Common Core: 8th Grade English Language Arts : Reading
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 #1 : Reading To Understand Structure
Passage 1:
School-age children are filled with curiosity and seek to discover new and exciting things every day! So, it is silly to assume that a child would not appreciate the faraway places and times of classics by Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, and Shakespeare. Regardless of the child’s age, if he or she can break down the structure of Shakespeare’s sonnets or the satire of Dickens’s episodics, there is no reason such a child should have to wait until the later part of his or her schooling to enjoy such works. In fact, limiting younger children to writing consisting only of relatable elementary- and middle-school topics such as going to school, overcoming bullying, and growing up only acts to stifle the curiosity that could otherwise be strengthened by the wonder of classic literature.
Passage 2:
There is no simpler way to drive children away from reading than to fill their arms and their reading lists with dense, boring novels full of language and topics they find unrelatable and difficult to understand. Allow a child to find his love for reading through books that he can relate to and he will hold onto that appreciation of reading for a lifetime. Force him to know only difficult constructions and dated language when he reads, and you’ll be sure to chase him away from the hobby entirely! By allowing children to read about what they find interesting, or what they can relate to, whether it’s the common challenges faced making friends in school or the wonder of talking animals and superheroes, you build the foundation for a love of reading that will eventually make its way to the classic literature adult readers have come to embrace.
Why did the author include episodics and sonnets in the context of Passage 1?
To make the claim that classic literature is better than child and teen books
To claim that these structures are too complex for children to attempt to read
To show that Charles Dickens and William Shakespeare are the only authors employing such techniques
To provide examples of the complex structures of some classic literature
To contrast the structure of other classic authors
To provide examples of the complex structures of some classic literature
The reason the author of Passage 1 includes the examples of “the structure of Shakespeare’s sonnets or the satire of Dickens’s episodics” is to show that if these complex structures can be comprehended by children, such children should be encouraged to read classic novels. So, the specific terms “episodics” and “sonnets” are included “To provide examples of the complex structures of some classic literature.”
Example Question #4 : Reading To Understand Structure
Until recently, there were two schools of thought on establishing "flagship" endangered species chosen for campaigns to make people aware of the need for action to protect animals from extinction. These flagship species are used in marketing and advertising not only to raise awareness but also to encourage people to take action - such as fundraising, voting, and recruiting others to join in - for fauna conservation as a whole.
The first concerns how recognizable the general public, the audience of most large-scale funding campaigns, finds a particular species. This concept is commonly termed “public awareness.” This school of thought was built on the foundation that if an individual recognizes a species from prior knowledge, cultural context, or previous conservational and educational encounters (in a zoo environment or classroom setting, for instance) that individual would be more likely to note and respond to the severity of its endangered status. For instance, the panda bear, a known and beloved animal of both historical and pop-culture significance has long been used as a flagship species for many conservation groups. However, recently emerging flagship species such as the pangolin have shown us that this cannot be the only factor.
Alongside public awareness, conservation experts have long considered a factor they refer to as a “keystone species” designation in the flagstone selection process. Keystone species are those species that play an especially important role in their respective habitats or ecosystems. The otter, for example, plays a key role in balancing the kelp ecosystems in which it hunts. While this metric is important to the environmentalists in charge of distributing funds received, recent data has expressed the more minor role a keystone species designation seems to play in the motivations of the public.
Recent studies by conservationists have questioned both the singularity and the extent to which the above classifications impact the decision making of the general public. Though more complicated to measure, a third designation, known as a species’ “charisma,” is now the yardstick by which most flagship species are classified. Addressing the charisma of a species involves establishing and collecting data concerning its ecological (interactions with humans/the environments of humans), aesthetic (appealing to human emotions through physical appearance and immediately related behaviors), and corporeal (affection and socialization with humans over the short- and long-terms) characteristics. This process has been understandably criticized by some for its costs and failure to incorporate the severity of an endangered species’ status into designation, but its impact on the public has been unquestionable. While keystone and public awareness designations are still often applied in the field because of their practicality and comparative simplicity, charisma is now commonly accepted as the most accurate metric with which to judge a species’ flagship potential.
In the context of the passage, paragraph one primarily serves the purpose of
detailing all the factors that contribute to a well-chosen flagship species
refuting a common believe concerning endangered species
defining public awareness to readers
introducing readers to the concept of a “flagship” species
defining the term “charisma” as it applies to flagship species
introducing readers to the concept of a “flagship” species
In the context of the passage, paragraph one serves primarily as an introduction. The paragraph introduces us to the concept of a flagship species and foreshadows the rest of the passage by suggesting that there are both existing and emerging processes used to identify potential flagship species. While many of our wrong answers are included in the passage, only “introducing readers to the concept of a “flagship” species” addresses the purpose of the first paragraph.
Example Question #21 : Craft And Structure
Until recently, there were two schools of thought on establishing "flagship" endangered species chosen for campaigns to make people aware of the need for action to protect animals from extinction. These flagship species are used in marketing and advertising not only to raise awareness but also to encourage people to take action - such as fundraising, voting, and recruiting others to join in - for fauna conservation as a whole.
The first concerns how recognizable the general public, the audience of most large-scale funding campaigns, finds a particular species. This concept is commonly termed “public awareness.” This school of thought was built on the foundation that if an individual recognizes a species from prior knowledge, cultural context, or previous conservational and educational encounters (in a zoo environment or classroom setting, for instance) that individual would be more likely to note and respond to the severity of its endangered status. For instance, the panda bear, a known and beloved animal of both historical and pop-culture significance has long been used as a flagship species for many conservation groups. However, recently emerging flagship species such as the pangolin have shown us that this cannot be the only factor.
Alongside public awareness, conservation experts have long considered a factor they refer to as a “keystone species” designation in the flagstone selection process. Keystone species are those species that play an especially important role in their respective habitats or ecosystems. The otter, for example, plays a key role in balancing the kelp ecosystems in which it hunts. While this metric is important to the environmentalists in charge of distributing funds received, recent data has expressed the more minor role a keystone species designation seems to play in the motivations of the public.
Recent studies by conservationists have questioned both the singularity and the extent to which the above classifications impact the decision making of the general public. Though more complicated to measure, a third designation, known as a species’ “charisma,” is now the yardstick by which most flagship species are classified. Addressing the charisma of a species involves establishing and collecting data concerning its ecological (interactions with humans/the environments of humans), aesthetic (appealing to human emotions through physical appearance and immediately related behaviors), and corporeal (affection and socialization with humans over the short- and long-terms) characteristics. This process has been understandably criticized by some for its costs and failure to incorporate the severity of an endangered species’ status into designation, but its impact on the public has been unquestionable. While keystone and public awareness designations are still often applied in the field because of their practicality and comparative simplicity, charisma is now commonly accepted as the most accurate metric with which to judge a species’ flagship potential.
Which of the following, if used in place of the existing first sentence of paragraph four, would best maintain the structure and tone of the paragraph?
Since conservationists have begun to see how little the above designations impact the decisions of the public, they have abandoned the use of flagship species entirely.
Because the designations above are relatively easy to measure, they are the preferred process used by most conservationists.
With the limited impact of the designations described on the public, conservationists have sought out a third means of identifying flagship species.
The third designation, charisma, has also been used by conservationists for as long as those conservationists have worked to protect endangered species.
The flaws in the above designation systems have rendered them completely unusable and obsolete, and conservationists have been forced to develop a new system.
With the limited impact of the designations described on the public, conservationists have sought out a third means of identifying flagship species.
The transition into the fourth paragraph, marked by the first sentence: “Recent studies by conservationists have questioned both the singularity and the extent to which the above classifications impact the decision making of the general public,” addresses the limitations of the earlier designation systems and introduces the new, commonly accepted process. This aligns perfectly in meaning, transition, and tone, to: “With the limited impact of the designations described on the public, conservationists have sought out a third means of identifying flagship species.” Each of our wrong answers incorrectly identifies the other designation systems as either obsolete (The flaws in the above designation systems have rendered them completely unusable and obsolete, and conservationists have been forced to develop a new system) or preferred (Because the designations above are relatively easy to measure, they are the preferred process used by most conservationists) both of which are disproven later in the paragraph. “The third designation, charisma, has also been used by conservationists for as long as those conservationists have worked to protect endangered species,” might sound convincing on first glance, but the start of the passage implies that the charisma system introduced in this paragraph is a newly discovered and adopted process. Finally, we can see that the process of identifying flagship species is far from abandoned, so we can eliminate “Since conservationists have begun to see how little the above designations impact the decisions of the public, they have abandoned the use of flagship species entirely.”
Example Question #11 : Reading To Understand Structure
Passage 1:
Encouraging the participation of video games in children and teenagers is a dangerous practice. These video games are often violent and thus promote violence in everyday life. Such games have also been shown to encourage violence and anger problems in those already inclined toward violence. At an age at which it is important to foster cooperation among classmates and build friendships, the isolation that comes with excessive gaming makes students more likely to enter conflicts with other students and harms their ability to socialize.
Video games have also been shown to be addictive. This trait makes gaming all the more dangerous, as an exclusive focus on any one hobby can leave children without a well-rounded set of interests and skills. Those playing video games would benefit from other extracurriculars, such as arts or athletics. When children spend all their time playing video games, that leaves less time for more-productive tasks like joining a sport, learning to play an instrument, or picking up other more beneficial hobbies. Parents would be wise to discourage their children from playing video games and instead suggest they pick up a more constructive hobby.
Passage 2:
Video games are often (and unfairly) blamed for negatively impacting children, but in reality, they offer many benefits to those who choose “gaming” as a hobby. Studies show that children who play video games improve their motor skills, reasoning ability, and creative problem-solving when they do so. Additionally, evidence shows us that many find playing video games to be a way to socialize with friends and even build leadership skills, including how to delegate, work as a team, and prioritize tasks. Some have even linked these higher-order thinking skills to career success down the road.
People who would villainize gaming claim that violent games make kids more violent. However, there is little, if any, evidence to show any connection between actions performed in a simulated game and tendencies in real life. In fact, many report that they find playing such games to be stress-relieving, and say that these activities positively impact their mood.
While it is important to limit kids’ daily consumption of any hobby, video games can be a great way to encourage their creative problem solving, leadership, and other valuable life skills!
Which of the following would be the most appropriate term to replace the word “while” in paragraph three of Passage 2, without changing the tone or context?
In conclusion
If
Though
Because
Since
Though
We’re looking for a transition word that maintains the concession cited by the author. The author admits that “it is important to limit kids’ daily consumption of any hobby,” but goes on to say that “video games can be a great way to encourage their creative problem solving, leadership, and other valuable life skills.” So, our new transition word needs to maintain that concession. Only the term “though” does so, as “because” and “since” seem to imply continuation, “if” seems to present a conditional or hypothetical situation in which it *could* be valuable to play video games, and “in conclusion” attempts to present a closing paragraph introduction that doesn’t make sense with the context or sentence construction here.
Example Question #21 : Craft And Structure
As technology continues to advance, relics of much earlier innovations remain in the terms we use to describe today’s tech. These terms, often referred to as “technological fossil words,” have outlived their meaning, but are still used in conversation today.
Perhaps the most well-known example of a technological fossil word is the term “DJ” or “Disc Jockey.” The term originated in a time when a DJ actually “jockeyed,” the machine playing a disc or record. Nowadays, a Disc Jockey is almost never seen with an actual disc, but the name lives on!
Technological fossil words have also found their way into the language we use to describe phone use. When operators of the original phone that coined most of the terms we use today made a call, they would “dial” by turning an actual dial of rotating numbers. When they would “hang up,” they would physically hang the phone up on the wall, at which point the phone's pressure on the latch it hung on would end the call. Even the terms phone line and cell phone refer to aspects of telephone use that no longer apply today.
One of the most interesting and lesser-known of these technological fossil words is the term “soap opera.” Today, this term refers broadly to dramatic television programs. However, the history of the term comes from the radio dramas once sponsored by soap companies to entice housewives listening in during the day to purchase their products.
From typing messages to “pen pals,” to “filming” a video, technological fossil words give us a glimpse into the history behind the tech we use today!
In the context of the passage, “however” is used in paragraph four primarily in order to
insist that the term “soap opera” should be abandoned and replaced with a more fitting term
provide an additional example supporting the claim made in the sentence before
contrast the history behind the fossil term with the context we use the term in today
contrast the point of view of the author
refute the use the term “soap opera” to mean “dramatic television program”
contrast the history behind the fossil term with the context we use the term in today
In the context of paragraph three, “however” is used to provide a transition - specifically a contrast - between the use of the term soap opera today and its origins. Thus, “contrast the history behind the fossil term with the context we use the term in today” is the only fitting purpose of this transition word.
Example Question #11 : Reading To Understand Structure
Passage 1:
When schools prepare elective courses for their students (courses that provide an optional list of classes to suit different students’ interests), they should not comply with pressures to make those classes more “practical” or “career-driven.” Elective courses should be a way for students to express their creativity and interests in a format they enjoy and should provide students with a break from the mundane math and English topics they’ve spent the day learning about. Whether it’s painting, photography, dodgeball, or gardening, elective courses should be a way for students to establish and embrace hobbies and interests, a break from an otherwise full day of learning all are subjected to.
Passage 2:
Elective courses provide an opportunity for students to branch out and take different courses from those of their classmates. However, too much emphasis in school has been placed on topics that most students will never use as adults! Most students will not grow up to be artists or to use the Pythagorean Theorem in their day-to-day lives. So, it’s only logical that elective courses should be focused on life skills students will find helpful as adults, such as personal finance and home economics. It’s never too early to build life skills that will make an individual more well-rounded as an adult!
Passage 3:
Core classes are fighting a losing battle against electives for middle and highschool-aged children. While schools mean well when they encourage students to express their creativity in class, emphasis on elective classes must come at the direct expense of more valuable core material. Schools should understand that their job is to prepare children and young adults for the workforce, and should place more emphasis on STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) material. There is currently more demand for STEM workers than there are interested and qualified adults. Therefore, if we place more emphasis on STEM skills for students, we will encourage interest in the jobs most needed when those children grow up and plan for their careers.
“So, it’s only logical that elective courses should be focused on life skills students will find helpful as adults”
In the context of Passage 2, the above excerpt primarily serves to
draw a conclusion based on the previous sentences.
cite a concession to claims made earlier in the paragraph.
provide a counterargument to examples expressed earlier in the paragraph.
contrast claims made in the previous sentences.
provide an example of qualities identified in the previous sentences.
draw a conclusion based on the previous sentences.
The term “so” is a great indicator here. The author is drawing a conclusion! If we look to the context we can see that the author is drawing a conclusion based on reasoning presented in the earlier sentences in the paragraph. So, “Draw a conclusion based on the previous sentences” works perfectly. The author is definitely not contrasting or citing a concession, nor does the identified excerpt include supporting examples. Instead, the identified portion is the conclusion the earlier part of the paragraph seeks to support.
Example Question #1 : Reading To Understand Vocabulary In Context
Adapted from Pinocchio by Carl Collodi (1883)
There was once upon a time a piece of wood in the shop of an old carpenter named Master Antonio. Everybody, however, called him Master Cherry, on account of the end of his nose, which was always as red and polished as a ripe cherry.
No sooner had Master Cherry set eyes on the piece of wood than his face beamed with delight, and, rubbing his hands together with satisfaction, he said softly to himself:
"This wood has come at the right moment; it will just do to make the leg of a little table."
He immediately took a sharp axe with which to remove the bark and the rough surface, but just as he was going to give the first stroke he heard a very small voice say imploringly, "Do not strike me so hard!"
He turned his terrified eyes all around the room to try and discover where the little voice could possibly have come from, but he saw nobody! He looked under the bench—nobody; he looked into a cupboard that was always shut—nobody; he looked into a basket of shavings and sawdust—nobody; he even opened the door of the shop and gave a glance into the street—and still nobody. Who, then, could it be?
"I see how it is," he said, laughing and scratching his wig, "evidently that little voice was all my imagination. Let us set to work again."
And, taking up the axe, he struck a tremendous blow on the piece of wood.
"Oh! oh! you have hurt me!" cried the same little voice dolefully.
This time Master Cherry was petrified. His eyes started out of his head with fright, his mouth remained open, and his tongue hung out almost to the end of his chin, like a mask on a fountain. As soon as he had recovered the use of his speech he began to say, stuttering and trembling with fear:
"But where on earth can that little voice have come from that said 'Oh! oh!'? Is it possible that this piece of wood can have learned to cry and to lament like a child? I cannot believe it. This piece of wood is nothing but a log for fuel like all the others, and thrown on the fire it would about suffice to boil a saucepan of beans. How then? Can anyone be hidden inside it? If anyone is hidden inside, so much the worse for him. I will settle him at once."
So saying, he seized the poor piece of wood and commenced beating it without mercy against the walls of the room.
Then he stopped to listen if he could hear any little voice lamenting. He waited two minutes—nothing; five minutes—nothing; ten minutes—still nothing!
"I see how it is," he then said, forcing himself to laugh, and pushing up his wig; "evidently the little voice that said 'Oh! oh!' was all my imagination! Let us set to work again."
Putting the axe aside, he took his plane, to plane and polish the bit of wood; but whilst he was running it up and down he heard the same little voice say, laughing:
"Stop! you are tickling me all over!"
This time poor Master Cherry fell down as if he had been struck by lightning. When he at last opened his eyes he found himself seated on the floor.
His face was changed, even the end of his nose, instead of being crimson, as it was nearly always, had become blue from fright.
Based on the text, what does "petrified" mean?
To be worried
To be scared
To be happy
To be tired
To be scared
To answer this question, we can look at context clues from the surrounding sentences where the word "petrified" is located:
"This time Master Cherry was petrified. His eyes started out of his head with fright, his mouth remained open, and his tongue hung out almost to the end of his chin, like a mask on a fountain. As soon as he had recovered the use of his speech he began to say, stuttering and trembling with fear:"
Based on these sentences from the passages, we can infer that "petrified" means to be scared.
Example Question #31 : Craft And Structure
Adapted from Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (1883)
He was a very silent man by custom. All day he hung round the cove or upon the cliffs with a brass telescope; all evening he sat in a corner of the parlor next the fire and drank rum and water very strong. Mostly he would not speak when spoken to, only look up sudden and fierce and blow through his nose like a fog-horn; and we and the people who came about our house soon learned to let him be. Every day when he came back from his stroll he would ask if any seafaring men had gone by along the road. At first we thought it was the want of company of his own kind that made him ask this question, but at last we began to see he was desirous to avoid them. When a seaman did put up at the Admiral Benbow (as now and then some did, making by the coast road for Bristol) he would look in at him through the curtained door before he entered the parlor; and he was always sure to be as silent as a mouse when any such was present. For me, at least, there was no secret about the matter, for I was, in a way, a sharer in his alarms. He had taken me aside one day and promised me a silver fourpenny on the first of every month if I would only keep my "weather-eye open for a seafaring man with one leg" and let him know the moment he appeared. Often enough when the first of the month came round and I applied to him for my wage, he would only blow through his nose at me and stare me down, but before the week was out he was sure to think better of it, bring me my four-penny piece, and repeat his orders to look out for "the seafaring man with one leg.”
How that personage haunted my dreams, I need scarcely tell you. I would see him in a thousand forms, and with a thousand diabolical expressions. Now the leg would be cut off at the knee, now at the hip; now he was a monstrous kind of a creature who had never had but the one leg, and that in the middle of his body. To see him leap and run and pursue me over hedge and ditch was the worst of nightmares. And altogether I paid pretty dear for my monthly fourpenny piece, in the shape of these abominable fancies.
But though I was so terrified by the idea of the seafaring man with one leg, I was far less afraid of the captain himself than anybody else who knew him. There were nights when he would sometimes sit and sing his wicked, old, wild sea-songs, minding nobody; but sometimes he would call for glasses round and force all the trembling company to listen to his stories or bear a chorus to his singing. His stories were what frightened people worst of all. Dreadful stories they were—about hanging, and walking the plank, and storms at sea, and the Dry Tortugas, and wild deeds and places on the Spanish Main. By his own account he must have lived his life among some of the wickedest men upon the sea, and the language in which he told these stories shocked our plain country people almost as much as the crimes that he described. My father was always saying the inn would be ruined, for people would soon cease coming there to be tyrannized over and put down, and sent shivering to their beds; but I really believe his presence did us good. People were frightened at the time, but on looking back they rather liked it; it was a fine excitement in a quiet country life, and there was even a party of the younger men who pretended to admire him, calling him a "true sea-dog" and a "real old salt" and such like names, and saying there was the sort of man that made England terrible at sea.
The man in the passage asks the writer if he will “keep [his] ‘weather-eye open for a seafaring man with one leg.’” Which of the following most accurately restates the meaning of “keep his weather eye open for” in this phrase?
Be on the watch for
Pay attention to the weather for
Do a favor for
Be suspicious of
Leave a window open for
Be on the watch for
To “keep a weather-eye open” for something means to look out carefully for that thing or person, or in other words, to be on the watch for him, her, or it. “Pay attention to the weather for” doesn’t make sense in the passage. “Do a favor for” and “be suspicious of” might seem like potentially correct answers, but since the man with the wooden leg isn’t actually a character in the same location as the man described in the passage and the narrator, neither of these answer choices make sense. If you thought that a “weather-eye” was a type of window, you may have chosen “leave a window open for,” but again, this makes no sense in the context of the passage.
Example Question #2 : Reading To Understand Vocabulary In Context
Adapted from "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe (1846)
The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged; this was a point definitively settled — but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish but punish with impunity1. A wrong is unredressed2 when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.
It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation3.
He had a weak point — this Fortunato — although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared. He prided himself upon his connoisseurship in wine. Few Italians have the true virtuoso spirit. For the most part their enthusiasm is adopted to suit the time and opportunity, to practice imposture upon the British and Austrian millionaires. In painting and gemmary, Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack, but in the matter of old wines he was sincere. In this respect I did not differ from him materially; — I was skillful in the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could.
It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season, that I encountered my friend. He accosted me with excessive warmth, for he had been drinking much. The man wore motley. He had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress, and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells. I was so pleased to see him that I thought I should never have done wringing his hand.
I said to him — “My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. How remarkably well you are looking today. But I have received a pipe of what passes for Amontillado, and I have my doubts.”
“How?” said he. “Amontillado? A pipe? Impossible! And in the middle of the carnival!”
“I have my doubts,” I replied; “and I was silly enough to pay the full Amontillado price without consulting you in the matter. You were not to be found, and I was fearful of losing a bargain.”
“Amontillado!”
“I have my doubts.”
“Amontillado!”
“And I must satisfy them.”
“Amontillado!”
“As you are engaged, I am on my way to Luchresi. If any one has a critical turn it is he. He will tell me ——”
“Luchresi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry4.”
“And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for your own.”
“Come, let us go.”
“Whither?”
“To your vaults.”
Which of the following best describes the effect of the author's use of the word "immolation" at the end of the second paragraph?
It adds suspense to the story because it suggests that the narrator might want to hurt or kill Fortunato for his insult.
It suggests that the narrator isn't seeking revenge against Fortunato, but working with him to seek revenge against someone else who wronged them both.
It adds key evidence that explains how Fortunato insulted the narrator and prompted him to seek revenge.
It specifically foreshadows the introduction of the amontillado as a major plot point.
It makes the narrator's motivations ambiguous, as it's a weak word, so readers are not sure how the narrator wants to take his revenge: by hurting Fortunato, embarrassing him publicly, insulting him, etc.
It adds suspense to the story because it suggests that the narrator might want to hurt or kill Fortunato for his insult.
Let's consider where the word "immolation" appears in the passage. It shows up at the end of the second paragraph, after the narrator has declared to the reader that he is seeking revenge against Fortunato, but doesn't want Fortunato to realize this before he can take his revenge.
"It must be understood that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation."
The footnotes tell us that "immolation" means utter destruction, esp. that of a sacrificial victim by being burned. This is a very strong word, so we can ignore the answer choice that claims it's a weak one. It doesn't tell us anything about how Fortunato insulted the narrator and prompted him to seek revenge, nor does it suggest that the two characters are actually working together to seek revenge against a third character. It has nothing to do with amontillado, so it's not foreshadowing the introduction of amontillado as a specific plot point. The best answer is "It adds suspense to the story because it suggests that the narrator might want to hurt or kill Fortunato for his insult."
Example Question #32 : Craft And Structure
Adapted from “When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer” in Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman (1865; 1900)
When I heard the learn’d astronomer,
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,
When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them,
When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room
How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,
Till rising and gliding out I wander’d off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look’d up in perfect silence at the stars.
The author’s use of the word “moist” in line 7 is notable because unlike other words in the poem, “moist” __________.
strongly evokes a physical sensation
has a meaning that is completely abstract
rhymes with another word in the poem
is usually used to discuss man-made things instead of nature
has to do with discomfort and boredom
strongly evokes a physical sensation
This question asks us to take a look at one specific word in the poem and think about what distinguishes it from the poem's other words. First of all, let's consider what "moist" means: damp or slightly wet. What might you describe as moist? Here are a few examples: a damp washcloth, a sponge that has been used with water, a dense type of cake—and the air, if it's really humid. How does "moist" set itself apart from the rest of the words in the passage? A quick skim of the poem reveals that none of its other words rhyme with "moist," so we can ignore the answer choice "rhymes with another word in the poem." The word can be used to describe natural things (e.g. air) or man-made things (e.g. cake, a sponge), so "is usually used to discuss man-made things instead of nature" isn't correct either. While you could potentially be uncomfortable in "moist" air, the narrator doesn't seem to be. The poem doesn't give us any clues that he or she is uncomfortable outside. Thus, "has to do with discomfort and boredom" isn't the correct answer. This leaves us with "has a meaning that is completely abstract" and "strongly evokes a physical sensation." To answer the question correctly, you have to understand what is meant by "abstract." "Abstract" is the opposite of "concrete"—whereas concrete things are existing things that you can see and touch, abstract things are ideas. "Moist" has to do with a concrete thing, water, so it's not "abstract" in comparison to the rest of the poem's words. The correct answer is that "moist" "strongly evokes a physical sensation." The idea of dampness has to do with the sense of touch. The earlier parts of the poem all have to do with abstract ideas regarding math and astronomy. As a result, the poet doesn't use very many sensory words at all. "Moist" sticks out in comparison to the rest of the poem because it's one of the few times he uses a sensory word.
All Common Core: 8th Grade English Language Arts Resources
