A)

Question

Use the excerpt from the “How Nellie Bly
went undercover to expose abuse of the
mentally ill” article to answer the question.
Which of the following would be an invalid
inference to make about this excerpt?
(1 point)
The mentally insane were considered a
danger to society.
People considered the mentally insane
to be unable to determine their own
status.
People found it important to give the
mentally insane a safe place to live.
Only someone who was medically
qualified could declare someone
mentally insane.

Answer 1

An invalid inference to make about the excerpt would be:

"People found it important to give the mentally insane a safe place to live."

This statement could be considered invalid because it implies a positive regard for the treatment and living conditions of the mentally ill, which may not align with the context of the article about abuse and mistreatment. The other statements are more aligned with societal views on the mentally ill as depicted in such historical contexts.

Answer 2

Question 2
A)
Use the sentence to answer the question.
The forestry service’s plan to eradicate invasive wildlife involves first identifying the harmful
species and then making the habitat less hospitable to them.
What kind of context clue allows you to define the word eradicate?
(1 point)
an example that illustrates the word’s meaning
a word with the opposite meaning
a word with the same meaning
an explanation of the word’s meaning
Question 3
A)
Use the sentence to answer the question.
After it had performed the duties that it had been created for, the company’s board voted
to dissolve the committee once its term expired.
Based on the context, which dictionary definition describes the meaning of dissolve?
dissolve (də zolv’) v.
1. absorbing of a solid by a liquid
2. take apart or end an organization or arrangement
3. fade or disappear
4. fall into a behavior uncontrollably
(1 point)
definition 4
definition 3
definition 2
definition 1
Question 4
A)
Use the dictionary entry to answer the question.
acerbic (ә-ser′-bik) adj. [Latin from acerbus, harsh or bitter of taste]
1. sharply critical
2. sarcastic in tone
How does the word’s origin connect to its current meaning?
(1 point)
Its Latin origin describes a pleasant manner, while its current meaning describes a harsh one.
Its Latin origin describes a harsh flavor, while its current meaning describes a harsh manner.
Its Latin origin refers to a tone of voice, while its current meaning describes a type of criticism.
Its Latin origin refers to a critical point of view, while its current meaning describes a sarcastic
manner.
2-4

Answer 3

Question 2 The kind of context clue that allows you to define the word "eradicate" is:

• an explanation of the word’s meaning.

The context of the sentence provides information about identifying harmful species and making the habitat less hospitable, which implies the action of eradicating them.

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Question 3 Based on the context, the dictionary definition that describes the meaning of "dissolve" is:

• definition 2: take apart or end an organization or arrangement.

The context of the sentence refers to the decision to end the committee once its term expired, which aligns with this definition.

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Question 4 How the word’s origin connects to its current meaning:

• Its Latin origin describes a harsh flavor, while its current meaning describes a harsh manner.

The origin of "acerbic" pertains to a harsh or bitter taste, while its current usage often refers to a sharply critical or harsh tone.

Answer 4

Question 5
The animal, which roamed the seas 78-million
years ago, is about 15-feet long — the length of a
minibus — and bones indicate that the baby
plesiosaur would have been as long as six feet
when born.
The finding, published in the online edition of the
journal Science on Thursday, is definitive evidence
that the giant sea creature gave birth to single, live
offspring, rather than laying eggs, like most reptiles,
says paleontologist and lead author F. Robin
O’Keefe. This reproductive behavior also indicates
that the animals were gregarious social creatures
that cared for their young, similar to toothed whales
or dolphins, according to the paper.
“What is earth-shattering is that plesiosaurs are
doing it differently than other reptiles,” O’Keefe said.
“Instead of having lots of little babies, they’re having
one big baby — a single, very large fetus.”
A)
Use the passage to answer the question.
In 3–5 sentences, classify the word earthshattering as denotative, connotative, or
figurative, and then explain how context
helped you determine the meaning of the
phrase.
(4 points)
    
Short Answer Rubric (4 points)
Points
Awarded Criteria
4 The answer is very clear.
The answer is fully supported by
details.
There may be a few errors in
grammar, usage, or mechanics.
Errors do not interfere with
meaning.
3 The answer is mostly clear.
The answer is supported by
mostly relevant details.
There are a few errors in
grammar, usage, or mechanics.
Errors do not interfere with
meaning.
2 The answer is somewhat clear.
Details are weak or not related.
There are some errors in
grammar, usage, and mechanics.
Errors interfere with meaning.
1 The answer is not clear.
There are few or no supporting
details.
There are many errors in
grammar, usage, and mechanics.
Errors interfere with meaning.
0 The question is not answered.

Answer 5

The word "earth-shattering" is used in a figurative sense in the passage. It implies that the finding about the plesiosaur's reproductive behavior is highly significant or revolutionary, rather than indicating a literal physical disruption of the Earth. Contextually, this interpretation is supported by the surrounding discussion of the unique reproductive behavior of the plesiosaur compared to other reptiles, as well as the excitement expressed by the paleontologist, F. Robin O’Keefe. The phrase conveys the idea that the discovery alters our understanding of these ancient creatures, which emphasizes its importance in the field of paleontology.

Answer 6

A) Drag and drop the words into the correct locations. (1 point)

is the literal meaning of a word.
describes the feeling a word invokes in addition to its literal meaning
 Tone  Denotation  Connotation  Insinuation  Nuance

Olfactory remembrance happens when a smell
triggers a memory so immediate and vital that it
could feel like a person has gone back in time.
Neuroscience tells us why this happens. Smells
travel through the olfactory bulb in front of the brain,
so it’s close to the organ that sends messages to
the rest of the body. Additionally, scents have a fast
path to places like the nearby amygdala and
hippocampus, which are parts of the brain that deal
with emotions and memory.
An example: when I was a young girl, I sat on the
ground behind the towering lilac bush that grew on
the side of our modest ranch house in Illinois. I
imagined the branches were tendrils of a giant sea
creature, octopuslike and hulking; it would barrel
me along from one adventure to another in oily
depths of the ocean. Today, when I smell lilacs as
an adult, I’m immediately thrust into the past, my
childhood home and the lilac bush, where the day
stretched before me like a dream that lasts and
lasts.
B)
Use the passage to answer the question.
The sentence “Neuroscience tells us why this
happens” displays what type of tone for the
entire passage?
(1 point)
formal yet conversational
informal yet demanding
informal yet scientific
formal yet lighthearted

Answer 7

A)

• Denotation is the literal meaning of a word.
• Connotation describes the feeling a word invokes in addition to its literal meaning.

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B) The sentence “Neuroscience tells us why this happens” displays a formal yet conversational tone for the entire passage. This reflects a style that conveys information in a structured manner while still engaging the reader with a relatable narrative.

Answer 8

Question 8
A)
Which of these are the best places to find clues to the central idea of a passage?
Select the two correct answers.
(1 point)
the title
the spelling of the author’s name
the headings and subheadings
the glossary
the date of publication
Question 9
"Deaf Poets Society:
for Writers with
Disabilities"
by Corinne Segal
Making literary spaces more inclusive
This work also needs to include efforts on the part
of mainstream publishers—who often host live
readings, panels and workshops that build writers’
careers—to be more accessible, Katz said.
“A lot of literary events are not accessible. A lot of
the time we’re not even there. We don’t show up,”
Katz said. “Not because we’re not around—we
definitely are. It’s that a lot of physical spaces don’t
acknowledge us, or don’t think ahead of time about,
‘Oh, there might be people with disabilities who
want to attend.’ ”
For many deaf people, ASL interpretation is
essential to their ability to participate in an event,
Katz said. Live-streaming more events, with
captions, would allow more people with fatiguerelated disabilities to attend from home, Johnson
said.

1 of 2 
A)
Use the excerpt from “Meet the Deaf Poets
Society, a Digital Journal for Writers with
Disabilities” to answer the question.
What is a central idea of this section?
(1 point)
All buildings need to follow the
standards of the Americans With
Disabilities Act.
New technologies can make literary
events accessible to more people.
Literary events include live poetry
readings, live-streamed events, panels,
and workshops.
Literary spaces need to be made more
inclusive
Question 10
"Bias Won't Stop
Young Scientist
Studying Animals"
by Vicky Stein
More than 25 percent of adults in the United States
identify as having a disability—some physical or
cognitive condition that limits their movements,
senses or activities.
That’s a huge group of people who are
underrepresented in scientific breakthroughs and
technological development at the professional level,
said volcano geophysicist and geoscience
education researcher Anita Marshall of the
University of Florida.
And that lack of representation leaves science as a
whole worse off.
As the world faces a climate crisis and a growing
global population, we’ll need all hands on deck,
Marshall said. “People with disabilities are
incredible innovators. We have to figure things out
on a daily basis in a world that is not built for us—
that kind of innovation, in science, could be
amazing. And it is amazing.”
© NewsHour Productions LLC. All Rights Reserved.
A) Use the excerpt from “Bias Won't Stop
Young Scientist Studying Animals” to answer
the question.
How does the author use the last paragraph
to develop and refine the central idea?
(1 point)
The author’s central idea is that more
than 25 percent of adults in the United
States identify as having a disability.
The last paragraph gives reasons that
people who have a disability are not
represented in science.
The author’s central idea is that the lack
of representation of people with
disabilities leaves science worse off.
The last paragraph gives reasons that
people with disabilities are needed in
science—because they have
tremendous innovative capacities.
The author’s central idea is that people
with disabilities are underrepresented in
scientific breakthroughs and
technological development at the
professional level. The last paragraph
gives reasons they are likely to be
better represented in the future.
The author’s central idea is that people
with disabilities are underrepresented in
scientific breakthroughs and
technological development at the
professional level. The last paragraph
gives reasons the climate crisis and a
growing global population make this
problem worse.
Question 11
"Butterflies are
disappearing in
Ohio. Here’s what
that means for
insects everywhere"
by Vicky Stein
What they found
The overall numbers of butterflies in Ohio have
decreased year over year for the past two decades
—about 2 percent each year. When the researchers
compared that rate to other long-term studies, the
general decline matched the results of monitoring
programs in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands
and Spain.
But the team wanted to understand why some
species of butterflies were harder-hit than others,
and why some actually increased their populations
over the course of the study.
They looked to see if related species of butterflies
were all doing better or worse, and did not find a
pattern.

1 of 4 
What they found Why this matters
A) Use the excerpt from “Butterflies are
disappearing in Ohio. Here’s what that
means for insects everywhere” to answer the
question.
Which information is found in the section
“What they found,” and which is in the
section “Why this matters”? Drag each item
to the correct location. (2 points)
There was a difference in how northern
and southern Ohio butterflies were doing.

Changes in butterflies can signal larger
environmental changes.

 Insect decline can affect habitats.
The data from Ohio matched studies from
other countries

8-11

Answer 9

Question 8
The best places to find clues to the central idea of a passage are:

• the title
• the headings and subheadings

---

Question 9
A central idea of this section is:

• Literary spaces need to be made more inclusive.

This reflects the overall message about the need for accessibility for people with disabilities in literary events.

---

Question 10
The author uses the last paragraph to develop and refine the central idea by stating:

• The last paragraph gives reasons that people with disabilities are needed in science—because they have tremendous innovative capacities.

This emphasizes the potential contributions of people with disabilities to the field of science.

---

Question 11
In the section “What they found,” place the following items:

• There was a difference in how northern and southern Ohio butterflies were doing.
• The data from Ohio matched studies from other countries.

In the section “Why this matters,” place the following items:

• Changes in butterflies can signal larger environmental changes.
• Insect decline can affect habitats.

This categorization highlights the factual findings versus their ecological implications.

Answer 10

Question 12
The Decameron
Giovanni Boccaccio (1313–1375) wrote The
Decameron in response to the Black Plague, a
deadly illness that spread throughout Europe in
sporadic bursts in the mid-1300s and early 1400s.
In his story, he has ten characters leave Florence,
Italy, to escape the Black Plague. In the
countryside, these ten people tell stories to pass
the time. Each day one of them is “king” or “queen”
for the day, and that person tells the story to
entertain the group. Boccaccio felt the effects of the
plague firsthand because it killed his stepmother.
Narrative Structure
The title of the book, The Decameron, translates to
“ten days.” Ten people tell a story each for ten days,
so the total number of stories is 100. Each day of
storytelling ends with a song, which is a lyrical
poetic form called a canzone.
The Canzone
This poetic form comes from medieval Italy and
France. This form has lines that are usually eleven
syllables with an end rhyme. The syllables making
up the metrical foot in the line have different
combinations of accented and unaccented
syllables. For example, a spondee is a metrical
foot with two accented syllables. A trochee is a
metrical foot with an accented syllable followed by
an unaccented syllable.
A)
Use the passage to answer the question
What is the heading of the section in which
the reader learns about Boccaccio’ personal
experience with the pandemic in Europe in
the 1300s?
(1 point)
Black Plague
The Decameron
The Canzone
Narrative Structure

Answer 11

The heading of the section in which the reader learns about Boccaccio’s personal experience with the pandemic in Europe in the 1300s is:

• The Decameron