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MISSOURI ASSESSMENT
PROGRAM PRACTICE
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
Gas [Detail], 1940. Edward Hopper.
Last of the Buffalo [Detail], 1889. Albert Bierstadt.
His Hammer in His Hand [Detail], from the John Henry Series, 1944–47. Palmer Hayden.
ISBN 0-8219-2782-5
© 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
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Test-Taking Skills Practice Worksheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Preparing for Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Answering Multiple-Choice Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Answering Reading Comprehension Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Making Inferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Finding the Main Idea or Theme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Using Context Clues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Answering Constructed-Response Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Responding to Writing Prompts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Analyzing a Writing Prompt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Planning Your Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Drafting Your Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Revising Your Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Grade 9 MAP Practice Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Unit 1 Test
Reading (“National Storytelling Youth Olympics”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Unit 2 Test
Reading (“Birches”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Unit 3 Test
Reading (“The Gift of the Magi”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Unit 4 Test
Reading (from The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Unit 5 Test
Reading (“An Encounter with an Interviewer”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
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Unit 6 Test
Reading (from “The Grass”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95
Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
Unit 7 Test
Reading (“A Soul Who Selected Her Own Society”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Unit 8 Test
Reading (“Overcoming the Odds”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Unit 9 Test
Reading (“A Poison Tree”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
Unit 10 Test
Reading (“Crazy Quilt”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136
Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Unit 11 Test
Reading (“The Writing Life”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147
Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Unit 12 Test
Reading (from “Nightmare Number Three”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157
Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160
Scoring Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167
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Introduction
The EMC Masterpiece Series, Literature and the Language Arts textbook program has been designed to
address the competencies assessed by the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) test. Competencies are
developed throughout the program, giving students the opportunity to internalize them through multiple
practice opportunities. The Test-Taking Skills Worksheets and MAP Practice Tests in this book are only a
small part of this practice.
AN INTEGRATED APPROACH
Carefully constructed practice opportunities for reading and writing 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, and other communication arts activities.
The Reading Strategies Resource, also located in the Literacy Resource binder, is specifically designed to
help Missouri students internalize the reading strategies they need, not only to succeed on the MAP 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. Questions focus on:
• Making inferences
• Drawing conclusions
• Interpreting visual material
• Finding the main idea
• Analyzing a text’s organizational features
• Understanding sequence
• Evaluating the author’s purpose
• Understanding point of view
• Classifying and reorganizing information
• Distinguishing fact from opinion
• Comparing and contrasting
• Determining cause and effect
• Understanding literary devices
The Teaching Notes for each Reading Strategy Mini-Lesson include sample think-aloud discussions that
model effective ways to approach each standardized test question.
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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.
MISSOURI ASSESSMENT PROGRAM 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 Missouri Assessment Program Practice books, available for
grades six through twelve 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 cover such topics as making inferences, using
context clues, and finding the main idea; they also give students tips on answering multiple-choice,
constructed-response and writing-prompt questions. Each worksheet contains instruction followed by
multiple practice opportunities.
SAMPLE MAP TESTS. You will also find in this book twelve practice tests integrated with the twelve literature
units in the textbook. Each practice test contains a reading passage related to the unit, followed by
multiple-choice and constructed-response reading comprehension questions. As on the actual MAP,
constructed-response questions progress from recall or low-level interpretation to various higher-level
thinking tasks.
Following the reading test for each unit is an independent essay prompt for writing practice. These writing
tests follow the same format as Session Two of the MAP.
MAP PRACTICE SCORING GUIDE. Based on actual MAP scoring procedures, the Scoring Guide at the back of
this book includes correlations to the Show-Me Content and Process Standards, scoring criteria, and
sample top-score-point responses for all test-taking skills worksheet and MAP practice test items.
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Test–Taking Skills Practice Worksheets
PREPARING
FOR
TESTS
Standardized tests like the MAP and others are a common part of school life. These guidelines will help you
prepare for and take a variety of tests.
TEST-TAKING TIPS
Preparing for a Test
Taking a Test
• Pay attention in class. Exercises and activities
throughout the year help you practice skills
that will benefit you on standardized tests.
• Know what to expect. Your teacher can
provide you with information about the tests
you will be taking.
• Get plenty of sleep the night before the test
and eat a healthy breakfast in the morning.
• Arrive on time. Running late can raise your
stress level and hurt your performance.
• Read directions and questions carefully.
• Consider every choice. Don’t be fooled by
distractors, or answers that are almost correct.
• Spend test time wisely. Within each section,
answer the easiest questions first and come
back to the more difficult questions later.
• Make sure to record your answer on the correct
line of the answer sheet. As you mark each
answer, ask yourself “Am I on the right question
number in the right section of the test?” and
“Is this the answer I mean to mark?”
• Use any extra time to check your work.
EXERCISE
Test-Taking Strategies
Write a brief response to each set of suggestions above. Do you use these strategies now? Which would
help you most on your next test?
1. Preparing for a test
2. Taking a test
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Test–Taking Skills Practice Worksheets
ANSWERING MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
On many standardized tests, including Session Three of the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) test,
questions are multiple-choice and 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 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.
To make sure your answers are scanned accurately, be sure to fill in all
circles solidly.
EXERCISE
Answering Multiple-Choice Questions
Read Speech to the Convention of the American Equal Rights Association by Sojourner Truth on pages
457–458 of your textbook. Then select the best answer to each of the following questions.
1. 1. To what audience does Truth speak in this speech?
A. both male and female slaves
B. slave owners only
C. both men and women sympathetic to Truth’s cause for gaining equal rights for all
D. women only
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2. What is the purpose of Truth’s speech?
A. to help gain equal rights for African-American men
B. to persuade the audience to grant full freedom and rights to African-American women
C. to inspire slave owners to free their slaves
D. to inform listeners of what it is like to be a slave
3. Why does Truth call her audience members “chil’n”?
A. because her audience is full of children
B. because she is speaking directly to little children
C. because that’s what she calls everyone
D. because she is old enough to be the mother of all those attending
4. Who or what, according to Truth, is preventing colored women from gaining equal rights?
A. men in power who are unwilling to give women their rights
B. African-American womens’ ignorance and lack of intelligence
C. selfish white women who want equal rights only for themselves
D. the devil
5. The word idle in the second column on page 457 means
A. heroic
B. proud
C. doing nothing
D. very busy
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ANSWERING READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
Reading comprehension questions ask you to read a short piece of writing and answer several questions
about it. To answer reading comprehension questions, follow these steps:
1. Read through all the questions quickly.
2. Read the passage with the questions in mind.
3. Reread the first question carefully. If you know the answer, mark it and go to step 6. If you don’t, go
to step 4.
4. Scan the passage to look for key words related to the question. When you find a key word, slow
down and read carefully.
5. Answer the question.
6. Repeat steps 3–5 to answer the rest of the questions.
EXERCISE
Answering Reading Comprehension Questions
Read “Exploring the Greece of Odysseus” by Laurel Miranda on pages 144–145 of your textbook. Then
select the best answer to the questions that follow.
1. What is the meaning of the word arresting in this passage?
A. capturing
B. breathtaking
C. captivating
D. brawny
2. Who is Odysseus?
A. the author’s son
B. a mythological figure
C. a resident of modern-day Greece
D. a ghost
3. The second paragraph ends with a quotation. Whose words are inside the quotation
marks?
A. Ellen Switzer’s
B. Homer’s
C. Odysseus’s
D. Laurel Miranda’s
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4. Which of the following best describes the character of Forest as he is depicted in the
selection?
A. clever and brave
B. tired and bored
C. young and restless
D. curious and excited
5. What would you expect to find in the following paragraphs of this essay?
A. a retelling of the Odyssey
B. an account of the author’s trip to Greece
C. detailed information about Greek mythology
D. a list of Forest’s interests and hobbies
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MAKING INFERENCES
Sometimes the answers to reading comprehension questions can be found in the text you have read. Other
times, however, you will need to make an inference in order to answer the question. Making an inference
means putting together the clues given in the text with your own prior knowledge to make an educated
guess. 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 leg. 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 in the hopes 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 make inferences, remember that each inference 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.
EXERCISE
Read Theodore L. Thomas’s short story “The Test”on pages 892–895 of your textbook. Then use clues from
the story and your prior knowledge to answer the inference questions that follow.
1. What kind of person is MOST LIKELY going to pass this kind of driver’s test? One who is
A. careful
B. traumatized
C. carefree
D. confident
2. What is the significance of the two grooves worn into the floor?
A. They indicate that Robert really is still dreaming.
B. They show that Robert is actually a machine.
C. They indicate how easy it is for Robert to go with the men.
D. They demonstrate how many people have failed the test in this way.
3. Based on the information presented on the first page (page 892), one can infer that Robert
A. hates driving
B. loves driving
C. would rather sit in the passenger seat so that he can enjoy the ride
D. is indifferent about driving
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4. Why would a driver’s test such as the one described in this story be useful? Use details from the story to
support your answer.
5. Predict how this experience will affect Robert’s thoughts and feelings about reality. Use details from the
selection to support your prediction.
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FINDING
THE
MAIN IDEA
OR
THEME
Many standardized test questions will ask you to identify the main idea or theme of a passage of text. In
general, nonfiction texts have main ideas; literary texts (poems, stories, novels, plays, and personal essays)
have themes. Sometimes, however, the term main idea is used to refer to the theme of a literary work,
especially an essay or poem.
The main idea is a brief statement of what the author wants you to know, think, or feel after reading the
text. In some cases, the main idea will actually be stated. Check the first and last paragraphs for a sentence
that sums up the entire passage.
Usually, however, the author will not tell you what the main idea is, and you will have to infer it. To infer a
main idea, ask yourself these questions about the text:
• Who or what is this passage about?
• What does the author want me to know, think, or feel about this “who” or “what”?
• If I had to tell someone in one sentence what this passage is about, what would I say?
After you have a main idea in mind, check to see whether all the details in the passage fit that main
idea. If any detail contradicts your statement, you need to revise that statement.
TIPS FOR ANSWERING MULTIPLE-CHOICE MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS
• Eliminate any statement that contains incorrect information.
• Eliminate any statement that applies only to one paragraph or section of the passage.
• If two statements are similar, choose the one that contains more information, as long as all
information is correct.
Following a literary passage, you might be asked to identify the theme, or central idea, of the passage. The
theme is usually a general statement or insight about life. It is expressed through the plot, images,
characters, and symbols in a text. To find the theme of a passage, ask yourself these questions:
• How and why has the main character or speaker changed by the end of the story?
• What has the main character learned by the end of the story?
• How is the reader supposed to feel about the events of the story?
• What is the author trying to say about life?
• What is the “moral” or lesson of the story?
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EXERCISE
1. Read “I Have a Dream” on pages 462–464 of your textbook. Which of the following
statements BEST expresses the main idea of this speech?
A. Together, Americans can achieve the dream of equality for all people.
B. Even a hundred years after the freeing of the slaves, African Americans are treated with
injustice.
C. African Americans will never be satisfied until they have achieved equality.
D. African Americans have finally achieved the dream of freedom.
2. Turn to page 758 in your textbook and read the poem “Courage” by Anne Sexton. Which of
the following statements BEST expresses the theme of the poem?
A. Only a handful of people have real courage.
B. The truly courageous are those that sacrifice their lives for someone else.
C. Fighting in a war is the greatest sign of courage.
D. Courage can be found in many different forms and in almost every life.
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USING CONTEXT CLUES
Some standardized test questions will ask you to choose the best definition for a word that might be
unfamiliar to you. You can often figure out the meaning of this word by using context clues. Context
clues frequently can be found in nearby words and phrases that provide hints about the word.
EXAMPLES
comparison clue
The dog meandered down the street like a couple out for a leisurely Sunday drive.
Couples on leisurely Sunday drives move rather slowly and without a specific direction in mind. Meandered
must mean something like “took a slow, winding path.”
contrast clue
I don’t have the exact measurements with me, but I can give you an
approximation.
The word but signals a contrast between exact measurements and an approximation. Approximation must
mean “estimate, inexact guess.”
restatement clue
Alissa is known for her unusual garb. I’ve never known anyone else with such odd
taste in clothes!
As the second sentence suggests, garb means “clothing.”
apposition clue
Greg barged into the meeting unannounced, crying, “I hate to interrupt, but this
is really an importunity, a matter that cannot wait!”
By restating the word importunity in different terms, the apposition indicates that importunity means “an
urgent matter, an emergency.”
examples clue
There were several inauspicious signs, including a black cat in the middle of the
street, a broken mirror in the restroom, and thirteen peas left on his plate at
dinner.
From the signs listed here— a black cat, a broken mirror, and the number thirteen —you can guess that
inauspicious means “unlucky.”
cause and effect clue
Trevor couldn’t come to the party because he had another engagement.
If it meant Trevor couldn’t be in a particular place at a particular time, an engagement must mean
“somewhere one has promised to be.”
The following table shows words that signal each type of context clue. Look for these words in the
sentences around an unfamiliar word to see if they signal a context clue.
12
comparison
and, like, as, just as, as if, as though
contrast
but, nevertheless, on the other hand, however, although, though, in spite of
restatement
that is, in other words, or
examples
including, such as, for example, for instance, especially, particularly
cause and effect
if/then, when/then, thus, therefore, because, so, as a result of, consequently
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EXERCISE
Read the following sentences. Then choose the best definitions for the underlined words.
1. My dog Willie cowered like a scaredy-cat while I yelled at him for chewing up my brand new
leather shoes.
A. crouched
B. growled
C. stared
D. hissed
2. I thought I had the right time to meet my girlfriend, but I found out I was erroneous when I
showed up two hours late!
A. correct
B. afraid
C. wrong
D. frustrated
3. The barrier was made of a porous substance that looked like a sponge or an airy loaf of
bread.
A. capable of great power
B. filled with holes
C. smooth and strong
D. used for cleaning
4. Because of my teacher’s ambiguity, I was unsure about how to answer the question.
A. absence
B. answer
C. short-temper
D. lack of clarity
5. The St. Louis Cardinals’ loss to the Chicago Cubs was inconsequential. Since it was a preseason game, it wasn’t that important.
A. unsuccessful
B. worrisome
C. uninteresting
D. insignificant
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ANSWERING CONSTRUCTED-RESPONSE QUESTIONS
In addition to multiple-choice questions, many standardized tests, including the Missouri Assessment
Program (MAP) test, include constructed-response questions that require you to write answers in the test
booklet.
Constructed-response questions might ask you to identify key ideas or examples from the text by writing a
sentence about each. In other cases, you will be asked to write a paragraph in response to a question about
the selection and to use specific details from the passage to support your answer.
EXAMPLE
Essay prompt: Richard Brautigan’s poem “All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace” can be easily
misunderstood if one does not know that it is a satirical piece. How do the images in the poem help to
create a satirical tone? Use details from the selection to support your answer.
Short response: Images such as a “cybernetic meadow where mammals and computers live together in
harmony” and a “cybernetic forest filled with pines and electronics” work to satirize the popular belief
that technology makes our world a better place. These images border on the absurd in order for
Brautigan to poke fun at those who believe that humans beings and technology can live in harmony.
Using exaggeration, Brautigan shows just how ridiculous our lives would be if we became too dependent
on machines.
The MAP also contains constructed-response questions that ask you to apply information or ideas from a text
in a new way. For example, you might be asked to write a letter from the point of view of a character from
the text. Another question might ask you to use information from the text in a particular imaginary situation.
As you answer these questions, remember that you are being evaluated based on your understanding of the
text. Although these questions offer opportunities to be creative, you should still include ideas, details, and
examples from the passage you have just read.
The following tips will help you answer constructed-response questions effectively.
TIPS FOR ANSWERING CONSTRUCTED-RESPONSE QUESTIONS
• Before reading the passage, skim the questions. When you skim, you glance through material
quickly to get a general idea of what it is about.
• As you read, underline any information that relates to the questions. After you have finished
reading, you can decide which of the underlined details to use in your answers.
• On extra paper or in the margin of your test booklet, list the most important points to include in
each answer. Then number them to show the order in which they should be included. Finally, draft
your answer.
• On the MAP, the constructed-response questions progress from easiest to most complex. Answer
the easiest questions first.
• If you have extra time, use it to revise and proofread your answers.
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EXERCISE
Turn to page 739 and read “Thank You, M’am” by Langston Hughes. Then answer the constructedresponse questions below.
1. Explain how Roger and Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones first meet.
2. Why does Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones decide to help Roger even after he tries to steal from
her? Use details from the selection to support your answer.
3. The way Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones handled the situation with Roger communicates many
things about her character. Write a letter to your mayor explaining why she should be nominated for
“Citizen of the Week.” Make sure you describe at least two aspects of her character and that you use
details from the selection to support your answer.
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4. Imagine that you are Roger in this story. Write a one-paragraph thank-you letter to Mrs. Luella Bates
Washington Jones.
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RESPONDING
TO
WRITING PROMPTS
Many standardized tests, including the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) test, include writing sections
that ask you to respond to a prompt by writing an essay.
When you take writing tests, be sure you know how your essay will be evaluated. MAP essays are evaluated
on the following criteria:
• whether your essay has a beginning, middle, and end
• how well you use paragraphs
• how smoothly your paper flows from one idea to another
• whether you stay on topic
• whether you use enough details and examples
• how precise and vivid your language is
• how varied your sentences are
• how well you use writing techniques such as imagery, humor, point of view, and voice
• whether your essay shows a clear sense of your audience and purpose for writing
• how correctly you use grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling
No matter what kind of essay you are writing, follow this two-step rule: 1) State a thesis, and 2) Explain and
support it. The “thesis” in an essay is a statement of the main idea. It should come in the introductory
paragraph. The rest of your essay, which is just as important, contains an explanation and supporting details
for your thesis. The more specific examples and concrete details you can supply to support your thesis, the
better you are likely to score. Your conclusion, which is the last paragraph of your essay, should sum up your
thesis and your support for it.
Use an abbreviated version of the writing process to write an answer to each writing prompt. Follow these
steps:
1. Preview the test. Figure out which questions will take longest to answer, and budget your time.
Plan time for planning, drafting, and reviewing your work. Stick to your plan.
2. Analyze the prompt. Essay prompts contain clues about what is expected of you. You can use the
writing prompt to help you identify your purpose and audience and to narrow your topic.
3. Plan your response. Once you’ve understood the writing prompt, you need to collect and organize
your thoughts about it. First, brainstorm ideas using whatever method is most comfortable for you.
If you don’t immediately have ideas, try freewriting for five minutes or drawing a cluster chart. Then,
organize the ideas you came up with. A simple outline or chart can help. For example, the following
graphic organizer might help you organize a compare and contrast essay.
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Subject #1
Subject #2
Similarity or Difference #1
Similarity or Difference #2
Similarity or Difference #3
Think in advance about other charts that can help you organize your ideas.
Before moving on, reread the prompt to make sure you are writing about the topic.
4. Write your answer. Include your thesis in your introduction. Then follow your organizational plan to
write each body paragraph. Devote one paragraph to each major point of support for your thesis.
Write quickly and keep moving. Don’t spend too much time on any single paragraph, but try to
make your answer as complete as possible. End your essay with a conclusion that sums up your
major points.
5. Revise your answer. Make sure you have included everything you were asked to include. On the
MAP, you will find a Writer’s Checklist on the page following the writing prompt. Each statement in
this checklist refers to one of the scoring criteria. Check to see that your essay possesses each feature
listed in the checklist. Make any necessary corrections to your essay.
EXERCISE
Below is a writing prompt that mirrors those you will find on the MAP. Read the prompt. Then use the list of
steps above to prepare your response. Space has been provided for your prewriting notes as well as for your
essay.
Many of the selections in your literature book deal with the theme of heroism. Based on
what you have read and learned, write to explain your own definition of a hero or heroine.
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WRITER’S CHECKLIST
❏ My paper has a beginning, middle, and end.
❏ My paper uses paragraphing appropriately.
❏ My paper flows smoothly from one idea to another.
❏ My paper stays on topic.
❏ My paper includes details and examples.
❏ My paper uses precise and vivid language.
❏ My paper includes a variety of sentences structures.
❏ My paper includes correct grammar/usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.
1. Plan your essay here.
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2. Write your essay on the lines below.
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ANALYZING
A
WRITING PROMPT
The first step in responding to a writing prompt is to analyze the prompt itself. You can use the writing
prompt to help you identify your purpose and audience and to narrow your topic.
Your purpose is your reason for writing. On the MAP, you may be asked to write to inform or to persuade.
• Informative writing explains, describes, or instructs. Textbooks, encyclopedias, research reports, and
newspaper articles are examples of informative writing.
• Persuasive writing attempts to convince readers to believe as the author believes. Editorials,
campaign speeches, and opinion essays are examples of persuasive writing.
Your audience is the group of people you want to read what you are writing. Often, the writing prompt
specifies who your audience is. For example, if the prompt asks you to write to persuade the school board
to add an additional extracurricular activity or club, your audience is the school board. In informative
prompts, the audience may be missing. In that case, assume that your audience is the essay scorer, a person
much like your teacher.
The topic is the subject you will write about. In the example above, the topic is the extracurricular activity
or club you want the school board to approve. Often, the writing prompt will give you a general topic, and
you will need to select a specific aspect of that topic to cover in your essay. Consider the following prompt:
EXAMPLE
In the excerpt from Mississippi Solo, Eddy L. Harris describes how he came to learn things
he never knew about himself during the difficult moments of canoeing up the Mississippi
River. Think about a time when you learned something new about yourself during an
especially difficult time. Write to explain how the experience led you to learn something
new about yourself.
This prompt specifies a general topic: difficult times that lead to new understandings about yourself. In
order to write the response, however, you will need to narrow this topic to one specific time and one
specific quality or thing you learned about yourself during that time.
EXERCISE
Analyze each of the following prompts by identifying the purpose, the audience, and the topic. Then
narrow each topic so that it would be manageable in a four-page handwritten essay.
1. Several of the selections you read deal with the advantages and disadvantages of technology. For
example, while the Internet can be a useful tool for research, it can also be used to target children
and young adults in a harmful way. Imagine that your school is debating whether or not they should
allow students to have access to the Internet during school hours. Write an editorial to your
newspaper persuading the town and school board to agree with your position on this issue.
Purpose: __________________________________________________________________________________
Audience: ________________________________________________________________________________
Topic: ____________________________________________________________________________________
Narrowed topic: __________________________________________________________________________
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2. Filmmakers have often relied on literature to make films. For example, Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of
Romeo and Juliet has been made into a movie numerous times over the years. Think about a film you
have seen that is based on literature (a play, a novel, an autobiography, or some other work). Write a
film review for your school newspaper that compares and contrasts the movie version with its
original literary version.
Purpose: __________________________________________________________________________________
Audience: ________________________________________________________________________________
Topic: ____________________________________________________________________________________
Narrowed topic: __________________________________________________________________________
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PLANNING YOUR RESPONSE
Once you have analyzed the writing prompt to identify purpose, audience, and topic, you are ready to plan
your response.
1. Narrow your topic. The first step is to narrow your topic. The topics presented in writing prompts
are intentionally broad so that they can appeal to a wide variety of students. In order to focus your
essay on a single controlling idea, you will need to narrow the broad topic. A good way to narrow
the topic is by creating a cluster chart. Around the center of a cluster chart, you write subtopics
related to the broader topic in the middle. Then you add supporting details for each subtopic. Study
the writing prompt below and the cluster chart HaMou created in order to narrow the topic.
EXAMPLE
In the excerpt from Mississippi Solo, Eddy L. Harris describes how he came to learn things he never knew
about himself during the difficult moments of canoeing up the Mississippi River. Think about a time when
you learned something new about yourself during an especially difficult time. Write to explain how the
experience led you to learn something new about yourself.
learned ways
to mourn
all things
eventually die
didn’t have
seat belt on
nobody injured,
but scary
down
a set
felt like
giving up
dog
died
final tennis
match to go
to state
car
accident
Difficult times
that led to new
understandings
of myself
car was
totalled
still close
friends
best friend
moved way
tried
physically and
mentally
flood
damaged house
afraid we
would lose
friendship
both sad
photo album
destroyed
insurance did
not cover loss
HaMou remembered five difficult times that led to learning something new about herself. From those five,
she must now choose just one to write about.
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2. Gather ideas. Once you have narrowed your topic, you need to gather ideas about it. Common
methods for gathering ideas include brainstorming, freewriting, clustering, questioning,
analyzing, and using sensory detail charts, timelines, story maps, and pro and con charts. To
learn more about each of these methods, read the Language Arts Survey Writing Resource 2.9 and
2.12–2.21.
3. Organize your ideas. Once you have generated ideas for your essay, it’s time to organize them.
Writing can be organized in different ways:
Method
Description
Chronological Order
Write about events in the order in which they happened or in
the order they should be done.
Spatial Order
Describe parts in the order of their location in space—for
example, from back to front, left to right, or top to bottom.
Order of Importance
Write details or reasons from least important to most important
or from most to least important.
Comparison and Contrast
Order
Present unique characteristics of one subject followed by unique
characteristics of the other subject. Alternatively, present one
quality of both subjects followed by a second quality, and so on.
Cause and Effect Order
Present one or more causes followed by one or more effects.
Alternatively, present effects followed by causes.
Part by Part Order
Present material in such a way that each idea is connected
logically to the one that precedes it and/or to the one that
follows it.
Using the method of organization that makes the most sense, create a rough outline of your
response. In a rough outline, you simply list your main ideas in the order they should appear in
your response. Using chronological organization, HaMou created the following rough outline for her
essay about a difficult time that taught her something new about herself.
EXAMPLE
Difficult Time: Best Friend Moved Away
• had been best friends since kindergarten
• told me during our weekly slumber party
• cried a lot
• helped her pack
• was afraid we would grow apart and no longer be best friends
• am still best friends with her even though she lives 1,000 miles away
• learned that I am capable of having long-distance friendships
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EXERCISE
Follow the steps outlined above to plan a response to each of the writing prompts that follow. Try using a
different technique to gather ideas for each prompt. Finish by creating a rough outline for each response.
1. Several of the selections you read deal with the advantages and disadvantages of technology. For
example, while the Internet can be a useful tool for research, it can also be used to target children
and young adults in a harmful way. Imagine that your school is debating whether or not they should
allow students to have access to the Internet during school hours. Write an editorial to your
newspaper persuading the town and school board to agree with your position on this issue.
WRITER’S CHECKLIST
❏ My paper has a beginning, middle, and end.
❏ My paper uses paragraphing appropriately.
❏ My paper flows smoothly from one idea to another.
❏ My paper stays on topic.
❏ My paper includes details and examples.
❏ My paper uses precise and vivid language.
❏ My paper includes a variety of sentences structures.
❏ My paper includes correct grammar/usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.
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2. Filmmakers have often relied on literature to make films. For example, Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of
Romeo and Juliet has been made into a movie numerous times over the years. Think about a film you
have seen that is based on literature (a play, a novel, an autobiography, or some other work). Write a
film review for your school newspaper that compares and contrasts the movie version with its
original literary version.
WRITER’S CHECKLIST
❏ My paper has a beginning, middle, and end.
❏ My paper uses paragraphing appropriately.
❏ My paper flows smoothly from one idea to another.
❏ My paper stays on topic.
❏ My paper includes details and examples.
❏ My paper uses precise and vivid language.
❏ My paper includes a variety of sentences structures.
❏ My paper includes correct grammar/usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.
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DRAFTING YOUR RESPONSE
Once you have planned your response, use your plan to write a draft.
Draft an introduction. The introduction to an essay is your hook. It invites readers into your essay. It
should raise questions in readers’ minds and make them want to read on because they want the answers to
those questions. An effective introduction can start with a quotation, a question, an anecdote, an intriguing
fact, or a description. The bait at the end of the hook is your thesis statement, a one-sentence summary of
your main idea. Here is HaMou’s introduction for her response on a difficult experience that led her to learn
something new about herself.
EXAMPLE
Have you ever had someone you love move over a thousand miles away from you? One
year ago, my best friend Arju told me that she and her family were moving to California. I
will never forget that day. We were having our weekly slumber party at my house. Right in
the middle of laughing hysterically during the movie Princess Bride, Arju interrupts my
laughter by saying, “I have something important to tell you. I’ve been meaning to tell you
for about two weeks now.” After a long pause and after my insistence that she stop keeping
me in suspense, she told me the terrible news. I thought I would lose my best friend
forever when she told me she was leaving. However, it has been a year and we are still best
friends. I always thought that your best friend had to live in the same city as you, but I
learned through Arju’s move that I am capable of having a best friend no matter how many
miles lie between us.
Draft body paragraphs. The body of a piece of writing is the longest part. It contains most of the
information on your topic and should fulfill the purpose specified in the writing prompt.
Follow your rough outline to write each body paragraph. Devote one paragraph to each major point of
support for your thesis. Write quickly and keep moving. Don’t spend too much time on any single
paragraph, but try to make your response as complete as possible.
Draft a conclusion. In the conclusion of an essay, you bring together the main points you included in the
body paragraphs and create a sense of closure to the issue you raised in your thesis.
Creating a sense of closure is difficult for many students. The chart on the next page shows some possible
ways HaMou might accomplish this task:
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Method
Example
Make a generalization
Maybe every friendship needs to be tested like mine and
Arju’s was.
Restate your thesis and major
supporting ideas in different
words
If Arju had never moved, I would have never realized that I am
able to maintain long-distance friendships.
Summarize the points made
earlier in the essay
After the shock and the crying and the work of helping her get
ready to leave, Arju and I emerged as stronger friends than we
ever had been before.
Include a lesson or a moral
I realize now that friendship is not determined by location or
proximity; instead, it is determined by dedication and
commitment.
Encourage your reader to
support your viewpoint or take
specific action
Don’t ever let distance get in the way of your friendships.
Believe me, if I can maintain long distance relationships, so
can you.
Expand your thesis or main
idea by connecting it to the
reader’s own interests
Consider the ways that your definition of friendship might
need to be broadened.
Link your thesis to a larger
issue or concern
Arju’s move has not only opened my mind to long-distance
friendships. It has also caused me to broaden my definition of
what friendship means. All kinds of friendships are possible.
Which of these options do you think would work best for HaMou’s conclusion?
Use transitions effectively. Transitions are words and phrases that provide a smooth shift from one idea
to the next in your writing. They should be used as necessary throughout your paper, but they are
especially important in connecting the body paragraphs. The transition words you use depend on the
method of organization you have chosen.
EXAMPLES
Chronological order: first, second, third, next, then, finally, after that
Spatial order: next to, adjoining, above, below, beside, beyond, around, near, under, beneath
Order of importance: more important, less important, most important, least important
Comparison and contrast order: likewise, similarly, in contrast, another difference, alike, comparable,
conversely
Part by part order: Any words or phrases that indicate the relationship or connection between ideas
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EXERCISE
Select one of the prompts for which you planned a response on the worksheet “Planning Your Response.”
Use the plan you have created to draft a response to the prompt.
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REVISING YOUR RESPONSE
Once you have written a draft, use the Writer’s Checklist following the prompt to review what you
have written.
Does your paper have a beginning, a middle, and an end?
Have you used paragraphing appropriately?
Do your ideas flow smoothly from one to another with the help of transitions?
Does your paper stay on topic?
Does your paper include enough details and examples?
Can you make your word choices more precise or more vivid?
Do you vary your sentence structures?
Have you made any errors in grammar/usage, punctuation, capitalization, or spelling?
Thinking about these questions should help you make improvements to your response. To avoid wasting
time erasing and rewriting large sections of your response, use proofreading symbols to mark corrections.
Familiarize yourself with the following proofreading marks.
PROOFREADER’S SYMBOLS
Symbol and Example
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Meaning of a Symbol
The very first time
Delete (cut) this material.
cat’ cradle
Insert (add) something that is missing.
Georze
Replace this letter or word.
All the horses king’s
Move this word to where the arrow points.
french toast
Capitalize this letter.
the vice-President
Lowercase this letter.
housse
take out this letter and close up space.
book keeper
Close up space.
gebril
Change the order of these letters.
end. “Watch out,” she yelled.
Begin a new paragraph.
Love conquers all
Put a period here.
Welcome friends.
Put a comma here.
Getthe stopwatch
Put a space here.
Dear Madam
Put a colon here,
She walked he rode.
Put a semicolon here.
name brand products
Put a hyphen here.
cats meow
Put an apostrophe here.
cat’s cradle
Let it stand. (Leave as it is.)
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EXERCISE
Review the practice response you wrote on the “Drafting Your Response” worksheet or on a practice test
your teacher has administered. Use the questions above to improve your draft, and practice using the
proofreader’s symbols to mark changes to it.
Summarize the changes you made here:
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UNIT 1 TEST
READING
DIRECTIONS
This passage is about an annual event that celebrates the art and craft of storytelling. Read the
passage. Then answer Numbers 1 through 8.
“National Storytelling Youth Olympics”
The National Storytelling Youth Olympics is an event
where thousands of kids from grades 6 to 12 compete
against each other by telling stories. It is sponsored by the
Master’s Degree Program in Reading and Storytelling at
East Tennessee State University. The sole purpose of
this event is to promote and encourage both the art and
science of storytelling among middle school and high
school students. Although this event is competitive, its
underlying intent and goal is to provide students across the
nation with a reason to practice numerous noncompetitive
skills.
Those skills include sportsmanship, responsible
behavior, and an attitude of respect for others and the
storytelling genre. The eventual goal of the National
Storytelling Youth Olympics is to encourage every classroom in America to discover (or rediscover) the beauty of
storytelling and story performance.
Joe Bowman and his teacher Diane Judy,
The National Storytelling Youth Olympics takes place
displaying the trophy Joe won at the National
usually around the first weekend in March. Students from
Storytelling Youth Olympics in 1999.
all over the country arrive by bus, plane, or automobile in
Johnson City, Tennessee. They usually arrive on Thursday or Friday. Those that arrive on
Thursday take advantage of their early arrival by telling stories at local schools. On Friday, an
evening meal is prepared for all contestants, coaches, and parents. Games are played, stories are told,
and lifetime friendships begin. Saturday is the day of the big event. A luncheon is held in the
afternoon so contestants can familiarize themselves with the surroundings and do a sound check.
The event is divided into three categories separated by grades. Contestants are judged not only by
their storytelling performance, but also by the attitude and behavior they display during the entire
weekend. A winner is picked from each of the three categories; however, there is an overall winner
who is granted the name of Grand Torch Bearer. This person is selected not only by the judges,
but also by the contestants. After the winners have been announced, the contestants retreat back to
their hotel where a celebratory ice cream party is held; and believe it or not, they tell more stories!
This is what the National Storytelling Youth Olympics is all about: developing a love for the art of
storytelling.
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Joe Bowman did just that. He has been developing his love
for storytelling since the sixth grade. His efforts and hard
work were rewarded when he received the title Grand Torch
Bearer in 1999 with the story titled “The Pirate.” This
story was actually a song that he rewrote to tell as a story.
It is the story of a young pirate who wants to become a
Broadway singer. “The Pirate” reflects Joe’s favorite type of
story to tell—humorous. He also likes to tell folk tales and
stories with lessons, especially lessons that teach character in
people. As a tenth grader at Daniel Boone High School in
Gray, Tennessee, he keeps busy by telling these types of
stories at libraries, homes for the elderly, local coffee houses,
elementary schools, churches, and competitions. Joe is also
involved in the school choir and drill team. He will be
competing in the National Storytelling Convention to be
held in Kingsport, Tennessee, in the summer of 2000.
Joe Bowman storytelling at his local
elementary school in Gray, Tennessee.
1. Which of the following sets of words best describes the Grand Torch Bearer?
A. competitive, ambitious, talented
B. respectful, responsible, skilled
C. athletic, determined, creative
D. imaginative, individualistic, cynical
2. The author MOST LIKELY wrote this selection to
A. entertain readers by discussing storytelling
B. persuade readers to donate money to the National Storytelling Youth Olympics
C. inform readers about a friendly, fun competition
D. inspire readers to take up storytelling
3. Why would someone MOST LIKELY choose to attend the National Storytelling Youth Olympics?
A. to refine storytelling skills while meeting new friends
B. to compete fiercely with the best storytellers in the country
C. to earn money and fame
D. to tell stories at nursing homes, churches, schools, and libraries
4. Which of the following statements provides the MOST convincing support for the idea that Joe
Bowman has developed a love for the art of storytelling?
A. He revised a song about a pirate to make it into a story.
B. He was the Grand Torch Bearer in 1999.
C. He competed in the National Storytelling Convention in 2000.
D. He tells stories at libraries, homes for the elderly, coffee houses, schools, and churches.
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5. What is the purpose of the National Storytelling Youth Olympics?
A. to spread a love of and talent for storytelling
B. to promote responsibility and respect
C. to generate interest in the Master’s Degree program in Reading and Storytelling
D. to select a Grand Torch Bearer
6. Contestants who participate in the National Storytelling Youth Olympics have a very busy schedule.
List three activities and the days that those activities take place.
7. Joe Bowman won the title of Grand Torch Bearer in 1999 with “The Pirate,” which is based on a song
that he rewrote as a story. What three qualities can you infer about Joe Bowman’s character based on
this information? Use details from the text to support your answer.
8. Imagine that you are a marketing specialist who has been hired to promote the National Storytelling
Youth Olympics. Create text for a flyer that advertises and promotes this event based on the
information presented in the passage.
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MAP Practice, Grade 9
UNIT 1 TEST
WRITING
DIRECTIONS
Now you will write a paper in response to a writing prompt. First, read the prompt in the box below.
Then use the separate paper your teacher has given you for your prewriting activity (such as
brainstorming, listing, freewriting, clustering, mapping, or drawing).
After you finish your prewriting activity, write your first draft on the separate paper your teacher has
given you. Look back at your prewriting activity for ideas.
WRITING PROMPT
In the article you just read, Joe Bowman mentions that he especially likes telling stories that carry
messages about who we human beings are and how we should live. Think of a story with a message
that is meaningful to you. This could be a fable, a parable, a children’s story, or some other literary
work. Then write an essay in which you briefly relate the story, identify its theme or message, and
discuss how it conveys that theme.
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UNIT 1 TEST
WRITING: FINAL COPY
DIRECTIONS
Now you have time to revise your draft. Reread your draft and think about the Writer’s Checklist
below. Check every box that makes a true statement about your draft.
WRITER’S CHECKLIST
❏ My paper has a beginning, middle, and end.
❏ My paper uses paragraphing appropriately.
❏ My paper flows smoothly from one idea to another.
❏ My paper stays on topic.
❏ My paper includes details and examples.
❏ My paper uses precise and vivid language.
❏ My paper includes a variety of sentences structures.
❏ My paper includes correct grammar/usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.
For every box you did not check, make the necessary revisions on your draft before you write your
final copy on pages 43 through 47.
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MAP Practice, Grade 9
UNIT 2 TEST
READING
DIRECTIONS
This poem by Robert Frost describes how the sight of certain trees reminds the speaker of his
childhood. Read the passage. Then answer Numbers 1 through 8.
“Birches” by Robert Frost
When I see birches bend to left and right
Across the lines of straighter darker trees,
I like to think some boy’s been swinging them.
But swinging doesn’t bend them down to stay
As ice storms do. Often you must have seen them
Loaded with ice a sunny winter morning
After a rain. They click upon themselves
As the breeze rises, and turns many-colored
As the stir cracks and crazes their enamel.
Soon the sun’s warmth makes them shed crystal shells
Shattering and avalanching on the snow crust—
Such heaps of broken glass to sweep away
You’d think the inner dome of heaven had fallen.
They are dragged to the withered bracken by the load,
And they seem not to break; though once they are bowed
So low for long, they never right themselves:
You may see their trunks arching in the woods
Years afterwards, trailing their leaves on the ground
Like girls on hands and knees that throw their hair
Before them over their heads to dry in the sun.
But I was going to say when Truth broke in
With all her matter of fact about the ice storm,
I should prefer to have some boy bend them
As he went out and in to fetch the cows—
Some boy too far from town to learn baseball,
Whose only play was what he found himself,
Summer or winter, and could play alone.
One by one he subdued his father’s trees
By riding them down over and over again
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Until he took the stiffness out of them,
And not one but hung limp, not one was left
For him to conquer. He learned all there was
To learn about not launching out too soon
And so not carrying the tree away
Clear to the ground. He always kept his poise
To the top branches, climbing carefully
With the same pains you use to fill a cup
Up to the brim, and even above the brim.
Then he flung outward, feet first, with a swish,
Kicking his way down through the air to the ground.
So was I once myself a swinger of birches.
And so I dream of going back to be.
It’s when I’m weary of considerations,
And life is too much like a pathless wood
Where your face burns and tickles with the cobwebs
Broken across it, and one eye is weeping
From a twig’s having lashed across it open.
I’d like to get away from earth awhile
And then come back to it and begin over.
May no fate willfully misunderstand me
And half grant what I wish and snatch me away
Not to return. Earth’s the right place for love:
I don’t know where it’s likely to go better.
I’d like to go by climbing a birch tree,
And climb black branches up a snow-white trunk
Toward heaven, till the tree could bear no more,
But dipped its top and set me down again.
That would be good both going and coming back.
One could do worse than be a swinger of birches.
1. In this selection, the word subdued means
A. crushed
B. enlightened
C. overcame
D. gave in
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2. To what does the speaker of the poem compare the broken ice?
A. a sunny winter morning
B. seashells on a beach
C. pieces of heaven broken on the ground
D. girls on their hands and knees with their hair over their heads
3. The author most likely wrote this selection in order to
A. express his feelings about a childhood experience
B. persuade readers to swing on birches
C. inform readers about birch trees
D. inspire readers to become poets
4. How is swinging toward heaven from a birch tree important to this poem?
A. It makes the rhyme scheme work better.
B. It creates a mood of tension and anxiety.
C. It puts the speaker in danger.
D. It symbolizes escape from daily worries.
5. Which of the following is a theme of this poem?
A. taking time in the winter for yourself
B. trying something you have never tried before
C. swinging higher than you ever have before
D. taking time out from everyday problems
6. List two reasons given in the poem for why birches sometimes have branches that are bent to the
ground.
7. Why does the speaker want to believe an explanation that is not true? Use details from the text to
support your answer.
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8. Imagine that you are a birch tree. Write a short journal entry about how it feels to a) experience an
ice storm OR b) have young children swing on your branches.
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MAP Practice, Grade 9
UNIT 2 TEST
WRITING
DIRECTIONS
Now you will write a paper in response to a writing prompt. First, read the prompt in the box below.
Then use the separate paper your teacher has given you for your prewriting activity (such as
brainstorming, listing, freewriting, clustering, mapping, or drawing).
After you finish your prewriting activity, write your first draft on the separate paper your teacher has
given you. Look back at your prewriting activity for ideas.
WRITING PROMPT
The speaker in “Birches” is craving a break from the routine of his adult life. Many people find it hard
to put aside work and family duties in order to take time for themselves. Imagine that you work for a
travel agency and that your job is to convince people like the speaker in “Birches” to take long,
leisurely vacations. Where would you recommend the speaker go to recapture the feeling he got from
swinging from birches? Think of a vacation destination for him. Then write an essay using logical and
emotional appeals to convince the speaker to take the vacation you are suggesting.
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UNIT 2 TEST
WRITING: FINAL COPY
DIRECTIONS
Now you have time to revise your draft. Reread your draft and think about the Writer’s Checklist
below. Check every box that makes a true statement about your draft.
WRITER’S CHECKLIST
❏ My paper has a beginning, middle, and end.
❏ My paper uses paragraphing appropriately.
❏ My paper flows smoothly from one idea to another.
❏ My paper stays on topic.
❏ My paper includes details and examples.
❏ My paper uses precise and vivid language.
❏ My paper includes a variety of sentences structures.
❏ My paper includes correct grammar/usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.
For every box you did not check, make the necessary revisions on your draft before you write your
final copy on pages 54 through 58.
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Scoring Guide
Scoring Guide:
2 points—The response identifies at least TWO
advantages to this new kind of driver’s test and
supports the answer with evidence from the
text.
1 point—The response identifies ONE
advantage and supports the answer with
evidence from the text.
0 points—other
Test-Taking Skills Practice
Worksheets
PREPARING
FOR
TESTS
1. Responses will vary.
2. Responses will vary.
ANSWERING MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 3; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6
2. Answer: B; Content Standard(s): 3, 5; Process
Standard(s): 1.7, 4.3
3. Answer: D; Content Standard(s): 3,5; Process
Standard(s): 1.5
4. Answer: A; Content Standard(s): 3,4; Process
Standard(s): 1.5; 3.1
5. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 3,5; Process
Standard(s): 1.6, 3.5
ANSWERING READING
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 3,5; Process
Standard(s): 1.6, 3.5
2. Answer: B; Content Standard(s): 3,5; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6
3. Answer: A; Content Standard(s): 3,5; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.7
4. Answer: D; Content Standard(s): 3,5; Process
Standard(s): 1.5
5. Answer: B; Content Standard(s): 3,5; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 3.2, 3.5
MAKING INFERENCES
1. Answer: B; Content Standard(s): 2,5; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6
2. Answer: D; Content Standard(s): 2,5; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 1.7
3. Answer: B; Content Standard(s): 2,5; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.7, 3.5
Item No: 4
Content Standards: 1, 2, 4, 5
Process Standards: 1.5, 1.7, 2.4, 3.5, 4.1
Item 4:
Why would a driver’s test such as the one
described in this story be useful? Use details
from the story to support your answer.
© EMC
Example of a top-score-point response:
Being able to experience a car accident while
under hypnosis provides the driver with an
opportunity to “practice” how to behave and
respond during an accident. As a result, it will
help to “make better drivers.” In addition,
experiencing such a terrifying and traumatic
experience will help make “more careful drivers
for the rest of their lives.” People will drive
with more caution after having undergone such
an event because they will never want to
experience such a life-threatening event again.
Item No: 5
Content Standards: 2, 4
Process Standards: 1.7, 2.3
Item 5
Predict how this experience will affect Robert’s
thoughts and feelings about reality. Use details
from the selection to support your prediction.
Scoring Guide:
2 points – The response contains a prediction
and supports it with AT LEAST TWO details
from the text.
1 point – The response contains a prediction
supported by ONLY ONE detail from the text.
0 points – other
Example of a top-score-point response:
In the future, Robert Proctor is likely to doubt
whether what he is experiencing is really
happening. The car accident that seemed so
real to him was actually a simulation, which will
make him wonder if his other experiences
might be simulations, as well. In addition, the
uniformed man at the end of the story
responds to Robert’s question about reality by
saying “How does any of us know?” This
question is likely to plague Robert in the future.
FINDING
THE
MAIN IDEA
OR
THEME
1. Answer: A; Content Standard(s): 2, 5; Process
Standard(s): 1.5
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2. Answer: D; Content Standard(s): 2, 5; Process
Standard(s): 1.5
USING CONTEXT CLUES
1. Answer: A; Content Standard(s): 7; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 3.2, 3.5
2. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 7; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 3.2, 3.5
3. Answer: B; Content Standard(s): 7; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 3.2, 3.5
4. Answer: D; Content Standard(s): 7; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 3.2, 3.5
5. Answer: D; Content Standard(s): 7; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 3.2, 3.5
ANSWERING CONSTRUCTED-RESPONSE
QUESTIONS
Item No: 1
Content Standard(s): 2, 4
Process Standard(s): 1.5, 1.8, 2.3
Item 1:
Explain how Roger and Mrs. Luella Bates
Washington Jones first meet.
Scoring Guide:
2 points – The response accurately identifies
how they meet AND explains it in some detail.
1 point – The response identifies what
happened but offers NO explanation.
0 points – other
Example of a top-score-point response:
Roger and Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones
first meet when Roger tries to steal her purse.
However, because the purse was so heavy and
because Roger was so skinny, the weight of the
purse caused Roger to fall. As a result, Mrs.
Luella Bates Washington Jones was able to
catch Roger, and she takes the opportunity to
teach him a lesson.
Item No: 2
Content Standard(s): 2, 4
Process Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 2.3, 2.4, 4.3
Item 2:
Why does Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones
decide to help Roger even after he tried to steal
from her? Use details from the selection to
support your answer.
Scoring Guide:
2 points – The response offers a plausible
explanation for why she helps Roger and
supports it with TWO details from the text.
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1 point – The response offers a plausible
explanation for why she helps Roger and
supports it with ONE detail from the text.
0 points – other
Example of a top-score-point response:
At one point, Mrs. Luella Bates Washington
Jones says, “You ought to be my son.” One
reason why she decides to help him is because
she sees him as a son. As a result, she treats him
like her own child by providing him with food,
shelter, and guidance—even if it is for only one
night. She also says, “I would teach you right
from wrong,” which could be another reason
why she helps Roger rather than turning him in
to the police, which might not teach him the
lesson she wants him to learn about being kind
and generous toward people.
Item No: 3
Content Standard(s): 1, 4, 6
Process Standard(s): 1.6, 2.3, 2.4, 4.1, 4.3
Item 3:
The way Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones
handled the situation with Roger
communicates many things about her
character. Write a letter to your mayor
explaining why she should be nominated for
“Citizen of the Week.” Make sure you describe
at least two aspects of her character and that
you use details from the selection to support
your answer.
Scoring Guide:
2 points – The response identifies at least TWO
characteristics AND supports each with at least
TWO details from the selection. Conventions of
business letter writing are also observed.
1 point – The response offers ONE
characteristic AND supports it with AT LEAST
ONE detail from the text. Conventions of
business letter writing may be lacking.
0 points – other
Example of a top-score-point response:
Dear Mayor _________:
I would like to nominate Mrs. Luella Bates
Washington Jones for “Citizen of the Week”
because she is a woman who really cares about
teaching children right from wrong. Even
though she does not have any children of her
own, she treats those she meets on the street as
if they are her own. For example, one night on
her way home from the store, a little boy tried
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to steal her purse. She caught him and instead
of taking him to jail, she took him home with
her and treated him as if he were her own son
by providing him with a place to wash up and
a warm home-cooked meal. She is an
extremely kind and compassionate woman
who displayed her generosity and kindness in
order to provide the boy with a good model for
how to treat others. She also taught him to
never steal again by giving him $10 to buy a
pair of blue suede shoes. This seems like an
odd way to teach him not to steal, but she
wanted to make the point that asking for
something is much better than stealing. As she
herself told the boy, “Well, you didn’t have to
snatch my pocketbook to get some suede
shoes…You could of asked me.”
Sincerely,
Joanna Frye
Item No: 4
Content Standard(s): 1, 4, 6
Process Standard(s): 1.6, 1.8, 2.3, 2.4, 3.6
RESPONDING
TO
WRITING PROMPTS
1. Content Standard: 4; Process Standard: 2.1.
Responses will vary. Check to make sure that
students understand how to organize an essay
response before they begin drafting.
2. Content Standard: 4; Process Standard: 2.4.
Responses will vary. Use the Writing Scoring
Guide on page 183 to evaluate responses.
ANALYZING
A
WRITING PROMPT
1. Content Standard: 4; Process Standards:
2.1, 4.2
Purpose: to persuade
Audience: townspeople and school board
Topic: access to Internet during school hours
Narrowed topic: responses will vary
2, Content Standard: 4; Process Standard: 2.1
Purpose: to inform
Audience: students
Topic: movie and literary versions
Narrowed topic: responses will vary
Item 4:
Imagine that you are Roger in this story. Write a
one-paragraph thank-you letter to Mrs. Luella
Bates Washington Jones.
PLANNING YOUR RESPONSE
Scoring Guide:
2 points – The response accurately reflects
Roger’s perspective AND supports it with a
detail from the story. Conventions of personal
letter writing are also observed.
1 point – The response accurately reflects
Roger’s perspective but does NOT support it
with a detail from the story. Conventions of
personal letter writing may be lacking.
0 points – other
DRAFTING YOUR RESPONSE
Example of a top-score-point response:
Dear Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones,
I tried to say, “Thank you, m’am,” to you the
other night, but for some reason, I could not
get the words out of my mouth. Even if I had
said those words to you, I wanted to say
something other than just “Thank you.” So, I
thought I’d write this letter to tell you that I
really learned a lot from you that night we
spent together. No one has ever treated me
the way you did. Most people would have
taken me to jail, but you fed me and gave me
money instead. You are the nicest lady I have
ever met. Like you said, I will never forget you.
© EMC
Your friend (hopefully),
Roger
P.S. Thank you for not taking me to jail. And
thank you for my new blue suede shoes. I love
‘em!
1. Content Standard: 4; Process Standards: 1.4,
1.6, 1.8, 2.1. Responses will vary.
Check to make sure that students understand
how to organize an essay response before they
begin drafting.
2. Content Standard: 4; Process Standards: 1.4,
1.6, 1.8, 2.1. Responses will vary.
Check to make sure that students understand
how to organize an essay response before they
begin drafting.
Content Standard: 4; Process Standard: 2.4.
Responses will vary. Students’ drafts should
show clear evidence of an introduction, a body,
and a conclusion and should use transitions to
connect ideas. You may wish to have students
review each other’s drafts or to collect and
review the drafts yourself. Students will be
asked to revise these drafts on the worksheet
called “Revising Your Response.”
REVISING YOUR RESPONSE
Content Standard: 4; Process Standard 2.2.
Responses will vary. Note the kinds of changes
students make to their drafts. Use the Writing
Scoring Guide on page 184 to evaluate final
responses.
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Grade 9 MAP Practice Tests
UNIT 1 TEST
READING
1. Answer: B; Content Standard(s): 3; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 3.3
2. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 3; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 3.5
3. Answer: A; Content Standard(s): 3, 7; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 1.7
4. Answer: D Content Standard(s): 3; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.7, 3.5
5. Answer: A; Content Standard(s): 3, 7; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.7
Item No.: 6
Content Standard(s): 3
Process Standard(s): 1.5
Item 6:
Contestants who participate in the National
Storytelling Youth Olympics have a very busy
schedule. List three activities and the days that
those activities take place.
Scoring Guide:
2 points – The response includes THREE
activities along with the days on which they
take place.
1 point – The response includes TWO activities
along with the days.
0 points – other
Example of a top-score-point:
If contestants arrive on Thursday, they can tell
stories at local schools. On Friday, contestants
and/or parents meet with the storytelling
coaches during dinner. Finally, on Saturday,
contestants compete and present their stories
to friends, families, and judges.
Examples of acceptable responses:
• Friday: play games, tell stories, eat dinner
• Saturday: eat lunch, do a sound check, get
familiar with the surroundings, compete,
watch winners presented, celebrate with ice
cream party
Item No.: 7
Content Standard(s): 3
Process Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 1.7
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MAP
Item 7:
Joe Bowman won the title of Grand Torch
Bearer in 1999 with “The Pirate,” which is
based on a song that he rewrote as a story.
What three qualities can you infer about Joe
Bowman’s character based on this information?
Use details from the text to support your
answer.
Scoring Guide:
2 points – The response identifies THREE
qualities AND supports each with details from
the text.
1 point – The response identifies TWO qualities
AND supports each with details from the text,
or it identifies THREE qualities, but some
evidence is lacking.
0 points – other
Example of a top-score-point:
To receive the title of Grand Torch Bearer, you
must be responsible, be respectful, tell stories
well, and display sportsmanship. As a result,
one can infer that Joe Bowman possesses these
qualities. In addition, to rewrite a song into a
story takes a lot of talent, creativity, and
imagination—qualities that Joe Bowman must
have.
Item No.: 8
Content Standard(s): 3, 5
Process Standard(s): 1.8, 2.4, 2.6
Item 8:
Imagine that you are a marketing specialist
who has been hired to promote the National
Storytelling Youth Olympics. Create a flyer that
advertises and promotes this event based on
the information presented in the passage.
Scoring Guide:
2 points – The response provides a creative
promotion of the event, including at least
THREE details from the text.
1 point – The response promotes the event,
including TWO details from the text.
0 points – other
Example of a top-score-point:
Do you like to tell stories? Do you like to travel?
Are you itching to meet new friends from all
over the nation? Or how about a chance to tell
your friends that you competed in the
Olympics? If you answer yes to all these
questions, you may just be the perfect
candidate to compete in the annual National
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© EMC
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Storytelling Youth Olympics. Check out our
online site at
http://www.etsu.edu/stories/yourtho.htm for
more information. You may well be on your
way to becoming an Olympic champion!
WRITING
Use the Writing Scoring Guide on page 184 to
evaluate responses.
UNIT 2 TEST
READING
1. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 2, 7; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 3.3
2. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 2; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6
3. Answer: A; Content Standard(s): 2; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 3.7
4. Answer: D; Content Standard(s): 2; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6
5. Answer: D; Content Standard(s): 2; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.7
Item No.: 6
Content Standard(s): 2
Process Standard(s): 1.5, 1.8
Example of top-score-point response:
The speaker deliberately misinterprets the bent
branches because he is nostalgic for a time
when he swung from birches. This activity
seems to symbolize the author’s desire to be
carefree like he was when he was a young boy.
He states that he dreams of becoming a branch
swinger whenever “I’m weary of
considerations, / And life is too much like a
pathless wood.” These lines suggest that when
life becomes too complicated or unclear, the
speaker likes to escape those burdens by
dreaming about the time he used to swing on
trees as if he had no care in the world.
Item No.: 8
Content Standard(s): 4
Process Standard(s): 1.8, 2.4, 3.6
Item 6:
Frost explains several reasons why the birches’
branches bend. List two (real or imaginary)
reasons.
Scoring guide:
2 points – The response identifies TWO reasons
why the birches’ branches are bent.
1 point – The response identifies ONE reason
why the birches’ branches are bent.
0 points – other
Example of top-score-point response:
One reason why the branches bent is because
ice from an ice storm weighed the branches
down. Another more creative reason is that a
young boy used the branches to swing on.
Item No.: 7
Content Standard(s): 1, 2
Process Standard(s): 1.5, 1.7
Item 7:
Why does the speaker want to believe an
explanation that is not true? Use details from
the text to support your answer.
© EMC
Scoring guide:
2 points – The response is plausible and uses at
least TWO details from the poem.
1 point – The response is plausible but uses
only ONE detail from the poem, or the
response uses details from the poem but does
not infer from them a plausible explanation for
the speaker’s desire.
0 points – other
Item 8:
Imagine that you are a birch tree. Write
a short journal entry about how it feels to
a) experience an ice storm OR b) have young
children swing on your branches.
Scoring guide:
2 points – The response makes reference to at
least TWO details from the passage AND
employs at least ONE convention of journal
writing.
1 point – The response makes reference to at
least ONE detail from the passage. Conventions
of journal writing may be lacking.
0 points – other
Example of top-score-point response:
For choice a):
10/31/03
Wouldn’t you know it? It’s Halloween and
already we get hit with the first ice storm of the
season. I hate storms like these. I’d much
rather have snow than ice because ice will
weigh down my branches so low that they will
skim the ground. I hate when that happens.
Droopy branches make me look sick and
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depressed when I’m really not. However, the
ice crystals that form around my branches are
pretty. They’re like a glass shell protecting me
until they fall off like broken glass, gathering in
a heap at my trunk.
For choice b):
6/15/03
School’s out. That means all these kids who
have free time will be visiting me. I can’t wait. I
love it when they climb all over me and swing
on my branches. It makes me feel young again.
It also makes me feel useful—like I’m providing
them with entertainment and fun. But I’m very
picky about the people I like. I only like little
kids to swing on my branches because they
don’t cause strain. And I also like those kids
who know how to swing, like that young boy
who doesn’t launch out too quickly, which
prevents my branches from touching the
ground. He also knows how far up the branch
to climb so that he gets a nice smooth swing.
It’s those kids who are tall and weigh more
than fifty pounds who I don’t like. Every time
they start swinging, I feel like my branch is
going to break off.
WRITING
Use the Writing Scoring Guide on page 184 to
evaluate responses.
UNIT 3 TEST
READING
1. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 2; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.8
2. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 2; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 1.7
3. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 2; Process
Standard(s): 1.4, 1.5
4. Answer: C; Content Standard(s): 2; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.7, 2.5
5. Answer: D; Content Standard(s): 2; Process
Standard(s): 1.5, 1.6, 1.7
Item No.: 6
Content Standard(s): 2
Process Standard(s): 1.4, 1.5, 1.7
Item 6:
How do you know that the Youngs are poor?
Identify three details from the text that convey
to us that the Youngs live in poverty.
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MAP
Scoring guide:
2 points – The response lists THREE details from
the text that imply that the Youngs are poor.
1 point – The response lists TWO details from
the text that imply that the Youngs are poor.
0 points – other
Example of top-score-point response:
The beginning of the story tells us that Della
bargained with merchants just to save one or
two pennies. Only a poor person would worry
about saving pennies. The descriptions of their
flat also suggest that they are poor: “it certainly
had that word [beggar] on the lookout for the
mendicancy squad.” Finally, Della sold her hair
to buy a Christmas present for Jim, which
suggests that they are poor.
Example of acceptable details:
• Their income is only $20/week.
• Della has been saving for months and only
has $1.87 to buy a present for Jim.
• Della wears old clothes.
• Jim sold his watch to buy Della a present.
Item No.: 7
Content Standard(s): 2, 5
Process Standard(s): 1.5, 1.7, 3.3
Item 7:
Why do you think O. Henry chose “The Gift of
the Magi” to be the title of this story? Use
details from the passage to support your
answer.
Scoring guide:
2 points – The response accurately explains
why the author chose this title and includes
TWO details from the text.
1 point – The response explains why the author
chose this title and includes ONE detail from
the text.
0 points – other
Example of top-score-point response:
The narrator states at the end that Della and
Jim are foolish because they “unwisely
sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures
of their house.” But the narrator quickly
amends this statement, saying that they are the
“wisest” and “are the magi” because they
possess the art of giving and, therefore,
understand and demonstrate the true meaning
of Christmas. Because this is a story about two
people giving and sacrificing for each other
E X P E R I E N C I N G L I T E R AT U R E
© EMC