CAASPP English Language Arts 2

Question 1

A student reads a passage arguing that schools should extend lunch periods. Which type of evidence would BEST strengthen this argument?

Accepted Answer

Statistical data showing improved academic performance linked to longer lunch breaks

Answer

Statistical data provides objective, measurable support that directly connects longer lunch periods to the author's claim about benefits.

Question 2

Read this sentence: 'The ancient oak tree, its branches twisted by decades of wind, stood sentinel over the empty playground.' What does 'sentinel' most likely mean?

Accepted Answer

A guard or watchful presence

Answer

Context clues like 'stood over' and the watchful, enduring image of the tree suggest 'sentinel' means a guard or watchful presence.

Question 3

A narrator describes events only as experienced by one character, using 'he' and 'she' but not 'I.' This point of view is called:

Accepted Answer

Third person limited

Answer

Third person limited uses 'he/she/they' pronouns but restricts the reader's knowledge to one character's thoughts and experiences.

Question 4

Which revision BEST improves the coherence of this paragraph opener: 'Dogs make great pets. The sky is blue. Many families own dogs.'?

Accepted Answer

Dogs make great pets, and many families own them.

Answer

Combining the related ideas about dogs into one sentence removes the irrelevant detail about the sky and creates a coherent, focused opening.

Question 5

An author writes: 'She had butterflies in her stomach before her speech.' This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Idiom

Answer

An idiom is a phrase whose figurative meaning differs from its literal meaning; 'butterflies in her stomach' means nervousness, not actual butterflies.

CAASPP - California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress Practice Test

CAASPP - California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress Practice Test

CAASPP English Language Arts 2