Grade 8 ELA | FL B.E.S.T. Standard: ELA.8.V.1.3
TEACHER USE ONLY - Please keep secure and do not distribute to students
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | "Vintage" has a positive connotation suggesting value, quality, and desirability. "Old" is neutral or slightly negative, suggesting worn out or outdated. "Vintage" sounds more valuable. |
| 2 | Sample answers: "The stubborn/pushy student asked endless/annoying questions." Key is using words with negative connotations while keeping the same basic meaning. |
| 3 | This is a METAPHOR (comparing the classroom directly to a zoo without using "like" or "as"). Effect: It creates a vivid image of chaos, noise, and wild behavior - suggesting students were loud, disorganized, and hard to control. |
| 4 | In science, "theory" means a well-tested explanation supported by extensive evidence (like the Theory of Evolution). In everyday use, "theory" often means just a guess or idea. The scientific meaning is much stronger and more certain than the casual use. |
| 5 | "Passionate" has a positive connotation suggesting genuine feeling and conviction. "Emotional" can be negative, suggesting the speaker was driven by feelings rather than reason, potentially irrational or manipulative. The shift changes the perceived quality of the speech. |
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | "Wept" is PERSONIFICATION (giving human emotions to the sky). Effect: It creates sadness and emotional weight to the storm, making the rain seem like tears and the storm seem sorrowful rather than just natural weather. |
| 2 | B. It personifies the thunder as threatening and aggressive
"Growled" is an animal sound associated with anger and warning, contributing to the menacing, powerful tone. |
| 3 | METAPHOR (comparing lightning to a brushstroke) and PERSONIFICATION (suggesting violence/intent). Effect: Makes lightning seem both artistic and aggressive, creating a dramatic image of power and beauty combined. |
| 4 | "Lit" is neutral and gentle. "Slashed" is violent and aggressive, suggesting the lightning cut through darkness violently. Also, "velvet dark" creates texture the plain version lacks. The original is more dramatic and threatening. |
| 5 | "Strode" suggests confident, purposeful movement with dignity. "Barged" suggests aggressive, rude, inconsiderate movement. Same action, but strode = impressive, barged = offensive. |
| 6 | Version A is positive. Three word pairs: strode/barged, confident gaze/arrogant stare, commanding/demanding, firm and assured/loud and overbearing, carefully selected/calculated. |
| 7 | The phrase is intentionally ambiguous - it could be positive (thoughtful communication) or negative (manipulation). Keeping it similar shows both versions describe the same reality; only the author's attitude (revealed through other word choices) makes it seem good or bad. |
| 8 | Version A: Admiring/respectful tone. Version B: Critical/disapproving tone. Word choices like "confident" vs. "arrogant" and "commanding" vs. "demanding" shift from positive to negative impressions of the same behavior. |
| 9 | Military/war vocabulary creates a sense of threat, urgency, and conflict. It frames the invasive species as an enemy to be fought, making the situation seem dangerous and calling for action. Without these words, the text would be more neutral and scientific. |
| 10 | B. "Proliferation" suggests rapid, uncontrolled increase; "spread" is more neutral |
| 11 | PERSONIFICATION (plants can't literally choke). It helps visualize the invasive species strangling native plants, cutting off their resources like someone being choked cuts off air. Creates urgency and threat. |
| 12 | The author views the invasive species negatively - as a dangerous threat. Words like "aggressive," "invasion," "dominate," and "choking out" reveal concern and alarm. This is not neutral scientific writing but persuasive writing calling for action. |
| 13 | "Unique" = positive, special, worth trying. "Strange" = negative, weird, off-putting. Same denotation (different from normal), opposite connotations. |
| 14 | "Bold" suggests exciting, confident, adventurous flavors. "Overwhelming" suggests too much, excessive, unpleasant. Bold = you'll be impressed. Overwhelming = you'll be uncomfortable. |
| 15 | Review A (accept explanation referencing positive connotations: unique, adventurous, bold, challenge). Word choice makes the restaurant sound exciting rather than weird. |
| 16 | Sample: "This restaurant offers a distinctive dining experience" or "The creative menu features intense flavors that reimagine traditional expectations." Key: replace negative words with positive synonyms. |
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | B. seemed to have a dark, ominous presence
"Brooded" suggests dark thinking and threatening watchfulness, not just being old or shaded. |
| 2 | B. Simile; it makes the house seem like a watching, almost alive being
Uses "like" to compare windows to eyes, making the house seem observant and aware. |
| 3 | B. To imply a battle between order and chaos that chaos won |
| 4 | B. suspenseful and eerie |
| 5 | B. the two groups had strongly opposite reactions |
| 6 | A. "Transformative" suggests positive change; "short-sighted" suggests poor long-term judgment |
| 7 | A. "Crafted" implies artistic skill; "assembled" implies simply putting things together |
| 8 | C. Personification; it suggests the flavors were lively and dynamic |
| 9 | See rubric and sample response below. |
| 10 | See rubric and sample response below. |
| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 2 | Identifies at least TWO specific word choices AND explains how each creates suspense/unease |
| 1 | Identifies word choices but with limited explanation, OR only addresses one word |
| 0 | Does not identify specific word choices or does not explain their effect |
| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 2 | Compares both descriptions with specific word examples, identifies which is more appealing, and explains why using connotation concepts |
| 1 | Identifies which is more appealing but with limited comparison or explanation |
| 0 | Does not compare the descriptions or explain the difference |