The following is a student's response to a prompt about E.B. White's novel Charlotte's Web . I think that Fern and Avery feel excited to roam the fair alone. Also, I think that the adults feel worried that the kids are alone in a big fair. In the story, it said, "And if you get on those swings," said Mrs. Arable, "You hang on tight. You hang on very tight, you hear?' And don't get lost,' said Mrs. Zuckerman, 'And don't get dirty.'" This shows that the adults are fretting over the kids, and acting very worried. Also, in the story, it said, "'Can I have some money?' asked Fern. 'Can I too?' asked Avery, 'Can I have a balloon?'" This shows that the kids are excited to go and roam the fair. In conclusion, Fern and Avery are excited to go to the fair, and the adults are worried about the kids.
Which of the following teacher recommendations will best help the student to strengthen the essay?
- A. Add evidence from the text.
- B. Focus the argument on one topic.
- C. State the argument in the first sentence.
- D. Write a conclusion sentence that restates the main idea.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B
Focusing the argument on one topic allows for a more coherent and persuasive essay, enhancing clarity and depth. This concentrated approach helps the student develop their ideas thoroughly, making their argument more compelling. Adding evidence from the text (A) is important, but without a clear focus, the evidence may not effectively support the argument. Stating the argument in the first sentence (C) is useful for clarity, but it does not address the overall structure and focus needed for a strong essay. Writing a conclusion that restates the main idea (D) is essential for summarizing, but it does not strengthen the argument itself if the essay lacks focus.
Focusing the argument on one topic allows for a more coherent and persuasive essay, enhancing clarity and depth. This concentrated approach helps the student develop their ideas thoroughly, making their argument more compelling. Adding evidence from the text (A) is important, but without a clear focus, the evidence may not effectively support the argument. Stating the argument in the first sentence (C) is useful for clarity, but it does not address the overall structure and focus needed for a strong essay. Writing a conclusion that restates the main idea (D) is essential for summarizing, but it does not strengthen the argument itself if the essay lacks focus.
Other Related Questions
Which of the following speaker strategies best promotes audience engagement during an oral presentation?
- A. Acknowledging the sources cited at the end of the presentation
- B. Presenting the information using a logical flow of ideas with a clear message
- C. Giving as much information on every part of the topic as possible
- D. Using as many visual items in the presentation as possible
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B
Engaging an audience during a presentation relies heavily on clarity and coherence. Presenting information with a logical flow and a clear message (Option B) helps the audience follow along, understand key points, and stay interested. Option A, while important for credibility, does not actively engage the audience during the presentation. Option C may overwhelm listeners with excessive information, causing disengagement rather than promoting interaction. Lastly, Option D can distract rather than enhance understanding if visuals are not used judiciously, making it less effective for audience engagement.
Engaging an audience during a presentation relies heavily on clarity and coherence. Presenting information with a logical flow and a clear message (Option B) helps the audience follow along, understand key points, and stay interested. Option A, while important for credibility, does not actively engage the audience during the presentation. Option C may overwhelm listeners with excessive information, causing disengagement rather than promoting interaction. Lastly, Option D can distract rather than enhance understanding if visuals are not used judiciously, making it less effective for audience engagement.
The organizers of the fund-raiser expected that at least 500 people would attend, that the keynote speaker would be well received, and to raise twice the amount of money as they did last year. Which of the following revisions successfully corrects the sentence?
- A. The organizers of the fund-raiser expected that at least 500 people would attend, that the keynote speaker would be well received, and that they would raise twice the amount of money as they did last year.
- B. The organizers of the fund-raiser expected that at least 500 people would attend, that the keynote speaker would be well received, and raising twice the amount of money as they did last year.
- C. The organizers of the fund-raiser expected that at least 500 people would attend, that the keynote speaker would be well received, and, consequently, to raise twice the amount of money as they did last year.
- D. The organizers of the fund-raiser expected that at least 500 people would attend; that the keynote speaker would be well received; and to raise twice the amount of money as they did last year.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
Option A effectively maintains parallel structure by ensuring all elements in the list follow the same grammatical form: "that at least 500 people would attend, that the keynote speaker would be well received, and that they would raise twice the amount of money." This consistency enhances clarity and coherence. Option B disrupts parallelism by changing "to raise" to "raising," which creates a grammatical inconsistency in the series. Option C introduces "consequently," which unnecessarily complicates the sentence and breaks the parallel structure. Option D uses semicolons incorrectly, as they should separate independent clauses, not items in a list, leading to confusion.
Option A effectively maintains parallel structure by ensuring all elements in the list follow the same grammatical form: "that at least 500 people would attend, that the keynote speaker would be well received, and that they would raise twice the amount of money." This consistency enhances clarity and coherence. Option B disrupts parallelism by changing "to raise" to "raising," which creates a grammatical inconsistency in the series. Option C introduces "consequently," which unnecessarily complicates the sentence and breaks the parallel structure. Option D uses semicolons incorrectly, as they should separate independent clauses, not items in a list, leading to confusion.
Write the sentence in the passage that best identifies the motive of the Wicked Witch.
- A. They were a long distance off, but the Wicked Witch was angry to find them in her country; so she blew upon a silver whistle that hung around her neck.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: They were a long distance off, but the Wicked Witch was angry to find them in her country; so she blew upon a silver whistle that hung around her neck.
The selected sentence clearly illustrates the Wicked Witch's motive, which is her anger at the presence of intruders in her territory. This emotion drives her to take action by using the silver whistle, indicating her desire to assert control over her domain. Option A, while similar, does not capture the full essence of her motive. It merely states her anger without highlighting her subsequent action, which reveals her intent to confront the intruders. Other options may not mention her feelings or actions at all, failing to connect her emotions to her behavior, thus missing the core of her motivation.
The selected sentence clearly illustrates the Wicked Witch's motive, which is her anger at the presence of intruders in her territory. This emotion drives her to take action by using the silver whistle, indicating her desire to assert control over her domain. Option A, while similar, does not capture the full essence of her motive. It merely states her anger without highlighting her subsequent action, which reveals her intent to confront the intruders. Other options may not mention her feelings or actions at all, failing to connect her emotions to her behavior, thus missing the core of her motivation.
Which of the following best explains a primary benefit of the activity?
- A. It improves students' inferential reading comprehension.
- B. It helps students learn to integrate humor into their writing.
- C. It gives students an opportunity to work on expressing their opinions clearly.
- D. It allows students to practice communicating with diverse partners.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D
Option D highlights a primary benefit by emphasizing the importance of communication skills in diverse settings. Engaging with various partners fosters adaptability and cultural awareness, essential skills in today’s interconnected world. Option A, while valuable, focuses specifically on reading comprehension rather than the broader communication aspect. Option B narrows the focus to humor in writing, which may not be the main goal of the activity. Option C addresses opinion expression, but it does not encompass the collaborative and diverse interaction that option D provides, making it less comprehensive in capturing the activity's primary benefit.
Option D highlights a primary benefit by emphasizing the importance of communication skills in diverse settings. Engaging with various partners fosters adaptability and cultural awareness, essential skills in today’s interconnected world. Option A, while valuable, focuses specifically on reading comprehension rather than the broader communication aspect. Option B narrows the focus to humor in writing, which may not be the main goal of the activity. Option C addresses opinion expression, but it does not encompass the collaborative and diverse interaction that option D provides, making it less comprehensive in capturing the activity's primary benefit.