expository selection

Expository SelectionExpository Selection

English IEnglish I

PSAT Lesson 2010PSAT Lesson 2010

What is an Expository What is an Expository Selection?Selection?

Up until now, you have been reading Up until now, you have been reading literary stories in English class. literary stories in English class. What’s the difference? The primary What’s the difference? The primary purpose of literary stories are to purpose of literary stories are to entertain, while the primary purpose entertain, while the primary purpose of expository selections are to of expository selections are to explain. These selections are often explain. These selections are often newspaper or magazine articles.newspaper or magazine articles.

Activity 1Activity 1

Today you are going to read an Today you are going to read an expository selection that was expository selection that was originally published in originally published in The The Washington PostWashington Post magazine by Jeanne magazine by Jeanne Marie Laskas. You will take turns Marie Laskas. You will take turns reading the following slides, while reading the following slides, while stopping to answer questions along stopping to answer questions along the way! the way!

The check bounced. “Insufficient funds.” says the little note attached. Well, I’m sure it’s just a mistake. Probably the people didn’t make a transfer in time or something. “No big deal,” I keep saying to myself, standing at the mailbox.

Question #1Question #1

Read the following dictionary entry.Read the following dictionary entry.

Bounce |’baun(t)s\v 1. to cause to rebound after Bounce |’baun(t)s\v 1. to cause to rebound after striking a surface 2. to dismiss from striking a surface 2. to dismiss from employment;fire 3. to present an idea to employment;fire 3. to present an idea to another person for comments or approval 4. another person for comments or approval 4. to be returned by a bank because of a to be returned by a bank because of a shortage of moneyshortage of money

A.A. Def. 1Def. 1 C. Def. 2C. Def. 2B.B. Def. 3Def. 3 D. Def. 4D. Def. 4Which definition best matches the use of the Which definition best matches the use of the

word word bounced in the previous paragraph?bounced in the previous paragraph?

Dictionary Question StrategyDictionary Question Strategy

Step 1: Look back at the original paragraphStep 1: Look back at the original paragraphStep 2: Take each definition choice and Step 2: Take each definition choice and

plug it IN PLACE OF the word.plug it IN PLACE OF the word.For Example:For Example:Original Sentence: The check bounced Original Sentence: The check bounced New Sentence: The check (to cause to New Sentence: The check (to cause to

rebound after striking a surface) rebound after striking a surface) Is this correct? If not, try each definition Is this correct? If not, try each definition

and see which one is the BEST answer.and see which one is the BEST answer.


Which lines show that the author was Which lines show that the author was beginning to question her decision to sell beginning to question her decision to sell Cricket and Sassy?Cricket and Sassy?

A.A. I ask her how Cricket and Sassy are doing I ask her how Cricket and Sassy are doing and she says, “Great!” Nothing more.and she says, “Great!” Nothing more.

B.B. What do you think, I’m an idiot or What do you think, I’m an idiot or something? I stomp into the house.something? I stomp into the house.

C.C. ““Well, Cricket, friendships take work,” I’ll Well, Cricket, friendships take work,” I’ll say. “That’s all there is to it.”say. “That’s all there is to it.”

D.D. But the check bounced! Isn’t that But the check bounced! Isn’t that strange? I mean, is there a message here?strange? I mean, is there a message here?

Question #2 StrategyQuestion #2 Strategy

Remember, on TAKS the questions are not listed after Remember, on TAKS the questions are not listed after each paragraph. This question is asked AFTER each paragraph. This question is asked AFTER you’ve read the entire piece. Don’t rely on the you’ve read the entire piece. Don’t rely on the placement of the question! placement of the question!

-Look back at the original question. What is the key -Look back at the original question. What is the key word in the question?word in the question?

““Beginning”Beginning”

This one word clues you in that you need to look at This one word clues you in that you need to look at when she FIRST hinted at making the wrong when she FIRST hinted at making the wrong decision. decision.

No, of course not. Probably just a clerical error.

Even so, as I take the long walk back home, I get a picture in my head. I imagine that somehow Cricket and Sassy understand that the check bounced, that they understand the legal ramifications of this, that technically the deal is null and void, and in one burst of horse energy they leap over the buyer’s fence and come bounding in slow motion, as if in a shampoo commercial, up our driveway, toward me, kicking and snorting with glee, and I run toward them and we hug and live happily ever after. Together. As it was meant to be.

When I get home I snap out of it. No, we did the right thing, selling Cricket and Sassy. They’re in a better place now. Cricket will be a brood mare. A mom! And Sassy, her friend will be at her side. It’s better for them. Better for us. Cricket, a registered American saddlebred is too much horse for novices like us. And Sassy is too short for an adult to ride. And we have another horse and mule that we do ride. So this really is the best for all concerned.


How did the author persuade herself that How did the author persuade herself that she had made the right decision to sell she had made the right decision to sell her animals?her animals?

A.A. She recognized that the money from the She recognized that the money from the sale would help her family.sale would help her family.

B.B. She told herself that the animals were She told herself that the animals were better off with the new owners.better off with the new owners.

C.C. She accepted Billy’s opinion that she had She accepted Billy’s opinion that she had made a wise choice.made a wise choice.

D.D. She admitted that the buyers were She admitted that the buyers were responsible businesspeople.responsible businesspeople.

Questions #3 StrategyQuestions #3 Strategy

#1: Pay attention to what the question is asking.#1: Pay attention to what the question is asking.It says “HOW” did he persuade himself, not “WHY”!It says “HOW” did he persuade himself, not “WHY”!Questions are often missed because students don’t pay Questions are often missed because students don’t pay

attention to what the question is REALLY askingattention to what the question is REALLY asking#2: What is the key word in the question? “Persuade”#2: What is the key word in the question? “Persuade”If you don’t know what “persuade” means, you can’t If you don’t know what “persuade” means, you can’t

answer this question! USE A DICTIONARY!!!!! You answer this question! USE A DICTIONARY!!!!! You can use a dictionary on the ENTIRE 9can use a dictionary on the ENTIRE 9thth grade test! grade test! Take advantage of the tools you have and LOOK IT Take advantage of the tools you have and LOOK IT UP!!UP!!

Definition: Persuade-to convinceDefinition: Persuade-to convince

And what did I tell myself? Yes, some friendships are meant to end. That’s it. Never mind that Cricket was our love-horse, the horse that walked up our driveway on our wedding day. And Sassy was our love-mule, the mule that walked up our driveway beside her. They had flowers in their hair. Never mind! Because some friendships are just meant to end. And I am a mature person with a logical head who understand this.


Paragraph 5 & 6 are mainly about-Paragraph 5 & 6 are mainly about-A.A. How much trouble the animals had How much trouble the animals had

becomebecomeB.B. How the author rationalized the sale How the author rationalized the sale

of her petsof her petsC.C. How angry the author was with the How angry the author was with the

buyers of Cricket and Sassybuyers of Cricket and SassyD.D. Why American saddlebreds are Why American saddlebreds are

loveable horsesloveable horses

Questions #4 StrategyQuestions #4 Strategy

This question is asked in two ways-This question is asked in two ways-

““what is paragraph x MAINLY about?” and what is paragraph x MAINLY about?” and “What is paragraph x MOSTLY about?”“What is paragraph x MOSTLY about?”

Don’t get confused! This is the same Don’t get confused! This is the same question!question!

Go back to the paragraphs asked about Go back to the paragraphs asked about and reread to find the BEST answer!and reread to find the BEST answer!


The author had good memories of Cricket The author had good memories of Cricket and Sassy because-and Sassy because-

A they were gifts from the author’s husbandA they were gifts from the author’s husbandB the author and her husband rode Cricket B the author and her husband rode Cricket

and Sassy frequentlyand Sassy frequentlyC Cricket and Sassy participated in the C Cricket and Sassy participated in the

author’s weddingauthor’s weddingD the author had raised the animals from D the author had raised the animals from

birthbirth


Look at your answer choices! Go back Look at your answer choices! Go back to the text and see which answer to the text and see which answer choices are positive and which are choices are positive and which are false. There is only one TRUE false. There is only one TRUE answer-the rest are false!answer-the rest are false!

To figure this out-you’d have to GO To figure this out-you’d have to GO BACK to the text! BACK to the text!

So I call Cricket and Sassy’s new owners. “The Checked bounced,” I say. “Oh, that’s our stupid bank,” the woman says. Then she gives me her bank’s stupid phone number, should I want to call for proof that her account is in good standing, which I don’t really, but I write the number down anyway. “Just resubmit the check, okay?” she says. I ask her how Cricket and Sassy are doing, and she says, “Great!” Nothing more. I wish she had said more.


The sentence “I wish she had said more” The sentence “I wish she had said more” shows-shows-

A.A. How much the author missed Cricket and How much the author missed Cricket and SassySassy

B.B. The rudeness of the buyer toward the authorThe rudeness of the buyer toward the author

C.C. That the author feared the animals might That the author feared the animals might have been illhave been ill

D.D. That the buyer was too busy to talk with the That the buyer was too busy to talk with the authorauthor


Look at choice B & D. Both choices Look at choice B & D. Both choices might be a reasonable conclusion might be a reasonable conclusion that you come up with, but is it the that you come up with, but is it the best conclusion and can you REALLY best conclusion and can you REALLY defend that answer…NO!defend that answer…NO!

Stick to the story! Only one answer is Stick to the story! Only one answer is the BEST answer! the BEST answer!

Meantime, all this horse thinking gets my mind on Billy. Because not all fading friendships are meant to end. Billy is the neighbor who sold Cricket and Sassy to us. He’s the one who rode Sassy up the driveway on our wedding day, his feet dragging on the ground. Tom, his son, rode Cricket. They’re the ones who put the flowers in their hair. Billy and I used to see each other more. I don’t know why we’ve drifted. There never seems to be a real reason for friendships to fade. Friendships take work. Maybe that’s all there is to it.

I call Billy just to say hi. He seems happy to hear from me. “We got a donkey!” he says. “She’s so goofy. You’d love her.” I tell him the news about Cricket and Sassy, and when I mention the buyers he seems concerned: “Did you happen to insist on a certified check?”

Oh.

Sure enough, a few days later, I’m at the mailbox. “Insufficient funds.” I can’t believe it. What do they think, I’m an idiot or something? I stomp into the house. What about that bank phone umber? I’ll call that bank, I’ll get to the bottom of this. What did I do with that number? I must have thrown it out. I start picking through the trash.


In the previous paragraph, the author In the previous paragraph, the author was-was-

A.A. NervousNervous

B.B. TiredTired

C.C. FrustratedFrustrated

D.D. TimidTimid


#1: If you don’t know what all the #1: If you don’t know what all the answer choices mean-look them up!answer choices mean-look them up!

#2: Defend! Defend! Defend! Only one #2: Defend! Defend! Defend! Only one choice can be defended with text choice can be defended with text from the paragraph, therefore, it’s from the paragraph, therefore, it’s the correct answer!the correct answer!

Here it is! But the paper is wet and the number is blurred.

Isn’t that strange? I mean, is there a message here? It’s hard not to think of disappearing ink as a message from above. I start getting shampoo commercials in my head again. Oh, dear.

Why am I putting myself through all of this? Why can’t I just admit that I made a mistake? Not just the part about selling my beloved pets to, well, some questionable buyers. But selling them at all. And, anyway, why can’t we breed Cricket? A lot of work, perhaps. But wouldn’t that be an amazing experience?


When the author finally found the paper When the author finally found the paper with the bank’s phone number on it, with the bank’s phone number on it, it was difficult to read because-it was difficult to read because-

A.A. The paper was wetThe paper was wet

B.B. The handwriting was poorThe handwriting was poor

C.C. The author could not see wellThe author could not see well

D.D. The seller had made a mistakeThe seller had made a mistake


Get rid of the extra words in the Get rid of the extra words in the question! When you do that the question! When you do that the question reads:question reads:

The paper is difficult to read because…The paper is difficult to read because…

Question #9 Question #9

What caused the author’s primary What caused the author’s primary conflict?conflict?

A.A. She couldn’t ride SassyShe couldn’t ride Sassy

B.B. She didn’t have enough money.She didn’t have enough money.

C.C. She missed her friend Billy.She missed her friend Billy.

D.D. She regretted selling her petsShe regretted selling her pets


Pay CLOSE attention to the wording of this Pay CLOSE attention to the wording of this question! What do you think is the MOST question! What do you think is the MOST important word in the question????important word in the question????

““Primary”…if you don’t know what that word Primary”…if you don’t know what that word means-you’d get this question wrong!means-you’d get this question wrong!

Primary-first, of most importancePrimary-first, of most importanceThree of the four questions are conflicts in Three of the four questions are conflicts in

the story, but only ONE is the PRIMARY the story, but only ONE is the PRIMARY conflict…which answer is it?conflict…which answer is it?

I imagine Cricket back in our barn. I imagine brushing her, telling her everything I’ve learned. “Well, Cricket, friendships take work,” Ill say. “That’s all there is to it.”

So I call the woman, sound very businesslike. “The check bounced again,” I say calmly. “The deal is off.” Strangely, she doesn’t sound surprised. I get the distinct sense she and her husband have been through this before.

I call Billy. “Would you be able to go pick up Cricket and Sassy in your horse trailer and bring them back home?” I ask. He says of course. No questions asked. And I think that’s what friends are for. And I say yeah, I’d love to stop over and meet his new donkey.

expository selection

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