School Improvement in Maryland

Sample Assessments: Each sample assessment item gives an idea of how an assessment item on the High School Assessment (HSA) might be presented. The items appropriately measure the content of the Core Learning Goals and are formatted similarly to those appearing on the HSA.

Goal 4 Evaluating the Content, Organization, and Language Use of Texts

Expectation 4.3 The student will evaluate textual changes in a work and explain how these changes alter tone, clarify meaning, address a particular audience, or fulfill a purpose.

Indicator 4.3.1 The student will alter the tone of a text by revising its diction.

Assessment Limits:

  • Selecting appropriate revisions of words and phrases
    • tone (e.g., humorous, urgent, official, authoritative, more or less critical, commanding, diplomatic, detached, resentful, sympathetic, formal, informal)
    • purpose (inform, persuade, express personal ideas)
    • audience (e.g., peer, adult, child, official authority)

Selected Response Item - Released in 2003

For the following question, the sentences should be revised for a new audience or purpose. Choose the sentence that best incorporates the necessary changes to style or tone and maintains the original meaning of the sentence.

People who have difficulty falling asleep may benefit from a regular sleep schedule.

Revise to an informal style.

  1. People who have trouble falling asleep should go to bed at the same time every night.
  2. When people have trouble falling asleep, they should go to bed at an established time every night.
  3. Establishing a regular sleep schedule will help those who have trouble falling asleep.
  4. Those who have difficulty falling asleep may want to try going to bed at the same time every night.
/share/clg/xml/sample_assessment/english/2003_431_eng16.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item - Released in 2003

After reading a novel set in the future, students wrote essays about significant changes that occurred in the last two centuries. Pedro decided to write about changes in communication technology. For the following question, choose the best answer to questions about Pedro's essay. Read Pedro's essay: "Communication Technology."

Which of these is the best way to revise Sentence 9 so that the tone is consistent with the rest of the essay?

  1. The language was useful, but it was difficult to learn.
  2. The language was hard to learn, but it sure worked great.
  3. The language worked well, but it was not a snap to learn.
  4. The language was awful to learn, but it was practical to use.
/share/clg/xml/sample_assessment/english/2003_431_eng31.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item - Released in 2002

Choose the sentence that best incorporates the necessary changes to style or tone and maintains the original meaning of the sentence.

A lot of snow fell in the mountains last night during the storm.

Revise for a more descriptive style.

  1. Snow fell heavily during the night, during the storm, in the mountains.
  2. A lot of snow fell in the mountains, and it fell last night during a storm.
  3. According to the latest weather observations, snowfall was heavy in the mountains during the storm last night.
  4. Glistening flakes of snow fell all night during the storm, covering the mountains with a carpet of white.
/share/clg/xml/sample_assessment/english/2002_431_eng11.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item - Released in 2002

Read the draft of Michael's report: “Tenzing Norgay, Mountain Climber.” Then answer the following:

In Sentence 7, which of these is best to use instead of “a whole bunch of” so that the tone is consistent with the rest of the paragraph?

  1. countless
  2. extensive
  3. lots and lots of
  4. a great quantity of
/share/clg/xml/sample_assessment/english/2002_431_eng22.xml

Correct Answer:
B