Multiple Choice and Short Answer (Open Response)

What is the OSSLT A test of your writing and reading abilities that you must pass in order to graduate.

What Will I Have to Do? Read several types of text (narrative, informational, and graphical) and answer multiple-choice and short answer questions on them. Write several pieces for different purposes (news report, supported opinion, summary paragraph)

We know that all students are capable of passing the test, but need help and practice. Working on your ability to answer multiple-choice questions and short answer responses will help to make sure you pass.

Multiple Choice Questions There are different types. Sometimes you 1.find the answer right in the text. 2.need to infer – that is, read between the lines. 3.extend beyond what is written in the passage.

Step One Before you attempt any of these, read the passage for basic understanding.

Step Two Read the first question. Do you know the answer? If yes, read through all the choices and make sure you select the the most correct answer. Do not choose the first correct answer you see.

Step Three If you do not know the answer right away: -read the four choices -cross out obviously wrong answers -highlight key words in the question and scan the text for those words to try to find the right answer Be aware that some answers may seem correct, but there is only one best answer.

Step Four If you still cannot answer the question, circle it and move on to the next question. When you’ve tried all questions for this passage, go back to it.

Repeat this four-step process with each question in the passage.

Now go back to any questions that you circled and left unanswered. If time permits, repeat the steps to answering multiple choice questions and review the passage. Always make a selection. Never leave an answer blank.

TIP: One strategy (if you must guess) is to choose the answer with the most information. TIP: Don’t keep changing your answer. Usually your first answer is correct, unless you misread the question.

First Reading Passage

Second Reading Passage

Review – Answering MC Questions

Answering Short-Answer (Open-Response) Questions

Types of Short-Answer Questions 1. Answer the question using evidence from the text. 2. Answer the question using evidence from the text and your own ideas.

Steps to Answering Short-Answer (Open Response) Questions After Reading the Text Step One: Categorize the Question (evidence from text only or both evidence from text and own ideas) Step Two: Plan the Answer Step Three: Write the Answer Step Four: Check Conventions (grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization)

Step One: Categorizing The Question

Short Answer Question One Explain why the final sentence is an effective conclusion to the selection. Use relevant and specific information from the selection to support your answer.

Use information in this selection and your own ideas to explain whether or not Ben is a good waiter. Short Answer Question Two

Process What was the same/different about your approach to the two questions?

Step Two: Planning The Answer

Highlight the parts of the question that tell what’s expected. Underline the words in the question that you will use to form your answer. Rough out the answer. Use point form or highlight the examples from the text you want to include. Use the rough notes section for this. Use point form to jot down connections to your own ideas (if required).

Question Type One Explain why the final sentence is an effective conclusion to the selection. Use relevant and specific information from the selection to support your answer.

Question Type Two Use information in the selection and your own ideas to explain whether or not Ben is a good waiter.

Highlight Details

Making Connections When Required Jot down answers to these questions as you try to make connections to your own ideas: –Text to self connections (Have I been in a situation like this before? What was important? What did I learn? What was the same/different?); –Text to media (Have I read, seen or heard about this before? What did I learn? Was important, etc); –Text to world (Do I know someone who has been in a situation like this? What was important what did the person learn.).

Step Three: Writing the answer

Question Type One Explain why the final sentence is an effective conclusion to the selection. Use relevant and specific information from the selection to support your answer.

Open Response Type One A nswer E vidence

A nswer the Question Question stem – Use key words from the question. Main idea. For example: The final sentence is an effective conclusion to the selection because it provides us with the information we need to understand the behaviour of all the characters.

E vidence from the Text Find the examples in the text to support the main idea. For example: It explains why Ali and Dana insisted on having a table in Ben’s section and later responded with rude comments. It also explains why Ben asks, “That’s it? You waited twenty minutes in the cold to order one plate of fries?”

A nswer and E vidence The final sentence is an effective conclusion to the selection because it provides us with the information we need to understand the behaviour of all the characters. It explains why Ali and Dana insisted on having a table in Ben’s section and later responded with rude comments. It also explains why Ben asks, “That’s it? You waited twenty minutes in the cold to order one plate of fries?”

Question Type Two Use information in the selection and your own ideas to explain whether or not Ben is a good waiter.

Open Response Type Two A nswer E vidence C onnections

A nswer the Question Question stem – Use key words from the question. Main idea. For example: Ben is a good waiter because he is polite and treats his siblings as regular customers even though they are teasing him.

E vidence from the Text Find the examples in the text to support the main idea. For example: Ben used a polite manner when he spoke to them. He also apologized that they had to wait twenty minutes for a table.

C onnections Connecting the text to media, to the world, to self What does the reader already know that has a connection to the text? For example: Good waiters don’t argue with customers and are always polite. They believe the customer is always right.

A nswer, E vidence and C onnections Ben is a good waiter because he is polite and treats his siblings as regular customers even though they are teasing him. Ben used a polite manner when he spoke to them. He also apologized that they had to wait twenty minutes for a table. Good waiters don’t argue with customers and are always polite. They believe the customer is always right.

Review What strategies do you use to answer short answer questions? What strategies do you use to help make connections?