English I CA2 2015-16

INSTRUCTIONS:
Youareabouttotakethe9thGradeELACommonAssessmentbyyourself.
Readeachquestioncarefully.Thenfillinthecorrectansweronyouranswer
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 TheEncounter
byM.KendallHunt

1 Benjaminwalkedintothekitchen,blanched,andbackedoutofit,keepinghis
eyescarefullyaverted.Hehadforgottenthathistwoolderbrothershadbeen
homealoneforthepastmonth.Bothwerecollegestudents,homeforthesummer
toearnsomeextramoney."Andtodestroyourwayoflife,"Benjaminadded
silently.He,hismother,andyoungersisterhadarrivedhomefromtheir
grandmother'sverylatelastnight,adayearlierthantheywereexpected,andhe
wasthefirstonetoseethestateofthekitchen.Heknewhismotherwouldhavea
coronarywhenshesawit,andhemomentarilyrelishedthethoughtthatshe'd
makethempaydearlyforthedestruction.Buthehadtogetgoingsoheturnedhis
thoughtstobreakfast.

2 Littlethoughhewantedtodoit,heforcedhimselftowalkbackintotheroom.
Hehadtoeatsomethingbeforeleavingforhisnewjobatthecommunity
recreationcenterwherehewouldbegivingswimminglessonstoelementaryschool
students.Findinganythingediblewouldbethetrick.Hegrimacedwhenhisfeet
stucktothefloorashestartedtowardtherefrigerator.DevonandDamonmust
havespilledawholejarofhoneyandcleaneditupintheirusualhaphazardmanner,
leavingahealthycoatingthathadnowattractedalayerofdirtandasprinklingof
potatochips.Hewonderediftheyhadleftforworkearly,hopingtobeoutofthe
housebeforeMomsawthemesstheyhadmade.Heallowedhimselfabriefgrinas
hepicturedthemtryingtoofferheranacceptableexplanationforthedevastation
ofherkitchen.Itlookedliketheaftermathofapartythrownbyahordeofeight-
yearolds.

3 Everyavailablesurfacewascoveredwithdirtydishes,emptyplasticwrappers
andfrozenfoodcartons,andtwoscorchedpansweresoakinginthesink.Ablack
bananapeelwasdrapedcasuallyacrossanemptycerealbox.Takingasingle
breathwasenoughtoinformBenjaminthatthetrashhadlingeredtoolonginthe
kitchen,andthestovetopgaveampleevidenceofcookingexperimentsgone
wrong.

4 Benjaminbracedhimselfbeforeopeningtherefrigeratordoor,butthesight
andscentofitsinteriorstillsenthimreeling.Acloserinvestigationrevealeda
drawerfilledwithdecayingsaladgreens,probablythosethattheirmotherhad
purchasedandplacedthereamonthago.Twoorthreedishesheldremnantsof
earlierdinners:muchearlier,judgingbytheirfrostingofmold.FinallyBenjamin
unearthedajarofgrapejellyfromthebackoftherefrigerator.

5 Heknewitwouldbetoomuchtoexpecttofindasliceoffreshbread,sohe

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 inspectedthecabinetshelfthatcustomarilyheldcrackers.Insteadoftwoorthree
boxes,hefoundoneplasticwrappercontainingtwodiminutivecrackers.Hehad
determinedthathewouldhavepeanutbutterandjellyoncrackers,butwhenhe
openedthepeanutbutterjar,hediscoveredthatwasempty.Infact,itwasso
emptythatitsinteriorlookedalmostpolished.Sighing,hereturnedthejellytothe
refrigeratorandresignedhimselftoabreakfastoftwocrackers.

6 Fromupstairshecouldheartheclatteringoffeethurryingdownthehallway.
DevonandDamontryingtomakeabreakforit,hethought,shakinghishead.They
wouldhavebeenwisertoleaveatdawn.Astheystarteddownthestairs,their
mother'svoiceroseoverthenoiseoftheirdeparture,callingtothemtowaitand
havebreakfastwithher.

7 "Can't,Mom!'We'realreadylate!"calledDevon,andtheyresumedtheir
hurriedescape,burstingintothekitchenandheadingforthebackdoor.Theywere
notquickenough,however.Theyhadopenedthedoorandgottenpartwayacross
thepatiowhentheirmother'svoicestoppedthemintheirtracks.Eventhoughthe
morningwasalreadyhot,herwordshadanarcticchill.

8 "Comeinhere,gentlemen,"shecalledinadeceptivelygentletone."Weneed
totalk."Theywalkedslowlybackintothekitchen,headsdown,shouldersslumped.
Benjamingrinnedandsettledontotheonecleanchairhecouldfind.Hedidn'twant
tomissamomentoftheirencounter.

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1 Whichwordmeansmostnearlytheoppositeofthewordhaphazardinparagraph2?
A Careless
B Irresponsible

C Entertaining
D Meticulous

2 Readthefollowingsentencefromparagraph2.

Hegrimacedwhenhisfeetstucktothefloorashestartedtowardtherefrigerator.

Fromthissentence,youcaninferthatBenjaminis
F veryfrightenedbyhisolderbrothers.

G disgustedbyhisolderbrothers'habits.
H amusedbyhisolderbrothers'habits.
J veryelatedbyhisolderbrothers.

3 Paragraph1wasprobablyincludedinorderto
A describethemaincharacter.
B describethemainsetting.
C introduceBenjamin'ssolution.
D introduceBenjamin'ssituation.

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4 DevonandDamon'shousekeepingskillsareexposedbecause
F thefamilycomeshomeonedayearly.
G theirbrotherBenjamintellsonthem.

H theirmothercaughtthemsneakingout.
J theytriedtocookmealsforthemselves.

5 Howdoesparagraph3contributetothereader'sunderstandingoftheselection?
A ItgivesadditionalexplanationofwhyBenjaminisupset.

B IttellsDevonandDamon'ssideofthestory.
C ItclarifieshowlongBenjaminhasbeengone.
D Itinfluencesthereader'sopinionofBenjamin'smother.

6 Attheendoftheselection,Benjamin'smotherhasapparently
F sleptpoorlybecauseofthelongtrip.
G enjoyedthejokethathersonshaveplayed.
H becomeawareofthestateofthekitchen.
J spenthourscleaningthemessykitchen.

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7 Withwhichofthefollowingstatementswouldtheauthormostlikelyagree?
A Patienceisnotalwaysavirtue.
B Ignoringobligationsisaproblem.
C Helpingotherscanbegratifying.

D Doingajobwellisitsownreward.

8 Theuseofthephrase"deceptivelygentletone"indicatesthattheboys'mother
F isseldomdeceptive.

G isnotupset.
H willnotbestern.
J willnotbegentle.

9 Afterreading"TheEncounter,"howwouldyoudescribeBenjamin'sattitudetowards
hisbrothers?Supportyouranswerwithevidencefromtheselection.

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 ChangeYourBadHabitstoGood
byRobertEpstein

1 AttheUniversityofCalifornia,mystudentsandIsurveyedmorethan2,000yearsofself-change
techniques--perhapsmostofthemajorself-changemethodsthathaveeverbeenproposedbyreligious
leaders,philosophers,psychologistsandpsychiatrists.Wealsoreviewedthescientificresearchliteratureon
self-change,atopicthatbehavioralscientistsbegantoexploreinearnestinthe1960s.

2 Hereiswhatwefound:Ofthehundredsofself-changetechniquesthathavebeensuggestedoverthe
centuries,perhapsonlyadozenaredistinctlydifferent.Manyhavenowbeensubjectedtoscientificstudy,
meaningthatresearchershavetriedtoseewhichonesworkbest.

3 Threedeservespecialmention:theyarepowerful,simpleandeasytolearn.Whatsmore,individuals
whohavemadesuccessfulchangesintheirlives--changesineatinghabits,exerciseregimens,career
paths,copingstrategies,andsoon--oftenreliedononeormoreofthesemethods.Togetyourselfstarted
inanewdirection,trytheThreeMs.

ModifyYourEnvironment

4 Peoplewhohavenevertriedthisareastoundedbytheenormouseffectitoftenhas.Oneof
mystudentsgotherselfbicyclingeverydaysimplybyputtingherbicycleinherdoorwaybeforesheleftfor
school.Whenshereturnedhome,thatwasthefirstthingshesaw,andthatsallsheneededtostartpedaling
away.Ihaveknownseveralpeoplewhohaveovercomenail-bitingsimplybybuying50nailfilesand
distributingthemeverywhere:intheirpockets,theirdesksandtheirbedrooms.Withanailfilealwayswithin
reach,theytendedtogroomratherthanbite.

5 Mychildrenhaveusedthissimpletechniquemanytimes.Justin,my17-year-old,oftenplacessmall
fluorescentremindernotesateyelevelontheinsideoftheframeofhisbedroomdoor.Arecentoneread
RemembertoshampoothedogonSaturday.

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 6 Thepowerofrearrangingonesspacehasbeenwelldemonstratedinstudiessinceitwasfirstreported
inthe1960s.PsychologistIsraelGoldiamondoftheUniversityofChicagotaughtthistechniquetopatients
withavarietyofpersonalproblems.Forexample,ayoungwomanwhohaddifficultystudyingmade
dramaticstrideswhenshegotabetterdesklampandmovedherdeskawayfromherbed.

7 PsychologistRichardStuartshowedinthe1960sthatoverweightpeoplecouldlosepoundsbymodifying
boththeireatingbehaviorandstimulusenvironment--forexample,eatingfromsmallerplatesand
confiningallfoodtothekitchen.Tochangeyourself,changeyourworld.

MonitorYourBehavior

8 Ihavebeenreadingresearchstudiesonself-monitoringfor20years,andIhaveconductedsome
myself.Tobehonest,Istilldonotfullyunderstandwhythistechniqueworks,butitdoes,andremarkably
wellformostpeople.Thefactis,ifyoumonitorwhatyoudo,youwillprobablydobetter.

9 Usegizmos.Ifyousayyouknowtoomuch,wearagolfcounteronyourwrist,andpressthecount
buttonwheneveryoucatchyourselfsayingyouknow.Illbetyouwillsayitlessfrequentlyinjustafew
days.Ifawristcounterisembarrassing,thenmakeasmalltearinapieceofpaperinyourpocketeachtime
yousayyouknow.Theresultisthesame:Youbecomemoreawareofwhatyouaredoing,andthat
makesyouperformbetter.

10 Iftechniqueslikethissoundsilly,keepinmindthatthepowerofself-monitoringhasbeendemonstrated
byavarietyofresearchconductedoverthelastfourdecades.InastudyIpublishedin1978withClaire
Goss,forexample,wetaughtafifth-gradeboytoratehisownclassroombehaviortwiceaday.Hesimply
checkedoffascoreforhimself,indicatinghowwell-behavedhehadbeeninthemorningorafternoon.With
hisawarenessincreased,hestayedinhisseatmorethanusualandcompletedmoreassignments.

11 AsimilarstudybyCanadianresearchersThomasMcKenzieandBrentRushallshowedthatteenagers
arrivedmorepromptlyataswimpracticewhentheyweregivenanattendancesheettorecordtheirarrival
times.SonyaCarrofSoutheasternLouisianaUniversityandRebeccaPunzo,aNewOrleansteacher,
reportedthatself-monitoringimprovesacademicperformanceinreading,mathematicsandspelling.Recent
researchevendemonstratedthatstudentswillcomposebetterstoriesgivenasimplechecklistthatincludes
elementsofgoodwriting.Dozensofstudieshavesimilarresults,allspurredbyheighteningourawareness
ofourbehavior.

MakeCommitments

12 Whenyoumakeacommitmenttoanotherperson,youestablishwhatpsychologistscallacontingency
ofreinforcementyouhaveautomaticallyarrangedforarewardifyoucomplyandapunishmentifyoudo
not.Itputssomepressureonyou,andthatisoftenjustwhatyouneed.

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 13 Forinstance,ifyouwanttoexercisemore,arrangetodoitwithafriend.Ifyoudonotshowup,your
friendwillgetangry,andthatmaybejusttherighttickettokeepingyoupunctual.Decadesofresearch
havedemonstratedthepowerofthisstrategy.Forexample,in1994DanaPutnamandotherresearchersat
theVirginiaPolytechnicInstituteandStateUniversityshowedthatpatientswhomadewrittencommitments
werefarmorelikelytotakeprescribedmedicinethanpatientswhohadnot.

14 Thereisgoodnewshereforallofus.Wecanmeetmanyofthedemandsandovercomemanyofthe
challengesoflifewithsimpleskills--straightforwardpracticesthatanyonecanmasterandthatdonot
requirewillpower--inotherwords,withskill,notwill.

ChangeYourBadHabitstoGoodbyRobertEpstein,copyright1998.Reprintedbypermissionofthe
author.Allrightsreserved.RobertEpstein,Ph.D.,isapsychologyprofessorandauthorofSelf-HelpWithout
theHypeandotherbooks.

TheStagesofCommittedChange

Nineteenth-centurypsychologistWilliamJames,agraduateofandprofessoratHarvardUniversity,studied
thescientificandhistoricaloriginsofhabits.Hewrites:

Whenwelookatlivingcreaturesfromanoutwardpointofview,oneofthefirstthingsthatstrikesusis
thattheyarebundlesofhabits.Inwildanimals,theusualroundofdailybehaviorseemsanecessityimplantedat
birthinanimalsdomesticated,andespeciallyinman,itseems,toagreatextent,tobetheresultofeducation.
Thehabitstowhichthereisaninnatetendencyarecalledinstinctssomeofthoseduetoeducationwouldby
mostpersonsbecalledactsofreason.Itthusappearsthathabitcoversaverylargepartoflife...

Regardlessofwhether,asWilliamJamesdescribesabove,ourbadhabitscometousnaturallyorare
learned,correctingthesehabitscanbealongandsometimesdifficultprocess.PsychologistJamesProchaska,
authorofChangingforGood,namesthefivestagesthatleadtotrulycommittedchangesinpeopleshabitsand,
eventually,intheirlives.Thestagesareasfollows:

1. Precontemplation--Thepersonseesnoneedforachangeinhabit.
2. Contemplation--Thepersonrecognizesthatthehabitexists.
3. Preparation--Thepersonplanstochangethehabitinthefuturebutdoesnotyettakeaction.
4. Action--Thepersonadmitstohavingabadhabitandbeginscorrectingthehabitwithpositivebehavior.
5. Maintenance--Thepersoncontinuesthenew,positivebehaviorforanextendedperiodoftime,usually
sixmonthsormore.

Prochaskasmodelissimplebuteffective,asitappliestoeveryoneintheprocessofchangingbadhabits--
eventopeoplewhostillhaventrecognizedtheirbadhabitsatall!

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10 ReadthesentencefromParagraph8.

Tochangeyourself,changeyourworld.

Inthissentence,thewordworldisusedtomean
F planet.
G culture.

H surroundings.
J influences.

11 Basedoninformationpresentedinthepassage,whichtypeofpersonwould
havethemostdifficultychangingbadhabitsbyself-monitoring?

A someonewhohopestochangeinordertopleaseothers
B someonewhohasatalkative,outgoingpersonality
C someonewhodoesnotrecognizehispoorbehaviorwhenitoccurs

D someonewhodoesnotlikehispoorbehavior

12 InthesectionTheStagesofCommittedChange,JamesProchaskanamed
thefirststageofchangeprecontemplation.

WhichstatementbestexplainswhyProchaskachosethatword?

F Itusesthelanguageofthescientificcommunity.
G Ithelpstodefinetheupcomingstages.
H Itservestoidentifytheperiodbeforeapersondecidestochange.

J Itconveystheideathatchanginghabitsisfairlysimple.

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13 InChangeYourBadHabitstoGood,howdoestheauthorbestenhancethe
credibilityofhisclaims?
A bysuggestingbooksforadditionalreadingonthesubject
B bymentioninginstancesthathaveoccurredinhishome

C bydescribinghisowneducationalbackground
D bydiscussingarangeofexpertsandtheirresearch

14 Readthesentence.

Whatsmore,individualswhohavemadesuccessfulchangesintheirlives--changes
ineatinghabits,exerciseregimens,careerpaths,copingstrategies,andsoon--
oftenreliedononeormoreofthesemethods.

Whatisthemeaningofthewordregimensasusedinthissentence?

F courses
G policies

H routines
J treatments

15 Theauthorappearsqualifiedtoendorseself-changetechniquesbecausehe
A knowspeoplewhohavehadsuccess.

B knowspeoplewanttochangethemselves.
C hasbeenstudyingthissubjectformanyyears.
D hasbeenreadingsomearticlesaboutthissubject.

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16 AccordingtothelistinTheStagesofCommittedChange,amanwhois
puttingapennyinajareverytimehebiteshisnailsisinwhichstage?
F Precontemplation
G Contemplation

H Preparation
J Action

17 Readthissentencefromthepassage.

Whenyoumakeacommitmenttoanotherperson,youestablishwhatpsychologists
callacontingencyofreinforcementyouhaveautomaticallyarrangedforarewardif
youcomplyandapunishmentifyoudonot.

Whatdoesthesentenceabovetellreadersaboutmakingacommitment?

A Acommitmentusuallygivesyouareward.
B Acommitmentforcesyoutodependonafriend.
C Acommitmentchangesyourbehaviorimmediately.

D Acommitmentmakesyouresponsibletosomeoneelse.

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 Readtheselectionandchoosethebestanswertoeachquestion.

Carlowrotethisstoryaboutaboywithaproblem.ReadCarlo'sstoryandlookforany
correctionsheshouldmake.Thenanswerthequestionsthatfollow.

AProblem

(1)EnriquehandedfourticketstoMr.Blairforhisfamilyandnoddedatthem
cheerfully.(2)HeenjoyedsellingticketsfortheschoolBasketballgames.(3)Ashis
Englishteachersteppeduptothetable,hefeltleastcomfortable,however.
(4)TherewasanacademiccompetitionthisSaturday,andheknewhisteacherwas
expectinghimtogo.
(5)"Enrique,neitheryounorJavierhaveturnedinyourpermissionslipfor
Saturday.(6)Aren'tyouplanningtoattend?"
(7)"Ifwecan,"Enriqueassuredher,becausehereallydidwishtogo.
(8)However,bothheandhisbrotherJavierwerealsosupposedtoworkatthere
uncle'sstoreonSaturday.(9)Hisregularclerksweregoingoutoftown
unexpectedly,sohisunclehadsaidnothingaboutneedinghisnephewsuntil
yesterdayaboutneedingthemtoworkforhisregularclerks.(10)Nowtheywere
trapped.(11)Nomatterwhattheydid,theywouldletdowneithertheirUncleor
theirteacher.
(12)Enriquesquaredhisshouldersashethoughtabouttheproblem.
(13)Surelytheycouldworkoutsomething.(14)Perhapshecouldworkatthe
store.(15)PerhapsJaviercouldgotothecompetition.
(16)"Atleastoneofuswillbethere,"heannouncedfirmly,certainthathe
couldworkitout.

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18 Whatchange,ifany,shouldbemadeinsentence3?

F Changehistohe's

G Changefelttofeels
H Changeleasttoless

J Nochangeshouldbemade.

19 Whatchange,ifany,shouldbemadeinsentence5?

A Changeneithertoeither

B Changehavetohas
C Changeyourtoyou're

D Nochangeshouldbemade.

20 Whatchange,ifany,shouldbemadeinsentence8?
F Changehetohim
G Changetheretotheir

H Changeuncle'stoUncle's
J Nochangeshouldbemade.

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21 Whatisthecorrectwaytowritesentence9?
A Hisuncle'sregularclerksweregoingoutoftownunexpectedly,whichhejust
foundoutaboutyesterday,sohisuncleneededhisnephewstoworkforhis
regularclerks.
B Hisregularclerksweregoingoutoftownunexpectedly,sohisunclehadsaid
nothingaboutneedinghisnephewsuntilyesterdayaboutthemworkingforhis
regularclerks.
C Hisunclesaidnothingabouthisregularclerksgoingoutoftownuntilyesterday,
soheneededhisnephewstoworkforhisregularclerks.

D Hisregularclerksweregoingoutoftownunexpectedly,sohisunclehadsaid
nothingaboutneedinghisnephewsuntilyesterday.

22 Whatchange,ifany,shouldbemadeinsentence10?

F Changetheytotheir

G Changeweretoare

H Changetrappedtotraps
J Nochangeshouldbemade.

23 Whatisthecorrectwaytowritesentences14and15?
A PerhapshecouldworkatthestoreandJaviercouldgotothecompetition.
B Perhaps,atthestore,hecouldworkwhileJaviergoestothecompetition.

C Hecould,perhaps,gotothecompetitionandJavier,perhaps,couldworkinthe
store.
D Perhapshecouldworkatthestore,andJaviercouldgotothecompetition.

Page16 BESUREYOUHAVERECORDEDALLOFYOURANSWERS STOP

ONYOURANSWERDOCUMENT