Unit 8 Taking Tests - mangrum- · PDF fileYou will be learning about five types of tests in this unit: multiple-choice, true/false, ... Do not simply select the first answer choice

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Unit 8Taking Tests

Activities8-1 TheDETERTestTakingStrategy

8-2 LearningAboutMultiple-ChoiceTests

8-3 DoingWellonMultiple-ChoiceTests

8-4 DoingWellonTrue/FalseTests

8-5 DemonstratingMasteryofTrue/FalseTests

8-6 LearningAboutMatchingTests

8-7 DoingWellonMatchingTests

8-8 LearningAboutCompletionTests

8-9 GuidelinesforTakingCompletionTests

8-10 LearningAboutEssayTests

8-11 DirectionWordsinEssayTestItems

8-12 PracticeWritingaResponsetoanEssayTestItem

8-13 ReviewingYourResponsetoanEssayTestItem

8-14 WhatIHaveLearned

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-1: The DETER Test Taking Strategy

Activity 8-1: The DETER Test Taking StrategyYouwillbelearningaboutfivetypesoftestsinthisunit:multiple-choice,true/false,matching,completion,andessay.DETERisastrategythatwillhelpyoutodoyourbestwhenyoutakeeachofthesetypesoftests.EachletterinDETERstandsforastepinthestrategy.ReadthefollowinginformationtolearnwhattodoforeachstepinDETER.

D ReadthetestDirectionscarefully.Besurethatyouknowwhatyouhavetodotocompletethetest.Askyourteachertoexplainanythingaboutthedirectionsyoudonotunderstand.

E Examinetheentiretesttoseehowmuchthereistodo.Thiswillhelpyoutoestablishamentalsetfortakingthetest.

T PlanhowmuchTimetospendansweringeachitem.Youcandothisbydividingthenumberofminutesyouhavetotakethetestbythenumberofitems.Ifalloftheitemsdonotcountforthesamenumberofpoints,plantospendmoretimeonthoseitemsthatcountforthemostpoints.

E AnswertheitemsyoufindEasiestfirst.Bydoingthis,youwillbeabletoanswerthequestionsyouaresureaboutbeforetimerunsout.

R Reviewyouranswerstobesuretheyareyourbestanswers.Besurethatyouhaveansweredallrequireditems.

Answer the following questions.

1. WhatdoesthesecondEstandforintheDETERstrategy?

____________________________________________________________________________

2. Whatcanexaminingallthetestitemsbeforeansweringtheitemshelpyoutodo?

____________________________________________________________________________

3. Whyshouldyouanswertheitemsyoufindeasiestfirst?

____________________________________________________________________________

4. Ifallitemscountforthesamenumberofpoints,whatisagoodwaytodeterminehowmuchtimeyoushouldspendansweringeachitem?

____________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-2: Learning About Multiple-Choice Tests

Activity 8-2: Learning About Multiple-Choice TestsAmultiple-choicetestcontainsitemsthatconsistofastem(aquestionoranincompletestatement)andseveralanswer choicesfromwhichyouaretochoosethecorrectchoice.Typicallytherearefouranswerchoicesthatarerepresentedbythelettersa,b,c,andd,oras(1),(2),(3),and(4).

Lookatthefollowingexampleofaniteminwhichthestemispresentedasaquestion.Youshouldselect“a”astheanswerchoicethatcorrectlyanswersthequestion.

WhichoneofthefollowingwasaresultoftheIndustrialRevolutioninEurope?

a. Thegrowthofthemiddleclass.

b. Anincreaseofnomadicherding.

c. Adeclineinurbanpopulation.

d. Adecreaseininternationaltrade.

Hereisanexampleofthesameitemwiththestempresentedasanincompletestatement.Inthisform,themissingpartofthestatementcanappearanywhereinthestatement.Youshouldselect“a”astheanswerchoicethatcorrectlycompletesthestatement.

_____________________________wasaresultoftheIndustrialRevolutioninEurope.

a. Thegrowthofthemiddleclass

b. Anincreaseofnomadicherding

c. Adeclineinurbanpopulation

d. Adecreaseininternationaltrade

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-2: Learning About Multiple-Choice Tests (continued)

Sometimesyouwillfindmorethanonemissingpartinastatement.Hereisanexampleforwhich(3)isthecorrectanswerchoice.

Ifthereisnothingtoabsorbtheenergyofsoundwaves,theytravelon_____________,buttheirintensity_____________________astheytravelfurtherfromtheirsource.

(1)erratically-mitigates

(2)eternally-alleviates

(3)indefinitely-diminishes

(4)forever-increases

(5)steadily-stabilizes

Sometimes,oneoftheanswerchoicesinamultiple-choiceitemis“alloftheabove.”Lookatthefollowingexample.Inthisexample,“alloftheabove”isthecorrectanswerchoicebecauseallofthecountriesshownasanswerchoicesareinSouthAmerica.

WhichofthefollowingcountriesisinSouthAmerica?

a. Bolivia

b. Uruguay

c. Argentina

d. Ecuador

e. alloftheabove

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Othertimes,oneoftheanswerchoicesis“noneoftheabove.”Lookatthefollowingexample.Inthisexample,“noneoftheabove”isnotthecorrectanswerchoicebecauseItalyisinEurope.For“noneoftheabove”tobethecorrectanswerchoice,noneofthecountriesshownasanswerchoicescouldbeinEurope.Thecorrectanswerchoiceinthiscaseis(3).

__________________________________isacountryinEurope.

(1)Bolivia

(2)Uruguay

(3)Italy

(4)Ecuador

(5)noneoftheabove

Use the information in the box that follows to write two multiple-choice test items. Your first item should be an incomplete statement followed by four answer choices. Your second item should be a question followed by four answer choices.

Year:1876

Event:AlexanderGrahamBellinventedthetelephone

1. ____________________________________________________________________________

a. __________________________________________________________________________

b. __________________________________________________________________________

c.___________________________________________________________________________

d. __________________________________________________________________________

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2. ____________________________________________________________________________

a. __________________________________________________________________________

b. __________________________________________________________________________

c.___________________________________________________________________________

d. __________________________________________________________________________

Now, use the information in the box that follows to write a multiple-choice item for which one of the answer choices is “all of the above.” When writing the item, “all of the above” does not have to be the correct answer choice.

Bears,skunks,chickens,turtles,andpiranhasarecarnivores.Cows,elephants,iguanas,fruitbats,andmanateesareherbivores.

3. ____________________________________________________________________________

(1)_________________________________________________________________________

(2)_________________________________________________________________________

(3)_________________________________________________________________________

(4)_________________________________________________________________________

(5)_________________________________________________________________________

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This time, use the information in the box that follows to write a multiple-choice item for which one of the answer choices is “none of the above.” When writing the item, “none of the above” does not have to be the correct answer choice.

TheUnitedStates,England,Canada,Mexico,andIndiawerepartoftheAlliedForcesduringWorldWarII.Germany,Japan,Italy,Hungary,andRomaniaweremembersoftheAxisPowersduringthiswar.

4. ____________________________________________________________________________

a. __________________________________________________________________________

b. __________________________________________________________________________

c.___________________________________________________________________________

d. __________________________________________________________________________

e. __________________________________________________________________________

5. Now, write some information from one of your textbooks or your class notes that you can use to create a multiple-choice item. Write the information here.

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

6. Now, write a multiple-choice item that is based on the information you just wrote.

a. __________________________________________________________________________

b. __________________________________________________________________________

c.___________________________________________________________________________

d. __________________________________________________________________________

e. __________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-3: Doing Well on Multiple-Choice Tests

Activity 8-3: Doing Well on Multiple-Choice TestsHerearesomeguidelinesthatwillhelpyoutodoyourbestwhentakingamultiple-choicetest.Readtheseguidelines.Usethemwhenyoutakethepracticemultiple-choicetestthatappearslaterinthisactivityandwheneveryoutakeamultiple-choicetest.

• Carefully read the test directions.Usuallyyouareaskedtochoosethecorrectanswerchoice.Butsometimesyouareaskedtochoosethebestanswerchoice.Whenaskedtochoosethecorrectanswerchoice,thereisonlyonechoicethatiscorrect.Whenaskedtochoosethebestanswerchoice,theremaybemorethanoneanswerchoicethatcouldbeconsideredcorrect;youmustselectthechoicethatisbetterthantheothers.

• Circle or underline important words in the statement or question.Doingthiswillhelpyoutomakecertainthatyouhavereadthestatementorquestioncarefully.Thiswillhelpyoutofocusontheinformationneededtoidentifythecorrectanswerchoice.

• Read all of the answer choices before selecting one as the correct choice.Donotsimplyselectthefirstanswerchoicethatappearstobecorrect.Oneoftheanswerchoicesthatfollowsmightbethecorrectanswerchoice.Thesameguidelineholdstruewhenyouaretoselectthebestanswerchoice.Thefirstcorrectchoiceyoucometomaynotbethebestone.

• Cross out any answer choices that you are certain are incorrect.Eachincorrectanswerchoiceisadistracterfromthecorrectchoice.Crossingoutanswerchoicesthatyouarecertainarenotcorrectwilleliminatethemasdistractersandwillhelpyoutozeroinonthecorrectchoice.

• Look for answer choices that contain absolute terms such as all, always, never, and none.Answerchoicesthatcontainabsolutetermsareusuallyincorrectbecausetherearealmostalwaysexceptionstoanything.Answerchoicesthatcontainqualifierssuchasoften,usually,andin certain casesaremorelikelytobethecorrectchoice.

• Look for two answer choices that are opposites.Whentwooftheanswerchoicesareopposites,oneofthemislikelytobethecorrectchoice.

• When answering an item, look for hints about the correct answer choice in other items on the test.Sometimesthecorrectanswerchoiceforanitemiscontainedinthestemofanotheritemonthetest.

• Look for answer choices that contain language used by your teacher or found in your textbook.Ananswerchoicethatcontainssuchlanguageisoftenthecorrectchoice.

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-3: Doing Well on Multiple-Choice Tests (continued)

• Look for grammatical clues.Forexample,ifthestemofanitemendswiththeindefinitearticlean,thecorrectorbestanswerchoiceprobablybeginswithavowel.Alsolookforsubject-verbagreementclues.

• Look for verbal associations between the stem and an answer choice.Ananswerchoicethatincludeskeywordsortermsthatarepartofthestemisoftenthecorrectchoice.

• Select “all of the above” as an answer choice only if you are certain that all of the other answer choices are correct.Ifevenoneoftheotheranswerchoicesisincorrect,“alloftheabove”isnotthecorrectanswerchoice.Asaruleofthumb,ifyouarecertainthatatleasttwooftheotheranswerchoicesarecorrect,“alloftheabove”islikelytobethecorrectanswerchoice.

• Select “none of the above” as an answer choice only if you are certain that all of the other answer choices are incorrect.Ifevenjustoneoftheotheranswerchoicesiscorrect,“noneoftheabove”isnotthecorrectanswerchoice.

• Do not change your answer unless you become certain that a different answer choice is correct.Moreoftenthannot,yourfirstchoiceisthecorrectanswerchoice.Researchsuggeststhatwhenstudentschangetheiranswerchoice,theyusuallychangefromthecorrectchoicetoanincorrectchoice.

• Do not look for a pattern of correct answer choices based on the order in which the answer choices are presented.Theorderofcorrectanswerchoiceswithinitemsisusuallyrandom.

• When the answer choices are numbers, choose one that is in the middle of the numerical range.Answerchoicesthatareattheupperorlowerextremeoftherangeareusuallyincorrect.

• Answer all items unless there is a penalty for incorrect answers.Ifthereisapenaltyforincorrectanswers,thenansweronlythequestionsforwhichyouarecertainabouttheanswer.Guessingmaynotbebeneficialtoyou.Ifthereisnopenaltyforincorrectanswersandyoucannotmakeevenaneducatedguessastothecorrectanswerchoice,gowith“b”or“c”.Researchhasshownthesetobethecorrectanswerchoicemoreoftenthanare“a”or“d.”

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Take the following multiple-choice test. This test is based on the guidelines for taking multiple-choice tests that you just read about in this activity.

Directions:Circletheletterinfrontoftheanswerchoiceyoubelieveiscorrect.Thereisnopenaltyforincorrectanswers.

1. Whenshouldyouselectananswerchoiceasthecorrectanswerchoice?

a. Afteryouhaverereadthestatementorquestion.

b. Assoonasyoucometowhatyouthinkisthecorrectanswerchoice.

c. Afteryouhavecrossedoutoneanswerchoice.

d. Afteryouhavereadalloftheanswerchoices.

2. Choose“alloftheabove”asthecorrectanswerchoicewhen__________

a. alloftheotheranswerchoicesarecorrect.

b. someoftheotheranswerchoicesarecorrect.

c. mostoftheotheranswerchoicesareincorrect.

d. noneoftheotheranswerchoicesarecorrect.

3. Youshould__________ananswerchoicewhenyoudecideitisnotthecorrectchoice.

a. choose

b. crossout

c. reread

d. rewrite

4. Changeyouranswerchoiceonlywhenyouaresureadifferentanswerchoiceis__________

a. shorter.

b. correct.

c. longer.

d. incorrect.

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5. Whichtypeofterminananswerchoiceusuallymeansthatthechoiceisincorrect?

a. Aconfusingterm.

b. Ascientificterm.

c. Amathematicalterm.

d. Anabsoluteterm.

e. Noneoftheabove.

6. Sometimesyoucanfindahintaboutthecorrectanswerchoiceby__________

a. countingthenumberofwordsinthestem.

b. countingthenumberofwordsineachanswerchoice.

c. lookingatyouranswerchoicesforotheritems.

d. lookingatotheritemsonthetest.

7. Ananswerchoiceislikelytobecorrectifitcontains__________

a. wordsfoundinpopularmagazines.

b. informationfromanewspaper.

c. languageusedinyourtextbook.

d. wordsyoudonotunderstand.

8. Whenshouldyouanswerallitems?

a. Whenyoudon’tunderstandsomeoftheitems.

b. Whenyouarerunningoutoftime.

c. Whenthereisnopenaltyforincorrectanswers.

d. Whenthereisapenaltyforincorrectanswers.

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9. Choose“noneoftheabove”asthecorrectanswerchoicewhen__________

a. alloftheotheranswerchoicesarecorrect.

b. someoftheotheranswerchoicesarecorrect.

c. noneoftheotheranswerchoicesarecorrect.

d. mostoftheotheranswerchoicesareincorrect.

10.Whentwoanswerchoicesare__________,oneofthemisusuallycorrect.

a. easy

b. opposites

c. difficult

d. short

11.Whenthereisnopenaltyforincorrectanswersandyouhavenoideaastowhichchoiceiscorrect,choose___or___.

a. aorc.

b. borc.

3. aord.

4. bord.

Score your test as your teacher goes over the answers with you. Your score for the test is your number correct. Enter your score in the box below to see how well you did.

MyScore____________________

10-11=Excellent

8-9=Good

0-7=Reviewtheguidelinespresentedinthisactivity

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-4: Doing Well on True/False Tests

Activity 8-4: Doing Well on True/False TestsItemsonatrue/falsetestrequireyoutoreadastatementandthendecideifthestatementistrueorfalse.True/falsetestitemsseemeasysinceyouhavea50/50chanceofguessingthecorrectanswer.However,true/falsetestitemscanbedifficultbecausetheytestforveryspecificknowledge.

Herearesomeguidelinesthatcanhelpyoutodoyourbestwhentakingatrue/falsetest.Readtheseguidelinesandusethemwhenyoutakethepracticetrue/falsetestlaterinthisactivityandwheneveryoutakeatrue/falsetest.

• Try to prove each statement false.Itiseasiertoprovethatastatementisfalsethantoprovethatitistrue.Selectfalseifanypartofthestatementisfalse.

Readthisnextstatement.Thestatementisfalsebecausealthoughcoalismadeupofcarbon,tar,andoils,itisnotmadeupofsalt.

Coal is a fossil fuel that is made up of carbon, tar, oils, and salt.

Ifallpartsofthestatementaretrue,selecttrue.Readthefollowingstatement.Thestatementistruebecauseallfourofthesemusicalinstrumentsarepercussioninstruments.

Drums, bells, cymbals, and gongs are percussion instruments.

• Carefully reread statements that contain a negative word such as not or a word that begins with a negative prefix such as unreliable.Negativewordssuchasnotornegativeprefixessuchasuncompletelychangethemeaningofastatement.

Forexample,thefollowingtwostatementslookverysimilar,yetthefirststatementistruewhilethenegativewordnotmakesthesecondstatementfalse.

Green plants are the only plants that produce oxygen and make their own food.

Green plants are not the only plants that produce oxygen and make their own food.

Inthefollowingtwostatements,thesecondstatementisfalsebecauseoftheprefix“dis”thatbeginstheword“distrust.”

You should trust an honest man.

You should distrust an honest man.

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-4: Doing Well on True/False Tests (continued)

• If a statement has two negatives, cross out both negatives.Twonegativesmakeapositive,butinaconfusingway.Crossingoutthetwonegativeswillmakeiteasierforyoutounderstandthemeaningofthestatement.Readthetwostatementsthatfollow.Thesecondstatementiseasiertounderstandastruebecausethenegativesnotanddo nothavebeencrossedout.

You will not succeed in life if you do not apply yourself.

You will not succeed in life if you do not apply yourself.

• Absolute statements are usually false. Qualified statements are usually true.Absolutestatementsincludewordssuchasall, none, always,andevery.Qualifiedstatementsincludewordssuchassome, many, usually,andmost.

Readthefollowingtwostatements.Theabsolutewordallinthefirststatementmakesthestatementfalse.Replacingtheabsolutewordallwiththequalifiedwordsomeinthesecondstatementmakesthestatementtrue.

All metals are solid at room temperature.

Some metals are solid at room temperature.

• If you are uncertain whether a statement is true or false, make your best guess unless there is a penalty for incorrect answers.Ifthereisapenaltyforincorrectanswers,thenansweronlythequestionsforwhichyouarecertainabouttheanswer.Guessingmaynotbebeneficialtoyou.Ifthereisnopenaltyforincorrectanswersandyoucannotmakeevenaneducatedguess,selecttrue.Researchhasshownthattrueismoreoftenthecorrectanswerthanisfalse.

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-4: Doing Well on True/False Tests (continued)

Take the following true/false test. This test is based on the guidelines for taking true/false tests that are presented in this activity.

Directions:CircleTRUEorFALSEinfrontofeachstatement.Thereisaone-pointdeductionforeachincorrectanswer.

True False 1. Qualifiedstatementsareusuallytrue.

True False 2. Ifthereisapenaltyforincorrectanswers,makeyourbestguess.

True False 3. Absolutestatementsareusuallyfalse.

True False 4. Ifastatementhastwonegatives,youshouldcrossoutoneofthenegatives.

True False 5. Ifyouarenotcertainthatastatementisfalse,donotconsiderittrue.

True False 6. Youshouldneverrereadastatementwhentakingatrue/falsetest.

True False 7. Mostpartsofastatementmustbetrueforthestatementtobetrue.

True False 8. Anegativewordcancompletelychangethemeaningofastatement.

True False 9. Itiseasiertoprovethatastatementistruethantoprovethatitisfalse.

True False 10.Allthingsbeingequal,morestatementsaretruethanfalse.

Score your test as your teacher goes over the answers with you. Subtract your number incorrect from your number correct to get your score for the test. Enter your score in the box below to see how well you did.

MyScore____________________

9-10=Excellent

7-8=Good

0-6=Reviewtheguidelinespresentedinthisactivity.

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-5: Demonstrating Mastery of True/False Tests

Activity 8-5: Demonstrating Mastery of True/False TestsReadthefollowinginformationaboutIndia.

IndiaislocatedinSouthAsia,whereitfrontstheBayofBengalonthesoutheastandtheArabianSeaonthesouthwest.Itisaconsitutionalrepublicconsistingof28states,6unionterritories,andtheDelhinationalcapitalterritory,whichincludesNewDelhi,itscapital.Indiaisthesecondmostpopulouscountry,afterChina.DirectadministrationbyEnglandbeganin1858.AfterMohandasGhandihelpedendBritishrulein1947,JawaharlalNehrubecameIndia’sfirstprimeminister.Indiaisoneofthemostethnicallydiversecountriesintheworld.Itishometomanyreligionsandsects,innumerablecastesandtribes,andhundredsofmajorandminorlinguisticgroupsfromseverallanguagefamiliesthatareunrelatedtooneanother.Indiahasplayedanincreasingroleinglobalaffairsinrecentyears.Ithasawell-developedinfrastructureandahighlydiversifiedindustrialbase.Itspoolofscientistsandengineersisoneofthelargestintheworld.India’sculturalimpactisseeninitsexportsofmusic,literature,andcinema.Indiahasexpandeditsagriculturalbase,andeventoday,thecountry’spopulationremainslargelyrural.

Based on the information you just read about India, write true/false items as directed.

1. Writeanitemthatisaqualifiedstatement.

____________________________________________________________________________

2. Writeanitemthatcontainsanegativewordorterm.

____________________________________________________________________________

3. Writeaniteminwhicheverythinginthestatementistrue.

____________________________________________________________________________

4. Writeanitemthatisanabsolutestatement.

____________________________________________________________________________

5. Writeaniteminwhichatleastonepartofthestatementisnottrue.

____________________________________________________________________________

6. Writeanitemthatcontainstwonegatives.

____________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-6: Learning About Matching Tests

Activity 8-6: Learning About Matching TestsAmatchingtestrequiresyoutomatchitemsinaleft-handcolumn(firstcolumn)withitemsinaright-handcolumn(secondcolumn).Theitemsinthefirstcolumnaretermedpremisesandareassignednumbers.Theitemsinthesecondcolumnarecalledresponsesandareassignedletters(typicallycapitalletters).

Hereisanexampleofamatchingtestforwhichtheanswersareprovided.

Directions:Onthelinenexttoeachpersoninthefirstcolumn,writetheletteroftheaccomplishmentofthatperson.Useeachaccomplishmentjustonce.

Person Accomplishment

1. DThomasEdison A.Composedfamouswaltzes

2. AJohannStrauss B.Developedpoliovaccine

3. CGeorgeWashington C.FirstpresidentoftheUnitedStates

4. BJonasSalk D.Patentedmanyinventions

Sometimestherearemoreitemsinthesecondcolumnthaninthefirstcolumn.Thismeansthatnoteveryiteminthesecondcolumncanbeusedasamatchforaniteminthefirstcolumn.Hereisanexampleofthistypeofmatchingtestwiththeanswersprovided.

Directions:Onthelinetotheleftofeachwriterinthefirstcolumn,writetheletterofthegenreinwhichthatpersonisknownforwriting.Donotuseagenremorethanonce.

Writer Genre

1. DAgathaChristie A.Children’sbooks

2. EStephenKing B.Humor

3. ADr.Seuss C.Religion

4. BErmaBombeck D.Mystery

5. GRayBradbury E.Horror

F.Romance

G.Sciencefiction

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-6: Learning About Matching Tests (continued)

Readthefollowinginformationaboutworldcapitals.

Quiteoftenthecapitalcityofacountryisfamous,suchasParis,France.Herearesomecapitalsthatarenotverywellknownintheirownright:Nicosia,Cypress;Accra,Ghana;Doha,Qatar;Zagreb,Croatia;Reykjavik,Iceland.Therearemanycapitalsthatyouhaveprobablyneverheardofsuchasthefollowing:Monrovia,Liberia;Ulaanbaatar,Mongolia;Dhaka,Bangladesh;Antananarivo,Madagascar.Thechallengeisnotonlytorememberthesecapitals,buttospellthemaswell.

Use this information to write a matching test in which capitals are to be matched to countries. Include at least six items, with more capitals than countries. Do not forget to include directions for taking the test. Use the space below to write your test.

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-7: Doing Well on Matching Tests

Activity 8-7: Doing Well on Matching TestsHerearesomeguidelinesthatwillhelpyoutodoyourbestwhentakingamatchingtest.Readtheseguidelinesandusethemwhenyoutakethepracticematchingtestinthisactivityandwheneveryoutakematchingtestsgivenbyyourteachers.

• Read all of the words or terms in both columns before making any matches.Ifyoumakethefirstmatchthatlookscorrect,youmaynotchoosethecorrectmatch.

• Start by making matches for the information about which you are certain.Thiswillreducethenumberofchoicesforthematchesaboutwhichyouarenotcertain.

• Cross out items in both columns as you make matches.Thisreducestheinformationyouwillhavetoconsiderwhenmakingsubsequentmatches.

• Make your best guess at the remaining matches only when there is no penalty for incorrect matches.Ifthereisapenaltyforincorrectanswers,thenmakematchesonlywhenyouarecertaintheyarecorrect.Guessingmaynotbebeneficial.

• Carefully review your matches when you have completed the test.Reviewingthematchesyoumadeisimportantbecauseanincorrectmatchmayresultinanothermatchbeingincorrect.

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-7: Doing Well on Matching Tests (continued)

Take the following matching test about the guidelines for taking matching tests you learned about in this activity.

Directions:OnthelinetotheleftofeachBeginningofaguidelinefortakingmatchingtests,writetheletterfoundnexttotheEndingthatcompletestheguideline.Thereisnopenaltyforincorrectmatches.

Beginning Ending

1._____ Readallthewordsorterms a. whenyouhavecompletedthetest. inbothcolumns

2._____ Makeyourbestguessforthe b. beforemakinganymatches. remainingmatches

3._____ Crossoutitemsinboth c. onlyafteryouhavemadeyour columns matches.

4._____ Startbymakingmatches d. onlywhenthereisnopenalty forincorrectanswers.

5._____ Carefullyreviewyourmatches e. thatseemthemostdifficult.

f. fortheinformationaboutwhich youarecertain.

g. asyoumakematches.

Score your test as your teacher goes over the answers with you. Your score is your number correct. Enter your score in the box below to see how well you did.

Myscore____________________

5=Excellent

4=Good


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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-8: Learning About Completion Tests

Activity 8-8: Learning About Completion TestsAcompletiontestconsistsofstatementsthathaveoneormorepartsmissing.Amissingpartofastatementcanbeanywhereinthestatementandisshownbyablankline.Youarerequiredtocompletethestatementbywritingthecorrectwordorwordsontheblankline.

Hereareexamplesofcompletiontestitemsinwhichmissingpartsappearindifferentpartsofthestatements.Thecorrctanswersareshownin().

1. Ofthe4,000to5,000languagesintheworld,(Chinese)isthelanguagespokenbythegreatestnumberofpeople.

2. (Cheetahs)canrunfasterthananyotheranimal.

3. Themainreproductivepartsofaflowerarethefemale(carpel)andthemale(stamen).

ReadthefollowinginformationaboutthecityofPhiladelphia.

PhiladelphiawasfoundedbyWilliamPennin1682.ItislocatedinsoutheasternPennsylvania,attheconfluenceoftheDelawareandSchuylkillrivers.PhiladephiawasthecapitalofPennsylvaniafrom1683-1789andthecapitaloftheUnitedStatesbetween1790and1800.Philadelphia’spopulationgrewinthe18thcentury,withmanyimmigrantsfromScotland,Ireland,andGermany.PhiladelphiawasthelargestandmostimportantcityintheUnitedStatesduringthe19thcenturyandwasacenteroftheantislaverymovementpriortotheCivilWar.ThePennsylvaniaHospitalfoundedinPhiladelphiain1751wasthefirsthospitalintheUnitedStates.Philadelphiaisalsothesiteoftheoldestartmuseuminthenation;thePennsylvaniaAcademyoftheFineArtswasfoundedtherein1805.PhiladelphiawasthebirthplaceofAmericanbanking,andthefirstbuildingandloanassociationwasfoundedthere.OneofthefirstsubwaysystemsintheUnitedStateswasestablishedinthiscityin1907.PhiladelphiaisveryproudoftheprivatelyendowedUniversityofPennsylvaniawhichwasfoundedtherein1740.Thisuniversityopenedthenation’sfirstmedicalschoolin1765.IfyouareinPhiladelphia,besuretovisitthePhiladelphiaZoo.Thiszoowasfoundedin1740andistheoldestzoointhecountry.Besuretocheckoutits1,600specimensrepresenting400species.

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-8: Learning About Completion Tests (continued)

Write a six-item completion test based on the information you just read about Philadelphia. Place your blank lines in different parts of the statement. At least one of your items should have two or more blank lines. Write the test in the space provided here.

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-9: Guidelines for Taking Completion Tests

Activity 8-9: Guidelines for Taking Completion TestsHerearesomeguidelinesthatwillhelpyoutodoyourbestwhentakingacompletiontest.Readtheseguidelinesandusethemwhenyoutakethepracticecompletiontestinthisactivityandwheneveryoutakecompletiontestsgivenbyyourteachers.

• Read the statement and try to identify the information that is missing.Onapieceofscrappaperorinthemarginsofthetestpaper,writeseveralpiecesofinformationthatyouthinkmaybemissingfromthestatement.

• Select the answer that best completes the statement.Reviewtheinformationyouwroteonscrappaperoronthetestpaper.Selectandwritetheinformationthatyouthinkbestcompletesthestatement.

• Read the completed statement to be sure it makes sense.Ifthecompletedstatementdoesnotmakesensewiththeinformationyouwrote,replacewhatyouwrotewithotherinformationyouwroteonscrappaperorthetestpaper.

• Read the completed statement once more to be sure it is grammatically correct.Ifthecompletedstatementisnotgrammaticallycorrect,whatyouwroteisprobablyincorrectandneedstobechanged.

• Use the length of the blank line as a clue to the length of the answer.Shortblanklinesmaymeanthatonlyonewordisneededtocompletethestatement.Longerblanklinesmaymeanthatmorethanonewordisneededtocompletethestatement.Thisguidelinedoesnotworkwhenthelengthofeachblanklineisthesamethroughoutthetest.

• Do not guess at an answer when there is a penalty for incorrect answers.Thisguidelineisparticularlyimportantforcompletiontestsbecauseyoumustproducethecorrectanswerratherthanjustrecognizeit.Havingtoproduceananswerincreasesthepossibilitythatyourguesswillbeincorrect.

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-9: Guidelines for Taking Completion Tests (continued)

Take the following completion test. This test is based on the guidelines for taking completion tests that you learned about in this activity.

Directions:Completeeachstatementbywritingthemissingwordorwordsontheblanklineorlines.Thereisnopenaltyforincorrectanswers.

1. Thecompletedstatementshouldbe_______________correct.

2. Usethelengthofthe______________asacluetothelengthoftheanswer.

3. Guessingattheanswertoacompletiontestitemmaynotbe__________toyouwhenthereisa__________forincorrectanswers.

4. Writetheanswerthatbestcompletesthe______________.

5. Readthestatementand__________aboutwhatinformationcouldbemissing.

6. Sometimestheanswerisoneword;sometimesitis______________________________.

7. __________theentirestatementincludingyourwrittenanswertobesureitmakessense.

Score your test as your teacher goes over the answers with you. Your score is your number correct. Enter your score in the box below to see how well you did.

Myscore____________________

7=Excellent

5-6=Good


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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-10: Learning About Essay Tests

Activity 8-10: Learning About Essay TestsAnessay testrequiresyoutorespondtoitemsbyusingextendedwriting.Youmustrecallandorganizeinformationyouknowinordertorespondtoanessaytestitem.

Herearethestepstofollowwhenrespondingtoanessaytestitem.

Step 1. Readtheessaytestitemtolearnwhatyoumustdo.

Sometimesanessaytestitemispresentedasaquestionthatyoumustanswer.Hereisanexampleofanessaytestitemthatispresentedasaquestion.

Howdoeselectricitymakeyourlifeeasier?

Oftenanessaytestitemispresentedasastatementcontainingadirectionwordthattellsyouwhatyoumustdotorespondtotheitem.Hereisanexampleofthistypeofitem.Itcontainsthedirectionwordjustify.

Justifytheneedforinspectionoffoodprocessingplants.

YouwilllearnaboutthisdirectionwordandothersinothersinActivity8-11.Itisagoodideatounderlinethedirectionwordsothatyoufocusyourattentiononwhatittellsyoutodo.

Step 2. Thinkabouttheinformationyoushouldincludeinyourresponse.Itishelpfultowritesomenotesonapieceofscrappaperoronacornerorbackofthetestpage.

Step 3. Organizetheinformationintoanoutlinethatcontainsmainideasandsupportingdetails.Numberthemainideasintheorderinwhichyouplantoincludetheminyourresponse.Foreachmainidea,numberthesupportingdetailsintheorderinwhichyouplantopresentthem.

Step 4. Writeyourresponse.Writelegiblysothatyourteachercaneasilyreadyourresponse.Beginwithanintroductioninwhichyoustateyourmainpointtobemadeandhowyouintendtorespondtotheitem.Keepyourintroductionshort.ThebulkofyourtimeshouldbespentonrespondingtowhatisaskedbyelaboratingontheinformationyouorgranizedinStep3.Uselanguagethatisclearanddirect.Besuretoincludealloftheimportantinformation.Whereappropriateincludetermsusedinyourtextbookandbyyourteacher.Provideasmanyexamplesandfactsaspossibletosupportwhatyouwrite.Concludeyourresponsebyrestatingbothyourmainideaandwhatyoudidtorespondtotheitem.

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-10: Learning About Essay Tests (continued)

Step 5. Rereadyourresponsetomakesurethatyourespondedtowhattheitemrequired.

Step 6. Checkyourspelling,grammar,andpunctuation.Someteachersdeductpointsforerrorsinthesewritingmechanics.

Answer these questions.

1. Doeseverytestitemincludeadirectionword?

____________________________________________________________________________

2. Ifyouarenotallowedtousescrappaper,wherecanyouwriteyournotes?

____________________________________________________________________________

3. Whyshouldyoucheckyourspelling,grammar,andpunctuation?

____________________________________________________________________________

4. Whatshouldyourintroductionconsistof?

____________________________________________________________________________

5. Howshouldyouorganizetheinformationyouwillincludeinyourresponse?

____________________________________________________________________________

6. Whatshouldyourconclusionconsistof?

____________________________________________________________________________

7. Whyshouldyourereadyourresponsetoanitem?

____________________________________________________________________________

8. Doessaytestitemsrequireyoutorecognizeinformation,ordotheyrequireyoutorecallinformation?

____________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-11: Direction Words in Essay Test Items

Activity 8-11: Direction Words in Essay Test ItemsAsnotedinActivity8-10,essaytestitemsareoftenpresentedasastatementthatcontainsadirection word.Herearecommondirectionwordsyouwilloftenfindinessaytestitems.Readthelistbelowtolearnwhateachdirectionwordtellsyoutodo.Anexampleofanessaytestitemthatcontainsthedirectionwordisprovided.

Analyze Breaksomethingintoitsseparateparts.Showhowthepartsrelatetoeachothertomakethewhole.

Analyzehowbloodcirculatesthroughthehumanbody.

Compare Tellhowtwoormorethingsaresimilaranddifferent.

Compareelectricalenergyandnuclearenergy.

Contrast Tellhowtwoormorethingsaredifferent.

ContrasttheplatformoftheRepublicanPartywiththatoftheDemocraticParty.

Discuss Consideranddebateorarguetheprosandconsofanissue.

DiscusstheproposalofsomescientiststhattheUnitedStatesshouldexpanditsspaceexplorationefforts.

Define Explainthemeaningofsomethinginabriefmanner.

Definewhatismeantbytheexpression“twoheadsarebetterthanone.”

Describe Presentafullanddetailedpictureofsomethinginwords.Includeinformationaboutthecharacteristicsofthethingyouaredescribing.

DescribewhatitmusthavebeenliketoliveduringtheGreatDepression.

Explain Providereasonsandfactstomakesomethingveryclearandunderstandable.

ExplainthesystemofchecksandbalancesinAmericangoverment.

Illustrate Provideconcreteexamplestoexplainsomething.

Illustratethewaysinwhichworldgovernmentsaredealingwiththeproblemofglobalwarming.

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-11: Direction Words in Essay Test Items (continued)

Justify Tellwhysomethingiscorrect.

Justifytheneedforstricterpenaltiesforviolentcrimes.

List Presentinformationasaseriesofbriefnumberedpoints.

Listthestepsyoushouldfollowtoprepareforcollege.

Summarize Presentthemainpointsaboutsomethinginabriefform.

Summarizewhatyouneedtodoinordertosucceedinhighschool.

Support Provideanargumenttobacksomethingup.Usefactsandlogicinyourargument.

Supporttheneedtomaintaintheelectoralcollegesystem.

Trace Telltheorderofeventsforsomething.

TracetheeventsthatledtotheAmericanCivilWar.

For each of the following, write the direction word that is most appropriate. You can use a direction word more than once.

1. Yourteacherwantsyoutobrieflytellwhatphotosynthesismeans.

____________________________________

2. Yourteacherwantsyoutoidentifyfivecharacteristicsofmammals.

____________________________________

3. YourteacherwantsyoutopresentacaseforShakespearebeingthegreatestwriterofalltime.

____________________________________

4. Yourteacherwantsyoutobreakdownintopartsorstepstheprocessbywhichwoodpulpismadeintopaper.

____________________________________

5. Yourteacherwantsyoutotellwhatatropicalrainforestislike.

____________________________________

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-11: Direction Words in Essay Test Items (continued)

6. Yourteacherwantsyoutotellhowademocracyandamonarchyaredifferent.

____________________________________

7. YourteacherwantsyoutopresentclearfactsaboutthedutiesofthepresidentoftheUnitedStates.

____________________________________

8. Yourteacherwantsyoutotellhowlionsandtigersarealikeanddifferent.

____________________________________

9. Yourteacherwantsyoutotellthesequenceofstepstofollowwhenansweringanessaytestitem.

____________________________________

10.YourteacherwantsyoutobrieflytellthemostimportantpointsabouthowapersoniselectedtobethepresidentoftheUnitedStates.

____________________________________

11.YourteacherwantsyoutostateveryclearlywhattheSATassesses.

____________________________________

12.YourteacherwantsyoutotelltheorderoftheeventsthatleduptotheresignationofPresidentRichardNixon.

____________________________________

13.Yourteacherwantsyoutopresentaveryfullanddetaileddescriptionofhowahotairballoonworks.

____________________________________

14.Yourteacherwantsyoutowriteaboutyourpositionregardingcapitalpunishment.

____________________________________

15.YourteacherwantsyoutoprovideexamplesofhowtheWorldHealthOrganizationhasbenefittedpeoplearoundtheworld.

____________________________________

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-12: Practice Writing a Response to an Essay Test Item

Activity 8-12: Practice Writing a Response to an Essay Test ItemIn Activity 8-10 you learned about six steps to follow when responding to an essay test item. Use what you learned to write a response to the following item.

Analyzewhatyoushoulddowhenrespondingtoanessaytestitem.

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-13: Reviewing Your Response to an Essay Test Item

Activity 8-13: Reviewing Your Response to an Essay Test ItemReviewyourresponsetotheessaytestitemyouwroteinActivity8-12.CircleYesorNoforeachofthefollowingquestionsaboutyourresponse.

DidIrespondtothequestionordowhatthedirectionwordrequiredmetodo?

Yes No

Iftheitemincludedadirectionword,didIunderlinethedirectionword?

Yes No

DidIprepareanoutlinecontainingmainideasandsupportingdetails?

Yes No

DidIincludeallimportantinformation? Yes No

DidIbeginwithanintroduction? Yes No

DidIwritenotesonscrappaperoronthetestpaper? Yes No

DidIendwithaconclusion? Yes No

DidIwritelegibly? Yes No

DidIrereadmyresponsetomakesureIrespondedtowhattheitemrequired?

Yes No

DidIcheckforcorrectgrammar? Yes No

DidIcheckforcorrectpunctuation? Yes No

DidIcheckforcorrectspelling? Yes No

AnyquestionforwhichyouranswerisNoissomethingyoushouldbeverycarefulaboutwhenyoutakeessaytests.

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-14: What I Have Learned

Activity 8-14: What I Have LearnedReadthefollowinginformationabouttheEarth’sclimate.

The Earth’s Climate

Manypeoplethinkthatweatherandclimatearethesamething.Thisisnottrue.Weatheristheatmosphericconditionsforaplaceatagiventime.Climateisthegeneralweatherconditionsforaplaceorregionoveralongperiodoftime(aperiodofatleastthirtyyears).Ifyouthinkaboutit,overtimeyouhaveacquiredanimpressionoftheclimateintheplacewhereyoulive.Ifyoulookatnationalweatherreportsovertime,youwillacquireanimpressionofclimateinmanyplacesintheUnitedStates.Forexample,inMinneapolis,Minnesota,theclimateismostoftencoldinthewinterandmildinthesummer.InMiami,Florida,theclimateismostoftenmildinthewinterandhotinthesummer.

Factors That Determine Climate

TemperatureandprecipitationarethetwomajordeterminersofclimaticconditionsanywhereonEarth.

Temperature.Oneofthemajordeterminersofclimateistemperature.TemperatureismeasuredusingathermometerindegreesFahrenheitintheUnitedStatesanddegreesCelsiusinmanyotherplacesintheworld.Thehigherthetemperatureisinaplaceovertime,thehottertheclimaticconditionswillbe.Likewise,thelowerthetemperatureisinaplaceovertime,thecoldertheclimaticconditionswillbe.Temperaturemakesthedifferencebetweenhotandcoldclimaticconditions.

Precipitation.Thesecondmajordeterminerofweatherisprecipitation.Precipitationoccursinavarietyofforms:rain,snow,hail,andsleet.PrecipitationismeasuredininchesintheUnitedStatesandincentimetersinmanyotherplacesintheworld.Littleornoprecipitationresultsindesertswhereverylittlevegetationgrows.Amoderateamountofprecipitationhelpstoproduceanabundanceofvegetationandcrops.Toomuchprecipitationcanproducefloodinginwhichoverflowingriverswashawayseedsandthesoilthatholdstheseeds.Precipitationmakesthedifferencebetweendryandwetclimaticconditions.

Major Factors That Influence Climate

Youhavealreadylearnedthattemperatureandprecipitationdetermineclimate.Fourmajorfactorsthatinfluencetemperatureandprecipitation,andthereforeinfluence

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Unit 8: Taking TestsActivity 8-14: What I Have Learned (continued)

climate,are:latitude,altitude,topography,andoceancurrents.Thesefactorscreateavarietyofenvironmentssuchasdeserts,tropicalrainforests,tundra,coniferforests,prairies,plains,glacialice,andothers.

Latitude.Theequatorisanimaginarylinethatdividestheearthintonorthandsouth.Latitudeishowdistanceismeasuredgoingnorthandsouthfromtheequator.Theequatorisatzerodegreeslatitude.NinetydegreeslatitudenorthoftheequatoristheNorthPole,andninetydegreeslatitudesouthoftheequatoristheSouthPole.Areasclosetotheequatorreceivedirectraysfromthesun.Thisresultsinawarmclimate.Inareasthatareclosetothepoles,theraysofthesunareatanangle.Thisresultsinacoldclimate.Thecloseronegetstotheequator,thewarmertheclimate.Thefartheronegetsfromtheequator,thecoldertheclimate.

Altitude.Altitudeisthedistanceabovesealevel.Asaltitudeincreases,airpressuredecreasesandtheairbecomeslessdense.Thelessdensetheair,thelessheatitholds.Therefore,thehigherthealtitude,thelowerthetemperature.Airtemperaturedropsapproximately3.5degreesFahrenheitper1,000feetofaltitude.Altitudeaffectsprecipitationaswellasairtemperature.Thehigherthealtitude,themorelikelyrainwillbecomesnoworice.

Topography.Whenyouarereading,talking,orwritingaboutthesurfacefeaturesoftheearth,youarestudyingtopography.Topographycanbeflatlands,rollinghills,mountains,oranyfeatureonthesurfaceoftheearth.Thesesurfacefeaturesaffectthedevelopmentofcloudsandprecipitation.Forexample,ashumidairmovesupamountainside,cloudsareformedfromthewaterintheair.Thesewater-ladencloudscaneventuallyproducerain,snow,orice.

Ocean Currents.Waterintheoceansoftheworldtravelsinpaths.Thesepathsarecalledcurrents,andtheycanbewarmorcold.Warmwaterheatstheairaboveit.Coldwatercoolstheairaboveit.Oceancurrentsmovingawayfromtheequatorarewarm.Theybringwiththemheatedairmassesthatraisethetemperaturesovertheregionsintheirpath.Currentsmovingtowardtheequatorarecolder.Theybringwiththemcooledairmassesthatlowerthetemperaturesovertheregionsintheirpath.

Types of Climates

WladimirKöppenwasaRussian/Germanclimatologistwhoin1900introducedasystemforclassifyingtheclimatesoftheworld.Hissystemremainsinwideusetoday.Köppenrecognizedfivemajorclimatetypesbasedonannualandmonthlyaveragesoftemperatureandprecipitation.ClimatetypesinKöppen’ssystemareidentifiedbytheuppercaselettersA,B,C,D,andE.

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A—Moist Tropical Climate.Thisclimatehashightemperaturesthroughouttheyear.Itreceivesalargeamountofrainfallyearround.

B—Dry Climate.Thisclimatereceiveslittlerain.Therangeofdailytemperaturesisverylarge.

C—Humid Middle Latitude Climate.Thisclimateiswarmanddryinthesummer.Inthewinter,itiscoolandwet.

D—Continental Climate.Thisclimateistypicallyfoundintheinteriorregionsoflargemassesofland.Totalprecipitationisnotveryhigh.Temperaturesvarywidelyacrosstheseasons.

E—Cold Climate.Thisclimateoccursinareaswhereiceisalwayspresent.Freezingtemperaturesoccurformostoftheyear.

Summary

Climateisthegeneralweatherconditionsforaplaceorregionoveralongperiod.Temperatureandprecipitationarethetwomajordeterminantsofclimate.Fourmajorfactorsthatinfluencetemperatureandprecipitationarelatitude,altitude,topography,andoceancurrents.WladimirKöppenintroducedasystemforclassifyingclimatesin1900.Hissystem,whichisstillwidelyused,recognizedthefollowingfivemajorclimatetypes:moisttropical,dry,humidmiddlelatitude,continental,andcold.

Based on the passage about the earth’s climate, write each of the following test items.

1. Amultiple-choiceitemintheformofanincompletestatementfollowedbyfouranswerchoices:

Statement: __________________________________________________________________

a. _____________________________________

b. _____________________________________

c.______________________________________

d. _____________________________________

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2. Amultiple-choiceitemintheformofaquestionfollowedbyfiveanswerchoices.

Question:____________________________________________________________________

a. _____________________________________

b. _____________________________________

c.______________________________________

d. _____________________________________

3. Atrue/falseitem.

____________________________________________________________________________

4. Amatchingtestwithfouritemsintheleft-handcolumnandfiveintheright-handcolumn.

Directions: __________________________________________________________________

Heading__________________________ Heading_____________________________

1.________________________________ a._____________________________________

2.________________________________ b._____________________________________

3.________________________________ c._____________________________________

4.________________________________ d._____________________________________

e._____________________________________

5. Acompletiontestitemwiththemissingpartattheend.

____________________________________________________________________________

6. Acompletiontestitemwithtwomissingparts.

____________________________________________________________________________

7. Anessaytestitemthatcontainsaquestiontobeanswered.

____________________________________________________________________________

8. Anessaytestitemthatcontainsthedirectionwordexplain.

____________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 8 Taking Tests - mangrum- · PDF fileYou will be learning about five types of tests in this unit: multiple-choice, true/false, ... Do not simply select the first answer choice