body of literature.

20. Which of the following is a prominent characteristic of Renaissance literature?

1. Making feelings and emotions a priority over facts and logic
2. Believing that humankind was capable of earthly perfection
3. Breaking away from traditional religious, political, and social views
4. Believing that advances in science would lead to progress for humankind

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct because believing that humankind was capable of earthly perfection is a prominent characteristic of Renaissance literature. Option A is incorrect because making feelings and emotions take priority over facts and logic is a prominent characteristic of Romantic literature. Option C is incorrect because breaking away from traditional religious, political, and social views is a prominent characteristic of Modernism. Option D is incorrect because believing that advances in science would lead to progress for humankind is a prominent characteristic of the Enlightenment.

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Competency 007—The teacher understands strategies for reading literary texts and provides students with opportunities to formulate, express and support responses to literature.

Questions 21–23 refer to the following information.

21. Which of the following discussion questions will best guide students in meeting objective 1?

1. Why does the narrator first describe being in a car as being "wrapped up in so much glass and metal"?
2. Can you remember a time when people had to "scurry out of your way"?
3. What might happen after "the driver cuts a path through the street"?
4. What type of figurative language does the narrator use in the phrase "The engine roars like a living thing"?

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option A is correct because this question prompts students to analyze the impact of this description in contrast to the later description of the seat being "warm and soft" like the "bellies of the goats." Option B is incorrect because this question asks students to make a text-to-self connection rather than analyze the impact of the use of language and devices. Option C is incorrect because this question asks students to make a prediction rather than analyze how the device affects meaning in the passage. Option D is incorrect because this question is designed to have students identify the type of figurative language rather than understand how it contributes to meaning in the passage.

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22. Which of the following discussion questions best supports objective 2?

1. What specific details does the author provide to show how the narrator feels about being in a car for the first time?
2. What new information does the reader learn about the narrator's past in the passage?
3. How does the narrator's car ride contribute to a larger idea about how a person's circumstances affect his or her point of view?
4. Does the author effectively communicate the perspective of the narrator during this scene?

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct because this question prompts students to not only determine what is said but analyze how what is said in the passage relates to a theme of the text. Option A is incorrect because this question asks students to identify certain details that support a given idea rather than to analyze theme in the text. Option B is incorrect because this question merely asks students to identify the information found in the passage rather than to analyze theme in the text. Option D is incorrect because this question can be answered with a single word; furthermore, this question asks for an opinion rather than an analysis of the theme of the text.

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23. Which of the following student responses best demonstrates that a student has met objective 3?

1. "This passage reminds me of a time when my expectations of an experience did not match the reality."
2. "This passage makes me visualize my own experiences of riding in cars and makes them feel real."
3. "This passage makes me realize that not everyone has access to the same experiences that I take for granted."
4. "This passage reminds me of a passage that I read in another novel about a character experiencing the ocean for the first time."

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct because this response shows how the student has gained an understanding of a different perspective and realized that different societies and cultures and even individuals have different experiences. Option A is incorrect because this response shows the personal relevance of the passage rather than the societal relevance. Option B is incorrect because this response shows that the student is paying attention to the style and literary devices, but it does not show that the student is relating the passage to society or cultivating a different perspective. Option D is incorrect because the student is making a text-to-text connection with this response rather than seeing how this passage can inform or influence a perspective about others.

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24. Which of the following is the most effective teacher strategy for promoting student interest in reading?

1. Having conversations with students about books they have recently read for pleasure
2. Providing students with extra credit points for the number of pages read
3. Building a classroom library of books designated as appropriate for the grade level
4. Giving students daily class time to independently read an assigned novel

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option A is correct because by supporting discussions of books read for pleasure, the teacher encourages students to take a greater interest in reading. Option B is incorrect because research has shown that external motivations such as rewards can decrease students' internal motivation. Option C is incorrect because a classroom library should be balanced with books of varying difficulty levels to provide appropriate choices for all learners. Option D is incorrect because while providing in-class reading time is an effective strategy, allowing students choice over the books they read promotes motivation.

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Domain III—Written Communication

Competency 008—The teacher understands and promotes writing as a recursive, developmental, integrative and ongoing process and provides students with opportunities to develop competence as writers.

25. A teacher is helping a student who struggles with writing coherent essays. The student has chosen a topic for a persuasive essay and has composed a list of reasons to support a position. To continue scaffolding instruction that promotes organization, the teacher should next help the student with which of the following?

1. Choosing appropriate transitional phrases
2. Drafting the first body paragraph
3. Completing an outline of the ideas
4. Locating appropriate supporting sources

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct because an outline will best help a student who has already brainstormed ideas to organize those ideas prior to writing a first draft. Option A is incorrect because although choosing transitional phrases will help students write more-fluent and better-organized drafts, students need to outline the sequence of ideas before generating transitions between them. Option B is incorrect because helping students with drafting should occur after they have outlined their ideas. Option D is incorrect because while locating sources may help the student strengthen the position, the step is more related to gaining more support rather than organizing the ideas.

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Questions 26–28 refer to the following information.

26. Which of the following sentences from the paragraph contains a misplaced modifier?

1. Sentence 1
2. Sentence 2
3. Sentence 3
4. Sentence 4

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct because, due to the misplaced modifier, "Having wanted one for so long, my house was completely ready for the arrival of a cocker spaniel we had found out about from the newspaper," seems to say that the house wanted the cocker spaniel. Options A, C, and D are incorrect because they do not contain misplaced modifiers.

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27. Which of the following sentences reflects the appropriate comma placement in sentence 7?

1. To my surprise there were two puppies, in the back seat, wagging their tails in excitement.
2. To my surprise, there were two puppies in the back seat, wagging their tails, in excitement.
3. To my surprise, there were two puppies in the back seat wagging their tails in excitement.
4. To my surprise, there were two puppies in the back seat, wagging their tails in excitement.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option D is correct because the commas are correctly placed. The first comma is following an introductory phrase, and the second comma is used to set off a modifying phrase that is not necessary for understanding the meaning but provides important information. Option A is incorrect because this sentence is missing a comma after the introductory phrase. Also, there is an inappropriate comma after "puppies" because "in the back seat" is part of the independent clause. Option B is incorrect because there should not be a comma after "tails" because "in excitement" is necessary information for completing the participial phrase. Option C is incorrect because there should be a comma after "seat" because "wagging their tails in excitement" is a modifying phrase that is not necessary for understanding the meaning of the sentence.

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28. Which of the following sentences from the paragraph includes two words that a teacher can use to show how to apply hyphenation rules?

1. Sentence 1
2. Sentence 2
3. Sentence 3
4. Sentence 4

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct because a hyphen should be used in "four-legged," the adjective that comes before the noun "friend." Options A, B, and D are incorrect because none of the words in these sentences are structured with two adjectives preceding a noun to act as a single idea.

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29. After students in a high school English class complete rough drafts of a persuasive essay, the teacher then has them work in pairs to improve flow. To best help students, the teacher should have them look for areas in each other's essays that exhibit

1. descriptive details.
2. shifts between ideas.
3. varied sentence structure.
4. biased language.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct because a shift in concept would require a transition to improve flow. Option A is incorrect because descriptive details enhance an essay but do not necessarily require transitional phrases. Option C is incorrect because while varied sentence structure is important, adding transitions is not the way to create the variations. Option D is incorrect because while biased language would be present in a persuasive essay, it would not cue the addition of transitions.

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30. A teacher compiles a blog entry that includes excerpts from a variety of news articles that demonstrate multiple opinions about a community issue. The teacher then asks students to read through the blog and write comments that respond directly to three of the statements made in the article excerpts. This activity best supports which of the following steps in the writing process?

1. Prewriting
2. Drafting
3. Revising
4. Editing

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option A is correct because the blog activity will help students begin generating specific and targeted ideas for prewriting. Option B is incorrect because while the ideas generated from the activity might be later applied to drafting, the strategy best supports prewriting. Options C and D are incorrect because the activities do nothing to promote modifying of ideas or application of grammar, usage and mechanics, which are entailed in the revising and editing steps.

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31. The following is an excerpt from a student's essay.

Students are in school to understand, comprehend, and deepen their knowledge. These are important to learning, of course. However, that does not mean that while understanding, comprehending, and deepening their knowledge, they can't have fun. Learning should be fun, entertaining, and enjoyable for students. In many ways, the act of learning is fun, and so this is what should be emphasized for students.

Which of the following revision strategies would most help the student improve the excerpt?

1. Eliminating repeated ideas to make a piece of writing more concise
2. Varying sentence structures within a piece of writing to make the writing more interesting
3. Reorganizing a piece of writing to add clarity and maintain a single focus
4. Incorporating personal voice into a piece of writing to make the writing more authentic

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option A is correct because ideas such as "understand, comprehend, and deepen their knowledge" are unnecessarily repeated. Option B is incorrect because the student is already using a variety of sentence structures. Option C is incorrect because the student maintains focus on one topic. Option D is incorrect because the student's voice is evident in the excerpt.

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32. Which of the following is the best reason for using a portfolio-based program for assessing student writing competencies?

1. It offers an informal, criterion-referenced method of assessment.
2. It provides a formal approach because it is characterized by a one-time look at the student's writing.
3. It allows a teacher to compare competencies between students.
4. It gives students a chance to reflect on their own progress by making comparisons to their previous work and abilities.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option D is correct because a portfolio-based assessment is an informal assessment that allows for personal reflection. Option A is incorrect because a portfolio-based assessment is not criterion-referenced. Option B is incorrect because a portfolio-based assessment is neither formal nor is it a one-time look at the writing. Option C is incorrect because a portfolio-based assessment is neither formal in nature nor does it reference other students' writing.

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Competency 009—The teacher understands effective writing and teaches students to write effectively in a variety of forms and for various audiences, purposes and contexts.

33. The following is an excerpt from a ninth-grade student's narrative.

The ball was a blur of color, and Henry hurtled toward the goal. He positioned himself just in front of it, but he was a moment late. The ball swooshed past him, and the other team bounded about victoriously. Henry sank to the ground in dismay, and the crowd's roar echoed around him.

To best improve the paragraph, the teacher should suggest that the student

1. use more figurative language to improve the imagery.
2. vary the sentence structure to improve the flow.
3. use more specific word choice to improve the imagery.
4. vary the use of pronouns to improve the flow.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct because all of the sentences are compound, which makes the paragraph a little monotonous to read. Option A is incorrect because figurative language is used well. Option C is incorrect because word choice and imagery are used appropriately. Option D is incorrect because all of the pronouns are used correctly.

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34. When completing a research paper about a current controversy, a student finds an online article that includes information the student would like to cite in the paper. To best ensure that the information is reliable and correct, the student should first

1. research the author's biographical and historical information.
2. confirm that the sources in the article's bibliography are based on research and support the article.
3. research the paper's topic by using books or other offline sources.
4. confirm that the source's graphics and illustrations support the information stated in the article.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct because if the sources listed in the bibliography are research-based and support the article, the author is likely to be discussing reliable information. Option A is incorrect because knowing the biographical information might be helpful, but it will not confirm the reliability or correctness of the source. Option C is incorrect because having students use offline sources first may not give them the most current information. Option D is incorrect because evaluating the graphics is important to comprehension but not to confirming the reliability of the article's information.

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35. Which of the following examples is the best representation of dramatic irony?

1. The setting of a play is a benefit promoting increased conservation, but everyone in the scene is using plastic cups.
2. A character in a television show remarks about a hideous-looking creature, "What a beautiful monster!"
3. The audience of a play sees the main character behind a screen, but the other characters on stage do not.
4. A character in a play is a doctor smoking a cigarette in front of a "No Smoking" sign outside his hospital.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct because the statement portrays an example of the audience knowing something that the characters do not. This is an element of dramatic irony that often makes theater engaging. Options A and D are incorrect because these statements portray examples of contradictory situations, or situational irony. Option B is incorrect because the statement portrays an example of verbal irony, when the intent of the spoken message is directly opposite of what is said.

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36. A teacher has students read the following excerpt from the speech "I Have a Dream" (1963) by Martin Luther King, Jr.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

The teacher can best use the excerpt to show how an image can be built through the layering of which of the following types of phrases?

1. Infinitive
2. Absolute
3. Participial
4. Appositive

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct because King uses participial phrases to describe the current state of Mississippi. Participial phrases begin with a present or past participle and act as adjectival phrases. Option A is incorrect because infinitive phrases, those consisting of the root of the verb preceded by "to" and any modifiers or complements associated with it, are not present in the excerpt. Option B is incorrect because absolute phrases, which modify the entire sentence and not just a word within it, are not present. Option D is incorrect because appositive phrases, in which a word is renamed or amplified in a phrase following it, are not present.

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Domain IV—Oral Communication and Media Literacy

Competency 010—The teacher understands principles of oral communication and promotes students' development of listening and speaking skills.

37. A teacher assigns small groups of students a series of open-ended questions to assist discussion about the novel they are reading in class. As the groups discuss, the teacher circulates around the room and observes students' oral communication skills. Which of the following behaviors indicates that a student possesses strong oral communication skills?

1. Asking other group members questions that diverge from the original question
2. Making comments that build on comments made by other group members
3. Speaking more frequently than other group members during the discussion
4. Asking other group members to explain their answers to ensure that each question is answered fully

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct because a student who is able to both orally discuss and build on group members' comments is showing strong oral communication skills as a speaker and a listener. Option A is incorrect because a student who asks questions that diverge from the original question is not demonstrating the listening element of oral communication skills. Option C is incorrect because a student who speaks more frequently may actually be demonstrating poor oral communication skills. Listening and responding to others' comments are better indicators that the student has strong oral communication skills. Option D is incorrect because ensuring that each question is answered in depth is not an indicator of a student's strength in oral communication; it is more an indicator of how critically a group is thinking on the whole.

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38. An English teacher starts each class by asking a question about the previous day's lesson or reading. The teacher gives students a few moments to think about the question and then asks one or two students to speak about the question for a few minutes. Throughout the course of the week, each student is asked to respond to a question. As students become more practiced at the strategy, which of the following is the best way to modify it to promote the most active engagement from students?

1. Encouraging the weakest participants to observe the discussions, suggesting that they learn through listening
2. Allowing the strongest participants to lead the discussions, ensuring that the content is clearly communicated
3. Having students evaluate each other's responses during discussion, using a teacher-designed rubric
4. Having students create the questions, choosing two each class period to use for the day's discussion

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option D is correct because having all students create the questions, from which the teacher selects two to ask each class period, provides students with an opportunity to practice writing relevant questions and to see how effective questions generate group discussion. By first modeling effective questioning and then having students practice it, the teacher promotes active engagement. Option A is incorrect because encouraging the weakest students to only observe eliminates them from active engagement. Option B is incorrect because having the strongest students lead the discussions does not require active engagement from everyone. Option C is incorrect because having students evaluate one another does not build on the strategy, and it will likely lead to discouraging students from participating.

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39. A teacher begins class by writing a discussion question on the board and having students write a short response to the question on a note card. The teacher then collects the note cards and redistributes them randomly. Each student, in turn, is asked to read the response on the card he or she receives and then talk about that response. A primary benefit of the discussion strategy is that students in the class

1. become the facilitators of the discussion.
2. take ownership in creating the discussion topic.
3. are encouraged to analyze other perspectives.
4. incorporate research into their responses.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct because the strategy allows students to reflect and comment on someone else's ideas. Option A is incorrect because the teacher is facilitating the discussion. Option B is incorrect because the discussion topic was created by the teacher. Option D is incorrect because students are not conducting research about the topic.

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40. Which of the following teacher strategies is the most appropriate first step in helping students to prepare oral presentations?

1. Sharing the guidelines that will be used to assess the presentation
2. Teaching students to integrate technology into a presentation
3. Providing a graphic organizer for students to use to plan the presentation
4. Encouraging students to practice delivering a presentation

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option A is correct because providing the guidelines helps students understand the expectations as they are preparing their presentations. Option B is incorrect because although technology can enhance a presentation, students preparing their first presentation should focus on the elements of an effective presentation and the basic elements that will be assessed. Option C is incorrect because while a graphic organizer is a helpful tool for planning a presentation, the students should know the guidelines for the presentation before they can complete the organizer in order to meet the assessment criteria. Option D is incorrect because although practicing a presentation improves delivery, students must first understand the guidelines and develop the presentation.

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Competency 011—The teacher understands and teaches basic principles of media literacy and provides students with opportunities to apply these principles in interactions with media.

41. During a lesson about media literacy, a teacher has students view an advertisement and consider the question, "Who profits from this message?" The question will best guide students to focus on which part of the advertisement?

1. Its relevance to their lives
2. The format of the content
3. Its ultimate purpose
4. The targeted audience

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct because this aspect of media literacy deals with the motives of the networks, publishers, or authors of the media message and their ability to make a profit by capturing an audience for either loyalty or advertisement space and revenue. This guiding question looks beyond the basic motives of persuading, informing, or entertaining and focuses on how a message may have been influenced by ego, ideology, or money. Option A is incorrect because this aspect of media literacy prompts students to evaluate whether the message pertains to them. Option B is incorrect because this aspect of media literacy focuses on the way in which the message is constructed or delivered. Option D is incorrect because this aspect of media literacy explores which people the message is intended for.

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42. Which of the following concepts for a political advertisement illustrates the bandwagon technique being used to persuade people to vote for a certain candidate?

1. A list of the regulations that the candidate has supported is shown scrolling on the screen while a voice-over describes the negative impact of each regulation
2. A group of individuals are shown leaving their homes to join a crowd parading behind the political candidate, carrying a sign that states "Join us!"
3. A family is shown eating at a dinner table and laughing while a voice-over describes the political candidate's support of family values
4. A celebrity is shown speaking in favor of a political candidate at a local charity event, describing how the candidate has been a positive influence

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct because this advertisement depicts the bandwagon effect of people following the leader, and thus being made to feel they made the right choice by joining the crowd. Option A is incorrect because this advertisement resonates more with a name-calling propaganda technique. Option C is incorrect because this advertisement depicts a plain folks technique, appealing to a stereotypical, average voter. It also utilizes some aspects of glittering generalities by making reference to "family values." Option D is incorrect because this advertisement primarily utilizes testimonials, in which a spokesperson speaks positively about a product, in this case the candidate.

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43. A teacher is having students create a digital slide show of images related to a theme of a novel they are reading. Which of the following questions should the teacher direct students to ask themselves first when evaluating an image for use in the slide show?

1. How trustworthy is the source of the image?
2. What message does the image convey?
3. Who is the likely intended audience for the image?
4. Where in the slide show should the image be sequenced?

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct because evaluating the message communicated by the image will help students determine whether the image is relevant to the novel's theme. Option A is incorrect because while the trustworthiness of the source may be a secondary consideration, students' primary focus should be on whether the image conveys the intended theme. Option C is incorrect because while students should select images that will convey the intended theme to the audience of their slide show, it is not critical for them to consider the photographer or artist's intended audience. Option D is incorrect because students should ask this question later in the process after they have selected the images they will include in the slide show.

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Multiple-Competencies Passages

Questions 44–46 refer to the following information.

Competency 005—The teacher understands reading skills and strategies for various types of nonliterary texts and teaches students to apply these skills and strategies to enhance their lifelong learning.

44. Which of the following text structures does this excerpt best demonstrate?

1. Cause and effect
2. Chronological or sequential
3. Description or list
4. Compare and contrast

Answer

Option A is correct because the text has a cause-and-effect structure, demonstrating the cause of the poison ivy rash—"the oils from the poison ivy plant"—and then how to avoid spreading poison ivy — "washing off with water or rubbing alcohol." Option B is incorrect because the content of the text is not being told in a particular time order as a narrative excerpt would. Option C is incorrect because while some description is given, there is not a primary emphasis on descriptive details. Option D is incorrect because similarities and differences are not identified.

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45. Which of the following will best help students recognize the text structure of the excerpt?

1. Finding the main idea of the excerpt
2. Summarizing each paragraph of the excerpt
3. Identifying signal words in the excerpt
4. Reading another excerpt on the same topic

Answer

Option C is correct because identifying signal words and phrases within the text, such as "consequently," "therefore," "as a result of," and "because," will help students recognize the cause-and-effect elements of the paragraphs. Option A is incorrect because finding the main idea of the excerpt will help with comprehension, but it does not help with identifying the text structure. Option B is incorrect because summarizing will only condense what is said in each paragraph and will not lead to identifying the structure of the passage. Option D is incorrect because reading another excerpt may further students' knowledge on the same topic, but it will not help students to identify the structure of this excerpt.

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Competency 004—The teacher understands reading processes and teaches students to apply these processes.

46. Which of the following graphic organizers is most appropriate to use to create a visual representation of the excerpt during reading?

1. 

   There is a square surrounded by six blank circles. Lines extend from each circle to the square. The word topic appears in the square.

2. 

   There is a table with six rows. A term appears in each row on the left followed by empty space. The word topic appears in the first row. The word first appears in the second row. The word next appears in the next three rows. And the word last appears in the sixth and final row.

3. 

   There are two columns. The headings for the left and right columns both say subject. Beneath each of the headings is blank space.

4. 

   There are six blank rectangular boxes. Three vertically stacked boxes appear on the left and three vertically stacked boxes appear on the right. A right arrow appears between each left and right box. Above the boxes on the left is the word cause and above the boxes on the right is the word effect.

Answer

Option D is correct because this organizer enables students to list causes and their effects, including the cause of poison ivy initially showing up on the body and then the causes for it appearing on the body in other places at a later time. Option A is incorrect because this type of organizer, a cluster, is used for a text that focused on one topic with supporting details. Option B is incorrect because this type of organizer would be used for a paragraph that is written in chronological order. Option C is incorrect because this is a T-chart, and this type of organizer is used to compare and contrast ideas.

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Questions 47–50 refer to the following information.

Competency 004—The teacher understands reading processes and teaches students to apply these processes.

47. Which of the following best states the meaning of "call" as used in the sentence, "Maybe I've got no call to be saying this"?

1. A specific need or occasion
2. A visit to someone's house
3. Using the telephone to contact
4. Contacting from another room

Answer

Option A is correct because Jim is wondering whether he has any specific need or occasion for the remark he is making. Option B is incorrect because the use of "phone" and "call up" imply that Jim will not call Laura on the telephone but do not imply that he will not visit her. Option C is incorrect because Jim is referring to the need or occasion to make a certain remark, not the act of talking on the telephone. Option D is incorrect because Jim does not use any words that imply that he will yell from another room.

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Competency 006—The teacher understands literary elements, genres and movements and demonstrates knowledge of a substantial body of literature.

48. The many dashes, or pauses, in the speech indicate that Jim is

1. holding back intense feelings for Laura.
2. hiding his true thoughts and intentions.
3. nervous and careful about saying the right thing.
4. angry and uncomfortable at being put in the situation.

Answer

Option C is correct because Jim is trying to mend a situation gone wrong by trying to let Laura down easy. Since the situation is personal and slightly awkward, Jim is very slow and deliberate about his word choice, as indicated by the pauses. Option A is incorrect because Jim shows no indication of any feelings for Laura other than sympathy. Option B is incorrect because Jim shows every indication of being honest with Laura, even uncomfortably so. Option D is incorrect because while Jim may be slightly uncomfortable, he is calm and is speaking slowly; he shows no anger.

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Competency 004—The teacher understands reading processes and teaches students to apply these processes.

49. Which of the following inferences is best supported by the excerpt?

1. Jim believes he is the right type of boy for Laura.
2. Laura was never romantically interested in Jim.
3. Jim does not have a good relationship with his sister.
4. Tom introduced Jim to his sister as a potential love interest.

Answer

Option D is correct because Jim says that he would introduce the "right type of boys" to Laura if he was her brother, and "that may not have been the idea . . . but what if it was?" This implies that Tom's purpose in inviting Jim over was to introduce Jim as a potential love interest for Laura. Option A is incorrect because Jim says "he made a mistake about me," implying that he is not "the right type" of boy for Laura, as Tom thought. Option B is incorrect because the stage direction "faintly" implies that Laura may very well have been romantically interested in Jim and is disappointed that he won't call again. Option C is incorrect because no information is given about Jim's relationship with Laura.

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Competency 006—The teacher understands literary elements, genres and movements and demonstrates knowledge of a substantial body of literature.

50. During which of the following American literary periods was the play written?

1. Transcendental
2. Enlightenment
3. Romantic
4. Modern

Answer

Option D is correct because the play was written in 1944, making it a work from the Modern period. Option A is incorrect because the Transcendental movement took place in the nineteenth century. Option B is incorrect because the Enlightenment was an eighteenth-century movement. Option C is incorrect because the Romantic movement took place in the nineteenth century.

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