Worcester State College’s Skills Assessment
Sample One
Disclaimer:
This assessment is based on guidelines published by the Massachusetts Department of Education. The authors of this assessment make no claim that future versions of the Massachusetts Teachers Test will resemble this assessment, nor do they claim that successful completion of this assessment will yield a passing score on the Massachusetts Teachers Test.
Because this assessment is not assigned a formal grade, you must come to the Writing Center to review your work with a member of our staff.
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Reading Exercises
Read the passages below. Then answer the questions that follow.
PASSAGE 1
There can be no doubt that the emergence of the Negro writer in the post-war period stemmed, in part, from the fact that he was inclined to exploit the opportunity to write about himself. It was more than that, however. The movement that has variously been called the "Harlem Renaissance," the "Black Renaissance," and the "New Negro Movement" was essentially a part of the growing interest of American literary circles in the immediate and pressing social and economic problems. This growing interest coincided with two developments in Negro life that fostered the growth of the New Negro Movement. These two factors, the keener realization of injustice and the improvement of the capacity for expression, produced a crop of Negro writers who constituted the "Harlem Renaissance."
The literature of the Harlem Renaissance was, for the most part, the work of a race-conscious group. Through poetry, prose, and song, the writers cried out against social and economic wrongs. They protested against segregation and lynching. They demanded higher wages, shorter hours, and better conditions of work. They stood for full social equality and first-class citizenship. The new vision of social and economic freedom which they had did not force them to embrace the several foreign ideologies that sought to sink their roots in some American groups during the period.
The writers of the Harlem Renaissance, bitter and cynical as some of them were, give little attention to the propaganda of the socialists and communists. The editor of the Messenger ventured the opinion that the New Negro was the "product of the same world-wide forces that have brought into being the great liberal and radical movements that are now seizing the reins of power in all the civilized countries of the world." Such forces may have produced the New Negro, but the more articulate of the group did not resort to advocating the type of political action that would have subverted American constitutional government. Indeed, the writers of the Harlem Renaissance were not so much revolting against the system as they were protesting its inefficient operation. In this approach they proved as characteristically American as any writers of the period. Like his contemporaries, the Negro writer was merely becoming more aware of America’s pressing problems; and like the others, he was willing to use his art, not only to contribute to the great body of American culture but also to improve the culture of which he was a part.
It seems possible, moreover, for the historian to assign to the Negro writer a role that he did not assume. There were doubtless many who were not immediately concerned with the injustices heaped on the Negro. Some contrived their poems, novels, and songs merely for the sake of art, while others took up their pens to escape the sordid aspects of their existence. If there is an element of race in their writings, it is because the writings flow out of their individual and group experiences. This is not to say that such writings were not effective as protest literature, but rather that not all the authors were conscious crusaders for a better world. As a matter of fact, it was this detachment, this objectivity, that made it possible for many of the writers of the Harlem Renaissance to achieve a nobility of expression and a poignancy of feeling in their writings that placed them among the masters of recent American literature.
1. The author is primarily concerned with
[a] arguing that the literature of the Harlem Renaissance arose from the willingness of Black writers to portray their own lives [b] depicting the part played by socially conscious Black writers in a world-wide ideological and literary crusade [c] providing examples of the injustices protested by the writers of the Harlem Renaissance [d] describing the social and political background that led to the blossoming of the Harlem Renaissance [e] analyzing stages in the development of the New Negro Movement into the Harlem Renaissance
[a] arguing that the literature of the Harlem Renaissance arose from the willingness of Black writers to portray their own lives
[b] depicting the part played by socially conscious Black writers in a world-wide ideological and literary crusade
[c] providing examples of the injustices protested by the writers of the Harlem Renaissance
[d] describing the social and political background that led to the blossoming of the Harlem Renaissance
[e] analyzing stages in the development of the New Negro Movement into the Harlem Renaissance
2. In reference to the achievements of the Harlem Renaissance, the passage conveys primarily a sense of
[a] protest [b] betrayal [c] nostalgia [d] urgency [e] admiration
[a] protest
[b] betrayal
[c] nostalgia
[d] urgency
[e] admiration
3. Which of the following is implied by the statement that the writers of the Harlem Renaissance "were not so much revolting against the system as they were protesting its inefficient operation (paragraph 3)?
[a] Black writers played only a minor part in protesting the injustices of the period. [b] Left to itself, the system was sure to operate efficiently. [c] Black writers in general were not opposed to the system as such. [d] In order for the system to operate efficiently, Blacks must seize the reins of power in America. [e] Black writers were too caught up in aesthetic philosophy to identify the true nature of the conflict.
[a] Black writers played only a minor part in protesting the injustices of the period.
[b] Left to itself, the system was sure to operate efficiently.
[c] Black writers in general were not opposed to the system as such.
[d] In order for the system to operate efficiently, Blacks must seize the reins of power in America.
[e] Black writers were too caught up in aesthetic philosophy to identify the true nature of the conflict.
4. With which of the following statements regarding the writers of the Harlem Renaissance would the author most likely agree?
[a] They needed to increase their commitment to international solidarity. [b] Their awareness of oppression caused them to reject American society. [c] They transformed their increasing social and political consciousness into art. [d] Their art suffered from their over-involvement in political crusades. [e] Their detachment from their subject matter lessened the impact of their works.
[a] They needed to increase their commitment to international solidarity.
[b] Their awareness of oppression caused them to reject American society.
[c] They transformed their increasing social and political consciousness into art.
[d] Their art suffered from their over-involvement in political crusades.
[e] Their detachment from their subject matter lessened the impact of their works.
5. The information in the passage suggests that the author is most likely
[a] a historian who is concerned with presenting socially conscious Black writers as loyal Americans [b] a literary critic who questions the conclusions of the historians [c] an educator involved in fostering creative writing projects for minority youths [d] a Black writer of fiction interested in discovering new facts about his literary roots [e] a researcher with questions about the validity of his sources
[a] a historian who is concerned with presenting socially conscious Black writers as loyal Americans
[b] a literary critic who questions the conclusions of the historians
[c] an educator involved in fostering creative writing projects for minority youths
[d] a Black writer of fiction interested in discovering new facts about his literary roots
[e] a researcher with questions about the validity of his sources
PASSAGE 2
The near-legendary history of the American West might have been quite different had the Mexican not brought cattle-raising to New Mexico and Texas. The Spanish style of herding cattle on open ranges was different from the style of other Europeans, particularly the English. The American rancho was possible because of the lack of enough water for normal agricultural practices, and because of the easy availability of large amounts of land. This land-extensive form of cattle-raising required different techniques and brought forth the vaquero, the cowboy (from the Spanish vaca, cow) who tended the widely scattered herds of Spanish longhorn cattle. Because of the American penchant to be considered the inventors of nearly everything, the wide-open style of cattle-ranching was appropriated from the Mexican originators. As popular a folk hero as the American cowboy is, he owes his development to the Spanish and the Mexicans, not to the English. It is quite probable, as McWilliams asserts, that "with the exception of the capital required to expand the industry, there seems to have been nothing the American rancher or cowboy contributed to the development of cattle-raising in the Southwest."
Other contributions of the Mexican cowboy were the western-style saddle with a large, ornate horn; chaperejos, or chaps; lazo, lasso; la reata, lariat; the cinch; the halter; the mecate, or horsehair rope; chin strap for the hat; feed bag for the horse; ten-gallon hat (which comes from a mistranslation of a Spanish phrase "su sombrero galoneado" that really meant a "festooned" or "galooned" hat). Cowboy slang came from such words as juzgado, hoosegow; ranchero, rancher; estambida, stampede; calabozo, calaboose; and pinto for a painted horse.
Just as the Mexican associations for the protection of the rights of sheepherders gave rise to the American Sheepmen’s Associations, the Spanish system of branding range animals and registering these brands became standard practice among Anglo stockmen. The idea of brands originated in North Africa and was brought to Spain by the Moors, along with their stocky ponies. The Mexican brands are of great antiquity, having been copied from earlier Indian signs which include symbols of the sky—sun, moon and stars. Hernando Cortez is saidto have been the first to use a brand on the continent.
6. Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
[a] How to Herd Cattle [b] The American Cowboy: A Romantic Figure [c] Farming Practices in Europe and America [d] Hispanic Contributions to Western Ranching [e] Spanish Influence on American Culture
[a] How to Herd Cattle
[b] The American Cowboy: A Romantic Figure
[c] Farming Practices in Europe and America
[d] Hispanic Contributions to Western Ranching
[e] Spanish Influence on American Culture
7. It can be inferred from the passage that American ranches developed in the West rather than the East because
[a] more Spanish-speaking people lived in the West [b] there was more money available in the West [c] people in the East were more bound by tradition [d] many jobless men in the East wanted to become cowboys [e] there was more unsettled land available in the West
[a] more Spanish-speaking people lived in the West
[b] there was more money available in the West
[c] people in the East were more bound by tradition
[d] many jobless men in the East wanted to become cowboys
[e] there was more unsettled land available in the West
8. The author gives examples of cowboy slang in order to
[a] arouse the reader’s interest [b] show that he is familiar with the subject [c] prove that many cowboys lacked education [d] point out the difference between America’s East and West [e] demonstrate how these terms originated
[a] arouse the reader’s interest
[b] show that he is familiar with the subject
[c] prove that many cowboys lacked education
[d] point out the difference between America’s East and West
[e] demonstrate how these terms originated
9. According to the author, which of the following did Mexicans contribute to ranching?
I. Money to buy ranches
II. Methods of handling animal
III. Items of riding equipment
[a] I only [b] II only [c] III only [d] I and II only [e] II and III only
10. Which of the following best describes the development of this passage?
[a] Major points, minor points [b] Statement of problem, examples, proposed solution [c] Introduction, positive factors, negative factors [d] Cause, effects [e] Comparison, contrast
[a] Major points, minor points
[b] Statement of problem, examples, proposed solution
[c] Introduction, positive factors, negative factors
[d] Cause, effects
[e] Comparison, contrast
PASSAGE 3
The distinction often made between learning and instinct is exemplified by two theoretical approaches to the study of behavior: ethology and behaviorist psychology. Ethology is usually thought of as the study of instinct. In the ethological world view most animal behavior is governed by four basic factors: sign stimuli (instinctively recognized cues), motor programs (innate responses to cues), drive (controlling motivational impulses) and imprinting (a restricted and seemingly aberrant form of learning).
Three of these factors are found in the egg-rolling response of geese, a behavior studied by Konrad Z. Lorenz and Nikolaas Tinbergen, who together with Karl Frisch were the founders of ethology. Geese incubate their eggs in mound-shaped nests built on the ground, and it sometimes happens that the incubating goose inadvertently knocks an egg out of the nest. Such an event leads to a remarkable behavior. After settling down again on its nest, the goose eventually notices the errant egg. The animal then extends its neck to fix its eyes on the egg, rises and rolls the egg back into the nest gently with its bill. At first glance this might seem to be a thoughtful solution to a problem. As it happens, however, the behavior is highly stereotyped and innate. Any convex object, regardless of color and almost regardless of size, triggers the response; beer bottles are particularly effective.
In this example the convex features that trigger the behavior are the ethologists’ sign stimuli. The egg-rolling response itself is the motor program. The entire behavior is controlled by a drive that appears about two weeks before the geese lay eggs and persists until about two weeks after the eggs hatch. Geese also exhibit imprinting: during a sensitive period soon after hatching, goslings will follow almost any receding object that emits an innately recognized "kum-kum" call and thereafter treat the object as a parent.
Classical behaviorist psychologists see the world quite differently from ethologists. Behaviorists are primarily interested in the study of learning under strictly controlled conditions and have traditionally treated instinct as irrelevant to learning. Behaviorists believe nearly all the responses of higher animals can be divided into two kinds of learning called classical conditioning and operant conditioning.
Classical conditioning was discovered in dogs by the Russian psychologist Ivan P. Pavlov. In his classic experiment he showed that if a bell is rung consistently just before food is offered to a dog, eventually the dog will learn to salivate at the sound to the bell. The important factors in classical conditioning are the unconditioned stimulus (the innately recognized cue, equivalent to the ethological sign stimulus, which in this case is food), the unconditioned response (the innately triggered behavioral act, equivalent to the ethological motor program, which in this case is salivation), and the conditioned stimulus (the stimulus the animal is conditioned to respond to, which in this case is the bell). Early behaviorists believed any stimulus an animal was capable of sensing could be linked, as a conditioned stimulus, to any unconditioned response.
In operant conditioning, the other major category of learning recognized by most behaviorists, animals learn a behavior pattern as the result of trial-and-error experimentation they undertake in order to obtain a reward or avoid a punishment. In the classic example a rat is trained to press a lever to obtain food. The experimenter shapes the behavior by regarding the rat at first for even partial performance of the desired response. For example, at the outset the rat might be rewarded simply for facing the end of the cage in which the lever sits. Later the experimenter requires increasingly precise behavior, until the response is perfected. Early behaviorists thought any behavior an animal was capable of performing could be taught, by means of operant conditioning, as a response to any cue or situation.
11. The passage is chiefly concerned with
[a] comparing the effectiveness of ethology with that of other behavioral theories [b] presenting a new theory to replace ethology and behaviorist psychology [c] discussing how two differing theories explain behavioral processes [d] disputing the hypotheses of Pavlov and other classical behaviorists [e] explaining the processes that control innate behavior
[a] comparing the effectiveness of ethology with that of other behavioral theories
[b] presenting a new theory to replace ethology and behaviorist psychology
[c] discussing how two differing theories explain behavioral processes
[d] disputing the hypotheses of Pavlov and other classical behaviorists
[e] explaining the processes that control innate behavior
12. The author cites Lorenz, Tinbergen, and Frisch for their
[a] studies of the egg-rolling response in geese [b] pioneering work studying instinctual behavior [c] rejection of imprinting as a form of learning [d] use of stringently controlled laboratory settings [e] invalidation of the behaviorist approach
[a] studies of the egg-rolling response in geese
[b] pioneering work studying instinctual behavior
[c] rejection of imprinting as a form of learning
[d] use of stringently controlled laboratory settings
[e] invalidation of the behaviorist approach
13. It can be inferred from the second paragraph that the goose’s behavior in replacing the egg is remarkable because it
[a] appears purposeful and intelligent [b] is triggered by the egg [c] refutes current ethological theories [d] is a response to sign stimuli [e] lasts for only four weeks
[a] appears purposeful and intelligent
[b] is triggered by the egg
[c] refutes current ethological theories
[d] is a response to sign stimuli
[e] lasts for only four weeks
14. According to the passage, behaviorist learning theories take into account which of the following characteristics of animals?
I. Their unconditioned response to certain fundamental stimuli, such as food. II. Their ability to learn through being imprinted at an early age III. Their tendency to shun negative stimuli. [a] I only [b] II only [c] III only [d] I and II only [e] I and III only
I. Their unconditioned response to certain fundamental stimuli, such as food.
II. Their ability to learn through being imprinted at an early age
III. Their tendency to shun negative stimuli.
[a] I only [b] II only [c] III only [d] I and II only [e] I and III only
15. In exploring these two approaches to the study of behavior, the author does all of the following EXCEPT
[a] define a term [b] point out functional parallels [c] refer to an experimental study [d] illustrate through an example [e] settle an argument
[a] define a term
[b] point out functional parallels
[c] refer to an experimental study
[d] illustrate through an example
[e] settle an argument
PASSAGE 4
Mr. Speaker, ours is an open society. It is a pluralistic society. Its strength lies in its institutions. Those institutions remain viable only as long as the majority of our citizens retain a meaningful belief in them. As long as Americans feel that their institutions are responsive to the wishes of the people, we shall endure and prevail.
Everyone will admit freely that today there is a crisis in our institutions and the faith people have in them. No institution is more basic than the Congress—in this case the House of Representatives, in which we have the privilege to serve.
Over the past year or so, the Nation has been awakened to the fact that the House—this House—our institution—has been less than responsive to the requirements of modern times. The Nation has read one article after the other that finds this institution wanting. One of the most pertinent and irrefutable accusations has to do with the fact that the House operates with too great an emphasis on secrecy, with too great an imbalance of power and too little attention paid to the wishes of the majority of its Members. In effect, this House of the people has been operating all too often in an undemocratic manner.
We cannot pretend to stand for pluralistic democracy for the Nation if we daily deny the democratic process in our procedures and deliberations. This is what is going on each day, nonetheless. It is folly to deny the need for reform. We only add fuel to the fires already being set by reactionaries of every stripe who have a vested interest in the failure of democracy. They anticipate reaction, claiming our lack of response as reason enough for seeking the overthrow of the society we are all a part of. Reform on our part in response to a proven need will cut short the fuse of rebellion, cut short those who seek the defeat of democracy.
Such reform can only be accomplished through existing institutions; it can only be accomplished through reform of them, beginning with the rules and procedures of the House of Representatives. We must let the people and their news media see what is transpiring here in their name, rather than shut them out in the name of fear and breach of security. This is their House, and they have a right to know what is happening here.
Mr. Speaker, we should have little to hide from the people. The national security argument has been worked to death. Recently, an article in the Wall Street Journal by Dr. Edward Teller, no raving liberal, attacks secrecy for its own sake. We defeat our own purposes by being overly secretive.
By closing the House of the people to those very same people, we only alienate growing segments of society, stifle the democratic process and undermine the foundations of the institution and the Nation we all love so deeply. If we do not take the initiative in instituting reform, we merely reaffirm the worst that has been stated about the lack of progressivism in the Congress. We add strength to the arguments of the radical revolutionaries among us. We contribute to the erosion of the House and its role.
16. Which of the following does the author appear to value LEAST?
[a] Legislative reforms [b] Press coverage of Congressional sessions [c] His responsiveness to his constituents [d] The rhetoric of left wing extremists [e] The opinion of Dr. Edward Teller
[a] Legislative reforms
[b] Press coverage of Congressional sessions
[c] His responsiveness to his constituents
[d] The rhetoric of left wing extremists
[e] The opinion of Dr. Edward Teller
17. The author’s primary purpose in this passage is to
[a] encourage Congress to limit the powers of the media [b] call for an end to undemocratic practices in Congress [c] answer the radicals who want to overthrow the government [d] define the powers of Congressional committees [e] analyze the needs for security of governmental agencies
[a] encourage Congress to limit the powers of the media
[b] call for an end to undemocratic practices in Congress
[c] answer the radicals who want to overthrow the government
[d] define the powers of Congressional committees
[e] analyze the needs for security of governmental agencies
18. This passage is most likely an excerpt from
[a] an informal essay in a popular magazine [b] a play about conflict in the Federal government [c] a speech entered in the Congressional Record [d] a college history textbook [e] the personal memoirs of a political leader
[a] an informal essay in a popular magazine
[b] a play about conflict in the Federal government
[c] a speech entered in the Congressional Record
[d] a college history textbook
[e] the personal memoirs of a political leader
19. The author’s attitude toward closed Congressional hearings is one of
[a] cautious skepticism [b] grudging tolerance [c]coutright rejection [d] wholehearted acceptance [e] fundamental indifference
[a] cautious skepticism
[b] grudging tolerance
[c]coutright rejection
[d] wholehearted acceptance
[e] fundamental indifference
20. The tone of the passage as a whole is best described as
[a] satirical [b] cautionary [c] alienated [d] objective [e] elegiac
[a] satirical
[b] cautionary
[c] alienated
[d] objective
[e] elegiac
Written Summary
Your summary should effectively communicate the main idea and essential points of the passage. You are expected to identify the relevant information and communicate it clearly and concisely in your own words.
The final version of your summary should conform to the conventions of edited American English, should be written legibly, and should be your own original work.
Just a Glamorous Tool, by Neil Oppenheimer
It would be easy to characterize the battle over computers as merely another chapter in the world's oldest story: humanity's natural resistance to change. But that does an injustice to the forces at work in this transformation. This is not just the future versus the past, uncertainty versus nostalgia; it is about encouraging a fundamental shift in personal priorities -- a minimizing of the real, physical world in favor of an unreal "virtual" world. It is about teaching youngsters that exploring what's on a two-dimensional screen is more important than playing with real objects, or sitting down to an attentive conversation with a friend, a parent, or a teacher. By extension, it means downplaying the importance of conversation, of careful listening, and of expressing oneself in person with acuity and individuality. In the process, it may also limit the development of children's imaginations. Perhaps this is why Steven Jobs, one of the founders of Apple Computer and a man who claims to have "spearheaded giving away more computer equipment to schools than anybody else on the planet," has come to a grim conclusion: "What's wrong with education cannot be fixed with technology," he told Wired magazine last year. "No amount of technology will make a dent.... You're not going to solve the problems by putting all knowledge onto CD-ROMs. We can put a Web site in every school -- none of this is bad. It's bad only if it lulls us into thinking we're doing something to solve the problem with education." Jane David, the consultant to Apple, concurs, with a commonly heard caveat. "There are real dangers," she told me, "in looking to technology to be the savior of education. But it won't survive without the technology." Arguments like David's remind Clifford Stoll of yesteryear's promises about television. He wrote in Silicon Snake Oil,
"Sesame Street"... has been around for twenty years. Indeed, its idea of making learning relevant to all was as widely promoted in the seventies as the Internet is today. So where's that demographic wave of creative and brilliant students now entering college? Did kids really need to learn how to watch television? Did we inflate their expectations that learning would always be colorful and fun?
"Sesame Street"... has been around for twenty years. Indeed, its idea of making learning relevant to all was as widely promoted in the seventies as the Internet is today.
So where's that demographic wave of creative and brilliant students now entering college? Did kids really need to learn how to watch television? Did we inflate their expectations that learning would always be colorful and fun?
Computer enthusiasts insist that the computer's "interactivity" and multimedia features make this machine far superior to television. Nonetheless, Stoll wrote,
I see a parallel between the goals of "Sesame Street" and those of children's computing. Both are pervasive, expensive and encourage children to sit still. Both display animated cartoons, gaudy numbers and weird, random noises.... Both give the sensation that by merely watching a screen, you can acquire information without work and without discipline.
As the technology critic Neil Postman put it to a Harvard electronic-media conference, "I thought that television would be the last great technology that people would go into with their eyes closed. Now you have the computer." The solution is not to ban computers from classrooms altogether. But it may be to ban federal spending on what is fast becoming an overheated campaign. After all, the private sector, with its constant supply of used computers and the computer industry's vigorous competition for new customers, seems well equipped to handle the situation. In fact, if schools can impose some limits -- on technology donors and on themselves -- rather than indulging in a consumer frenzy, most will probably find themselves with more electronic gear than they need. That could free the billions that Clinton wants to devote to technology and make it available for impoverished fundamentals: teaching solid skills in reading, thinking, listening, and talking; organizing inventive field trips and other rich hands-on experiences; and, of course, building up the nation's core of knowledgeable, inspiring teachers. These notions are considerably less glamorous than computers are, but their worth is firmly proved through a long history. Last fall, after the school administrators in Mansfield, Massachusetts, had eliminated proposed art, music, and physical-education positions in favor of buying computers, Michael Bellino, an electrical engineer at Boston University's Center for Space Physics, appeared before the Massachusetts Board of Education to protest. "The purpose of the schools [is] to, as one teacher argues, 'Teach carpentry, not hammer,'" he testified. "We need to teach the whys and ways of the world. Tools come and tools go. Teaching our children tools limits their knowledge to these tools and hence limits their futures."
Attach your summary as a separate document!
Written Composition
Your composition should effectively communicate a whole message to the specified audience for the stated purpose. You will be assessed on your ability to express, organize, and support opinions and ideas. You will not be assessed on the position you express.
The final version of your composition should conform to the conventions of edited American English, should be written legibly, and should be you original work.
With President Clinton’s recent admission that he had an inappropriate relationship with Monica Lewinski, public debate once again has focused on the tension between private behavior and public responsibility. President Clinton has maintained that his personal life should remain private, that it has no bearing on his performance as a public official. Others claim that those in public office hold a special trust with the American people and that the President has a moral and civic obligation to live his life beyond reproach. Is this an unreasonable expectation? Should the President be held to higher standard of behavior than the ordinary citizen? If so, do we risk losing our most capable leaders because of increased public scrutiny? If not, then what are the dangers the public face when an elected official engages in compromising behaviors?
Your purpose is to write an editorial that will appear in a mid-sized city’s conservative newspaper. Your goal is to persuade your readers to accept your position. Be sure to defend your position with logical arguments and appropriate examples.
Attach your essay as a separate document!
GRAMMAR AND USAGE
Respond to the following questions.
1. What is a gerund? (Write your answer in the boxes below)
2. What is a homonym? (Write your answer on the lines below)
3. What is a definite article? (Write your answer on the lines below)
4. What is a contraction? (Write your answer on the lines below)
5. What is a verb? (Write your answer on the lines below)
The following sentences contain one or more grammatical errors. Rewrite the sentences in proper grammatical form.
1. Examining the patient death rates of more than fifty doctors, the results were compared by a panel to a statistical average.
2. The girl scout knocked on every door in the neighborhood however she could find no buyers for her cookies.
3. Expanding the Worcester airport will generate more flights, more flights will bring more travelers and money into the region.
4. The pattern of echoes from these sound waves are converted by computer into a visual image.
5. Rather than receiving several painful shots in the mouth before a cavity is filled, hypnosis can work just as effectively.
6. John my brothers boy has a collection of American indians weapons which includes knives arrows and stone hatchets.
7. If your going to Worcester State College next Fall do you think we could both ride in Carols car?
8. Carol and me bought a old computer at a yard sale and we hope to share it while taking our courses at Worcester State college.
9. While my friends were swimming in Quinsigamond Lake, all of there clothes were taken accept there shoes.
10. As soon as you are threw with this sentence, you will be finished with this section of the exam.
key to reading portion
