Mrs. Levy
Language Arts 8
Final Exam 2014: Study Topics
Name _______________________________ Date ________________ Period _____
Overview:
Our exam will be given on Wednesday, June 11th
During the following class periods: 8, 9, and 10 (Study Hall 1:00-1:30; Exam 1:30-3:00)
Location: Period 3/10 in Ms. Royland’s room; Period 4/5/8 in Mr. Aguirre’s room
Exam Topics Overview and Exam Breakdown
There will not be an essay or open-ended section on this exam. The
entire exam will be answered using the scan-tron.
I: Vocabulary
This section will cover:
 Words in units 7-8 of our Vocabulary Workshop workbook
 Question types: Multiple-Choice
o Parts of speech
o Definitions
o Completing the sentence
o Synonyms
o Antonyms
II: Literary Terms
This section will ask you to

Match literary terms with their definitions, and

Identify examples of literary terms in context from short excerpts from the literature we
have read (list of literary terms are in this packet).

Question types: Matching and multiple-choice
III: Literature and Reading

Question types: multiple-choice

This section will test your comprehension of the literature we have studied since the
midterm exam:
Play:
Twelve Angry Men (Act Two only)
Short Stories:
“The Most Dangerous Game”
“Masque of the Red Death”
“The Necklace”
Poetry:
“Introduction to Poetry” by Billy Collins
“Valentine for Ernest Mann” by Naomi Shihab Nye
“Jimmy Jet and his T.V. Set” by Shel Silverstein
“The Romance” by Shel Silverstein
“We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks
“Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas
“in Just-“ by e.e. cummings
You will also see a few new poems that you have not read before (some of which are printed in
your poetry packet, but we have not read and discussed them as a class); you will be asked
questions about these poems relating to the meaning of particular lines and/or poetic techniques
(refer to literary terms list on the next page).
The Literature and Reading portion of the exam will also feature reading comprehension
passages (fiction and non-fiction).
 Questions will ask about:
o Identifying relevant supporting details
o Inferring
o Main idea
o Vocabulary-in-context
o Author’s purpose (inform, entertain, persuade)
o Text structure

Question types: multiple-choice
Literary Terms
Here are the literary terms for which you will be responsible:
acquittal
metaphor
allegory
mood
antagonist
motif
bias
plot: exposition, rising action, climax, falling
characterization
action, resolution
circumstantial evidence
prosecuting attorney
conflict: internal/external; man vs. self, man,
protagonist
nature
reasonable doubt (and beyond a reasonable
conviction
doubt)
defendant
repetition
defense attorney
rhyme
direct evidence
round character
dynamic character
setting
flat character
situational irony
free verse
slant rhyme
haiku
static character
imagery
symbol
limerick
theme
line break
verdict
witness
If you are unsure of the definitions for any of these terms, you should consult your notes.
IV. Writing/Research Skills:
This section will ask you to identify examples of and/or apply the following concepts:
 Guiding questions and keywords for research
 In-text citations: format, contents, punctuating them, etc.
 Works cited list: format, contents
 Note cards: format, contents
 Harvard outline: format, contents, levels of information
 Integrating quotations
 Leads (into quotations/paraphrased information)
 Creating essay titles
 Paraphrase, summary and quotation (unique traits and differences between them)
 Plagiarism: definition and identification
 Common knowledge: definition and identification
 Ellipses and brackets: format and use
 Double and single quotation marks: format and use
 Quote-within-a-quote: format and use
 Block quote form: format and use

Question types: multiple-choice
HOW TO STUDY
STEP 1: Prioritize
First, prioritize your studying. Don’t spend too much time studying topics you already know. Using this handout as your guide, make a list of topics you feel you need to spend a lot of time
studying, some time studying, and a little time studying. You could even make a study planning
sheet, like this:
A LOT OF TIME
List topics here
SOME TIME
List topics here
A LITTLE TIME
List topics here
STEP 2: Use Several Study Strategies
You should employ as many different strategies as possible to maximize your success on this
exam:

Make an outline or graphic organizer for each topic;

Create flash cards by topic (for example, character flash cards or theme flash cards);

Review and annotate study guides, reading quizzes, and class notes;

When available, reread sections of text (many books are available online);

Form a study group with friends. Have each group member prepare a different topic (for
example, one person can prepare vocabulary, another person can prepare notes for one of
the novels, etc.) and present the most important information about that topic to the group;

Record notes for yourself, download them onto your I-pod, and play them each day;

Visit the vocabulary book publisher’s website at http://www.sadlier-oxford.com/vocabulary/levels_a2h.cfm?sp=student
o Play games
o Complete puzzles
o Download vocabulary words onto your I-pod or just listen
to them from your computer.
The more SENSES you can involve in the studying process (sight, sound, etc.), the more likely
you are to recall what you study. DON’T JUST READ YOUR NOTES—you will have more
success if you look at AND read the notes aloud (for example, to another person).
Also, try not to review things in the same ORDER over and over—you’ll have difficulty remembering information at the end of a list or page of notes. Try reviewing lists and notes
backwards, forwards, from the middle to the end, etc.
STEP 3: Make a Studying Schedule

Make a specific, day-to-day schedule for exam studying

Budget in time for breaks—take a 10 to 15-minute break every hour

Study when you are awake and alert—last-minute studying (such as late-night cramming)
is not very effective and just leaves you tired on exam day

Study a subject in sections starting several days before the exam, and then review all the
material the night before the exam. For example, study grammar one night, vocabulary
the second night, literature the third night, and then review all topics on the fourth night