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NEW YORK REGENTS
PRACTICE EXAMS
EMCParadigm Publishing Saint Paul, Minnesota
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Staff Credits
Editorial
Design
Laurie Skiba
Managing Editor
Shelley Clubb
Production Manager
Brenda Owens
Editor
Lisa Beller
Design and Production Specialist
Nichola Torbett
Associate Editor
Becky Palmer
Associate Editor
Jennifer J. Anderson
Associate Editor
Valerie Murphy
Editorial Assistant
Soo Jin Link
Educational Writer
Cover Credits
Cover Designer: C. Vern Johnson
The Human Condition, 1934. Rene Magritte.
The Farm, 1921–1922. Joan Miró.
The Persistence of Memory, 1931. Salvador Dali.
ISBN 0-8219-2928-3
© 2003 EMC Corporation
All rights reserved. The assessment materials in this publication may be photocopied for classroom use only. No part of this publication may be adapted, reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise without permission from the publisher.
Published by EMC/Paradigm Publishing
875 Montreal Way
St. Paul, Minnesota 55102
800-328-1452
www.emcp.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Printed in the United States of America.
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Contents
Test-Taking Skills Practice Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Understanding the New York Regents Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Answering Multiple-Choice Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Answering Reading and Listening Comprehension Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Succeeding on Session One, Part A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Succeeding on Session One, Part B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Succeeding on Session Two, Part A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Succeeding on Session Two, Part B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Understanding How Regents Exam Essays Are Scored . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Grade 10 New York Regents Practice Exams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Unit 1 Test
Reading and Writing for Literary Response (Session Two, Part A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Unit 2 Test
Reading and Writing for Information and Understanding (Session One, Part B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Unit 3 Test
Reading and Writing for Literary Response (Session Two, Part A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Unit 4 Test
Reading and Writing for Information and Understanding (Session One, Part B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Unit 5 Test
Listening and Writing for Information and Understanding (Session One, Part A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Unit 6 Test
Listening and Writing for Information and Understanding (Session One, Part A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Unit 7 Test
Reading and Writing for Critical Analysis (Session Two, Part B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Unit 8 Test
Reading and Writing for Information and Understanding (Session One, Part B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
Unit 9 Test
Reading and Writing for Critical Analysis (Session Two, Part B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
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Unit 10 Test
Listening and Writing for Information and Understanding (Session One, Part A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
Unit 11 Test
Reading and Writing for Critical Analysis (Session Two, Part B) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Unit 12 Test
Reading and Writing for Literary Response (Session Two, Part A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Scoring Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
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Introduction
The EMC Masterpiece Series, Literature and the Language Arts textbook program has been designed to
address the New York State learning standards assessed by the New York Regents Comprehensive Exam in
English. Competencies are developed throughout the program, giving students the opportunity to
internalize them through multiple practice opportunities before having to demonstrate them on the actual
exam. The Test-Taking Skills Worksheets and New York Regents Practice Exams in this book are only a
small part of this practice.
An Integrated Approach
Carefully constructed practice opportunities for reading, writing, and listening are integrated throughout
the Literature and the Language Arts textbook program. Development of these skills is outlined in the
Lesson Plans book, located in the Literacy Resource binder. There you will find a comprehensive list of
integrated reading, writing, listening, and other language arts activities.
The Reading Strategies Resource, also located in the Literacy Resource binder, is specifically designed to
help New York students internalize the reading strategies they need, not only to succeed on the Regents
Exam and other standardized tests, but to become proficient, lifelong readers. The Reading Strategies
Resource covers eight reading strategies that help students monitor their comprehension as they read the
selections in the textbook and answer reading comprehension questions after reading.
Each Reading Strategy Mini-Lesson helps students work through a textbook selection by focusing on
one specific reading strategy that they learn to use before, during, and after reading. A fix-up strategy is
provided for students who need extra help. Work with the reading strategy culminates with a Test
Practice page in which students are asked to demonstrate their successful use of the reading strategy by
answering sample multiple-choice and constructed-response questions.
Writing practice can be found in the Guided Writing lessons at the end of each unit, in the Writer’s
Journal prompts following each selection, and on the Selection Tests and Unit Tests. Writing tasks stress
the importance of prewriting prior to drafting, even in timed writing situations.
Speaking and Listening activities can be found in the Integrating the Language Arts activities that
follow each literature selection. In addition, the Audio Library contains many selections that can be used
for supplementary listening practice. Play the audio selection, and encourage students to take notes on
what they hear. Then administer the Selection Check Test from the Unit Resource book to test students’
listening comprehension.
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New York Regents Exam Practice Book
In addition to the assessment practice integrated throughout the core components of Literature and the
Language Arts, test practice can be found in New York Regents Exam Practice books, available for grades
nine, ten, and eleven in print and downloadable online (www.emcp.com) formats.
TEST-TAKING SKILLS WORKSHEETS. This book contains a set of test-taking skills worksheets that help students
use the strategies and skills they develop as they work through the Literature and the Language Arts
program to succeed on standardized tests. These worksheets introduce students to the format of the New
York Regents Exam and give them tips on answering multiple-choice questions, using information from
texts to respond to writing tasks, and writing critically about literature. Each worksheet contains
instruction followed by practice opportunities.
SAMPLE NEW YORK REGENTS EXAMS. You will also find in this book twelve practice exam segments integrated
with the twelve literature units in the textbook. The four parts of the Regents Exam—Listening and
Writing for Information and Understanding, Reading and Writing for Information and Understanding,
Reading and Writing for Literary Response, and Reading and Writing for Critical Analysis—are each
covered in three units. The Listening and Writing for Information and Understanding segments are based
on selections from the Audio Library; teachers should play each selection twice before asking students to
answer the multiple-choice questions and write their responses to the task.
SCORING GUIDE. The Scoring Guide at the back of this book includes answers to all multiple-choice
questions and rubrics for scoring each writing task.
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Test–Taking Skills
Practice Worksheets
Understanding the New York Regents Exam
In order to receive a Regents diploma at graduation, you must pass the New York Regents Exam in English.
The Comprehensive English exam consists of two sessions administered over two days. Each session has
two parts, and you will have three hours to complete those two parts.
In general, each part of the exam asks you to work with a text, answering multiple-choice question about
the text’s key ideas and then using information from the text to write an essay. The exception is Session
Two, Part B, which does not involve multiple-choice questions. The following chart outlines the four parts
of the test.
Day Part
Name of Part
Text Passage(s)
MultipleChoice
Questions
Writing Task
1
A
Listening and Writing
for Information and
Understanding
one nonfiction text read
aloud twice
5–6
informative or persuasive
essay in response to an
imaginary situation
1
B
Reading and Writing
for Information and
Understanding
two nonfiction texts, one
of which is a chart or
graph
10
informative or persuasive
essay in response to an
imaginary situation
2
A
Reading and Writing
for Literary Response
two literary texts
(excerpts from essays,
stories, poems, or plays)
10
unified essay on a theme
shared by the two texts
2
B
Reading and Writing
for Critical Analysis
quotation about life or
literature
0
unified essay interpreting
the quotation by using any
two literary texts you have
read
You can view samples of each part of the test by visiting the New York State Assessment site at
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/assess.html. Becoming familiar with the test format before the exam
will help you feel confident as you go into the exam.
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The most important thing you can do to prepare for the New York Regents Exam is to pay attention in
class and complete your assignments. The work you do throughout each year helps you build the skills
you need to do well on the exam. Here are some other tips:
• Know what to expect. Become familiar with the format of the test and take practice exams.
• Understand how the exam will be scored. Your teacher can give you copies of the rubrics that will
be used to evaluate your writing. Understanding the criteria used to grade your essay will help you
write an essay that will score well.
• Get plenty of sleep the night before the test and eat a healthy breakfast in the morning.
• Arrive on time for both days. Running late can raise your stress level and hurt your performance.
• Make a list of literary elements and techniques and review this list several times in the week before
the exam.
• Make a list of literary works you have read recently and could write about on the last part of the test.
Review this list several times in the week before the exam.
EXERCISE
1. List the four parts of the Comprehensive English exam. Explain which parts will be administered on
each of the two days.
2. Which part of the exam do you expect to be the most difficult for you? How can you prepare for
this part?
3. Which of the tips listed above have you used before?
4. Which of the tips above do you think will help you most on the Regents Exam?
5. Summarize how you plan to prepare for the Regents Exam.
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Answering Multiple-Choice Questions
Many standardized tests, including three of the four parts of the New York Regents Exam in English,
involve multiple-choice questions that have a single correct answer. The guidelines below will help you
answer these kinds of questions effectively.
Tips for Answering Multiple-Choice Questions
Read each question carefully. Pay special attention to any words that are
bolded, italicized, written in all capital letters, or otherwise emphasized.
Read all choices before deciding on the answer.
Eliminate any answers that do not make sense, that disagree with what you
remember from the passage, or that seem too extreme. Also, if two answers
have exactly the same meaning, you can eliminate both.
Beware of distractors. These are incorrect answers that look attractive
because they are partially correct, they contain a common misconception,
or they apply the right information in the wrong way. Distractors are based
on common mistakes students make.
Rule out incorrect answers; then choose the answer that is most accurate or
complete. Pay special attention to choices such as none of the above or all of
the above.
If a question seems too difficult, skip it and come back to it later. Keep in
mind, though, that most tests allow you to go back only to questions
within a section.
Make sure that you are marking your answer clearly on the correct line of
the answer sheet.
EXERCISE
Read “Into the Electronic Millennium” by Sven Birkerts on pages 489–494 of your textbook. Then select
the best answer to each of the following questions.
1. Why does the professor sell his large book collection?
(1) He needs the money.
(2) He hates to read and is finally giving up on the practice.
(3) He is starting a new career in computers.
(4) The books belonged to his deceased wife and cause him too much pain.
2. Which of the following BEST expresses the main idea of this selection?
(1) Books are quickly going out of fashion; soon they will be worthless.
(2) Electronic communication is not as private as most users would like to think.
(3) Electronic communication is better than print communication.
(4) We are in the middle of a transition from print culture to electronic culture.
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3. Which of the following is the BEST paraphrase of “’There’ was then; ‘here’ is now”?
(1) Travel is much easier in the electronic age.
(2) Books are the old way; computer technology is the new way.
(3) Different geographical locations are more alike than ever before.
(4) Schools need to update their thinking to include more technological offerings.
4. Birkerts estimates that the current transition will take
(1) fifty years
(2) fewer than ten years
(3) several hundred years
(4) a millennium
5. According to Birkerts, why is it difficult for us to recognize the influence television has on us?
(1) Television is so much a part of our culture that it is difficult to question it.
(2) Books are declining, so few people have read critiques of television.
(3) We have been brainwashed to think in certain ways about television.
(4) Television has no influence.
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Answering Reading and
Listening Comprehension Questions
Reading comprehension questions ask you to read a short piece of writing and answer several questions
about it. After listening to a passage that is read or played aloud for you, you might be asked to answer
listening comprehension questions. To answer reading and listening comprehension questions, follow
these steps:
1. If permitted, read through all the questions quickly.
2. Read or listen to the passage with the questions in mind.
3. Take notes and/or mark up the text as you listen or read.
4. Reread the first question carefully. If you know the answer, select it and move on to step 7. If not,
proceed to the next step.
5. Scan the passage or your notes to look for key words related to the question. When you find a key
word, slow down and read carefully.
6. Answer the question.
7. Repeat this process to answer the rest of the questions.
Sometimes the answers to comprehension questions can be found in the text you have read. Other times,
however, you will need to draw conclusions in order to answer the question. Drawing conclusions means
putting together the clues given in the text with your own prior knowledge to build ideas. For example,
read the following passage:
Tabitha spent all day in the woods looking for and gathering different kinds of leaves
for her science project. As she walked home, she began to develop an itch on her legs.
She looked down and saw that her legs were covered with red blotches. Soon, not only
were her legs itching but also her arms and hands. Tabitha began to panic and ran
home, hoping that her father could relieve the itch and make the rash disappear.
What is the cause of Tabitha’s itchy rash? The passage itself does not say, but it does give you clues:
spending time in the woods, developing an itch, and being covered with red blotches. By putting these
clues together with your prior knowledge, you can be pretty certain that Tabitha stepped in poison ivy
while looking for leaves.
As you draw conclusions, remember that each conclusion needs to fit with all of the clues in the passage
and with your prior knowledge. In multiple-choice questions, you can eliminate answers that contradict
the text and those for which there is no evidence. Then, from the remaining answers, choose the one that
seems most logical.
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EXERCISE
Read “Major Accomplishments of Leonardo da Vinci” by Michael Gelb on pages 620–622 of your
textbook. Then select the best answer to the questions that follow.
1. Leonardo was all of the following EXCEPT
(1) a scientist
(2) an artist
(3) an inventor
(4) a military officer
2. According to this author, Leonardo’s most important invention is
(1) the guided missile
(2) automation
(3) locks for a canal system
(4) a flying machine
3. Which of the following categories best describes these terms: perspective, chiaroscuro,
contrapposto, sfumato?
(1) military advances pioneered by Leonardo
(2) scientific concepts that developed from Leonardo’s ideas
(3) painting techniques for which Leonardo is known
(4) inventions by Leonardo
4. Leonardo’s position on war was that
(1) one should be as well prepared as possible for military intervention
(2) war is an atrocity, but it is sometimes necessary to defend liberty
(3) war is wrong under any conditions
(4) war is a technological game for adults
5. What would you expect to find in the next paragraphs of this essay?
(1) a description of Leonardo’s contributions to medicine
(2) a biography of Leonardo
(3) an anecdote about the first time the author saw the Mona Lisa
(4) a long quotation from Leonardo’s journal
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Succeeding on Session One, Part A
On the first part of the New York Regents Exam in English, you will be asked to
• listen to and take notes on a passage that will be read aloud to you two times
• answer five to six multiple-choice questions on key ideas from this passage
• use information from the passage to write an essay based on an imaginary situation
You can use the reading strategies you have learned to help you understand the listening passage. The
following specific steps will help you succeed on this part of the exam.
Before the First Listening
Read the Overview and the Situation on the first page of the section carefully. The Overview gives you the
topic of the passage you are about to hear. Knowing this topic will allow you to make predictions about
what the passage will say. The Situation introduces an imaginary scenario for which you will need to write
an informative or persuasive essay using information from the passage. Understanding what you will be
asked to write will help you recognize and write down key details from the passage as you hear it. Read
the following sample Overview and Situation:
Overview: For this part of the test, you will listen to a passage about the impact of
human beings on their environment, answer some multiple-choice questions, and write
a response based on the situation described below. You will hear the account twice. You
may take notes on the next page anytime you wish during the readings.
The Situation: You are a member of an environmental action club at your school. At the
next meeting, your club will choose the issues on which they want to work this year. To
help you prepare for that meeting, write an informative essay about current threats to
the environment.
As you read the Situation, notice the topic, audience, and purpose for the writing task. For the example
above, these elements are:
Topic: current threats to the environment
Audience: members of the environmental action club
Purpose: to inform
Think about what you already know about the topic of the passage and the topic of the essay you will be
asked to write. Begin to visualize what may be described in the passage. Make a plan for taking notes as
you listen.
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During the First Listening
Use the reading strategies you have learned this year to increase your comprehension of what you hear.
Take notes on the key ideas from the passage. The following tips will help you get as much as possible
from this first listening:
• Continue making predictions.
• Link what you are hearing to what you already know.
• Create mind pictures of the things you hear.
• Write things down. Use abbreviations so that you can write faster. If you miss something important,
leave space for it in your notes so that you can catch it on the second reading. Especially write
down:
• the title of the passage
• names
• dates
• places
• keywords about your mind pictures
• lists
• steps
• reasons
• any words or phrases that are repeated
• interesting quotations
• anything signaled by words like “most important,” “in short,” or “in summary”
Before the Second Listening
• Highlight gaps in your notes that indicate that you missed something important.
• Think about the main idea or main ideas of the passage. Then try to identify supporting details for
each. On this time through, focus on filling in any supporting details that you missed.
• Think about the essay you will have to write. What information are you missing that you should
focus on capturing as you listen to the passage again?
During the Second Listening
• Fill in gaps in what you heard.
• Identify supporting details for each main idea.
• Draw conclusions from the information you have heard.
After Listening
• Answer the multiple-choice questions. Then turn back to the first page of the section and read
Your Task.
Your Task:
Write an informative paper that outlines current threats to the environment.
This sentence summarizes what you are being asked to write.
Next, quickly read over the bulleted list of guidelines. You will return to these later to help you revise and
proofread your response.
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Use your notes and the answers to the multiple-choice questions to make an outline of your essay. Use
specific details from the passage to support each of your main points.
When your outline is complete, draft your essay. Remember that an essay has three main parts: an
introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
Your introduction should contain the following:
• a hook
• the thesis, or main idea, of your essay
Teenagers typically think a lot about relationships, but how often do we think about our
relationship to the planet on which we live? This relationship needs our concern and
interest in order to remain healthy. There are currently many threats to our
environment, including atomic waste, pesticides, and greenhouse gases.
Write one body paragraph for each main idea in your essay. In the example above, the writer will have
three body paragraphs, one for each threat he or she mentions. Fill each body paragraph with supporting
details from your outline.
Pesticides are one serious threat to the environment. More than 400 chemicals have
been developed to kill plants and animals deemed undesirable by human beings.
Applied to insects, weeds, or rodents, these chemicals often kill not only their targets
but other, more helpful plants or insects; for this reason, they are often called
“nonselective chemicals.” They also enter the food chain and water supply, potentially
affecting every living creature in the area. Chemical residue coats the leaves that are
eaten by animals and sometimes by humans. Pesticides also run off into our streams and
lakes. As Rachel Carson said, pesticides have the power to “still the song of birds and
the leaping of fish in the streams,” and many of their long-term effects are not even
known yet.
The conclusion should contain:
• a restatement of the main idea in slightly different words
• a final statement that moves the reader to act or think
Human-made substances such as atomic waste, pesticides, and greenhouse gases
threaten to make our planet unlivable. If we don’t wake up soon and seek more
environmental protections, we may be facing our own extinction. It is our responsibility
to be caretakers of the planet that sustains us.
Once you have drafted your essay, review the guidelines on the first page of the section. Make sure you
have met each guideline. Proofread your essay for errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization,
and usage.
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EXERCISE
[Note to the teacher: Please read aloud Garrison Keillor’s “How to Write a Letter” on pages 483–485 of
the textbook. Allow students a few minutes to review their notes. Then read the speech again.]
Overview: For this part of the text, you will listen to an essay that give tips on how to write a personal
letter, answer some multiple-choice questions, and write a response based on the situation described
below. You will hear the account twice. You may take notes on the next page anytime you wish during
the readings.
The Situation: Your English class has engaged in a debate about which form of
communication is better: letter writing or e-mail. Write a persuasive speech in which
you argue either for letters or for e-mails as the superior form of communication. In
preparation for writing your persuasive speech, listen to this account of one writer’s
view toward letter writing. Then use relevant information from the account to write
your position paper.
Your Task:
Write a persuasive speech in which you argue that either personal letters or e-mail is a
better form of communication.
Guidelines:
Be sure to
• Tell your audience what they need to know about the merits of each form of
communication
• Use specific, accurate, and relevant information from the account to support your
argument
• Use a tone and level of language appropriate for a persuasive essay for an English class
• Organize your ideas in a logical and coherent manner
• Indicate any words taken directly from the account by using quotation marks or
referring to the source
• Follow the conventions of standard written English
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NOTES
DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO
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Multiple-Choice Questions
Directions (1–6): Use your notes to answer the following questions about the passage you just heard.
Select the best suggested answer. The questions may help you think about ideas and information you
might use in your writing. You may return to these questions anytime you wish.
1. Which of the following DOES NOT describe the speaker’s attitude toward letters?
(1) Letters are gifts.
(2) Writing letters help people to get to know each other.
(3) Good letters are often edited before mailed.
(4) Letters improve with age.
2. The first step to writing a letter is
(1) getting over the guilt of not writing
(2) making a list of all the people you haven’t responded to
(3) finding inspiration to write
(4) meditating on the person you are writing to
3. Which of the following items is NOT needed for letter writing?
(1) a note card
(2) a nice pen
(3) inspiration
(4) a grammar handbook
4. According to the speaker, you should do all of the following things when writing a letter
EXCEPT
(1) use a small sheet of paper if you are having trouble coming up with things to write
about
(2) if you make a mistake, tear up the letter and start over
(3) allow yourself to make mistakes
(4) don’t think about the form or structure of the letter
5. According to the speaker, what makes letters UNIQUE is that
(1) they are personal
(2) they improve with age
(3) they allow you to stay connected with those you love
(4) they allow you to express yourself
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6. According to the speaker, all of the following are good reasons to write letters EXCEPT
(1) you discover something new about yourself when you write letters
(2) you give someone a gift when you send a letter
(3) when writing letters, you get to practice writing with good grammar and form
(4) letters can act as a recorder of life
After you have finished these questions, review The Situation, Your Task, and the
Guidelines. Use scrap paper to plan your response. Then write your response beginning
on the next page.
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Succeeding on Session One, Part B
On the second part of the New York Regents Exam in English, you will be asked to
• read an informational article and a related chart or graph
• answer ten multiple-choice questions on key ideas from BOTH the article and the chart or graph
• use information from BOTH the article and the chart or graph to write an essay based on an
imaginary situation
You can use the reading strategies you have learned to help you understand the two texts. The following
specific steps will help you succeed on this part of the exam.
Before Reading
Read the Situation on the first page of the section carefully. The Situation introduces an imaginary scenario
for which you will need to write an informative or persuasive essay using information from both texts.
Understanding what you will be asked to write gives you hints about the topic of the article and chart or
graph; you can use these hints to make predictions about what you will find in the passages.
Understanding the situation will also help you underline or take notes on key details from the passages as
you read them. Read the following sample Situation:
The Situation: Your school district is suffering from a budget crunch. To save money,
school officials are considering eliminating the speech, drama, and creative writing
programs, which they consider to be unnecessary. Write a persuasive column for your
community newspaper arguing that the school board should or should not eliminate
these programs.
As you read the Situation, notice the topic, audience, and purpose for the writing task. For the example
above, these elements are
Topic: elimination of speech, drama, and creative writing programs
Audience: readers of the community newspaper
Purpose: to persuade
Think about what you already know or believe about the topic of the essay you will be asked to write.
Begin to predict what may be described in the passage. Make a plan for capturing important information
from the passages as you read. For example, you might choose to underline or circle key details or jot
your conclusions in the margin of the text as you read.
During Reading
Use the reading strategies you have learned throughout the year to read the article and chart or graph
actively.
1. Read with a purpose.
2. Connect to prior knowledge.
3. Write things down.
4. Make predictions.
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5. Visualize.
6. Use text organization.
7. Tackle difficult vocabulary.
8. Monitor your reading progress.
As you read, note key details and draw conclusions about how the article and chart or graph relate to the
Situation.
After Reading
Answer the multiple-choice questions. Then turn back to the first page of the section and read Your Task.
Your Task:
Using relevant information from both documents, write a persuasive community
newspaper column arguing that the school board should OR should not eliminate
speech, drama, and creative writing programs at your school.
This sentence summarizes what you are being asked to write and reminds you to use information from
both the article and the chart or graph.
Next, quickly read over the bulleted list of guidelines. You will return to these later to help you revise and
proofread your response.
Use your marked-up copy of the documents and the answers to the multiple-choice questions to make an
outline of your essay. Use specific details from the passage to support each of your main points.
When your outline is complete, draft your essay. Remember that an essay has three main parts: an
introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
Your introduction should contain the following:
• necessary background information
• the thesis, or main idea, of your essay
Jamesville Public Schools are facing tight economic times, and the school board has
taken on the difficult task of cutting costs. One proposal is to eliminate the speech,
drama, and creative writing programs. While I understand the difficulty of finding ways
to save money, I urge the school board to reconsider this plan. There is evidence that
participating in such programs enhances students’ chances of future success.
Write one body paragraph for each main idea in your essay. Fill each body paragraph with supporting
details from your outline.
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Participating in speech, drama, and creative writing increases students’ ability to use
language effectively. According to a study sponsored by The 52nd Street Project, a
drama mentorship program, students involved in drama programs scored an average of
18% higher on the verbal portion of the SAT than students who had no such
experience. In addition, students reported increased self-confidence about public
speaking and more comfort in interpersonal interactions after being involved in the
program for one year. Students who participated in a creative writing mentorship
program scored higher on standardized tests of writing ability than did those who had
never taken creative writing. Students in Jamesville Public Schools deserve an
opportunity to develop their verbal abilities, which will be important not just in high
school but also in future careers.
The conclusion should contain:
• a restatement of the main idea in slightly different words
• a final statement that moves the reader to act or think
Evidence suggests that participation in speech, drama, and creative writing activities
help students develop verbal skills, increase their confidence and self-esteem, and
succeed in college and beyond. While balancing the district budget is an important
priority, education and future student success must be a greater priority. Please attend
Monday’s school board meeting and urge board members not to cut speech, drama, and
creative writing programs.
Once you have drafted your essay, review the guidelines on the first page of the section. Make sure you
have met each guideline. Proofread your essay for errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization,
and usage.
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EXERCISE
Directions: Read the article “Beware the Unruly Sun” on pages 476–479 and study the graph on page
478. Then answer the multiple-choice questions, and write a response based on the situation described
below. You may use scrap paper to plan your response.
The Situation: Every year before the school year ends, the peer support group travels to
the elementary school to give a presentation on a topic children need to understand.
This year’s topic will be how to protect themselves from the dangers of the sun. To
prepare for your role in the presentation, write an informative speech on how kids can
protect their skin from the harmful rays of a summer sun.
Your Task:
Using relevant information from both documents, write an informative speech on how
kids can protect their skin from the sun’s harmful rays.
Guidelines:
Be sure to
• Tell your audience what they need to know about the dangers of the sun and how
people can protect their skin from the sun’s harmful rays
• Use specific, accurate, and relevant information from the text and the graph to
support your argument
• Use a tone and level of language appropriate for an informative speech for a
presentation to elementary students
• Organize your ideas in a logical and coherent manner
• Indicate any words taken directly from the text by using quotation marks or referring
to the author
• Follow the conventions of standard written English
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Multiple-Choice Questions
Directions (1–10): Select the best suggested answer to each question. The questions may help you think
about ideas and information you might want to use in your writing. You may return to these questions
anytime you wish.
1. According to the article, one of the fastest rising forms of cancer is
(1) carcinoma
(2) melanoma
(3) radiation
(4) lung cancer
2. Using context clues, the phrase grace period MOST LIKELY means
(1) time before harm is done
(2) time of great beauty
(3) time of love
(4) time to punctuate correctly
3. According to the article, melanomas are
(1) pigment cells that give the skin its color
(2) one of the least harmful kinds of skin cancer
(3) 100% deadly
(4) rare compared to other forms of skin cancer
4. Based on the article, which of the following people is at the greatest risk of developing skin
cancer?
(1) an Asian-American man
(2) an American Indian woman
(3) an African-American man
(4) an Anglo-European woman
5. All BUT which of the following are ways to protect oneself from skin cancer?
(1) Wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least fifteen.
(2) Follow the steps of the ABCD test to check yourself regularly.
(3) If you want to spend time in the sun, do it after ten in the morning.
(4) Do not get sunburned during the first fifteen years of your life.
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6. Which of the following is often a precursor to skin cancer?
(1) mole
(2) sunburn
(3) freckle
(4) suntan
7. Which of the following statements BEST summarizes the main idea of this article?
(1) Prevention and early detection are the keys to not dying from skin cancer.
(2) If you do not want skin cancer, stay completely away from the sun.
(3) People of color do not have to worry about skin cancer.
(4) Skin cancer is the best kind of cancer to get because it is not as severe as other
cancers.
8. According to the graph, between the years 1975 and 1996, melanoma in men has more
than
(1) declined
(2) doubled
(3) tripled
(4) quadrupled
9. According to the graph, between the years 1975 and 1996, melanoma in women has
(1) declined
(2) doubled
(3) tripled
(4) quadrupled
10. According to both the text and the chart, which of the following statements is TRUE?
(1) Melanoma is rare; therefore, it is not dangerous.
(2) Women are more at risk than men of developing skin cancer.
(3) Although melanoma is rare, it kills the most people.
(4) The best way to prevent skin cancer is to remove your moles.
After you have finished these questions, review The Situation, Your Task, and the
Guidelines. Use scrap paper to plan your response. Then write your response beginning
on the next page.
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Succeeding on Session Two, Part A
On day two of the New York Regents Exam in English, the first part of the exam will ask you to
• read two excerpts from literary texts (poems, essays, plays, or stories)
• answer ten multiple-choice questions on key ideas from BOTH texts
• use ideas, literary elements, and literary techniques from BOTH texts to write a unified essay on a
subject specified in the Your Task section of the instructions.
You can use the reading strategies you have learned to help you understand and interpret the two texts.
The following specific steps will help you succeed on this part of the exam.
Before Reading
Read Your Task on the first page of the section carefully. This section contains the topic about which you
will be asked to write. Understanding what you will be asked to write gives you hints about the themes of
the two passages you will be reading; you can use these hints to make predictions about what you will
find in the passages. Knowing the topic of the essay you will be asked to write will also allow you to
underline or take notes on key ideas from the passage that you will include in your essay. Read the
following sample Your Task:
Your Task:
After you have read the passages and answered the multiple-choice questions, write a
unified essay about relationships and individuality as they are revealed in the passages.
In your essay, use ideas from BOTH passages to establish a controlling idea about how
individuality is related to relationships. Using evidence from EACH passage, develop
your controlling idea and show how the author uses specific literary elements or
techniques to convey that idea.
As you read Your Task, underline the topic about which you must write. In the example above, the topic
is “individuality and relationships.” This tells you that both passages will have something to do with these
two ideas. You can use this information to make your first predictions about what will happen in the texts.
You should also keep the essay topic in mind as you read. Make a plan for capturing important
information from the passages. For example, you might choose to underline or circle key details and draw
conclusions about individuality and relationships in the margins.
During Reading
Use the reading strategies you have learned throughout the year to read both passages actively.
1. Read with a purpose.
5. Visualize.
2. Connect to prior knowledge.
6. Use text organization.
3. Write things down.
7. Tackle difficult vocabulary.
4. Make predictions.
8. Monitor your reading progress.
As you read, note key details and literary elements. Also, draw conclusions about how the passages relate
to the essay topic.
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After Reading
Answer the multiple-choice questions. Then turn back to the first page of the section and review Your
Task. The assignment is to write a “unified essay” on the specified topic. A unified essay is one that is
governed by a single controlling idea, or thesis.
Your first challenge is to develop a controlling idea, which is a single sentence that sums up what the two
passages say about the topic.
Relationships that bind too tightly hamper one’s ability to reach one’s full potential as
an individual.
The controlling idea should apply to both passages. In the example, the two passages are a story about a
woman traveling across the country with her dying husband and a poem about a speaker who walks
away from the demands of others in order to live her own life. In both passages, protagonists struggle
with ties that bind them too closely to others and prevent them from being fully themselves.
Once you have expressed your controlling idea, make a graphic organizer like the one below. Under each
title, list ideas, details, and literary elements or techniques that support the controlling idea.
Controlling idea: Relationships that bind too tightly hamper one’s ability to reach one’s full potential
as an individual.
“A Journey” by Edith Wharton
• main character feels “a sense of separation”
from her husband’s illness; she is looking
forward to returning to New York even though
she knows it will mean his death
• personification of their energies: “Now their
energies no longer kept step; hers still bounded
ahead of life, preempting unclaimed regions of
hope and activity, while his lagged behind,
vainly struggling to overtake her”
• main character has not had a chance to really
live
“The Journey” by Mary Oliver
• voices “shouting their bad advice” synecdoche
for all the people making emotional demands
on speaker
• hyperbole: house trembling and people crying
“Mend my life!”
• the stars that “began to burn” symbolize
speaker’s true life beginning
• speaker is “determined to do / the only thing
you could do— / determined to save / the only
life you could save”
• journey to New York a symbol of journey to her
renewed life
• she feels that “life had a grudge against her:
she was never to be allowed to spread her
wings”
• when husband dies, she has to keep it secret in
order to get back to her life in New York
• must withdraw from other passengers who try
to help
• finally withdraws completely by losing
consciousness
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When your graphic organizer is complete, draft your essay. Remember that an essay has three main parts:
an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
Your introduction should contain the following:
• controlling idea
• titles and authors of both passages
• explanation of how each passage develops the controlling idea
Most people value their relationships with friends and family very highly; at the same
time, those relationships—and the expectations that come with them—can sometimes
feel suffocating. Both “A Journey” by Edith Wharton and “The Journey” by Mary
Oliver deal with relationships that bind someone too tightly to another person and
hamper that person’s ability to reach her full potential as an individual.
Write at least one body paragraph for each passage. Include a topic sentence that explains how the
passage develops the controlling idea. Then fill in the supporting details from your graphic organizer.
Remember to include only one major idea in each paragraph.
The speaker in “The Journey” struggles to do what she needs to do and not what other
people want her to do for them. As the poem begins, she forces herself to ignore the
voices around her who “keep shouting / their bad advice” and crying out for her to fix
their lives. Mary Oliver uses figurative language and striking images to dramatize the
inner conflict of the speaker. She writes that needy people “tug” at the speaker’s ankles,
and that the very house “trembles” as she tries to leave. The road away is littered with
“fallen / branches and stones.” These images are examples of hyperbole that effectively
convey how the speaker’s decision to take care of herself is figuratively “earthshaking.”
The reader gets the sense that the speaker is walking away from the collective babble
and chaos of a crowd or a storm. As the speaker moves away from these demands, she
notices that “the stars began to burn / through the sheet of clouds.” The stars
symbolize the clean, pure light that the speaker can see now that the clouds of others’
ideas have parted. At the same time, she hears “a new voice,” which she recognizes as
her own. Finally, away from those relationships that held her back, she can experience
her own individuality and “save / the only life [she] could save,” which is her own.
The conclusion should contain:
• a restatement of the controlling idea in slightly different words
• a final reference to the titles of both works
“A Journey” and “The Journey,” in their language and ideas, trace a person’s journey
from restrictive relationships toward individuality. In both works, someone enters a new
life that will be based more on personal choice than external demands.
Once you have drafted your essay, review the guidelines on the first page of the section. Make sure you
have met each guideline. Proofread your essay for errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization,
and usage.
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EXERCISE
Directions: From your textbook, read “Sundiata Keita, the Legend and the King” on pages 55–59
(Passage I) and the excerpt from The Prince on pages 339–342 (Passage II). Answer the multiple-choice
questions that follow. Then write the essay described in Your Task below. You may use scrap paper to take
notes as you read and to plan your response.
Your Task:
After you have read the passages and answered the multiple-choice questions, write a
unified essay about the characteristics of a good leader as revealed in the passages. In
your essay, use ideas from both passages to establish a controlling idea about the
characteristics of a good leader. Using evidence from each passage, develop your
controlling idea and show how the author uses specific literary elements or techniques
to convey that idea.
Guidelines:
Be sure to
• Use ideas from both passages to establish a controlling idea about the characteristics
of a good leader
• Use specific and relevant evidence from each passage to develop your controlling idea
• Show how each author uses specific literary elements (for example: theme,
characterization, structure, point of view) or techniques (for example: symbolism,
irony, figurative language) to convey the controlling idea
• Organize your ideas in a logical and coherent manner
• Use language that communicates ideas effectively
• Follow the conventions of standard written English
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Multiple-Choice Questions
Directions (1–10): Select the best suggested answer to each question. The questions may help you think
about the ideas and information you might want to use in your essay. You may return to these questions
anytime you wish.
Passage I (the legend)—Questions 1–5 refer to
Passage I.
1. To whom is Sundiata Keita compared?
(1) Martin Luther King, Jr., and Abraham
Lincoln
Passage II (the nonfiction treatise)—Questions
6–10 refer to Passage II.
6. According to Machiavelli, having high ideals
regarding goodness will lead to
(1) a thriving empire
(2) King Arthur and George Washington
(2) mass confusion
(3) Ghandi and Mother Teresa
(3) frustration among the citizens
(4) Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin
(4) ruin and downfall of a leader
2. Sundiata’s mother sings because
7. Machiavelli advises princes to
(1) Sundiata has captured Mali
(1) develop as many virtues as possible
(2) Sundiata has become king
(2) avoid vice at all costs
(3) Sundiata has defeated Sumanguru
(3) concentrate on avoiding the most
scandalous vices
(4) Sundiata has overcome his handicap
(4) forget about virtue and vice entirely
3. Sundiata’s mother taught him to be a prince
who is both
8. In the context of this selection, liberality is
(1) smart and conniving
(1) raising taxes, which makes a leader
unpopular
(2) sly and manipulative
(2) being stingy with wealth and hoarding
it all for oneself
(3) physically strong and wise
(4) spiritual and charming
(3) being generous with wealth, which can
cause a tax burden on the people
4. Which of the following groups of adjectives
DOES NOT describe Sundiata Keita?
(1) handsome, witty, and sly
(2) strong, kind, and wise
(4) a wise means of governing a country
9. Regarding promises, a prince should
(1) always keep his word
(3) courageous, determined, and confident
(2) disregard promises that don’t serve
one’s interests
(4) good, persistent, and noble
(3) make few promises in order not to
break them
5. The dialogue between Sumanguru and
Sundiata are filled with
(4) keep his word unless he is physically in
danger
(1) metaphors
(2) similes
(3) personification
10. According to this passage, a good leader must be
(4) analogies
(1) clever and ambitious
(2) generous, poetic, and kind-hearted
(3) a just, heroic fighter
(4) wise, loyal, and humane
After you have finished these questions, review Your Task and the Guidelines. Use scrap
paper to plan your response. Then write your response beginning on the next page.
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Succeeding on Session Two, Part B
On day two of the New York Regents Exam in English, the second part of the exam will ask you to
• read a quotation, called a “critical lens,” about life or literature
• think about what this quotation means and whether you agree or disagree with it
• write a unified essay about how the critical lens relates to any two works of literature you have read
Begin by reading Your Task and the Guidelines. These give you an overview of what you should do. If you
follow the Guidelines completely, you will score well on this section of the exam. The Guidelines are
always the same:
• Provide a valid interpretation of the critical lens that clearly establishes the criteria for analysis
• Indicate whether you agree or disagree with the statement as you have interpreted it
• Choose two works you have read that you believe best support your opinion
• Use the criteria suggested by the critical lens to analyze the works you have chosen
• Avoid plot summary. Instead, use specific references to appropriate literary elements (for example:
theme, characterization, setting, point of view) to develop your analysis
• Organize your ideas in a unified and coherent manner
• Specify the titles and authors of the literature you choose
• Follow the conventions of standard written English
Interpreting the Critical Lens
The critical lens is a statement by a writer about literature or life.
“All literature is protest. You can’t name a single literary work that isn’t protest.”
—Richard Wright (adapted)
Read the quotation carefully and think about what it means. Then rewrite the critical lens in your own
words.
Every work of literature in some way protests against something that is wrong.
Decide whether you agree or disagree with the quotation. Think of two works of literature you have read
that either support the quotation or show that the quotation is untrue. These works can be novels, short
stories, plays, poems, or memoirs.
It is true that most works of literature protest against something. Two books that reveal
this to be true are Toni Morrison’s Beloved and Elie Wiesel’s Night.
Planning Your Essay
Once you have identified the two works of literature, you need to gather ideas about them that support
the critical lens. One way to gather ideas is to create a graphic organizer in which you list the two works
of literature and then, under each, ideas, literary elements, and literary techniques from the work that
support the critical lens.
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Critical Lens: “All literature is protest. You can’t name a single literary work that isn’t protest.”
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Night by Elie Wiesel
• theme of how motherhood was distorted by
slavery
• characterization of Sethe and Beloved as
damaged by slavery and motivated to do
horrible things to avoid it
• conflict between Sethe and former owner
• symbol of scar on Sethe’s back that looked like
a tree
• theme of inhumanity of the Holocaust
• dramatic irony created by reader’s knowledge
of what will happen to the characters even
when such a fate is unimaginable to them
• figurative language such as similies and
metaphors comparing unthinkable acts to
things more familiar
• symbol of “night” as a period of great darkness
in history
Drafting Your Essay
When your graphic organizer is complete, draft your essay. Remember that an essay has three main parts:
an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
Your introduction should contain the following:
• an interpretation of the critical lens
• titles and authors of both works
• an explanation of how each work supports the interpretation of the critical lens
“All literature is protest. You can’t name a single literary work that isn’t protest.” These
words, written by Richard Wright, express the idea that every work of literature
protests in some way against a real or perceived injustice. Two works that support this
notion are Beloved by Toni Morrison and Night by Elie Wiesel. Toni Morrison’s novel
protests against the institution of slavery and the scars it left on those who suffered
under it. Elie Wiesel’s memoir of his experiences during the Holocaust gives voice to
the atrocities that took place during that time.
Write at least one body paragraph for each of your two works. Include a topic sentence that explains how
the passage supports your interpretation of the critical lens. Then fill in the supporting details from your
graphic organizer. Remember to include only one major idea in each paragraph.
Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved is a blazing indictment of the dehumanizing institution of
slavery. The theme, characterization, conflict, and symbolism in the book all work to
show how slavery has distorted the lives even of slaves who have reached freedom in the
North. In this book, Sethe, an escaped slave, slits the throat of her young child rather
than have that child taken back into slavery. This action, which would be considered
barbaric under other circumstances, shows the reader how slavery has distorted the idea
of motherhood, one of the themes of the book. For Sethe, killing her child is an act of
motherly love. Many years later, a young woman with the needs and mental abilities of
a baby shows up at Sethe’s house, and she and her daughter Denver believe that the
woman is the ghost of the baby Sethe killed, who is known in the book only as Beloved.
They call the young woman Beloved as well. Gradually, the needy Beloved begins to
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take over the household with her intense physical and emotional needs. The primary
conflict in the book is between this adult baby Beloved and Sethe, whom she both loves
and destroys as she eats up all the food in the house. This conflict shows that both
Sethe and Beloved are severely damaged as a result of slavery and the act slavery drove
Sethe to take against her baby. This damage is physically symbolized on Sethe’s body by
a huge scar on her back. In one of the book’s healing moments, Sethe’s lover says that
scar looks to him like a tree, a beautiful living thing. All of these elements come
together in Morrison’s novel to raise a powerful protest against slavery and the damage
it did to so many people.
Remember to write a paragraph like the one above about each work you have chosen.
The conclusion should contain:
• a restatement of your interpretation of the critical lens
• a final reference to the titles of both works
Both Beloved and Night protest against injustices perceived by the characters and the
authors. Works like these two demonstrate how literature serves to highlight and maybe
even to change unjust conditions or situations.
Revising and Proofreading Your Essay
Once you have drafted your essay, review the guidelines on the first page of the section. Make sure you
have met each guideline. Proofread your essay for errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization,
and usage.
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EXERCISE
Your Task:
Write a critical essay in which you discuss two works of literature you have read from the particular
perspective of the statement that is provided for you in the Critical Lens. In your essay, provide a valid
interpretation of the statement, agree or disagree with the statement as you have interpreted it, and
support your opinion using specific references to appropriate literary elements from the two works. You
may use scrap paper to plan your response. Write your essay beginning on the next page.
Critical Lens:
“The very essence of literature is the war between emotion and intellect, between life
and death. When literature becomes too intellectual—when it begins to ignore the
passions, the emotions—it becomes sterile, silly, and actually without substance.”
—Isaac Bashevis Singer
Guidelines:
Be sure to
• Provide a valid interpretation of the critical lens that clearly establishes the criteria for
analysis
• Indicate whether you agree or disagree with the statement as you have interpreted it
• Choose two works you have read that you believe best support your opinion
• Use the criteria suggested by the critical lens to analyze the works you have chosen
• Avoid plot summary. Instead, use specific references to appropriate literary elements
(for example: theme, characterization, setting, point of view) to develop your analysis
• Organize your ideas in a unified and coherent manner
• Specify the titles and authors of the literature you choose
• Follow the conventions of standard written English
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Understanding How Regents Exam Essays Are Scored
Understanding how your essays will be evaluated will help you score better on the exam. The essays for
all four sections are judged by the same five criteria.
1. Meaning: the extent to which the response exhibits sound understanding, interpretation, and
analysis of the task and text(s). To do well on this criterion, you must understand the text(s) you are
given, understand what the task asks you to do, and draw some conclusions from the text(s) rather
than just copying details from it.
2. Development: the extent to which ideas are elaborated using specific and relevant evidence from
the texts. To do well on this criterion, you must use pick from the text(s) details that fit the task and
use those details to make your points.
3. Organization: the extent to which the response exhibits direction, shape, and coherence. To do
well on this criterion, you must include an introduction that states the main point of your essay,
make each body paragraph support that main idea, use transitional words and phrases to show how
your ideas relate to each other, and include a conclusion that restates your main point.
4. Language Use: the extent to which the response reveals an awareness of audience and purpose
through effective use of words, sentence structure, and sentence variety. To do well on this criterion,
you must use words that are appropriate for the task and audience, use varied sentences (some short
and some long, some simple and some more complex), and write in a natural voice.
5. Conventions: the extent to which the response exhibits conventional spelling, punctuation,
paragraphing, capitalization, grammar, and usage. To do well on this criterion, you must check your
essay for correct spelling, punctuation, paragraphing, capitalization, grammar, and usage.
For each of these criteria, your essay will be given a score between one and six. Based on these scores, the
essay will be given an overall score. The overall scores on each essay, plus the scores on the multiplechoice sections, are input into a formula that yields your final score on the exam.
EXERCISE
1. Examine the scoring rubrics your teacher has photocopied for you (pages 124–127). Then reread one
of the practice essays you have written. Use the criteria listed above to evaluate your essay. Give
yourself a score on each criterion, and then explain the score on the lines provided.
Meaning Score: __________________________________________________________________________
Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Development Score: ______________________________________________________________________
Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________________
Organization Score: ________________________________________________________________________
Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Language Use Score: ______________________________________________________________________
Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Conventions Score: ________________________________________________________________________
Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Now exchange practice essays with a partner and give your partner a score for each criterion as well
as comments to support that score.
Meaning Score: ____________________________________________________________________________
Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Development Score:
______________________________________________________________________
Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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Organization Score: ________________________________________________________________________
Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Language Use Score: ______________________________________________________________________
Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Conventions Score: ________________________________________________________________________
Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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New York Regents Exam Practice,
Grade 10
— Unit 1 Test —
Session Two, Part A
Reading and Writing for Literary Response
Directions: Read the passages on the following pages, answer the multiple-choice questions, and write a
response based on the situation described below. You may use the margins to take notes as you read and
scrap paper to plan your response.
Your Task:
After you have read the passages and answered the multiple-choice
questions, write a unified essay about the transformative power of art
as revealed in the passages. In your essay, use ideas from both
passages to establish a controlling idea about the positive effects of
art. Using evidence from each passage, develop your controlling idea
and show how the author uses specific literary elements or
techniques to convey that idea.
Guidelines:
Be sure to
• Use ideas from both passages to establish a controlling idea about the transformative
power of art
• Use specific and relevant evidence from each passage to develop your controlling
idea
• Show how each author uses specific literary elements (for example: theme,
characterization, structure, point of view) or techniques (for example: symbolism,
irony, figurative language) to convey the controlling idea
• Organize your ideas in a logical and coherent manner
• Use language that communicates ideas effectively
• Follow the conventions of standard written English
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Passage I
“Magic Words”
by Nalungiaq, translated by Edward Field
5
10
15
In the very earliest times,
when both people and animals lived on earth,
a person could become an animal if he wanted to
and an animal could become a human being.
Sometimes we were people
and sometimes animals
and there was no difference.
All spoke the same, the universal tongue.
That was a time when words were like magic.
The mind had mysterious powers,
and a word uttered by chance
might have consequences.
It would suddenly come alive
and what people wanted to happen could happen—
all you had to do was say it.
Nobody could explain this.
That’s just the way it was.
Passage II
Excerpt from “A Tree Telling of Orpheus”
by Denise Levertov
60
65
70
He told of the dreams of man, wars, passions, griefs,
and I, a tree, understood words—ah, it seemed
my thick bark would split like a sapling’s that
grew too fast in the spring
when a late frost wounds it.
Fire he sang,
that trees fear, and I, a tree, rejoiced in its flames.
New buds broke forth from me though it was full summer.
As though his lyre 2 (now I knew its name)
were both frost and fire, its chords flamed
up to the crown of me.
I was seed again.
I was fern in the swamp.
I was coal.
2. lyre. A small stringed instrument of the harp family, used by
the ancient Greeks to accompany singers
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Multiple-Choice Questions
Directions (1–10): Select the best suggested answer to each question. The questions may help you think
about the ideas and information you might want to use in your essay. You may return to these questions
anytime you wish.
Passage II (the excerpt from a poem)—
Questions 6–10 refer to Passage II.
Passage I (the poem)—
Questions 1–5 refer to Passage I.
1. According to the speaker, during the earliest
times, animals and humans shared the same
(1) shelter
(2) foods
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(3) clothes
(4) language
2. Lines 11 and 12 imply that
(1) animals and humans are one and the same
(2) you must be careful about what you say
(3) language is an important means of
communication
(4) animals are more intelligent than humans
3. According to the speaker, words were magical
because
(1) you could make anything happen just by
saying it
(2) you could make anything happen just by
thinking it
(3) animals and human beings could speak to
each other
(4) that’s just the way it was
4. According to the speaker, making something
desirable happen required
(1) hard work
(2) mystical powers
(3) saying it aloud
(4) practicing magic
5. The MOST SIGNIFICANT message of this
poem is that
(1) animals and human beings are more alike
than different
(2) we all speak the same language
(3) words have the power to create
(4) the world is full of mysteries
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6. According to line 59, the speaker of this
poem is
a tree
Orpheus
an anonymous narrator
a man
7. How does the speaker feel to be rejoicing in the
flames Orpheus sings about?
(1) bored
(2) grateful
(3) grief-stricken
(4) surprised
8. What happens to the speaker when Orpheus
plays his lyre?
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
It bursts into flames.
It transforms into a seed, a fern, and coal.
Nothing happens.
It transforms into a man.
9. The effect of Orpheus’s music on the speaker
could BEST be described as
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
destructive
terrifying
thrilling
infuriating
10. What literary technique is being used in
the title?
(1) metaphor
(2) simile
(3) personification
(4) synecdoche
After you have finished these questions,
review The Situation, Your Task, and
the Guidelines. Use scrap paper to plan
your response. Then write your response
beginning on the next page.
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New York Regents Exam Practice,
Grade 10
— Unit 2 Test —
Session One, Part B
Reading and Writing for Information and Understanding
Directions: Read the text and study the chart on the following pages, answer the multiple-choice
questions, and write a response based on the situation described below. You may use the margins to take
notes as you read and scrap paper to plan your response.
The Situation: Your friend is a talented artist who wants to travel to
Africa to study native art. He can’t afford the trip on his own, so you
recommend that he apply for the Jerome Foundation Travel/Study
Grant to pay for the trip. To help your friend prepare a successful
application, write an informative report on the qualities the
foundation seeks in its applicants.
Your Task: Using relevant information from both documents, write an informative paper on the qualities
the foundation seeks in its applicants.
Guidelines:
Be sure to
• Tell your friend what he needs to know about what qualities the foundation is
looking for in its applicants
• Use specific, accurate, and relevant information from both passages to support your
main ideas
• Use a tone and level of language appropriate for an informative paper
• Organize your ideas in a logical and coherent manner
• Indicate any words taken directly from the text by using quotation marks or referring
to the author; if the author is unknown, refer to the title of the text
• Follow the conventions of standard written English
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“Musical Adaptation of the Kalevala
Presented at Guthrie Theater Lab”
In June of 1998 the Frank Theater, the Guthrie Theater, and the Walker Art Center
presented Kalevala: Dream of the Salmon Maiden, a musical adaptation of the
Kalevala, on the Guthrie Lab stage in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The production was
written, composed, and adapted by Ruth MacKenzie, a singer, writer, and actor who
has explored many creative and performing arenas.
“The first time I heard the vocal sounds of Finland and Sweden, I was hooked. I
wanted to house these sounds within my own body,” MacKenzie said. In 1994, she
studied in Finland and Sweden, as well as working at home experimenting with
vocal sounds and “driving my dog nuts. As I learned more about these singing
traditions, I wanted to put the songs within the context of a story because in the
Finno-Ugrian tradition the singer is the storyteller. The singer is the magician.”
In the musical production, three vocalists sing the story of Aino from the
Kalevala, as it is dramatized by interpretive dancers. MacKenzie interprets the story
as “honoring the untamable within each of us.” In this section of the Kalevala the
young maiden Aino eludes the advances of Väinämöinen, a 900-year-old magician,
by transforming herself into a salmon in search of her own truth. MacKenzie
decided on this story because she felt it resonated with her own path. “Just as Aino,
I was going about my business when fate intervened (a concert in Kaustinen,
Finland), setting me on a path that has been unpredictable and transformative.”
The production was directed by Wendy Knox and choreographed by Wynn
Fricke. The presentation included kulning (a high-pitched Swedish song for calling
animals), Ingrian Choral work, Itku Virsi (crying hymns), and trallning (Swedish cat
singing). In order to communicate the story of Aino, MacKenzie decided to sing in
both Finnish and English. She used traditional Finnish and Swedish melodies and
created new melodies inspired by the tradition. MacKenzie integrated Finnish text
with English text so that audiences could hear the original language as well as the
poetry that is part of this tradition. “I’ve taken the original Kalevala text and
interwoven poems from other Finno-Ugrian song lyric sources to broaden the
emotional and metaphysical landscape from which the story is told. But truly at the
heart of this work is the voice, the untamed voice.”
MacKenzie received a 1995 Fellowship grant from the Minnesota State Arts
Board for her performance work of Scandinavian and Finno-Ugrian singing styles, a
1996 Diverse Visions Grant from Intermedia Arts, and a 1994 Jerome Foundation
Travel/Study grant. She was awarded Artist of the Year in 1997 by both the
Minneapolis Star Tribune and City Pages newspapers for her production of Kalevala,
Dream of the Salmon Maiden. A compact disk recording of the performance is also
available from Omnium. For more information and to listen to the audio recording
visit the website at http://www.omnium.com/kalevala/.
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Recipients of the Jerome Foundation Travel/Study Grant
This chart describes artists who have received the travel/study grant from the Jerome Foundation.
Artist
Description
Sai Thao,
Video Artist
As a young Hmong woman, Thao grew up hearing stories of Asia but without any
firsthand experience. The grant will allow her to return to her parents’ roots and write a
collection of short stories about characters in Bangkok, Phetchabun and
Louangphrabang, important cities of Thailand and Laos.
Maya LópezSantamaria,
Singer
López-Santamaria is lead singer of the salsa band Orquestra Sabor Tropical, a 13-piece
ensemble featuring music from Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and
Mexico. She will use the funding she received for six weeks travel in Mexico and Cuba
to study salsa singing in preparation for a CD the band will record.
Chamindika
Mukherjee,
Visual Artist/
Photographer
Mukherjee has traveled around the United States, capturing the diversity of the country.
At this point in her career, she would like to capture the diversity of Sri Lanka. This grant
will allow her to travel to her grandparents’ land, creating a photo documentary that
will capture the people, landscapes, and culture on film.
Phillip Oleson,
Writer/Novelist
Ever since he read Sinclair Lewis’s Main Street, Oleson knew he wanted to write about his
own experience living in a small town in Wyoming. He will use the grant to travel and
live for two years in Wyoming to conduct research for his novel.
Pedro Silva,
Visual Artist/
Filmmaker
Silva, adopted from Peru by an American family at the age of five, wants to make a film
about his reunion with his birth family. Silva will use the grant money to travel to Peru,
to document his experience while he is there, and to make a short film from the footage
he gathers.
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Multiple-Choice Questions
Directions (1–10): Select the best suggested answer to each question. The questions may help you think
about ideas and information you might want to use in your writing. You may return to these questions
anytime you wish.
1. Which of the following grants did Ruth
MacKenzie NOT receive?
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
Jerome Foundation Travel/Study Grant
Minnesota State Arts Board Grant
McKnight Grant
Diverse Visions Grant
2. MacKenzie was motivated to study in Finland
and Sweden because
(1) she wanted to learn about her cultural history
(2) she wanted to study the vocal sounds of
these countries
(3) she wanted to learn Finnish and Swedish
(4) she wanted to study at their theaters
3. Which of the following activities were NOT
funded by the grants MacKenzie received?
(1) producing the musical adaptation of Kalevala
(2) studying vocal traditions in Finland and
Sweden
(3) writing a musical production
(4) traveling to Finland and Sweden for a
vacation
4. Of the following labels, which does NOT
describe MacKenzie?
(1) actor
(2) singer
(3) choreographer
(4) writer
5. Based on MacKenzie’s accomplishments, one
can infer that she is
(1) thoughtful
(2) humorous
56
(1) They are all from South American countries.
(2) They all need to travel to complete their
projects.
(3) They are all visual artists.
(4) They have all been inspired by other artists.
8. According to the chart, what kind of artist is
NOT included?
(1) dancer
(2) singer
(3) writer
(4) filmmaker
9. According to the chart, which of the following
statements is NOT NECESSARILY true?
(1) The recipients are specific and clear about
their artistic goals.
(2) The recipients enjoy exotic travel.
(3) The recipients have specific projects in mind.
(4) The recipients are researching topics to
which they feel a personal connection.
10. According to the chart, we can infer that the
recipients of the grant are
(1) courageous, adventurous, honest
(2) fun-loving, friendly, and enthusiastic
(3) driven, committed, and clear about their
artistic visions
(4) passionate, creative, and young
(3) lazy
(4) dedicated
6. According to the text and the chart, with which
artist does MacKenzie have the most in common?
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
7. Which of the following is true of ALL of the
artists who have received the Jerome
Foundation Grant?
Maya López-Santamaria
Chamindika Mukherjee
Phillip Oleson
Pedro Silva
After you have finished these questions, review
The Situation, Your Task, and the Guidelines.
Use scrap paper to plan your response. Then
write your response beginning on the next page.
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Scoring Guide
student’s essay should be evaluated by every
other student in the group. Group members
can then discuss their understanding of each
criterion for evaluation and learn to evaluate
their own work more accurately. Sample
anchor papers at each scoring level can be
found in the scoring guides on the New York
State Assessment website at
http://www.nysedregents.org/testing/engre/
regenteng.html.
Test-Taking Skills Practice Worksheets
Understanding the New York Regents Exam
1. On the first day, these two segments of the
exam are administered: Listening and Writing
for Information and Understanding and
Reading and Writing for Information and
Understanding. On the second day, these two
segments of the exam are administered:
Reading and Writing for Literary Response and
Reading and Writing for Critical Analysis.
2. Responses will vary.
3. Responses will vary.
4. Responses will vary.
5. Responses will vary.
Succeeding on Session One, Part B
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Answering Multiple-Choice Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
3
4
3
1
1
Answering Reading and Listening
Comprehension Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
4
2
3
2
1
Succeeding on Session Two, Part A
Succeeding on Session One, Part A
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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2
1
4
4
3
1
1
3
2
3
Writing Task: Help students become familiar
with the Session One, Part B Scoring Rubric
(page 125). Then have students work in
groups to evaluate each other’s papers. Each
student’s essay should be evaluated by every
other student in the group. Group members
can then discuss their understanding of each
criterion for evaluation and learn to evaluate
their own work more accurately. Sample
anchor papers at each scoring level can be
found in the scoring guides on the New York
State Assessment website at
http://www.nysedregents.org/testing/engre/
regenteng.html.
3
1
4
2
2
3
Writing Task: Help students become familiar
with the Session One, Part A Scoring Rubric
(page 124). Then have students work in
groups to evaluate each other’s papers. Each
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
2
4
3
1
1
4
3
3
2
1
Writing Task: Help students become familiar
with the Session Two, Part A Scoring Rubric
(page 126). Then have students work in
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groups to evaluate each other’s papers. Each
student’s essay should be evaluated by every
other student in the group. Group members
can then discuss their understanding of each
criterion for evaluation and learn to evaluate
their own work more accurately. Sample
anchor papers at each scoring level can be
found in the scoring guides on the New York
State Assessment website at
http://www.nysedregents.org/testing/engre/
regenteng.html.
Succeeding on Session Two, Part B
Writing Task: Help students become familiar
with the Session Two, Part B Scoring Rubric
(page 127). Then have students work in
groups to evaluate each other’s papers. Each
student’s essay should be evaluated by every
other student in the group. Group members
can then discuss their understanding of each
criterion for evaluation and learn to evaluate
their own work more accurately. Sample
anchor papers at each scoring level can be
found in the scoring guides on the New York
State Assessment website at
http://www.nysedregents.org/testing/engre/
regenteng.html.
Understanding How Regents Exam
Essays Are Scored
1.–2. Responses will vary. Check to see that students
understand each criterion for evaluation and
can apply each to their own writing as well as
the writing of peers.
Grade 10
New York Regents Practice Exams
8. 2
9. 3
10. 3
Writing Task: Help students become familiar
with the Session Two, Part A Scoring Rubric
(page 126). Then have students work in
groups to evaluate each other’s papers. Each
student’s essay should be evaluated by every
other student in the group. Group members
can then discuss their understanding of each
criterion for evaluation and learn to evaluate
their own work more accurately. Sample
anchor papers at each scoring level can be
found in the scoring guides on the New York
State Assessment website at
http://www.nysedregents.org/testing/engre/
regenteng.html.
Unit 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
3
2
4
3
4
1
2
1
2
3
Writing Task: Help students become familiar
with the Session One, Part B Scoring Rubric
(page 125). Then have students work in
groups to evaluate each other’s papers. Each
student’s essay should be evaluated by every
other student in the group. Group members
can then discuss their understanding of each
criterion for evaluation and learn to evaluate
their own work more accurately. Sample
anchor papers at each scoring level can be
found in the scoring guides on the New York
State Assessment website at
http://www.nysedregents.org/testing/engre/
regenteng.html.
Unit 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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1
3
3
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NY R E G E N T S E X A M P R A C T I C E
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