11th Grade Reading

ELA/MME Unit of Study: READING
Grade 11
A Reading Test Genre Study

for the
English Language Arts / Michigan Merit Exam
Emily Douglas, Julie Martinez, Laura Schiller, Gail Setter

Fall 2008
Reading Test Genre Study: Teacher Background

Test Genre Overview
Finding Additional Sample Passages
Reading for a timed, standardized test is a particular genre of reading.

This six-day unit of study was designed as a reading test overview. Each
lesson builds on the previous days strategies, so it is important that the
lessons be taught in sequence. These lessons and activities were chosen
because they address the content most commonly seen on the ACT. The
key to becoming a successful ACT Reading Test taker is to develop
familiarity with exactly what will be on the test and practice to internalize
effective test-taking strategies. We introduce a new strategy almost every
day in the unit and dont spend much time reviewing strategies.
Strategies should be reinforced and processed with students throughout
the year. Day six should be used to practice timed sections. Individual
students can choose the type of passage with which they feel they need
the most practice.
ACT practice materials can be obtained at low- or no-cost in the

following ways:
Your schools counseling office can provide you with multiple free
copies of the current Preparing for the ACT, which includes a fulllength practice test followed by an answer key.
The web page http://actstudent.org/testprep/ has a list of materials that
include authentic ACT questions:
1. the online PDF version of the above-mentioned Preparing for the
ACT;
2. the Real ACT Prep Guide (includes three full-length practice
tests); and
3. the online Sample Test questions (one full-length practice test).
Rationale for Tips and Strategies
A list of other practice test materials available for purchase, including

samples of ACT, EXPLORE, and PLAN tests, is attached at the end of
this document; however, newer tests are retired often, so the order form
may not reflect the most recent tests available. To receive the most recent
additional materials, please phone ACT at 319/337-1429 for an order
form. We recommend obtaining as many of these resources as possible
for your classroom. Students are permitted to write in their test booklets
on the actual test and will need their own copies of whatever practice
materials you choose for each lesson.
Students directly benefit from familiarity with the ACT Reading Test,
introduction to key test-taking strategies, and practice. These elements
are addressed in various parts of the lessons, such as the Teaching
Points and sample test passages. The work in this unit simulates actual
testing conditions and helps students develop the much-needed familiarity
that will save them valuable seconds, even minutes, when they are taking
the timed test.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Students should not practice ACT test-taking
skills and strategies on a computer. The ACT is a paper-and-pencil test,
so it is essential that students practice writing with pencils. Practice
materials found online should be printed and used in hard-copy form.
ELA/MME Units of Study

You can find this and other ELA/MME Units of Studyboth Reading
and Writing, Grades 9-11on the Oakland Schools website at:
http://www.oakland.K12.mi.us/elamme
Key Strategy
How to Obtain Practice Tests and Related Materials
The Process of Elimination (POE) is introduced to students on Day 2.

This is the primary strategy for answering ALL multiple-choice questions
on the ACT (including those found in the math, science, and English
sections). An essential goal of this unit is for students to understand that
using the POE consistently will improve their scores.
Many Active Engagement tasks require you to provide practice ACT

reading passages to your students.
Some sample passages are included in this booklet, but you will need to
provide additional passages to teach this unit.
We hope this unit will provide useful suggestions and better prepare your
students for the English Language Arts/Michigan Merit Exam.
Emily Douglas, Julie Martinez, Laura Schiller and Gail Setter
ELA/MME Unit of Study: Reading, Grade 11
Oakland Schools

Fall 2008
Organization of Daily Lessons

In each lesson you will find common features, described below. Italicized sections are suggested language for teachers to use in the classroom in order to
provide clear and explicit instruction for students.
FOCUS
The Focus is the topic to be addressed on a particular day.
OVERHEAD
Most lessons include pages to be displayed on an overhead projector;
they are designated by the presenter icon shown above. The Overheads
are designed so that they can be used to model strategies for students. A
number of pages can be used as both Handouts and Overheads; they will
have both the Overhead and Handout icons.
CONNECTION
The Connection explains how a days lesson fits with the previous days
lesson. It also highlights the purpose and strategies for the current
lesson, making the instructional goals more transparent to students.
MATERIALS
List of teaching materials needed for a days lesson.
TEACHING POINTS
A Teaching Point is a central element of a lesson. It models how to use
a particular strategy. Some days contain multiple Teaching Points.
ANSWER KEY
Immediately following some Handouts, you will find an Answer Key for
the sample passages, questions, and charts; this key is designated by the
icon shown above.
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT
Active Engagement is the opportunity for students, either on their own
or in small groups, to practice what they just learned through the
Teaching Points.
WRAP-UP
The Wrap-up is an opportunity for teachers to revisit the lesson Focus
and activities for the day, answer any final questions, and preview the
next days lesson.
GRADEBOOK
Each lesson ends with a suggestion for how teachers might use lesson
activities for grading purposes.
HANDOUT
Each days lesson in this unit is followed by handouts and overheads. A
binder clip icon indicates the item is a Handout for students on that day.
All Handouts are copy-reproducible. Students should keep all
Handouts in a folder. Many Handouts are used again in the
following days lessons.

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Fall 2008
ELA/MME UNIT OF STUDY: READING, GRADE 11
Overview: Daily Focus
All unit materials are provided in this publication and the sample ACT test booklet distributed with it, except as
noted otherwise below:
DAY
1
Reading Genre Study

45-60 minute class meeting
Introducing the ACT Reading Test and Strategies
English, reading, and writing test structure
Reading techniques
Learning to mark-up the passage
Instructor must provide some materials see
Finding Additional Sample Passages (p. 2)
Reading Strategies and Question Types
Using Process of Elimination (POE)
Answering Main Idea and General Info
Questions
Reading Strategies and Question Types
Answering Line Detail Questions
Answering Inference Questions
DAY
4
Reading Genre Study

45-60 minute class meeting
Translating ACT Question Types
Question Stems
Analyzing WorkKeys
Understanding WorkKeys Reading for
Information Test
Answering WorkKeys questions
Designated Practice Session

Simulated reading test sections
Individually tailored ACT and WorkKeys
practice
NOTE: Day 6 is not a structured lesson plan included in this unit. This day should be designed by the teacher according to individual
student or class needs. However, it is essential to use this day for timed practice sections of the ACT Reading and/or WorkKeys tests.

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Fall 2008
DAY 1 ACT Reading

HANDOUT: Day 1/Document 1 ACT Structure and
Overview
FOCUS: Introducing the ACT Reading Test and Strategies

MATERIALS: Students should keep all materials for this unit in the
ELA/MME Units of Study: Student Materials Folder since they will
use them again on subsequent days.
Day 1/Document 1 (Overhead/Handout) ACT Structure and
Overview (p. 7)
Day 1/Document 2 (Overhead/Handout) ACT Reading Test
Overview (p. 8)
Day 1/Document 3 (Overhead/Handout) Learning How to Mark-itup (p. 9)
Day 1/Document 4 Learning How to Mark-it-up Answer Key (p. 10)
Day 1/Document 5 Modeling Mark-it-up Script for Teachers (p. 11)
Day 1/Document 6 (Handout) Reading Strategies (p. 12)
Day 1/Document 7 (Overhead/Handout) General ACT Test-Taking
Tips (p. 13)
Teacher-Provided Additional Sample ACT/PLAN Reading Passages
and Questions (see Finding Additional Sample Passages on p.2)
Display Day 1/Document 1, and ask students to follow along with you.
Notice that youll be required to quickly shift gears between the different
sections. Similarly to how you move from math class to English class to
science class throughout the school day, you will need to prepare
yourself for moving from one type of work to another. As soon as you
finish the math section, you will shift your focus to reading long
passages and answering questions.
TEACHING POINT 2: ACT test takers know that time is of the
essence on each section of the test. On the ACT Reading Test, reading
quickly and not getting bogged down by details is an important skill.
Youll want to spend most of your time answering the questions, and Ill
show you how to do that. Lets look at the ACT Reading Test Overview
handout.
CONNECTION: Over the next few days, you are going to study what
ACT Reading Test takers know and do; this will help you feel confident
when taking the ACT Reading Test. Good test-takers develop familiarity
with how tests look and, as a result, know what to do. They expect to
find: questions following reading selections, passages that are boring or
hard to read, and questions that are written in unusual ways. Today you
are going to learn about the ACT Test structure, the ACT Reading Test
content, and strategies for approaching your reading of the passages.
HANDOUT: Day 1/Document 2 ACT Reading Test

Overview
Display Day 1/Document 2. You have 35 minutes to read 4 passages
and answer 40 questions. This means that you have about 8 minutes to
read each passage and answer the 10 questions that follow it. The same
way that the directions never change, the 4 passage typesProse
Fiction, Social Science, Humanities, and Natural Sciencewill always
be on the Reading Test and always in exactly the same order.
TEACHING POINT 1: Knowing exactly what to expect is key to

doing well on any timed, standardized test. Good test takers know
exactly how many questions are in each section, what kinds of questions
there are, and how much time there is to answer them. The ACT
Reading Test directions never change. Familiarize yourself with them
now, and dont waste time on test day reading directions. Lets take a
look at the overall structure for the entire ACT.

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TEACHING POINT 3: In order to read quickly and effectively, you

must mark-up each passage as you read it. Marking-up is the process of
making notes in your test booklet as you read; these notes will allow you
to quickly find answers to the questions. Lets see how everyone is
currently approaching this type of reading.

Fall 2008
with your partner and discuss why you marked what you did. After 3-4
minutes, encourage students to stop reading and move on to discussing
their notes with their partners. Students will struggle in the beginning to
read the passage as quickly as they need to. Remember, the more you
rely on marking-it-up, the more quickly you will be able to address the
questions.
HANDOUT: Day 1/Document 3 Learning How to Mark-it-up

ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT 1: Before I model an approach, lets see
what you do. Right now, I would like you all to pick up your pencils and
take three or four minutes to read the sample passage in front of you,
trying to mark it up with whatever notes you think are useful for
answering possible questions. Give students ~3-4 minutes to read and
make marks on the passage.
If time allows, ask students to continue with additional passages and/or

re-visit the sample passage as a class by asking different pairs what they
marked up and why, as well as how they summed it up.
What are some of the things you marked up? Walk around and select
two or three examples from students work using non-judgmental
phrasing such as I noticed John did this Emphasize to students that
while their current note-taking methods might be effective for other
school work, you will show them some additional strategies for notetaking that are effective for the ACT.
HANDOUT: Day 1/Document 7 General ACT Test-Taking

Tips
WRAP-UP: Display Day 1/Document 7. Remember, today we learned
that knowing what to expect on the test, such as knowing the directions
ahead of time, along with reading quickly and marking-up the passage,
are key factors in scoring well on this test. Additionally, as its noted
here on your Test-Taking Tips handout, you should remember to only
use pencil as you practice and to write on your test booklet instead of
using scratch paper. Hold onto this handout because tomorrow we will
be focusing on the fourth point, using the Process of Elimination. We
will also learn how to use our mark-it-up strategy to help us answer two
common types of ACT Reading Test questions.
TEACHING POINT 4: Watch me as I read and mark-up a passage.

Display Day 1/Document 3 (Learning How to Mark-it-up). Begin
reading through the passage silently, using a pen to mark up the passage
accordingly. As you make marks and notes, explain to students your
rationale for doing so. Use Day 1/Document 4 (Learning How to Markit-up Answer Key) and follow the Modeling Marking-it-up Script for
Teachers (Day 1/Document 5) for this Teaching Point.
GRADEBOOK: Teachers may consider assigning participation points

for students by checking their mark-it-up notes or by assigning a sample
passage or two to be marked-up for homework.
HANDOUT: Day 1/Document 6 Reading Strategies

Teacher-Provided Additional Sample
ACT/PLAN Reading Passages and Questions (see
Finding Additional Sample Passages on p.2)
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT 2: Lets practice with the mark-it-up
strategy. I would like you to first read the sample passage to yourself,
marking-it-up as you go using the techniques that I just modeled and
that you see on your Reading Strategies handout (Day 1/Document 6).
Remember to sum-up the main idea in a few words when youre done.
After youve finished marking-it-up and summing-it-up, compare notes
Oakland Schools

Fall 2008
GRADE 11: Day 1/Document 1
ACT Structure and Overview

Section 1: English
75 questions
45 minutes
Standard written English and rhetorical skills
Section 2: Math
60 questions
Pre-algebra through trigonometry
60 minutes
Section 3: Reading
40 questions
35 minutes
Reading comprehension in prose fiction, social
science, natural science and humanities
Section 4: Science
40 questions
35 minutes
Data representation in chemistry, research
summaries in physics, and conflicting viewpoints in
biology
Section 5: Writing
1 question
30-minute response to writing prompt
TOTAL

Oakland Schools
215 questions
+ 1 essay
30 minutes
~ 3 hours

Fall 2008
ACT Reading Test Overview

Directions: There are four passages in this test. Each
passage is followed by several questions. After reading a
passage, choose the best answer to each question and fill in
the corresponding oval on your answer document. You may
refer to the passages as often as necessary.
Four Passage Types:
Prose Fiction
10 questions
~8 minutes
Short stories or excerpts from short stories or novels

Social Science
10 questions
~8 minutes
Anthropology, archaeology, biography, business, economics,

education, geography, history, political science, psychology,
and sociology
Humanities
10 questions
~8 minutes
Architecture, art, dance, ethics, film, language, literary

criticism, music, philosophy, radio, television, and theater (in
the form of memoirs and personal essays)
Natural Science
10 questions
~8 minutes
Anatomy, astronomy, biology, botany, chemistry, ecology,

geology, medicine, meteorology, microbiology, natural history,
physiology, physics, technology, and zoology

Oakland Schools

Fall 2008
Learning How to Mark-it-up
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The excerpt below is from a history book

published in 1984.
The degree to which stubbornness has
influenced the course of history is remarkable.
It is characterized by the tendency to assess
situations in terms of a preconceived notion
and to disregard any information to the
contrary. Philip II of Spain was a prime
example of the stubborn undiscerning
sovereign. According to one historian, No
experience of the failure of his policy could
shake his belief in its essential excellence.
Unfortunately, history is littered with disasters
due to such intransigent thinking.
A classic example is Plan 17, the
French war plan of 1914. It was a strategy
formulated in a spirit of total commitment to
the attack. All available forces were to be
utilized for the French assault eastward upon
the Rhine. The French General Staff refused
to believe that the Germans had enough
manpower to march the long way around and
attack Belgium and the French coastal
provinces from the west. This assumption was
grounded in an unshakable belief that the
Germans would not use auxiliary forces on the
front lines. Intelligence to the contrary that
reached the General Staff in 1913 was
summarily dismissed because it might
undermine the French attack on the Rhine.
When the war commenced, the Germans used
their reserves and were able to launch an
effective assault to the west, setting the stage
for a drawn-out, costly war with enduring
consequences for Western Europe.
Experience is supposed to teach, but
the inability of leaders to adapt to
contingencies or learn from mistakes is a
primary lesson of history. In the 14th Century,
the Valois monarchs of France routinely
devalued their currency whenever they were
financially strapped, despite upsetting the
economy, infuriating their subjects, and
ultimately providing an excuse for a bloody
rebellion by the bourgeoisie. They and their
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60
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English counterparts repeatedly sent invasion

forces into foreign lands and left them to
harvest the resources of hostile populations, a
strategy that led over and over again to the
kind of destitution and famine famously
suffered by the English campaigning in France
during the Hundred Years War.
More colorful, though not as costly is
the story of Philip III, a 17th century Spanish
King who reportedly died of a fever
exacerbated by his sitting too long near a hot
brazier because the official summoned to
remove the device could not be found. While
we may laugh, our age is far from immune to
this affliction. In fact, we appear to be in
danger of reaching new heights of stubborn
folly. Instances are so plentiful that we will
have to choose one from among the most
salient: How can governments continue to
promote ethnic divisions in a century that has
already seen millions killed and stability
destroyed because of them? Is it not easier to
maintain diverse cultures within a peaceful
nation that is fighting for prosperity rather than
in a ravaged land where people attack each
other, destroy resources, and produce nothing
but anger?
This, however, would require great
flexibility as well as the rational use of power
for something other than its increase.
Machiavelli, one of the few thinkers concerned
with government as it is and not as it should
be, understood the gravity of the problem. He
warned his prince of the stubbornness
displayed throughout history by so many heads
of state: Nor do we find any man shrewd
enough to know how to adapt his policy . . .
having always prospered by proceeding one
way, he cannot persuade himself to change.
So perhaps we need to remember the deathbed
counsel of the count who served as Swedens
Chancellor during the Thirty Years War:
Know, my son, with how little wisdom the
world is governed.
Passage provided by Emily Douglas

Fall 2008
Learning How to Mark-it-up Answer Key
k
k

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Fall 2008
Modeling Mark-it-up Script

for Teachers
The following is an example of the think-aloud rationale that accompanies the Learning How to
Mark-it-up Answer Key on the previous page. The important thing to remember is to demonstrate
and emphasize consistency, to explain your rationale, and to use the Day 1/Document 6 reading
strategies: reading for main idea/ignoring details; underlining main ideas, descriptions, and points of
view; circling examples and shifters; marking + and points in the passage; and summing up the
main idea in a few words. Marking these specific items in the passage provides students with the
most effective means of quickly and correctly answering the test questions.
It sounds like this idea of stubbornness influencing history may be a main theme here, so Im
going to underline this first sentence to remind me of what the focus is.
Because I know that some test questions ask about specific examples given in the passage,
Im going to mark Ex for example in the margin and circle Phillip II of Spain, so that I can
easily find it later if a test question asks about it.
Here Im going to circle unfortunately, put a negative sign in the margin, and underline
the rest of the sentence, so I remember that Phillip II was an example of something negative and that
more negative examples will probably show up later in the passage.
Im going to note that Plan 17 is used as another example and that it is negative or
unfortunate like the previous example. Im going to underline the phrase unshakable belief
since it is similar to the idea of stubbornness that I underlined in the first sentence, and Ill underline
this last sentence to remind me of why this example was negative. Even though there are quite a few
details in this paragraph, Im not going to worry about those right now because I can always go
back if I need to. The important thing is to get a sense of the main idea, example, and tone.
The next sentence sounds like its making an important statement about the stubbornness-inhistory theme again, so Ill underline it. Ill mark and circle this next example with Valois
monarchs, and note that its negative, like all the other examples.
With Philip III we have another example to mark, and Im going to underline while we may
laugh and circle in fact, so I know that there is a shift from something funny to something more
serious.
At the beginning of the last paragraph, Ill circle however to note that its a shift of
thinking from the previous sentence, and Ill circle Machiavelli since this seems like an important
person being used to conclude the passage.
Ill underline this phrase about stubbornness displayed throughout history because it
confirms the main point of the massage.
Finally, Ill write myself a quick sum-it-up note to help me answer any Main Idea Questions
that might be on the test.

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Fall 2008
Reading Strategies
1. Read quickly.
2. Read for main idea and tone/attitude; ignore details.
3. Read the entire passage (dont just read the first and last
sentence and assume you know what its about!).
4. Prepare yourself for boring or difficult passages.
5. Underline main ideas, descriptions, and points of view.
6. Circle examples and shifters. Shifters are words like
however, although, despite, even though, nonetheless, and
but. Theyre important because they indicate a major shift is
coming up in the passage that will most likely be tied to one or
more of the questions.
7. Mark (+) or () to indicate positive or negative tone, attitudes,
and examples.
8. Sum up what you just read in a few words somewhere next to
the passage.

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Fall 2008
General ACT Test-Taking Tips

1. Read and remember the directions for each section of the
test. Directions never change, and you dont want to waste
time reading them on test day!
2. Do not use pens or highlighters. You will only be allowed to
use pencils on test day, so make sure you are comfortable
using one when you practice.
3. Try to write in your test booklet as much as possible.
4. Always use Process of Elimination (POE) to eliminate
incorrect answer choices before choosing the correct answer.
This applies to ALL multiple questions in the English, math,
reading, and science sections of the test.
5. Make sure to wear a watch. You will need to keep track of the
time. Do not rely on the proctor to keep track for you.
6. Never leave a question blank. If you are about to run out of
time, make sure to fill in the remaining bubbles on your answer
sheet. There is no guessing penalty, so you should always fill
in all bubbles before time is up.
7. Avoid cramming for the test the night before. This usually
makes your score go down, not up!

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right answer, even though I have no idea who the tenth US president
was. I start with answer choice A and work my way down, crossing off
wrong answers as I go. If I come to a choice that Im not sure about, Ill
leave it alone for the time being, and move onto the next choice.
Remember never to eliminate an answer choice that youre not sure
about because it might be the right answer! Ask your class to go
through each answer choice on the overhead and help you decide
whether or not you should eliminate it. Be sure to actually cross off
wrong answer choices as you go. Students will quickly see that even
though they may never have heard the name John Tyler, they can easily
eliminate the other choices based on what they know about them.
DAY 2 - ACT Reading

FOCUS: Reading Strategies and Question TypesProcess of
Elimination (POE), Main Idea Questions, General Info Questions
MATERIALS:
Materials from previous day
Day 2/Document 1 (Overhead) Process of Elimination (POE)
Sample Question (p. 16)
Day 2/Document 2 (Handout) POE Strategies (p. 17)
Day 2/Document 3 (Overhead/Handout) Answering Main Idea
Questions (p. 18)
Day 2/Document 4 Answer Key for Answering Main Idea
Questions (p. 19)
Day 2/Document 5 (Overhead/Handout) Answering General Info
Questions (p. 20)
Day 2/Document 6 Answer Key for Answering General Info
Questions (p. 21)
HANDOUT: Day 2/Document 2 POE Strategies

Students should take out Day 1/Document 3
TEACHING POINT 2: Walk students through each of the four types
of common incorrect answer choices on Day 2/Document 2 (POE
Strategies). Using POE is particularly helpful in answering two of the
most common question types: Main Idea Questions and General Info
Questions, also known as Just Think About It and Just Look It Up
Questions. Ask students to look at Day 1/Document 3 (Learning How to
Mark-it-up). By using our marking-it-up strategy on yesterdays
passage, we can easily eliminate incorrect answer choices on these two
types of questions. Lets look at the Main Idea Question type first.
CONNECTION: Yesterday you learned what to expect on the ACT

Reading Test and how to mark-up the passages as you read. Today you
will learn how to answer questions using the Process of Elimination
(POE) and how to use reading strategies to help you quickly answer two
of the most common question types on the Reading Test: Main Idea and
General Info Questions.
TEACHING POINT 1: Students who are familiar with tests like the
ACT know that they must be careful of distracter answer choices.
Distracter answer choices are answer choices that are carefully written
to look correct but are actually incorrect. So our goal on the Reading
Test is to first identify these distracter answer choices and cross them
out using the POE.
HANDOUT: Day 2/Document 3 Answering Main Idea

Questions
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT 2: Display Day 2/Document 3. Read
question 1 aloud to students. Any time you see language like the
primary purpose of the passage, it means that we are looking for the
main idea of the passage, and all we need to do is look at the sum-it-up
note that we wrote while marking-up the passage. So, lets look back at
what I wrote on yesterdays passage. Display the marked-up Day 1/
Document 3 (Learning How to Mark-it-up) and revisit what you wrote
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT 1: Let me show you what we can do using

the POE. Display Day 2/Document 1 (Process of Elimination Sample
Question). Lets look at this question. I cant find the correct answer if
I dont know who the tenth president was. But if I first focus on finding
answer choices that I know are incorrect, I can narrow it down to the
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Fall 2008
for sum-it-up. Then display Day 2/Document 3 (Answering Main Idea

Questions) again. I said that there are many examples of stubbornness
in history and today. We call the strategy for answering Main Idea
Questions Just Think About It because all you have to do is think
about how you summed up the passage. If you read quickly and summed
up the main idea, you should never have to re-read parts of the passage
to answer this question type.
marking-up a passage when you read it, the easier it will be to just
look up the answer by using the marks you made.
HANDOUT: Teacher-Provided Additional Sample ACT/PLAN

Reading Passages and Questions (see Finding
Additional Sample Passages on p. 2)
Now, using POE, lets go through the answer choices, see which ones
DO NOT match that main idea, and eliminate them. As you go through
the answers, ask students to think carefully about each choice, then look
at their POE Strategies handout (Day 2/Document 2) to help them
determine which ones might be incorrect. Keep in mind that after you
eliminate incorrect choices, youll be looking for a correct answer
choice that is a paraphrase, or a similar meaning using different
wording, of what we said for sum-it-up. Finish up by showing students
the two other questions on Answering Main Idea Questions (Day
2/Document 3) and drawing their attention to the different ways of
wording a Main Idea Question.
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT 4: Now lets try this process using a

different reading passage and questions. Ask students to work in pairs.
They should be using different sample passages than the ones used on
Day 1. Pairs should:
1. read the passage silently, marking-up as they go;
2. identify the questions for each passage that are either Main Idea
or General Info Questions; and
3. use their mark-it-up notes and the POE Strategies handout (Day
2/Document 2) to answer each question.
WRAP-UP: As a class, revisit a few of the questions; discuss what
kind of question each was and why certain incorrect answer choices
were eliminated. Today we saw how the reading strategies we learned
yesterdayreading quickly and marking-up the passagecan help us
answer Main Idea and General Info Questions quickly. We also learned
how to use POE to narrow down our possible answer choices.
Tomorrow well learn how to use all of these strategies to answer other
types of questions.
HANDOUT: Day 2/Document 5 Answering General Info

Questions
TEACHING POINT 3: Now that weve looked at a Main Idea
Question, lets look at some examples of General Info Questions, which
are the most common question types on the ACT Reading Test. Display
Day 2/Document 5 (Answering General Info Questions). For these
types of questions, we just have to look up the answer using our
mark-it-up notes. But remember, although youre going back to look up
the correct answer, you still want to use POE to eliminate incorrect
answer choices first.
GRADEBOOK: Teachers may consider assigning participation points

at the end of class for handouts and sample-passage work where the
marking-it-up strategy and POE were used correctly, as well as for
answered questions. Teachers might also consider assigning an
additional point or two for bringing back the previous days handouts.
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT 3: Display Day 1/Document 3 (Learning

How to Mark-it-up), and go through each General Info Question as a
class using the Answering General Info Questions handout (Day
2/Document 5). Follow the same pattern that you used with Main Idea
Questions by reading each question and immediately following the steps
listed at the top of the handout. Remember, the better you are at
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Process of Elimination (POE) Sample Question
1. Who was the tenth president of the United States of

America?
A. Bill Clinton
B. Abraham Lincoln
C. Chris Rock
D. John Tyler
E. Al Gore

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Fall 2008
Process of Elimination (POE) Strategies

EXTREMES. Pay attention to the adjectives and adverbs used
in the answer choices. Descriptors that sound extreme, such as
hateful or ecstatic are often too extreme and indicate a
seductive and incorrect answer choice.
ABSOLUTES. Beware of answer choices with absolutes.
Words like always, never, everyone, and all usually indicate a
wrong answer choice.
BAIT AND SWITCH. Watch out for answer choices that use
the EXACT same wording as the passage because its usually
a trick! Correct answers are always a paraphrase of the actual
passage and will not include the exact same wording.
NOT MENTIONED, BUT SOUNDS GOOD. Look out for
answer choices that sound correct based on what you read but
that were never actually mentioned in the passage.

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Answering Main Idea Questions

Just Think About It
Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
Look back at your sum-it-up note.

Make sure you have a general idea of what the passage is
aboutJust think about it!
Eliminate incorrect answer choices, such as ones that focus on
details of the passage or use the exact same wording as the
passage.
1. The primary purpose of the passage can best be described as an effort to:
OR
2. The authors purpose in writing this passage is most likely to:
A.
prove that stubborn thinking has been a persistent problem for European rulers
B.
provide a solution to a difficulty that has plagued policy makers for centuries
C.
argue that rigid adherence to policy has resulted in a history of human folly
D.
show that the ability to govern wisely has increased substantially since the Middle Ages
OR
3. One of the main arguments the author is trying to make in the passage is that:
A.
stubborn thinking has been a persistent problem for European rulers
B.
there is a solution to a difficulty that has plagued policy makers for centuries
C.
rigid adherence to policy has resulted in a history of human folly
D.
the ability to govern wisely has increased substantially since the Middle Ages

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Answer Key for

Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
Look back at your sum-it-up note.

Make sure you have a general idea of what the passage is
aboutJust think about it!
Eliminate incorrect answer choices, such as ones that focus on
details of the passage or use the exact same wording as the
passage.
1. The primary purpose of the passage can best be described as an effort to:
OR
2. The authors purpose in writing this passage is most likely to:
A.
prove that stubborn thinking has been a persistent problem for European rulers
[too specific for main idea]
B.
provide a solution to a difficulty that has plagued policy makers for centuries
[does not attempt to provide a solution]
C.
argue that rigid adherence to policy has resulted in a history of human folly
D.
show that the ability to govern wisely has increased substantially since the Middle Ages
[not mentioned but sounds good]
OR
3. One of the main arguments the author is trying to make in the passage is that:
A.
stubborn thinking has been a persistent problem for European rulers
B.
there is a solution to a difficulty that has plagued policy makers for centuries
C.
rigid adherence to policy has resulted in a history of human folly
D.
the ability to govern wisely has increased substantially since the Middle Ages

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Fall 2008
Answering General Info Questions

Just Look It Up
Step 1:
Step 2:
Just Look It Up using the marks and notes you made while reading.
Eliminate incorrect answer choices, such as ones that use
extremes, absolutes, bait and switch, or not mentioned but
sounds good.
4. The author is critical of the 14th century Valois monarchs of France chiefly because they:
A.
controlled the banks in their countries
B.
had a tendency to repeat mistakes
C.
ignored protests by the bourgeoisie
D.
greatly devalued their subjects
5. According to the passage, the major consequence of Plan 17s implementation was the:
A.
substantial prolongation of war in Europe
B.
humiliation of the General Staff
C.
ultimate success of German auxiliary forces
D.
withdrawal of the French from the Rhine
6. Which of the following best describes the authors primary reason for relating the story of Philip
the III?
A.
to amuse the reader with a tale of extreme stubbornness
B.
to comment on the unreliable character of many world leaders
C.
to illustrate the dangers of monarchy as a form of government
D.
to set up a comparison with contemporary acts of foolishness
7. The authors attitude toward the subject of the passage can best be characterized as:
A.
tempered disgust
B.
personal objection
C.
general disapproval
D.
mild prejudice

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Fall 2008
Answer Key for

Answering General Info Questions
Step 1:
Step 2:
Just Look It Up using the marks and notes you made while reading.
Eliminate incorrect answer choices, such as ones that use
extremes, absolutes, bait and switch, or not mentioned but
sounds good.
4. The author is critical of the 14th century Valois monarchs of France chiefly because they:
A.
controlled the banks in their countries [too specific]
B.
had a tendency to repeat mistakes
C.
ignored protests by the bourgeoisie [not mentioned]
D.
greatly devalued their subjects [not mentioned]
5. According to the passage, the major consequence of Plan 17s implementation was the:
A.
substantial prolongation of war in Europe
B.
humiliation of the General Staff [not mentioned, too extreme]
C.
ultimate success of German auxiliary forces [not mentioned]
D.
withdrawal of the French from the Rhine [not mentioned]
6. Which of the following best describes the authors primary reason for relating the story of Philip
the III?
A.
to amuse the reader with a tale of extreme stubbornness
[primary purpose is not to amuse the reader]
B.
to comment on the unreliable character of many world leaders
[too extreme and over-generalized]
C.
to illustrate the dangers of monarchy as a form of government [not mentioned]
D.
to set up a comparison with contemporary acts of foolishness
7. The authors attitude toward the subject of the passage can best be characterized as:
A.
tempered disgust [extreme, inaccurate]
B.
personal objection [not personal]
C.
general disapproval
D.
mild prejudice [not mentioned]
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them easier than other question types! Display Day 3/Document 1

(Answering Line Detail Questions), and walk the students through Steps
1-3. Then, display Day 1/Document 3 (Learning How to Mark-it-up);
model for students where you would start and stop re-reading to answer
the sample questions. In order to find the primary focus of lines 73-89,
Im going to start reading 1 or 2 sentences before the section and read
through line 89. Normally, Id also read until 1 or 2 sentences after, but
because 89 is the last line, I have to stop there. Based on my reading,
Im going to come up with a main idea for these lines. It sounds to me
like this paragraph is about how hard it has been for governments to
change their ways. Now lets use POE to eliminate answer choices for
Question 8. Choice A may be eliminated because Phillip II is not
mentioned in this section. The information about the Swedish Chancellor
is a detail in the paragraph, not the main idea, so we may eliminate
choice B. D may be eliminated because the passage is not about power
and prosperity. It is more about power and flexibility. C is the correct
answer because the paragraph is comparing governments past and
present.
DAY 3 - ACT Reading

FOCUS: Reading Strategies and Question TypesLine Detail
Questions and Inference Questions
MATERIALS:
Materials from previous days
Day 3/Document 1 (Handout/Overhead) Answering Line Detail
Questions (p. 24)
Day 3/Document 2 Answer Key for Answering Line Detail
Questions (p. 25)
Day 3/Document 3 (Overhead) Writers Imply, Readers Infer (p. 26)
Day 3/Document 4 Answer Key for Writers Imply, Readers Infer (p.
27)
Day 3/Document 5 (Handout/Overhead) Answering Inference
Questions (p. 28)
Day 3/Document 6 Answer Key for Answering Inference Questions
(p. 29)
Day 3/Document 7-- Sample ACT Reading Test Passage (p. 30,
Passage II, of The ACT AssessmentSample Test Booklet and Answer
Document. 0225C)
Day 3/Document 8 Answer Key Sample ACT Reading Test Passage
(p. 33, Passage II, of The ACT AssessmentSample Test Booklet and
Answer Document. 0225C)
CONNECTION: Yesterday we learned how to use the Process of
Elimination (POE) and how to answer Main Idea and General Info
Questions. Today we will continue to work with question-answering
strategies for two other question types: Line Detail Questions and
Inference Questions.
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT 1: Now lets try the same thing with Question
9. Read the question, and find the line number it references; then, read the
passage, starting one to two sentences before that line and ending one to
two sentences after it. Note that this question is asking about the meaning
of a particular phrase as it is used in the passage. Continue using POE as
you go. After students complete Question 9, discuss the correct and
incorrect answers as a group. Repeat with Questions 10 and 11.
TEACHING POINT 2: An Inference Question is a question that asks
you about something suggested or implied in the passage rather than
directly stated. This type of question requires you to make an inference,
that is, you combine what is stated in the text with what you already know.
An inference is based on your own thinking, but is supported by the text.
Display Day 3/Document 3 (Writers Imply, Readers Infer). Read the
passage aloud. Use the questions after the passage to interpret the text.
Discuss the inferences that readers must make to make sense of the
passage and answer the questions. Then, walk students through how you
are interpreting the passage. The events most likely take place in the
morning since the woman is making breakfast. The pronoun she" in the
second sentence indicates the child is a girl. Since the woman refers to
the goldfish as Jaws, you can reasonably infer that Jaws is its name.
HANDOUT: Day 3/Document 1 Answering Line Detail

Questions
Students should take out Day 1/Document 3
TEACHING POINT 1: A Line Detail Question is any question that
cites specific line numbers or paragraph(s). On the ACT Reading Test,
these questions tell you exactly where to look for the answer, which makes
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The characters are most likely mother and daughter. This is implied
because the woman is making breakfast for the child and talks about
going to visit grandma. Maybe the goldfish died and the mom did not
want to tell the child. Youll notice that none of these answers are
directly stated in the text, but that you can still figure out what is
happening based on the information given. That is what it means to infer.
GRADEBOOK: Teachers may consider assigning participation points at

the end of class for handouts and sample-passage work where the
marking-it-up strategy and POE were used correctly, as well as for
answered questions. Teachers might also consider assigning an additional
point or two for bringing back the previous days handouts. Another
option would be to ask students to write their own Line Detail and
Inference Question(s) for a previous reading assignment from your class.
They would need to model the question and answer choices after ACT
Reading Test questions, and offer a rationale for the correct and incorrect
answer choices.
HANDOUT: Day 3/Document 5 Answering Inference

Questions
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT 2: Display Day 3/Document 5. Now look at
Question 12. Notice that it is both a Line Detail Question and an
Inference Question. So lets use our line detail strategy and what we just
learned about inferring to eliminate incorrect choices and find the right
answer. Repeat with Question 13.
HANDOUT: Day 3/Document 7 Sample ACT Reading Test

Passage (p. 30, Passage II, of The ACT
AssessmentSample Test Booklet and Answer
Document. 0225C)
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT 3: Students should read the Sample ACT
Reading Test Passage, making sure to incorporate their mark-it-up
strategy, and answer the questions for that passage using the strategies
they have learned. Display the answer key on the overhead, or write the
answers on the board.
WRAP-UP: With the class, discuss the questions and answers,
particularly those that were confusing to students. Now you know how to
use the POE strategy and the line-detail strategy to answer Line Detail
and Inference Questions. At this point, you have learned how to tackle
the most common types of ACT Reading Test questions. Tomorrow, well
review those strategies and spend some time learning how to understand,
or translate, other question types.

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Fall 2008
Answering Line Detail Questions

Refer to the sample passage in Day 1/Document 3 (Learning How to Mark-it-up).
Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
Find the specific lines or paragraph cited.

For line references, re-read starting two lines before, and ending two
lines after, the citation. For paragraphs, re-read the paragraph cited.
Eliminate incorrect answer choices, including those that provide
information found in other sections of the passage.
8.
The primary focus of lines 7389 is:

A.
the influence of unique thinkers like Machiavelli and Philip II
B.
the shrewd advice of the Swedish Chancellor
C.
the reality of governments past and present
D.
the relationship between power and prosperity
9.
As it is used in the passage, the phrase more colorful (line 53) refers to the:
F.
physical effects of fever in the 17th century
G.
regularity with which the Spanish story transcended that of the French
H.
comical nature of the stubbornness of Philip III contrasted with the mistakes of the
Valois monarchs
J.
violent warfare that characterized Europe throughout the 17th century
10.
As it is used in line 64, the word salient most nearly means:

A.
classic
B.
prominent
C.
respected
D.
subtle
11.
The main function of the second and third paragraphs is to:

F.
provide a classic example of German and French folly demonstrated through costly wars
in Europe
G.
draw a parallel between the careful consideration of Machiavelli and the spontaneous
decision-making of European leaders
H.
offer representative illustrations of the inflexible thinking that characterizes human
history
J.
mock the inferior military leadership that dominated Western Europe

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Fall 2008
Answer Key for Answering Line Detail Questions

Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
Find the specific lines or paragraph cited.

For line references, re-read starting two lines before, and ending two
lines after, the citation. For paragraphs, re-read the paragraph cited.
Eliminate incorrect answer choices, including those that provide
information found in other sections of the passage.
8.
The primary focus of lines 7389 is:

A.
the influence of unique thinkers like Machiavelli and Philip II
B.
the shrewd advice of the Swedish Chancellor
C.
the reality of governments past and present
D.
the relationship between power and prosperity
[Question 8: This question is asking for the main idea of lines 7389. You need to re-read it and
just think about it.]
9.
As it is used in the passage, the phrase more colorful (line 53) refers to the:
F.
physical effects of fever in the 17th century
G.
regularity with which the Spanish story transcended that of the French
H.
comical nature of the stubbornness of Philip III contrasted with the mistakes of the
Valois monarchs
J.
violent warfare that characterized Europe throughout the 17th century
[Question 9: This question requires you to understand a phrase in the context of the two
surrounding paragraphs.]
10.
As it is used in line 64, the word salient most nearly means:

A.
classic
B.
prominent
C.
respected
D.
subtle
[Question 10: This question requires you to re-read line 64, come up with your own synonym for
salient and then find the answer choice most similar to your synonym.]
11.
The main function of the second and third paragraphs is to:

F.
provide a classic example of German and French folly demonstrated through
costly wars in Europe [bait and switch]
G.
draw a parallel between the careful consideration of Machiavelli and the
spontaneous decision-making of European leaders [not mentioned]
H.
offer representative illustrations of the inflexible thinking that characterizes
human history
J.
mock the inferior military leadership that dominated Western Europe
[too extreme and not mentioned]

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Fall 2008
Writers Imply, Readers Infer

A child comes out of her room and finds her goldfish bowl empty. She asks the
woman making breakfast in the kitchen, "What happened to Jaws?"
"Jaws was getting too big for his bowl, so I had to release him into the pond
behind Grandma's house," the woman replied. "I will take you to see him the next
time we go visit Grandma."
A few weeks later the woman takes the child to the pond and they both begin
searching for Jaws. The woman points excitedly to a large fish and says, "There he
is!"
"But that fish is much bigger than Jaws," the child says, confused.
"Jaws just needed more room to grow," the woman explains.
Satisfied, the child smiles and the two head back towards the house.
1. What time of day is it when the child realizes that the goldfish is missing?
2. Is the child a boy or a girl?
3. What is the name of the goldfish?
4. What is the relationship between the child and the woman?
5. What most likely happened to the goldfish?

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Fall 2008
Answer Key for

Writers Imply, Readers Infer
(answers may vary)
A child comes out of her room and finds her goldfish bowl empty. She asks the woman
making breakfast in the kitchen, "What happened to Jaws?"
"Jaws was getting too big for his bowl, so I had to release him into the pond behind
Grandma's house," the woman replied. "I will take you to see him the next time we go
visit Grandma."
A few weeks later the woman takes the child to the pond and they both begin
searching for Jaws. The woman points excitedly to a large fish and says, "There he is!"
"But that fish is much bigger than Jaws," the child says, confused.
"Jaws just needed more room to grow," the woman explains.
Satisfied, the child smiles and the two head back towards the house.
1. What time of day is it when the child realizes that the goldfish is missing? The
events most likely take place in the morning since the woman is making
breakfast.
2. Is the child a boy or a girl? The child is a girl. The pronoun she in the second
sentence provides this information.
3. What is the name of the goldfish? The woman refers to the goldfish as, Jaws.
4. What is the relationship between the child and the woman? They are most likely
mother and daughter. This is implied because the woman is making breakfast
for the child and talks about going to visit, Grandma.
5. What most likely happened to the goldfish? Maybe the goldfish died and the
mom did not want to tell the child.

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Fall 2008

Refer to Day 1/Document 3 Learning How to Mark-it-up.
12. It can be inferred from the examples presented in lines 39-52 that the author believes history to be:
A.
unrelated to contemporary dilemmas
B.
useless in the face of contingencies
C.
successful as an educational tool
D.
continually ignored by leaders
13. It is reasonable to conclude from the passage that the author would most likely agree with which of
the following statements?
F.
Todays leaders make at least as many stubborn mistakes as their historical

counterparts.
G.
Machiavelli was the only philosopher to understand how governments actually work.
H.
Governments are incapable of governing well because they lack intelligent members.
J.
Political thinkers have neglected to produce exemplary models of government.

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Fall 2008
Answer Key for

Refer to Day 1/Document 3 Learning How to Mark-it-up.
12. It can be inferred from the examples presented in lines 39-52 that the author believes history to be:
A.
unrelated to contemporary dilemmas [opposite: bait and switch]
B.
useless in the face of contingencies [too extreme, inaccurate]
C.
successful as an educational tool
D.
continually ignored by leaders
[opposite]
13. It is reasonable to conclude from the passage that the author would most likely agree with which of
the following statements?
F.
Todays leaders make at least as many stubborn mistakes as their historical

counterparts.
G.
Machiavelli was the only philosopher to understand how governments

actually work. [generalization]
H.
Governments are incapable of governing well because they lack intelligent

members. [not mentioned]
J.
Political thinkers have neglected to produce exemplary models of

government. [not mentioned]

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Fall 2008
Sample ACT Reading Test Passage

Historians say the week-long sun dance adopted by
the Blackfoot confederacy of Montana and Alberta,
Canada, appears unique in that it gives special
recognition to a stringy, bulbous tuber called the prairie
5 turnip.
A Canadian ethnobotanist is now scrutinizing the
sun dance ceremony and other Blackfoot traditions in
search of clues to the prairie turnips role in daily tribal
life. So far, she says, the findings suggest that this
10 lowly legume earned its sacred status by serving as a
nutritional staple.
A key part of the Blackfoot sun dance began with
the transfer of a sacred bundle to a holy woman who
had pledged allegiance to the sun, says Sandra Peacock
15 of the Fort Calgary (Alberta) Historic Park. The bundle
held special garments and accessories, including a
wooden stick and a headdress of buffalo hide adorned
with feathers and pendants of weasel skins. According
to tribespeople interviewed by Peacock, the stick
20 symbolized the tool used to unearth the prairie turnip,
while the feathers represented turnip leaves.
A 1957 photograph of a Blackfoot holy woman
depicts an additional adornment: a bunch of dried,
twisted roots tied to the headdress. That photo, Peacock
25 says, sparked her fascination with the prairie turnip.
Despite its name, the prairie turnip (Psoralea
esculenta) bears little resemblance to the more familiar
root vegetable known as the turnip (Brassica rapa).
The latter is not a legume and has a more rounded,
30 smooth appearance than the elongated, scraggly prairie
turnip, which resembles a skinny potato.
Historical reports from the 1800s and early 1900s
indicate that Plains Indians, especially those living in
the more prairie-like regions south of Montana, once
35 cultivated P. esculenta widely. The three tribes of the
Blackfoot confederacythe Piegan, the Blood and the
Blackfootdo not eat the prairie turnip today, but
Peacock says the plants extensive roots in Blackfoot
legend and language strongly suggest that it once
40 ranked along with buffalo meat as a vital element in
their diet.
Peacock speculates that ceremonies and legends
depicting the prairie turnip as sacred may reflect the
tribes need to conserve the plant, which the nomadic
45 Blackfoot may have had difficulty harvesting as they
Oakland Schools
moved from one site to the next. On the other hand, she
notes, Blackfoot elders recall that any tribe member
could dig up the tuber without restriction.
The vegetables prevalence in tribal customs could
50 also signify that it held special status in the Blackfoot

diet, Peacock suggests.
In an attempt to determine the prairie turnips

dietary significance for the northern tribes, [researchers]
analyzed the tubers nutritional content. Their study
55 found that the leguminous tubers contain about 7
percent proteinmuch more than potatoes (2 percent)
and nearly as much as maize (9 percent). The plant also
contains a significant amount of vitamin C17.1
milligrams per 100 grams of weight. This approaches
60 the vitamin C concentrations in fresh citrus fruits (25 to
30 mg per 100 g). Moreover, they said, a flour made by
pounding dried prairie turnips (a common tribal
practice) would lose little of its vitamin C during
storage unless subjected to moisture.
65
The analysis suggested that P. esculenta was

widely and regularly used [among tribes of the northern
plains] and formed a valuable food resource of high
nutritional quality.
Historical accounts from Canadian expeditions in
70 1857 and 1859 describe women and children harvesting
prairie turnips with fire-hardened, slightly curved

digging sticks. The tubers hard, dark skin was easily
removed, exposing a white, fleshy interior. Some ate
the tuber raw; others boiled it, roasted it, or dried it and
75 then crushed it to a powder.
But scientists still lack definitive evidence of the
prairie turnips place in the prehistoric Blackfoot diet,
says Peacock, who maintains that most studies of tribal
lifestyles have instead focused on buffalo bones, and
80 occasionally the remains of medicinal plants. To clinch
the issue, she proposed that archaeologists undertake an
extensive search for the burnt remains of P. esculenta
and other pit-roasted plants, since charring would have
protected them from chemical or bacterial degradation.
85
In the meantime, Peacock continues to compile

ethnographic data on the prairie turnip. This summer,
she hopes to witness her first sun dance and view the
full costume worm by the holy woman, replete with
headdress and digging stick.
90
ACT Reprinted with permission

30

Fall 2008
11.
According to the passage, the conclusions made about the nutritional content of the prairie turnips were based
on a:
A. comparison of the protein and vitamin C content of the plant to that of other food crops.
B. presentation of the percentages of recommended minimum daily requirements of various vitamins and
minerals contained in the plant.
C. study of the overall health of the Blackfoot people relative to that of other Plains Indians.
D. chemical analysis of the amounts of fats and sugars present in the plant.
12.
The research being undertaken by Sandra Peacock can best be summarized as a study of both the:
F. prairie turnip (Psoralea esculenta) and the common turnip (Brassica rapa).
G. current lifestyle and the traditional ways of the Blackfoot people.
H. methods of cultivation and the methods of preparing the prairie turnip for consumption.
J. botanical qualities of the prairie turnip and the ways and traditions of the Blackfoot people.
13.
According to the information presented in the passage, which of the following best describes the relationship
between Psoralea esculenta and Brassica rapa?
A. They are different names for the same species of turnip.
B. They are members of the turnip family, closely related in appearance but having different nutritional
properties.
C. Both plants were used by the Blackfoot people as important sources of protein and vitamin C.
D. While they share the general name turnip, they have little else in common.
14.
According to the passage, the original motivation for Sandra Peacocks research into the prairie turnip can be
traced to:
F. comparison of the protein and vitamin C content of the plant to that of other food crops.
G. presentation of the percentages of recommended minimum daily requirements of various vitamins and
minerals contained in the plant.
H. study of the overall health of the Blackfoot people relative to that of other Plains Indians.
J. chemical analysis of the amounts of fats and sugars present in the plant.
15.
As it is used in line 80, the word clinch most nearly means to:
A. settle or resolve.
B. stick to.
C. grasp or recognize.
D. fasten firmly on.
16.
As it is depicted in the passage, the root of the prairie turnip can be best described as:
F. rounded and smooth-skinned.
G. slender and dark-skinned with a white interior.
H. bulbous with a thin, white skin.
J. stringy with a soft, purplish skin.
17.
It can be inferred that the word lowly, as it is used in line 10, primarily refers to the prairie turnips:
A. overwhelming abundance.
B. subpar nutritional qualities.
C. humble or commonplace appearance.
D. economical value as a food crop.
18.
According to the nutritional data presented in the passage, the protein content ranking, from highest to lowest,
of the following vegetables is:
F. maize, prairie turnips, potatoes.
G. potatoes, prairie turnips, maize.
H. prairie turnips, maize, potatoes.
J. prairie turnips, potatoes, maize.

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19.
According to the passage, Psoralea esculenta can be defined as all of the following EXCEPT a:
A. legume.
B. prairie turnip.
C. potato.
D. vegetable.
20.
Up to the time of this article, Sandra Peacocks theory concerning the role of the prairie turnip in the
traditional Blackfoot diet gained support from all of the following sources EXCEPT:
F. Ethnographic data.
G. Nutritional analyses.
H. Archaeological evidence.
J. Interviews with Blackfoot elders.

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Answer Key Sample ACT Reading Test Passage

11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
A
J
D
G
A
G
C
F
C
H

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question is the question stem. Walk through each question from the Main
Idea Questions handout (Day 2/Document 3) and ask students to identify
what they think the question stem is, based on what they know about
Main Idea Questions. Remember, the question stem is the part of the
question that tells you what to look for as an answer. In this first case,
the question stem is the primary purpose. Make sure that students
discuss, as a class, the rationale for each Main Idea Question stem.
Because Main Idea Questions are the most straightforward, they are ideal
for practicing identifying question stems.
DAY 4 - ACT Reading

FOCUS: Translating ACT Question TypesQuestion Stems
MATERIALS:
Materials from previous days
Day 4/Document 1 (Overhead/Handout) Common Question Stems
(p. 36)
Day 4/Document 2 Answer Key for Common Question Stems
(p. 37)
Day 4/Document 3 -- Sample ACT Reading Test Passage (p. 38,
Passage III, of The ACT AssessmentSample Test Booklet and Answer
Document. 0225C)
Day 4/Document 4 Answer Key Sample ACT Reading Test Passage
(p. 41, Passage III, of The ACT AssessmentSample Test Booklet and
Answer Document. 0225C)
HANDOUT: Day 4/Document 1 Common Question Stems.

Day 4/Document 3 Sample ACT Reading Test
Passage (p. 38, Passage III, of The ACT
AssessmentSample Test Booklet and Answer
Document. 0225C)
CONNECTION: Over the past two days we have learned to use

strategies for answering Main Idea, General Info, Line Detail and
Inference Questions. Today we will learn how to translate, or
understand, the difficult wording of these and other question types.
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT 2: Lets practice putting together all of the

strategies we have learned so far and work on finding the question stems
in other types of questions. Ask students to read the sample ACT Reading
Test Passage. Make sure to use your mark-it-up strategy as you read and
include your sum-it-up note at the end, which will help you answer any
Main Idea Questions. When the reading time is up, ask students to work
in pairs to: examine the questions at the end of the passage, locate the
question stems, translate the questions, and, finally, answer the questions.
TEACHING POINT 1: You may have noticed that some of the

language used in the test questions is unfamiliar and different from the
way we usually speak and write. It is difficult to determine correct
answers if you don't really understand the questions. Today we will focus
on how questions are worded, so we can better understand what is being
asked. There may be words and phrases in the question stem that you
don't understand. So, you need to look at the question stem and figure
out, "What is the question REALLY asking?" A question stem is the main
part of the question that tells you what to look for as an answer.
Once you have finished reading, work with your partner to find the
question stem in each of the questions following the passage. Based on its
question stem, you should decide what each question is asking, which
strategy to use to answer it (for example, is it a just think about it Main
Idea Question or a just look it up General Info Question); then, use
your POE strategy to eliminate incorrect answers and find the correct
one. As you identify each question stem, jot it down in the Question Stem
column of your Common Question Stems (Day 4/Document 1).
Translate what the question stem is asking in the next column; then, write
down which strategy to use for answering that question in the third
column. Model this for students by filling in all the columns for the first
question.
HANDOUT: Students should take out Day 2/Document 3

ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT 1: Lets revisit our Main Idea Questions
handout from Day 2. Since we already know that all of these questions
are asking the same thing, lets see if we can figure out which part of each
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WRAP-UP: Review some of the question stems students found and ask
them to read aloud what they wrote for Translation and Strategy for
Answering. If possible, record their responses on the overhead.
Remember that the more quickly you are able to identify a question stem
and figure out what it is asking, the more time youll have to use POE to
find the correct answer. Tomorrow were going to learn how to use some
of these same strategies to tackle the WorkKeys Reading for Information
Test.
GRADEBOOK: Teachers may consider assigning participation points at
the end of class for handouts and sample-passage work where the markingit-up strategy and POE were used correctly, as well as for answered
questions. Teachers might also consider assigning an additional point or
two for bringing back the previous days handouts. At this point, students
should be consistently applying all of the strategies from Days 1-4.

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Common Question Stems

Question Stem

Oakland Schools
Translation
36
Strategy for Answering

+POE

Fall 2008
Answer Key for

Common Question Stems
(The completed table might look something like this. Answers will vary depending on sample
passages and questions used.)
Question Stem
Words/Phrases
Translation
Strategy for Answering

(always use POE!)
The primary purpose of the

passage
The main idea of the

passage
Just think about it

(use sum-it-up note)
The passage asserts
The text says
Just look it up
The authors purpose

The main function of the
second paragraph
The main point

The main idea of the
second paragraph
Based on information
supported by the text, a
logical conclusion would
be..
Just think about it

Look it up and read 1-2 lines
before and 1-2 lines after
It can be reasonably
deduced
As it is defined in the
passage
The passage suggests
The author states
According to the
passage
The passage indicates
The author claims
In this passage the

word ____ means
The passage gives
hints, but does not
directly state
The author says
found in the passage
The passage points out
or explains briefly
The author says
The primary focus of lines

30-50
supported by the text, a
logical conclusion would
be..
The main idea of lines
30-50
The author's attitude

toward the subject
How does the author

feel about the subject?
It can be reasonably
inferred

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Look it up and think about it

Look it up and think about
what that word (in context)
means, then use POE
Just look it up
Just look it up
Just look it up
Just look it up
Look it up and read 2 lines
before and 2 lines after
Just think about it

Fall 2008
Grade 11: Day 4/Document 3
Sample ACT Reading Test Passage

How was the creativity of the Black woman kept
alive, year after year and century after century, when for
most of the years Black people have been in America, it
was a punishable crime for a Black person to read or
5 write? And the freedom to paint, to sculpt, to expand
the mind with action, did not exist. Consider, if you can
bear to imagine it, what might have been the result if
singing, too, had been forbidden by law. Listen to the
voices of Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone,
10 Roberta Flack, and Aretha Franklin, among others, and
imagine those voices muzzled for life.
In the late 1920s my mother ran away from home
to marry my father. By the time she was twenty, she
had two children and was pregnant with a third. Five
15 children later, I was born. And this is how I came to
know my mother: she seemed a large, soft, loving-eyed
woman who was rarely impatient in our home. Her
quick, violent temper was on view only a few times a
year, when she battled with the white landlord who had
20 the misfortune to suggest to her that her children did not
need to go to school.
She made all the clothes we wore, even my
brothers overalls. She made all the towels and sheets
we used. She spent the summers canning vegetables
25 and fruits. She spent the winter evenings making quilts
enough to cover all our beds.
During the working day, she labored beside
not behindmy father in the fields. Her day began
before sunup, and did not end until late at night. There
30 was never a moment for her to sit down, undisturbed, to
unravel her own private thoughts; never a time free
from interruptionby work or the noisy inquiries of her
many children. And yet, it is to my motherand all our
mothers who were not famousthat I went in search of
35 the secret of what has fed that muzzled and often
mutilated, but vibrant, creative spirit that the Black
woman has inherited, and that pops out in wild and
unlikely places to this day.
45
For example: in the Smithsonian Institution in

Washington, D.C., there hangs a quilt unlike any other
in the world. In fanciful, inspired, and yet simple and
identifiable figures, it portrays the story of the
Crucifixion. It is considered rare, beyond price.
50 Though it follows no known pattern of quiltmaking, and
though it is made of bits and pieces of worthless rags, it
is obviously the work of a person of powerful
imagination and deep spiritual feeling. Below this quilt
I saw a note that says it was made by an anonymous
55 Black woman in Alabama a hundred years ago.
If we could locate this anonymous Black woman
from Alabama, she would turn out to be one of our
grandmothersan artist who left her mark in the only
medium her position in society allowed her to use.
60
And so it is, certainly, with my own mother.

Unlike Ma Raineys songs, which retained their
creators name even while blasting forth from Bessie
Smiths mouth, no song or poem will bear my mothers
name. Yet so many of the stories that I write, that we
65 all write, are my mothers stories. Only recently did I
fully realize this: that through years of listening to my
mothers stories of her life, I have absorbed not only the
stories themselves, but something of the matter in which
she spoke, something of the urgency that involved the
70 knowledge that her storieslike her lifemust be
recorded.
But the telling of these stories, which came from
my mothers lips as naturally as breathing, was not the
only way my mother showed herself as an artist. For
75 stories, too, were subject to being distracted, to dying
without conclusion. Dinners must be started, and cotton
must be gathered before the big rains. The artist that
was and is my mother showed itself to me only after
many years. This is what I finally noticed.
80
She planted ambitious gardensand still does

with over fifty different varieties of plants that bloom
profusely from early March until late November.
Before she left home for the fields, she watered her
flowers, chopped up the grass, and laid out new beds.
85
Whatever she planted grew as if by magic, and her

fame as a grower of flowers spread over three counties.
Because of her creativity with her flowers, even my
memories of poverty are seen through a screen of
blooms. ACT Reprinted with permission
But when, you will ask, did my overworked
40 mother have time to know or care about feeding the

creative spirit?
The answer is so simple that many of us have spent

years discovering it. We have constantly looked high,
when we should have looked highand low.
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21.
The passage suggests that the narrators mother, as compared to the narrators father, performed:
A. less work in the fields
B. more work in the fields
C. the same work in the fields
D. only what she could do when the children were not around.
22.
It can reasonably be inferred from the second paragraph (lines 12-21) that the narrators mother:
F. was short-tempered with her children
G. had more children than she was able to care for.
H. placed high value on her childrens education.
J. told stories to her children to express her artistic creativity.
23.
The passage primarily emphasizes the idea that the creative spirit of African American women:
A. was destroyed by society.
B. has endured through difficult times.
C. was recognized years ago.
D. has had ample outlets for expression.
24.
As it is used in lines 11 and 35, the word muzzled most nearly means:
F. maintained.
G. suppressed.
H. destroyed.
J. cultivated.
25.
The passage opens by posing a question that the rest of the passage:
A. explores.
B. restates.
C. ignores.
D. alters.
26.
In the context of the passage, the phrase We have constantly looked high, when we should have looked high
and low (lines 43-44) suggests that:
F. cultural historians have overlooked the importance of domestic arts.
G. religious artists create works of powerful spiritual significance.
H. anonymous artists have finally achieved the recognition they deserve.
J. anthropologists conduct wide-ranging searches for clues to our collective past.
27.
It can reasonably be inferred from the passage that the quilt is displayed in the Smithsonian for all of the following
reasons EXCEPT that it was made:
A. at least a hundred years ago.
B. with great imagination.
C. according to a unique, complex pattern.
D. by a well-known African American quilt maker.
28.
The passage indicates that the quilt referred to in lines 45-47 is the work of:
F. an unknown person.
G. the narrators grandmother.
H. a famous artist.
J. a woman of position in society.

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29.
The author indicates that, when it came to storytelling, she had learned from her mother to tell stories:
A. that always had a good ending.
B. with sadness and anger.
C. with great conviction.
D. in a matter-of-fact style.
30.
In can reasonably be inferred from the passages last sentence that when the author thinks of her childhood, the
memory of her mothers flowers makes her feel:
F. less pained.
G. more ambitious.
H. less fortunate.
J. more bitter.

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Fall 2008
Answer Key Sample ACT Reading Test Passage

21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
C
H
B
G
A
F
D
F
C
F

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Fall 2008
levels, the text selections on the WorkKeys Reading for Information Test
become progressively more difficult.
DAY 5 - WorkKeys
FOCUS: Analyzing WorkKeys and understanding how the
WorkKeys Reading for Information Test measures reading
skills that employers believe are critical to job success.
Share some reasons why the WorkKeys Reading for Information Test is
an important part of the MME:
Describe the types of workplace texts that you, as a teacher and an
employee of a school district, are expected to understand (e.g.,
disciplinary policies or safety regulations). Discuss the importance of
these written communications and the possible consequences of not
comprehendingor ignoringthem.
This new test is being administered because employers are seeking
workers who understand a variety of communications for a particular
job.
Some employers are requiring WorkKeys scores from job applicants,
and most community colleges are requiring them.
MATERIALS:
Day 5/Document 1 (Overhead) Graphic Organizer: WorkKeys
Examples (p. 44)
Day 5/Document 2 (Handout) WorkKeys Level 3 Text (p. 45)
Day 5/Document 3 Answer Key for WorkKeys Level 3 Text (p. 46)
Day 5/Document 6 (Handout) Level 3 Text versus Level 7 Text
(p. 49)
Day 5/Document 7 Answer Key for Level 3 Text versus Level 7
Text (p. 50)
TEACHING POINT 2: Display Day 5/Document 1 (Graphic

Organizer: WorkKeys Examples). Here are examples of the types of
text that you will find on the WorkKeys Reading for Information Test.
Explain to students the different types of writing on the list, including:
Memo A brief written reminder, statement, or record; and
Bulletin A short account or statement issued for the information of
the public.
CONNECTION: Over the past few days you have analyzed the ACT
Reading Test by learning mark-it-up and POE strategies, as well as
practicing how to translate and answer different types of test questions:
Main Idea, General Information, Line Detail, and Inference Questions.
Today you will focus on another reading test that is part of the Michigan
Merit Exam: the WorkKeys Reading for Information Test.
HANDOUT: Day 5/Document 2 WorkKeys Level 3 Text

Day 5/Document 4 WorkKeys Level 7 Text
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT 1: Today you will examine different levels
of WorkKeys texts and the questions that follow them. Each WorkKeys
question is a General Info Question, so you need to just look it up.
Take a few minutes on your own to first read the question, then read the
text, and, finally, answer the question. Follow this procedure for both
the Level 3 and the Level 7 texts. Be prepared to explain how you
selected your answers. You will have 10 minutes to complete this
activity. Have students share their answers to the questions and explain
how they chose them.
TEACHING POINT 1: Test takers should understand that both the

ACT Reading Test and WorkKeys Reading for Information Test evaluate
ability to read and understand text that is written for different purposes.
The WorkKeys Test assesses your ability to understand a variety of short
work-place passageswritten communication an employee is expected
to comprehend in order to do a job. Each passage will be followed by
one or more multiple-choice questions. WorkKeys has established an
online database that classifies different jobs by skill levels ranging from
Level 3, the simplest, to Level 7, the most complex. As you go up in
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Fall 2008
HANDOUT: Day 5/Document 6 Level 3 Text versus Level 7

Text
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT 2: Pair up students with partners. Now
that you have worked with both a Level 3 and a Level 7 text, get together
with your partner and write on the handout what makes a Level 7 text
more challenging than a Level 3 text. Ask partners to share their
responses with the class.
HANDOUT: Day 5/Document 8 WorkKeys Level 4 Text

ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT 3: Now you will examine sample texts
from Levels 4, 5, and 6. For all samples, first read the questions, then
read the texts, and, finally, answer the questions. Be prepared to
explain how you selected your answers.
WRAP-UP: Ask students to share with the class their answers and the
processes they used to choose them.
GRADEBOOK: For today, consider assigning points for completed
handouts, note taking, and group participation.

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Fall 2008
Graphic Organizer: WorkKeys Examples

Types of text found in WorkKeys with some real-life examples for each type:
Memofrom coaches or sponsors of clubs and organizations

Letterfrom principal, teacher, employer
Directionjob application, class assignments (research paper, lab paper)
Signbuilding evacuation, parking lot specifications
Noticeupcoming events, cancellations with refunds available
Bulletinfrom counselors and administrators
PolicyStudent Code of Conduct, grading policies, attendance policies, dress
code policy, field trip policy
Regulationfire regulations, safety regulations, extracurricular events

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Fall 2008
WorkKeys Level 3 Text

Level 3 Sample
(Reprinted with permission from ACT)
MEMO
To:
All businesses in Logan City Mall
From: Philip Charles, Logan City Mall Manager
Re:
New garbage collection rules
Logan City Mall has hired a new garbage collection company. Speedy Sanitation, Inc. will be collecting
garbage from all businesses starting next Monday. Collection days will not change. The pick-up time will
be one hour later. Each business will be given one blue garbage can to use. Each business may ask for
2 extra garbage cans. You may have a total of 3 garbage cans. You will not need yellow collection tags
anymore. Full garbage cans must weigh less than 30 pounds. Put your garbage in bags before putting it in
the garbage cans. Put your garbage cans in the alley behind your business's back door.
Based on the memo shown, starting next Monday, what is the greatest number of garbage cans each
business is allowed to have?
A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 15 E. 30

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Fall 2008
Answer Key for

Level 3 Sample
MEMO
To:
All businesses in Logan City Mall
From: Philip Charles, Logan City Mall Manager
Re:
New garbage collection rules
Logan City Mall has hired a new garbage collection company. Speedy Sanitation, Inc. will be collecting
garbage from all businesses starting next Monday. Collection days will not change. The pick-up time will
be one hour later. Each business will be given one blue garbage can to use. Each business may ask
for 2 extra garbage cans. You may have a total of 3 garbage cans. You will not need yellow collection
tags anymore. Full garbage cans must weigh less than 30 pounds. Put your garbage in bags before putting
it in the garbage cans. Put your garbage cans in the alley behind your business's back door.
Based on the memo shown, starting next Monday, what is the greatest number of garbage cans each
business is allowed to have?
A. 1 B. 2
C. 3 D. 15 E. 30

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Fall 2008

Level 7 Sample
Section 108
a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 106, it is not an infringement of copyright
for a library or archive, or any of its employees acting within the scope of their
employment, to reproduce no more than one copy or phonorecord of a work, or to
distribute such copy or phonorecord under the conditions specified by this section if
1)
the reproduction or distribution is made without any purpose of direct or

indirect commercial advantage;
2) the collections of the library or archive are (i) open to the public, or
(ii) available not only to researchers affiliated with the library or archive or
with the institution of which it is a part, but also to other persons doing
research in a specialized field; and
3) the reproduction or distribution of the work includes a notice of
copyright.
b) The rights of reproduction and distribution under this section apply to a copy or
phonorecord of an unpublished work duplicated in facsimile form solely for
purposes of preservation and security, or for deposit for research use in another
library or archive of the type described by clause (2) of subsection (a), if the copy or
phonorecord reproduced is currently in the collections of that library or archive.
c) The right of reproduction under this section applies to a copy or phonorecord of a
published work duplicated in facsimile form solely for the purpose of replacement
of a copy or phonorecord that is damaged, deteriorating, lost, or stolen, if the library
or archive has, after a reasonable effort, determined that an unused replacement
cannot be obtained at fair cost.
93
Based on the information given, which of the following conditions would prohibit a city employee from
photocopying an unpublished manuscript?
A.
B.
C.
D.
If the city library is accessible to any and all citizens and researchers
If the city library's original copy of the manuscript is in danger of damage through use
If the employee makes only one copy of the manuscript as a secure transcription
If the photocopy is to be sent to a public research library that does not have a copy of the
manuscript
E. If the photocopy would not produce any income for the city library

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Fall 2008
Answer Key for

Level 7 Sample
Section 108
a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 106, it is not an infringement of copyright
for a library or archive, or any of its employees acting within the scope of their
employment, to reproduce no more than one copy or phonorecord of a work, or to
distribute such copy or phonorecord under the conditions specified by this section if
1)
the reproduction or distribution is made without any purpose of direct or

indirect commercial advantage;
2) the collections of the library or archive are (i) open to the public, or
(ii) available not only to researchers affiliated with the library or archive or
with the institution of which it is a part, but also to other persons doing
research in a specialized field; and
3) the reproduction or distribution of the work includes a notice of
copyright.
b) The rights of reproduction and distribution under this section apply to a copy or
phonorecord of an unpublished work duplicated in facsimile form solely for
purposes of preservation and security, or for deposit for research use in another
library or archive of the type described by clause (2) of subsection (a), if the copy or
phonorecord reproduced is currently in the collections of that library or archive.
c) The right of reproduction under this section applies to a copy or phonorecord of a
published work duplicated in facsimile form solely for the purpose of replacement
of a copy or phonorecord that is damaged, deteriorating, lost, or stolen, if the library
or archive has, after a reasonable effort, determined that an unused replacement
cannot be obtained at fair cost.
93
Based on the information given, which of the following conditions would prohibit a city employee from
photocopying an unpublished manuscript?
A. If the city library is accessible to any and all citizens and researchers
B. If the city library's original copy of the manuscript is in danger of damage through use
C. If the employee makes only one copy of the manuscript as a secure transcription
D. If the photocopy is to be sent to a public research library that does not have a copy of the
manuscript
E. If the photocopy would not produce any income for the city library
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Fall 2008
Level 3 Text versus Level 7 Text

What makes Level 7 more challenging?
Characteristics of Level 3 Text:
Characteristics of a Level 7 Text:

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Fall 2008
Answer Key for

Level 3 Text versus Level 7 Text
Characteristics of Level 3 Text:
Sentences are simple and direct. Most have the subject first and the verb
second.
Paragraphs and sentences are short.
Instructions are direct and lead to simple tasks.
Vocabulary includes common, everyday words.
Readers must pick out a clearly stated detail. They do not need to draw any
conclusions.
Characteristics of a Level 7 Text:
Sentences are longer, more formal, and more complex.
Paragraphs and sentences are filled with details and information.
The document is written in a complex writing style.
Less common meanings of words are used.
Readers must apply the principles behind complicated instructions to new
situations.

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Fall 2008
GRADE 11:Day 5/Document 8

Level 4 Sample
During and after a snowstorm, there will be both route and schedule changes for the hospital employee
bus. The bus will run 15 minutes early, so be at your stop early. The bus will not stop at Bellevue Square
or the Stadium. Employees usually boarding at those places will be picked up at the Eastdale Mall stop.
Olive Street will be closed, so people usually picked up at that stop must walk to the Spring Street stop. If
your stop is on a hillside, wait at the city bus stop closest to the top of the hill, so that the driver can stop
safely. At stops where the snow has been piled deep at the curb, be prepared to board out in the street. Ice
storms may cause the shuttle service to be canceled for a period of time. Listen to your local radio station
after an ice storm. Any cancellations will be announced regularly.
Bellevue Square is your usual stop. According to the instructions shown, after a snowstorm, you should go to
which stop?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Bellevue Square
Eastdale Mall
Olive Street
Spring Street
The Stadium

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Fall 2008
Answer Key for

Level 4 Sample
During and after a snowstorm, there will be both route and schedule changes for the hospital employee
bus. The bus will run 15 minutes early, so be at your stop early. The bus will not stop at Bellevue
Square or the Stadium. Employees usually boarding at those places will be picked up at the
Eastdale Mall stop. Olive Street will be closed, so people usually picked up at that stop must walk to the
Spring Street stop. If your stop is on a hillside, wait at the city bus stop closest to the top of the hill, so
that the driver can stop safely. At stops where the snow has been piled deep at the curb, be prepared to
board out in the street. Ice storms may cause the shuttle service to be canceled for a period of time. Listen
to your local radio station after an ice storm. Any cancellations will be announced regularly.
Bellevue Square is your usual stop. According to the instructions shown, after a snowstorm, you should go to
which stop?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Bellevue Square
Eastdale Mall
Olive Street
Spring Street
The Stadium

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Fall 2008

Level 5 Sample
Goldberg's Auto Parts is served by more than fifty different accounts, each with its own sales
representative, company name, corporate address, and shipping address. As a shipping and receiving
clerk at Goldberg's, you are required to return defective merchandise to the manufacturer.
Standard procedure for returning an item begins with your written request to the company for
authorization. Always send the request to the corporate address, not to the shipping address. Unless the
company file folder contains a form for this procedure, write a business letter to the manufacturer
supplying the item's stock number, cost, and invoice number; the date it was received; and the reason for
its return. The manufacturer's reply will include an authorization number from the sales representative, a
sticker for you to place on the outside of the box to identify it as an authorized return, and a closing date
for the company's acceptance of the returned item. If you do not attach the provided sticker, your returned
box will be refused by the manufacturer as unauthorized, and you will need to obtain a new letter,
authorization, sticker, and closing date. Always send a returned box to the shipping address, not to the
company's corporate address.
According to the policy shown, what should you do if you lose an authorization sticker?
A. Send a request for a return authorization along with the rejected part directly to the manufacturer's
shipping address.
B. Send a request for return authorization along with the rejected part directly to the manufacturer's
corporate address.
C. Repeat the standard procedure to obtain a new letter, authorization, sticker, and closing date.
D. Use a sticker from another company's folder.
E. Send the rejected part to your sales representative.

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Fall 2008
Answer Key for

Level 5 Sample
Goldberg's Auto Parts is served by more than fifty different accounts, each with its own sales
representative, company name, corporate address, and shipping address. As a shipping and receiving
clerk at Goldberg's, you are required to return defective merchandise to the manufacturer.
Standard procedure for returning an item begins with your written request to the company for
authorization. Always send the request to the corporate address, not to the shipping address. Unless the
company file folder contains a form for this procedure, write a business letter to the manufacturer
supplying the item's stock number, cost, and invoice number; the date it was received; and the reason for
its return. The manufacturer's reply will include an authorization number from the sales
representative, a sticker for you to place on the outside of the box to identify it as an authorized
return, and a closing date for the company's acceptance of the returned item. If you do not attach
the provided sticker, your returned box will be refused by the manufacturer as unauthorized, and
you will need to obtain a new letter, authorization, sticker, and closing date. Always send a returned
box to the shipping address, not to the company's corporate address.
According to the policy shown, what should you do if you lose an authorization sticker?
A. Send a request for a return authorization along with the rejected part directly to the manufacturer's
shipping address.
B. Send a request for return authorization along with the rejected part directly to the
manufacturer's
corporate address.
C. Repeat the standard procedure to obtain a new letter, authorization, sticker, and closing date.
D. Use a sticker from another company's folder.
E. Send the rejected part to your sales representative.

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Fall 2008

Level 6 Sample
Section 113.18
A lawful fence shall consist of:
1. Three rails of good substantial material fastened in or to good substantial posts not more than ten feet apart.
OR
1. Three boards not less than six inches wide and three-quarters of an inch thick, fastened in or to good
substantial posts not more than eight feet apart.
OR
2. Three wires, barbed, with not less than thirty-six iron barbs of two points each on each rod of wire; or four
wires, two thus barbed and two smooth. The wires are to be firmly fastened to posts not more than two rods
apart, with not less than two stays between posts, or with posts not more than one rod apart without such
stays, the top wire to be not more than fifty-four or less than forty-eight inches in height. The bottom wire
should be not less than twelve or more than eighteen inches above the ground. The middle wire should be
not less than twelve or more than eighteen inches above the bottom wire.
OR
3. Wire either wholly or in part substantially built and kept in good repair, the lowest or bottom rail, wire, or
board to be not more than twenty or less than sixteen inches from the ground, the top rail, wire, or board,
between forty-eight and fifty-four inches in height; and the middle rail, wire, or board, not less than twelve
or more than eighteen inches above the bottom rail, wire, or board.
A farmer's fence has three barbed wires attached to posts spaced two rods apart with two stays between posts. The
top wire is forty-nine inches in height. The bottom wire is ten inches above the ground. Based on the regulation
shown, why is the fence NOT lawful under Section 113.18?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
The fence must have four wires, two smooth and two barbed.
The fence posts should be spaced closer together.
The top wire should be higher.
There should be more stays.
The bottom wire should be higher.

Oakland Schools
55

Fall 2008
Answer Key for

Level 6 Sample
Section 113.18
A lawful fence shall consist of:
1. Three rails of good substantial material fastened in or to good substantial posts not more than ten feet apart.
OR
2. Three boards not less than six inches wide and three-quarters of an inch thick, fastened in or to good
substantial posts not more than eight feet apart.
OR
3. Three wires, barbed, with not less than thirty-six iron barbs of two points each on each rod of wire; or four
wires, two thus barbed and two smooth. The wires are to be firmly fastened to posts not more than two rods
apart, with not less than two stays between posts, or with posts not more than one rod apart without such
stays, the top wire to be not more than fifty-four or less than forty-eight inches in height. The bottom wire
should be not less than twelve or more than eighteen inches above the ground. The middle wire should
be not less than twelve or more than eighteen inches above the bottom wire.
OR
4. Wire either wholly or in part substantially built and kept in good repair, the lowest or bottom rail, wire, or
board to be not more than twenty or less than sixteen inches from the ground, the top rail, wire, or board,
between forty-eight and fifty-four inches in height; and the middle rail, wire, or board, not less than twelve
or more than eighteen inches above the bottom rail, wire, or board.
A farmer's fence has three barbed wires attached to posts spaced two rods apart with two stays between posts. The
top wire is forty-nine inches in height. The bottom wire is ten inches above the ground. Based on the regulation
shown, why is the fence NOT lawful under Section 113.18?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
The fence must have four wires, two smooth and two barbed.
The fence posts should be spaced closer together.
The top wire should be higher.
There should be more stays.
The bottom wire should be higher.

Oakland Schools
56

Fall 2008
DAY 6 ACT Reading & WorkKeys

FOCUS: Designated Practice Session
MATERIALS:
Answer Keys for Teacher-Provided Samples
TEACHING POINT:
In order for you to be prepared to face the ACT Reading Test and
WorkKeys Reading for Information Test on your own, it is essential that
you practice the reading passages that are most challenging for you
individually. Distribute Handout below according to student needs.
HANDOUT: Teacher-Provided Additional Sample ACT/PLAN

Reading Passages and Questions (see Finding
Additional Sample Passages on p.2)
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT:
Using the strategies you learned in the past days, read your passage and
answer the questions. When you have finished, come to get the answer
key and check your work.
WRAP-UP:
This concludes our unit of study on the genre of Reading Tests.
GRADEBOOK:
Since this is a practice session, we do not recommend giving students a
grade based on the number of questions they answered correctly. Instead,
we suggest giving students a grade based on participation in the practice
session.

Oakland Schools
57

Fall 2008

Oakland Schools
58

Fall 2008

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ELA/MME Unit of Study: READING

A Reading Test Genre Study

Emily Douglas, Julie Martinez, Laura Schiller, Gail Setter

Reading Test Genre Study: Teacher Background

Finding Additional Sample Passages

Reading for a timed, standardized test is a particular genre of reading.

ACT practice materials can be obtained at low- or no-cost in the

Rationale for Tips and Strategies

A list of other practice test materials available for purchase, including

ELA/MME Units of Study

How to Obtain Practice Tests and Related Materials

The Process of Elimination (POE) is introduced to students on Day 2.

Many Active Engagement tasks require you to provide practice ACT

Emily Douglas, Julie Martinez, Laura Schiller, Gail Setter

Organization of Daily Lessons

ELA/MME Unit of Study: Reading, Grade 11

Emily Douglas, Julie Martinez, Laura Schiller, Gail Setter

ELA/MME UNIT OF STUDY: READING, GRADE 11

Overview: Daily Focus

Reading Genre Study

Reading Genre Study

Designated Practice Session

ELA/MME Unit of Study: Reading, Grade 11

Emily Douglas, Julie Martinez, Laura Schiller, Gail Setter

DAY 1 ACT Reading

FOCUS: Introducing the ACT Reading Test and Strategies

HANDOUT: Day 1/Document 2 ACT Reading Test

TEACHING POINT 1: Knowing exactly what to expect is key to

ELA/MME Unit of Study: Reading, Grade 11

TEACHING POINT 3: In order to read quickly and effectively, you

Emily Douglas, Julie Martinez, Laura Schiller, Gail Setter

HANDOUT: Day 1/Document 3 Learning How to Mark-it-up

If time allows, ask students to continue with additional passages and/or

HANDOUT: Day 1/Document 7 General ACT Test-Taking

TEACHING POINT 4: Watch me as I read and mark-up a passage.

GRADEBOOK: Teachers may consider assigning participation points

HANDOUT: Day 1/Document 6 Reading Strategies

Emily Douglas, Julie Martinez, Laura Schiller, Gail Setter

GRADE 11: Day 1/Document 1

ACT Structure and Overview

ELA/MME Unit of Study: Reading, Grade 11

Emily Douglas, Julie Martinez, Laura Schiller, Gail Setter

GRADE 11: Day 1/Document 2

ACT Reading Test Overview

Short stories or excerpts from short stories or novels

Anthropology, archaeology, biography, business, economics,

Architecture, art, dance, ethics, film, language, literary

Anatomy, astronomy, biology, botany, chemistry, ecology,

ELA/MME Unit of Study: Reading, Grade 11

Emily Douglas, Julie Martinez, Laura Schiller, Gail Setter

GRADE 11: Day 1/Document 3

Learning How to Mark-it-up

The excerpt below is from a history book

English counterparts repeatedly sent invasion

Emily Douglas, Julie Martinez, Laura Schiller, Gail Setter

GRADE 11: Day 1/Document 4

Learning How to Mark-it-up Answer Key

Passage provided by Emily Douglas

Emily Douglas, Julie Martinez, Laura Schiller, Gail Setter

GRADE 11: Day 1/Document 5

Modeling Mark-it-up Script

ELA/MME Unit of Study: Reading, Grade 11

Emily Douglas, Julie Martinez, Laura Schiller, Gail Setter

GRADE 11: Day 1/Document 6