English Language Arts 8 (Grade 8) Midterm — Semester 1, Form A

Part 1: Multiple Choice

1. What is dramatic irony?
   1. A. When an event turns out the opposite of what was expected
   2. B. When the reader knows something that a character does not
   3. C. When two characters argue about what happened earlier
   4. D. When a character says the opposite of what he or she means
2. A character who changes in an important way during a story is called a
   1. A. minor character
   2. B. dynamic character
   3. C. flat character
   4. D. static character
3. A story is told by a narrator who is a character in it and uses the words "I" and "me." What point of view is this?
   1. A. Second person
   2. B. Third-person limited
   3. C. First person
   4. D. Third-person omniscient
4. Read the sentence: "Leo slammed his locker, shoved his books into his bag, and stomped down the hall without a word to anyone." What do Leo's actions suggest about him?
   1. A. He is excited and cheerful.
   2. B. He is calm and relaxed.
   3. C. He is curious and talkative.
   4. D. He is angry or frustrated.
5. Which belongs in an objective summary of a story?
   1. A. The main events, stated without personal opinions
   2. B. The reader's opinions about each character
   3. C. A rating of how enjoyable the story was
   4. D. Every small detail from the story, in order
6. Read the sentence: "Everyone at school already has the new phone, so you should get one too." Which faulty reasoning does it show?
   1. A. Personal attack
   2. B. Bandwagon
   3. C. Slippery slope
   4. D. Straw man
7. A writer claims, "Schools should start later because teens need more sleep." Which evidence is most relevant to this claim?
   1. A. A list of popular after-school clubs at local schools
   2. B. A story about a teacher who likes waking up early
   3. C. A study finding that teens at later-starting schools sleep more
   4. D. A survey showing that most teens enjoy pizza for lunch
8. Read the sentence: "Our school's recycling program cut cafeteria waste by 40 percent in one year." Which appeal does this sentence mainly use?
   1. A. Pathos, an appeal to emotion
   2. B. Bandwagon, an appeal to popularity
   3. C. Logos, an appeal to logic and facts
   4. D. Ethos, an appeal to credibility
9. In an argument, what is a rebuttal?
   1. A. The first time the writer states the claim
   2. B. The writer's response explaining why a counterclaim is weak
   3. C. The opening sentence that grabs the reader's attention
   4. D. A list of sources used in the argument
10. Read the sentence: "You can't trust Sam's idea for the garden. He can't even keep his room clean." Which faulty reasoning does it show?
    1. A. Bandwagon, following the crowd
    2. B. False dilemma, offering only two options
    3. C. Circular reasoning, repeating the claim
    4. D. Ad hominem, attacking the person
11. The suffix -ology, as in biology and geology, means
    1. A. the state of being
    2. B. one who does
    3. C. full of
    4. D. the study of
12. The prefix mal-, as in malfunction and malnourished, means
    1. A. large
    2. B. many
    3. C. bad or badly
    4. D. again
13. The Greek root graph, as in autograph and paragraph, means
    1. A. to hear
    2. B. earth
    3. C. light
    4. D. to write
14. The word telephone comes from two Greek roots. What do they mean?
    1. A. far + sound
    2. B. write + light
    3. C. near + voice
    4. D. time + speak
15. The root chron, as in chronological and chronicle, means
    1. A. time
    2. B. sound
    3. C. life
    4. D. color

Part 2: Written Response

16. Choose a story you read this term. Identify one theme and explain how the author develops it through a character's actions or a key event. Use at least two pieces of text evidence.