Regents NYS Regents English 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A poet writes a 14-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme and iambic pentameter. This is most likely a:
- Haiku
- Sonnet (Correct answer)
- Villanelle
- Free verse poem
Correct answer: Sonnet
A sonnet is traditionally 14 lines written in iambic pentameter, with a structured rhyme scheme.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of an appeal to ethos in an argumentative essay?
- Citing a heart-wrenching story about a child in poverty
- Referencing a peer-reviewed study from the CDC
- Quoting a Nobel Prize-winning scientist on the topic (Correct answer)
- Providing statistical data about unemployment rates
Correct answer: Quoting a Nobel Prize-winning scientist on the topic
Ethos appeals to credibility; quoting a recognized expert establishes the writer's argument as trustworthy and authoritative.
Question 3: In close reading, annotating a text most effectively means:
- Highlighting every sentence to remember it later
- Writing brief notes in the margins to track ideas, questions, and patterns (Correct answer)
- Copying down vocabulary words and their definitions
- Underlining only the thesis statement and topic sentences
Correct answer: Writing brief notes in the margins to track ideas, questions, and patterns
Effective annotation involves brief margin notes that record observations, questions, patterns, and connections as you read.
Question 4: An author repeatedly uses short, fragmented sentences during an action scene. What is the most likely purpose?
- To slow the reader down and encourage reflection
- To create a sense of urgency and rapid movement (Correct answer)
- To signal that the narrator is unreliable
- To establish a formal, academic tone
Correct answer: To create a sense of urgency and rapid movement
Short, fragmented sentences mimic the quick pace of action and create a sense of tension and urgency for the reader.
Question 5: Which of the following describes 'theme' in a literary work?
- A one-word topic such as 'love' or 'war'
- A universal message or insight about life that the text conveys (Correct answer)
- The sequence of events in the story's plot
- The setting where the main events take place
Correct answer: A universal message or insight about life that the text conveys
Theme is a universal insight or message about human experience expressed through the narrative, not simply a topic word.
Question 6: Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?
- She studied hard; and passed the exam.
- He loves reading; novels, poetry, and essays.
- The experiment failed; however, the team learned from their mistakes. (Correct answer)
- I need to buy; milk, eggs, and bread.
Correct answer: The experiment failed; however, the team learned from their mistakes.
A semicolon can correctly link two independent clauses, especially when using a transitional adverb like 'however.'
Question 7: In the NYS Regents ELA Argument essay, the phrase 'source-based' means students should:
- Write entirely from personal experience
- Draw evidence from provided informational texts to support their claim (Correct answer)
- Conduct independent research using outside sources
- Use only fictional literary texts as support
Correct answer: Draw evidence from provided informational texts to support their claim
A source-based argument requires students to use evidence from the provided informational texts rather than personal anecdotes or outside research.
Regents NYS Regents English 5
A poet writes a 14-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme and iambic pentameter.
This is most likely a: