English 101/102 Final Exam Practice Questions

1. Consider the following thesis statement and answer the question below:

“While cancel culture aims to hold people accountable for their words and actions, cancel
culture does more harm than good because it does not align with restorative justice practices
that offer a chance for redemption.”

Which side of the cancel culture debate is the author of this sentence taking?

a. in favor of cancel culture

b. opposed to cancel culture
c. neutral on the topic of cancel culture
d. uncertain whether cancel culture is beneficial or harmful for society

2. Which of the following is the best thesis statement for an op-ed essay?

a. There are many benefits and harms of cancel culture.

b. Cancel culture is beneficial for society.
c. While cancel culture aims to hold people accountable for their words and actions, cancel culture
does more harm than good because it does not align with restorative justice practices that offer a
chance for redemption.
d. This paper will discuss the pros and cons of cancel culture.

3. Consider the following thesis statement and answer the question below:

“While social media apps have expanded freedom of expression, the owners of social media
platforms must take action to reduce cyberbullying and inappropriate content.”

Based on this sentence, who is the primary audience for this argument?

a. the owners of social media platforms

b. social media users
c. students
d. librarians

4. Consider the following thesis statement and answer the question below:

“While social media apps have expanded freedom of expression, the owners of social media
platforms must take action to reduce cyberbullying and inappropriate content.”
Based on this sentence, what is the primary purpose of this argument?

a. To persuade the owners of social media platforms to decrease negative interactions on the
platforms
b. To persuade the audience to practice freedom of speech
c. To inform the audience about the harmful effects of social media
d. To explain the pros and cons of social media use among teens

5. Read the following passage and choose the best summary:

“Culture shock is the state of being confused when in contact with a different and unfamiliar
civilization. Shock suggests something that is negative: this may be true, especially at first.
Typically, a person going to study in another country for the first time may miss family and
friends and, consequently, feel homesick. The person may have sleeping difficulties and, in
extreme cases, may become depressed or ill.”

a. Culture shock is the confusion caused by contact with an alien society. Initially, reactions
may be negative.
b. Culture shock may lead to sleeping difficulties.
c. People experiencing cultural shock may feel homesick.
d. Culture shock has many negative effects on people.

6. Why do we cite sources in a paper?

a. to call attention to a position we wish to agree or disagree with

b. to provide support for our arguments
c. to add to our own credibility
d. to refer to work that leads up to the work we are doing
e. all of the above

7. Which of the following is a full citation in APA format?

a. (Post, 2019)
b. Brendan Post argues in “A Study of the Sleep Habits of Saudi Teenagers” (2019) that
teens are not getting enough sleep.
c. Post, B. (2019). A study of the sleep habits of Saudi teenagers. Journal of Sleep. 25(2), 123-
146.
d. https://journalofsleep.com/Saudi-sleep-habits/30/

8. Which of the following should usually go first in any kind of citation?

a. Title of the work
b. Publisher
c. Year
d. Name of author(s)

9. What should you use if you need to provide a supporting fact or a specific detail, but the
original writer’s exact words are not important?

a. Quotation
b. Paraphrase
c. Summary
d. Hook

10. What should you use if you need to give an overview of a source or provide general
background that leads up to the point of your paper?

a. Quotation
b. Paraphrase
c. Summary
d. Takeaway
Questions 11 - 16 refer to the following passage:

The Arabian leopard, a smaller subspecies of leopard native to the Arabian Peninsula,
is regarded as a critically endangered species (IUCN, 2019) and the Royal Commission
for AlUla is taking steps to protect it. According to nature reserves director Ahmed
Almalki, “It is now very rare to see an Arabian leopard in the wild. The last time one
was seen was in 2014,” (Almalki et al., 2021). Its population has shrunk by as much as
90 percent since the beginning of the 19th century, and officially there are fewer than
200 Arabian leopards left in the wild (Saudi Green Initiative, 2020).

11. The paraphrase from the Saudi Green Initiative document is an example of which
appeal?

a. Ethos
b. Pathos
c. Logos
d. Kairos

12. What type of citation is (ICUN, 2019)?

a. A full citation
b. An in-text citation
c. A bibliography
d. A reference list

13. Which rhetorical mode do we see in the phrase “The Arabian leopard, a smaller
subspecies of leopard native to the Arabian Peninsula”?

a. Definition
b. Cause and effect
c. Narration
d. Process analysis

14. According to nature reserves director Ahmed Almalki, “It is now very rare to see
an Arabian leopard in the wild. The last time one was seen was in 2014,” (Almalki et
al., 2021).

Which method of incorporating sources does this passage follow?

a. Quotation
b. Paraphrase
c. Summary
d. Narration

15. In the passage above, which method of incorporating sources (Saudi Green
Initiative) into a paragraph does the following sentence most likely follow?

Its population has shrunk by as much as 90 per cent since the beginning of the 19th
century, and officially there are less than 200 Arabian leopards left in the wild. (Saudi
Green Initiative, 2020).

a. Quotation
b. Paraphrase
c. Summary
d. Narration

16. What is the purpose of a phrase such as “According to nature reserves director
Ahmed Almalki”?

a. It summarizes Dr. Almalki’s main argument

b. It is a signal phrase introducing a quote
c. It is a paraphrase of Dr. Almalki’s argument
d. It is a hook to get the reader interested in the topic
Questions 17 - 22 refer to the following passage:

There are several steps that must be taken to secure the future of the Arabian leopard.
First, it’s habitats must be restored, and fences must be put around the habitat
perimeter. Second, grazing animals must be reintroduced to the habitat so that there is
prey for the leopards. Once the population of grazing animals is established, then the
Arabian leopard can be reintroduced to the wild. In the meantime, a group of the big
cats are being cared for at the Arabian Leopard Breeding Center in Saudi Arabia,
sixteen healthy leopards are in the Center’s care.

17. What is the purpose of the words “First” and “Second” in this paragraph?
a. They show the writer’s ethos
b. They are transition words
c. They provide a background
d. They signal the reader that the paragraph is almost finished

18. The words “First,” “Second,” “Once” and “then” indicate that the paragraph
primarily uses which rhetorical mode?
a. Definition
b. Comparison and contrast
c. Process analysis
d. Division and classification

19. What is the error, if any, in the following sentence?

“Once the population of grazing animals is established, then the Arabian leopard can
be reintroduced to the wild.”

a. It is a comma splice
b. There is an unnecessary comma after “established”
c. It is a sentence fragment
d. No error; it is correct as written

20. What is the error, if any, in the following sentence?

“First, it’s habitats must be restored, and fences must be put around the habitat
perimeter.”

a. It is a run-on sentence
b. There is an unnecessary apostrophe in “it’s” (should be “its”)
c. “It’s” is an unclear pronoun (we can’t tell from the paragraph what “it” is referring
to)
d. No error; it is correct as written.

21. What is the error, if any, in the following sentence?

“In the meantime, a group of the big cats are being cared for at the Arabian Leopard
Breeding Center in Saudi Arabia, sixteen healthy leopards are in the Center’s care.”

a. It is a comma splice
b. It has an unnecessary comma after “meantime”
c. It is a sentence fragment
d. No error; it is correct as written

22. If we were to add the sentence “Time is running out before these magnificent
creatures vanish forever,” which of the following would we most likely be appealing
to?

a. Ethos
b. Pathos
c. Logos
d. Comparison
23. The original quote is listed below. Which sentence underneath is the strongest
paraphrase?

“Members of the AlUla archaeological survey have already identified thousands of

archaeological sites, found evidence suggesting that people have lived in the area for much
longer than was previously thought, and encountered bizarre structures, the function and
meaning of which are shrouded in mystery.”

a. Archaeologists unearthing new sites at AlUla have recently discovered that the sites are
much older than most people realized, and some of the sites’ structures have an unknown
purpose.
b. Members of the AlUla archaeological team have already identified thousands of
archaeological places, found evidence suggesting that people have lived in the area for much
more time than was previously thought, and encountered bizarre structures, the function and
purpose of which are shrouded in mystery.
c. The AlUla archaeological survey has discovered new tombs that give insight into the
everyday lives of the people who lived in the area centuries ago.
d. As a result of discovering that AlUla is much older than previously thought, archaeologists
have decided to run new kinds of tests on items that are taken from the sites.

24. If you are adding ideas, removing ideas, or rearranging ideas, what part of the writing
process are you doing?

a. Pre-writing
b. Drafting
c. Revising
d. Editing

25. If the prompt is “Discuss the advantages of renewable energy sources,” which of the
following would be the best thesis statement?

a. Renewable energy sources are our best chance to slow climate change, with benefits that
include reliability, environmental friendliness, and the creation of new jobs.
b. Renewable energy sources have many advantages and disadvantages, and companies must
consider both sides when deciding how to use new kinds of energy.
c. Although there are many advantages to renewable energy sources, they tend to have low
efficiency, a high initial cost, and changing availability based on the weather.
d. Solar panels have many advantages, including operating without pollution, giving a high
return on investment, and running silently.
Questions 26 - 32 refer to the following passage:

Social media has exponentially increased the resources for mental health information
and support. Research shows that people who get support from peers (those
struggling with the same problems) often experience positive health outcomes,
whether they have a physical condition like diabetes or a psychological one like
depression. Internet support groups, discussion boards, blogs, and other social media
platforms have significantly enhanced the resources for individuals wrestling with
mental health, behavioral, and/or addiction issues. Online support offers certain
advantages that make it attractive to individuals who might not otherwise seek help: it
is low-cost, not geographically limited, and it can be anonymous.

26. The second sentence (“Research shows…”) in the paragraph above is an example
of which rhetorical mode?

a. Comparison/contrast
b. Cause/effect
c. Definition
d. Division/classification

27. What is the primary purpose of the last sentence of the body paragraph (“Online
support offers…”)?

a. It lists the pros of online mental health assistance

b. It lists the cons of online mental health assistance
c. It provides the reader with a takeaway from the essay
d. It contrasts online support with in-person support

28. What is the primary purpose of the first sentence of the paragraph (“Social media
has…”)?

a. It provides supporting details

b. It is a topic sentence
c. It presents evidence in support of a claim
d. It presents one of the disadvantages of social media

29. What rhetorical mode is being used in the phrase “individuals wrestling with
mental health, behavioral, and/or addiction issues”?

a. It compares and contrasts different kinds of issues

b. It defines mental health
c. It divides up different kinds of mental issues
d. It presents the effects of mental health issues
30. Ultimately, whether social media is “good” or “bad”/“healthy” or “unhealthy” for
a person’s mental health and well-being is directly related to how they are used (or
misused), by whom, and to some degree by who is passing judgment. People can
enjoy the benefits of social media while avoiding the problems by using these
powerful tools sensibly, constructively, and in moderation.

In this concluding paragraph, what is the purpose of the last sentence (“People
can…”)

a. A topic sentence
b. A supporting detail
c. A counterargument
d. A takeaway or “so what?” statement

31. Based on reading this concluding paragraph, which of the following options is
most likely to be the best statement of the author’s purpose?

a. To encourage people to stop using social media

b. To encourage people to use social media as much as possible
c. To help people consider both positive and negative aspects of social media
d. To get people to donate to organizations that fight social media addiction

32. In this concluding paragraph, what is the purpose of the word “Ultimately”?

a. It signals that the essay is being summed up and concluded

b. It shows that this sentence will contradict earlier points
c. It demonstrates logos
d. It is a hook to grab the reader’s attention
33. What does it mean to read like a writer?

a. You are reading texts mainly to understand the author’s ideas and the content he/she
wants to communicate.
b. You are reading texts about how to write so that you can learn the steps of good writing.
c. You are reading texts to consider the writerly choices the author made and the effect of
those choices on you, the reader.
d. You are reading to try to find sources to support your points so that you can cite them in
your paper.

34. Which of the following best describes the most likely PRIMARY audience for an online
article on a popular website about the effects of sleep on college students’ test performance?

a. Sleep researchers
b. College students
c. Teachers/professors who give tests
d. College administrators