Warm-Up: respond to the following on your own sheet of notebook paper. Be sure to include: 1. Your first and last name 2. Today’s date (2/24/2015) 3. One full-page response Write about a time when you learned something unexpected.

Benchmark Test Common Mistakes

Format of short-answer responses: APC format! A= assertion. RESTATE and answer the question. P= proof. Provide evidence in the form of a blended quote. C= commentary. EXPLAIN your quote. How does it prove your assertion?

Short-answer responses continued: blend quotes: do NOT place a quote in your answer without introducing it first. A QUOTE CANNOT STAND ALONE AS ITS OWN SENTENCE! WRONG: The author thinks criticism has a bad reputation. “Judgmental, mean, nasty and hurtful were the top four responses.” People don’t like criticism. BETTER: The author thinks criticism has a bad reputation. For example, when he polled his students about what the word meant to them, they felt that “Judgmental, mean, nasty and hurtful were the top four responses.” People feel that criticism is a negative thing.

Short-answer responses, cont. Explain your evidence fully. If you answer ends with a quote, you did not explain the evidence at all and, therefore, lost points. Also, restating the evidence is not an explanation; you must tie it back to your assertion. Do not list a pronoun without an antecedent (I don’t know who “he” is unless you tell me his name first). List titles when possible. WRONG: He is helpful and wise. BETTER: In “A Man for All Seasons,” More can be described as helpful and wise.

Short-answer responses, cont. ALWAYS use third person, even if the question is asking you for YOUR opinion. Never use 1 st (I, me, my, we, us) or 2 nd (you, your) Be careful with words like “stories.” To be safe, say “passage” instead, that way you are correct whether you’re discussing a story, poem, speech, or article. When citing evidence, only include the most important part of the quote. It should be no more than one sentence, preferably even less.

Short answer questions: 44. How is the loss of language important in “Tehuelche” and “Linguist on a Mission to Save Inuit ‘Fossil Language’ Disappearing with the Ice”? Support your answer with evidence from both selections. 58. In “Is Criticism a Four-Letter Word?,” how does the author feel about criticism? Support your answer with evidence from the selection.

Essay Clearly state assertion at the beginning of your essay. It should be one of your first sentences. Avoid repetition. Make sure you give two specific and AUTHENTIC examples to support your position. Include closing remarks that again make your position clear. Only include the quote provided if it proves your point. Definitely don’t begin your essay with it.

Essay Avoid clichés: “You learn something new everyday” or “knowledge is power” Use a consistent point of view. Don’t begin writing in first person (I, me, my) and then switch to second person (you, your). NO SLANG: say “going to” instead of “gonna,” “want to” instead of “wanna” Stay focused and don’t jump around topics. “Learning in school is a waste of time”? I read this multiple times!

Essay: THE MOST IMPORTANT ADVICE FROM THE HEART If you make your essay authentic and personal, you write better. Your warm-ups last time proved that; they were some of the best writing I’ve read from you all year! So think about the topic in a personal way. Make your reader FEEL something.