OSSLT Released Questions (2012-2013)

An Animator From Scarborough

1. What will the focus of Lizarda’s internship be?

   films

   cartoons

   video games

   action sequences
2. Which word is closest in meaning to “confidential” as used in paragraph 2?

   secret

   personal

   confusing

   professional
3. According to Quesnelle, what ability is most important for an animator?

   creating characters

   pleasing an audience

   developing a demo reel

   programming computers
4. What do Quesnelle’s quotes indicate about him?

   He knows a lot about internships

   He focuses on technical aspects of animation

   He recognizes skill and creativity in his students

   He suggests interesting storylines to his students
5. Which paragraph presents information in chronological order?

   paragraph 2

   paragraph 4

   paragraph 5

   paragraph 7
6. Why is Lizarda a good choice for this internship? Use specific details from the selection to explain your answer.

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Grammar

1. Choose the sentence that does not belong in this paragraph.

   (1) Traffic is busy on city streets. (2) Cars, pedestrians and cyclists must share them. (3) Pedestrians often cross the street where it is convenient but not always where it is safe. (4) Tall buildings often line the streets. (5) Navigating city streets can be a challenge.

   sentence 2

   sentence 3

   sentence 4

   sentence 5
2. Choose the best place to insert the following sentence.

   They were originally chew sticks made from twigs, feathers, bones and even porcupine quills.

   (1) The first toothbrush dates back over 3000 years. (2) In the 1700s, bristled toothbrushes began to appear. (3) Today, they come in all shapes, sizes and colours. (4) With so many choices, it is easy to have good dental hygiene.

   after sentence 1

   after sentence 2

   after sentence 3

   after sentence 4
3. Which of the following sentences needs revision?

   (1) The Tri-Town Snow Travellers is a snowmobile club in Ontario. (2) When the club was formed in 1968, it focuses on teaching safe driving on snowmachines. (3) Since then, it has raised money to purchase two snow groomers. (4) Now, club members maintain the snowmobile trails so that everyone can ride safely.

   sentence 1

   sentence 2

   sentence 3

   sentence 4
4. Which sentence is written correctly?

   Ice fishing, a popular activity in northern regions, requires skill.

   First, you need to drill a hole, in the ice on a lake using an auger.

   Some avid anglers, use an ice shack, while waiting for the fish to bite.

   Ice fishing in the north requires patience a stool to sit on and warm winter clothing

Short Writing Task

1. Identify an important environmental issue. Use specific details to explain why it is important.

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News Report

1. Write a news report based on the headline and picture provided in the booklet.

   • You will have to make up the facts and information, answering some or all of the following questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?
   • You must relate your newspaper report to both the headline and the picture.

   Students Participate in Important Election

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Reading

1. What is the best meaning of “endure” as used in line 10?

   start

   enjoy

   tolerate

   prevent
2. Which option best describes how the information in lines 4 to 7 is presented?

   chronologically

   by cause and effect

   as a problem and solution

   by similarities and differences
3. How did the biologists determine which bears had recently eaten berries?

   They tested blood samples.

   They looked for stained teeth.

   They measured their muscles.

   They used masks to capture breath.
4. What is set off by the comma in the final sentence of the selection?

   a contrast

   a definition

   items in a list

   a repeated detail
5. Which of the following is likely to occur if the average temperature continues to rise in the Arctic?

   The polar bear population will rise.

   Polar bears will consume less seal meat.

   Polar bears will spend less time on land.

   Polar bears’ dependency on berries will decrease.
6. Which is compared in this selection?

   blueberries and crowberries

   tranquilized and awake bears

   past and more-current research

   muscle measurements and blood samples
7. State a main idea of this selection and provide one specific detail from the selection that supports it.

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Writing a Series of Paragraphs

1. Write a minimum of three paragraphs expressing an opinion on the topic below. Develop your main idea with supporting details (proof, facts, examples, etc.).

   Should any course be compulsory in high school?

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Grammar

1. Choose the best closing sentence for the following paragraph.

   Although there are millions of Web sites, they are not created equal. A good Web site can be compared to an iceberg: only the tip of all the effort can be seen online. What cannot be seen are all the details and hours of planning that have led to its success.

   Any Web site needs an audience and fans to make it successful.

   Graphics and detailed content are necessary parts of any Web site.

   A Web site is a good way to find information for a research project.

   A good Web site combines online appeal and a well-organized structure.
2. What revision is needed to improve the organization of this paragraph?

   (1) Eons ago, a powerful meteor struck the Sudbury area. (2) Most meteors that crash into Earth weigh only about 100 grams. (3) They have little impact on Earth’s crust. (4) The one that landed near Sudbury was so large that it changed the bedrock. (5) Its impact created Canada’s largest nickel deposit.

   Break sentence 4 into two sentences.

   Move sentence 1 to the end of the paragraph.

   Insert “However” at the beginning of sentence 4.

   Replace “a powerful meteor” in sentence 1 with “it.”
3. Choose the sentence that is written correctly.

   What time is it in Sao Paulo, Brazil!

   Put the wrapper in the recycling bin.

   I am so tired that I could sleep in class?

   Will the hockey game be over in an hour.
4. Which sentence is written correctly?

   Paige read about Kirkland Lake in the northern news.

   It described this community in the Northern part of the province.

   It is surrounded by several kettle lakes that were formed eons ago.

   Several gold mines are in the area, including Kirkland Lake Gold and queenston mining inc.

Practical Woman Donned It First

1. What is the main purpose of this selection?

   to recognize a female innovator

   to explain how goalie masks are made

   to show the role of newspaper reporting in sport

   to encourage readers to learn more about their families
2. Why does the author refer to Graham as a “pioneer” in paragraph 7?

   She initiated a trend.

   She lived several decades ago.

   She was the first female goaltender.

   Few women attended university in the 1920s.
3. Which publication first reported a hockey goalie wearing a mask?

   Legends

   The Toronto Sun

   The Hockey News

   The Kingston Whig-Standard
4. Who popularized the use of masks?

   Plante

   McRae

   Graham

   Benedict
5. To whom does “both” refer in “You’re both wrong” (paragraph 8)?

   McRae and a reader

   Benedict and Plante

   a reader and someone else

   Graham and another goalie
6. At what point in the selection does the author shift from an objective to a more personal perspective?

   paragraph 3

   paragraph 5

   paragraph 6

   paragraph 9
7. What phrase from the selection refers to Elizabeth’s “prudence” (paragraph 9)?

   “safety first”

   “getting her due”

   “horsing around”

   “mother of invention”
8. What is the function of the dash used in paragraph 10?

   to build suspense

   to link two unrelated facts

   to emphasize a significant detail

   to indicate an interruption in thought
9. What idea links the first and last paragraphs?

   a belief in the importance of news

   an opinion about women’s hockey

   a comparison of hockey equipment

   the author’s connection to the story

Reading

1. How does Nat show that he prepared for his interview with Alex?

   by shaking hands with Alex

   by sharing his business plan

   by having his questions ready

   by volunteering at a seniors’ residence
2. The colon in paragraph 3 is used to

   end a sentence.

   introduce a list.

   indicate a pause.

   highlight the next idea.
3. The questions in paragraph 7 are a request for

   proof.

   a reason.

   permission.

   clarification.
4. What is the meaning of “aspiring” as used in paragraph 9?

   mature

   hopeful

   friendly

   struggling
5. Which of the following best shows that Alex is creative?

   He attended college.

   He borrowed money.

   He started a mobile salon.

   He volunteered at a seniors’ residence
6. Is the interview with Alex beneficial to Nat’s career exploration? Use specific details from the selection to support your answer.

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7. How does this selection show the benefits of volunteering for community service? Use specific details from the selection to support your answer.

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Short Writing Task

1. Identify a place that has special meaning for you. Use specific details to explain why it is special.

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Soybeans

1. Which part of the selection best shows an “explosion” in soybean production in Canada?

   the world map

   the “Uses for Soybeans” text boxes

   the “Soybean Production in Canada” graph

   the “Most Valuable Cash Crops in Canada” graph
2. What describes the relationship between the world map and the graphics at the bottom of the page?

   from general to specific location

   from more to less valuable crops

   from past to more recent production

   from most productive to least productive
3. What do the white numbers in the black circles on the world map represent?

   rank in soybean use

   rank in soybean production

   total area of soybean crops, in millions of hectares

   total soybeans produced annually, in millions of tonnes
4. Between which years did soybean production in Canada increase most significantly?

   1961-1971

   1971-1981

   1981-1991

   1991-2001
5. How are the provinces organized in the “Hectares of Soybeans Grown” table?

   from east to west

   from west to east

   from largest to smallest

   from smallest to largest
6. Which two countries were most similar in their soybean production in 2002-2005?

   Italy and Indonesia

   Paraguay and India

   Canada and Bolivia

   China and Argentina