Download ACT English - Cardinal Newman High School

ACT English
General
 Five passages that consist of 75 questions
 Time: 45 minutes
 That’s 9 minutes per passage

Close to 25% of the answers will be either A or F. These are the No Change choices on
this test. The answer choices alternate:
A
B
C
D
F
G
H
J

Close to 80% of the time the answer choice D or J which says Omit the underlined
portion will be correct


Pay attention to the story. You’ll need to answer questions about it.
Three kinds of numbers
1. beneath the underlined word or phrase
2. in a box
3. at the beginning of every sentence in a particular paragraph
Usage/mechanics section
Punctuation
Correct Use of Commas
ACT will primarily test on the following uses of the comma
 Use of the comma to separate items, clauses or phrases in a list.
1. A chair, a table, a lamp (optional comma) and a sofa were the rooms’ only furnishings.
2. The cat ran into the room, across the floor (optional comma) and up the curtain.

Use of the comma in a compound sentence.
A compound sentence consists of two independent clauses (sentences) separated by a
comma and a coordinating conjunction.
Coordinating conjunctions
1. and
2. but
3. or
4. for
5. nor
6. yet
7. so
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CORRECT:
I ate most of the salad, but I left the tomatoes on the side of the bowl.
INCORRECT: I ate most of the salad, but left the tomatoes on the side of the bowl.
Try these
1. We had planned to attend the concert but had to change our plans at the last minute
2. Once in a while we go out for dinner and then take a walk on the beach.
3. Lindsay wanted her own guitar so she started saving all of her part-time job money.
4. Many prospectors searched for years but others found gold at once.
5. An angry customer stepped up to the counter and yelled at the customer service man.

Use of the comma in the complex sentence
A complex sentence consists of one independent clause and one subordinate clause.
Things to know:
1. Independent clause is another word for complete sentence. Just like a complete
sentence, it contains a subject, a verb and expresses a complete thought.
2. A subordinate (dependent) clause also contains its own subject and verb. Unlike an
independent clause, however, it does not express a complete thought. It is easy to spot
because it begins with one of the following words called subordinating conjunctions
after
although
as
as far as
as if
as long as
as soon as
as though
because
before
if
considering that
inasmuch as
in order that
since
so long as
than
though
till
unless
until
when
whenever
where
whereas
where
while
wherever
3. When a complex sentence begins with the independent clause, no comma is needed.
4. When a complex sentence begins with the subordinate clause, you put a comma
between the two.
Try these
1. I’ll go with you wherever you go.
2. You may as well stay for dinner since you have traveled such a distance to see us.
3. Since it is possible that Grandmother will be upset by the news I will not tell her until
later.
4. No one may leave the room under any circumstances as long as others are still taking the
test.
5. Although it was cold that morning Kerry wore only a light jacket over his school clothes.
6. New England’s climate is cool and damp whereas the Southwest’s is hot and dry.
7. After his stay on the Mir space station the astronaut headed back to Earth.
8. Please come to visit us at our summer home if you’re ever in Miami.
9. While you finish your homework I’ll read to Emily.
10. Don’t expect lunch unless you can be home by noon.
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Comma Practice with Compound and Complex Sentences
Insert commas where they belong in the following sentences. Some will not need to be corrected.
1. We made apple pie from an old recipe with Granny Smith apples.
2. She lived in Oregon for ten years and then she moved to Texas.
3. When the bridge was opened traffic stopped on both sides of the road.
4. While he was serving the meal the butler realized that his toupee was falling off.
5. He hasn’t sold his house because his asking price is too high.
6. Because his asking price is too high he hasn’t sold his house.
7. I’ll get Kelly to help me and the job will be finished quickly because four hands are better
than two.
8. She worked in the greenhouse while he worked in the garden and also washed the car.
9. Because the clock says it is noon we will not be able to wait any longer even though we
wish that were not the case.
10. There were so many stars in the sky on a clear summer night in Vermont that the
vacationers from the city were awestruck by the sight.
 Use of the comma with appositives
An appositive is a word or phrase that gives more information about a noun or pronoun and
can come either before or after it.
e.g. Lucille, the talented music director at our school, once performed at Carnegie Hall.
Thomas, my favorite cousin, works at the Village Bike Shop.
Note: On this test, dashes and parentheses also set off appositives and are equally correct.
e.g. Lucille – the talented music director at our school……..etc.
Lucille (the talented music director at our school)…..etc
Try these
1. Nelson Mandela the former president of South Africa was freed from a South African
prison in 1990.
2. My mother lives in Escondido a town near San Diego.
3. An insurance executive Charles Ives wrote music in his spare time.
4. One customer a particularly close friend of mine stepped up to the counter.
5. He is saving money to travel to Cairo the capital of Egypt.
6. Wearing gaudy bracelets and earrings the gypsy fortune teller proceeded to predict my
future.
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Exception: If the appositive is short, only a word or two, commas should be omitted as they
unnecessarily interrupt the flow of the sentence.
e.g. The farmer’s wife Clare often worked part-time at Costco for extra money.
My friend’s mother Mrs. Tyler gave me a ride home from school today.

Use of the comma with a word or phrase used either as an interrupter or an opening
remark.
Examples
1. of course
2. for example
3. however
4. on the other hand
5. yes
6. certainly
Try these
1. Yes we will be at the party.
2. Naturally she placed among the top three in her age group
3. Although we would love to join you unfortunately we cannot.
4. I love to travel; my sister on the other hand prefers to stay home.

Use of the comma with opening prepositional phrase(s)
Set off either
a. two or more introductory prepositional phrases
b. a single long one.
Shortcut: A preposition is anywhere a cat can go such as
under near
below
beyond
across
against to
about
in
around
Try these
1. On the afternoon of the day of the game we made a banner.
2. From the bay window on the third floor I could see the ships on the ocean.
3. Into the dark and scary woods we walked hand in hand.
4. Behind me my brother was talking on his cell phone.
Comma Rules Summary
On ACT if you see a comma used in any way other than in the ways described above, it is most
likely not needed and should be eliminated.
Practice with commas using all rules.
Insert commas where needed in the sentences below. Some may be correct as written
1. If you have any doubts about our intentions please consult with our references who will
of course provide you with all the information you seek.
2. On a hot humid day in July five green and speckled frogs sat on a speckled log.
3. It was a difficult task but not so difficult that I could not handle it.
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4. She wore a navy blue dress and he naturally wore a navy blue suit so the two of them
would match.
5. If it doesn’t snow on Christmas how is Santa going to get around in his sleigh?
6. The eloquent queen known to all for her grace and compassion delivered a stirring eulogy
for the men who had lost their lives in battle.
7. Meatballs and spaghetti make a great dinner and peanut butter makes a great snack.
8. At the dawn of the new century in this town there were no movie theaters and no
shopping malls.
9. During the turbulent 1960’s the Beatles came to the USA creating a sensation that is alive
today.
10. I cannot come to your party because I have a previous engagement that I must attend for
the sake of my dear grandmother.
Semi colons
Use the semi colon as you would use a period. On the ACT there is no difference, which
means you will never be asked to decide which one is more correct.
In “real life” the difference has to do with style. A semi-colon is a shorter pause than a
period and is used between two relatively short independent clauses.
Independent clauses can be correctly connected in three ways:
1. The pears are ripe; let’s eat them now.
2. The pears are ripe. Let’s eat them now.
3. The pears are ripe, so let’s eat them now.
Notes: There are two spaces after a period and only one after a semi-colon.
The first word after the period is capitalized while the first word after the semi-colon
uses lower case.
Two Independent clauses are incorrect if written as below:
1. The pears are ripe, let’s eat them now
2. The pears are ripe let’s eat them now.
Colons
You will probably be tested a few times on your knowledge of colons. You will need to know
how colons introduce expectations and lists
The colon and expectation
Colons are used after complete sentences to introduce related information that usually comes in
the form of a list, an explanation or a quotation. When you see a colon, you should know to
expect elaborating information. For example,
The wedding had all the elements to make it a classic: the elegant bride, the weeping
mother, and the fainting bridesmaids.
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In this example, the colon is used to introduce a list of classic wedding elements. If the list had
not followed the colon, the first sentence could have stood alone. By naming the classic elements
of a wedding, the list serves mainly to explain and expand.
Here are a few more examples:
1. Warning: cigarette smoking is hazardous to your health.
2. The epidemic grew ever more serious: children as well as adults were not being affected.
3. I have only one thing to say to you, Bobby: either shape up or quit the team.
The colon and lists
Use a colon before enumerating things on a list but only if it is preceded by an independent
clause.
CORRECT:
I have several ingredients to make a cake: flour, butter, sugar and icing.
INCORRECT: I have several ingredients to make a cake including: flour, butter, sugar and icing
The ingredients I need t make a cake: flour, butter, sugar and icing.
Apostrophes to Show Possession
Correct Use of Apostrophes to Show Ownership
gloves
Man
Men
Child
Children
Woman
Women
Lady
Ladies
Rule: _________________________________________________________
Try some
The childrens parents waited for them outside.
The farmers remarks distressed his wife.
Each editors input is always welcome.
The Olympics Committee met frequently.
The boys teacher scolded him for being disruptive
The senators voted on the bill.
The Parents Club meets each Wednesday evening.
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Finally…… What about “its”?
When does it need an apostrophe, and where is the apostrophe placed?
TRY:
The factory sold its inventory at a loss
The kitten licked its paws
Its a great day for the country
Apostrophe practice – Some sentences may require more than one apostrophe; others may be
correct as written.
1. The governors speech won her many womens votes
2. The young mans actions won both teachers admiration.
3. The Childrens Museum in Boston is a great place to spend two days.
4. Todays program was better than yesterdays.
5. Andy complains about aches and pains only on standardized test days.
6. Her brother broke his best friends ipod.
7. Sandra knows all her customers names and is everybodys friend.
8. The Parents Club cooperated with the principals plans.
9. The five attorneys offices overlook the Hudson River in New York.
10. The ladys best camera was lost during a recent expedition to Africa.
11. The mens and womens bathrooms were located in the north end of the mall.
12. All of the students art work will not be displayed.
13. A childs interests are different from an adults.
14. The Peoples Market is not responsible for items left in patrons cars.
15. Our guests cars were blocking the neighbors driveway.
Grammar and Usage
Verb Tense
You will need to spot inconsistencies in verb tense. If a verb in a non-underlined portion of the
sentence is in one tense, the verb in the underlined portion will tend to be in the same tense.
Example: Jeremiah is walking down the street when he found a large suitcase.
Try some - Tell what’s wrong with the underlined verb or very phrase in each of the following
sentences:
1. Students in the literature course will explore ways in which medieval authors represented
themes of their time and will have read Augustine’s important works.
2. Only infrequently did James laugh at the jokes that the comedian has been telling; James
simply did not find the comedian’s punch lines original or funny.
3. Ever since the promotion of our new manager last year, Rebecca is the hardest-working
employee of this small and highly profitable company.
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4. By 2076 the United States will have been a nation for 300 years, while, by the same year,
China has been a nation for almost 4,000 years.
5. From January to May it rained continually, flooding the culverts and washing away most
of the area’s topsoil, but by July of the following year, farmers suffer through yet another
drought.
6. The press aggressively interrogated the Senator when he claims to support the new
proposition because his voting record indicated that he has always opposed the intended
legislation.
7. The father angrily told his daughter that smoking had not and never will be permitted in
their home.
8. Since the early 1970’s, the number of people claiming to have seen the movie grew from
just under 100 to well over 30 million.
9. The play opens with a moral dilemma about choosing between individual freedom and
societal needs, then introduced the possibility that one does not always have the power to
choose one’s own fate.
10. No matter how many times Samantha hears her favorite song, whenever it is played she
will dance around the room as if she has never heard the song before.
Idioms
Idioms are expressions that require the use of a specific preposition. You will be familiar with
most of the idioms on the test. Look for the correct preposition in the answer choices.
Examples: I am jealous over your success.
Her outlook of life was positive.
Restaurant patrons are sometimes oblivious over the need to be
courteous to those sitting around them.
Try some
1. I am planning on inviting David to my party.
2. The chef urged his apprentices to separate the egg whites with the egg yokes.
3. On a chilly December evening I was invited to partake from a hot bowl of soup with my
friends.
4. Wanda implored Mark not to be jealous over her work.
5. Every year of my childhood my mother worked tirelessly for creating from very little a
Christmas celebration that would delight her three children.
6. Jen analyzed her outlook of life.
7. Afflicted from tuberculosis, the English poet John Keats did not have long to live.
8. Desirous for food, the glowworms in dark caves use bioluminescence to lure
unsuspecting insects into sticky traps.
9. After hiking for a while, we discovered that we had not packed enough food and debated
for returning home.
10. Traditional Japanese culture encourages its people to conform with social norms.
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Subject/Verb Agreement
Singular subjects take singular verbs; plural subjects take plural verbs
EXAMPLE: When one of the European Economic Community’s (EEC’s) twelve official
languages are used at a meeting, translation must be available.
F. NO CHANGE
G. is used
H. are being used
I. are in use
Try some
1. Either of them (is, are) sure to be successful.
2. Only one of the builders (read, reads) blueprints.
3. Ellen, who is the assistant to the president or her friend Elvis who has never worked a day
in his life (argue, argues) constantly with my coach.
4. Jerry, but not his sisters, (want, wants) to take the trip to Washington.
5. Above the fireplace mantle (hang, hangs) several picture of Great Uncle Freddy
6. (Is, Are) either of them taking the summer class in astrology offered by the fortune
tellers?
7. Neither the research project nor the extra credit presentation (was, were) able to help me
get a passing grade in the class.
8. There (come, comes) to mind the names of two distinguished professors.
9. Sullen attitudes (is, are) not permitted in my home.
10. No one who saw the performances (feel, feels) that the children are without talent..
Pronoun/Antecedent
Pronouns agree with their antecedents in number and gender
EXAMPLES: The teacher regretted that nobody did their homework.
Somebody seems to have misplaced their car keys.
Try these
1. Someone such as Martha Mann who has dedicated (themselves, herself) to serving others
in the community should receive a special award.
2. Before the big party weekend, Linda and Kate took time to study for the upcoming finals,
but as a result of the many parties (she, they) needed to study again.
3. No matter how many times a person has driven in inclement weather, (he, they) should be
especially careful about driving in the snow.
4. Even though a promotion might be a somewhat easy method for a store to boost sales, (it,
they) may lead some people to shop irresponsibly.
5. The coach made it clear that if anyone wants to try out for the soccer team, (she, they)
should come to his office to sign up.
6. Although researchers have created machines that seem to think for themselves, not one of
the researchers has proven the originality of (his, their) ideas.
7. Investigators in Yosemite National Park have placed microphones and video cameras
around the park hoping that (it, they) will prove the existence of the creature known as
“Bigfoot”.
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8. The agenda for next Monday’s meeting features several serious issues; therefore, the
council expects to see an unusual number of community members, all there to ensure that
(his, their) voice(s) will be heard.
9. Arnold Schwarzenegger was sworn in as California’s governor after the state decided to
recall (its, their) previous governor, Gray Davis, and find a replacement for him.
10. The Teatro alla Scala, a famous opera house in Milan that was established in 1778 and is
better known as La Scala, continues to draw thousands of people each year to (its, their)
fine performances.
Parallel Structure
RULE: Similar ideas are expressed in similar form.
Not parallel: We were impressed by the clarity of the speaker’s thought and how brief
the speech was.
Parallel:
We were impressed by the clarity of the speaker’s thought and the brevity
of the speech.
Rewrite each of the following sentences to express related ideas in parallel structure:
1. She trained her dogs to be obedient, loyal and make friends easily.
2. Arching his back and with his arm extended, the player rose into the air to slam the
volleyball into the opponents’ court.
3. Use a map when deciding where to go and what you will see.
4. She wrote the lyrics; the music was written by Frank.
5. Many children learn to swim before they learn walking.
6. When you use a table saw, it is important that you hold the wood flush to the guide, keep
your fingers away from the blade and to wear glasses.
7. Having little money and because he owed a great deal, the discouraged inventor decided
to file for bankruptcy.
8. The professor suggested dropping the course or to get extra tutoring.
9.
The Harborside Restaurant offers delicious food, good service and prices that are
reasonable.
10. Making promises is easy; to keep them is hard.
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Parallel Structure
Practice with SAT Format
1. Many Europeans consider Americans overweight, wasteful, and they don’t understand
international politics.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Americans overweight, wasteful, and they don’t understand
Americans overweight, wasteful; and they don’t understand
Americans to be overweight, wasteful, and they don’t understand
Americans being overweight, wasteful, and ignorant of
Americans overweight, wasteful and ignorant of
2. None of the tasks was harder than that which occupied his attention during the first three
weeks of his administration; it proved neither an easy task nor simple to understand. No
error
3. The subject our family discussed, which was whether investing in a computer will
encourage us to do homework or simply provide another way to avoid it.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
discussed, which was whether investing in a computer will encourage
discussed was if we would invest in a computer will encourage
discussed that investing in a computer would result in encouraging
discussed was will investing in a computer mean encouragement of
discussed was whether investing in a computer would encourage
4. Breakfast cereal is no more known as the product of a health craze than people think of
Coca-Cola as a rust remover.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
than people think of Coca-Cola
as Coca-Cola is not thought of
than Coca-Cola is thought of
as similarly people do not think of Coca-Cola
any more than Coca-Cola is thought of
5. The proprietors saw the Elvis Is Alive Museum as a lucrative tourist attraction,
but for other residents, they saw in it an embarrassment to the Missouri town.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
attraction, but for other residents they saw in it
attraction; residents seeing in it
attraction, to residents as
attraction; residents saw it as
attraction, while it was seen by others as being
6. The goals of the scientists whose training had afforded them extensive experience with
cutting-edge methodologies were to change the genetic components of the virus and setting
up a new set of criteria for analyzing the results. No error
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7. Like Kate Sheppard campaigned for women’s suffrage in New Zealand so too did Elizabeth
Cady Stanton fight for many years for women’s suffrage in the United States.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Like Kate Sheppard campaigned for women’s suffrage in New Zealand
Just as Kate Sheppard campaigned for women’s suffrage in New Zealand
Just like Kate Sheppard, who campaigned for women’s suffrage in New Zealand
As Kate Sheppard campaigned for women’s suffrage in New Zealand
Just as the campaign of Kate Sheppard for women’s suffrage in New Zealand
8. Just as Ludwig Van Beethoven composed scores of lasting musical works and the Bronte
sisters wrote many enduring novels, so too did Vincent van Gogh paint numerous timeless
masterpieces.
A. so too did Vincent van Gogh paint numerous timeless masterpieces
B. Vincent van Gogh paints timeless masterpieces, and lots of them
C. Vincent van Gogh’s bequest was to paint timeless masterpieces
D. and to van Gogh, then, were numerous masterpieces painted
E. also like them van Gogh painted numerous timeless masterpieces
9. The artists interviewed described their work as at once exhausting, because of the
emotional investment involved, but its power is still a source of pleasure to them.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
but its power is still a source of pleasure to them.
although it is powerfully a source of pleasure
and it is powerful as a source of pleasure
while being so powerful as to be a source of pleasure
and powerful because of the pleasure it provides.
10. Fear prevents some people from speaking out against wrongdoings; ignorance, others; a lax
sense of morality, only a few.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
ignorance, others
ignorance keeping others
ignorance is another reason
for others, it is ignorance
what prevents others from it is ignorance
11. The man noticed the decay and lifelessness of the city, and these are facts that are detailed
in his diary.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
these are facts that are detailed
these facts having been detailed
the detailing of these facts is
detailed these facts
his detailing of the facts
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Being
Generally speaking, don’t choose an answer that has this word in it.
EXAMPLE: It being her base, Boyd’s eighty-year old cabin is thirty-five miles from the nearest
paved road.
A.
B.
C.
D.
NO CHANGE
Her base is an eighty-year old cabin
Being an eighty-year old cabin, it is her base
Boyd’s cabin, it being an eighty-year old base, is
Then or Than?
Then is used either as a time marker or with a sequence of events
Examples:
1. I took all of the exams in the morning, and then I spent the rest of the day sleeping.
2. Back then we knew what was expected of us.
3. I bought apples from this orchard last summer, but I seem to remember paying more for
them then.
Than is used in comparative statements
1. He is taller than I am.
2. Other than the interest on a small inheritance, he had no income.
3. Today’s students actually don’t read less than students in the previous generation did.
Who or Whom: the shortcut version
Who is a subject: use it in place of he, she, they, I or we
Whom is an object: use it in place of him, her, them, me or us.
First: isolate the clause
Second: rearrange words when necessary
Third: be particularly careful to reword questions when necessary
1. Kim (who, whom) had reported her car stolen, needed a ride home.
2. Whoever/Whomever took the book should return it immediately.
3. I can imagine how the first person who/whom stepped onto the moon’s surface must have
felt.
4. We thanked Mr. Thompson to who/whom we had turned for help.
5. One should confide only in a friend who/whom can be trusted
6. Odysseus’s wife Penelope who/whom he left for 19 years waited faithfully for his return.
7. To who/whom was she speaking?
8. Did you see who/whom Mr. Burns congratulated?
9. Now that you have studied both musicians, who/whom, in your opinion, is the better
teacher?
10. Who/Whom did you support in the last election?
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Misplaced Modifiers
Things to know:
1. A modifier is a word or group of words that describes a noun or pronoun
2. A modifier should be placed as closely as possible to the noun it is describing.
3. A modifier is misplaced when it does not appear close to the noun it is meant to describe.
Most of the following sentences contain misplaced modifiers.
Helpful hint: many sentences that will contain a misplaced modifier start with a word that ends
in ed, ing, or ly.
1. Beautifully refinished and polished, John admired the antique piano.
2. Feeling free and exhilarated, the last day of school was fun for the students.
3. Standing in line for hours, my patience ran out, and I left.
4. Freshly cut and still moist with dew, our neighbors brought us a bouquet of flowers.
5. Demanding and tough, the road to success is a difficult one.
6. They bought an old car from a dishonest dealer with a faulty transmission.
7. Betty decided to become a lawyer in middle school.
8. A man gave us tickets to the concert in the elevator.
9. She promised to tell the truth at the start of her report.
Rhetorical Questions
About half of the questions on the English section of the ACT concern style and editing. Some
people may find these questions more challenging than the Usage/Mechanics questions because
there are no rules that strictly determine the correct answers. Others may find them easier for that
very reason – there’s little to memorize. In any case, to answer these questions correctly you
must have/develop an intuitive sense for good English writing.
Style
1. Redundancy: Redundant statements will say the same thing
Examples: The diner closes at 3 a.m. in the morning.
In my opinion, I think we should get some rest.
Weak and without strength, the old car could not make it up the hill.
After birth, the newborn babies are weighed by the nurse.
Redundancy questions almost always give you the option to OMIT the underlined portion and
almost always that will be the correct answer.
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2. Appropriate Word Choice and Identifying Tone
Identifying the appropriate word choice can be as simple as figuring out whether a sentence
should use the word their or there or they’re. But word choice can also be slightly more
complicated, involving many words working together to create a tone. For example the sentence
“Lloyd George rocks!” does not belong in an essay on World War I. It doesn’t fit because it’s
written in a casual, slangy tone, and history essays as well as most ACT essays are generally
neither casual nor slangy.
Example: A major American car maker realized too late that the name of one of its models
being converted into hard cash in South America is a Spanish word meaning “ugly old
woman”.
A. NO CHANGE
B. sold over the counter
C. traded for the local currency
D. offered for sale
Superfluous information …….AKA shorter is better
Example: She heats the cabin
E. NO CHANGE
F. cabin, which is her base
G. cabin, her home base
H. cabin, which is eighty years old
Organization Questions
Several questions will ask you to improve the effectiveness of a passage through careful
revision and editing.
Frequently these questions will ask you to do one of the following:
1. Choose the most appropriate topic or transitional sentence for a paragraph.
2. Almost as frequently, you will have to choose the best option for strengthening an
argument by adding information or evidence.
3. In other questions, you may also have to choose which sections of an argument can be
deleted.
4. You will also have to identify the purpose of a passage – its audience or its message –
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1. The go with what they give you question
Information in the question will lead you to the answer.
Example: Which of the alternative clauses would most effectively support the assertion made
in the previous sentence about the variety in Japanese comics?
You will reread the “previous sentence”, but you can usually select the correct answer
without its help.
A. There are adventure stories in the U.S., but they are drawn in a very unique style, unlike
anything done in the American stories.
B. There are also stories about sports, romance, work, history, school and fashion
C. American readers might find some of the difficult to understand, even in translation.
D. The most popular stories in Japanese comics are in the category of science fiction.
2. The Suppose the writer had been assigned to include a section on blah, blah, blah. Should
that be included in this essay… question
These questions will offer two “Yes, because………………….” choices and two
“No because…………………………”
You should choose the answer that basically says either
1. Yes because it sticks to the topic
2. No because it does not stick to the topic
Here is the last question about an essay on Japanese comic books. Its main idea is that in Japan,
comic books are widely read by people of all age groups because they cover a broad range of
topics and interests. One part of the essay compares Japanese comics with American ones.
Question: Suppose the writer had been assigned to write a brief essay detailing some
specific way in which Japan has been influenced by American culture. Would
this essay successfully fulfill the assignment?
a. No because the essay suggests instead that the Japanese have been innovative
leaders in developing the comic book as a popular art form.
b. No, because the essay does not give any specific examples of actual Japanese
comic books.
c. Yes, because the U.S. does exert considerable influence on Japanese culture
today although the same is not true for the business world.
d. Yes, because the essay suggests that there are adventure stories in Japanese
comic books, just as there are in American comic books.
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Hint: Often the title will help remind you of the essay’s main idea.
Example: There is an essay entitled Leading the Cherokee, about a tribal leader named Wilma Pl.
Mankiller. The last question says
Suppose the writer had chosen to write a brief essay about the role of women in an
American Indian tribe. Would this essay successfully fulfill the writer’s goal?
A. No because the essay focuses on the life of one female American Indian leader and
does not address the role of Cherokee women in general.
B. No, because the essay indicates that most American Indian tribes are led by men.
C. Yes, because the essay indicates that Mankiller had a difficult time getting elected at
first because she was a woman.
D. Yes, because Mankiller is portrayed in the essay as representative of many Cherokee
woman.
Example: This is an essay entitled Tejano Music and Its Meadowlark
The last question says
Suppose the writer’s goal had been to write a brief essay focusing on the history and development
of Tejano music. Would this essay successfully fulfill that goal?
A. Yes, because the essay describes the origins of Tejano music and one of its early
important figures.
B. Yes, because the essay mentions the contributions that Tejano music has made to
other folk music traditions.
C. No, because the essay refers to other musical forms besides Tejano music.
D. No, because the essay focuses on only one Tejano musician, Lydia Mendoza
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