WRITING SELECTION 1
Angela has written an essay about the life of William Shakespeare. She has asked
you to review her paper. As you read it, look for revisions she should make. Then
answer the questions that follow.
William Shakespeare
(1) William Shakespeare is considered by many to be the greatest writer in
the English language, but his life remains something of a mystery. (2) The exact
date of his birth is unknown. (3) It is known that he was baptized on April 26, 1564.
(4) His father, -John Shakespeare, was a successful businessman and active in local
government. (5) He eventually served as town bailiff a job roughly equivalent to a
town mayor.
(6) William's parents were illiterate, but they were determined that William
would be educated. (7) By the age of seven, he could read and write. (8) He studied
the classics. (9) H, is favorite writer was Ovid. (10) Ovid was a Roman poet.
(11) William was a fine student, but he did not attend a university for various
reasons, and this would later cause some of his fellow writers to critisize him.
(12) One biographer of Shakespeare commented that, "Though his formal
education was adequate, like any man of genius he was basically self-educated."
(13) When William was twelve, his father's business ran into trouble, and William left
school to help out. (14) A few years later, at age eighteen, William married Anne
Hathaway, who was twenty-six. (15) In 1586, with a wife and three children to
support, William moved to London. (16) Here, he began his theater career. (17) He
began his career as an actor. (18) He joined an acting company called Strange's
Men. (19) There is evidence that he was quite a popular and successful actor.
(20) Some scholars believe that Shakespeare may have become involved in
other aspects of the Theater at this time. (21) They believe thai: he may have helped
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advertise for the plays, sold tickets to plays, and even done some of the
bookkeeping.
(22) He also began writing plays and poetry during this period, and he
became a successful writer despite his lack of university training. (23) In fact, soon
he was writing and performing plays before Queen Elizabeth. (24) In 1603, he and
six other actors formed the official royal acting company, called The King's Men,
establishing Shakespeare as the most prominent playwright of his time and assuring
financial security for himself and his family.
Angela wants to create a smooth transition between sentences 2 and 3, Which
transition should she add to the beginning of sentence 3?
A Furthermore,
B Therefore,
C However,
I:l For instance,
2 Sentences 8-10 are choppy and ineffective. What is the best way to revise these
sentences?
A Because he studied the classics, his favorite writer was Ovid, a Roman poet.
B While studying the classics, and his favorite writer, the Roman poet Ovid.
C He studied the classics, and his favorite writer was the Roman poet Ovid.
I) Since his favorite writer was Ovid, and Ovid was a Roman poet, he studied
the classics.
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3 Angela wants to improve the organization of the third paragraph (sentences 1219). What change could she make to improve the fl0w of the paragraph?
A Move sentence 14 to the end of the paragraph
B Reverse sentences 17 and 18
C Move sentence 19 to the beginning of the paragraph
D Delete sentence 12
4 What is the most effective way to combine sentences 16-187
A He began his theater career here and he began it as an actor in the acting
company called Strange's Men.
B He began his theater career here, joining an acting company called Strange's
Men.
C After he joined an acting company called Strange's Men, he began his theater
career as an actor here.
D Although'here he began his theater career, he began it as an actor, joining an
acting company called Strange's Men.
Angela wants to provide a better closing for her paper. Which of the following
could best be added after sentence 24 to bring a satisfying sense of closure to
the paper?
A Shakespeare's family was no doubt extremely proud of him!
B Even today, many writers make frequent allusions to Shakespeare's works.
C He retired from writing in 1611 and died at the age of 52 on April 23, 1616.
D That goes to show that a university education is not always essential.
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Look for any mistakes Angela has made in her essay. Then answer the
questions that foflow.
6 What change, if any, should be made in sentence 5?
A Insert a comma after bailiff
B Change bailiff to bailliff
C Change mayor to Mayor
D No change should be made in this sentence.
7 What change, if any, should be made in sentence 117
A Delete the comma after student
B Change critisize to criticize
C Change university to University
D No change should be made in sentence 1!.
8 What change, if any, needs to be made in sentence 20?
A Change Theater to theater
B Change believe to beleive
C Change have become to become
D No change needs to be made in sentence 20.
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9 What change, if any, should be made in sentence 21?
A Change advertise to advertize
B Insert a comma after even
C Change done to did
D No change should be made in this sentence.
:tO What change needs to be made in sentence 22?
A Delete the comma after period
B Change university to University
C Change He to Shakespeare
D Insert a semi-colon after writer
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Teacher pages may not be shared or reproduced.
Reading selection 1
Read the following selection from Act I, scene iof Romeo and Juliet and
choose the best answer to each question.
Benvolio. Good morrow, cousin.
Romeo. Is the day so young?
Ben. But new strook nine.
Rom. Ay me, sad hours seem long.
5 Was that my father that went hence so fast?
Ben. It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo's hours?
Rom. Not having that which, having, makes them short.
Ben. In love?
Rom. Out-10
Ben. Of love?
Rom. Out of her favor where I am in love.
Ben, Alas that love, so gentle in his view,
Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof!
Rom. Alas that love, whose view is muffled still,
15 Should, without eyes, see pathways to his will!
Where shall we dine? 0 me! what fray was here?
Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all:
Here's much to do with hate, but more with love.
Why then, 0 brawling love! 0 loving hate!
#
#
#
#
q,
f,,
q,
20 0 any thing, of nothing first create!
0 heavy lightness, serious vanity,
Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms,
Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health,
Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is!
25 This love feel I, that feel no love in this.
Dost thou not laugh?
Ben.
No, coz, I rather weep.
Rom. Good heart, at what?
Ben.
At thy good heart's oppression.
30
Rom. Why, such is love's transgression.
Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast,
Which thou wilt propagate to have it press'd
With more of thine. This love that thou hast shown
Doth add more grief to too much of mine own.
35 Love is a smoke made with the fumes of sighs,
Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes,
Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with loving tears.
What is it else? a madness most discreet,
A choking gall, and a preserving sweet.
40 Farewell, my coz.
Ben.
Soft, 1 will go along;
And if you leave me so, you do me wrong,
Rom. Tut, I have lost myself. I am not here:
This is not Romeo, he's some other where,
45
Ben. Tell me in sadness, who is that you love?
Rom. What, shall I groan and tell thee?
Ben.
Groan? why no;
But sadly tell me, who?
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q
C
c
Rom. Bid a sick man in sadness make.his willÿ
50 A word ill urg'd to one that is so ill! :
In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman.
Ben. I aim'd so near when I suppos'd you Iov'd.
Rorn. A right good mark-man! And she's fair 1 love.
Ben. A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit.
55
Rom, Well, in that hit you miss: she'll not be hit
With Cupid's arrow, she hath Dian's wit;
And in strong proof of chastity well arm'd,
From Love's weal{ childish bow she lives uncharm'd.
She will not stay the siege of loving terms,
60 Nor bide th' encounter of assailing eyes,
Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold,
O, she is rich in beauty, only poor
That, when she dies, with beauty dies her store.
Ben, Then she hath sworn that she will still live chaste?
65
Rom. She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste;
For beauty starv'd with her severity
Cuts beauty off from all posterity.
She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair,
To merit bliss by making me despair.
70 She hath forsworn to love, and in that vow
Do I live dead that live to tell it now.
Ben, Be rul'd by me, forget to think of her.
Rom. O, teach me how I should forget to think.
Ben. By giving liberty unto thine eyes:
75 Examine other beauties. '
Rom.
'Tis the way
To call hers (exquisite) in question more.
These happy masks that kiss fair ladies' brows,
Being black, puts us in mind they hide the fair.
80 He that is strooken blind cannot forget
The precious treasure of his eyesight lost.
Show me a mistress that is passing fair,
What doth her beauty serve but as a note
Where I may read who pass'd that passing fair?
85 Farewell, thou canst not teach me to forget.
Ben. I'll pay that doctrine, or else die in debt.
In lines 14-26, Romeo's perspective on love is revealed primarily through
A a catalog of his own flaws
B a recollection of previous failure
C a list of wrongs done to him
)
D a series of contradictory images
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Teacher pages may not be shared or reproduced.
13
2 As used in line 59, the word "stay" means --
F
A tolerate
B postpone
F
C wait for
F
D stop
¢,
¢,
¢,
3 In lines 65-86, Benvolio advises Romeo to
A discuss his situation with the girl's parents
B start looking at other girls
.÷
C write a letter expressing his feelings
O
O
O
D give the girl time to think about Romeo's love for her
¢,
¢,
4 Based on the conversation in lines 65-86, a reader could predict that
A Romeo will follow Benvolio's advice
B Benvolio will pay a visit to the girl on Romeo's behalf
C,,,
C.
C Romeo will soon forget about the girl who has rejected him
D Benvolio will take action to make Romeo forget the girl
C.
C,
C.
5 Romeo's main point in lines 76-85 is that
A ladies tend to hide their beauty behind masks
B other beauties only remind Romeo of his love's superiority
C a person who is struck blind does not forget what things look like
D Benvolio does not have the skill to comfort Romeo
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C
C
C
C
C
C
C
f,r
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Teacher pages may not be shared or reproduced.
¢
Romeo's paradoxical descriptions of love in lines 35-39 primarily show his -A loss of connection to reality
B growing distaste for love
¢ conflicting feelings about love
I) desire to amuse Benvolio
Which quotation most strongly suggests that Romeo believes his lady is more
beautiful than any other woman?
A A right good mark-man! And she's fair I love.
B From Love's weak childish bow she fives uncharm'd
C O, teach me how I should forget to think.
I) Where I may read who pass'd that passing fair
What does this excerpt suggest about how Benvolio feels toward Romeo?
Support your answer with evidence from the selection,
9
What does Romeo mean when he says, "1 have lost myself. I am not here" (line
43)? Explain your answer and support it with evidence from the selection.
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Teacher pages may not be shared or reproduced.
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