Released Items

Published November 2019

English II

North Carolina
End-of-Course
Assessment

Public Schools of North Carolina

Department of Public Instruction | State Board of Education
Division of Accountability Services/North Carolina Testing Program

Copyright ã 2019 by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.
 ENGLISH II RELEASED ITEMS

Sample Questions

America’s Oldest University

What is the oldest university in the United States? Well, that is a somewhat controversial
topic.

Harvard University, established in 1636, has claimed to be the oldest institution of

D
higher education, and that is generally accepted. However, since the Philippines was a
U.S. territory from 1898 to 1946, the University of Santo Tomas, established in 1611,

SE
was for a time the oldest university in a U.S. territory. The University of Pennsylvania
considers itself the first official university in America, a claim stated on its website.
Johns Hopkins University claims to be the first research university in America: a
differentiation that has been accepted as necessary. The College of William and Mary has
said it is the second oldest institution of higher learning in America.
EA
So is there a difference between a college and a university? The answer is “yes.”

A college tends to be a smaller institution and only offers undergraduate degrees. A

university is usually much larger and offers graduate-level degrees as well. A university
EL

also tends to have more diverse educational opportunities in which students may choose
to participate.
R

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S1 What does controversial mean in paragraph 1?

A causing an argument

B detailing an agreement

C introducing a selection

D concluding a discussion

S2 Which school claims to be the first research university in America, according

to the information in paragraph 2?

D
A Harvard University

D
Johns Hopkins University

University of Santo Tomas

College of William and Mary

SE
EA
EL
R

2
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The Art of Brazilian Lace

by Laura Morelli

The lacemaker’s wrinkled hands are surprisingly agile. This seventy-something lady in
Prainha, on the northeastern coast of Brazil, rapidly maneuvers two dozen wooden
bobbins, which make a pleasant clicking sound as she works. Seeming to read my mind,
she smiles and says that her fingers have worked these bobbins since she was old
enough to follow her mother’s directions. Incongruously, her frenetic movements
produce a minuscule lace fragment. In fact, a full day’s work yields just a few inches of
delicate finery.

D
SE
The extraordinarily laborious craft of bobbin lace (renda di bilros in Portuguese) came to
Brazil along with Portuguese colonists who claimed its beautiful northeastern coastline as
their own in the seventeenth century. Portugal already counted a rich tradition of
lacemaking, and colonists continued the practice in the New World. Mostly the province
EA
of women, lacemaking was passed down from mothers to daughters, who learned by
watching and repeating their motions. While their European ancestors considered lace a
luxurious fashion accessory, in the New World, the craft seemed a natural extension of
more mundane trades that were already vital to the seaside culture: the making of
baskets, hats, hammocks, and fishing nets. Early colonists made lace to pass the time
EL

and supplement their families’ income, making doilies, collars, and tablecloths out of
white and colored linen threads.

Lace can be produced either with a needle and thread (needle lace) or by interweaving
R

threads wound on bobbins. Bobbin lace is the predominant type of lace made on Brazil’s
northeastern coast. The technique begins with a pillow, almost always homemade, and
stuffed with cotton, grass, or even banana leaves. The pillow forms the workspace for
the rendeira, or lacemaker, who props it in her lap or places it on a special wooden
stand made for that purpose. She then covers the pillow with a lace template on paper
or cardboard. A collection of pins—commercial sewing notions or, in a pinch, cactus
thorns—holds the design in place on the pillow.

The lacemaker then uses bobbins or spindles, each wound with a single thread, to work
the pattern. Today most bobbins are made of wood, though in the past bone was also
used, which is why the technique is sometimes referred to as bone lace. As many as
50 bobbins, each holding an individual thread, might be used to work a single pattern.
Lacemakers complete the pattern by winding and overlapping the threads from the
bobbins to create a distinctive weave. Experienced lacemakers work at a rapid pace that,

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on the surface, seems effortless. Their wooden bobbins click together as they render
circles, stars, rosettes, and more complex motifs like scrolls, animals, leaves, and
flowers.

Today Brazil’s best lacemakers are concentrated on the country’s northeastern coast, in
the states of Ceará and Pará. Fortaleza, Ceará’s capital city, boasts many lace shops,
several outdoor markets, and a large craft center selling lace umbrellas, gloves, hats,
napkins, and tablecloths, as well as beautiful baby outfits and items befitting a bridal
trousseau. However, most of these shops are resellers for artisans working in coastal
villages. If you want to see lacemakers in action, take a day trip to the seaside towns of
Iguape or Prainha, both of which boast lacemaking centers where you can watch women

D
and girls making lace. Ask the lacemakers to indicate which patterns are most
traditional, as each town is known for its own patterns.

SE
Several factors can influence the price of a lace piece, including the type of thread
used (cotton, silk, or other materials), the intricacy of the design, and the size, which
is a measure of the time it takes to complete it. As a general rule, you will pay less if
you buy directly from the lacemaker or one of the village markets rather than in a
Fortaleza lace shop, or if you buy a piece with lace accents, like a tablecloth with a lace
EA
border. Any way you slice it, though, prices are downright cheap, considering the
laboriousness of this craft. You can pick up small items like napkins for around seven
to 15 Brazilian reals (just a few dollars). A full-size lace tablecloth or bedspread that
requires months of full-time labor will rarely run more than 800 Brazilian reals (around
EL

$500). In Europe or the United States, you would pay many times the price for a
handmade item of equal quality.

In addition to getting a good deal on a fine piece of handmade lace, the main reward of
trekking to this remote part of Brazil is the chance to see this traditional trade in action.
R

Whether watching lacemakers at work in the market, at a lace center, or in the shade of
their own doorways, it’s a pleasure to witness the production of such delicate finery,
inch by inch.

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1 Which central idea develops over the course of the text?

A “The lacemaker’s wrinkled hands are surprisingly agile. This

seventy-something lady in Prainha, on the northeastern coast of Brazil,
rapidly maneuvers two dozen wooden bobbins, which make a pleasant
clicking sound as she works.”

B “Early colonists made lace to pass the time and supplement their families’
income, making doilies, collars, and tablecloths out of white and colored
linen threads.”

C “Several factors can influence the price of a lace piece, including the type of
thread used (cotton, silk, or other materials), the intricacy of the design, and

D
the size, which is a measure of the time it takes to complete it.”

D “Whether watching lacemakers at work in the market, at a lace center, or in

SE
the shade of their own doorways, it’s a pleasure to witness the production of
such delicate finery, inch by inch.”
EA
2 What is the meaning of the word frenetic in paragraph 1?

A relaxed

B active
EL

C fragile

D clumsy
R

3 How is paragraph 1 significant to the author’s claims?

A It sets the tone for the rest of the text by explaining the origins of
lacemaking.

B It emphasizes the lacemaker’s ability to create a wonderful product to sell to

people.

C It describes the beauty of the art designs used in lacemaking.

D It expresses the level of difficulty involved in lacemaking.

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4 What is the meaning of laborious based on the sentences below from paragraphs 1
and 2?

“Incongruously, her frenetic movements produce a minuscule lace fragment. In

fact, a full day’s work yields just a few inches of delicate finery.

“The extraordinarily laborious craft of bobbin lace (renda di bilros in Portuguese)

came to Brazil along with Portuguese colonists who claimed its beautiful
northeastern coastline as their own in the seventeenth century.”

A easily performed

B extremely dull

D
C excessively difficult

5
D quickly finished

SE
How was the art of lacemaking in the New World viewed differently than it was
EA
viewed in Europe in the seventeenth century?

A Lacemaking was viewed as an everyday task in the New World; in Europe,

lace was seen as a luxurious fashion accessory.
EL

B Lacemaking was seen as a luxury that pioneers could not afford in the
New World; in Europe, lace was found on common accessories.

C Lacemaking was seen as strictly women’s work in the New World; in Europe,
it was seen as a proper way to make a living for both men and women.
R

D Lacemaking was seen as an art form for only the upper class in the
New World; in Europe, all classes of people wore and produced lace.

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6 How does the author advance her purpose in the sentences below from
paragraph 5?

“If you want to see lacemakers in action, take a day trip to the seaside towns of
Iguape or Prainha, both of which boast lacemaking centers where you can watch
women and girls making lace. Ask the lacemakers to indicate which patterns are
most traditional, as each town is known for its own patterns.”

A She encourages everyone to visit Iguape and Prainha to see the authentic
lacemakers.

B She makes convincing statements about the higher cost of lacemaking in

Iguape and Prainha.

D
C She provides information about the historical role Iguape and Prainha played
in creating the art of lacemaking.

D
SE
She shares her feelings about the lacemaking practices in Iguape and
Prainha that take advantage of women and girls.
EA
7 How does the art of making lace represent Brazilian cultural heritage?

A Portuguese colonists were developing the lacemaking market in Brazil during

the seventeenth century.
EL

B Lacemaking is directly related to the daily tasks performed in the seaside

colonies of Brazil.

C Lace is considered a luxurious fashion accessory in Brazil.

R

D Lace has a religious significance to the people of Brazil.

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8 Which statement from the text supports the author’s claim that making lace is
laborious?

A “Lace can be produced either with a needle and thread (needle lace) or by
interweaving threads wound on bobbins.”

B “As many as 50 bobbins, each holding an individual thread, might be used to

work a single pattern.”

C “Ask the lacemakers to indicate which patterns are most traditional, as each
town is known for its own patterns.”

D “You can pick up small items like napkins for around seven to 15 Brazilian
reals (just a few dollars).”

D
9
SE
How does the author order events to develop her points?

A She details the various aspects of the lacemaking process.

EA
B She compares and contrasts the different methods of lacemaking.

C She discusses the historical causes of lacemaking and its great impact.

D She states an opinion about lacemaking in Brazil without evidence to support

EL

it.
R

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The City Planners

by Margaret Atwood

Cruising these residential Sunday

streets in dry August sunlight:
what offends us is
the sanities:
5 the houses in pedantic1 rows, the planted
sanitary trees, assert
levelness of surface like a rebuke
to the dent in our car door.
No shouting here, or

D
10 shatter of glass; nothing more abrupt
than the rational whine of a power mower

SE
cutting a straight swath in the discouraged grass.

But though the driveways neatly

sidestep hysteria
15 by being even, the roofs all display
EA
the same slant of avoidance to the hot sky,
certain things:
the smell of spilled oil a faint
sickness lingering in the garages,
20 a splash of paint on brick surprising as a bruise,
EL

a plastic hose poised in a vicious

coil; even the too-fixed stare of the wide windows

give momentary access to

R

the landscape behind or under

25 the future cracks in the plaster

when the houses, capsized, will slide

obliquely into the clay seas, gradual as glaciers
that right now nobody notices.

1pedantic: unimaginative

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That is where the City Planners

30 with the insane faces of political conspirators
are scattered over unsurveyed
territories, concealed from each other,
each in his own private blizzard;

guessing directions, they sketch

35 transitory2 lines rigid as wooden borders
on a wall in the white vanishing air

tracing the panic of suburb

order in a bland madness of snows.

D
2transitory: temporary, lasting only a short time

SE
EA
10 How does the poet’s use of the words sanities, levelness, and rational affect the
tone of the poem?

A She purposefully chooses words which are nostalgic and remind the
audience of the past.
EL

B She purposefully chooses words which convey a sense of urgency about

urban problems.

C She purposefully chooses words which will persuade and advise the audience
R

against spontaneity.

D She purposefully chooses words which sound neutral to convey the idea of
uniformity in suburban life.

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11 What does the phrase “rational whine” mean in line 11?

A unusual designs

B a broken machine

C a routine activity

D unseen distractions

12 What is the purpose of the figurative language in lines 11–12?

D
A to show how much the speaker dislikes yard work

B to show how badly the landscape has been maintained

D
SE
to show how the equipment is unable to operate correctly

to show how nature is not easily forced into a pattern

EA
13 Which phrase provides a contrast to the uniformity of the neighborhood?

A “the roofs all display / the same slant of avoidance”

EL

B “a splash of paint on brick surprising as a bruise”

C “a plastic hose poised in a vicious / coil”

R

D “the too-fixed stare of the wide windows”

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14 How does the poem’s structure reveal conflicts between the ideals of the speaker
and those of the City Planners?

A The speaker’s complaints in the opening stanzas transition to the adverse

description of the City Planners in the last stanzas.

B Each stanza provides lengthy descriptions of the City Planners’ thoughts and
minimal descriptions of the speaker’s motivations.

C The long stanzas reveal positive memories for the speaker, and the short
stanzas convey negative remarks about the City Planners.

D Each stanza presents an unbiased view of the speaker’s emotions and then a
biased interpretation of the City Planners’ actions.

D
15
SE
How does the poet’s use of personification affect the poem?

A It directs the focus to the condition of the streets.

EA
B It introduces a sense of suspense and a negative tone.

C It reinforces the sympathetic and emotional mood.

D It causes curiosity about what will happen to the houses.

EL
R

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Adapted from “How a Muzhik1 Fed Two Officials”

by Mikhail Saltykov
translated by Thomas Seltzer

Once upon a time there were two Officials. They were both empty-headed, and so they
found themselves one day suddenly transported to an uninhabited isle.

They had passed their whole life in a Government Department, where records were
kept; had been born there, bred there, grown old there, and consequently hadn’t the
least understanding for anything outside of the Department; and the only words they

D
knew were: “With assurances of the highest esteem, I am your humble servant.”

But the Department was abolished, and as the services of the two Officials were no

SE
longer needed, they were given their freedom. So the retired Officials migrated to
Podyacheskaya Street in St. Petersburg. Each had his own home, his own cook, and his
pension.
EA
Waking up on the uninhabited isle, they found themselves lying on the beach. At first, of
course, they couldn’t understand what had happened to them, and they spoke as if
nothing extraordinary had taken place.
EL

“What a peculiar dream I had last night, your Excellency,” said the one Official. “It
seemed to me as if I were on an uninhabited isle.”
R

Scarcely had he uttered the words, when he jumped to his feet. The other Official also
jumped up.

“My goodness, what does this mean! Where are we?” they cried out in astonishment.

1
Muzhik: a Russian peasant, a country person

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They touched each other to make sure that they were no longer dreaming, and finally
convinced themselves of the sad reality.

Before them stretched the ocean, and behind them was a little spot of earth, beyond
which the ocean stretched again. They began to cry—the first time since their
Department had been shut down.

They looked at each other, and each noticed that the other was clad in nothing but his
night shirt with his badge hanging around his neck.

D
“We really should be having our coffee now,” observed the one Official. Then he
bethought himself again of the strange situation he was in and a second time fell to
weeping.
SE
“What are we going to do now?” he sobbed. “Even supposing we were to draw up a
report, what good would that do?”
EA
“You know what, your Excellency,” replied the other Official, “you go to the east and I
will go to the west. Toward evening we will come back here again and, perhaps, we shall
have found something.”

They started to ascertain which was the east and which was the west. They recalled that
EL

the head of their Department had once said to them, “If you want to know where the
east is, then turn your face to the north, and the east will be on your right.” But when
they tried to find out which was the north, they turned to the right and to the left and
looked around on all sides. Having spent their whole life in the Department of Records,
R

their efforts were all in vain.

“To my mind, your Excellency, the best thing to do would be for you to go to the right
and me to go to the left,” said one Official, who had served not only in the Department
of Records, but had also been teacher of handwriting in the School for Reserves, and so
was a little bit cleverer.

So said, so done. The one Official went to the right. He came upon trees, bearing all
sorts of fruits. Gladly would he have plucked an apple, but they all hung so high that he
would have been obliged to climb up. He tried to climb up in vain. All he succeeded in
doing was tearing his night shirt. Then he struck upon a brook. It was swarming with
fish.

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“Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had all this fish in Podyacheskaya Street!” he

thought, and his mouth watered. Then he entered woods and found
partridges,2 grouse,3 and hares.4

“My goodness, what an abundance of food!” he cried. His hunger was going up
tremendously.

But he had to return to the appointed spot with empty hands. He found the other
Official waiting for him.

D
“Well, Your Excellency, how went it? Did you find anything?”

SE
“Nothing but an old number of the Moscow Gazette, not another thing.”

The Officials lay down to sleep again, but their empty stomachs gave them no rest. They
EA
were partly robbed of their sleep by the thought of who was now enjoying their pension,
and partly by the recollection of the fruit, fishes, partridges, grouse, and hares that had
been seen during the day while searching the island.
EL

“The human pabulum in its original form flies, swims, and grows on trees. Who would
have thought it your Excellency?” said the one Official.
R

“To be sure,” rejoined the other Official. “I, too, must admit that I had imagined that our
breakfast rolls came into the world just as they appear on the table.”

“From which it is to be deduced that if we want to eat a pheasant, we must catch it first,
kill it, pull its feathers, and roast it. But how’s that to be done?”

2
partridges: short-tailed birds with mainly brown plumage, native to Eurasia
3
grouse: medium to large birds with a plump body and feathered legs
4
hares: fast-running, long-eared mammals that resemble large rabbits with long hind
legs

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“Yes, how’s that to be done?” repeated the other Official.

They turned silent and tried again to fall asleep, but their hunger scared sleep away.
Before their eyes swarmed flocks of pheasants and ducks, herds of porklings, and they
were all so juicy, done so tenderly, and garnished so deliciously with olives, capers, and
pickles.

“I believe I could devour my own boots now,” said the one Official.

“Gloves are not bad either, especially if they have been made quite smooth,” said the
other Official.

The two Officials stared at each other fixedly. In their glances gleamed an evil-boding
fire, their teeth chattered and a dull groaning issued from their chests. Slowly they crept

D
upon each other and suddenly they burst into a fearful frenzy. There was yelling and
arguing. . . . However, the fight brought them both back to their senses.

SE
“Oh help us!” they cried at the same time. “We certainly don’t mean to beat each other
up. How could we have come to such a pass as this? What evil genius is making sport of
us?”
EA
“We must, by all means, entertain each other to pass the time away,” said the one
Official.

“You begin,” said the other.

EL

“Can you explain why it is that the sun first rises and then sets? Why isn’t it the
reverse?”

“Aren’t you a funny, man, your Excellency? You get up first, then you go to your office
R

and work there, and at night you lie down to sleep.”

“But why can’t one assume the opposite, that is, that one goes to bed, sees all sorts of
dream figures, and then gets up?”

“Well, yes, certainly. But when I was still an Official, I always thought this way: Now it is
dawn, then it will be day, then will come supper, and finally will come the time to go to
bed.’”

The word “supper” recalled that incident in the day’s doings, and the thought of it made
both Officials melancholy, so that the conversation came to a halt.

“A doctor once told me that human beings can sustain themselves for a long time on
their own juices,” the one Official began again.

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“What does that mean?”

“It is quite simple. You see, one’s own juices generate other juices, and these in their
turn still other juices, and so it goes on until finally all the juices are consumed.”

“And then what happens?”

“Then food has to be taken into the system again.”

“Darn it!”

No matter what topic the Officials chose, the conversation invariably reverted to the

D
subject of eating; which only increased their appetite more and more. So they decided
to give up talking altogether, and, recollecting the Moscow Gazette that the one of them

SE
had found, they picked it up and began to read eagerly.
EA
16 Which quote from the text supports the development of the theme?

A “But the Department was abolished, and as the services of the two Officials
EL

were no longer needed, they were given their freedom.”

B “They looked at each other, and each noticed that the other was clad in
nothing but his night shirt with his badge hanging around his neck.”
R

C “ ‘To be sure,’ rejoined the other Official. ‘I, too, must admit that I had
imagined that our breakfast rolls came into the world just as they appear on
the table.’ ”

D “In their glances gleamed an evil-boding fire, their teeth chattered and a dull
groaning issued from their chests.”

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17 Why does the author include the quote “With assurances of the highest esteem, I
am your humble servant” in paragraph 2?

A to emphasize the theme, because the men serve one another food while on
the island

B to establish the setting, because the men have to work as servants for a
certain amount of time

C to highlight the characters, because each man desires to help the other get
back home

D to create irony, because the men are unable to do any physical labor to
survive

D
18
dream?

A They do not wake up early.

SE
Based on paragraphs 4–9, what causes the Officials to realize the events are not a
EA
B Their department is no longer open.

C Their hunger is very extreme and painful.

EL

D They are experiencing the same things together.

19 What can be inferred from the fact that both Officials returned “with empty hands”
R

in paragraphs 16–21?

A They did not have the necessary skills to obtain anything to eat.

B The wild animals and fruit they saw were imaginary.

C They did not want to share a meal with each other.

D They were unable to locate any food.

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20 What does pabulum mean in the sentences below from paragraphs 23 and 24?

“The human pabulum in its original form flies, swims, and grows on trees. Who
would have thought it your Excellency?” said the one Official.

“To be sure,” rejoined the other Official. “I, too, must admit that I had imagined
that our breakfast rolls came into the world just as they appear on the table.”

A body

B food

C enemy

D
D medicine

21 SE
What can be inferred from the last sentence of paragraph 45 in the text?

A The Officials are bewildered and in a dream-like state.

EA
B The island where the Officials are located is close to Moscow.

C The island had previously been inhabited by another group of Officials.

D The Officials are still preoccupied with activities happening in the

EL

government.
R

22 How does referring to the men as “Officials” and “Your Excellency” develop the
theme of the text?

A It provides a description of the two men that is comical since neither still
works in the Government Department.

B It reveals that the two men are greatly respected by their former coworkers
at the Government Department.

C It shows how the two men are wealthy even though they have retired from
their jobs at the Government Department.

D It gives an explanation for why the two men left their jobs at the
Government Department because both are secretly royalty.

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23 How does the text reflect the author’s cultural experience?

A It draws attention to the problem of world hunger.

B It encourages people to retire from service as soon as possible.

C It mocks people who are too attached to their government jobs.

D It gives the impression that the government will take care of everything.

24 In what way does the interaction between the two Officials develop the theme of
the text?

D
A It illustrates the ways in which bureaucracy fails the people of a country.

C
SE
It offers a commentary on the nature of people in society who fail to
advance through education and training.

It shows the ways in which accomplished men can lack basic knowledge
about how the world around them functions.
EA
D It highlights the differences in the approach to government in the modern
world versus more traditional governments.
EL
R

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This text was published in 2011.

Excerpt from “On Thomas Edison Bulb Anniversary,

Lighting Breakthrough”
by Marianne Lavelle

Timed to mark the 131st anniversary of the invention of the lightbulb by

Thomas Edison—General Electric (GE) on October 21, 2010 unveiled an illumination
breakthrough: a high-efficiency LED bulb* that employs jet-engine technology to keep
cool.

D
But while the company founded by Edison was announcing this highly technical
development, its rivals were aiming at a lighting achievement by the end of 2010 that
would be far more tangible to consumers—a high-efficiency LED bulb, bright enough for

SE
reading, that can be screwed into an ordinary home lamp socket.

Both Osram Sylvania and Philips had LED bulbs designed to replace the popular 60-watt
incandescent bulb on store shelves at the end of 2010. GE had a 40-watt LED bulb on
the market by the end of 2010, with its 60-watt entry to the market available by the end
EA
of 2011.

GE says its thermal management breakthrough is key for removing an obstacle to wider
LED use. Because LEDs produce light through the movement of electrons through
semiconductor material, they are sensitive to heat. “LEDs are basically chips you can use
EL

in your computer, and are temperature-sensitive,” says GE engineer Mehmet Arik, who
led the cooling technology project. “The cooler you run them, the more efficiency you
get.” GE said it has adapted airflow technology used in its aviation and energy
businesses to achieve a low-cost solution in a small enough package to work in LED
R

lighting.

GE said it was able to demonstrate the technology at work in a 1,500-lumen prototype—

a bulb that stays cool while producing as much light as a 100-watt halogen bulb while
using one-third of the energy. GE announced the development at a lighting symposium
at the company’s research laboratories in upstate New York at an event to highlight the
Edison lightbulb anniversary. To mark “Lighting Appreciation Day,” GE encouraged
consumers to post photos or videos of their favorite lighting to the social networking
site, Twitter, using the hashtag #weheartlighting.

LED bulb: an energy-efficient lightbulb that lasts longer than traditional incandescent
*

and fluorescent bulbs

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But it was too early for GE’s development to be employed in the first generation of LED
home bulbs that the company put on store shelves at the end of 2010, or in the 60-watt
bulbs it will market in 2011, the company said.

Replicating the Warmth of Thomas Edison’s Invention

It hasn’t been easy to design an energy-efficient lighting appliance that consumers

embrace as warmly as the gadget that Thomas Edison first fashioned 131 years ago in a
Menlo Park, New Jersey, laboratory with carbonized thread from his wife’s sewing kit.

D
Edison’s technology so transformed the candlelit world that his lightbulb has stood for
years as the iconic image of a new idea. And it’s a shape that 21st-century consumers

SE
are reluctant to leave behind, even though Edison’s incandescent lightbulb wastes
energy by literally giving off more heat than light.

“We think consumers want a lightbulb that looks like a lightbulb,” says Stephanie
Anderson, director of communications at Osram Sylvania, of Danvers, Massachusetts,
EA
part of Germany’s Siemens AG. Osram Sylvania already has had an LED bulb designed
as a replacement for the 40-watt incandescent in Lowe’s stores for several months.

The twisty look of the main energy-saving home bulb now on the market, the
compact-fluorescent (CFL), is seen by the lighting industry as one of a series of
EL

stumbling blocks that has prevented the product from gaining deep acceptance.

A U.S. government survey in 2009 found that only 11 percent of household sockets have
CFLs. Even though CFLs easily save consumers money through lower utility bills,
R

because they use 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and last five years
instead of a few months, consumers have numerous issues with the new bulbs: their
color, premature burnout, the expense of dimmable CFLs, and the need to take extra
care disposing of them because they contain a small amount of mercury.

Lighting experts tout long-lasting, ultra-low-energy light-emitting diodes (LEDs)—first

seen as indicator lights on appliances—as the remedy for virtually all of these issues.
LEDs are common in thousands of applications, from traffic lights to jumbo television
screens to intense flashlights. Years of research have produced ever-brighter and ever-
whiter LEDs, with lighting manufacturers now prepared to offer products they say are
good enough for the living room lamp.

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 ENGLISH II RELEASED ITEMS

“Sixty watts is the holy grail of the LED replacement game,” says Anderson. “We are
absolutely in a race to be the first to deliver America’s most popular lightbulb.”

25 Which detail states where the central idea of the text emerges?

A “It hasn’t been easy to design an energy-efficient lighting appliance that

consumers embrace as warmly as the gadget that Thomas Edison first

D
fashioned 131 years ago in a Menlo Park, New Jersey, laboratory with
carbonized thread from his wife’s sewing kit.”

B
SE
“Edison’s technology so transformed the candlelit world that his lightbulb has
stood for years as the iconic image of a new idea. And it’s a shape that
21st-century consumers are reluctant to leave behind, even though Edison’s
incandescent lightbulb wastes energy by literally giving off more heat than
light.”
EA
C “ ‘We think consumers want a lightbulb that looks like a lightbulb,’ says
Stephanie Anderson, director of communications at Osram Sylvania, of
Danvers, Massachusetts, part of Germany’s Siemens AG. Osram Sylvania
already has had an LED bulb designed as a replacement for the 40-watt
EL

incandescent in Lowe’s stores for several months.”

D “The twisty look of the main energy-saving home bulb now on the market,
the compact-fluorescent (CFL), is seen by the lighting industry as one of a
R

series of stumbling blocks that has prevented the product from gaining deep
acceptance.”

26 What does the word fashioned mean in paragraph 7?

A inhibited

B envisioned

C demolished

D formulated

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27 Which statement from the text supports the author’s claim in paragraph 7?

A “The twisty look of the main energy-saving home bulb now on the market,
the compact-fluorescent (CFL), is seen by the lighting industry as one of a
series of stumbling blocks that has prevented the product from gaining deep
acceptance.”

B “A U.S. government survey in 2009 found that only 11 percent of household

sockets have CFLs.”

C “Lighting experts tout long-lasting, ultra-low-energy light-emitting diodes

(LEDs)—first seen as indicator lights on appliances—as the remedy for
virtually all of these issues.”

D
D “Years of research have produced ever-brighter and ever-whiter LEDs, with
lighting manufacturers now prepared to offer products they say are good

28
SE
enough for the living room lamp.”

What can be inferred from the sentence below in paragraph 8?

EA
“Edison’s technology so transformed the candlelit world that his lightbulb has
stood for years as the iconic image of a new idea.”

A The lightbulb produces a significant amount of energy.

EL

B The lightbulb represents any fresh and original concept.

C The lightbulb has come to represent hope.

R

D The lightbulb has replaced the candle.

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29 What is the effect of the metaphor in paragraph 13?

“ ‘Sixty watts is the holy grail of the LED replacement game.’ ”

A It indicates just how far companies will go to win.

B It signifies the ultimate goal of the energy companies.

C It shows what is no longer desirable in the energy industry.

D It marks the competitive nature of energy-related technology.

D
30 What detail from the text supports the author’s claim that General Electric’s high-
efficiency LED bulb is an illumination breakthrough?

B
temperature-sensitive.’ ” SE
“ ‘LEDs are basically chips you can use in your computer, and are

“Edison’s technology so transformed the candlelit world that his lightbulb has
stood for years as the iconic image of a new idea.”
EA
C “ ‘We think consumers want a lightbulb that looks like a lightbulb.’ ”

D “Lighting experts tout long-lasting, ultra-low-energy light-emitting diodes

(LEDs)—first seen as indicator lights on appliances—as the remedy for
EL

virtually all of these issues.”

R

31 For what purpose did the author include information about Edison’s “candlelit
world” crafted “with carbonized thread from his wife’s sewing kit”?

A to remind the audience that consumers are frugal people who prefer
inexpensive products

B to remind the audience that consumers are younger people who prefer
modern goods

C to remind the audience that consumers are basic people who prefer simple
designs

D to remind the audience that consumers are older people who prefer new
technology

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32 How did the author make the connection between Edison’s lightbulb and the
high-efficiency lighting choices available today?

A by evaluating the current experts’ solution for most of the problematic issues
with the incandescent lightbulb

B by contrasting the benefits of innovative lighting technology with the

popularity of traditional lighting

C by outlining the development of technology that transformed the world’s

lighting preferences from candles to LEDs

D by reporting on Osram Sylvania and Philips’s announcement of a

breakthrough jet-engine technology to keep LED bulbs cool

D
SE
EA
EL
R

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 ENGLISH II RELEASED ITEMS

The question you read next will require you to answer in writing.

1. Write your answer on separate paper.

2. Be sure to write your name on each page.

33 Explain the importance of lightbulb shape for future bulb development. Use one
example from the text and include how the textual evidence supports your answer.

D
SE
EA
EL
R

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Adapted from “The Cloak”

by Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol

It would be difficult to find another man who lived so entirely for his duties. It is not
enough to say that Alex labored with zeal: no, he labored with love. In his copying, he
found a varied and agreeable employment. Enjoyment was written on his face: some
letters were even favorites with him; and when he encountered these, he smiled,
winked, and worked with his lips, till it seemed as though each letter might be read in
his face, as his pen traced it. If his pay had been in proportion to his zeal, he would,
perhaps, to his great surprise, have been made even a councilor of state.1 But he

D
worked, as his companions, the wits, put it, like a horse in a mill.

SE
Moreover, it is impossible to say that no attention was paid to him. One director being a
kindly man, and desirous of rewarding him for his long service, ordered him to be given
something more important than mere copying. So he was ordered to make a report of
EA
an already concluded affair to another department: the duty consisting simply in
changing the heading and altering a few words from the first to the third person. This
caused him so much toil that he broke into a perspiration, rubbed his forehead, and
finally said, “No, give me rather something to copy.” After that they let him copy on
forever.
EL

Outside this copying, it appeared that nothing existed for him. He gave no thought to his
clothes: his uniform was not green, but a sort of rusty-meal color. The collar was low, so
R

that his neck, in spite of the fact that it was not long, seemed inordinately so as it
emerged from it, like the necks of those plaster cats which wag their heads, and are
carried about upon the heads of scores of image sellers. And something was always
sticking to his uniform, either a bit of hay or some trifle. Moreover, he had a peculiar
knack, as he walked along the street, of arriving beneath a window just as all sorts of
rubbish were being flung out of it: hence he always bore about on his hat scraps of
melon rinds and other such articles. Never once in his life did he give heed to what was
going on every day in the street; while it is well-known that the younger officials watch
everything and train the range of their glances until they can see when anyone’s trouser
straps come undone on the opposite sidewalk, which always brings a malicious smile to

1
councilor of state: a government official

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 ENGLISH II RELEASED ITEMS

their faces. But Alex saw in all things the clean, even strokes of his written lines; and
only when a horse thrust his nose, from some unknown quarter, over his shoulder, and
sent a whole gust of wind down his neck from his nostrils, did he observe that he was
not in the middle of a page, but in the middle of the street.

On reaching home, he sat down at once at the table, supped his cabbage soup up
quickly, and swallowed a bit of beef with onions, never noticing their taste, and gulping
down everything and anything else which appeared before him at the moment. His
stomach filled, he rose from the table, and copied papers which he had brought home. If
there happened to be none, he took copies for himself, for his own gratification,
especially if the document was noteworthy, not on account of its style, but of its being

D
addressed to some distinguished person.

SE
Thus flowed on the peaceful life of the man, who, with a salary of four hundred
rubles,2 understood how to be content with his lot; and thus it would have continued to
flow on, perhaps, to extreme old age, were it not that there are various ills strewn along
the path of life for title councilors as well as for private, actual, court, and every other
EA
species of councilor, even for those who never give any advice or take any themselves.

2
rubles: monetary coins of Russia and the Soviet Union
EL
R

34 How does the sentence below from paragraph 1 shape the theme of the text?

“Enjoyment was written on his face: some letters were even favorites with him;
and when he encountered these, he smiled, winked, and worked with his lips, till it
seemed as though each letter might be read in his face, as his pen traced it.”

A It supports the idea that Alex has an unhealthy obsession with his work.

B It supports the idea that Alex’s work is worthwhile to the community.

C It conveys the idea that Alex’s work brings him genuine pleasure.

D It conveys the idea that Alex does his work in a primitive way.

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35 What is the effect of the simile “like a horse in a mill” in paragraph 1?

A It emphasizes how Alex toiled ceaselessly.

B It emphasizes how strong Alex was.

C It emphasizes the perfection in Alex’s duties.

D It emphasizes the importance of Alex’s job.

36 How does Alex’s interaction with the director in paragraph 2 advance the plot?

D
A It exposes how Alex’s department is eager to promote him.

B It exposes the fact that Alex does not get along well with his coworkers.

D
SE
It emphasizes Alex’s contentment with his position and his fear of change.

It emphasizes the fact that Alex’s supervisors disagree on what he should

do.
EA

37 What can be inferred from the sentence below in paragraph 3?

EL

“But Alex saw in all things the clean, even strokes of his written lines; and only
when a horse thrust his nose, from some unknown quarter, over his shoulder, and
sent a whole gust of wind down his neck from his nostrils, did he observe that he
was not in the middle of a page, but in the middle of the street.”
R

A Alex had a strong awareness of all written words.

B Alex was oblivious to his surroundings.

C Alex was a dispirited and lonely individual.

D Alex led a dismal life compared to others.

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38 What impact does the author’s use of the word lot have in paragraph 5?

A It shows that Alex’s life and work are valuable and honored highly by
society.

B It reveals that Alex’s work pays well, and he is respected by other

professionals.

C It proves that Alex’s life is excessive, and his work becomes overbearing for
him at times.

D It indicates that Alex’s life and work are neither rewarding nor revered by
other people.

D
39

A SE
What is being implied in paragraph 5?

Alex seems content with his work and his life despite the future challenges
he has ahead of him.
EA
B Alex is not happy about the changes occurring in his job and his future.

C Alex looks forward to changing his job and his life in the future.

D Alex’s work and life will become more interesting in the future.
EL

40 How does the author create suspense in paragraph 5?

R

A by saying Alex never gave any advice to anyone or took any advice himself

B by saying Alex had a salary of only 400 rubles a year

C by saying Alex’s life would have flowed on, perhaps to extreme old age

D by saying Alex’s career continued peacefully

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41 Which detail from the text emphasizes the idea that Alex’s occupation is his
favorite activity?

A “If his pay had been in proportion to his zeal, he would, perhaps, . . . have
been made even a councilor of state.”

B “Moreover, it is impossible to say that no attention was paid to him.”

C “He gave no thought to his clothes: his uniform was not green, but a sort of
rusty-meal color.”

D “If there happened to be none, he took copies for himself, for his own
gratification . . .”

D
SE
EA
EL
R

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 ENGLISH II RELEASED ITEMS

The question you read next will require you to answer in writing.

1. Write your answer on separate paper.

2. Be sure to write your name on each page.

42 Analyze how Alex’s actions in paragraphs 3 and 4 develop the theme of the text.
Use at least one example from the text to support your answer. Explain how the
textual evidence supports your answer.

D
SE
EA
EL
R

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This excerpt was posted on the Defenders of Wildlife website in 2011.

Excerpt from “Sprawl Threatens

Wildlife and Habitat”

More than one-third of the known species in the United States are considered in danger
of extinction (Stein et al. 2000). The main threat to these species, and biodiversity in
general, is habitat loss and fragmentation. While habitat can be consumed and altered in
numerous ways, poorly planned development and unmanaged growth, or sprawl, is one
of the major contributors. In a recent California study, sprawl was found to be the

D
leading cause of species imperilment (National Wildlife Federation 2001).

Sprawl, especially through the building of impervious* surfaces and roads, destroys and

SE
fragments habitat and disrupts ecological processes. Invasive species thrive and
pollution increases in these disturbed environments, causing numerous additional
problems for species and their habitat.
EA
Sprawl has been devouring land and habitat at an alarming pace. The rate of sprawl in
the United States almost quadrupled between 1954 and 1997 and doubled between
1992 and 1997. About 3 million acres (roughly the size of Connecticut) of mainly
forestland, pastureland, rangeland, and cropland are converted to urbanized landscapes
EL

annually (U.S. Department of Agriculture 1997).

R

The rate of development in the United States doubled in the last decade with some
3 million acres of farmland, forestland, and wildlife habitat now converted annually—an
area the size of Connecticut (Environmental Protection Agency 2001). Currently, the rate
of land consumption outpaces population growth. For example, Chicago suburbs
experienced a 46% increase in land consumption during the last decade while only
increasing population by 4 percent (Benfield et al. 1999). And once converted, these
urbanized landscapes no longer provide the same options for wildlife, thus displacing or
eliminating many species, especially those that depend upon large blocks of forest,
shrubland, or grassland.

*
impervious: not permitting penetration or passage; impenetrable

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Habitat Loss

Studies show that habitat loss is the leading threat to endangered and extremely rare
species. In a study of 1,207 rare U.S. species that suffer from habitat loss, 35 percent
are threatened by commercial development and 38% by agricultural development
(Wilcove et al. 2000). Since most agricultural development occurred years ago,
commercial development is now the most immediate threat.

Habitat loss concerns:

D
Lowland habitat. In the United States, the most biologically diverse areas occur in

SE
low-elevation bottomlands, the same places where most major cities are located.
Unfortunately, biodiversity has been much better protected at the high elevations than
the lower elevations (Scott et al. 2001). Habitat loss in the lowlands has severed
connections between populations, creating isolated habitat islands for species that would
otherwise move through valleys (Shafer 1990, Saunders et al. 1991). In addition, road
EA
mortality and human-species conflicts occur when developed areas block the paths of
animals looking to disperse, migrate, and locate suitable habitat.
EL

Wetlands. Many species depend upon wetland habitat to support some stage in their
life cycle. At the same time, human demand to develop these areas is high. More than
50 percent of the wetlands in the U.S. have been drained and filled (Environmental
Protection Agency 2001).
R

Agricultural lands. Farms, if managed properly, can provide wildlife habitat for some
species, but many populations of species historically associated with native prairie or
forests that are now converted to agriculture have declined dramatically. In fact,
grassland birds are considered the most threatened group of birds in the United States
because of habitat loss (U.S. Geological Survey 1998).

At the beginning of the twentieth century the most significant form of habitat loss was
logging and farmland conversion. Although more of the U.S. landscape has been
converted to agriculture than to development, today habitat lost to development is the
more pressing problem. Currently, not much new farmland is being created.

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43 Where does the central idea first emerge in the text?

A “Sprawl was found to be the leading cause of species imperilment.”

B “The rate of sprawl in the United States almost quadrupled between 1954
and 1997.”

C “Currently, the rate of land consumption outpaces population growth.”

D “Habitat loss in the lowlands has severed connections between populations.”

44 How does the use of words like danger, threat, and imperilment in paragraph 1

D
affect the meaning of the text?

A by illustrating the rate of road mortality in the United States

C
SE
by conveying the negative effects of ecological biodiversity

by stating a warning about the consequences of urbanization on wildlife

EA
D by implying the possibility that a loss of animal species is impossible to
control
EL

45 How does the description of sprawl as “devouring land and habitat at an alarming
pace” in paragraph 3 affect the meaning of the text?

A It detracts from the author’s concerns about urbanization.

R

B It highlights the means by which urbanization occurs and grows.

C It personifies the process of urbanization and emphasizes its negative

aspects.

D It discredits the threat of urbanization and dispels the myths associated with
it.

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46 How do the details in paragraph 4 develop the author’s claims about sprawl?

A by emphasizing the extent of animal habitat that is jeopardized yearly

B by indicating how much land can safely be lost to development each year

C by suggesting forests and pastures are the primary habitats of endangered

species

D by asserting that the effects of development are less serious than experts
suggest

D
47 Based on paragraph 5, what can be inferred about the connection between
clearing land and wildlife habitat?

B
SE
Clearing land for agriculture has been less of a threat in the past.

Clearing land for agriculture is the greatest threat to wildlife at this time.

C Clearing land for urbanization has been the main threat to wildlife in the
EA
past.

D Clearing land for urbanization has surpassed the threat of clearing land for
agriculture.
EL

48 How do the paragraphs in the section “Habitat loss concerns” refine the author’s
claim about habitat loss?
R

A by describing the particular species most affected by urban sprawl

B by emphasizing the areas where species are the most vulnerable to

extinction

C by demonstrating the need for policies that limit development in certain

areas

D by focusing on the history of urban development in certain parts of the

United States

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49 How does the author connect the ideas concerning sprawl and threatened wildlife?

A by implying that new studies about development and extinction should be

conducted

B by emphasizing the importance of the research studies and when they were
published

C by using research and data to support the central idea of the text

D by suggesting the claims are legitimate but need less emphasis

D
50 How does the author use rhetoric to advance the point of view that urban sprawl is
one of the main causes of wildlife extinction in the United States?

B
to their demise SE
by discussing species-specific losses and the development projects that led

by including studies from activists about the insufficient legislation protecting

EA
animal habitats

C by focusing on how much land is currently being developed for commercial

and agricultural use
EL

D by highlighting specific studies and explaining the increase in development

over time
R

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 ENGLISH II RELEASED FORM

The question you read next will require you to answer in writing.

1. Write your answer on separate paper.

2. Be sure to write your name on each page.

51 Analyze how the information in paragraphs 6–8 refines the claims the author
makes in the first paragraph. Provide one example from the text and explain how
the textual evidence supports your answer.

D
SE
EA
EL
R

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 ENGLISH II RELEASED FORM

This is the end of the English II test.

Directions:

1. Look back over your answers for the test questions.

2. Put all of your papers inside your test book and close your test book.

3. Stay quietly in your seat until your teacher tells you that testing is
finished.

D
SE
EA
EL
R

40