English / Language Arts
www.upfrontmagazine.com
ISSUE DATES 09.02.13 09.16.13
10.07.13
10.28.13
common core skills pages
ISSN 15251292 • Vol. 146, No. 7
11.18.13
12.09.13 01.13.14 02.03.14 02.24.14
03.17.14
03.31.14
04.21.14
05.12.14
common core & test prep
Upfront’s English/Language Arts Common Core Skills Pages
use engaging content from The New York Times to help high school
students hone their nonfiction reading, writing, and test-prep skills.
The quizzes in this online supplement call on students to analyze
complex informational text, understand vocabulary in context,
master the conventions of standard English, and write fluently
in various genres—all part of the rigorous Common Core State
Standards. The exercises also prepare students for the SAT, ACT,
and other standardized tests, and expose students to the kinds of
writing and analysis they’ll be required to do in college.
Additional exercises and lesson plans for every issue are available
in our printed Teacher’s Guide, which arrives with the magazines.
(It’s also available online.) We hope that this free supplemental
content helps you prepare your students for the challenges they’ll
face in the years ahead.
Get the
upfront
standa
rd
r’s Gui
Teache
with add
de,
itiona
and quizz l lessons
es, at
upfront
magazine
.com
IAn Zack, Executive Editor
meets the following subject standards:
English/Language Arts
Social Studies
Common Core State Standards
Government / Comparative Government
Informational Text | Writing | Speaking and Listening |
Language | Literacy in History/Social Studies
Power, Authority & Governance | Production, Distribution
& Consumption | Science, Technology & Society
Reading
U.S. History / World History Time, Continuity & Change
Interpreting Informational Texts | Reading Process |
Skills & Strategies Global Studies Global Connections | Individuals,
Writing
The Writing Process | Grammar & Mechanical Conventions |
Stylistic & Rhetorical Aspects of Writing
A SUPPLEMENT TO THE NEW YORK TIMES UPFRONT
Groups & Institutions | Individual Development & Identity
Civics Civic Ideals & Practices
Geography Culture | People, Places & Environments
print this out
quiz 1 national
Why the Democrats Went Nuclear
CLOSED BOOK
Lexile score:
1200L
Identifying Sentence Errors: If a sentence below contains a grammar or usage error, select the one underlined part
that must be changed to make the sentence correct. If there is no error, select choice E. In choosing answers, follow the
requirements of standard written English.
1 How would you like to stand up and give a speech that goes
3 D
emocrats say the change—so revolutionary that its been
a
a
on for hours, maybe even days? In a tradition dating back
B
dubbed “the nuclear option”—was a necessary response to
B
C
more than two centuries, that’s just what U.S. senators—a
Washington gridlock. No error
C
D
E
group of them or even a lone holdout—has been allowed to do
D
to delay or block a Senate vote. No error
4 R
epublicans see things very different: They say Democrats
a
E
are trampling on the minority rights the Founding Fathers
B
2 But in November, Democrats did what has long been
C
worked so hard to protect. No error
a
D
E
considered unthinkable: They voted to change the rules to
B
C
5
end the minority party ability to filibuster most presidential
D
ay: Why have filibusters been so difficult to stop?
Ess
How will the new rules make it easier to end debate
in many situations?
nominees. No error
E
print this out
quiz 2 times past
The Tiananmen Square Protest
Lexile score:
1170L
CLOSED BOOK
Sentence Completion: Choose the word or set of words that, when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence
as a whole.
1 With the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square
protests approaching this spring, Shao and people around
the world are remembering the massacre and trying to
make sense of its ____. The Chinese government, though, is
planning no ____.
a
b
c
d
e
genesis ... protest
legacy ... commemorations
destiny ... investigation
imagery ... keepsakes
process ... argument
3 As the violence ____, China’s leaders, who hadn’t been seen
in public in two weeks, emerged from hiding. Hundreds of
student ____ were rounded up.
a
b
c
d
e
4 Deng Xiaoping, the Communist leader behind the
crackdown, expanded on his earlier economic reforms—if
only as a way to ____ pressure for political freedom.
2 With tensions mounting and local police unable to stop the
protests, the Chinese government called in the army. It was
the first time since the Communists took power in 1949
that the army had been ____ for ____ purposes.
a
b
c
d
e
2 •
restructured ... political
recalibrated ... disciplinary
enlisted ... overseas
mobilized ... domestic
required ... defensive
ensued ... resources
ameliorated ... protesters
vacillated ... informants
escalated ... assistants
subsided ... dissidents
a
b
c
d
e
unleash
provoke
satiate
dignify
forestall
5 Essay: Do you think China will institute democratic reforms in
your lifetime? Why or why not?
Upfront • january 13, 2014 • upfrontmagazine.com
print this out
quiz 3 national
The Supreme Court
Lexile score:
1200L
open BOOK
Passage-Based Reading: Reread the first two sections of the article: the introduction and the section under question 1,
“Why do justices get their jobs for life?”
1 In the introduction to the article, the author asserts,
“But in some ways, the Supreme Court is actually the
most transparent of the three branches of American
government.” Which excerpt from the text best supports
that claim?
a
b
c
d
e
“ . . . cameras are not allowed in the Court, so few people know
what its proceedings look like.”
“The nine justices rarely give interviews . . .”
“In fact, Americans have often called on the Court to answer
society’s toughest questions.”
“ . . . cases are argued in public and justices place all their
decisions on the record.”
“The Supreme Court is at the center of today’s most
important and controversial issues . . .”
2 The author’s answer to question 1 is an example of
a
b
c
d
e
a persuasive essay.
a personal narrative.
expository writing.
descriptive writing.
a comparative essay.
3 What effect or effects does the policy of life tenure for
Supreme Court justices have, according to the author?
a
b
c
d
e
The occurrence of vacancies is unpredictable.
There is great political reprisal for unpopular decisions.
Justices often time their retirements for when a president of
the political party they favor is in office.
both a & b
both a & c
4 In the author’s answer to question 1, the word perpetuate
most nearly means
a
b
c
d
e
to implement a plan.
to contradict or speak out against something.
to make something continue indefinitely.
to agitate for change.
to be a pioneer in a particular area or subject.
5 Essay: Do you think the longevity of Supreme Court justices’
tenure helps or hinders the business of the Court? Explain.
print this out
quiz 4 international
What’s the Deal With Iran?
Lexile score:
1255L
open BOOK
Passage-Based Reading: Reread the first section of the article, stopping at the heading “American Hostages.”
Then answer the following questions.
1 Which of the following is not addressed in this section
3 According to this section of the article, what is true of Israel
of the article?
a
b
c
d
e
and Saudi Arabia?
the basic points of the deal between Iran and the U.S. and five
other nations about Iran’s nuclear program
why some members of the U.S. Congress oppose negotiating
with Iran
how Iranian presidential elections work
how economic sanctions have affected Iran
why Israel sees Iran as a threat
a
b
c
d
e
4 This section of the article quotes Iranian Asal Khalilpour
about his reaction to Iran’s deal with the U.S. and other
nations. The tone of Khalilpour’s remarks can best be
described as
2 You can infer from this section of the article that
a
b
c
d
e
3 •
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani refuses to negotiate
with the U.S.
Iran and the U.S. are attempting to negotiate a permanent
agreement.
the deal with Iran has widespread bipartisan support
in the U.S.
inspectors have found proof that Iran has constructed nuclear
bombs.
because of Iran’s lucrative oil exports, sanctions have had little
or no effect on the country.
Both have continued trade with Iran despite economic sanctions.
Both have criticized President Obama for negotiating with Iran.
Israel is a key U.S. ally while Saudi Arabia is a key Iranian ally.
all of the above
none of the above
a
b
c
d
e
accusatory.
reverent.
worried.
defiant.
joyful.
5 Essay: Do you think Iran and the U.S. can reach a diplomatic
solution to the nuclear issue? Why or why not?
Upfront • january 13, 2014 • upfrontmagazine.com
Uses: copy machine, opaque projector, or transparency master for overhead projector. Scholastic Inc. grants teacher-subscribers to The New York Times Upfront permission to reproduce this Skills Sheet for use in their classrooms. ©2014 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.
answer key january 13, 2014
4 •
English/Language Arts
Common Core Skills Pages
quiz 1 why the democrats went
nuclear
1
quiz 3 the supreme court
1
[d] “ . . . cases are argued in public and justices place all
[d] has been allowed (should be have been allowed)
their decisions on the record.”
2 [d]
minority party (should be minority party’s)
2 [c]
expository writing
3 [b]
its been (should be it’s been)
3 [e]
both a & c
4 [a]
different: They (should be differently: They)
4 [c]
to make something continue indefinitely.
quiz 2 the tiananmen square protest
1
[b] legacy ... commemorations
2 [d]
mobilized ... domestic
3 [e]
subsided ... dissidents
Quiz 4 what’s the deal with iran?
1
[c] how Iranian presidential elections work
2 [b] Iran and the U.S. are attempting to negotiate a
permanent agreement.
3 [b] B
oth have criticized President Obama for
4 [e]
forestall
negotiating with Iran.
4 [e]
Upfront • upfrontmagazine.com
joyful.