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Assessment
Lessons 18-20		 Thinking Critically

Name:
Teacher:

Assessment Directions:

Important: If you run out of time and need to stop the test at any time, go to the bottom of the page and click the Score Your Answer button even if you aren't finished. Print the partial results for your teacher. The answers are not saved once you close the page, so if you don't print the results, you will lose your answers and your hard work! The next day, start where you left off.

There are two reading selections in this assessment, and eight questions. Some questions are multiple choice, and some are short answer. Take your time and do your best! At the end, you will see your score for the multiple choice questions, and will print the assessment for your teacher to score the short answer and extended responses.

Directions:

Shirley Chisholm of Brooklyn, New York, was the first African American woman elected to the United States Congress. Her essay, "I'd Rather Be Black Than Female," appeared in a popular magazine in 1970, over 30 years ago. As you read, think about Chisholm's purpose in writing the essay, the time it was written, and who the audience for her words might be.

Then answer Questions 1 - 4. Use all your reading skills and also the tips you know about answering questions.


I'd Rather Be
Black Than Female

Question 1:

Which sentence from the selection is an opinion?

A. I have been active in politics for more than twenty years.
B. Only two (women) have held Cabinet rank. Only two women hold ambassadorial rank.
C. The women of a nation mold its morals, its religion, and its politics by the lives they live.
D. But women predominate in the lower-paying, menial, unrewarding, dead-end jobs, and when they do reach better positions, they are invariably paid less than a man gets for the same job.

Question 2:

Which statement is the most important conclusion that may be drawn from the selection?

A. Every woman can be as successful as Shirley Chisholm.
B. It would help eliminate prejudice in our country if more women were to seek and obtain top political offices.
C. Prejudice against women as doctors, lawyers, or politicians will never change.
D. The lack of women in top political offices means it's a career they don't want.

Question 3:

What is the author's purpose for writing this selection?
A.

Shirley Chisholm wants to inform the reader that there is prejudice against women in politics.
B. Shirley Chisholm wants to entertain the reader with her story of achievements in a difficult career.
C. Shirley Chisholm wants to explain to the reader that racial prejudice is greater in politics than gender prejudice.
D. Shirley Chisholm wants to persuade her female reader to become involved in politics to help fight gender prejudice against women in this country.

Question 4:

Chisholm use both persuasive techniques, and expository writing to get readers to share her views. She uses these techniques to persuade and to explain in her essay. Which purpose is more effective to you, the reader?

Choose one purpose and explain how Chisholm uses it effectively in her essay.

  • To persuade readers to agree with her opinion or to take action, or both.
  • To explain her ideas, using evidence and logical reasoning.

Include two details from the selection to support your answer.

Start your response with a statement of purpose, such as one of the following:

  • Shirley Chisholm wants to persuade the reader . . .
  • Shirley Chisholm wants to explain to the reader . . .

Type your answer here:

Now score your answer.

Remember a short answer response earns 0, 1, or 2 points. A complete and accurate answer would earn 2 points. Review the criteria before you score your response.

  • 2 points: evaluates the purpose of the essay and supports idea with two details from the text, includes thoughtful explanation and justification of decision.
  • 1 point: partial understanding / evaluation of the purpose of the essay, partial explanation / justification of decision, may include one detail from the text, tries to use information from speech, but it might be incomplete or not make sense.
  • 0 points: little or no understanding of the purpose of the essay, "I don't know," no examples from the passage.

My short answer response for Question 4 earned a score of   because:

Directions:

Read "The Cigarette Companies: How They Get Away With Murder." Even from the title, you can probably make an accurate guess about the author's viewpoint. Watch for persuasive techniques the author uses, and look for the difference between facts and opinions as you read.

Then answer Questions 5-8. Use all your reading skills and also the tips you know about answering questions.


The Cigarette
Companies: How They
Get Away With Murder

Question 5:

Which statement from this selection is an opinion?

A.
 Three thousand Americans died of lung cancer in 1930.
B.
 In the United States, smoking now causes 85 percent of lung cancer cases.
C.
 The cigarette industry's 20-year war against medical fact has been remarkably successful.
D.
 This article was originally commissioned by The New Republic.

Question 6:

Which of the following sets of words used by the author are emotionally loaded?

NOTE: Emotionally loaded words are slanted to one side or the other, and are used for the purpose of getting the reader to feel strongly, or emotionally about an issue.

A.
 reason, increase, every year
B.
 proof, maintained, health
C.
 medical, establish, taxes
D.
 lies, dark genius, war

Question 7:

Which of the following best states the author's point of view?

A.
 Smoking is a harmless activity and should be a matter of individual choice.
B.
 Smoking is a major health hazard, and it is wrong for cigarette companies to get away with covering this up.
C.
 Eighth-graders don't smoke cigarettes in order to look like eighth-graders.
D.
 The tobacco industry is responsible for generating about 4.4 billion dollars in federal taxes and 4.3 billion dollars in state taxes each year, so it should be allowed to do what it likes.

Question 8:

When cigarette companies talk about civil liberties and freedom when defending smoking, they are using which persuasion technique? The paragraph is highlighted in green in the selection.

  • snob appeal: appealing to social or intellectual pretensions,
  • name calling: attacking a person rather than an issue,
  • bandwagon: urging people to do something because everyone is doing it,
  • glittering generalities: using lofty ideas, such as freedom, or equal rights, or groups, such as religion, Civil Liberties, Green Peace, to support a cause.
A.
 glittering generalities
B.
 bandwagon
C.
 name calling
D.
 snob appeal
(9 possible points)

Be sure to:

  • Click the Finished button to score the multiple choice questions.
  • On the next page click the print button to give the assessment to your teacher who will score the short answer question.
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