Virginia SOL, Reading & Writing, Grade 8

by Research & Education Association, Dana Passananti

Overview

REA … Real review, Real practice, Real results. REA's Virginia Grade 8 SOL Reading & Writing Study Guide! Fully aligned with the Virginia Department of Education Standards of Learning Are you prepared to excel on this state high-stakes assessment exam? * Take the diagnostic Pretest and find out what you know and what you should know * Use REA's advice and tips to ready yourself for proper study and practice Sharpen your knowledge and skills * The book's full subject review refreshes knowledge and covers all topics on the official exam, including vocabulary, literary analysis, drafting, revising, and editing to reinforce key English language lessons * Smart and friendly lessons reinforce necessary skills * Key tutorials enhance specific abilities needed on the test * Targeted drills increase comprehension and help organize study * Color icons and graphics highlight important concepts and tasks Practice for real * Create the closest experience to test-day conditions with a full-length practice Posttest * Chart your progress with detailed explanations of each answer * Boost confidence with test-taking strategies and focused drills Ideal for Classroom, Family, or Solo Test Preparation! REA has helped generations of students study smart and excel on the important tests. REA’s study guides for state-required exams are teacher-recommended and written by experts who have mastered the test.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738668642
Publisher:	Research & Education Association
Publication date:	01/01/2013
Series:	Virginia SOL Test Preparation Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	799,346
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	13 Years

Read an Excerpt

SUCCEEDING ON THE VIRGINIA SOL TEST

ABOUT THIS BOOK
This book provides excellent preparation for the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) Test. Inside, you will find lessons, drills, strategies, and test practice-all of it with a single-minded focus: success on the Standards of Learning Test.

We have also made every effort to make the book easy to read and navigate.
The book is divided into several parts. The first section is a PRETEST, which introduces students to some of the key components on the actual test:
o Nonfiction reading passages, including biographies and articles o Fiction reading passages, such as poems and excerpts from novels o Multiple-choice questions o Writing prompts

Following the pretest are two lesson sections:
Part 1 teaches students about the different types of questions and skills on the reading portion of the test.
Part 2 instructs students on the writing portion of the test.
A full-length POSTTEST, which follows the lessons, includes detailed explanations of all answers.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

FOR STUDENTS: To make getting through the book as easy as possible, we've included icons, shown on the next page, that highlight sections such as lessons, questions, and answers. You'll find that our practice tests are very much like the actual SOL Test you'll encounter on test day. The best way to prepare for a test is to practice, so we've included drills with answers throughout the book, and our practice tests include detailed answers.

FOR PARENTS: Virginia has created grade-appropriate standards of learning that are listed in the table in this introduction. Students need to meet these standards as measured by the SOL Test. Our book will help your child review for the SOL Test and prepare for the exam. It includes review sections, drills, and two practice tests complete with explanations to help your child focus on the areas he/she needs to work on to help master the test.

FOR TEACHERS: No doubt, you are already familiar with the SOL Test and its format. Begin by assigning students the pretest, which is followed by an answer key and detailed explanations. Then work through each of the lessons in succession. When students have completed the subject review, they should move on to the posttest. Answers and answer explanations follow the posttest.

WHY STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE THE SOL Test
In 1995, the Board of Education of the Commonwealth of Virginia adopted new Standards of Learning (SOLs). The new academic standards were designed to inform parents and teachers what students were actually learning. To determine how well a student is advancing and whether the student is on course to perform well in high school, students are required to take the Virginia SOL Test.

The SOL Test is one of the key tools used to identify students who need additional instruction to master the knowledge and skills detailed in the Standards of Learning, which guide education in Virginia.

WHAT'S ON THE SOL Test

READING
The reading portion of the SOL Test contains both literary passages and informational passages. Literary passages are most often short stories, but they may also be poems and excerpts from novels and plays. Informational passages are most often articles and biographies, but they might also be letters. Each passage is followed by multiple-choice questions.

WRITING
The writing portion of the SOL Test contains passages with embedded errors followed by multiple-choice questions and a writing prompt. Students will respond to the writing prompt in an essay.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents
About REA
Acknowledgments
Succeeding on the Virginia SOL Test
About This Book
How to Use This Book
Why Students Are Required to Take the SOL Test
What's on the SOL Testx
Virginia Standards of Learning
Tips for the Student
Tips for Parents
Pretest 1
Answer sheets
Answer key
part 1: Reading
Lesson 1: Word Recognition
Passage 1: America's First Zoo
Passage 2: Catching the Butterflies
Passage 3: The Common Cold: Unbeatable Bug?
Passage 4: The Invisible Tree
Lesson 2: Inferences and Conclusions
Passage 1: The Truth About Organ Donation
Passage 2: Excerpt from Hard Times
Passage 3: Space Colonization: Too Big a Risk
Passage 4: Excerpt from The Secret Garden
Lesson 3: Main Idea
Passage 1: The Trail of Tears
Passage 2: The Birth of Golf
Passage 3: The Lamplighter
Passage 4: Mosquitoes: Annoying but Amazing
Lesson 4: Locate, Organize, and Interpret Written Information
Passage 1: What Makes a Perfect Watermelon?
Passage 2: Arachnid Addresses
Passage 3: The Emerald Isle
Lesson 5: Check the Validity of Research Information
Passage 1: Ansel Adams: Photographer and Conservationist
Passage 2: Manatees Need a Miracle!
Passage 3: Letter to the Principal
Passage 4: The "Reality" of Reality Shows
Lesson 6: Literature, Part 1
Passage 1: Excerpt from Bleak House
Passage 2: Up-Hill
Passage 3: Mr. Salazar
Passage 4: The Story of an Hour
Lesson 7: Literature, Part 2
Passage 1: Memories of Montgomery
Passage 2: The Bunkhouse
Passage 3: Bitter Competition
Passage 4: Because I could not stop for Death
PART 2: WRITING AND REVISING
Lesson 1: Essay Writing
Lesson 2: Narrative Writing
Lesson 3: Expository Writing
Lesson 4: Revising/Editing
Posttest
Answer Sheets
Answer key