NJASK Boot Camp

The All-in-One Guide to Conquering the NJASK State Test

The Dreaded Multiple Choice

There are different kinds of questions they will ask, but thankfully, they don’t change from year to year.

Once you understand the type of questions they will ask, you can prepare yourself and be one step ahead.

These types of questions will follow you right into college – so it’s important to master them now.

Multiple Choice Questions

Remember the testers are looking for ONLY ONE right answer for each multiple choice question

As a rule:◦ There is 1 or 2 questions that are far-fetched

Cross these out immediately◦ Focus on the other 2 and select the best of those

50% chance is better than 25% any day of the week

Tips and Tricks

The following are the staples in the standardized testing situations:

Multiple Choice

By the end of the story, ___________ learns that…

Which statement expresses the theme of the story?

In the article, the author attempts to… Which sums up the central idea of “_____”? A central theme in “______” is…

1. Main Idea/Theme

These are meant to be the easiest and most straightforward questions

In paragraph #...◦ GO BACK TO THE PARAGRAPH!!

They are referring you back to the story for a reason

2. Basic Recall

Metaphors, similes, hyperboles, personification, idioms, alliteration, allusions, imagery, etc.

We have been talking about these since the beginning of the year – there is no reason to get these wrong.

3. Literary Devices

The key to these questions is the use of context clues

Read the sentence(s) surrounding the unfamiliar word and come to a conclusion about the definition of the word◦ I am becoming bored of my father constantly

pontificating about how good I have it compared to him at my age.

4. Vocabulary/Unfamiliar Word

They like to ask questions about character traits in the story

“Which word best describes _____?” “As described in the article, _____ is…” “_____ shows him/herself to be…”

5. Character Analysis

Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution

Climax is the most commonly asked question

Remember that the climax is:◦ The most exciting part of the story◦ When the main conflict is finally resolved

6. Plot Diagramming

We have practiced multiple times throughout our novels, poems, and lyrics in songs

Just to review…◦ What is the tone? Mood?

Sample question:◦ “Which of the following best describes the overall

tone of the story?”

7. Tone/Mood

Inferencing is more than an educated guess◦ It’s using evidence from the story to come to a

conclusion Ms. Kinnean ran to the bathroom holding

her face claiming she had something in her eye.

“Which detail supports the author’s main idea?”

8. Inferencing/Drawing Conclusions

Sometimes the questions will ask you to create an opinion about a character or situation

Be reasonable – they are looking for a certain answer

If it’s a moral question, go along with the societal accepted norm – even if you don’t agree

9. Opinions

This goes along with opinions from the previous slide◦ Be reasonable. Predict something that might

actually be possible.

10. Predictions

Sometimes they will ask you to “rename” the title of a reading selection

If you consider the main idea of the article or story, you should be able to pick out the title they are looking for

11. Title Replacement

Sometimes they will ask you what the turning point in the story is.

We have practiced this earlier in the year; this should be easy for you.

12. Turning Point in Story

If they ask you about the genre of a story, they are simply asking what type of story it falls into◦ Fiction, nonfiction, historical fiction, science

fiction, mystery, realistic fiction, fable, mythology, fairy tale, etc.

13. Genre

1st person◦ “I”, “My”

2nd person◦ Very rarely used◦ “You”

3rd person◦ “He”, “She”◦ Limited◦ Omniscient (able to enter into the heads of every

character)

14. Point of View

This is where you will have to jump into the thoughts of the author and try to determine how they felt about the selection (or what their reason for writing the selection was).

15. Author’s Feelings

The testers may want to test you on what the moral of the story is◦ This typically goes hand in hand with the theme

Moral, in case you forgot, is what you were supposed to learn from a reading◦ Don’t bully◦ Respect other peoples’ feelings◦ Treat others the way you would want to be treated

It’s usually some type of universal lesson about life

16. Moral

Read the question before you start the reading selection◦ This will give you the opportunity to see what to

keep an eye out for If you’re a quick reader, you may want to

underline important (quote-worthy) sentences along the way◦ This will make it very easy to place the quote and

incorporate it into your response.

Open-Ended Response

After the reading selection, read the open-ended question (and each bullet)

Try to make a list of possible themes that tie the question (and each bullet) together◦ Respect, responsibility, maturity, friendship,

alienation, depression, coming of age, survival, individuality, sharing…the list goes on and on

Select the most relevant theme and weave it throughout your response

Don’t forget your transitions!

Common Theme

Get to the point fairly quickly – there is very little space provided for open-ended responses

Aim for (2) solid paragraphs◦ Or (1) extended “adult paragraph”

Write as small as you can – the more information the better

Fill up the entire space…it’s really not much Write legibly Don’t use bullets to offset your paragraphs

Limited Space

Details. Details. Details.◦ Use as much elaboration as possible◦ “Point-quote, Point-quote, Point-quote”

Dr. Fitter If the question is tempting you to use a

personal experience – do it.◦ Keep it brief and relevant

Since the space is limited, use ONLY was completely necessary

Writing With Detail

Going beyond the text is the number one way to boost your score off the charts

Keep in mind any connection between a novel, movie, television show◦ These are allusions and they are good

Again…these are great but don’t simply give a recap of everything that happened in your choice◦ Stick to the relevant part of the allusion and prove

your point in relation to the original question

Beyond the Text

I know speed is of the essence when in these situations, but try your best to sound as educated as possible at all times

AVOID TEXT LANGUAGE AT ALL COSTS!!!

Grammar and Spelling

Strong topic sentences Sentence patterns

◦ Participial phrases, semicolon, parallel construction, sentence fragments, dashes

Transitions◦ AVOID First…, Second…, Lastly…

Sentence Patterns

Open-ended Rubric

This is arguably the most important writing prompt of the test◦ It is graded by two people and each gives it a

grade out of 6; the scores are then combined ◦ The highest score on a persuasive is a 12

I will show you the rubric in a couple of slides

Persuasive Prompt

Since none of you are expected to write for a full 45 minutes, it is important to gather your thoughts prior to writing

Suggestions:◦ T-Chart◦ Brainstorming Web◦ Outline◦ Anything that helps organize your thoughts

Prewriting/Brainstorming

Strong topic sentence Lead-in provided

◦ Warm the reader up before bombarding them with facts, statistics and opinions

Thesis statement provided◦ The main point of your paper and the examples

you plan on proving throughout We have practiced this, so there is no reason not to

do it in your essay

Introductory Paragraph

Introduce your best point in this paragraph Support it with details, details, details

◦ This paragraph has the best chance of being read all the way through Put your best foot forward

1st Body Paragraph

Introduce your second best point Details, details, details

2nd Paragraph

Introduce your third best paragraph ◦ If pressed for time or if you’re uncomfortable with

the prompt Turn a negative into a positive

◦ Stronger paragraph if you’re comfortable◦ Use one of your opposing topics to flip around and

find out how you can have it benefit you Details, details, details

3rd Paragraph

Abandon the traditional “conclusion” paragraph where you simply restate the points you have already made

Use the 1-2 punch sentence to leave your reader with something to think about they put your paper down◦ We have practiced these many times; use them.◦ This is considered a compositional risk and they

will be rewarded as such

1-2 Punch

Emotional Appeal: Writers may appeal to fear, anger, or joy to sway their readers. This technique contributes to the essay’s tone and mood. Consider Mr. Illas’s presentation about drugs…very hard hitting material works!

Word Choice: Is a person “slim” or “skinny”? Is an oil spill an “incident” or an “accident”? Is a nineteen-year-old suspect an “adult” or “teen”? Writers tend to reinforce their arguments by choosing words that will influence their reader’s perception of the issue. This is deceptive and tricky but effective.

Make a Negative a Positive: Just to show that you are examining both sides of the issue, try using a con to your point of view and turn it into a positive for you. Example: While bullying is a problem all over the country, the effect of a child standing up to a bully can quickly boost self-esteem and confidence.

Rhetorical Question: Sometimes a writer will ask a question to which no answer is required. The writer implies that the answer is obvious; the reader has no choice but to agree with the writer’s point. Example: How many times do I have to ask you to clean your room?

Analogy: Essay writers often use figures of speech for desired emphasis. Figurative Language: Similes, Extended Metaphors, Alliteration, Hyperboles, Etc. Use these for effect, not for the sake of using

them. Appeal to Authority: A writer may mention an important figure or event in an essay to lend importance and credibility to the

argument. Appeals to Self-Interest: When trying to persuade a reader, sometimes the writer will let the reader know how he/she will

benefit…think “what’s in it for you.” Butter up the reader a bit. A little flattery goes a long way. Evidence/Statistics: Writers often influence their readers by providing evidence that supports their argument. Whenever possible,

give the reader something concrete to consider as it can be “indisputable.” (Required) Anecdote: Draw from your own experiences or those of friends or family as examples to support your position. Don’t be too long-

winded with these. Prove your point and move on! Persuasive Don’ts Do not be too extreme with your argument. Avoid sweeping statements that use “always” or “never.” Do not be overly general. Avoid anchoring an argument with statements that include “everyone” or “no one.” Do fall into the trap of creating and supporting stereotypes. If your reader falls into a certain stereotype, you will lose your argument

immediately. Do not make claims that defy common sense or commonly known facts. Example: School cafeterias should not restrict sugary treats

because everyone knows sugar makes kids happy, and if kids are happy they score high on tests. Do not insult potential readers with derogatory remarks and insults. Example: People who think animal testing is necessary are

idiots who deserve to slowly suffer like lab rats. Do not fabricate outrageous facts. Example: In a recent survey I did yesterday, 97.99% of my participants agreed that locker

searches are ridiculous.  

Persuasive Techniques

Sentence patterns Transitions At least 6-7 sentences per paragraph Don’t be wishy-washy Sophisticated word choice Proper grammar Details, details, details Stick to answering the question

Don’t Forget:

Don’t sit there picking your nose; there are more constructive things to do with your time◦ Check word choice

Replace “bad” with “awful” or “atrocious” ◦ Insert different sentence patterns

Some people (like me) like to insert my sentence variety at the revision stage

◦ Check spelling and grammar Don’t risk sounding uneducated because you rushed

along and made careless errors

After You Finish:

Persuasive/Explanatory Rubric