SQUADS Learning Intentions - Today, I am going to address these College Readiness Standards in English: 1. Conventions of Punctuation Conventions of Usage Organization, Unity, and Coherence Topic Development in Terms of Purpose and Focus Word Choice in Terms of Style, Tone, Clarity, and Economy Sentence Structure and Formation 16-19, Success Criteria – I will know I am successful if I can identify the correct use of punctuation, usage, and word choice, as well as select the most appropriate addition to a sentence in terms of its purpose and focus. “9 th Grade English” CPW

1. Answer: D 1. In the 1920s, Mexican artist Diego Rivera ( ) practiced the art of painting frescoes, large murals done on fresh plaster. The writer wants to suggest that the art of the fresco had been in decline previous to Rivera. Which choice best accomplishes that goal? A. NO CHANGE B. engaged in C. influenced D. revived Rationale: Use the word most appropriate for the content of the sentence. Since the content focuses on bringing the art of the fresco back to life, revived is the most appropriate. Practiced, engaged in, and influenced are all words that do not show a difference prior to Rivera. Word Choice in Terms of Style, Tone, Clarity, and Economy 24-27

2. Answer B 2. The central panel on the north wall shows the manufacture of a 1932 Ford V-8 engine, and the central panel on the south wall shows the production of this same car’s exterior. Smaller panels depicting workers in a variety of other Detroit industries. A. NO CHANGE B. depict C. depicting some D. had depicted Rationale: The previous sentence uses the present tense “shows” and so to maintain consistent verb tense, we can eliminate “had depicted” and “depicting.” Sentence Structure and Formation 24-27

3. Answer: A The writer is thinking of adding the following phrase to the end of the sentence above (changing the period after industries to a comma): such as medicine, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. Should the writer make this addition there? A.Yes, because it offers relevant examples that help to specify a broad term. B.Yes, because it helps explain how the panels were physically constructed. C.No, because it provides a sampling of industries rather than a full listing. D.No, because it digresses from the main point of the sentence. Rationale: Add a sentence to accomplish a fairly straightforward purpose such as illustrating a given statement. The type of industries is suggesting a few examples (the purpose is not to have a full listing) so letter C can be eliminated. The examples of industries do not digress from the sentence, so letter D can be eliminated as well. The examples have nothing to do with physical construction, but they do provide relevant examples to clarify a broad term. Topic Development in Terms of Purpose and Focus 24-27

4. The fresco is a dynamic work because it captures the energy, humanity, and collective achievement of the Detroit workers. However, Rivera considered it the greatest achievement of his career. A. NO CHANGE B. Despite this, C. Regardless, D. DELETE the underlined portion. Rationale: Determine the need for conjunctive adverbs or phrases to create subtle logical connections between sentences (therefore, however, in addition). Using “however” is not logical because the relationship between the ideas is not one of restricting or counterbalancing. The other two options also suggest that the relationship is one that ignores the previous statement, whereas the relationship is demonstrating a strong connection between the two. Organization, Unity, and Coherence Answer: D

5. Answer: C 5. Many thousands of years ago, people around the world began attaching different stories to the stars in the night sky. The sun sets gradually the images of a winged horse, a drinking gourd, a heartbroken hero appear in lights overheard. A. NO CHANGE B. sets, gradually, C. sets, and gradually D. setting gradually Rationale: Determine the need for punctuation and conjunctions to avoid awkward-sounding fused sentences. There needs to be some punctuation to connect the two complete thoughts about the sun setting and the images gradually appearing. Letter B is a comma splice that doesn’t connect the two thoughts. Letter D doesn’t make sense. Letter C connects the two ideas using a comma and a conjunction. Sentence Structure and Formation 16-19

6. Answer: D 6. The scorpion that, according to myth, killed Orion inhabits the sky as well, but at such a distance because it can never sting the hunter again. A. NO CHANGE B. so when C. this means D. that Rationale: Use words or phrases to express straightforward logical relationships. Letter B doesn’t make sense. Letter C interrupts the sentence and is unnecessary. The other option, “that”, is the most coherent. Organization, Unity, and Coherence: 20-23

7. Answer: A 7. I visit his grave at least once a week – not during the day, but at night. A. NO CHANGE B. week; not during the day C. week not during the day D. week, not during the day; Rationale: Recognize inappropriate uses of commas and semicolons. Semicolons are used to connect two closely related clauses. Letter B is incorrect because the part after the semicolon, “not during the day, but at night” is an incomplete sentence. Letter D is also incorrect because the semicolon after “day” would also make for an incomplete sentence. Letter C is incorrect because having no punctuation creates confusion. Conventions of Punctuation 24-27

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