Common Core: 8th Grade English Language Arts : Language
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Common Core: 8th Grade English Language Arts
All Common Core: 8th Grade English Language Arts Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #4 : Distinguish Connotations Among Words With Similar Denotations: Ccss.Ela Literacy.L.8.5.C
Discovered by accident in 1940, Frances Lascaux Caves are covered in breathtaking Paleolithic artwork portraying a wide variety of animals in motion. Ever since that discovery, tourists have flocked to the caves, but such a high rate of tourism has damaged the art, causing chemical changes as well as the introduction of lichen and black 3 mold, as well as other deposits. Over-interaction with the caves has turned them from a fascinating tourist destination into a world wonder desperately in need of preservation.
Which of the following would be the LEAST appropriate replacement for the underlined word?
conservation
renovation
safekeeping
protection
renovation
Answer: “renovation” While all these words have similar meanings, notice the context of the passage - the goal is to protect these caves from damage, not to make them better or more modern or anything of that sort. So “renovation” which means to redo something is the meaning that doesn’t work - the goal is to preserve the caves as they originally were, so renovation would go against that goal.
Example Question #5 : Distinguish Connotations Among Words With Similar Denotations: Ccss.Ela Literacy.L.8.5.C
Which of the following words is the LEAST appropriate to complete the sentence below?
Jamale’s teachers always appreciated his _________ nature as he asked good questions and did extra research on the topics covered in class.
precocious
curious
nosy
inquisitive
nosy
The sentence calls for a positive connotation of the word that fills the blank, since we know that the teachers appreciate this quality in Jamale. “Inquisitive,” “curious,” and “precocious” are words with positive connotations to describe a student who asks questions and seeks out more information; “nosy” has a negative connotation for a similar quality and is therefore the word that does not fit in this context.
Example Question #6 : Distinguish Connotations Among Words With Similar Denotations: Ccss.Ela Literacy.L.8.5.C
Which of the following words best completes the sentence below in a matching tone and connotation?
Rowan’s friends grew to loathe the way that he _________ their friendship to solely benefit himself.
leveraged
employed
exploited
utilized
exploited
Answer: exploited. The word "loathe" gives us an idea that the answer is going to have a negative connotation because "loathe" means to hate. Exploit is the only option with a negative connotation and it means to make full use of and derive benefit from.
Example Question #5 : Distinguish Connotations Among Words With Similar Denotations: Ccss.Ela Literacy.L.8.5.C
Which of the following words best completes the sentence below in a matching tone and connotation?
Safety experts maintain that it is absolutely _________ for infants to be securely seated in car seats with several restraints, not only in case of an accident but also to restrict the jarring and often quite harmful movements that come from typical acceleration and braking.
helpful
imperative
beneficial
important
imperative
This sentence calls for a word that connotes urgency - the word “absolutely” preceding the blank suggests that the action is vital, and the fact that the sentence is about the safety of a baby also suggests that the practice of properly using car seats is critical, not just helpful. The word that best provides this urgency is “imperative” as the action is not merely helpful, beneficial, or important - it’s absolutely necessary.
Example Question #3 : Distinguish Connotations Among Words With Similar Denotations: Ccss.Ela Literacy.L.8.5.C
Relieved to be away from the stress of her job and the bustle of the city, Callie happily soaked in the _________ beauty of the small, quiet lakefront town.
Which of the following words is the LEAST appropriate choice to complete the blank above?
mundane
serene
peaceful
tranquil
mundane
The context of the sentence above suggests that the slow pace and peaceful nature of the small, quiet town is a good thing in Callie’s mind. So we’re looking for a word with a positive connotation. “Mundane” is a synonym for “boring” which carries a negative connotation, making it seem like the quiet town is a bad thing. “Serene,” “peaceful,” and “tranquil” are all positive connotation words to describe a quiet, relaxed scene.
Example Question #6 : Distinguish Connotations Among Words With Similar Denotations: Ccss.Ela Literacy.L.8.5.C
Which of the following words best completes the sentence below in an appropriate tone and connotation?
Between the rain that forced everyone inside with muddy clothes, the pastor calling her by the wrong name, and the fight that broke out between the groomsmen, Becky could only describe her wedding day as _______.
exciting
exhilarating
exceptional
eventful
eventful
Note that, by the context of the sentence, none of the things that happened could be considered good things in Becky’s mind, so the word that fills in the blank cannot have a positive connotation - it must be negative or at least neutral. “Exciting,” “exceptional,” and “exhilarating” all have positive connotations, whereas “eventful” is neutral.
Example Question #7 : Distinguish Connotations Among Words With Similar Denotations: Ccss.Ela Literacy.L.8.5.C
Which of the following words best completes the sentence below in an appropriate tone and connotation?
Her friends admire that Amanda is so __________, constantly jumping between new hobbies and projects and happy to change directions at any moment.
disorganized
spontaneous
haphazard
unplanned
spontaneous
We know that her friends admire this quality in Amanda, so we’re looking for a word with a positive connotation. “Unplanned,” “disorganized,” and “haphazard” all have negative connotations, but “spontaneous” is positive, so that is your correct answer.
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All Common Core: 8th Grade English Language Arts Resources
