English Language Arts
10-2, 20-2
Final Exam Preparation – “Part B”
Reading Comprehension
Part B – reading
You will be evaluated based on your ability to read excerpts and
answer multiple choice questions that reflect your reading
comprehension level.
 Reading excerpts will be derived from any of the
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following:
non-fiction
multimedia
short stories
Poetry
Modern drama
novel
visual texts
REVIEW – in preparation, be sure to review the
following:
 theory unit – every lesson
 all notes
 U5L2 – exam prep, Part B
terminology
 There are questions about or involving terms;
therefore, you need to know which term is which in
order to answer those questions.
 For example, if you know the difference between
metaphor and simile before taking the test, and are
asked which figure of speech is in line 12, you will
already know the answer.
Tips for answering multiple choice questions
 read questions, selection, questions
 re-read in context
 check all questions answered
 don’t change your answers!!
 don’t over-think / over-analyze
READ EVERYTHING on the test!!!
 preamble instructions
 footnotes
 author notes
 DO NOT SKIM.
highlight
 Write on the text, with either a pencil or a highlighter.
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highlight the line in the text to which the question refers
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highlight key words in the stem
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cross out choices which are not possible
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circle answers which are possible
key words
 Circle the key word or idea in the stem, and draw a
line to a connecting word in the answer.
 Focus on what the question asks.
 The repetition of the word “boxes” in the first stanza
emphasizes images of constraint, while the repetition
of the word “music” in the second stanza emphasizes
images of
 a. experience
 b. strength
 c. freedom
 d. wisdom
graphic organizers
 for longer texts, such as excerpts from
plays
 short stories
 novels, etc.,
create some sort of graphic organizer to help
you keep track of
 characters
 plot
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text rules!
 In the case of the multiple choice test, refer to the
text for the correct answer!
 It is very important that you go back to the text, as
that's where the answers are. When it comes down to
two answers, the one that can be supported best from
the text overall is the answer (for best or most
questions especially).
tracking
 Use a solid, opaque ruler to read text line by line.
 This forces you to track the text and keeps your focus
on it.
unfamiliar vocabulary
 Don’t choose an answer simply because you don’t
know what a word means and you think that must
make it a good choice.
 Go back into the text, using context clues to help you
to determine what a word means.
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Very low incomes are exempt from taxation.
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Money cannot compensate him for the loss of his
child.
construction of questions
 Each answer is a possibility.
 1. 3 X 2 =
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a.
b.
c.
d.
5
6
1
1.5
 Each of the answers is possible, if a mistake in reading
or reasoning is made, so be sure to read the question
carefully!
question order
 The questions are constructed in a certain order.
 They are designed to lead you through the text, and
the last question is often the theme/idea question
 Read through all the questions to the last one, for a
specific piece of text, before beginning to answer any.
filling in the scantron sheet
 One suggestion is to fill in the scantron sheet at the
end.
 With two booklets and a scantron sheet, the possibility
for filling in the wrong answers exist.
 Circle answers on the test, so at the end, you can
quickly fill in the scantron sheet.
 This method also eliminates the problem of erasing a
change completely.
 If you are not comfortable with this method, be sure to
clearly mark on the sheet when you skip a question!!