Direction: Read the text and study the graphs on the following pages, answer the multiple-choice question, and write a response based on the situation described below. You may use the margins to take notes as you read. You may use scrape paper to plan your response.

The Situation: A community health clinic has invited student in your school to write health-related articles for its newsletter. You decided to write an article discussing factors that influence teenage smoking and the implications of those factors for reducing teenage smoking.

Your Task: Write an article for the community health newsletter. Using relevant information form the text and graphs, discuss the factors that influence teenage smoking and the implication of those factors for reducing teenage smoking.

• Tell your audience what they need to know about factors that influence teenage smoking
• Discuss the implications of those factors for reducing teenage smoking
• Use specific, accurate, and relevant information from the text and graph to develop your discussion
• Use a tone and level of language appropriate for an article for a community health newsletter
• Organize your ideas in a logical and coherent manner
• Be sure to indicate any words taken directly from the article by using quotation marks or referring to the author
• Follow the conventions of standard written English

Note: Most students responses to this task failed to include more than a passing reference to the graphs, a situation that scorers attributed to the original wording of the task. Instead of limiting scores to Level 3 or below, scorers were direc ted to score responses for their treatment of the text. New tasks will follow the revised format used here, and students will be expected to integrate information from both sources in their response.

See a level 6 sample task I I essay.

Directions: Answer the following question. The questions may help you think about ideas and information you might use in your writing. You may return to these questions anytime you wish.

1. Rising youth smoking rates have led the FDA to propose

1. a national anti-smoking campaign
2. a federal lawsuit against the tobacco industry
3. restrictions on marketing tobacco products to teenagers
4. denial of insurance coverage for smokers

1. The text implies that one result of raising taxes on tobacco is that

1. the FDA will restrict tobacco sales 3. Tobacco companies will advertise less

2. retailers will lower cigarette prices 4. Teenagers will buy fewer cigarettes

2. Tobacco industry officials imply that a major factor in teenage smoking is the tendency of teenagers to

1. misunderstand cigarette warnings 3. engage in risky behavior

2. believe cigarette advertisements 4. imitate their parents

3. The "secret" mentioned in line 34 refers to the

1. ways in which advertising money is spent
2. amount of money spent on advertising
3. results of increased advertising
4. reasons for increased advertising

 

5. According to the text, teenage smoking increased at the same time that the tobacco industry increased its promotion of

1. long slim cigarettes 3. More effective filters

2. giveaway items 4. Reduced notice cigarettes

6. The text mentions Humphrey Bogart and James Dean as examples of movies stars who

1. died if tobacco-related illnesses
2. were usually pictured with a cigarette
3. urged fans not to smoke
4. refused to smoke on screen

1. The text implies that Hollywood may influence teenagers to smoke by

1. Shaping their sense of what is trendy
2. Indirectly advertising cigarette in movies
3. Selling cigarettes in movies theaters
4. Giving them false information

1. The anecdote about David Bernt implies that marketing techniques influence Bernt to

1. start smoking 3. become addicted

2. buy a certain brand 4. decide not to smoke

2. What is the main purpose of the text?

1. to criticize the tobacco industry
2. to persuade readers not to smoke
3. to offer solution to the problem of teenage smoking
4. to report on the increase in teenage smoking

1. Graph 1 shows a steady increase in the

1. age at which teenagers start to smoke
2. number o teenagers who smokes heavily
3. price of tobacco companies

1. What does Graph 2 imply about 12^th graders in 1995?

1. About forty percent of them did not smoke at all.
2. About forty percent of them developed tobacco-related illnesses.
3. Twelfth graders smoked primarily on weekends.
4. Twelfth graders started smoking in elementary school.

1. According to Graph 2, the sharpest in teenage smoking occurred during which years?

1. late 1930’s 3. Late 1970’s
2. late 1960’s 4. Late 1990’s

After you have finished these questions, review Your Task and the Guidelines and write your response. Use scrap paper to plan your response.

Note: The operational examination will include only 8-10 question on part II. Additional questions are included here to suggest a fuller range of possible question types.

Part II Task, Text, and Question-Sample B

Direction: Read the article and study the chart on the following pages, answer the multiple-choice questions, and write a response based on the situation described below. You may use the margins to take notes as you read. You may use scrape to p lan your response.

The Situation: You are a member of the youth editorial board of a new international English-language magazine for high school students. The board is considering whether to use American English or British English in the magazine’s articles and ad vertising. As the United States representative on the board, you are submitting a written argument at the next board meeting telling why you believe the magazine should be written in American English.

Your Task: Write an argument to be submitted to the editorial board of a new international magazine for high school students. Using relevant information from the text and the chart, explain why you believe the magazine should use American Englis h in its advertising.

• Tell the youth editorial board what they need to know about American and British English to understand your argument
• Explain why you believe the magazine should use American English, rather than British English, in its articles and advertising
• Use specific, accurate, and relevant information from the article and the chart to support your argument
• Use a tone and level of language appropriate for an argument to be submitted to a magazine editorial board.
• Organize your ideas in a logical and coherent manner
• Be sure to indicate any words taken directly from the article using quotation marks or referring to the author
• Follow the conventions of standard written English