Regents English Language Arts 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student writes: 'Each of the students must submit their assignment by Friday.' What issue does this sentence contain?
- A dangling modifier
- A subject-verb agreement error
- A pronoun-antecedent agreement error (Correct answer)
- A comma splice
Correct answer: A pronoun-antecedent agreement error
'Each' is singular, so the pronoun should be 'his or her' rather than the plural 'their,' creating a pronoun-antecedent disagreement.
Question 2: In persuasive writing, an appeal to logos relies on:
- The author's personal credibility and expertise
- The audience's emotions and values
- Logic, facts, and reasoned arguments (Correct answer)
- Repeated use of vivid imagery and description
Correct answer: Logic, facts, and reasoned arguments
Logos is a rhetorical appeal that uses logical reasoning, evidence, and factual data to persuade an audience.
Question 3: Which transition word BEST signals a contrast between two ideas?
- Furthermore
- Therefore
- Nevertheless (Correct answer)
- Similarly
Correct answer: Nevertheless
'Nevertheless' signals that the second idea contrasts with or persists despite the first, making it a contrast transition.
Question 4: A character in a novel gradually becomes more empathetic after experiencing hardship. This change is an example of:
- Static characterization
- Dynamic characterization (Correct answer)
- Indirect characterization only
- Flat characterization
Correct answer: Dynamic characterization
Dynamic characterization refers to a character who undergoes significant internal change or growth throughout the narrative.
Question 5: Which is the MOST accurate definition of 'tone' in a literary text?
- The sequence of events that make up the plot
- The underlying message or lesson the author intends to communicate
- The author's attitude toward the subject or audience as conveyed through word choice (Correct answer)
- The perspective from which the story is narrated
Correct answer: The author's attitude toward the subject or audience as conveyed through word choice
Tone reflects the author's attitude toward the subject or audience, conveyed through diction, syntax, and stylistic choices.
Question 6: A student reads an article arguing that social media harms teen mental health. The article only cites studies that support this view. This is an example of:
- Ad hominem fallacy
- Circular reasoning
- Cherry-picking or confirmation bias (Correct answer)
- Slippery slope fallacy
Correct answer: Cherry-picking or confirmation bias
Cherry-picking occurs when an author selectively uses only evidence that supports their position while ignoring contradictory studies.
Question 7: In the Regents exam's extended response, the 'command of evidence' criterion rewards students for:
- Using the longest quotations possible from the texts
- Accurately integrating and explaining textual evidence in support of their analysis (Correct answer)
- Summarizing each text in separate paragraphs before comparing them
- Avoiding direct quotation and paraphrasing everything
Correct answer: Accurately integrating and explaining textual evidence in support of their analysis
Command of evidence refers to effectively selecting, integrating, and explaining textual evidence to substantiate the student's analysis.
Regents English Language Arts 4
A student writes: 'Each of the students must submit their assignment by Friday.' What issue does this sentence contain?