Apex Elite School

English Department

Grade Eight

Revision Worksheet for English Skills

“2 nd Quarter”
Objectives:

Topics that should be studied during this quarter:

 Vocabulary
- Vocabulary list Help & improvement
- Vocabulary list Criticism
- Vocabulary list Certainty & uncertainty
- Vocabulary lists “Evolving language & argumentative word choice”
- Vocabulary in context (Unseen words)

 Literature
- Hrw collection 2 “Tell Tale Heart “ horror elements
- Collection 2 “The powwow at the end of the world” Poetry analysis
- Collection 4 “Much too young to work so hard & when do kids become adults”
- Collection 4 “O Captain! My Captain” poem analysis & poetic devices

 Grammar
- Simple tenses
- Verb tense
- Active & passive
- Combining sentences

 Reading skills
- Cite evidence
- Compare & contrast texts
- Prediction & characterization
- Making inference
- Theme

 Writing
- Argumentative features tools
- Writing a thesis statement
- Using persuasive tools
- Debating & presenting an argument
- Writing an argumentative essay
The following pages contain various exercises for practicing your skills.

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 Vocabulary Skills Practice

Getting Meaning from Context

A) Women’s suffrage organizations faced determined resistance from groups

who argued that a woman’s place was in the home, not in the political arena.
Plenty of women strongly agreed that they deserved more rights. Yet many of
them still deplored the idea of women having a voice in the government.
1 What does the word resistance mean in the paragraph?
A opposition
B agreement
C questions
D approval

2 Which words provide a clue to the meaning of resistance?

A “in the political arena”
B “in the home”
C “groups who argued”
D “in the government”

3 What does the word deplored mean in the paragraph?

A failed to understand
B disapproved of
C agreed with
D investigated

4 Which words provide a contrast clue to the meaning of deplored?

A “Plenty of women”
B “strongly agreed”
C “deserved more rights”
D “having a voice”

B) My dog Sam has a belligerent personality. The moment he becomes conscious

of a cat, he gives chase. No matter what I do to distract him, nothing works. The
problem is intractable. One day, Sam approached a stray cat, which raised its spiky
fur, bared its teeth, and took off after him. Sam returned later, dehydrated, hot, and
humble. But did Sam reform his behavior? No! My dog is just too inflexible to
change his habits.

1-The underlined word belligerent means ……………………………………………….

2-The antonym of the word conscious is…………………………………………………

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3-The prefix used in dehydrated is ………………………………………………………

4.When I bring Sam his leash for a walk, his response is effusive. The prefix ef-
means “out,” and the root fus means “pour.” What is the meaning of effusive as it
is used in the sentence?
A showing quiet pleasure
B showing great enthusiasm
C showing boredom and weariness
D showing confusion

5.Being a quadruped, Sam is often frustrated by my slow pace. The prefix quadr-
means “four,” and
the root ped means “foot.” What is the meaning of quadruped as it is used in the
sentence?
A a four-foot-long animal
B a four-footed animal
C a four-speed bicycle
D a four-wheeled scooter

6 When we turn toward home, Sam reacts badly to the brevity of our outing. The
root brev means “brief,” and the suffix -ity means “degree.” What is the meaning of
brevity as it is used in the sentence?
A slowness
B suddenness
C shortness
D frequency

7 He sits down on the sidewalk and is tenacious about staying there. The root ten
means “hold,” and the suffix -ious means “characterized by.” What is the meaning
of tenacious as it is used in the sentence?
A happy and content
B full of rage
C unable to move
D unwilling to give in

8 What is the definition of the underlined word?

Like the winners at the Oscars, I received accolades from my parents for my good
grades.

a-Rejection

b-Shock

c-Disapproval

d-Praise
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9-Unlike my frugal mother, I don't bother shopping at sales or clipping
coupons. The underlined word means…………………………………

a-Careful

b-Thrifty

c-Careless

d-Wasteful

10-Apply the following words in meaningful context clues.

harass_ patronize:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………….………….

11-One of the following is an antonym of the word “conclusive”

a-certain

b- decisive

c-undeniable

d-doubtful

12-Extract the affixes used to form the following word “anticolonialism”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………..

13-The synonym of”apologist” is ……………………..and the antonym of

“dissuade” is ……………………………………

14- Calling your car your “ride” is an example of ………………………

a-personification

b-metphor

c-Metonomy

d-imagery

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15-One of the following words is an example of a “palindrome”.

a-noon

b-spork

c-asap

d-colloquial

16-The words hot and cold would be considered _____.

a-antonyms

b-synonyms

c-context clues

d-connotations

17-These could make bees vulnerable so that diseases and pests can harm them
more easily. Someone who is vulnerable is able to be………………………….

a-hurt

b-modified

c-ruled out

d-recognnized

18-Tanya loved her dad, but she wondered why she was so organized when he was
so haphazard. A person who is haphazard is……………………………..

a-lost

b-lovable

c-worried

d-disorganized

19-However, without a known cause or cure, CCD remains a conundrum.

A conundrum is a………………………………………

a-cost of food.

b-known cause.

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c-puzzling problem.

d-cure for a disease.

20-Mrs. Carlson thought her explanations were clear and concise, but everyone
found them to be unfathomable. The antonym of the underlined word
is………………..……

a-hard to understand

b-easy to laugh at

c-compensable

d-easy to listen to

21-Which context clue does the following sentence utilize?

Since Grace deferred her vacation, she was able to accomplish more at work first.

a-Definition/Restatement

b-Comparison/Example

c-Contrast

d-Cause and Effect

22-Use context clues to figure out the meaning:

Teenagers tend to be belligerent when arguing with their parents.

peaceful

warlike

concise

calm

23-In the early 1600s, a dangerous trip across the Atlantic Ocean was
a daunting idea. The Europeans, who would someday be known as the Pilgrims,
must have been a very determined and brave group of settlers.
A daunting task is one that would _______ someone.

a-tickle

b-frighten or intimidate

c-amuse

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d-lose or misplace

24-When she visited the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C., Lindsey noticed
that her fellow visitors were very quiet and reverential. Which word is not a
synonym for the word reverential?

a-respectful

b-solemn

c-admiring

d-impolite

25-There is nothing more irritating than a petulant two year old. My bad-tempered
cousin will fold his hands, pout his face, and sit down with his arms folded in the
middle of the cereal isle until my aunt buys him his favorite cereal. Good grief!
Which word is Not the same as petulant?

a-irritable

b-crabby

c-querulous

d-tender-hearted

26-When a headache begins, it is important to treat the symptoms. There are many
different pain relievers that will alleviate the symptoms associated with a minor
headache. It is important to discuss with your doctor various options before
beginning any kind medication. In this passage, what does the
word alleviate mean?

a-modify or alter

b-examine closely

c-lessen or diminish

d-eradicate

27-She is one of the most gregarious people alive. In fact, where ever she goes,
she can strike a conversation with ten people. She once told me that her biggest
fear was being alone because people bring her so much happiness.
Which is a synonym of the word gregarious?

a-sociable

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b-introvert

c-reserved

28-The girls went to the library and read three books in one afternoon. They
were voracious readers. What does the word voracious mean as it is used in
the text.

a-lazy

b-helpful

c-outstanding

d-happy

29-Using context clues, determine the meaning of the colored word:

We often travel to Missouri in the fall to see the bright colors of the fall foliage.

a-hurricane

b-plant

c-snow

d-leaves

30-To burn the midnight oil means ………………………………………………

a-To complete work before midnight.

b-To work ineffectively.

c-Working late into the night

d-When your work is incomplete.

31-When something “rings a bell”, means………………………………………

a-To remember something in detail.

b-When you misunderstand a question.

c-To be lost.

d-Seems familiar.

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 Grammar
1-Jack and John __________ helpful.
A be
B have been
C was
D had been

2-Choose the correct sentence.

A He visit the temple frequently.
B He visits the temple frequently.
C He had visiting the temple frequently.
D He have had visited the temple frequently
.
3-Joseph __________ by everyone after he won the competition.
A was congratulated
B congratulate
C shall be congratulated
D have been congratulated

4-You and I __________ the obligations.

A am fulfilled
B has been fulfilling
C have fulfilled
D has fulfilled

5-Two-thirds of the food supply __________ for the month.

A has been used
B were used
C have been using
D has been using

6-The technique of paraphrasing __________.

A are practised
B has to be practised
C have to be practised
D is practicing

7-“Shyam and his brothers” __________ a famous sweet shop in our

neighbourhood.
A are
B have been
C is
D have

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8-Fill in the blank with the present perfect tense form of the verb given in the
bracket. “James ___________ to visit her grandmother.” (go)
A have been going
B had gone
C has gone
D has been going

9-Fill in the blank with the future perfect continuous tense form of the verb
given in the bracket. “We __________ for an hour now.” (wait)
A shall have been waiting
B have been waiting
C shall be waiting
D had been waiting

10-By the time she was fifteen, she __________ a beautiful singer.
A shall become
B become
C had become
D has becoming

11- Fill in the blank with the present perfect continuous tense form of the verb
given in the bracket. “Adam __________ a health regime everyday.” (follow)
A follows
B have been following
C has been following
D has followed

12-Neither she nor her sister __________ at home.

A were
B was
C has been
D be

13- My friends and I __________ stuck there.

A had been
B was
C has been
D have had been

14-I don't like people laughing at me. Which sentence gives the same meaning?

a-I am not liked people laughing at me.

b-I was liked people was laughed at me.

c-I don't like being laughed at.

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d-I don't like is being laughed at

15-“The teacher will mark the essays”. Change into passive.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

16-“They heard him calling for help”. Which one is the correct passive form of
the previous sentence?

a-Calling for help had been heard by him.

b-He was heard calling for help.

c-They were called for help by him.

d-Calling for help he was hearing from.

17- They may not repair the car this week. “Change the statement from active
to passive voice"

a-The car may not be repaired this week.

b-They may repair not this week the car.

c-The car may not being repaired this week.

d-this week may not be repaired by this car.

18-They were interviewing her for the job.

She ________________ for the job.

a-was being interviewed

b-was interviewed

c-has been interviewed

19-The employees brought up this issue during the meeting.

This issue ________________ by the employees during the meeting.

a-has been brought up

b-is brought up

c-was brought up

20-The fire has destroyed the house.

The house ________________ by the fire.

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a-has been destroyed

b-was being destroyed

c-is destroyed

21-She would reject the offer.

The offer ________________ by her.

a-will have been rejected

b-would be rejected

c-will be rejected

22-“Frances has told me about the party” Change into passive.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

23- They are launching the new product next week.

a-The new product is launched next week.

b-The new product is launching next week.

c-The new product is being launched next week.

d-The new product is being launching next week.

24-The new teacher _______ such naughty students. She had to be strict with
the class.

a-has never taught

b-had never taught

c- is never teaching

25-I shall have written the letter.

(A) The letter will be written by me
(B) The letter has been written by me
(C) The letter is being written by me
(D) The letter will have been written by me

26-Our task had been completed before sunset.

(A) We completed our task before sunset
(B) We have completed our task before sunset
(C) We complete our task before sunset
(D) We had completed our task before sunset
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27-We must take care of all living species on Earth.
A) All living species on Earth are taken care of by us )A(
All living species on Earth must be taken care of by us )B(
All living species on Earth had been taken care of by us )C(
All living species on Earth will be taken care of by us )D(

28-She took the dog for a walk.

(A) The dog was taken for a walk by her
(B) The dog took her for a walk
(C) The dog was took for a walk
(D) The dog took a walk by her

29-The walls had not be decorated by us.

(A) We have not been decorating the walls
(B) We had not been decorating the walls
(C) We have not decorated the walls
(D) We had not decorated the walls

30-Could you pass the salt?

(A) Could the salt been passed?
(B) Could the salt be passed by anyone?
(C) Could the salt be past?
(D) Could the salt be passed?

31-Don’t subject the animals to cruelty.

(A) The animals are not to be subjected to cruelty
(B) The animals shall not be subjected to cruelty
(C) The animals will not be subjected to cruelty
(D) The animals should not be subjected to cruelty

32-Who asked you to draft the letter?

(A) By the who you are asked to draft this letter?
(B) By who have you been asked to draft this letter?
(C) By whom were you asked to draft this letter?
(D) By whom you were asked to draft this letter?

33-When did he return my books?

(A) When were my books returned by him?
(B) When will my books be returned by him?
(C) When has he returned my books?
(D) When are my books returned by him?

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 Literary devices
THREE POEMS
by Robert Frost

1. To which of the following senses do the first two lines of “Fire and Ice” appeal?
A. sight
B. smell
C. hearing
D. touch

2. What does the speaker in “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” want to do?
A. meet the farmer
B. stay in the woods
C. get back home
D. go to sleep

3. In “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” why doesn’t the speaker remain to

watch the snow fall in the woods?
A. The owner of the woods will be returning soon.
B. The horse is warning him that danger is near.
C. The evening is too cold to be standing outside.
D. The speaker has certain places he needs to be.
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4. Which word BEST describes the mood in “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy
Evening”?
A. bored
B. reflective
C. foolish
D. cowardly

5. At the end of “The Road Not Taken,” how does the speaker feel?
A. The speaker wishes that he could live his life over again.
B. The speaker prefers to take walks in the morning.
C. The speaker is happy with how his life has turned out.
D. The speaker thinks that he missed his one chance to fall in love.

6-“Fire & Ice” is an example of a……………………….

a-simile

b-hyperbole

c-paradox

d-imagery

7-The music device used in “Some say”in lines is…………………

a-rhyme

b-scheme

c-alliteration

8-Mention one example of “repetition” used in “The Road not taken” in stanza 1&2.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

9-“Stopping By the Woods”... (To ask if there is some mistake) represents

which of the following figures of speech?

a-metaphor
b-irony
c-simile
d-personification

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 Reading skills

The Bone Wars

by J. R. Hill
1 If you’ve spent any time in grocery checkout lines, you’ve probably seen magazines
with pictures of celebrities behaving badly toward each other. You might believe that
scientists would be above that sort of thing, but you’d be wrong. About 150 years ago,
two scientists started a nasty feud that lasted for decades—and brought to light some
of the most spectacular creatures that ever walked the earth.

2 Edward Cope and Othniel Marsh were paleontologists—scientists who study extinct
life-forms,including dinosaurs. They met in 1864, when their careers were starting.
Paleontology was a young science in the United States, and only a few dinosaurs had
been discovered in North America.

3 Cope and Marsh were friendly at first, but their relationship quickly soured. In 1868,
Cope and a team of hired men were digging up dinosaurs in New Jersey. Marsh
journeyed there and stayed with Cope for a few weeks. Things seemed to go well, but
after Marsh left, Cope learned that his guest and the team foreman had made a deal. In
exchange for money, the foreman would send new fossils to Marsh instead of Cope.
Marsh had fired the first shot in what scientists would come to call the “Bone Wars.”

4 The war heated up fast. In 1869, Cope wrote an article describing a newly found
extinct sea reptile he named Elasmosaurus. Cope included a drawing of the creature’s
skeleton. Another scientist soon pointed out that Cope had mistakenly stuck the beast’s
skull on its tail. Cope was humiliated, and Marsh crowed about the blunder to anyone
who would listen. Shortly after, each man began publishing a string of scientific articles
viciously attacking the other’s ideas.

5 Cope and Marsh’s thirst to outdo each other spilled into their fieldwork. Throughout
the 1870s and 1880s, they led and sent teams into lawless regions of the western
United States to hunt for dinosaur bones. The teams were told to slow and disrupt each
other’s work through bribery, stealing, and rock-throwing. The teams even used
dynamite to blow up cliffs and bury fossils to keep discoveries from falling into each
other’s hands. To this day, scientists wonder what fantastic discoveries lay beneath
tons of rubble.

6 In addition to sabotage, Cope and Marsh forced their teams to dig up and transport
bones quickly. Such speed damaged many specimens, but each man wanted the credit
of making the first discoveries of new species. Because they published their findings as
quickly as possible, they made many mistakes. Marsh, for example, accidentally stuck
the head of one dinosaur (Camarasaurus) on to the neck of another dinosaur
(Apatosaurus) and thought he had discovered a new dinosaur—Brontosaurus. Unlike
Cope’s mistake with Elasmosaurus, paleontologists didn’t discover and undo Marsh’s
Brontosaurus blunder for nearly 100 years.
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7 Until the mid-1880s, only scientists knew about Cope and Marsh’s fight. But when
Cope ratted out Marsh to the New York Herald, their battle spilled out into the world at
large. Cope and Marsh assaulted each other through letters published in the newspaper.
For a time, they were as famous as any celebrities of today. And even when the public
eventually stopped caring, the feud didn’t cease. The two men of science took swipes at
each other until Cope’s death in 1897. Even in death, Cope kept up the attack. He
donated his skull to science and asked that his brain size be compared with Marsh’s.
(Scientists of that time believed that a person with a large brain was smarter than a
person with a small one.) For whatever reason, Marsh did not accept Cope’s challenge.

8 The Bone Wars have a mixed legacy. On the one hand, American paleontology got a
bad reputation from Cope and Marsh’s cutthroat behavior. And the mistakes they made
in their rush for glory slowed the progress of paleontology for many years. But the
Bone Wars also produced a mountain of raw material. Cope and Marsh discovered
more than 130 dinosaur species. Their teams dug up so many bones that scientists are
still learning new things about them. And many of their most famous discoveries,
including Stegosaurus, Allosaurus, Diplodocus, and Triceratops, fire the imaginations of
children (and more than a few adults) worldwide. Perhaps paleontology would have
been worse off had the two men actually gotten along.

Choose the correct answer.

1-Answer Parts A and B below.

Part A
The article says that paleontology was a young science in the United States in the mid-
1800s.
How knowledgeable about the field were paleontologists of the time?
A They were more informed than those in other nations.
B They were the greatest experts of the field at the time.
C They were not very knowledgeable about their field.
D They were just as knowledgeable as any other scientists.

Part B
Which detail from the article best supports the answer to Part A?
A “Another scientist soon pointed out that Cope had mistakenly stuck the beast’s skull
on its tail.”
B “Cope was humiliated, and Marsh crowed about the blunder to anyone who would
listen.”
C “Because they published their findings as quickly as possible, they made many
mistakes.”
D “Unlike Cope’s mistake with Elasmosaurus, paleontologists didn’t discover and undo
Marsh’s Brontosaurus blunder for nearly 100 years.”
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2 Marsh and Cope had a stormy relationship. Which event was the most
important influence on this relationship?

A Marsh paid Cope’s team foreman to send new fossils to him.

B Marsh claimed he was the first to discover a mistake by Cope.
C Groups of their workers threw rocks at each other.
D Cope and Marsh attacked each other in the newspapers

3 Which sentence best describes how the two paleontologists influenced each
other?

A Cope and Marsh would do almost anything to become public celebrities.

B The competition between Cope and Marsh pushed each man to make amazing
discoveries.
C Cope and Marsh’s mistakes destroyed their credibility as paleontologists.
D Cope and Marsh would have discovered even more dinosaur bones if they had
worked
together.

4 Each man thought he was better in his field than the other. Which evidence
from the text best supports the inference that Cope also thought he was smarter
than Marsh?

A Cope told the New York Herald about Marsh’s actions.

B Cope described a newly found extinct sea reptile he named Elasmosaurus.
C Cope wanted his brain size to be compared with Marsh’s after death.
D Cope published scientific articles viciously attacking Marsh’s ideas.

5 A good summary includes only important details. Which of the following details
is NOT important enough to include in a summary of the article?

A The rivalry between Cope and Marsh affected their fieldwork.

B Cope and Marsh brought to light some amazing discoveries.
C Each man’s rush to claim glory caused mistakes to be made.
D The men gained fame due to their letters in the New York Herald.

6 The last paragraph says that the Bone Wars have a mixed legacy. How does the
author develop this idea?

A by concentrating on the mistakes that Cope and Marsh made

B by presenting the pros and cons of Cope and Marsh’s rivalry
C by giving the causes and effects of Cope and Marsh’s rivalry
D by stating in sequence events detailing Cope and Marsh’s rivalry

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7 Which of the following lists only the main topics of “The Bone Wars” in the
correct order?

A Cope and Marsh meet in 1864.

Their feud begins in 1868.
Cope publishes a mistake in 1869.
The feud moves into fieldwork during the 1870s and 1880s.
Cope dies in 1897, leaving Marsh the winner of the Bone Wars.

B Marsh begins the feud.

The feud is fought through scientific articles.
The fighting turns violent in fieldwork out West.
Cope dies and wants his brain compared with Marsh’s.
The Bone Wars both helps and hurts the reputation of paleontology.

C The feud turns Cope and Marsh into celebrities.

Marsh secretly tries to hire Cope’s foreman.
Cope publishes a mistake in a scientific journal.
Cope and Marsh begin fighting the Bone Wars.
Cope dies, so Marsh wins the Bone Wars.

D A feud begins between Cope and Marsh.

Cope and Marsh compete in both articles and fieldwork.
The fight leads to both mistakes and damaged specimens.
The feud goes public and ends only with Cope’s death.
The Bone Wars slowed scientific progress but provided valuable fossils.

Writing

Example Activity
Topic: You have won the lottery and can choose to travel anywhere in the world. Write
about one place you would like to visit and explain why you’d like to travel there.
Supports:
1. I would travel to France because I love French food.
2. Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and I would like to see it.
3. I would like to practice my French and become more fluent.

Thesis Statement: If I won the lottery and could travel anywhere in the world, I
would travel to France because I love French food, I want to see Paris, and I would like to
become more fluent in French.

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Argument 1: Bowling is a sport for everyone.

Supports:
1. It is not limited to any age group.
2. It can be played at any time.
3. It does not require any expensive equipment.

Counter claim:
1.
2.

Thesis Statement:
__________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Argument (2): Having a car is an important thing for a teenager.

Supports:
1.
2.
3.

Counter claim:
1.
2.

Thesis Statement:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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