Short Answer Questions What is a Short Answer

Short Answer Questions

What is a Short Answer Question? �A L 2 question (not obvious answer) �Can be based on opinion, as long as you provide evidence for your opinion � 10 lines to answer �Part of English I STAAR EOC test • Must be passed to graduate

ABC: Three Essential Parts of a Short Answer �A: Answer the question (1 sentence) �B: Bring in the text to support your answer (1+ sentences) �C: Comment on the evidence (Explain how your B part is connected to the A part; 1+ sentences) �At least three sentences.

Scoring �Score Point 0: Doesn’t answer question/off topic �Score Point 1 (Partially sufficient): Good A part but… • • • B part does not contain a quote!!! B part is not given at all (no evidence) B part is given but is unrelated to answer. B part misuses info from passage. Not a very deep answer; L 1 Too many thoughts in one answer. Just pick one thought and stick to it.

�Score Point 2 (Sufficient): Good A part (L 2) and… • B part is accurate • B part clearly supports A part • C part is clear

�Score Point 3 Insightful (deep) A part and… • B part strongly supports A part • B part is very specific and points out small details • C part is clear and thorough

Discuss The boy is described as being thoughtful. One can see this in lines 12 -14. It shows he is thoughtful because he saw the owner coming back and he didn’t take the bike. This means he thought of the old man and helped him get to the bike instead of taking it. Thus we can see he thinks before he does his actions. What do you think? Score 0, 1, 2, or 3? 1: Good A part, but needed a quote. (Line reference and summary is not enough. )

Discuss The boy is described as curious. One can see this in lines 2 -5 where he has just found the bike and is admiring it. When he says, “I found back of the willows one summer day a motorcycle with engine running as it lay on its side. ” Here you can infer that he likes the motorcycle because he is noticing all of the little things about it things that someone that is not too interested would notice. We can see that he wants it and would like to have it. What do you think? Score 0, 1, 2, or 3? Answer: 1. Again, good A part, but the quote given doesn’t support the A part. What could have been a better quote? (Look in the book).

The boy is described as being admiring. He is described as being admiring because in lines 6 -8, he is describing the bike, for example he said, “I admired all pushing gleam, the shiny flanks, the demure headlights fringed where it lay. ” It shows he is admiring the bike because the passionate way he is describing the bike. This means that he maybe one day he would want a motorcycle just like the one he found or maybe even more amazing. Score? Score Point 0: Doesn’t answer the question. It summarizes what the boy DOES, but it doesn’t describe him. “Admiring” is not a quality. It’s an action.

The boy is described as being thoughtful. One can see this in lines 16 and 19. Where he helps this stranger to his bike, saying, “Thinking, back farther in the grass I found the owner, ” and “I helped him walk back to his machine” It shows he’s thoughtful because even though he wanted the bike, he still thought to help the owner and put himself second. Score? Score Point 2: Good A part, decent B part (directly supports the answer). Not super deep though.

Short Answer/ABC Format Pick any character from “HB. ” How would you describe them? TEMPLATE (YOU FILL IN THE BLANKS) Name of character from Name of Story is quality/trait/adjective: USE A VOCAB WORD. For example, in paragraph # , “bring in a quote (or even a piece of a quote) that best supports your answer. ” This shows repeat quality or a synonym word because comment on how your quote shows that quality (explain). EXAMPLE (USING ANOTHER STORY) The hare (rabbit) from the story “The Tortoise and the Hare” is myopic. For example, in paragraph 3, the hare stops running because he has a head start, thinking “ ‘There’s time to relax. ” This is myopic behavior because he couldn’t see the big picture; he thought he could “relax” but didn’t realize the tortoise had a plan to beat him. A: B: C: