Name _______________________
Semester I Exam Review
8th Grade
2014 KEY
I. Roots and Affixes
1. Kate is an old woman, but she still has a childish giggle.
What does the word childish mean?
a. like a child
b. not a child
c. without a child d. against a child
2. Identify the meaning of the prefix underlined in the word mutilate.
a. remove
b. below
c. change
d. former
3. Using your knowledge of prefixes, suffixes, and word roots, answer the question.
*The driver asked the students to keep the noise to a minimum whisper because she had a
migraine.
What does the word minimum mean in the sentence above?
a. listening b. small
c. sickly
d. generous
4. "General Wood does not think that I give quite enough credit to the Rough Riders as compared to the
regulars in this Guasimas fight, and believes that I greatly underestimate the Spanish force and loss." -Theodore Roosevelt
Identify the meaning of the prefix underlined within the following word: underestimate.
a. above
b. in
c. around
d. below
5. When the snow froze over into ice, it caused quite the catastrophe for the parking lot. The ice was so heavy,
it caused the branches to break from the trees and onto the parked cars. This was abnormal weather for this
time of the year.
Using your knowledge of Greek and Latin roots, what is the meaning of the word abnormal in the passage
above?
a. ____not normal__________________
II. Fiction (Define)
a. Mood- feeling the text creates through wording
b. Tone- author’s attitude created through text
c. Symbolism- one object that represents another idea (i.e.- skull and cross bones might
symbolize rebellion)
d. Summary- The “gist” of the passage (whole text would be from beginning,middle,end)
e. Plot graph- exposition (characters,setting), rising action, climax, falling action, resolution
f. Setting- time, place a story takes place; sometimes parts of passages have different settings
and settings can influence the plot in different ways
g. Author’s purpose- persuade, inform, entertain
h. Point of View
i. First person- autobiography, diaries, memoirs (uses first person pronouns like “I”,
“Me”
ii. Subjective- adding feelings to text ( Tim walked timidly up to the counter and
softly whispered his request.)
iii. Objective- no extra feelings; matter-of-fact writing (Tim walked into the store to
buy some snacks.)
iv. Limited- only one character’s actions/feelings shown through the narrator
v. Omniscient – many or all characters showing feelings through narrator as if a
camera is on each person’s shoulder (“all-knowing”)
i. Conflict
i. External: can see this conflict as in a physical fight or argument
ii. Internal: cannot see feelings; inside character’s head
j. Narrator (unreliable and reliable) unreliable narrator may have a bias toward a subject or
character and may not be consistent throughout text where as a reliable narrator will be
consistent throughout text
IV. Persuasive
20. Aphorism definition: a famous quote or saying i.e.- “If you don’t control your mind, someone else
will.”________________________________________________________________________________________
____
21. Charles Spencer Chaplin states, “imagination means nothing without doing.” This is an example of a(n)
a. Setting
b. Simile
c. Aphorism
d. Personification
Matching Literary Devices
22. hyperbole - D
23. irony- C
24. repetition- B
25. personification- A
A. "Unseen, in the background, Fate was
quietly slipping the lead into the boxing
gloves."
(P.G. Wodehouse, Very Good,
Jeeves, 1930)
B. “My conscience hath a thousand several
tongues,
And every tongue brings in a several
tale,
And every tale condemns me for a
villain.”
(William Shakespeare, Richard III)
C. "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is
the War Room."
(Peter Sellers as President
Merkin Muffley in Dr. Strangelove, 1964)
D. "I was helpless. I did not know what in the
world to do. I was quaking from head to foot,
and could have hung my hat on my eyes, they
stuck out so far."
(Mark Twain, "Old Times
on the Mississippi")
Persuasive Terms
Rhetoric Question/Leading Question- a question worded to suggest the desired response.
Example- _____Are we just going to stand around and watch our nation be attacked from
within?____________________________________________________
Loaded Term- a term that has strong emotion and causes strong reactions (uses opinion words or adjectives)
Example- ____Those crackpot theories are nothing but incessant
lies._____________________________________________________
Claim- A statement that claims truth but provides no facts.
Example- ____Our P.E. programs would be much better off without dodge ball as part of the curriculum.
_______________________________________________________
Ethical Appeal- Appeal to one’s sense of right or wrong/ justice.
Example- ________Think about your children’s future. You have the power to change the track for the better.
_____________________________________________________________
Emotional Appeal- Appeal to one’s sense of fear, anger, love, etc.
Example- ________Take one look at this face (puppy from PSA) and you will see the love he has in store for you if
you would choose to adopt._____________________________________________________________
Logical Appeal – Appeal to one’s mind.
Example- ____The sensible thing to do is sign the petition to get Professor Platt off the board of education. If we
can do this, our schools will be ten times more successful.
__________________________________________________________________
Bandwagon Appeal – The belief that something should be done because the majority of people believe it
Example- _________You want to be a champion? All the champion athletes should by Nike Quest shoes! They are
the best in town.____________________________________________________________
V. Grammar
Adjectival and Adverbial Clauses
Circle the word that is modified by the underlined clause in each sentence. Then, identify the type of clause.
28. What is that bright light that I see across the lake? adjective
29. She heard a strange noise when she stepped outside the door. adverb
30. The man, who lives across the street, has more decorations in his yard this year than last. adjective
31. Turn off the lights if you see a car coming. adverb
32. We saw the gray-haired man as he approached the door. adverb
Appositive Phrases
Underline the appositive phrase in each sentence. Then, circle the word or words it modifies, or tells more about.
33. The mayor thanked Dan Shaffer, a bus driver, for his service to the community.
34. He stepped lightly over the mess, a spilled carton of milk, and danced in the rain.
35. The movie, a fast-paced action-thriller, is showing at The Harbor.
36. No one expected the witness, Angela Wilson, to attend.
37. General Eisenhower, commander of the U.S. forces, spent the night in deep thought.
Relative Pronouns
Underline the subordinate clause in each sentence. Then, circle the relative pronoun.
38. I cannot believe that you did it.
39. Do you know who will be at the meeting?
40. She listened to the woman whose story seemed so unbelievable.
41. Mr. Walcott spoke to the man whose daughter had just enrolled in her class.
42. I met the old man whom my father had so accurately described.
Coordinating and Subordinating Conjunctions
*Write the 10 subordinating conjunctions. (AAAWWUBBIS)
Although, As, After, When, Whenever, Until, Because, Before, If, Since
*Write the coordinating conjunctions. (FANBOYS)
For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So
Underline the coordinating or subordinating conjunction in each sentence. Then, identify the sentence as either
compound or complex.
43. When my relatives discuss music, different opinions emerge. Complex
44. Terry will clean the garage, or his parents will be disappointed. Compound
45. We read stories before we go to bed. Complex
46. Whenever I miss the bus, I am late to school. Complex
47. The radio announcer warned of a storm, but no one paid any attention. Compound
Sentence Structure
Identify each sentence as simple, compound, or complex.
48. Mr. Griffin runs a pet store and dry cleaners. Simple
49. My brother and sister will arrive home from college tomorrow. Simple
50. Laura is in charge because she is an expert camper. Complex
51. After the game was over, we ordered a pizza. Complex
52. I am interested in going into politics when I finish college. Complex
Capitalization
Read the items and write what needs to be capitalized.
53. 5989 seventh avenue _______Seventh Avenue___________________________________
54. fort collins, Colorado 80524 ___________Fort Collins___________________________
55. the golden gate bridge _______The Golden Gate Bridge_________________________________
56. lake Michigan ________Lake Michigan______________________________________
57. mount ranier __________Mount Rainier______________________________________
Commas
Insert commas where they belong in each of the sentences below.
58. Before the end of our trip, we tool a group picture in front of Niagara Falls.
59. Jill tell the border guard that all of us are American citizens.
60. Unlike the United States, Canada is a federal parliamentary democracy.
61. After we entered Canada, we changed our speedometer to kilometers.
62. What can you tell me, Roland, was your favorite part of the trip?
There, They’re, and Their
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the word.
63. Where are Mark and Sally? __They’re_____ over ___there______.
64. They’ve forgotten ________ bags.
65. ___There_____ is no soap in my bathroom.
66. __There______are several mistakes in this document.
67. I’ve met them before, but I don’t know __their_____ names.