English 9–10 (Grades 9–10) Midterm — Semester 2, Form A

Part 1: Multiple Choice

1. In rhetorical analysis, diction refers to
   1. A. the length of the writer's sentences
   2. B. the writer's choice of words
   3. C. the writer's use of statistics
   4. D. the order of paragraphs in a text
2. What is a rhetorical question?
   1. A. A question an audience asks after a speech
   2. B. A question asked for effect rather than for an answer
   3. C. A question that opens a formal debate
   4. D. A question that has several correct answers
3. What is antithesis?
   1. A. Pairing contrasting ideas in parallel form
   2. B. Exaggerating a point for emphasis or humor
   3. C. Asking a question that needs no answer
   4. D. Repeating a word at the end of each clause
4. What is a red herring?
   1. A. A statement that repeats the claim as proof
   2. B. An irrelevant point that distracts from the real issue
   3. C. An argument that attacks a person's character
   4. D. A claim supported by too little evidence
5. Read the line: "We will not wait. We will not waver. We will not walk away." Which device is most clearly used?
   1. A. Anaphora
   2. B. Antithesis
   3. C. Understatement
   4. D. Rhetorical question
6. Which phrase correctly shows the bowls belonging to two dogs?
   1. A. the dog's bowls
   2. B. the dogs' bowls
   3. C. the dogs bowls
   4. D. the dogs's bowls
7. Which is a dependent clause?
   1. A. the coach called all of us
   2. B. the game was canceled at noon
   3. C. because the game was canceled
   4. D. we went home early that day
8. Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?
   1. A. Because I studied; I felt ready.
   2. B. I bought; apples, pears, and grapes.
   3. C. I studied; all night before the test.
   4. D. I studied all night; I still felt unprepared.
9. Choose the verb that correctly completes the sentence: "Each of the students ___ a locker."
   1. A. have had
   2. B. has
   3. C. are having
   4. D. have
10. Choose the word that correctly completes the sentence: "The cat licked ___ paw."
    1. A. its
    2. B. it's
    3. C. it is
    4. D. its'
11. Which is the strongest thesis statement for an essay on school uniforms?
    1. A. Schools should adopt uniforms because they reduce distractions and costs.
    2. B. School uniforms come in many different colors and styles.
    3. C. This essay will discuss the topic of school uniforms in detail.
    4. D. Some schools require uniforms, while many other schools do not.
12. In APA style, the list of sources at the end of a paper is titled
    1. A. Works Cited
    2. B. Bibliography
    3. C. Sources Consulted
    4. D. References
13. In research writing, synthesis means
    1. A. summarizing one source from beginning to end
    2. B. copying the best quotation from a single source
    3. C. combining ideas from several sources to support your point
    4. D. listing all of your sources in alphabetical order
14. When judging a source's currency, you check
    1. A. how many images and charts it contains
    2. B. when it was published or last updated
    3. C. who paid to build the website it is on
    4. D. whether you personally agree with it
15. A historian's book analyzing letters written in the 1800s is
    1. A. an original document
    2. B. a tertiary source
    3. C. a primary source
    4. D. a secondary source

Part 2: Written Response

16. Write an argument on whether students should have homework on weekends. Include a clear claim, two reasons with evidence, a concession, and a rebuttal. Avoid logical fallacies.