Sample PSSA - Writing Passage with Multiple-Choice Items
Read the five passages below and then answer questions 1–24.
1 Of all
Egyptian pharaohs, King Tut is probably the best known. 2 His widespread
popularity came after the discovery of his tomb in 1922. 3 British archaeologist Howard
Carter discovered the burial chamber after years of searching in Egypt. 4 Inside the
tomb, Carter found a fabulous collection of Egyptian treasures that had remained
untouched for nearly 2,000 years. 5 The treasures of King Tut have been exhibited many
times around the world since Carter’s discovery. 6 Similar Egyptian artifacts are on
display in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
7 King Tut became pharaoh around the age of nine, he died suddenly at about age
eighteen. 8 His successor, Pharaoh Horemheb, vowed to erase the memory of the boy
king from history. 9 Horemheb was so succesful that very little was known of King Tut
until the discovery of his tomb. 10 Although x-rays once indicated that he might have
died from a head injury, this is no longer thought to be true. 11 There are no historical
records to explain what caused his death.
1. Where should the word only be placed in sentence 2 to emphasize when Tut’s
popularity increased?
A Only his widespread popularity came after the discovery of his tomb in 1922.
B His only widespread popularity came after the discovery of his tomb in 1922.
C His widespread popularity came only after the discovery of his tomb in 1922.
D His widespread popularity came after the discovery of his tomb in 1922 only.
2. Which sentence should be removed from the passage because it is not relevant to
the topic?
A sentence 6
B sentence 8
C sentence 9
D sentence 10
3. Which change would correct sentence 7?
A Add an exclamation mark to the end of the sentence.
B Add a second comma after the word suddenly.
C Remove the comma from the sentence.
D Use a semicolon instead of the comma.
4. Which word is misspelled?
A probably in sentence 1
B exhibited in sentence 5
C Similar in sentence 6
D succesful in sentence 9
1 Can
you imagine digging in your yard and finding one of the most significant
archaeological discoveries of the twentieth century? 2 A group of farmers was digging a
well in 1974 when they discovered chambers filled with life-sized pottery soldiers made
for Emperor Qin Shi Huang almost 2,200 years earlier. 3 These figures were made of
clay and fired in kilns in nearby villages. 4 Kilns heated to 900°C were used to “fire” or
bake the figures to maintain an even thickness and to harden the clay. 5 The statues legs
were molded solid. 6 The upper parts of the bodies were made using one-inch thick
coiled ropes that were then smoothed with paddles. 7 While dozens of heads might
have been made from the same mold, each face was carved to give individaul details to
the eyes, hair, mustaches, and ears. 8 Although they have faded over the centuries,
various shades of lacquer were used to glaze figures with colors such as pink, red, blue,
and even bright yellow. 9 No two figures are identical. 10 Since then, people have
attempted to make figures of similar quality and failed. 11 Altogether, over 7,000
figures, horses, and chariots have been uncovered at this site, and excavation continues
to this day.
5. Where would this sentence best fit in the passage?
These pottery soldiers are known as the Terra Cotta Warriors.
A. after sentence 2
B. after sentence 4
C. after sentence 8
D. after sentence 10
6. Which explains the reason for quotation marks around the word fire in sentence
4?
A. The word is part of a title.
B. The word is used in a new way.
C. The word is part of a dialogue.
D. The word is a foreign word.
7. Which sentence shows the correct apostrophe placement in sentence 5?
A. The statue’s legs were molded solid.
B. The statues’ legs were molded solid.
C. The statues leg’s were molded solid.
D. The statues legs’ were molded solid.
8. Which word in sentence 7 is misspelled?
A. dozens
B. mold
C. individaul
D. mustaches
1 Daylight
saving time has an interesting history. 2 Daylight saving time is when
most people in the United States turns their clocks ahead to create more daylight for the
evening. 3 In 1784, the idea of daylight saving time was first suggested by Benjamin
Franklin. 4 During World War I, England started a daylight saving time system as a
way to conserve energy. 5 In 1918, the United States also began a daylight saving time
system, but most Americans did not like it, so it was stopped. 6 During World War II,
however, the United States started daylight saving time again. 7 It was called “war
time.” 8 In 1966, Congress passed the Uniform Time Act, which created a national
system for states that practice daylight saving time. 9 In August of 2005, Congress
passed an energy bill that extended daylight saving time by almost a month.
10 Beginning in 2007, daylight saving time starts at 2 AM on March 11, and it ends at 2 AM
on November 4. 11 Daylight saving time has three benefits: it saves energy, saves lives,
and reduces crime. 12 In fact, two states do not practice daylight saving time: Hawaii
and Arizona.
9. Which verb form is incorrect and should be changed?
A has should be have in sentence 1
B turns should be turn in sentence 2
C was should be is in sentence 3
D started should be starts in sentence 4
10. Choose the best place to add the following sentence.
Before this, each state had its own daylight saving time policy, which was
confusing.
A after sentence 1
B after sentence 5
C after sentence 6
D after sentence 8
11. Which sentence uses daylight saving time as the subject of the sentence?
A sentence 3
B sentence 5
C sentence 6
D sentence 10
12. Choose the best transition to replace In fact to begin sentence 12.
A Nevertheless,
B Furthermore,
C Therefore,
D For example,
1 Have you ever seen a flying squirrel? 2 Flying squirrels are unusual creatures.
3 First of all, they can’t really fly; however, they can glide distances of 30 to 60 feet.
4 A fold of skin on each side of a flying squirrel’s body connects its front and back legs.
5 With its legs spread out, the flying squirrel use this extra skin as wings. 6 Although
these squirrels can’t defy gravity to reach a higher level than the one from which they
start, they can gracefully glide downward. 7 Even though flying squirrels’ bodies are
fairly small, five to six inches in length, their tails are long. 8 They use these lengthy tails
as rudders to control a glide’s direction. 9 Also, while other North American squirrels
are active during the day, flying squirrels are nocturnal. 10 Nocturnal predators can
pose significant problems for them. 11 Making use of their large eyes, flying squirrels
constantly are on the lookout for owls. 12 Who often prey upon them.
13. Which is the correct form of the verb use in sentence 5?
A. used
B. using
C. uses
D. has used
14. Which word or phrase could replace the word Also in sentence 9, without
changing
the meaning of the sentence?
A. Consequently
B. Nevertheless
C. In addition
D. For example
15. Which is the best revision to make sentence 12 a complete sentence?
A. Owls often prey.
B. Owls are often prey for them.
C. Owls often prey for flying squirrels.
D. Owls often prey upon flying squirrels.
16. Which is the most relevant detail to add to the passage?
A. Flying squirrels are such good gliders that they can “steer” around objects. *
B. Female f ying squirrels usually give birth in early summer.
C. A rock band uses the name “The Flying Squirrels.”
D. I once saw a flying squirrel.
1 Ask
people what they think is the scariest creature in the sea, so most people will
immediately think of a shark. 2 Shark attacks are rare; however, they are often reported
in the news, so sharks seem more threatening than they really are. 3 People kill
thousands more sharks every year than sharks kill people. 4 There be around 375
different known species of sharks living all over the world, and researchers discover
new species all the time. 5 Dangerous or not, sharks are truely fascinating creatures.
6 Sharks are a kind of meat-eating fish whose skeletons are made of lighter-weight
cartilage rather than bone. 7 While most fish have a swim bladder that helps keep them
afloat, sharks float with the help of large oily livers. 8 Rather than smooth scales,
sharkskin consists of sharp, tooth-like scales. 9 It is so rough that dried sharkskin was
once used as sandpaper. 10 Like other fish, sharks can feel movement, vibration, and
pressure changes in the water, but sharks also have a unique ability to sense the weak
electrical fields generated by living things.
17. Which conjunction correctly replaces the word so in sentence 1?
A or
B but
C and
D yet
18. Which word should replace the verb be to correct sentence 4?
A is
B are
C were
D will be
19. Which word is misspelled?
A scariest in sentence 1
B threatening in sentence 2
C truely in sentence 5
D consists in sentence 8
20. Which sentence would best conclude this passage?
A Sharks can bring people together since there are sharks living in oceans and seas
all over the world.
B The whale shark is the largest of all fish; it can grow up to 60 feet long and can
weigh twice as much as an elephant.
C A few sharks have been found in freshwater; a bull shark has been found in the
Mississippi River.
D Sharks, rarely a threat to people, continue to provide researchers with valuable
and interesting information.
though we’ve come to rely more than ever on computers, it’s hard to imagine
school without pencils. 2 Ancient Romans used metal rods, some containing lead, that
left light marks on early forms of paper. 3 By the 1500s, pencils were sticks of graphite.
4 Graphite leaves a darker mark than lead. 5 It is non-toxic. 6 It is soft and brittle and
requires some kind of holder, so the graphite was wrapped in string. 7 Later, people
hollowed out sticks to hold the graphite.
8 Have you ever wondered why pencils are so often painted yellow? 9 While early
American pencils were unpainted to show the quality of wood used, in the 1890s,
American pencil makers wanted to show buyers that their pencils were made with
Chinese graphite, the best quality graphite available. 10 They painted their pencils
yellow, a color associated with royalty and respect in China. 11 Today, 75 percent of
pencils sold in the United States are yellow. 12 One pencil can write 45,000 words or it
can draw a line 35 miles long. 13 Pencils have been around a long time.
1 Even
21. Which is the best way to combine sentences 4 and 5?
A. Graphite leaves a darker mark than lead, so it is non-toxic.
B. Graphite leaves a darker mark than lead, but it is non-toxic.
C. Graphite leaves a darker mark than lead, for it is non-toxic.
D. Graphite leaves a darker mark than lead, and it is non-toxic.
22. Which word from sentence 6 is an adjective?
A. soft
B. requires
C. kind
D. wrapped
23. Which sentence is missing a comma?
A. sentence 2
B. sentence 9
C. sentence 12
D. sentence 13
24. Which is the best concluding sentence?
A. It’s hard to imagine life without pencils.
B. The development of paper is also very interesting.
C. I once used the same pencil for two solid months.
D. The first patent to attach an eraser to a pencil was issued in 1858.