Benchmark - Grade 12 - Form 2

Benchmark - Grade 12 - Form 2

Read the selections and answer each question.

A Tiny House Leads to a Bigger Life

A Tiny House Leads to a Bigger Life

On average, Americans spend between one -third and one- half of their income on their homes.

What would happen if that number dropped dramatically? Would people's quality of life improve

as they could instead spend that money on vacations, travel, and college, or just save it to

provide a better sense of security? Yes. The answer is a resounding yes, and many people have

already discovered that tiny houses are good for those and many other reasons.

Good for the Environment

The typical American home is around 2,600 square feet, and this number is growing. In

comparison, the typical tiny house is between 100 and 400 square feet and has less impact on

the environment than a typical home. Tiny houses require fewer materials to construct and

maintain. They also result in less energy and water consumption when in use, simply because

there is less interior space to light, heat, and cool, and the appliances tend to be smaller and

require less energy and water to run. The mobility of some tiny homes also enables them to be

moved to new locations to further reduce energy use; a tiny house can be moved to a shady

area during the summer and to a sunny area during the winter. Because tiny homes are so small,

they also encourage residents to spend time outdoors enjoying the environment. This additional

connection to the environment encourages people to better protect it.

Good for Your Wallet

Although the cost of a tiny home is far from paltry, tiny homes cost much less than typical homes,

in terms of purchase price, furnishings, maintenance, insurance, taxes, and utility bills. As a result,

people who have tiny homes are less likely to have a mortgage and typically have more money in

savings compared to other U.S. homeowners. They can use the money at their disposal on things

other than their homes or can even decide to work less. For this reason, tiny homes are popular

with young adults who may have lower starting salaries or student loans to pay off. They are also

popular with retirees who have lower incomes. This gives homeowners more financial freedom if

the unexpected happens and they are without an income for a time. By being less expensive, tiny

homes enable people to feel more financially secure and less vulnerable.

Good for Flexibility

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Question 1

Which statement most effectively summarizes the key ideas of the passage?

There are a lot more places you can fit a tiny house than you can a typical home. Because of

that, you are more likely to be able to build your home in an ideal location, such as one with an

ideal commute or an ideal view. Many tiny homes are even mobile and can be pulled on trailers

from place to place to allow homeowners to try out many different locations or be close to loved

ones if needed. Another reason that tiny houses are popular with retirees is that they can be

moved to warmer climates during the winter and back to cooler ones during the summer.

Good for Your Soul

By their very nature, tiny homes lead to a simpler life and less baggage. With only 400 square

feet to work with, residents are forced to give up a lot of their “stuff,” get rid of clutter, and think

carefully about any new purchases. Having fewer possessions and having to spend less time

maintaining their home and their possessions help people instead focus their energy on

relationships and experiences. And in a tiny home, people spend more time in close proximity to

one another and have more social interactions, giving them little choice but to develop strong

relationships. Each of the above factors—the environment, financial freedom, and increased time

and mobility—are good for the soul as well.

The number of people choosing tiny homes each year is increasing. The number and variety of

benefits that tiny homes afford makes it worthwhile for anyone, whether they are buying their first

home or their last, to evaluate whether a tiny home would work for them. When it comes to tiny

houses, less is more.

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Everyone wants to save money and the environment, so everyone should investigate buying a tiny house.

Tiny houses are affordable and flexible, and they complement the lifestyles of both millennials and retirees.

Tiny houses offer financial and environmental benefits, in addition to personal wellness, so they are becomingmore popular.

Problems associated with economic recession, global warming, and stress are growing, and tiny houses are theanswer for everyone.

Question 2

Read these sentences from the first paragraph of the passage.

What is the most likely reason the author included the sentences in the passage?

Question 3

This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Would people's quality of life improve as they can instead spend that money on vacations, travel, and

college, or just save it to provide a better sense of security? Yes. The answer is a resounding yes . . .

to dramatize the benefits of buying a tiny house

to highlight the disadvantages of traditional houses

to suggest that there are few downsides to tiny houses

to list ways tiny houses improve upon traditional houses

Part A

Read this sentence from the passage.

What is the meaning of the word vulnerable as it is used in the sentence?

By being less expensive, tiny homes enable people to feel more financially secure and less

vulnerable.

under scrutiny

easily harmed

subject to shame

prone to mistakes

Part B

Which detail from the passage best supports the answer to the previous question?

. . . the cost of a tiny home is far from paltry . . .

. . . typically have more money in savings, compared to other U.S. homeowners.

. . . tiny homes are popular with young adults . . .

. . . if the unexpected happens and they are without an income for a time.

Question 4


Question 5

Which two sentences best describe the author's point of view in the passage?

Question 6

Which two statements describe the effects of the author's use of questions in the first paragraph?

Part A


What is the meaning of the phrase "less baggage" as it is used in the sentence?

By their very nature, tiny homes lead to a simpler life and less baggage.

fewer belongings

lack of emotional issues

fewer items to pack for travel

lack of equipment needing transport

Part B

Which detail from the passage best supports the answer to the previous question?

. . . pulled on trailers from place to place . . .

. . . think carefully about any new purchases.

. . . focus their energy on relationships and experiences.

. . . increased time and mobility . . .

Although tiny houses are better in many ways, people lack awareness of their attributes.

Although tiny houses can have positive effects, most people are hesitant to invest in them.

Because of the many examples of their superiority, tiny houses are worth more consideration.

Because they are less expensive to build, tiny houses are better for young adults and retirees.

Although much smaller than traditional homes, tiny houses provide more benefits than their larger counterparts.

The questions help to capture the reader's attention.

The questions begin to discredit the opposing arguments.

The questions summarize all the main points in the passage.

The questions provide necessary details about the topic.

The questions begin to persuade readers to agree with the author's point of view.

Question 7

Which two sentences from the passage best develop the central idea of the passage?

Question 8

The passage presents the claim that a tiny home is "good for the environment." Sort and group each

detail from the passage to match it with "True" if the statement helps develop this claim, or with "False"

if the statement does not help develop this claim.

On average, Americans spend between one‐third and one‐half of their incomes on their homes. . . .

The typical American home is around 2,600 square feet, and this number is growing.

For this reason, tiny homes are popular with young adults who may have lower starting salaries or student loans topay off.

Having fewer possessions and having to spend less time maintaining their home and their possessions help peopleinstead focus their energy on relationships and experiences.

Each of the above factors—the environment, financial freedom, and increased time and mobility—are good for thesoul as well.

Available Options ( 4 of 4 )

. . . a tiny house can be moved to a shady area during the summer . . .

Tiny houses require fewer materials to construct and maintain.

. . . tiny homes lead to a simpler life . . . . . . tiny homes cost much less than typical homes . . .

True

False

Question 9

Drag and drop, in order, the ideas the author uses to build the argument that owning a tiny house

improves people's well-being.

First Second Third Last


eople can "develop strong relationships." People can "get rid of clutter."

People spend more "time outdoors, enjoying the environment."

Tiny houses provide "more financial freedom."

Question 10


Sort and group each statement to match it with "Yes" if the statement effectively explains the author's

argument in the sentence, or with "No" if it does not effectively explain the author's argument.

When it comes to tiny houses, less is more.


They also result in less energy and water consumption when in use, simply because there is less interior

space to light, heat, and cool.

You are more likely to be able to build your home in an ideal location, such as one with an ideal commute

or an ideal view.

This additional connection to the environment encourages people to better protect it.

As a result, people who have tiny homes are less likely to have a mortgage and typically have more

money in savings compared to other U.S. homeowners.

Yes

No

Read the passage “Two Ways of Seeing a River.” Then answer the questions.

Two Ways of Seeing a River

Two Ways of Seeing a River

by Mark Twain

Now when I had mastered the language of this water and had come to know every trifling feature

that bordered the great river as familiarly as I knew the letters of the alphabet, I had made a

valuable acquisition. But I had lost something, too. I had lost something which could never be

restored to me while I lived. All the grace, the beauty, the poetry had gone out of the majestic

river! I still keep in mind a certain wonderful sunset which I witnessed when steamboating was

new to me. A broad expanse of the river was turned to blood; in the middle distance the red hue

brightened into gold, through which a solitary log came floating, black and conspicuous; in one

place a long, slanting mark lay sparkling upon the water; in another the surface was broken by

boiling, tumbling rings, that were as many- tinted as an opal; where the ruddy flush was faintest,

was a smooth spot that was covered with graceful circles and radiating lines, ever so delicately

traced; the shore on our left was densely wooded, and the sombre shadow that fell from this

forest was broken in one place by a long, ruffled trail that shone like silver; and high above the

forest wall a clean- stemmed dead tree waved a single leafy bough that glowed like a flame in the

unobstructed splendor that was flowing from the sun.

There were graceful curves, reflected images, woody heights, soft distances; and over the whole

scene, far and near, the dissolving lights drifted steadily, enriching it, every passing moment, with

new marvels of coloring.

I stood like one bewitched. I drank it in, in a speechless rapture. The world was new to me, and I

had never seen anything like this at home. But as I have said, a day came when I began to cease

from noting the glories and the charms which the moon and the sun and the twilight wrought

upon the river's face; another day came when I ceased altogether to note them. Then, if that

sunset scene had been repeated, I should have looked upon it without rapture, and should have

commented upon it, inwardly, in this fashion: "This sun means that we are going to have wind

to morrow; that floating log means that the river is rising, small thanks to it; that slanting mark on

the water refers to a bluff reef which is going to kill somebody's steamboat one of these nights, if

it keeps on stretching out like that; those tumbling 'boils' show a dissolving bar and a changing

channel there; the lines and circles in the slick water over yonder are a warning that that

troublesome place is shoaling up dangerously; that silver streak in the shadow of the forest is

the 'break' from a new snag, and he has located himself in the very best place he could have

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Question 11


found to fish for steamboats; that tall dead tree, with a single living branch, is not going to last

long, and then how is a body ever going to get through this blind place at night without the

friendly old landmark?"

No, the romance and the beauty were all gone from the river. All the value any feature of it had

for me now was the amount of usefulness it could furnish toward compassing the safe piloting of

a steamboat. Since those days, I have pitied doctors from my heart. What does the lovely flush in

a beauty's cheek mean to a doctor but a "break" that ripples above some deadly disease? Are

not all her visible charms sown thick with what are to him the signs and symbols of hidden

decay?

Excerpt from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain, 1883

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1 shoaling: becoming shallow

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Part A

Read this clause from the excerpt.

Which sentence best describes the meaning of the clause?

A broad expanse of the river was turned to blood . . .

An injured animal has fallen into the water.

The narrator views the river as a family member.

The setting sun has cast its reflection in the water.

The upcoming section of the river poses a threat to the narrator.

Part B

Which detail from the excerpt best supports the answer to the previous question?

. . . steamboating was new to me.

. . . the red hue brightened into gold . . .

. . . a long, slanting mark lay sparkling upon the water . . .

. . . the sombre shadow that fell from this forest . . .

Question 12

Which three sentences from the first paragraph best show how the paragraph is important to the

theme of the excerpt?

Question 13

Read this dictionary entry.

Now read this sentence from the excerpt and answer the question.

Which definition most closely reflects the meaning of the word compassing as it is used in the

sentence?

Now when I had mastered the language of this water and had come to know every trifling feature that bordered thegreat river as familiarly as I knew the letters of the alphabet, I had made a valuable acquisition.

But I had lost something, too.

I had lost something which could never be restored to me while I lived.

All the grace, the beauty, the poetry had gone out of the majestic river!

I still keep in mind a certain wonderful sunset which I witnessed when steamboating was new to me.

A broad expanse of the river was turned to blood; in the middle distance the red hue brightened into gold, throughwhich a solitary log came floating, black and conspicuous; in one place a long, slanting mark lay sparkling upon thewater; in another the surface was broken by boiling, tumbling rings, that were as many‐tinted as an opal . . .

compass v. 1. To devise or contrive, to plot. 2. To encompass or encircle something. 3. To bring about,

achieve. 4. To comprehend, understand.

All the value any feature of it had for me now was the amount of usefulness it could furnish toward

compassing the safe piloting of a steamboat.

Definition 1

Definition 2

Definition 3

Definition 4

Read the passage “When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer.” Then answer the questions.

When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer

When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer

by Walt Whitman

When I heard the learn’d astronomer;

When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me;

When I was shown the charts and the diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them;

When I, sitting, heard the astronomer, where he lectured with much applause in the lecture -room,

How soon, unaccountable, I became tired and sick;

Till rising and gliding out, I wander’d off by myself,

In the mystical moist night air, and from time to time,

Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.

"When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer" from Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman, 1881- 82.

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Question 14


Part A

How does the speaker's perception of the astronomer contribute to the development of the astronomer

as a character?

The speaker thinks that the astronomer provides interesting visual aids, developing the idea that the astronomer isan intelligent individual.

The speaker believes that the astronomer's calculations are not relevant, developing the idea that the astronomeris a careless scientist.

The speaker thinks that the astronomer's lecture is tedious, developing the idea that the astronomer does notunderstand the emotional aspect of experiencing stars.

The speaker concludes that the astronomer deserves the acclaim that he receives, developing the idea that theastronomer is well qualified to explain the topic to students.

Part B

Which detail from the poem best supports the answer to the previous question?

. . . the figures, were ranged in columns before me . . .

. . . to add, divide, and measure them . . .

. . . lectured with much applause . . .

. . . I became tired and sick . . .

Read the passage “The Time Machine.” Then answer the questions.

The Time Machine

The Time Machine

by H. G. Wells

The Test

I told some of you last Thursday of the principles of the Time Machine, and showed you the

actual thing itself, incomplete in the workshop. There it is now, a little travel- worn, truly; and one of

the ivory bars is cracked, and a brass rail bent; but the rest of it's sound enough. I expected to

finish it on Friday, but on Friday when the putting together was nearly done, I found that one of

the nickel bars was exactly one inch too short, and this I had to get remade; so that the thing was

not complete until this morning. It was at ten o'clock to day that the first of all Time Machines

began its career. I gave it a last tap, tried all the screws again, put one more drop of oil on the

quartz rod, and sat myself in the saddle. ...I took the starting lever in one hand and the stopping

one in the other, pressed the first, and almost immediately the second. I seemed to reel; I felt a

nightmare sensation of falling; and, looking round, I saw the laboratory exactly as before. Had

anything happened? For a moment I suspected that my intellect had tricked me. Then I noted the

clock. A moment before, as it seemed, it had stood at a minute or so past ten; now it was nearly

half- past three!

I drew a breath, set my teeth, gripped the starting lever with both hands, and went off with a thud.

The laboratory got hazy and went dark. Mrs. Watchett came in and walked, apparently without

seeing me, towards the garden door. I suppose it took her a minute or so to traverse the place,

but to me she seemed to shoot across the room like a rocket. I pressed the lever over to its

extreme position. The night came like the turning out of a lamp, and in another moment came

to- morrow. The laboratory grew faint and hazy, then fainter and ever fainter. To- morrow night

came black, then day again, night again, day again, faster and faster still. An eddying murmur

filled my ears, and a strange, dumb confusedness descended on my mind.

The Feeling

I am afraid I cannot convey the peculiar sensations of time travelling. They are excessively

unpleasant. There is a feeling exactly like that one has upon a switchback—of a helpless

headlong motion! I felt the same horrible anticipation, too, of an imminent smash. As I put on

pace, night followed day like the flapping of a black wing. The dim suggestion of the laboratory

seemed presently to fall away from me, and I saw the sun hopping swiftly across the sky, leaping

it every minute, and every minute marking a day. I supposed the laboratory had been destroyed

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and I had come into the open air. I had a dim impression of scaffolding, but I was already going

too fast to be conscious of any moving things. The slowest snail that ever crawled dashed by too

fast for me. The twinkling succession of darkness and light was excessively painful to the eye.

Then, in the intermittent darknesses, I saw the moon spinning swiftly through her quarters from

new to full, and had a faint glimpse of the circling stars. Presently, as I went on, still gaining

velocity, the palpitation of night and day merged into one continuous greyness; the sky took on a

wonderful deepness of blue, a splendid luminous color like that of early twilight; the jerking sun

became a streak of fire, a brilliant arch, in space; the moon a fainter fluctuating band; and I could

see nothing of the stars, save now and then a brighter circle flickering in the blue.

The landscape was misty and vague. I was still on the hill side upon which this house now stands,

and the shoulder rose above me grey and dim. I saw trees growing and changing like puffs of

vapour, now brown, now green; they grew, spread, shivered, and passed away. I saw huge

buildings rise up faint and fair, and pass like dreams. The whole surface of the earth seemed

changed—melting and flowing under my eyes. The little hands upon the dials that registered my

speed raced round faster and faster. Presently I noted that the sun belt swayed up and down,

from solstice to solstice, in a minute or less, and that consequently my pace was over a year a

minute; and minute by minute the white snow flashed across the world, and vanished, and was

followed by the bright, brief green of spring.

The unpleasant sensations of the start were less poignant now. They merged at last into a kind

of hysterical exhilaration. I remarked indeed a clumsy swaying of the machine, for which I was

unable to account. But my mind was too confused to attend to it. So with a kind of madness

growing upon me, I flung myself into futurity. At first I scarce thought of stopping, scarce thought

of anything but these new sensations. But presently a fresh series of impressions grew up in my

mind—a certain curiosity and therewith a certain dread—until at last they took complete

possession of me. What strange developments of humanity, what wonderful advances upon our

rudimentary civilization, I thought, might not appear when I came to look nearly into the dim

elusive world that raced and fluctuated before my eyes! I saw great and splendid architecture

rising about me, more massive than any buildings of our own time, and yet, as it seemed, built of

glimmer and mist. I saw a richer green flow up the hill side, and remain there, without any wintry

intermission. Even through the veil of my confusion the earth seemed very fair. And so my mind

came round to the business of stopping. ...

Wells, H. G. The Time Machine (United Kingdom: Heinemann, 1895), accessed from http://

www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/35/pg35 -images.html.

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1 eddying: moving in a different direction than a larger flow or current

2 poignant: having strong emotional impact

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Question 16

Match each of the narrator's motivations with the action it inspires.

Narrator’s Motivations Action It Inspires

Part A

Which sentence best states the central idea of the excerpt?

A sense of adventure can overcome fear and hardship.

Earth will be more beautiful after the collapse of human civilization.

The sensations of time travel are unpleasant and should be avoided.

Human civilization is likely to move through cycles of creation and destruction.

Part B

Which sentence from the excerpt best supports the answer to the previous question?

There is a feeling exactly like that one has upon a switchback—of a helpless headlong motion!

I saw huge buildings rise up faint and fair, and pass like dreams.

But presently a fresh series of impressions grew up in my mind—a certain curiosity and therewith a certain dread—until at last they took complete possession of me.

Even through the veil of my confusion the earth seemed very fair.


Continuing to travel far into the future Stopping the time machine

Switching the time machine on

Delirious exhilaration

Curiosity about the changing scenery

Desire to find out if the time machine works

Question 17

Read this sentence from the excerpt.

Choose two effects that the author creates by including this sentence so near the beginning of the

excerpt.

Question 18


What impact does the phrase "like the turning out of a lamp" have on the reader?

It was at ten o'clock to day that the first of all Time Machines began its career.

It provides details that help the reader trust the narrator more completely.

It prompts the reader to wonder why the time traveller began his experiment.

It adds to the reader's feelings of suspense about what time events took place.

It lets the reader know that the time travelling experiment has been successful.

It informs the reader that the nature of the narrator's adventure is related to time travelling.

The night came like the turning out of a lamp, and in another moment came to -morrow.

It lends a tone of finality.

It creates a sense of suddenness.

It shocks the reader by contradicting expectations.

It comforts the reader with a reference to the familiar.

Question 19


Question 20

How does the development of the main character drive the plot forward?

Part A


Now read this dictionary entry.

Which definition best matches the use of the word rudimentary in the sentence?

What strange developments of humanity, what wonderful advances upon our rudimentary civilization,

I thought, might not appear when I came to look nearly into the dim elusive world that raced and

fluctuated before my eyes!

rudimentary adj. 1. Easy to understand. 2. Relying solely on basic principles. 3. Having an immature

form. 4. Pertaining to early stages of education.

Definition 1

Definition 2

Definition 3

Definition 4

Part B

Which sentence from the excerpt best supports the answer to the previous question?

But my mind was too confused to attend to it.

But presently a fresh series of impressions grew up in my mind—a certain curiosity and therewith a certain dread—until at last they took complete possession of me.

I saw great and splendid architecture rising about me, more massive than any buildings of our own time, and yet, asit seemed, built of glimmer and mist.

Even through the veil of my confusion the earth seemed very fair.

The main character's machine provides a means to explore the far future.

The main character's brash decisions move the story swiftly toward an adventure.

The main character's flaws create a personal conflict that will need to be resolved.

The main character's narration provides a framework to understand the exposition.

Question 21

Which cultural value does the narrator demonstrate by making the decision to slow down?

His interest in civilization causes him to slow down upon seeing the buildings of the future.

His care for dignified appearances causes him to slow down upon feeling the swaying motion of the time machine.

His need for physical comfort causes him to slow down upon feeling the unpleasant sensations of being on thetime machine.

His desire to remain in control of his emotions causes him to slow down upon feeling the sensation of hystericalexhilaration.

Question 22

Read the story and then answer the question.

Which sentence best replaces the underlined sentence to help develop the main character?

Molly couldn't contain her excitement as the clock ticked down to the end of the school year. That

summer, she was going to her uncle's farm to help train his horses. She had been there last summer,

but she hadn't been old enough to ride. While watching her uncle navigate his favorite horse around

the field, she had been filled with a sense of awe.

"Do you think I'll be able to do that one day?" she had asked him.

"I think next year will be the year!" he had replied.

Since then, she had remembered what he had said.

Since then, she had read a lot about the proper care and grooming of horses.

Since then, she had tried to understand why her uncle was making her wait to ride his horses.

Since then, she had dreamed of riding the majestic horse around the field, just like her uncle.

Since then, she had thought about horses and all of the other kinds of animals on her uncle's farm.

Question 23

A student is writing a narrative about the story behind her name. Read the narrative and the directions

that follow.

Drag and drop each sentence that would best improve the narrative into the space next to the

paragraph in which the sentence would be most effective.

Paragraph Sentence

Paragraph 1:

Flora Maria Juanita Caldwell. That's me. To some people, my name sounds a bit strange, but to me, it

sounds just about perfect. My name is made up of the names of my mother, my grandmother, and

my great-grandmother.

Paragraph 2:

When my parents found out that they were going to have a girl, my mother knew exactly what she

wanted to name me. My father, on the other hand, wasn't so sure.

Paragraph 3:

Eventually, my mother was able to win him over. On the day I was born, it was made official. The

student wants to improve the development of her narrative.


"Don't you think the name is too long?" my father argued.

"Welcome to the world, Flora Maria Juanita Caldwell," my father said softly as he held me for the first time.

My mother's name is Juanita, my grandmother's name is Maria, and my great -grandmother's name is Flora.

Paragraph 1

Paragraph 2

Paragraph 3

Question 24

Read the draft of a student's essay and answer the question.

Which sentence provides the best conclusion that supports the information presented?

Question 25

A student is writing a narrative about a time she got in trouble in kindergarten. The student wants to

convey a vivid picture of herself as a stubborn kindergartner.

Which two sentences best accomplish this task?

In 1940, a teenager from France made a remarkable discovery when he found an entrance to a

cave. This became known as Lascaux Cave, and the discovery helped researchers learn about

human ancestors. The cave was filled with primitive paintings made over 17,000 years ago. These

paintings depict many animals native to the area, such as wildcats and bison. Researchers believe

that these are some of the earliest known works of art, making it a discovery in need of preservation.

Unfortunately, different fungi have threatened the cave, causing officials to close it to everyone

except scientists.

Some of the paintings are also believed to contain early maps of the stars, as seen by our ancestors.

While charcoal was used for some of the paintings, the artists used mostly a primitive paint made from local clay.

Experts hope that by limiting access to the cave, it will be preserved for future generations to appreciate and study.

Many videos and pictures have been taken of the cave, giving people around the world an opportunity toexperience it.

"But I want to play the snakes and ladders game now!" I wailed.

"Sierra, it's time to join us for rug time," Mrs. Sweeney called to me in her cheerful voice.

The game sat on the top of the bookshelf, just out of the reach of my grubby little hands.

"Rug time! Rug time!" Mrs. Sweeney called out in her singsong voice, and all of the students followed except for me.

My mom had dressed me in my new red dress and put my hair into two bouncy little pigtails tied with little whitebows.

Question 26

A student is writing an essay on the construction of the Panama Canal. Read the student essay and

answer the question that follows.

The student wants to add information to support the claim that the canal was a major engineering feat.

Which detail best supports this claim?

The Panama Canal is a 48 -mile- long channel cut through the Isthmus of Panama to connect the

Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The United States began building the canal in 1904. Construction of the

canal was a major engineering feat.

The construction project was plagued by disease and accidents that resulted in multiple construction delays.

The Panama Canal was finally opened to ships on August 15, 1914, and had an almost immediate impact on globalcommerce.

The United States spent almost $375 million on the project, making the Panama Canal one of the most expensivecivil engineering projects in U.S. history.

The canal required the excavation of more than 200 million cubic yards of material and an extensive system oflocks that would carry ships over the mountainous terrain.

Question 27

A student is conducting research on NASA's Mars Orbiter. The student found three sources. Read the

excerpts from the sources and answer the question that follows.

Which sentence is the best synthesis of the information presented?

Source 1:

"NASA Report on the Cost of the Mars Orbiter"

Cost to build and launch orbiter: $125,000,000

Purpose: To collect and send data back from Mars

Source 2:

"The Problem with Multiple Systems of Measurement"

Take, for instance, the case of the Mars Orbiter, which NASA launched in 1999. The company that

built the spacecraft used the non -SI pound -seconds when they should have used SI units of newton- -

seconds.

Source 3:

"NASA Adopts System of Checks and Balances after Failed Rover Incident"

While many blamed human error for the failed launch of the Mars Orbiter, officials at NASA blamed a

failed system. They have since implemented a system of checks and balances to prevent future

errors.

The Mars Orbiter cost $125 million and was designed to travel to Mars and send data about the planet back toEarth.

NASA has taken precautions to prevent further errors after its $125 million Mars Orbiter failed to reach itsdestination due to a calculation error.

NASA took responsibility when its Mars Orbiter failed to reach its destination and has taken steps to ensure futuremissions do not fall prey to the same measurement errors.

As can be learned from the Mars Orbiter, scientists in different parts of the world use different systems ofmeasurements when designing orbiters and other devices designed to collect information in space.

Question 28

A student is comparing information from two newspaper articles to establish an opinion about

government spending. Read the excerpts from the sources.

Which response best synthesizes information from both articles to form an opinion?

Source 1:

The key to reducing the national debt is to spend less. Raising the taxes of America's wealthiest

citizens will not solve the federal government's spending problem. The first step to cutting down on

spending is that politicians should weed out unnecessary federal programs and reduce funding for

other programs. Another important step is to stop punishing businesses for finding ways to avoid

nuisance taxes. This will create an incentive for businesses to hire more employees.

Source 2:

The national debt should not be reduced through cutting benefits from Medicare, Medicaid, and

Social Security. Benefits should not be taken away from those who have earned them through years

of hard work and sacrifice. The government should be focused on bringing company headquarters

back to America to create jobs and improve the economy.

Solving the national debt crisis requires the government to reduce funding to federal programs. Increasing taxeswill do nothing to curtail the excessive spending of the federal government. Before the government raises taxes,they should first reduce funds to all programs.

The government should lower interest rates and make it easier for people and businesses to borrow money. Theborrowed money fuels the economy when borrowers use it to purchase goods and services. The spending of thismoney will create jobs and more tax money for the government.

One solution to government spending is to make cuts to federally funded benefit programs, while another solutionis to raise taxes on the wealthy. Both solutions have negative impacts on society. Politicians should turn theirattention to other government- funded programs and agencies and strive to strengthen the economy.

Cutting funding to programs that benefit retired, hard- working citizens is not the solution to the national debt.Bringing jobs back from overseas is the key to fixing the national debt. If companies relocate their headquartersback to America, more jobs will be created. This will help the economy because with more working people, thereare more consumers to spend money.

Question 29

A student read the following research before beginning a persuasive essay on the safety of genetically

modified foods.

Choose two statements that explain why the information from the source has not been effectively

synthesized into the student's paragraph.

The World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, the National Academy

of Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science have all declared that

there's no good evidence GMOs are unsafe. Hundreds of studies back up that conclusion.

The USDA’s catalog of recently engineered plants shows plenty of worthwhile options. The list

includes drought- tolerant corn, virus -resistant plums, non -browning apples, potatoes with fewer

natural toxins, and soybeans that produce less saturated fat. A recent global inventory by the U.N.

Food and Agriculture Organization discusses other projects in the pipeline: virus -resistant beans,

heat -tolerant sugarcane, salt- tolerant wheat, disease -resistant cassava, high- iron rice, and cotton that

requires less nitrogen fertilizer. Skim the news, and you’ll find scientists at work on more ambitious

ideas: high -calcium carrots, antioxidant tomatoes, nonallergenic nuts, bacteria- resistant oranges,

water -conserving wheat, corn and cassava loaded with extra nutrients, and a flaxlike plant that

produces the healthy oil formerly available only in fish.

After an exhaustive and rigorous scientific review, the FDA has arrived at the decision that

AquAdvantage salmon is as safe to eat as any non- genetically engineered (GE) Atlantic salmon, and

also as nutritious. The FDA scientists rigorously evaluated extensive data submitted by the

manufacturer, AquaBounty Technologies, and other peer- reviewed data, to assess whether

AquAdvantage salmon met the criteria for approval established by law: safety and effectiveness. The

data demonstrated that the inserted genes remained stable over several generations of fish, that

food from the GE salmon is safe to eat by humans and animals, that the genetic engineering is safe

for the fish, and that the salmon meets the sponsor’s claim about faster growth. The student wrote

the following paragraph after conducting the research.

Even though a large number of Americans believe that genetically modified foods (GMOs) are

dangerous to eat, there is just as large of a body of research telling us the opposite. The FDA has

concluded that AquAdvantage is just as safe as if it were not genetically engineered. Since the

genes were stable over a few generations, it's been determined that it's safe to eat, not only for

humans, but for animals too.

The paragraph does not specifically explain what AquAdvantage is.

The paragraph does not address why many people believe GMOs are unsafe.

The paragraph relies too heavily on expressing an opinion about genetically modified foods.

The paragraph incorrectly concludes that a large body of research supports the safety of GMOs.

Question 30

A student is writing a report about the rights United States citizens have in regard to

government overreach. One of her sources is the Declaration of Independence. Read this excerpt from

the Declaration of Independence and answer the question that follows.

Which two lines from the excerpt should the student use to best support the claim that citizens may

regulate the government when their rights are threatened?

The paragraph omits key information about the USDA's recent developments and future projects related to GMOs.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by

their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of

Happiness. –That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just

powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes

destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new

Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to

them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that

Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly

all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than

to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of

abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under

absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new

Guards for their future security.

. . . that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty andthe pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent ofthe governed. . . .

That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter orto abolish it, and to institute new Government. . . .

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transientcauses. . . .

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reducethem under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government. . . .

Question 31

Read the excerpt from the U.S. Constitution.

What are two purposes of the excerpted text?

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a

presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in

the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for

the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal

case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process

of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

to protect members of the armed forces from being punished for crimes

to declare that a person cannot be punished for a crime without being tried

to defend people from criminals who commit the same crime more than once

to prohibit a court from sending someone to trial multiple times for the same offense

to indicate that no one can be held responsible for committing a crime unless he or she is a member of the armedforces

Question 32

Which sentence demonstrates the correct use of a hyphen?

Question 33

Read the sentence.

Some grammar experts feel that it is acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition, while other

experts feel that it is not. Which revision will be most widely approved of by grammar experts?

Question 34

Read the sentence.

What words are misspelled?

Jeffrey ate a huge dinner before going to the hockey- game last night.

We were not allowed to visit the factory -workers on the production floor.

The president appeared on the third- floor balcony to address the crowd.

Ms. Lennox asked the two of us to co- operate in planning the camping trip.

Maria could not decide which store to buy her friend's gift from.

Maria could not decide which store to buy her friend's gift.

Maria could not decide from which store to buy her friend's gift.

Maria could not decide at which store to buy her friend's gift at.

Maria could not decide from which store to buy her friend's gift from.

The Bill of Rights insures the individual freedom of citizens by informing them of there legal rights.

insures

there

individual

citizens

informing

legal

Question 35

Read this excerpt from a style guide.

Now read this sentence.

According to the style guide, which revision should be made to the sentence?

For a source with three or fewer authors, list the authors' last names in the text or in the

parenthetical citation.

For example: Smith, Yang, and Moore argue that tougher gun control is not needed in the United

States (76).

For a source with more than three authors, use the work's bibliographic information as a guide for

your citation. Provide the first author's last name followed by et al. or list all the last names.

For example: Jones et al. counter Smith, Yang, and Moore's argument by noting that the current

spike in gun violence in America compels lawmakers to adjust gun laws (4). OR Legal experts

counter Smith, Yang, and Moore's argument by noting that the current spike in gun violence in

America compels lawmakers to adjust gun laws (Jones et al. 4).

OR Jones, Driscoll, Ackerson, and Bell counter Smith, Yang, and Moore's argument by noting that the

current spike in gun violence in America compels lawmakers to adjust gun laws (4).

Marken, Truesdale, Ojimba, and Figeroa assert that simply counting calories will not help most

people lose weight (Marken, Truesdale, Ojimba, and Figeroa 211).

(Marken, Truesdale, Ojimba, and Figeroa 211) should be changed to (211).

The scientists' names should be moved from the beginning to the end of the sentence.

(Marken, Truesdale, Ojimba, and Figeroa 211) should be changed to include the article title.

There should be quotation marks around "simply counting calories will not help most people lose weight."

Benchmark - Grade 12 - Form 2

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