STAAR Review I: Reading-Revision-Editing

ENGLISH 1 & ENGLISH 2

STAAR REVIEW

Part I: Reading and Revision/Editing

Poll

WHICH PART OF THE TEST ARE YOU MOST CONCERNED ABOUT?

• READING

• WRITING (ESSAY)

• REVISION/EDITING

Open Ended

WHY IS THAT PORTION THE MOST CONCERNING FOR YOU?

The amount of passages can always intimidate you, but just know there are ways to be successful regardless of the amount of passages. This test is all about:

1. CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

   1. Identifying/Analyzing Literary Devices

      1. Figurative Language

   2. Identifying/Analyzing Literary Elements

      1. Theme, Characterization/Types of Characters, Main Idea, Author's Purpose Plot, Conflict, Tone, etc.

2. CONTENT-BASED SKILLS

   1. Revision/Editing (Grammar)

   2. Constructed Responses (Short & Extended Writing)

Multiple Choice

Kara chose a difficult piece to play for the piano recital.

She practiced everyday after school even when her friends called to see if she could hang out. Despite all that practice, she was still having trouble playing the piece. Kara thought about switching to an easier piece, but instead she decided to double her practice time.

The night of her recital she was the last one to play. When Kara began playing , her fingers danced across the keyboard.

What is the most likely theme of the story?

• Kara practiced a lot and played well.

• It takes a lot of practice to play the piano.

• Persistence pays off.

Multiple Choice

Mara's family lived next to a grumpy old lady who was always yelling at them for something. However, one day she saw Mrs. Olsen drop a bag of groceries. Mara helped her pick them up. After that day, Mrs. Olsen started inviting her over more often to help out. Sometimes Mrs. Olsen would invite her to stay for tea. As the years passed, Mara eventually moved away to college, but she still managed to stop by and visit her not so grumpy neighbor.

What lesson is the author most likely trying to prove?

• Sometimes people are grumpy and need a friend.

• It's best to treat others with kindness.

• Mara is very kind person.

Multiple Choice

Mr. Tuttle was teaching his students the importance of eating healthy. He lectured to them about the importance of eating fruits and vegetables and staying away from junk food. However, one day his students spotted him at the mall's food court eating a corndog. After seeing this, his students wondered why he would teach them things he didn't believe. One of them said, "I was going to order a salad, but after seeing that- I'm ordering pizza and a soda."

What is the main message of the story?

• Actions speak louder than words.

• Eating healthy is not really that important.

• Mr. Tuttle should eat at home.

Context Clues

Are clues that can be found within the sentence or paragraph. We can use them to help us figure out a word we don't know the meaning to.

Theme is the main message, lesson,or moral of the text

• Must not contain names

• Must be a complete sentence

• Must apply to everyone

Multiple Choice

Ben ate three pieces of cake and two scoops for ice cream. An hour later, his stomach felt queasy and he decided to lie down for awhile.

In the first paragraph, what does the word queasy mean?

• better

• sick

• well

• empty

Multiple Choice

Darla preferred her black boots because they matched more of her outfits.

In the paragraph above, the word preferred means-

• would rather have

• washed

• does not want

• loved

Complex Sentences-AAAWWUBBIS

• If one of these words show up at the beginning of the sentence, you will need a comma in the middle(ish) of the sentence.

• If one of these words shows up in the middle of the sentence, you won't need a comma.

Multiple Choice

What is the correct way to write the sentence?

• Until you eat your dinner, you can't have dessert.

• Until you eat your dinner. You can't have dessert.

• Until, you eat your dinner you can't have dessert.

• No change needed.

Multiple Choice

What is the correct way to write the sentence?

• As, the movie began I fell asleep.

• As the movie began. I fell asleep.

• As the movie began, I fell asleep.

• Make no change

Multiple Choice

What is the best change we can make to this sentence: 

After a few more questions and a breif pause, the quiz continued.

• Change few to fewer
• Change breif to brief
• Change the , to a ;
• No change needs to be made

Multiple Choice

(9) Approximately seventy percent of today’s teenagers communicate within online social networks, according to the Pew Research Center. (10) A survey of almost 7,000 teens was conducted in 2014 by three Swiss researchers, and they found that many of the surveyed teens believed they were spending too much time on these social networking sites.(11) Additionally, these teens admitted that they miss spending time with real people. (12) Perhaps these teens are discovering what they have been suggesting for a while: spending time with others in real life is important.

How can Susan improve the clarity (make more clear/specific) of sentence 12?

• Change these teens to they

• Change they to researchers

• Change suggesting to saying

• Change a while to some time

Multiple Choice

Which of the sentences below is correct?
A.  Jill took Justin and I to the shop.
B.  Jill took Justin and me to the shop.

Here's a hint: Take out the other person, and it should be clearer. Jill took I or Jill took me...

• A
• B
• They are both correct.
• They are both incorrect.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence uses capital letters correctly?

• I would like to attend the 2018 Olympic Games.
• The 2018 olympic games will be held in South Korea.
• In 2018 the winter olympics will be in south Korea.
• South korea is hosting the next Olympic games.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence uses correct punctuation?
Hint: Use the semicolon if you have two independent clauses connected without a conjunction.

• I have painted the house, but still need to sand the floors.
• I have painted the house; I still need to sand the floors.
• I painted; and he sanded.
• I have painted the entire house; but she is still working on sanding the floors.

Compound Sentence

• Two complete sentences that have a comma (,) and a FANBOYS in between them.

• Don't forget out jingle-"Complete on the left....complete on the right.....we need two things to make it right (a comma & FANBOYS)

• FANBOYS Stand for: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So

Multiple Choice

What is the correct way to write the sentences below?

(1) Sarah really loved cats. (2) She is allergic to them.

• Sarah really loved cats, so she is allergic to them.

• Sarah really loved cats, and she is allergic to them.

• Sara really loved cats, but she is allergic to them.

• Make no change

Multiple Choice

What is the correct way to write the sentences below?

(1) Daisy won't be able to attend the wedding. (2) She will send a gift.

• Daisy won't be able to attend the wedding, she will send a gift.

• Daisy, won't be able to attend the wedding she will send a gift.

• Daisy won't be able to attend the wedding, but she will send a gift.

• Make no change