1. English
Diploma Examination
Preparation
Part B:
Multiple Choice

2. Important Information:
Alberta Education Diploma Guide for Students:
Important Materials:
Bring the following to the Part B Diploma:
pencils (sharpened) & pens & white eraser
highlighter
water
kleenex is a good idea; water; candies – like gummie bears or caramels
Note: No dictionaries or texts allowed.

3. For Practice Exams:
Purchase a copy of
The Key
There are two complete multiple choice exams with not only the answer keys, but rationales for why the ‘right answer’ is right.

4. Examination Format:
There are 8 or 10 readings in the Readings Booklet and 70 questions in the Questions Booklet. The readings include different genres, such as poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and drama. Some of the readings are linked – in other words, you have to answer questions based on more than one reading.
This examination was developed to be completed in 2 1/2hours; however, you may take an additional ½ hour to complete the examination.
To be sure you are budgeting your time, plan about 18 minutes per reading – this includes answering
the questions.

5. Multiple Choice Tips
#1: For any piece of literature, ALWAYS examine the words of the title.
Think of examples of, associations with, and contrasting or similar ideas (except for Shakespeare section).
Also, consider the connotation of the words, along with the denotation.
The title always has thematic significance!

6. DENOTATION: The literal, dictionary meaning of a word.
CONNOTATION: An association or additional meaning that a word, image or phrase may carry.
DENOTATION: The literal, dictionary meaning of a word.
denotation connotation
person who lives
next door
rude, troublemaker, nosey
helpful, generous,
“neighbour”
Unhealthy, lazy
unattractive
“fat” or
“well-rounded”
large in size
“curvaceous” or
“voluptuous”
desirable,
appealing
large in size

7. Infinite Beasts by Rhona McAdam
From time to time I watch you closely, with new eyes,
appreciating how much of you I haven’t seen
and I’m no longer sure whether it’s what I know of you
that attracts me, or what I might find.
When we met, I thought knowledge had limits, that in love
we were finite beasts who shared known boundaries
but watching you touch objects for which I have no desire
I see a measure of longing in your eyes
that forces me to say, I don’t know you yet. That forces me
to say, there are places in you I may not wish to know.
In love we are beasts of infinity, crude in our longing
for things that may carry us apart. It’s more than biology
or romance, more than drawing thorns from feet
with gentled fangs, more than all we have been told;
it’s finding a reason to come together
without killing the wildness we each carry
like a gift we haven’t decided to share
and hold inside ourselves with only the edges showing.

8. Consider the title:
INFINITE BEASTS
never-ending
indefinite
animal
brutal
uncivilized
In what circumstances are we beasts? In what ways can we immortalize ourselves?
“In love we are beasts of infinity, crude in our longing for things that may carry us apart.”
We see here that the poet intends to suggest that there is a quality in love that seeks and nurtures risk. (thematic significance)

9. d. threatened impotence
Multiple Choice Tips
#2: Be an active reader - ALWAYS highlight key words in the question, and, especially, in the quotation in the question:
Within the context of lines 11 to 14, the phrase “drawing thorns from feet with gentled fangs” (lines 13 to 14) refers to:
a. innate kindness
b. extreme impatience
c. impending maturity
d. threatened impotence
Look for synonyms!

10. #3 – ALWAYS answer the question yourself first before looking at the
Multiple Choice Tips
#3 – ALWAYS answer the question
yourself first before looking at the
options. The answers are designed to
‘trick’ you. Cover the answers if you
have to! Example in Math:
What is the square root of 16?
a. 8
b. 16
c. 32
d. 4

11. Multiple Choice Tips
#4 – If the question has bolded key words, like “mainly,” “best,” “most clearly,” “most strongly,” there are at least 2 possible answers, but 1 is better.

12. the speaker’s sense of: fear pride uncertainty disappointment
Lines 7 to 10: “...but watching you touch objects for which I have no desire/I see a measure of longing in your eyes/that forces me to say, I don’t know you yet. That forces me to say, there are places in you I may not wish to know.”
Lines 7 to 10 mainly convey
the speaker’s sense of:
fear
pride
uncertainty
disappointment
The speaker may feel fearful of what this relationship might become, but in these lines, the speaker is more uncertain of his/her lover.
Look for synonyms!

13. Multiple Choice Tips
#5 – Hint: There will never be 4 of the same answers in a row! Check your bubbled answers!

14. The answers are often found a bit before or after the selected text.
Multiple Choice Tips
#6 – Refer back to text if the question, not the answer, says “In lines # and #…”
The answers are often found a bit before or after the selected text.
Use the line guides (ie. If it says lines 43-48, look at 38-55).

15. Multiple Choice Tips
#7 – ALWAYS read the preambles and footnotes (the stuff that most students skip!) These give valuable clues, especially in the Modern Drama and Shakespearean Drama sections.

16. Many student rush through readings in order to get to the questions faster; however, the answers are in the reading!!
Consider this time management tip:
It is recommended that you ration 18 minutes for each reading – this includes answering the questions.
Most students race through the reading, and spend the majority of their time playing the “multiple guess” shell game…where is the right answer!?

17. Change HOW you spend your time!
The typical student, will spend only a quarter of his time understanding the reading…
…and the bulk of the time trying to guess at the right answer.
Any surprise that the provincial average for the past decade has been within 3 percentage points of 65%?!
So, change how you spend your time…

18. Shift! The 20 minutes doesn’t change.
Instead of racing through the reading, spend the majority of your time, UNDERSTANDING what you’re reading.
When you then get to the questions, you will not have to spend so much time guessing, re-reading and stressing out!
The RIGHT answer is in the TEXT!

19. Self-Check: Ask yourself: “what is happening. ” Be a conscious reader
Self-Check: Ask yourself: “what is happening?” Be a conscious reader. At the end of each section or paragraph, make notes in the margin. Re-read passages that are unclear.
Paraphrase: At the end of a paragraph or page, sum up the important details in a couple of words.

20. Look at your THEME GLOSSARY.
The Main Idea: Every reading will be about something. Your job is to determine the main point of that reading. Come up with a word or two to sum up what the reading was about. Write the ideas down.
Theme: This is the “so what?” factor. Your job is to determine what the author is trying to say about the main idea. This is why he/she wrote the piece; it is the theme or “life-lesson.”
Look at your THEME GLOSSARY.

21. Once you’re done reading…
Approach the questions part of the exam with the understanding that this exam is designed to achieve a provincial average of between 60 – 65%. The exam is not a straightforward reading test.
It tests not just your understanding of the reading, but your ability to understand tricky wording, difficult vocabulary, and abstract concepts.

22. #1. Read the stem carefully:
Part Two: Approaching the Questions
#1. Read the stem carefully:
Figure out what the question really wants.
Circle the key words in the question.
If the question refers to line numbers, GO TO THOSE LINES!
Read at least 5 rows above and below the lines you’re given to reference.
Words in the stem like “most” or “best” are clues to the possibility that there are TWO right answers, and you’re expected to select the BEST ONE!

23. DO THE MATH! 4x – 3 = 9x +17 #2. Do Not Read the 4 Choices:
Cover the choices up! The choices are designed to be misleading. Use a post-it note to hide the 4 choices.
Treat the question as a problem that must be solved…like in Math. You would NOT jump to the answers in a math exam until you had worked through the problem. You don’t look at the choices UNTIL you have a possible answer, right?

24. #3. Based on your understanding of what you read, come up with your own answer.
Write it down – you then cannot be distracted.
4x – 3 = 9x +17
4x-9x- 3 = 17
5x =
5x = 20
x = -4
X = 40
X = - 4
X = 4
d. X = .04

25. #4. LASTLY, look at the 4 choices:
Match your answer to the correct choice.
IF the question requires you to select text, make sure that you know what the TEXT MEANS – write THAT down, then find that same meaning in one of the 4 text choices provided. This is where a great vocabulary pays off; synonyms rule here.
Still not sure? Ask yourself what makes sense! Cross out the answers you know for certain are wrong. Leave the question for later – come back to it with fresh eyes.

26. Tone:
When they ask you about TONE, they are looking for the word that best describes how the speaker, author or character feels towards something – it could be the subject, the audience, and/or other characters. They might ask you about the speaker’s or author’s or character’s attitude – that is the same as asking you about tone. Ask yourself:
What was the speaker, author or character feeling when he said this?
What would he sound like if he said it out loud?
Would he sound angry, uncertain, disappointed, bitter, sarcastic, cheerful?
KEY TERMS!

27. Other Tone Words: majestic malicious manipulative meek melancholic
miserable
mystical
nervous
numb
obnoxious
obsessive
outraged
overwhelmed
paranoid
passionate
passive
patronizing
peaceful
persuasive
perturbed
petulant
pitiful
pleading
pleasant
presumptuous
proud
questioning
remote
revengeful
romantic
rude
sad
sarcastic
sardonic
satiric
afraid
aggravated
aggressive
agitated
agreeable
alarmed
amiable
angry
apathetic
apologetic
appreciative
arrogant
artificial
audacious
baffled
banal
benevolent
bewildered
bitter
bleak
boring
calm
caustic
cautious
chaotic
chauvinistic
cheerful
childish
coarse
compassionate
complacent
concerned
confident
confused
consoling
content
convincing
critical
curious
cynical
dejected
depressed
desperate
determined
disappointed
disbelief
discouraged
disgusted
disheartened
disturbed
dominating
domineering
dreamy
ecstatic
elated
embarrassed
encouraging
enthusiastic
envious
euphoric
evil
excited
explosive
exuberant
facetious
fearful
frenetic
friendly
frightened
frivolous
furious
gentle
giddy
happy
harsh
hating
haughty
hollow
humble
humorous
hurt
hypnotic
hypocritical
impatient
impious
impotent
informative
innocent
instructive
inventive
ironic
irrational
irritated
jealous
joyful
laconic
lethargic
lighthearted
lonely
loud
loving
seductive
serious
sharp
shocked
shrewd
snooty
soothing
stern
strong
sultry
superficial
superior
surprised
sweet
sympathetic
threatening
timid
tired
uninterested
upset
vexed
vibrant
vicious
weary
wrathful
zealous

28. Tone The piercing chill I feel: my dead wife’s comb, in our bedroom,
Taniguchi Buson ( )
The piercing chill I feel:
my dead wife’s comb, in our bedroom,
under my heel . . .
The speaker’s tone is full of sadness at the loss of his loved one.
The speaker feels angry as he feels abandoned due to the death of his wife.
The speaker has a despairing tone as he cannot move past his loss.

29. Tone
You Fit Into Me
Margaret Atwood (b. 1939)
you fit into me
like a hook into an eye
a fish hook
an open eye
The speaker’s tone is full of contempt for the person who has mistreated him/her, and who has made him/her feel vulnerable.
The speaker feels bitter as he/she has been hurt by the cruelty of his/her lover.
The speaker has a caustic tone as he/she wishes to hurt the one he/she used to love the way he/she has been hurt.

30. Mood: The mood is the feeling or atmosphere of a piece
Mood: The mood is the feeling or atmosphere of a piece. The mood can be many different things. Some examples include:
A feeling of love.
A feeling of doom.
A feeling of fear.
A feeling of pride.
An atmosphere of chaos.
An atmosphere of peace.
KEY TERMS!
Mood is created by:
choice of words
speaker/situation
symbolic language/imagery
structure of the sentences,
the length of each poetic line
the punctuation marks chosen
Mostly, mood is created by the tone!
Mood
Tone
poet/author literature reader

31. Metaphor:
When they ask you about METAPHOR, they are looking for you to figure out why the author has directly compared one thing with another or stated one thing as another.
For example, “The sun is a wizard.” Why would the author compare the sun to a wizard? Because it is magical? Because it disappears? Because it is unpredictable and powerful?
KEY TERMS!

32. Metaphor
You Fit Into Me
Margaret Atwood (b. 1939)
you fit into me
like a hook into an eye
a fish hook
an open eye
The poet uses the fish hook to metaphorically describe the person who has hurt the speaker. Consider the qualities of a fish hook, and how a person may have similar characteristics.
fish hook person
sharp cruel
designed to trap deceitful
open eye speaker’s feelings
aware new perception/awakening
fragile, vital vulnerable
helpless to a hook unsuspecting, naive

33. Archetype: Symbol: Motif: KEY TERMS!
A recurring symbol, character, landscape, or event found in myth and literature across different cultures and eras. The idea of the archetype came into literary criticism from the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung who believed that all individuals share a “collective unconscious,” a set of primal memories common to the human race that exists in our subconscious. The meaning of the archetype is often a story which explains an aspect of the world/nature; they are natural or mythological. See the attached sheet for accepted meanings of archetypes.
Symbol:
A person, place, or thing in a narrative that suggests meanings beyond its literal sense. Symbol is related to allegory, but it works more complexly. In an allegory an object has a single additional significance. By contrast, a symbol usually contains multiple meanings and associations. For example, a red rose may represent passion, but it also may represent temporal beauty because as a flower, a rose eventually dies; or it may represent the pain associated with love because it has thorns which can hurt those who touch it.
A symbol is different from an archetype because the meaning of a symbol depends on the context; its meaning is created within the story.
Motif:
An element that recurs significantly throughout a narrative. A motif can be an image, idea, theme, situation or action (and was first commonly used as a musical term for a recurring melody or melodic fragment.) The repetition of the motif makes the reader/viewer consider its meaning; a motif will often have symbolic meaning in the end.

34. Examples of Archetypes:
water = birth/death/resurrection
= purification & redemption
= fertility & growth
= mystery of creation
sea = mother of all life
= spiritual mystery & infinity
= the unconscious
= timelessness & eternity
rivers = flowing of time
= transitional phases of the
life cycle
sun = creative energy
= law in nature
= consciousness (thinking,
enlightenment, wisdom)
= passage of time and life
rising sun = birth, creation, enlightenment
setting sun = death

35. Examples of Symbols:
A symbol is different from an archetype because the meaning of a symbol depends on the context; its meaning is created within the story.
Fire can mean: destruction, purification, passion,
death. The specific meaning depends on the way
the author uses it.
White can mean: innocence, friendship, surrender,
redemption.
Windows can mean:
freedom, longing, or
imprisonment.
A moon can mean:
madness, passion, purity.
The yin and yang represent all the opposite principles one finds in the universe. Under yang are the principles of maleness, the sun, creation, heat, light, Heaven, dominance, and so on, and under yin are the principles of femaleness, the moon, completion, cold, darkness, material forms, submission, and so on.

36. Irony:
When they ask you about irony, they are testing you to see if you can figure out how the actual meaning or situation is different from what was expected.
Look for words, such as “opposite,” “unaware,” “unexpected.”
KEY TERMS!

37. Irony
What is irony?
The term irony refers to a discrepancy, or disagreement, of some sort.
The discrepancy can between what someone says and what he or she really means (verbal irony).
Example:
"Susan wrecked her car and then exclaimed, 'I am having a wonderful night!'"
Susan did not mean that she was having a great evening. She actually meant the opposite of that, that her night was not going well.

38. Irony
The discrepancy can be between a situation that one would logically anticipate or that would seem appropriate and the situation that actually develops (situational irony).
Example:
It is ironic in the biblical account of David & Goliath. A shepherd boy was able to defeat one of the tallest and strongest giants with just a sling and a stone. The outcome is different than one would expect.

39. Irony
The discrepancy can be between the facts known to a character and the facts known to us, the readers or audience (dramatic irony).
Example:
In Sophocles' Greek tragedy, Oedipus the King, Oedipus puts a curse on his father's murderer. The audience is aware at the time that Oedipus himself is actually the murderer, but Oedipus does
not yet know this fact.

40. Contrast:
When they ask you about contrast, you should look for two objects, characters, setting, etc. that are different or unlike each other. The answer should have two contrasting or different words or descriptions in it:
For example:
The descriptions of “The perfect judge” (lines 9 to 15) and “A featherless human biped” (lines 16 to 24) establish a contrast between:
a. order and chaos
b. contrast and recklessness
c. formality and informality
d. faultlessness and customariness
KEY TERMS!
Look for synonyms!

41. Allusion:
An allusion is a reference to something from literature, history, mythology or the Bible. Allusion is used in hopes of triggering an association to portray a meaning. Look for proper pronouns - words of people, places that are capitalized. Watch for footnotes that explain the background of the allusions.
Do you know these references?
“Big Brother is watching you.”
The term “Big Brother” comes from the novel 1984 written by George Orwell. Winston Smith, the main character lives in a totalitarian society led by Big Brother, which censors everyone’s behaviour, even their thoughts.
KEY TERMS!
“He is a real Judas.”
Judas betrayed Jesus for money and perhaps a governmental position. Jesus was crucified by the chief priests and Pharisees. Judas committed suicide.
To call someone a Judas, then, is to say that he/she is deceitful, self-serving and capable of betraying someone close to him/her.

42. Image(ry): KEY TERMS! For example:
The words “image” and “imagery” appear throughout the multiple choice exam. You’ve heard the saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Well, in writing, authors will use words to draw pictures. They try to describe a world to you that you are to envision in your mind. Imagery doesn’t just refer to pictures, it also refers to other experiences that the author tries to create for you, such as a smell, a taste, a sensation, a sound. This kind of imagery is what makes reading exciting and active. Look for words such as description and impression as well.
For example:
“He breaks to a smile, leans wide, And takes the morning to his puffed chest” (lines 12 to 13) creates an image of the dustman as:
a. jubilant
b. reckless
c. cautious
d. competent
Another example:
That an image of rain (lines 15 to 16) briefly replaces the imagery of fire points to a sense of
a. reprieve
b. rebellion
c. celebration
d. indifference
KEY TERMS!

43. Paradox:
A paradox is a statement that appears to be contradictory, but on further examination, proves to be true; e.g., “Death, thou shalt not die!” - John Donne
A paradox is a contradiction, which in reality is true. “Where ignorance is joy, it is foolishness to be wise.”
For example:
The paradox in the phrase “sense of mortality and eternal values” (lines 25) is created by combining the concepts of: (Ask yourself - what is contradictory)
a. past and future
b. greed and ambition
c. the temporary and the timeless
d. the destructive and the creative
KEY TERMS!
Think Synonyms!

44. Paradox This is a pair of docs, not a paradox!
This is a pair of Docs, (Doc Martens) not a paradox!
The witches in Macbeth say,
“Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air.”
This seems paradoxical - how can something be fair and foul? Does it depend on the person and his/her tastes?
As creatures of the night and the devil, the witches like whatever is "foul" and hate the "fair." So they will "hover" in the fog, and in the dust and dirt of battle, waiting for the chance to do evil.

45. Juxtaposition: KEY TERMS!
Look at the root word of this diploma word: position. This term refers to how the author has positioned or placed two elements side by side to show similarities or differences between them. An author may juxtapose two scenes, two images, two characters, two incidents of plot, etc., either for contrast or comparison.

46. Juxtaposition What is juxtaposed in this photograph?
What is the effect?

47. Juxtaposition For example: Lines 27 to 31:
“What becomes of that sacred character, I wonder, when the book is translated into English, arranged in columns of type, and then carted off by students in Velcro-fastened jackets, along with a stack of other oriental classics, a couple of Grateful Dead cassettes, a filofax, and a pack of Doublemint gum?” (What is placed side by side here? Is juxtaposition used to show similarities or differences here?)
We see modern, rather insignificant items, juxtaposed with the important and invaluable quality of the sacred text.
In lines 27 to 31, in order to underline the essential nature of his concern about translating a sacred text into English, the speaker uses:
a. metaphor
b. juxtaposition
c. personification
d. literary allusion

48. The Terrible A’s KEY TERMS!
Sometimes, they will ask you to choose which literary device is used in a quotation, and they may include devices that all start with the same letter. This makes it so important to confidently distinguish between words such as:
analysis - a close examination - in your English classes, you analyze literature
anecdote - a usually short narrative of an interesting, amusing, or biographical incident
allusion - see previous
alliteration - repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words; e.g. big, black bear
analogy - a comparison of two similar things where the familiar is used to explain the unfamiliar; e.g., “an essay outline is like an architectural blueprint.”
allegory - A figurative work in which a surface narrative carries a secondary, symbolic or metaphorical meaning. In The Faerie Queene, for example, Red Cross Knight is a heroic knight in the literal narrative, but also a figure representing every man in the Christian journey.

49. Check for Understanding of Key Terms:
Write the correct term for the following definitions:
placing two elements side by side for contrast or comparison
___________________________________________
a reference to something from literature, history, mythology or the Bible
a word or series of words that refers to any sensory experience (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)
when the outcome of a situation is different than expected
when the audience knows more about a character’s situation than he/she does
the speaker’s or author’s attitude towards his/her subject or situation
7. the emotional atmosphere or feelings invoked in the reader
8. a concrete object, place or person which represents an abstract idea
9. a statement that seems absurd or contradictory, but that upon reflection reveals some deeper sense.
10. when one thing is directly stated as or compared to another; this close association asserts a similarity between the two

50. Check for Understanding of Key Terms:
Write the correct term for the following definitions:
placing two elements side by side for contrast or comparison
___________________________________________
a reference to something from literature, history, mythology or the Bible
a word or series of words that refers to any sensory experience (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)
when the outcome of a situation is different than expected
when the audience knows more about a character’s situation than he/she does
the speaker’s or author’s attitude towards his/her subject or situation
7. the emotional atmosphere or feelings invoked in the reader
8. a concrete object, place or person which represents an abstract idea
9. a statement that seems absurd or contradictory, but that upon reflection reveals some deeper sense.
10. when one thing is directly stated as or compared to another; this close association asserts a similarity between the two
juxtaposition
allusion
imagery
situational irony
dramatic irony
tone
mood
symbol
paradox
metaphor

51. General Vocabulary!
1. apathetic: having or showing no emotion or interest
2. condescension: the act or instance of behaving as if one is on equal terms with an inferior, usually while maintaining an attitude of superiority
3. disdain: feeling or attitude of scorn or contempt (that a person or thing is beneath consideration or worthless)
4. disillusionment: to have one’s beliefs or illusions shattered
5. erratic: inconsistently variable in conduct or opinions
6. hypocrisy: when a person claims to have certain moral standards or principles but does not conform to those in his/her own behavior
7. indifference: lack of interest or attention
8. melancholy: sad, gloomy, depressing
9. nostalgia: yearning for the past; regretful or sentimental
10. resignation: to resign, which means to give up, hand over or surrender

52. WordPlay! Prefix Meaning Example a, an not, without atheist, anarchy,
One of the purposes of the diploma examination is to ensure that students have a strong vocabulary and some word attack skills. It is helpful to study roots, prefixes and suffixes to give you a way to deal with words you are unsure of in the exam.
Prefix Meaning Example
a, an not, without atheist, anarchy,
anonymous, apathy
ante before antecedent, antediluvian,
antebellum, anteroom
anti, ant against, opposite antisocial, antibiotic,
antipathy, antifreeze
con, com with, together combine, compact,
convene, converse
dis, dys, dif away, not, negative dismiss, disconnect,
dysfunction, differ
e, ex out, away, from expulsion, exhale,
express, exceed

53. WordPlay! Suffix Meaning Example
ible, able able to be, tending to, fashionable, comfortable,
worthy of audible, eligible
age belongs to suffrage, patronage
ion, tion, ation being, the result of fascination,
sensation
ism act, condition, patriotism,
communism
ment a means, product, amusement,
act, state ornament, fragment
ory place for rectory,
crematory

54. It’s time to practice, so it is time to sort out your personal style or approach when doing the readings!
Some students read the reading first before looking at the questions – this gives them the whole perspective. Alberta Education does design the questions assuming the student has read the entire selection.
Some students read all of the questions first to narrow down which things to focus on.
Some students read a question, then read a “chunk,” then read the next question and read another “chunk” of the selection.
It boils down to what works for you, but do remember that time is a concern!

55. FINAL ADVICE
Other steps to take to be sure you are in prime form for the exam:
Be well rested!
Exercise will help reduce tension.
Allow yourself enough time to get to class.
Stay positive – don’t slip into second-guessing yourself.
Wear a watch or be sure you can see a clock.
Don’t panic – if you cannot think of an answer, DO NOT let that throw your concentration – it is just one question.
Take short breaks after long, tough readings.
FILL IN THE BUBBLES AS YOU GO!

56. Good Luck!
“Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.”