PSSA Review

In “Frontier Boy,” which claim about Lincoln does the author make?

• In “Frontier Boy,” which claim about Lincoln does the author make?

• Lincoln used his physical appearance to gain popularity.

• Lincoln achieved more in his life than his parents.

• Lincoln understood the importance of educating others.

Which sentences from the passage support the answer in Part One? Choose two answers.

• “Abe’s stepmother encouraged him to learn all he could.”

• “Over the next few years, he held several jobs—clearing land, splitting logs for fence rails, running a ferry.”

• “In fact, Thomas could hardly sign his name, while Nancy signed with an X.”

• “In 1830, the Lincoln family moved west again, this time to Illinois.”

• “Still, he got 277 of the 300 votes in his town, and that encouraged him to run again.”

Which sentence from “Frontier Boy” best conveys the central idea of the passage?

• “Abraham Lincoln’s rise to the national political stage and the presidency did not come easily.”

• “An eager student, Abe often walked several miles to borrow books.”

• “He enjoyed listening to his father and other adults talk late into the night . . .”

• “His campaign was severely delayed, though, when he volunteered for the state militia . . .”

Which statement best describes the author’s purpose in “Frontier Boy”?

• to explain to the reader how Lincoln was educated

• to persuade the reader that Lincoln was a great leader

• to entertain the reader with stories of Lincoln’s childhood

• to inform the reader about Lincoln’s life before the presidency

Read the sentence from the text box that introduces “Abraham Lincoln Autobiography.”

“Lincoln enclosed the autobiography in a letter to Fell that said, ‘There is not much of it, for the reason, I suppose, that there is not much of me.’ ”

What does the repetition of the phrase “not much” most reveal about Lincoln?

• Lincoln’s simple education

• Lincoln’s humble personality

• Lincoln’s reluctance to write the piece

• Lincoln’s fear of disappointing a friend

Which meaning of the word tickets is used in “Abraham Lincoln Autobiography”?

• lists of candidates for nominations

• cards recording transactions

• documents that serve as permits

• certificates showing that fees have been paid

Which sentence expresses how the focus of “Frontier Boy” differs from the focus of “Abraham Lincoln Autobiography”?

• “He lost his first election, finishing eighth among 13 candidates.”

• “He learned quickly the hard lessons of life.”

• “He gave most of his earnings to his father.”

• “He joined a debating group and, in 1831, voted for the first time.”

Read the sentence.

For my research paper, I studied the giant sculptures on exibit at the museum.

Which change would correct a spelling mistake in the sentence?

• Change research to reserch.

• Change giant to giante.

• Change sculptures to sculpters.

• Change exibit to exhibit.

Read the paragraph.

(1) Plants, just like animals, need certain things to stay alive. (2) Water is one thing that is needed to stay alive by both plants and animals. (3) If a plant does not have water, it will start to look droopy, and its leaves will dry up and eventually fall off the stems. (4) If the plant goes without water for too long, it will die. (5) Plants need other things too, such as air and light. (6) Most plants, but not all, also need soil. (7) Those that do not need soil can get the nutrients, or food, that they need in other ways instead.

Which revision that combines sentences 1 and 2 into one sentence best improves the style of the paragraph?

• Plants and certain animals are the same in that they need water to stay alive.

• By plants and animals, water is needed by both to stay alive.

• Water, by both plants and animals, is needed to stay alive.

• Plants, just like animals, need water to stay alive.

Read the paragraph.

(1) Some people think bananas, which are available at many grocery stores, make good desserts. (2) They are healthier than many other sweet foods. (3) Many people believe, that sugary desserts should be avoided. (4) Eating fruits like bananas may be a great way to enjoy a healthy dessert.

Which revision should be made to the paragraph?

• Remove the comma after stores in sentence 1.

• Add a comma after healthier in sentence 2.

• Remove the comma after believe in sentence 3.

• Add a comma after fruits in sentence 4.