HSPA BasicsEverything you need to know about the test before you take

it!

Mrs. Edge

2010

General HSPA Stands for High School

Proficiency Assessment Two days of testing for

language arts Persuasive essays, expository

essays, & reading comprehension

One day of testing for mathematics

Need a score of 200 to pass (you can pass English and not Math, and vice versa)

PERSUASIVE ESSAY In a persuasive essay, you are given a

controversial topic and forced to take a side and defend it

You must pick only one side to defend using three logical and well-thought out reasons

Pick the side that has the most evidence to defend it, not the one you like best

Your essay must be five paragraphs long You are given approximately 50 minutes

to complete your essay

Sample Persuasive EssayWriting Situation:Accidents can have serious consequences for bicycle riders.

Wearing a safety helmet, however, reduces the possibility of brain injury by 90%. For this reason, the state of New Jersey has just passed a law stating that bicycle riders who are 13 years old or younger must wear safety helmets. Some people object to this law because the helmets are expensive and uncomfortable.

Directions for Writing:Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper stating your

position on the issue of whether bicycle riders up to age 13 should be required to wear safety helmets. State your position clearly and support it with reasons, facts, and examples. Remember to convince your readers that your point of view is reasonable.

Persuasive Essay FormatParagraph 1= Introduction

Paragraph 2= Reason 1Paragraph 3= Reason 2Paragraph 4= Reason 3

Paragraph 5= Conclusion

Paragraph1=Introduction Restate the topic State your position Introduce your 3 reasons

Dear Editor,Bicycle accidents cause many accidents

in New Jersey. So, it is very important that all children who are thirteen or younger wear safety helmets while riding their bicycles. One reason is because helmets protect the child’s head and brain during an accident. Another reason is parents will feel better about letting their children ride their bicycles if they know their kids are protected. A final reason is wearing helmets teaches children good safety habits they can use throughout their lives.

The directions say to write a letter so don’t forget a

greeting!

Paragraph 2=Reason 1 Take your 1st reason you introduced in paragraph 1

(“one reason is…”) and develop it further Make sure to use examples/facts to back it up

One reason children should be required to wear safety helmets is because they protect children’s heads and brains in case of an accident. Bicycle accidents involving children happen everyday in New Jersey. Statistics show that sixty percent of those accidents result in head injuries when a safety helmet was not worn. Many of these types of injuries can be prevented now that the state of New Jersey has implemented this law. Children will be at less risk for lethal injuries due to cycling.

Every paragraph must

have 5-7 sentences!

Paragraph 3=Reason 2 Take your 2nd reason you introduced in paragraph 1

(“Another reason is…”) and develop it further Make sure to use examples/facts to back it up

Another reason I support this law is because parents will feel better about letting their children ride their bicycles. Parents will feel more confident knowing that their children are wearing protection while riding. Parents who are calmer and more confident are better role models to their children. Additionally, parents will allow their children to spend more time outside on their bicycles. This can also help children get more exercise.

Never start two paragraphs in the

same way!

Paragraph 4=Reason 3 Take your 3rd reason you introduced in paragraph 1

(“A final reason is…”) and develop it further Make sure to use examples to back it up

A final reason that children should wear safety helmets while bike riding is that it teaches good safety habits. Many specialists believe that if a child demonstrates good habits in one section of his life, he will do the same in others. So, for example, if a child always wears a safety helmet while bike riding, he can also remember to always put on his seatbelt when he gets in the car. Good safety habits can help children throughout their lives and prevent accidents from happening. A safety helmet is one of many habits children should get used to.

Don’t use really big words to try to sound smarter.

Keep it simple!

Paragraph 5=Conclusion Restate the topic again Restate your reasons again in a NEW way Draw some type of conclusion (this should be a NEW idea not

mentioned in your essay above)

In conclusion, I support this new law that states that all children who are thirteen or younger must wear safety helmets while riding their bicycles. My first reason I support this is because helmets are good protection. My second reason is it puts parents’ mind’s at ease. My third reason is that the habit of wearing a helmet can help form other good habits. Also, it is important for all children to be safe at all times, even while playing.

Sincerely,John Stimson

Do not just rewrite your introduction!

If it’s a letter, don’t forget a closing!

Persuasive Essay Scoring Persuasive essays are graded on a 0-6 scale A score of 4, 5, or 6 is considered passing Scorers look for 4 things when grading:

Content & organization: opening/closing, focus, effective use of details

Usage: appropriate use of the English language (ex: subject/verb agreement)

Sentence construction: no run-ons or fragments, words in correct order, etc.

Mechanics: proper usage of spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etc.

Persuasive Essay DO’s DO read all directions before you start to

ensure you write on the correct topic DO follow the standard format DO use examples to back up your reasons DO only pick 1 side to argue (NOT “Well I

agree and disagree with this topic”) DO write neatly DO proofread for spelling and grammar DO try to use at least one figure of speech

in your essay (allusion, metaphor, etc.)

Persuasive Essay DON’Ts DON’T put a title DON’T introduce yourself (“Hi, my name is

Sam and I am a junior at UHS”) DON’T write less than 5 paragraphs DON’T use bad logic (“I support this

because this is what I believe”) DON’T spend all your time brainstorming

and leave little time for writing

EXPOSITORY ESSAY An expository essay is “a focused essay

with several key ideas that are elaborated with specific and vivid details and organized in a logical progression that is unified by various cohesive devices”

It asks you to pull examples and situations from literature, history, science, film, or your own experience or observation

Your essay should be 4-5 paragraphs long (depending on the question)

Sample Expository Essay Although fear is a common human

emotion, our response to it varies. Using an example from literature, history, science, film, or your own experience or observation, write an essay analyzing a particular response to fear and the effect of that response.

How To Answer?Paragraph 1= IntroductionParagraph 2= Explain an example of fearParagraph 3= Analyze the response to that

fearParagraph 4=Explain the effect of that

responseParagraph 5= Conclusion

Note that there is no standard way to answer an expository essay like there

is with a persuasive essay. You have to look carefully for what it isasking you and then create an outline!

Paragraph 1=Introduction Set it up similarly to a persuasive essay introduction Restate your topic Introduce your issues

Everyone’s response to fear is different since there are different types of fear and different types of people. One example of fear comes from the film The Hangover when three friends lose the groom the day before his wedding and feared not finding him. Their response to this fear was pure panic. The effect of this response was a wild goose chase in an attempt to retrace their steps and find their lost friend. This fear and its effects push the plot of the film.

Restate topic

Ending Sentence

Paragraph 2=Explain ExampleUse specifics to explain your example of fear Paragraph 3=Analyze

ResponseBe as clear as possible to explain why the character(s) acted in such a way

Paragraph 4= Explain the EffectThink about how these actions affected the character(s)

Paragraph 5= Conclusion

Restate briefly the main points of your essay WITHOUT repeating yourself

Expository Essay Scoring Expository essays are graded on a 0-6 scale A score of 4, 5, or 6 is considered passing Scorers look for 4 things when grading:

Content & organization: opening/closing, focus, effective use of details

Usage: appropriate use of the English language (ex: subject/verb agreement)

Sentence construction: no run-ons or fragments, words in correct order, etc.

Mechanics: proper usage of spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etc.

READING COMPREHENSION You will read a passage, answer multiple

choice questions (usually 10) and respond to open-ended questions (usually 2)

You will be given approximately 50 minutes to complete one reading comprehension task

Two different types of passages Narrative (story or fictional) Non-Fiction (persuasive, informational, or

expository)

Tips for Answering Multiple Choice Questions

Read the questions before you read the passage Look for questions that specifically refer to a

part of the passage (EX: “In paragraph 4, the author states…” or “In line 6…”)

Work on only 1 question at a time Write on the test and cross out answers as

you go

Types of Multiple Choice Questions

Narrative-#1 The PURPOSE Question

This kind of questions asks what the author's purpose was in certain parts of the story Possible wordings of question:

The purpose of paragraphs __, __, and __ is to … The details in paragraphs __, __, and __ serve primarily to … The author uses the details in paragraph __ to convey a

sense of … Possible answers for the question:

The “Best Answer” which reflects what ALL of the paragraphs achieve

2 partially correct answers (that may make up part of the “Best Answer”)

An obvious wrong answer

Narrative-#2 The SIMILE & METAPHOR Questions

This kind of question asks you to explain a simile or metaphor that’s used in the story Possible wordings of question:

The author uses a metaphor/simile in paragraph __ to show …

The simile/metaphor in paragraph __ serves to … Possible answers for question:

The “Best Answer” which will reflect a comparison that shows a deeper meaning between 2 things or characters

2 partially correct answers (that may make up part of the “Best Answer”)

An obvious wrong answer

Narrative-#3 The CHARACTER MOTIVATION Question

This question asks why a character does or says something Possible wordings of question:

In paragraph __ why does the character _______? In paragraph __ the character’s main purpose in _______ is

to … In this story, the character’s purpose in ________ is to … In paragraph __ the author indicates ________ primarily

because … Possible answers for question:

The “Best Answer” which will reflect the character’s main, driving force for performing the specific action in the story

A partially correct answer (that may make up part of the “Best Answer”)

An answer that makes sense for the situation but does not specifically apply to this particular story

An obvious wrong answer

Narrative-#4 The THEME Question

This type of question asks you to identify the theme of the story Possible wordings of question:

The author’s purpose in writing this story would best be expressed by which of the following statements?

The theme of this story can best be expressed in which of the following statements?

The message of the story is best expressed as… Possible answers for question:

The “Best Answer” which will reflect a general theme that has universal appeal

An answer that teaches a lesson in the story but is too specific to be a theme (2)

An answer that is broad enough to be a theme but does not apply to this particular story

Narrative-#5 The VOCABULARY Question

This type of question asks you to determine the meaning of a word based on context clues Possible wordings for this question:

In line __, the word ______ most nearly means … In line __, the story describes the character’s actions as

_______. What is meant by _____ in this context? Possible answers for this question:

The “Best Answer” which will reflect the meaning of the context clues in the passage

An answer that will make sense but not reflect the context clues in the passage

An answer that is similar to the “Best Answer” (ex: both positive words)

An obvious wrong answer

Narrative-#6 The INFERENCE Question

This kind of question asks you to draw a conclusion about something in the story that is not stated but can be inferred based on evidence from the passage Possible wordings of this question:

Which statement about _______ can be inferred from the passage?

The comment in line __ implies that _______ … What can we infer about …

Possible answers for this question: The “Best Answer” which can be explained using the word

“because” and ample evidence from the text An answer that can be explained if you stretch a minor

piece of evidence in the story An answer that makes sense but has no evidence from the

story to support it An obvious wrong answer

Narrative-#7 The SURPRISE Question

This kind of question asks you to explain and find reason for a twist in the plot, an unexpected action, or a surprise statement Possible wording for this question:

Why does _________? Possible answers for this question:

The “Best Answer” which will explain the real reason for the twist, action, or statement

An answer that would be the expected reason, not the unexpected reason

An answer that makes sense but is not supported by the text

An obvious wrong answer

Narrative-#8 The EXPRESSION (AKA: What did

they mean?) Question This type of question asks you to explain what a

character meant by an expression or will ask you what part of a passage means Possible wordings for this question:

In line __ the character says ___________. What does she mean by this?

In line __ the character uses the expression _______. This expression most nearly means…

Possible answers for this question: The “Best Answer” which expresses what the character

really meant An answer that uses the literal meaning of one of the words

in the expression but does not reflect the meaning of the entire expression (2)

An obvious wrong answer

Narrative-#9 The PREDICTION Question

This type of question asks you to predict what a character might do after the conclusion of the story. Possible wordings for this question:

Which of the following conclusions can be made after reading the story?

What do you think _____ would do after the conclusion of the story?

Possible answers for this question: The “Best Answer” which can be explained with evidence

from the text An answer that the reader might like to see happen and

would be possible but has no evidence to support it An answer that is very possible but one that the reader

would probably not like to see happen and has no evidence from the text to support it

An obvious wrong answer

Narrative-#10 The OTHER FIGURES OF SPEECH

Question This question asks you to explain (not just

identify) figures of speech that are used in the story such as: irony, imagery, personification, foreshadowing, etc. Possible wordings for this question:

The allusion to ______ in line __ suggests that … The irony in the story is used to …

Possible answers for this question: The “Best Answer” which will explain the purpose of the

figure of speech An answer that makes sense but is not supported by the

text An answer that has a literal meaning but not the figurative

meaning implied by the figure of speech An obvious wrong answer

Types of Multiple Choice QuestionsNon-Fiction- #1 The MAIN IDEA

Question This kind of question asks you to identify the

main idea of the passage (the main idea can appear anywhere in the passage) Possible wordings for this question:

The main idea of this passage is best expressed as … What would be a good title for this passage?

Possible answer choices for this question: The “Best Answer” which will express the message of the

ENTIRE passage An answer that expresses the main idea of one of the

paragraphs but does not express the idea of the entire passage

An answer that expresses the main idea of another of the paragraphs but does not express the idea of the entire passage

An obvious wrong answer

Non-Fiction- #2 The HOW DOES THE AUTHOR OR CHARACTER FEEL ABOUT

THE SITUATION Question This kind of question is a type of inference question and

asks you what the author’s attitude is Possible wordings for this question:

The passage as a whole suggests that the attitude of ______ is most nearly one of….

The author’s attitude toward ________ is best characterized as … The passage suggests that the author would most likely view… The author portrays ______ as … It can be inferred from paragraphs __ that the author regards

_________ as … Possible answers for this question:

The “Best Answer” which will express the author’s attitude based on ample evidence from the text

An answer that would make sense given the topic of the passage and could be supported by a different passage, but not this one

An answer with which the reader would most likely agree but that cannot be supported with evidence from the text

An obvious wrong answer

Non-Fiction- #3 The EVIDENCE Question

This kind of question will ask you to identify what kind of evidence is used in the passage and what it proves Possible wordings for this question:

The author feels that __________. Which of the following details supports his opinion?

Why does the author include ______ in paragraph __? The author included _______ in the passage in order to

_______? Possible answers for question:

The “Best Answer” which is evidence that supports the author’s position

An answer that is a detail from the passage but is not of piece of evidence for the question asked (2)

An obvious wrong answer

Non-Fiction- #4 The REAL LIFE Question

This kind of question will ask you to relate what you read to the real world Possible wordings for this question:

Which of the following goals would the author most likely support?

With which of the following statements would the author most likely agree?

Possible answers for question: The “Best Answer” which will be supported with evidence

from the text An answer choice that is positive and would gain support

from almost everyone, but one for which there is no specific support in the text

An answer choice that is associated with the BEST answer but is different in meaning from the BEST answer

An obvious wrong answer

Non-Fiction- #5 The RHETORICAL DEVICE Question

This kind of question asks you to identify the effects of rhetorical devices such as rhetorical questions, anecdotes, repetition, satire, emotional appeal, and boded, underlined and parenthetical words and phrases Possible wordings for this question:

Which rhetorical device does/does not the author use in the passage?

In paragraph __ the anecdote about ________ serves to… In paragraph __ why does the author bold the words _____? What does the parenthetical expression in paragraph __ achieve?

Possible answers for this question: The “Best Answer” that will express the purpose and effect of the

rhetorical device An answer choice that expresses the purpose, effect, or definition

of a different rhetorical device (2) An obvious wrong answer

Non-Fiction- #6 The VOCABULARY Question

This type of question asks you to determine the meaning of a word based on context clues Possible wordings for this question:

In line __, the word ______ most nearly means … In line __, the story describes the character’s actions as

_______. What is meant by _____ in this context? Possible answers for this question:

The “Best Answer” which will reflect the meaning of the context clues in the passage

An answer that will make sense but not reflect the context clues in the passage

An answer that is similar to the “Best Answer” (ex: both positive words)

An obvious wrong answerThere will be 2 vocabulary questions on non-fiction

passages!

Non-Fiction- #7 The EXPRESSION Question

This type of question asks you to explain what a character meant by an expression or will ask you what part of a passage means Possible wordings for this question:

In line __ the character says ___________. What does she mean by this?

In line __ the character uses the expression _______. This expression most nearly means…

Possible answers for this question: The “Best Answer” which expresses what the character

really meant An answer that uses the literal meaning of one of the words

in the expression but does not reflect the meaning of the entire expression (2)

An obvious wrong answer

Non-Fiction- #8 The INFERENCE Question

This kind of question asks you to draw a conclusion about something in the story that is not stated but can be inferred based on evidence from the passage Possible wordings of this question:

Which statement about _______ can be inferred from the passage?

The comment in line __ implies that _______ … What can we infer about …

Possible answers for this question: The “Best Answer” which can be explained using the word

“because” and ample evidence from the text An answer that can be explained if you stretch a minor

piece of evidence in the story An answer that makes sense but has no evidence from the

story to support it An obvious wrong answer

Non-Fiction- #9 The OTHER FIGURES OF SPEECH

Question This question asks you to explain (not just

identify) figures of speech that are used in the story such as: irony, imagery, personification, foreshadowing, etc. Possible wordings for this question:

The allusion to ______ in line __ suggests that … The irony in the story is used to …

Possible answers for this question: The “Best Answer” which will explain the purpose of the

figure of speech An answer that makes sense but is not supported by the

text An answer that has a literal meaning but not the figurative

meaning implied by the figure of speech An obvious wrong answer

OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS An open-ended question asks you to

respond to a reading and write about both the piece itself and your own reactions

It is usually two bullet points long You will write one paragraph for EACH bullet

point You must always support you responses

with examples or quotes from the passage

Sample Open-ended Question

Mark’s pleasure in his country life is about to be destroyed.

• Use specific details to describe Mark’s lifestyle.

• Are you surprised by Mark’s decision? Explain why or why not.

Bullet point

Every OEQ starts with

a

statement

The statement is followed by 2 directions or questions:The 1st one asks you to recall and use information from

the passage you have just readThe 2nd one might ask you to form an opinion, draw a conclusion,

or make an assumption based on the passage

How to Answer an OEQ

Restate topic (in 1 sentence)

Answer the question using key words from the passage (1-2 sentences)

Quote from the passage or use and example (1 sentence)

Explain answer/quote with NEW information (1-2 sentences)

Sample OEQ Answer: Bullet 1

Mark’s pleasure in his country life is about to be destroyed.• Use specific details to describe Mark’s lifestyle.• Are you surprised by Mark’s decision? Explain why

or why not.

In this passage, Mark’s joy of the country and his lifestyle was almost destroyed. He was so concerned about his job that he became overwhelmed. Then, Mark lost all pleasure in the country life that he loved like the camping, fishing, and boating that he did on the weekend. For example, in the story, Mark said, “I love the outdoors more than anything in the world.” This quote shows that, through his specific lifestyle, Mark places a big emphasis on outdoor activities and would be really upset if his country life was destroyed.

RESTATE

ANSWER

QUOTE

EXPLAIN

The bolded words are keywords from the question!

Sample OEQ Answer: Bullet 2

Mark’s pleasure in his country life is about to be destroyed.• Use specific details to describe Mark’s lifestyle.• Are you surprised by Mark’s decision? Explain why

or why not.

Mark makes a decision in regards to the possible destruction of his country life. I am not surprised by his decision to quit his job. By the end of the story, it becomes obvious that he loves his country life better than his career and will not let it be destroyed. In the story, the narrator explains that “Mark could not bear to see his country life destroyed.” This quote supports my lack of surprise about Mark’s decision in the story.

RESTATE

ANSWER

QUOTE

EXPLAIN

Make sure you always introduce a quote…no

floating quotes!

Scoring

4 : A 4-point response clearly demonstrates understanding of the task, completes all requirements, and provides an insightful explanation/opinion that links to or extends aspects of the text. 

3: A 3-point response demonstrates an understanding of the task, completes all requirements, and provides some explanation/opinion using situations or ideas from the text as support. 

2: A 2-point response may address all of the requirements, but demonstrates a partial understanding of the task, and uses text incorrectly or with limited success resulting in an inconsistent or flawed explanation. 

1: A I-point response demonstrates minimal understanding of the task, does not complete the requirements, and provides only a vague reference to or no use of the text. 

0: A 0-point response is irrelevant or off-topic.

Each open-ended question is scored on a scale of 4 points

You need a 3 or a 4 in order to pass an open-ended response

GENERAL REMINDERS Get at least 8 hours of sleep Eat breakfast Bring extra pencils Read all directions carefully PROOFREAD for spelling and grammar

mistakes Relax and try to stay calm; you know what

you are doing