Title: EOCT Study Guide
1 EOCT Study Guide
2EOCT AT A GLANCE
- All questions are multiple choice
- Each section of the American Literature EOCT
contains 40 questions there are 2 sections with
a total of 80 questions combined - Each EOCT has two sections and students are given
60 minutes per section - A students EOCT score is averaged as 15 of
his/her final grade
3Preparing for the EOCT
- Know your study skills habits
- Practice good time management skills by setting
realistic goals, studying for reasonable amounts
of time, establishing a routine and studying the
most challenging things first. - Be organized- establish a study area with minimal
distractions and gather materials in advance. - Actively participate while studying, it makes the
information stick with you. Create sample test
questions, ask yourself questions or rewrite the
information. -
4Test-taking Strategies
- Start now- dont wait until the last minute to
prepare for the test. - Prepare a little each day by practicing the
skills that will be measured by the EOCT. - Determine what skills you need to master and
focus on those skills.
5 The day before the EOCT
- Review the general test-taking strategies
- Get a good nights sleep- most people need at
least 8 hours - Dont drastically alter your routine- if you go
to bed too early, you might lie in bed and focus
on the test. - Relax!
6The morning of the EOCT
- Eat a good breakfast! Peanut butter, meat and
eggs are good choices. - Dress in layers to make certain you will not be
too hot or cold during the test. - Arrive on time for the test. You do not want to
be rushed and anxious.
7TOP TEN EOCT STRATEGIES
- Focus on the test
- Budget your time
- Take a quick break if you feel tired
- Use positive self-talk
- Mark in your test booklet
- Read the entire question and answers
- Use what you know
8TOP TEN (Cont.)
- Use content specific strategies to answer the
questions - Think logically
- Check your answers- go back and check your work
when you are finished!
9Content Domains on EOCT
- Reading and American Literature
- Reading Across the Curriculum/Listening, Speaking
and Viewing - Writing
- Conventions
10Studying the Content Domains
- Reading passages Domains 1 and 2 will be based
on informational and literary passages. - Informational passages (nonfiction) will share
knowledge and convey messages. Examples include
letters, biographical accounts, etc. - Literary passages (fiction) will tell a story or
express an idea. Examples include short stories,
novels, poetry, etc.
11Content Doman 1Reading and American Literature
12Standard 1
- Identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of the
structures and characteristics of American
fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama and
provide evidence from the work to support
understanding.
13Passages
- You will be presented with a selection from the
following types of passages - Essay
- Official documents
- Biography/Autobiography
- Expository (informational)
- Narrative (fiction/nonfiction)
- Speech
- Poem
- Drama
14Literary Devices Terms to KNOW
- Alliteration
- Flashback
- Foreshadowing
- Hyperbole
- Irony
- Metaphor (regular/extended)
- Onomatopoeia
- Paradox
15Literary Devices Terms to KNOW
- Personification
- Pun
- Refrain
- Repetition
- Simile
- Symbol
- Tone
- Understatement
16Fiction Terms to KNOW
- Chronological story is arranged in order of
time from beginning to end - Epistolary Novel novel written in the form of
letters, journals, diary entries, letters etc. - Frame Narrative a story told within in a story
- In medias res Latin for in the middle of
things the novel begins with a significant
moment, this style uses flashbacks to fill in the
details
17Influences on American Literature
- You will be asked to relate American Literature
to the following - Historical setting
- Other works of fiction or nonfiction
- Greek/Roman myths roots of literature
18Sample Question
- What quote by Henry David Thoreau BEST reflects
transcendentalist ideals? - It is never too late to give up your prejudices.
- Beware of all enterprises that require new
clothes. - On tops of mountains, as everywhere to hopeful
souls, it is always morning. - Read the best books first, or you may not have a
chance to read them at all.
19Answer
- C. On tops of mountains, as everywhere to hopeful
souls, it is always morning. - Explanation Transcendentalists believed in the
unity of all things, the innate goodness of
humans, and the divinity found in nature.
20Sample Question
- Which statement BEST describes a main difference
between journals and diaries? - A journal is more likely than a diary to be
published. - A journal mostly contains secret thoughts and
feelings. - A diary mostly records a specific event or period
of time. - A diary is more formal and carefully written than
a journal.
21Answer
- A. A journal is more likely than a diary to be
published. - Explanation The other answers confuse the two
genres. A is the only choice that correctly
describes a main difference between journals and
diaries. Because they are less private, journals
are more likely to be shared with others.
22Poetry Terms to KNOW
- Rhyme
- End Rhyme
- Internal Rhyme
- Slant Rhyme
- Consonance
- Assonance
- Rhyme Scheme
- Fixed form
- Free form
- Blank verse
23Poetry Terms to KNOW
- Subject matter
- Narrative tells a story
- Ballad narrative poem, folk origin, intended to
be sung - Lyric expresses a persons thoughts or feelings
24Figurative Language Terms to KNOW
- These types of figurative language are often
found in poetry, but can be found in many genres
of literature. - Allusion
- Conceit
- Metonymy
- Synecdoche
25Drama Terms to KNOW
- Tragedy
- Comedy
- Political drama
- Modern drams
- Theatre of the Absurd
- Dramatic conventions
- Fourth Wall
- Expressionism
- Minimalism
- Dramatic Irony
- Stage directions
26Standard 2
- Identifies, analyzes, and applies knowledge of
theme in a work of American Literature and
provides evidence from the work to support
understanding.
27Terms and Idea to KNOW
- Terms
- Main idea
- Theme
- Universal theme
- Big Ideas
- American individualism
- American dream
- Cultural diversity
- Tolerance
28Native American Period, pre-1620-1840
- Based on oral tradition of songs and stories
- Focuses on
- The natural world
- The sacred world
- Importance of land and place
29Colonial Period, 1620-1750
- Focuses on Lives of Puritans
- Moral and religious attitudes
- Historical events
- Daily life
- Political unrest
- Major Authors
- William Bradford
- Anne Bradstreet
- Jonathan Edwards
- Benjamin Franklin
30Revolutionary Period, 1750-1815
- Major Authors
- Thomas Paine
- Benjamin Franklin
- Thomas Franklin
- Focuses on
- Intellect
- Age of Reason/Enlightenment
- Justification of the American Revolution
- Nationalism
- Patriotism
31Romanticism and Transcendentalism, 1800-1855
- Focuses on
- 1) Reason and rational thought
- Individualism
- Nature
- Imagination
- Emotions
- Major Authors
- Washington Irving
- Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Edgar Allen Poe
- Walt Whitman
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Henry David Thoreau
32Realism, 1850-1900
- Focuses on
- Realities of life
- Human frailty
- Regional cultures
- Major Authors
- Mark Twain
- Ambrose Pierce
- Emily Dickinson
- Stephen Crane
- Willa Cather
33Naturalism, 1880-1940
- Focuses on
- Viewing life as a set of natural laws to be
discovered - Characters studied by their relations to their
surroundings (luck, heredity, environment)
- Major Authors
- Jack London
- Theodore Dreiser
- James T. Farrell
- Frank Norris
34Modern Period, 1900-1950
- Focuses on
- Disillusionment with old ways
- Themes of alienation
- Experiments with new techniques
- Irony, symbolism, understatement
- Harlem Renaissance
- Major authors
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
- T.S. Eliot
- Ernest Hemingway
- Langston Hughes
- Zora Neale Hurston
35Possible Questions on Literary Periods
- Which detail from the passage informs the reader
of the time period? - The poem is characteristic of which period in
American Literature - Which characteristics of the Modern Period are
found both in the story and the poem?
36Identifying Style Devices
- Example of style device
- Toneoverall sense of authors
- attitude toward the subject matter
37What are the tones in the following excerpts?
The woman trudged through the heavy snow,
struggling against the wind, her face shielded by
a thick gray scarf. She kept her face down, her
eyelids nearly closed, dark slits in a pale white
face. Her shoulders sagged as if laden with a
heavy burden, yet her arms were empty.
The woman danced across the snow, her feet barely
leaving prints, her arms lifted upward,
embracing the wind. She flung back her head and
tossed her red hat into the air, lifting her face
into the driving snow and allowing the snowflakes
to caress her skin.
38Identifying New Vocabulary
- Questions for this standard will ask you to
understand and acquire new vocabulary terms that
are appropriate fro high school students.
39Identifying New Vocabulary, contd.
- Be familiar with the following terms
- Idioms phrases or expressions peculiar to a
particular language - Example A person who looks like the cat who
swallowed a canary is satisfied with something
that has happened. She has not literally
swallowed a canary.
40Identifying New Vocabulary, contd.
- Cognates words that have the same origin or are
related in some way to words in other languages - Example of Cognates
- NightEnglish
- NocheSpanish
- NuitFrench
41Identifying New Vocabulary, contd.
- Denotationdictionary definition of a word
- Connotationmeaning or idea associated with a
word - Examples of denotation and connotation
- Laugh and giggle have similar denotations
however, the word giggle has youthful
connotations. We associate giggle with children
and not adults.
42Content Domain IIVocabulary
Your answers to the questions will help show how
well you can perform on the following
standards Acquire new vocabulary in each
content area and use it correctly Establish a
context for information acquired by reading
across subject areas Evaluate the messages and
effects of mass media
43Read the following selection and try to figure
out what the word truncated means.
- Everyone could tell it had once been a huge
tree. The roots at its base were as large as a
grown person. When the tree died, someone had
used a - chainsaw to cut away most of the tree. All that
was left was a truncated stump of wood. The stump
made a picnic table that could seat eight people
around it comfortably
44- As it is used in this Paragraph , the word
truncated most nearly means - A modified
- B added
- C shortened
- D replaced
45STRATEGY BOX
- Use the Words Around It
- When you are faced with an unknown word, go back
to the passage. Start reading two sentences
before the word appears, and continue reading for
two sentences afterwards. If that doesnt give
you enough clues, look elsewhere in the passage.
By reading the context in which the word appears,
you may be able to make an educated guess
46How a word is used in a sentence can also
determine its meaning. If the context of the word
changes, the meaning of the word can also change.
This change can be very basic, such as a word
being used as a noun in one sentence and a verb
in the next. Set as a noun That is a lovely set
of dinner plates. Set as a verb Please set the
books down on the table.
47- However, a change in meaning can be subtler. Look
at the word shrieked in the next two sentences,
and notice how the meaning of the word changes
slightly. - Sentence 1 Theres a monster in the house! the
woman shrieked. - Sentence 2 I just won 65 million dollars! the
woman shrieked.
In the first sentence, the woman shrieks out of
fear. In the second sentence, the shriek is one
of extreme excitement and happiness. The context
of the sentence has determined whether the shriek
is good or bad.
48Items written for this standard will ask you to
relate common human experiences to a given text.
- For example, a sample passage might be an excerpt
from Sandra Cisneros The Houseo n Mango Street,
which describes the coming of age of Esperanza, a
young Hispanic girl trying to find her place in
the Chicago neighborhood in which she lives.
Thepassage might describe the incident when
Esperanza tries to eat in the same eatery as the
children who go to her school but who dont live
in her poor neighborhood. She discovers that she
is not welcomed there and this makes her feel
ashamed. A reader need not be a young Hispanic
girl growing up in the barrios of Chicago to
identify with Esperanzas feelings of hurt. -
49Which life experience would MOST improve a
readers ability to identify with the main
character in the passage? A discrimination B
misfortune C failure D disappointment
A reader who has experienced any sort of
discrimination could identify with the character
in this story .Choice A is correct. It is the
life experience most closely related to this
excerpt.
50STRATEGY BOX
- Empathize
- Good readers usually try to understand the
characters better by empathizing, or - identifying with their thoughts and feelings.
Empathizing with the characters helps - stories come alive, and it gives readers more
insight into the motivations of the - characters and how they influence each other
51Context is also helpful in identifying the
meaning of words that are being used indifferent
subjects. For example, in science class the word
revolution refers to a planets complete turn
around the Sun. In social studies class, a
revolution is a complete upheaval in government
or society. The context of the passage will help
you decide which meaning is appropriate in the
passage.
52STRATEGY BOX
- Plug It In
- To answer questions for this standard, look at
the answer choices. Does one seem - the most likely? Try plugging it in the
sentence to replace the word in the - question. Does the word from the answer choice
make sense in the sentence? - If so, it is probably the correct answer. If
not, try plugging in another answer choice.
53What is Mass Media?
Radio, television, newspapers, magazines, and
Web sites are all different channels through
which Americans can receive information. Taken
together, all these different modes of
communicationtelevision, radio, newsprint, etc.
are often referred to as mass media.
54Common Modes of Rhetoric
1. Narration. Narrative writing tells a story.
This story can be true (like a firsthand account
in a magazine article) or completely made up (a
short story with talking dragons). Narrative
writing usually has a story with a plot, a
climax, and a resolution of events in the
story.
552. Description
As its name suggests, descriptive writing uses
language to describe a person, place, or thing.
Descriptive writing is often filled with
colorful, precise language, since the goal of
good descriptive writing is to make a person,
place, or thing come alive in the mind of a
reader. A character sketcha picture of a person
captured in wordsis one example of descriptive
writing.
563. Persuasion
. .
Persuasive writing is designed to influence the
readers thoughts in someway. Politicians use
persuasive speeches to convince voters to cast
their ballots for them. Editorials in local
newspapers are written to convince readers that
one particular viewpoint is better than the
other.
574. Exposition
Expository writing is used to provide
information on a topic or to explain something. A
common encyclopedia entry is a good example of
expository writing.
58Types of ArgumentsArguments facts or
assertions offered as proof that something is true
- Argument by authority relies on statements from
authority figures, experts, or professionals to
convince you of something. - Argument by emotion appeals to your feelings.
- Argument by logic is an appeal to reason and
evidence to convince you of something.
59Match the following examples to the appropriate
type of argument
- Relief organizations showing pictures of people
in very unfortunate situations to move you to
donate money to their organizations - B. People who have used our product have lost
weight. You want to lose weight. If you buy this
product, you will lose weight. - C. An advertisement claiming that three out of
four dentists agree that this toothpaste is the
best
60American Literature EOCT Review
- Content Domain III
- Writing
61What does the EOCT cover?
- Organize a writing sample
- Demonstrate ability to convey information and
ideas from primary and secondary sources - Use research and technology to support writing
- Use the writing process to develop, revise, and
evaluate writing
62The Test
- Apply knowledge about grammar, usage, and style
to create an organized writing sample that - Engages the reader
- Maintains a coherent focus
- Signals closure
- Tested on a variety of passages
- Letters, reports, essays, journals, and newspaper
articles
63Finding the Main Idea
- Thesis or Main idea primary message of a piece
of writing - Main idea can be found
- In title
- The thesis statement
- The conclusion
- Subordinate, or supporting ideas can be found
- Topic sentence of each paragraph
- Body paragraphs
64Every Paper Needs Evidence!
- Evidence will support the main and subordinate
ideas - Evidence might include
- Ancedotes
- Descriptions
- Facts
- Statistics
65EOCT Questions
- Questions may look like these
- Which sentence does NOT fit with the main idea of
the report? - Which sentence is the BEST thesis for this
passage?
66Organization
- Common ways to organize a passage include
- Chronological order
- Cause and effect
- Compare and contrast
- Asking and answering questions
- Writers choice in structure depends on the point
they want to make.
67Nuts and Bolts of Effective Writing
- Good writers use precise language
- Use action verbs rather than passive voice
- Active voice subject of the sentence acts
- Ex. A man wearing jeans and a baseball cap
robbed the bank and stole its money - Passive voice subject of the sentence is acted
upon buy the verb (look for by) - Ex. Money was stolen from the bank by a man
wearing jeans and a baseball hat. - Questions on the EOCT
- Finding the best topic sentence, concluding
sentence, identifying a sentence that is out of
sequence, or one that is unrelated to the topic
68Choose the BEST Answer
- You will come across answers that are close
- KEEP READING!!!
- You need to find the BEST Answer
- Dont mark your final answer until you have read
ALL of the answer choices!!!
69Demonstrate ability to convey information and
ideas from sources
- You will be asked to choose the best sentences
to - Engage the audience, develop a controlling idea,
summarize a passage, provide detailed information
in style and tone - Passages will be
- Informational reports, articles, or essays
- Could be tested on rhetorical devices
- Repetition, analogy
70Identify and Use Rhetorical Devices
- Parallelism
- repetition of similar parts of a sentence
- Ex I came, I saw, I conquered.
- Repetition
- Part of parallelism
- may repeat words or phrases throughout a literary
piece - Analogy
- Like a simile, compares two items
- Can be more extensive than a simile
71Use Research and Technology to Support Writing
- Questions will test your ability to choose the
best sources and methods for researching a topic - Steps in the Research Process
- Deciding on a topic not too broad or too narrow
- Locate Primary and Secondary Sources
- Primary Source records of events by people who
participated in or witnessed the events - Ex English paper, authors work, personal
interviews, and news paper accounts - Secondary Source records of events by people
who did not participate - Ex textbook, literary reviews, and criticisms
- Paraphrasing Information putting the
information you read and writing it in your own
words
72Plagiarism
- Is taking someone elses words or ideas and
presenting them as your own. - Questions related to this topic might ask you to
select the correct way to quote material from
sources
73Organizing and Recording Information
- Recording information on note cards is a great
way to keep information organized - Anecdotal scripting term for recording the
events in a literary work - List or timeline of the events
- Annotated Bibliography
- Brief summary of the work include thesis main
idea - Evaluation of the work authors background
knowledge - Intended audience for whom is the book written?
- Evaluation of usefulness will it help with your
research? - Other systems of organization
- Outlines, mindmaps, charts, and graphs
74Identifying and Analyzing Sources
- Questions will ask about appropriate sources for
research and tests your ability to choose the
best written or electronic source to use in
researching a topic - Reference Materials informative, nonfiction
resources, like a dictionary, or electronic
source (ie Galileo) - Helpful to know the parts of a book and the
function of each part
75Documenting Your Sources
- Cite the source when you use information from
another source - Bibliography contains all the works you consulted
during your research - Works Cited only documents the works you have
specifically referenced in your paper
76Use the writing process to develop, revise, and
evaluate writing
- Questions will focus on recognizing the best
revisions to poor writing - Asked to rewrite awkwardly worded sentences,
misplaced modifiers, and errors in sentence
structure - Steps in the writing process
- Prewriting gathering ideas, organizing thoughts
- Drafting creating the rough draft
- Revising and Editing making improvements
- Proofreading polishing the paper
- Publishing sharing your finished paper
77Trust Yourself
- Dont be afraid to trust your ear and make an
educated guess - You can often hear a problem even if you cant
explain exactly what is wrong with the sentence
78Ability to Revise for Audiences and Purposes
- Understanding who the intended audience is will
help you understand the purpose of the writing - Understanding your audience also helps you use
appropriate language - Choose between formal and informal language
- Formal is grammatically precise, contains longer
sentences - Informal not always grammatically accurate, may
use slang words or phrases
79Who is your Audience?
- Consider the situation and audience
- The goal is to match the formality or the
situation and audience with the formality of the
writing - Good writers adjust vocabulary, style, and tone
to fit their intended audiences - Questions will ask you to determine appropriate
language for a particular audience
80Study Ideas for the EOCT!
- Be able to recognize good writing and understand
the importance of audience and purpose - Practice researching a topic
- Find a variety of reference materials, review and
compare their contents
81Content Domain IV
82Test Question will do the following
- Test your ability to demonstrate understanding
and control of the rules of the English language. - test your ability to apply conventions of
Standard American English to formal manuscript
requirements.
83Demonstrate understanding of Standard American
English
- Topics you can expect to see
- Main and subordinate clauses
- Gerund, participle, and infinitive phrases
- Punctuation marks
- Verb tense consistency and agreement
- Proper placement of modifiers
- Precise word choice
- Spelling
- Parallel structure
84A closer look at Phrases
- Gerund phrase combines a gerund with the object
of the gerund or other modifiers. A gerund is a
verb uses as a noun, with an ing ending. - Participle phrase includes a participle and the
object of the participle. A participle is a form
of a verb but does not act as a verb it acts as
an adjective, often ends in ing or ed. - Infinitive phrase Includes an infinitive and any
modifiers or complements. An infinitive is always
a verb with to in front of it. It can serve as a
noun, adjective, or adverb.
85Example why are the wrong answers wrong?
- What is the correct way to write the following
sentence - Teresa studied for an hour, outlined her paper,
and then had taking a break. - Teresa studied for an hour, outlined her paper,
and then takes a break. - Teresa studied for an hour, outlined her paper,
and then took a break. - Teresa studied for an hour, outlined her paper,
and then will take a break.
86Parallelism
- The previous question also tested parallelism.
- Parallelism states that objects linked together
have to be similar in tense and number. - So studied, outlined and taking are not parallel
taking should be took because all three verbs
should be past tense.
87Apply conventions of Standard American English to
Formal manuscript requirements
- This section will focus on how well you know
formatting requirements for manuscripts. - These questions may ask about things like
pagination, spacing, and margins.