New York State administered the English Language Arts Tests
in April 2023 and is making approximately 75% of the
questions from these tests available for review and use.
New York State Testing Program
Grade 8
English Language Arts Test
Released Questions
2023
THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234
New York State Testing Program
Grades 3–8 English Language Arts
Released Questions from 2023 Exams
Background
As in past years, SED is releasing large portions of the 2023 NYS Grades 3–8 English Language Arts and Mathematics
test materials for review, discussion, and use.
For 2023, included in these released materials are at least 75 percent of the test questions that appeared on the
2023 tests (including all constructed-response questions) that counted toward students’ scores. Additionally, SED is
providing information about the released passages; the associated text complexity for each passage; and a map that
details what learning standards each released question measures and the correct response to each question. These
released materials will help students, families, educators, and the public better understand the tests and the New
York State Education Department’s expectations for
students.
Understanding ELA Questions
Multiple-Choice Questions
Multiple-choice questions are designed to assess the New York State P–12 Next Generation Learning Standards in
English Language Arts. These questions ask students to analyze different aspects of a given text, including central
idea, style elements, character and plot development, and vocabulary. Almost all questions, including vocabulary
questions, will be answered correctly only if the student comprehends and makes use of the whole passage.
For multiple-choice questions, students select the correct response from four answer choices. Multiple-choice
questions assess reading standards in a variety of ways. Some ask students to analyze aspects of text or vocabulary.
Many questions require students to combine skills. For example, questions may ask students to identify a segment of
text that best supports the central idea. To answer these questions correctly, a
student must first comprehend the
central idea and then show understanding of how that idea is supported. Questions tend to require more than rote
recall or identification.
Two-Credit Constructed-Response Questions
Two-credit constructed-response questions are designed to assess New York State P–12 Reading and Language
Standards.
These are single questions in which a student uses textual evidence to support his or her answer to an
inferential question. These questions ask the student to make an inference (a claim, position, or conclusion) based on
their analysis of the passage, and then provide two pieces of text-based evidence to support their answer.
The purpose of the two-credit constructed-response questions is to assess a student’s ability to comprehend and
analyze text. In responding to these questions, students are expected to write in complete sentences. Responses
require no more than three complete sentences. The rubric used for evaluating two-credit constructed-response
questions can be found in the grade-level Educator Guides at http://www.nysed.gov/state-assessment/grades-3-
8-ela-and-math-test-manuals.
Four-Credit Constructed-Response Questions
Four-credit constructed-response questions are designed to measure a student’s ability to write from sources.
Questions that measure Writing from Sources prompt students to communicate a clear and coherent analysis of one
or two texts. The comprehension and analysis required by each four-credit response is directly related to grade-
specific reading standards. Student responses are evaluated on the degree to which they meet grade-level writing and
language expectations. This evaluation is made by using a rubric that incorporates the demands of grade-specific
New York State P–12 Reading and Language Standards.
The integrated nature of the standards for ELA and literacy requires that students are evaluated across the strands
(Reading, Writing, and Language) with longer pieces of writing, such as those prompted by the four-credit
constructed-response questions. The rubric used for evaluating four-credit constructed-response questions can be
found in the grade-level Educator Guides at http://www.nysed.gov/state-assessment/grades-3-8-ela-and-math-test-
manuals.
New York State P–12 Next Generation Learning Standards Alignment
The alignment to the New York State P–12 Next Generation Learning Standards for English Language Arts is intended
to identify the analytic skills necessary to successfully answer each question. However, some questions measure
proficiencies described in multiple standards, including writing and additional reading and language standards. For
example, two-credit and four-credit constructed-response questions require students to first conduct the analyses
described in the mapped standard and then produce written responses that are rated based on writing
standards. To gain greater insight into the measurement focus for constructed-response questions, please refer to
the rubrics.
These Released Questions Do Not Comprise a “Mini Test”
To ensure it is possible to develop future tests, some content must remain secure. This document is not intended
to be representative of the entire test, to show how operational tests look, or to provide information about how
teachers should administer the test; rather, its purpose is to provide an overview of how the test reflects the demands
of the New York State P–12 Next Generation Learning Standards.
The released questions do not represent the full spectrum of the standards assessed on the State tests, nor do they
represent the full spectrum of how the standards should be taught and assessed in the classroom. It should not be
assumed that a particular standard will be measured by an identical question in future
assessments.
2023 Grade 8 ELA Test Text Complexity Metrics for
Released Questions
Selecting high-quality, grade-appropriate passages requires both objective text
complexity metrics and expert judgment. For the Grades 3–8 assessments based on the
New York State P-12 Next Generation Learning Standards for English Language Arts,
both quantitative and qualitative rubrics are used to determine the complexity of the
texts and their appropriate placement within a grade-level ELA exam.
Quantitative measures of text complexity are used to measure aspects of text
complexity that are difficult for a human reader to evaluate when examining a text.
These aspects include word frequency, word length, sentence length, and text cohesion.
These aspects are efficiently measured by computer programs. While quantitative text
complexity metrics are a helpful start, they are not definitive.
Qualitative measures are a crucial complement to quantitative measures. Using
qualitative measures of text complexity involves making an informed decision about the
difficulty of a text in terms of one or more factors discernible to a human reader
applying trained judgment to the task. To qualitatively determine the complexity of a
text, NYS educators use a rubric composed of five factors; four of these factors are
required and one factor is optional. The required criteria are: meaning, text structure,
language features, and knowledge demands. The optional factor, graphics, is used only
if a graphic appears in the text.
To make the final determination as to whether a text is at grade-level and thus
appropriate to be included on a Grades 3–8 assessment, New York State uses a two-step
review process, which is an industry best-practice. First, all prospective passages
undergo quantitative text complexity analysis using three text complexity measures. If
at least two of the three measures suggest that the passage is grade-appropriate, the
passage then moves to the second step, which is the qualitative review using the text-
complexity rubrics. Only passages that are determined appropriate by at least two of
three quantitative measures of complexity and are determined appropriate by the
qualitative measure of complexity are deemed appropriate for use on the exam.
Text Complexity Metrics for 2023 Grade 8 Passages
Passage Title
Word
Count
Lexile
Flesch
-Kincaid
ATOS
Qualitative
Review
940 820 6.4 6.5
Appropriate
901
950
5.3
7
Appropriate
Excerpt from The Almost King 879 950 7.1 8.1
Appropriate
704 1120 10.0 9
Appropriate
531 990 8.5 7.8
Appropriate
458
940
8.3
7.7
Appropriate
New York State 2023 Quantitative Text Complexity Chart for Assessment and Curriculum
To determine if a text’s quantitative complexity is at the appropriate grade level, New
York State uses the table below. In cases where a text is excerpted from a large work,
only the complexity of the excerpt that students see on the test is measured, not the
large work, so it is possible that the complexity of a book might be above or below grade
level, but the text used on the assessment is at grade level. Because the measurement
of text complexity is inexact, quantitative measures of complexity are defined by grade
band rather than by individual grade level and then paired with the qualitative review
by NYS educators.
Grade
Band
ATOS
Degrees of
Reading
Power
Flesch-Kincaid
The Lexile
Framework
Reading
Maturity
SourceRater
2
nd
–3
rd
2.75 – 5.14
42 – 54
1.98 – 5.34
420 – 820
3.53 – 6.13
0.05 – 2.48
4
th
–5
th
4.97 – 7.03
52 – 60
4.51 – 7.73
740 – 1010
5.42 – 7.92
0.84 – 5.75
6
th
–8
th
7.00 – 9.98
57 – 67
6.51 – 10.34
925 – 1185
7.04 – 9.57
4.11 – 10.66
9
th
–10
th
9.67 – 12.01
62 – 72
8.32 – 12.12
1050 – 1335
8.41 – 10.81
9.02 – 13.93
11
th
–12
th
11.20 – 14.10
67 – 74
10.34 – 14.20
1185 – 1385
9.57 – 12.00
12.30 – 14.50
Source: Student Achievement Partners
Name:
__________________________________________________
GRADE 8 ELA SESSION 1
New York State
Testing Program
GRADE 8 ELA SESSION 1
2023
English Language Arts Test
Session 1
Grade
8
April 19–21, 2023
RELEASED QUESTIONS
Excerpt from Girl with a Camera: Margaret Bourke-White, Photographer by Carolyn Meyer. Copyright © 2017 by Carolyn Meyer. Published
by Calkins Creek. Used with permission of Boyds Mills Kane Press via Copyright Clearance Center.
Text selection from Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George – Illustrated By: John Schoenherr. TEXT COPYRIGHT © 1972 BY JEAN
CRAIGHEAD GEORGE. ILLUSTRATIONS COPYRIGHT © 1972 BY JOHN SCHOENHERR. Used by permission of HarperCollins
Publishers.
Developed and published under contract with the New York State Education Department by Questar Assessment Inc., 14720 Energy Way,
Ap
ple Valley, MN 55124. Copyright © 2023 by the New York State Education Department.
Session 1
Session 1
TIPS FOR TAKING THE TEST
Here are some suggestions to help you do your best:
• Be sure to read all the directions carefully.
• Most questions will make sense only when you read the whole passage. You may need
to read the passage more than once to answer a question.
• When a question includes a quotation from a passage, you may need to review both the
quotation and the whole passage in order to answer the question correctly.
• Read each question carefully and think about the answer before making your choice or
writing your response.
• In writing your responses, be sure to
– clearly organize your writing;
– completely answer the questions being asked;
– support your responses with examples or details from the text; and
– write in complete sentences using correct spelling, grammar, capitalization,
and punctuation.
Page 1
Session 1
In this historical fiction, Margaret Bourke-White, an early female photographer, is still
in college. e year is 1927.
Excerpt from Girl with a Camera:
Margaret Bourke-White,
Photographer
by Carolyn Meyer
My exams went fairly well, and my grades were satisfactory if not stellar.
1
In my nal
semester I signed up for a journalism course. Other students in the class were hoping to
become newspaper reporters; I was more interested in magazine work and submitted a
photo-essay—pictures of doorways with very little text—for an assignment. e professor
was the advisor for the Cornell Alumni
2
News, and he thought the editor might want to
feature my photographs of campus buildings. e editor looked them over and paid me
ve dollars each for three pictures. It seemed like a fortune! When the magazine came out,
several grad
uates of the department of architecture wrote to praise the pictures, and one
alumnus suggested that I specialize in architectural photography. He said my pictures wer
e
that good. It was the encouragement I craved
1
But I wasn’t sure that with no professional experience I could actually land such a job
—and I did need to nd work. To play it safe, I sent an application to the American
Museum of Natural History in New York. e curator of herpetology
3
invited me to come
for an interview. He seemed so impressed by my application that I thought the oer of a
position might be imminent.
4
2
I was nearly twenty-two, about to graduate, and unsure which to follow—my head
and my long interest in natural science, or my heart and my passion for photography. A
job at the museum would be the safe choice. Or I could try to pursue a career in
architectural photography, even though I had no specic training in the eld. I had to
know if the men who praised my photographs were right, or if they simply enjoyed my
pictures of their alma mater.
5
My future hung in the balance
3
I asked the letter-writer to recommend someone qualied to give me an objective
opinion. His reply: “See Benjamin Moskowitz, York & Sawyer, Architects, NYC. Good
luck.
4
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Session 1
Read this story. Then answer questions 1 through 7.
During the Easter vacation I booked a cheap room and took the train to New York
City, where I arrived late on ursday and went straight to the Park Avenue address of
York & Sawyer. At their oce on the twenty-third oor I asked the switchboard operator
for Mr. Moskowi
5
“I think Mr. Moskowitz has already le, miss. I know he was planning a long
weekend. Did you have an appointment?
6
She sighed and asked my name and told me to wait while she tried to see if he might
still be there. I paced nervously, thinking that my time and money and my best chance for
an expert opinion had been thrown away. e operator rang his oce; no answer. “Sorry,
but it looks like you’re out of luck, Miss White,” she said
7
Why hadn’t I planned this better? Called for an appointment? Taken an earlier train?
How could I have made such a mistake? I was close to tear
8
Just then a tall, gray-haired man, beautifully groomed, strode through the reception
area. e switchboard operator signaled me and mouthed, “at’s him.
9
I didn’t hesitate. “Oh, Mr. Moskowitz!” I called out. “Just a moment, sir, please! I’d
like to speak to you.
10
He glanced at his expensive-looking gold watch and kept walking. “Sorry, I have a
train to catch,” he said brusquely. “I don’t believe you had an appointment.
11
I hurried aer him toward the elevator. “I apologize, sir, but I was told to talk to you
and to show you some photographs.” I mentioned the Cornell graduate who had given me
his name
12
“Miss White, I have a train to catch. I’m sure your photographs are very good or he
would not have sent you to see me, but unfortunately I have no time to look at them or
talk to you now.
13
He checked his watch impatiently and rang again for the elevator. “It’s always slow
when I’m most in a hurry,” he muttered
14
“Let me show you just one photograph while we’re waiting,” I pleaded, and opened
the portfolio. e picture on top was a view of the river from the library tower, the highest
point on campus. I’d climbed that tower at dawn and at sunset and at every possible time
in between to catch the light on the water at exactly the right moment and framed the shot
through lacy grillwor
15
Mr. Moskowitz glanced at it, impatiently at rst and then more carefully a second
time. “You took this photograph?” he asked doubtfully
16
“Yes, these pictures are all my work.” I rushed through my story—the elevator could
arrive at any moment. “Mr. Moskowitz, I have to know if you think I have the ability to
become a professional in this eld.
17
e elevator gate clattered open. “Going down!
18
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Session 1
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____________________
1
stellar: extremely good
2
alumni: people who have previously graduated from an educational institution
3
curator of herpetology: person at the museum in charge of snake collections
4
imminent: about to happen
5
alma mater: school, college, or university that one attended in the past
“Never mind, Chester,” Mr. Moskowitz told the operator. “We don’t need you now.”
He motioned for me to follow him. “Come with me. I want to have a look at the rest of
these.”
19
As we hurried through the reception room, Mr. Moskowitz called out to the
switchboard operator, “Ring up Sawyer and York and anyone else who’s still here and tell
them to come to the conference room.” . . .
20
For the next hour they asked me questions about my age—I fibbed a bit, adding a
couple of years—my education, and my experience. At the end of the hour I walked out of
the offices of York & Sawyer with their assurance that any architect in the country would
willingly pay for my services. I wanted to celebrate, and when I stopped for something to
eat, I could scarcely keep from telling my good news to the tired-looking waitress behind
the counter.
21
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Session 1
best
A 
B 
C 
D 
Which quotation best supports a central idea of the story?
A “I asked the letter-writer to recommend someone qualified . . .” (paragraph4)
B
“During the Easter vacation I booked a cheap room and took the train to New York City
...” (paragraph5)
C
“I apologize, sir, but I was told to talk to you and to show you some photographs.”
(paragraph12)
D
“Mr. Moskowitz, I have to know if you think I have the ability to become a professional
in this field.” (paragraph17)
How does the dialogue in paragraphs19 and20 propel events in the story?
A It suggests that Mr. Moskowitz requires help judging the narrator’swork.
B It shows that Mr. Moskowitz is impressed by the narrator’spicture.
C It indicates that Mr. Moskowitz reluctantly agrees to speak with thenarrator.
D It reveals that Mr. Moskowitz will likely help the narrator in hercareer.
1
2
3
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Session 1
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
A


B


C


D


Which event from the story most affects the narrator’s feelings about her future career?
A She receives payment for her pictures published in the Cornell Alumni News.
B Several graduates of the department of architecture praise her work.
C She is invited to a job interview at the American Museum of Natural History.
D Several experts confirm that she has a talent for architectural photography.
What effect do the shiing attitudes of the switchboard operator and Mr. Moskowitz have on the
s
tory?
A ey create a mood of suspense.
B ey introduce confusion to the plot.
C ey build a tone of disappointment.
D ey reinforce the central conflict.
4
5
6
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Session 1
e saying “Do not put all your eggs in one basket” means that a person should not depend on
o
ne idea or possibility for success. Which of the narrator’s actions in the story represents this
s
aying?
A She submits a photo-essay for her journalism coursssignment.
B She agrees to publish her photographs in the Cornell AlumniNews.
C She applies for a job at the American Museum of Naturaistory.
D She fails to make an appointment with Mroskowitz.
7
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Session 1
GO ON
Miyax, also known as Julie, is a 13-year-old girl who is lost in the Alaskan wilderness.
Excerpt from Julie of the Wolves
by Jean Craighead George
Miyax pushed back the hood of her sealskin parka and looked at the Arctic sun. It
was a yellow disc in a lime-green sky, the colors of six o’clock in the evening and the time
when wolves awoke. Quietly she put down her cooking pot and crept to the top of a dom
e-
shaped frost heave, one of the many earth buckles that rise and fall in the crackling cold of
the Arctic winter. Lying on her stomach, she looked across a vast lawn of grass and moss
and focused her attention on the wolves she had come upon two sleeps ago. ey were
wagging their tails as they awoke and saw each other.
1
Her hands trembled and her heartbeat quickened, for she was frightened, not so
much of the wolves, who were shy and many harpoon-shots away, but because of her
desperate predicament. Miyax was lost. She had been lost without food for many sleeps on
the North Slope of Alaska. e barren slope stretches for two hundred miles from the
Brooks Range to the Arctic Ocean, and for more than eight hundred miles from Canada
to the Chukchi Sea. No roads cross it; ponds and lakes freckle its immensity. Winds
scream across it, and the view in every direction is exactly the same. Somewhere in this
cosmos was Miyax; and the very life in her body, its spark and warmth, depended upon
these wolves for survival. And she was not so sure they would help
2
She had been watching the wolves for two days, trying to discern
1
which of their
sounds and movements expressed goodwill and friendship. Most animals had such
signals. e little Arctic ground squirrels icked their tails sideways to notify others of
their kind that they were friendly. By imitating this signal with her forenger, Miyax had
lured many a squirrel to her hand. If she could discover such a gesture for the wolves she
would be able to make friends with them and share their food, like a bird or a fox.
3
Propped on her elbows with her chin in her sts, she stared at the black wolf, trying
to catch his eye. She had chosen him because he was much larger than the others, and
because he walked like her father, Kapugen, with his head high and his chest out. e
black wolf also possessed wisdom, she had observed. e pack looked to him when the
wind carried strange scents or the birds cried nervously. If he was alarmed, they were
alarmed. If he was calm, they were calm.
4
Page 20
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Session 1
Read this story. Then answer questions 22 through 28.
____________________
1
discern: determine
2
Amaroq: Miyax’s name for the wolf
3
rigorous: demanding, dicult
Long minutes passed, and the black wolf did not look at her. He had ignored her
since she rst came upon them, two sleeps ago. True, she moved slowly and quietly, so as
not to alarm him; yet she did wish he would see the kindness in her eyes. Many animals
could tell the dierence between hostile hunters and friendly people by merely looking at
them. But the big black wolf would not even glance her way.
5
A bird stretched in the grass. e wolf looked at it. A ower twisted in the wind. He
glanced at that. en the breeze rippled the wolverine ru on Miyax’s parka and it
glistened in the light. He did not look at that. She waited. Patience with the ways of nature
had been instilled in her by her father. And so she knew better than to move or shout. Yet
she must get food or die. Her hands shook slightly and she swallowed hard to keep
calm..
6
Amaroq
2
glanced at his paw and slowly turned his head her way without liing his
eyes. He licked his shoulder. A few matted hairs sprang apart and twinkled individually.
en his eyes sped to each of the three adult wolves that made up his pack and nally to
the ve pups who were sleeping in a fuzzy mass near the den entrance. e great wolf’s
eyes soened at the sight of the little wolves, then quickly hardened into brittle yellow
jewels as he scanned the at tundra.
7
Not a tree grew anywhere to break the monotony of the gold-green plain, for the soils
of the tundra are permanently frozen. Only moss, grass, lichens, and a few hardy owers
take root in the thin upper layer that thaws briey in summer. Nor do many species of
animals live in this rigorous
3
land, but those creatures that do dwell here exist in bountiful
numbers. Amaroq watched a large cloud of Lapland longspurs wheel up into the sky, then
alight in the grasses. Swarms of crane ies, one of the few insects that can survive the cold,
darkened the tips of the mosses. Birds wheeled, turned, and called. ousands sprang up
from the ground like leaves in the wind.
8
e wolf’s ears cupped forward and tuned in on some distant message from the
tundra. Miyax tensed and listened, too. Did he hear some brewing storm, some
approaching enemy? Apparently not. His ears relaxed and he rolled to his side. She sighed,
glanced at the vaulting sky, and was painfully aware of her predicament. . . .
9
It had been a frightening moment when two days ago she realized that the tundra
was an ocean of grass on which she was circling around and around. Now as that fear
overcame her again she closed her eyes. When she opened them her heart skipped
excitedly. Amaroq was looking at her!
10
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Session 1
GO ON
e word choice in paragraph 2 affects the tone of the story by
A developing a sense of appreciation for the setting
B indicating a possible direction for the plot
C creating a sense of anxiety for the main character
D suggesting a possible resolution for the conflict
What do the details in paragraphs 3 and 4 reveal about Miyax?
A She has enjoyed learning about the habitats of different wild animals.
B She believes her father would be able to develop a friendship with the wolf.
C She has developed an understanding of nature and animal behaviors.
D She plans to share new animal signals that she learns with her family.
Which detail supports a theme of the story?
A
“She had been lost without food for many sleeps on the North Slope of Alaska.”
(paragrap
B “Patience with the ways of nature had been instilled in her by her father.” (paragrap
C
“en his eyes sped to each of the three adult wolves that made up his pack and nally to
the ve pu” (paragrap
D
“Not a tree grew anywhere to break the monotony of the gold-green pla”
(paragrap
22
23
24
Page 22
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Session 1
Which quotation best reveals Miyax’s attitude toward Amaroq?
A
“e pack looked to him when the wind carried strange scents or the birds cried
nervously.” (paragrap4)
B
“True, she moved slowly and quietly, so as not to alarm him; yet she did wish he would
see the kindness in her eyes.” (paragrap5)
C
“e great wolf’s eyes soened at the sight of the little wolves, then quickly hardened into
brittle yellow jewels as he scanned the at tundra.” (paragrap7)
D
“Miyax tensed and listened, too. Did he hear some brewing storm, some approaching
enemy?” (paragrap9)
How does the author’s use of language in paragraph 10 contribute to the tone of the story?
A by giving a name to the leader of the wolf pack
B by illustrating how the land has inspired Miyax to not give up
C by using geographical terms to describe the setting
D by reinforcing Miyax’s senses of danger and hope
25
26
Page 23
Session 1
GO ON
is question is worth 2 credits.
I
n “Excerpt from Julie of the Wolves,” how do details about the setting affect the story? Use two
det
ails from the story to support your response.
s quest on i wor h credits.
Write your response for this question in your separate Session 1 Answer Booklet.
Writing on this page will not be scored.
is question is worth 2 credits.
I
n many parts of the world, wolves are typically feared by humans. How does the author of
“
Excerpt from Julie of the Wolves” present a contrast to this idea? Use two details from the story to
s
upport your response.
s qu on i o
Write your response for this question in your separate Session 1 Answer Booklet.
Writing on this page will not be scored.
27
28
Page 24
Session 1
STOP
Grade 8
2023
English Language Arts Test
Session 1
April 19–21, 2023
Name:
__________________________________________________
GRADE 8 ELA SESSION 2
2023
English Language Arts Test
Session 2
Grade
8
April 19–21, 2023
New York State
Testing Program
GRADE 8 ELA SESSION 2
RELEASED QUESTIONS
Excerpt from e Almost King by Lucy Saxon. Copyright © 2015 by L.A. Saxon. Published by Bloomsbury. Used with permission of e
Copyright Licensing Agency via Copyright Clearance Center.
“Robotic Fish to Keep a Fishy Eye on the Health of the Oceans” by JoAnna Klein, New York Times, March 21, 2018. Copyright © 2018 by
the New York Times. Used with permission of the New York Times Company via Copyright Clearance Center.
Excerpt from “Keep the ‘Wild’ in Wildlife: Don’t Touch or Feed” by Matt Trott, January 15, 2015. Courtesy of the U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service.
Excerpt from Saving Manatees by Stephen R. Swinburne. Copyright © 2006 by Stephen R. Swinburne. Used with permission of Boyds Mills
Kane Press via Copyright Clearance Center.
Developed and published under contract with the New York State Education Department by Questar Assessment Inc., 14720 Energy Way,
A
pple Valley, MN 55124. Copyright © 2023 by the New York State Education Department.
Session 2
Session 2
TIPS FOR TAKING THE TEST
Here are some suggestions to help you do your best:
• Be sure to read all the directions carefully.
• Most questions will make sense only when you read the whole passage. You may need
to read the passage more than once to answer a question.
• When a question includes a quotation from a passage, you may need to review both the
quotation and the whole passage in order to answer the question correctly.
• Read each question carefully and think about the answer before making your choice or
writing your response.
• In writing your responses, be sure to
– clearly organize your writing;
– completely answer the questions being asked;
– support your responses with examples or details from the text; and
– write in complete sentences using correct spelling, grammar, capitalization,
and punctuation.
• For the last question in this test book, you may plan your writing on the Planning Page
provided, but do NOT write your final answer on this Planning Page. Writing on this
Planning Page will NOT count toward your final score. Write your final answer on the
lined response pages provided.
Page 1
Session 2
In a faraway kingdom called Tellus, Aleks signs up for the army. en he finds out what
a dishonest and brutal place it is.
Excerpt from e Almost King
by Lucy Saxon
Slinging his light saddlebag over his shoulders and swallowing his cry of pain at the
movement, he pulled his hat low over his forehead and made for the door. He needed his
enlistment forms from Shulga’s office; if he could find and destroy them, the army would
have no record of him enlisting. Even if he did get caught aer escaping—provided he
escaped in the first place—there would be no proof that he was a cadet.
1
en all he had to
do was reach the stables and get Quicksilver before anyone on the dinner shi noticed
what he was doing. Aer that . . . he would find a way out. ere had to be one
somewhere. . . .
1
ere were no guards at the door; the barracks
2
was down to a skeleton guard for the
dinner shi. Aleks silently retraced his steps from earlier in the day, making his way
towards Antova’s office. His eyes raced over every door’s nameplate, frowning when none
of them was the office he was looking for. He was incredibly short on time; he had to be o
n
Quicksilver and heading for freedom before dinner ended.
2
Finally, he saw it. Lt. Shulga was embossed on a nameplate three doors down from
Antova’s. Luckily, the door was unlocked and the room empty; Shulga had obviously gone
straight from the time-out room to dinner. e office was decorated in the same way as
Antova’s, in blue and dark brown, with a large map of Tellus on the wall instead of the
royal crest the commander displayed. Darting across to a metal filing cabinet that took up
most of one wall, Aleks wrenched open a drawer at random, ignoring the searing ache in
his arms. Again, unlocked. Clearly Shulga was too cocky to think anyone would dare
snoop around his office.
3
e drawer was full of neatly filed enlistment forms in alphabetical order; F–J. Aleks’s
form would come under V. Shutting the drawer, he reached for the next one, perplexed to
find it containing M–P. e drawer aer that didn’t contain enlistment forms at all, but
instead held a large stack of account books. Shulga didn’t seem to have any sort of system
whatsoever; how did he ever find anything he needed?
4
Page 2
GO ON
Session 2
Read this story. Then answer questions 29 through 35.
Growling in frustration, Aleks began to open multiple drawers at a time, riing
through stacks of papers and leather-bound books, his desperation growing with every
unsuccessful attempt. Digging through a drawer of miscellaneous les and books closest
to the desk, his ngers scrabbled at the bottom of the drawer and it tilted a fraction,
sending three stacked les slumping against a small metal box. ‘What the . . .e trailed
o, pressing harder on the base of the drawer, watching it dip under his ngers. e
drawer had a false bottom!
5
Aleks glanced at the clock; he knew he shouldn’t, but he’d always been the curious
type. Emptying the drawer, he dug his nails under one side of the fake bottom, prising it
up. e secret compartment was fairly narrow, containing only a thin le of papers and a
battered leather journal. It was the journal that caught Aleks’s eye, for it had the Anglyan
crest embossed in one corner of the cover. What on Tellus was Shulga doing with an
Anglyan journal? . . .
6
A door slamming somewhere in the building startled him out of his horried trance,
and a quick look at the clock nearly gave Aleks a heart attace barely had ten minutes
until the end of dinner!
7
Stung the journal in an inner pocket of his coat, he hastily replaced the drawer’s
false bottom and contents, shutting it as quietly as he could. Tugging on the two drawers
he had yet to check, he swore under his breath. Neither of them contained a V section,
and Aleks felt dread creep over him at the realization that his le was likely elsewheree
didn’t have the time to search any other rooms. Out of options, he straightened up,
shoving all the cabinet drawers shut and sprinting for the door.
8
A quick glance through the glass panel showed the corridor to be empty, so Aleks
slipped from the room.
9
Bursting through the door of the building, he turned for the stables, slowing his pace
once he hit the cobblestone path, just in case anyone happened to look his way. ere was
nothing more suspicious than a lone cadet running.
10
While there was supposed to be at least one stablehand in the building at all times,
Aleks couldn’t see a single soul in the stables. Perfecurrying to the tack
3
room, he
easily found Quicksilver’s saddle and bridle, though carrying the heavy items in his
current state nearly sent him crumpling to the oor. Still, he forced himself to ignore the
pain, heing the tack across the room towards Quicksilver’s stall.
11
Page 3
Session 2
GO ON
____________________
1
cadet: new member of the armed services
2
barracks: place where soldiers sleep
3
tack: stable gear such as saddles and bridles
e horse whinnied when he saw the tack, knowing what it meant. Aleks shushed
him, slinging the saddle on the door and slipping inside, easing the bridle on to the horse’s
head. Tossing the saddle on Quicksilver’s back, he fastened it tightly and slung the
saddlebag over the horse’s rear, buckling it swily. He grabbed the reins, running to press
Quicksilver’s nose to his chest for a brief moment. ‘We need to be quiet, boy. No getting
excited.’
12
Page 4
GO ON
Session 2
How does the author’s description of Aleks’s plan in paragraph1 impact the tone of thestory?
A It creates irony because everything happens the way Aleks thinks itwill.
B It creates confidence that Aleks will succeed because he knows what he mustdo.
C It creates suspense as the reader wonders if something will go wrong forAleks.
D It creates confusion because not everything happens the way Aleks wants itto.
What important idea does the author develop in paragraphn
A e Tellus army is poorly prepared fotion.
B Aleks has a plan that is based on the army’outines.
C Aleks is unsure about wh oas his army enlistmenapers.
D e Tellus army guards will soon return to the barks froer.
Which sentence states a theme of paragraph 3?
A Overconfidence can lead tocarelessness.
B Pride in one’s kingdom is essential to militarysuccess.
C Pain can prevent a person from reaching one’sgoal.
D Trust is difficult to establish andmaintain.
29
30
31
Page 5
Session 2
GO ON
How does Aleks’s attitude change in paragraph5?
A It shis from exhausted tocurious.
B It shis from panicked toconfident.
C It shis from distracted tofocused.
D It shis from annoyed tosurprised.
e saying “Don’t let anything stop you” is an encouragement to pursue and achieve a goal despite
o
bstacles. Which quotation from the story best reects thia?
A “Aer that . . . he would nd a way out. ere had to be one somewhere.” (paragrap
B
“Luckily, the door was unlocked and the room empty; Shulga had obviously gone straight
from the time-out room to dinner.” (paragrap
C
“Aleks glanced at the clock; he knew he shouldn’t, but he’d always been the curious type.”
(paragrap
D
“A quick glance through the glass panel showed the corridor to be empty, so Aleks
slipped from the room.” (paragrap
Read these sentences from paragraph12.
‘We need to be quiet, boy. No getting excited.’
W
hat do these sentences reveal about Aleks?
A He is aware that dangers may still awaithim.
B He is questioning his decision to leave thearmy.
C He is unfamiliar with how this horse willreact.
D He is reconsidering his plan ofescape.
32
33
34
Page 6
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Session 2
Which sentence would be most important to include in a summary of thestory?
A Aleks notices that Shulga’s office is decorated the same as Antova’soffice.
B Aleks finds an Anglyan journal in a secret compartment in Shulga’soffice.
C Aleks fears someone is coming when he hears a door slam in thebuilding.
D Aleks slows his pace to avoid suspicion as he approaches thestables.
35
Page 7
Session 2
GO ON
Robotic Fish to Keep a Fishy Eye on
the Health of the Oceans
by JoAnna Klein
You’re a fish in the ocean.
1
It’s 2023 and humans have begun deploying swarms of sentinel robot fish along the
reef where you live that will monitor your environment, track pollution and collect
intelligence on your behavior. Welcome to the future, my finned fishy friends.
2
O.K., so you’re not a fish. And this sci-fi fishland doesn’t exist. But it could—not long
from now.
3
Allow me to introduce SoFi—like “Sophie,” but short for “So Robotic Fish,” revealed
in Science Robotics, by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Computer
Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab.
4
ey explained how their finned robot was created, and how her first ocean swim on
a coral reef outside of Fiji went. Robotic fish like her could be essential to understanding
and protecting marine life in danger of disappearing in a fragile ocean environment,
threatened by human activity and climate change.
5
is foot-and-a-half long robot mimics a real fish. She can swim in the ocean at
speeds up to half-its-body-length a second and at depths up to 60 feet below the surface.
SoFi has a battery that will last 45 minutes before she shuts down.
6
She’s not quite fish flesh, but she’s not a typical marine robot either. Although critical
for studying the ocean, remote operated vehicles and submersibles
1
can be expensive to
build and operate. ey also can startle the sea creatures they’re supposed to study. But
without a line giving her away by connecting her to a boat, a noisy propeller or the big,
rigid, awkward or angular body of a metallic land-alien, she doesn’t seem to bother or
scare off real fish. Some even swim along with her. Sleek, untethered, relatively
inexpensive and well-tolerated, SoFi may provide biologists a fish’s-eye view of animal
interactions in changing marine ecosystems.
7
For this group of MIT roboticists, SoFi was a dream, combining their love of diving
with their work on so robots. She was also an engineering challenge.
8
SoFi started as a nine-inch silicon tail that wiggled with the assistance of a hydraulic
pump.
9
Page 8
GO ON
Session 2
Read this article. Then answer questions 36 through 42.
____________________
1
submersibles: boats designed to do underwater research
2
unobtrusive: barely noticeable
3
schooling dynamics: forces that influence change as fish travel together in
schools
“I was amazed at how well it was working, how well I was able to get this tail to beat
back and forth or swim le and right, like a shark or some other fish,” said Robert
Katzschmann, a graduate student at MIT who led the team. “But we wanted to show this
wasn’t just working on a test bench or table top.”
10
SoFi had to swim in the ocean—at multiple depths.
11
is meant waterproofing, buoyancy control, tweaking weight distributions and
figuring out an unobtrusive
2
way to share information underwater. It also meant compact
equipment.
12
“We wanted to build a fish,” said Mr. Katzschmann. “And the fish can’t be as big as a
submarine—unless we wanted to build a whale.”
13
A couple years later SoFi had a finned body and head equipped with a camera, two-
way hydrophone, battery, environmental sensors, operating system and communication
system that allowed a diver to issue commands using a souped-up Super Nintendo
controller.
14
e communication system was the biggest challenge, said Mr. Katzschmann,
because normally it requires a cable. Common remote signals used for piloting aerial
drones don’t travel below water.
15
But sound waves do.
16
ey built their own language, sending coded messages on high-pitched sound waves
between SoFi and the diver. Different bits of information were assigned their own tones,
kind of like how numbers are represented by dial tones when you make a phone call. A
processing system decoded and relayed the messages to tell the diver things like “SoFi is
currently swimming forward” or command her to “turn le, 20 degrees.”
17
e high-pitched signals only travel about 65 feet and are inaudible to fish, although
it’s possible some whales or dolphins could hear them, which may require future research.
18
“Our primary goal was to make something for biologists,” said Mr. Katzschmann. He
envisions a future network of sensor-clad SoFis for studying schooling dynamics
3
or
monitoring pollution over time. Currently he’s working on primitive A.I. so SoFi can use
her footage to identify and track real fish.
19
But what if a real fish—or a shark—tracks SoFi instead?
20
“If a shark would have come and ate our fish, that would have been the most amazing
footage,” Mr. Katzschmann said.
21
Page 9
Session 2
GO ON
Why does the author use the phrase “my finned fishy friends” in paragraph 2?
A to highlight the serious issues facing ocean life
B to make readers feel a connection to the article
C to establish the importance of SoFi’s fin technology
D to help readers understand the ocean environment
Read this sentence from paragraph 7.
She’s not quite fish flesh, but she’s not a typical marine robot either.
W
hich detail about SoFi best supports the idea expressed in this sentence?
A SoFi may contribute to the protection of endangered marine life.
B SoFi can swim at speeds that are similar to some fish.
C Fish are not scared by SoFi and sometimes swim with her.
D Divers issue commands to SoFi using a simple controller.
Which detail from the article best shows the author’s point of view about SoFi?
A
“Robotic sh like her could be essential to understanding and protecting marine life in
danger of disappearing . . .” (paragrap
B “is foot-and-a-half long robot mimics a real sh.” (paragrap
C
“I was amazed at how well it was working, how well I was able to get this tail to beat back
and forth or swim le and right . . .” (paragrap
D
“And the sh can’t be as big as a submarine—unless we wanted to build a whale.”
(paragrap
36
37
38
Page 10
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Session 2
Which statement best explains how the ideas in paragraph 8 relate to the details in paragraphs 12
t
hrough 14?
A Engineers want to build a robot to explore marine life.
B Engineers create a system to guide SoFi underwater.
C Engineers focus on design requirements to achieve their goal.
D Engineers develop SoFi to think and act like a small fish.



A


B


C


D


In paragraph 21, Mr. Katzschmann reacts positively to the idea that a shark might eat SoFi
b
ecause that would
A lead to further funding and research
B test the strength of the underwater system
C help biologists understand how to protect marine life
D support the goal of studying animal interactions
39
40
41
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Which idea would be most important to include in a summary of thearticle?
A SoFi uses coded messages to communicate.
B SoFi receives commands from a remote control.
C SoFi is an important tool for understanding ocean life.
D SoFi is designed to swim at different speeds in the ocean.
42
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Session 2
Matt Trott works for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Excerpt from Keep the “Wild”in
Wildlife: Don’t Touch or Feed
by Matt Trott
People oen think doing nothing is quite easy, but sometimes it can be awfully hard.
Many of us want to help wildlife when they appear to be in trouble, but in some cases, we
need to redirect these instincts.
1
Generally, the best thing to do is leave the animal alone. is protects both you and
the animal. . . .
2
Young wildlife usually are not orphaned, even if a parent can’t be seen. For example,
deer leave fawns alone for hours to look for food, and baby birds oen leave the nest
before they can fly, hopping around on the ground for days with the parents sometimes
elsewhere getting food. . . .
3
By trying to help wildlife, you might really be hurting them. A man in Georgia
recently saw a manatee
1
out of the water. Concerned it was stuck, the man pushed the
manatee back into the water. Scientists said the manatee was very likely just sunbathing on
a warm December day.
4
Your “help” could also end up hurting you. e man in Georgia was fine, but even
people trained in manatee rescues are injured occasionally. Manatees may look slow and
too bulky to cause injury, but a lot of strength and energy is hidden within their thick
hide. . . .
5
Finally, wild animals are hardier than we think. A recent car commercial depicts a
couple “rescuing” a bird from cold weather and driving it south. is type of activity is
illegal (unless permitted) and can be dangerous for the humans and the animal.
Transferring a bird or other wildlife may disorient
2
it or cause other problems.
6
Sometimes, though, wildlife definitely need our help. You’ll know a wild animal
needs help if it has a visibly broken limb, is bleeding, has a dead parent nearby, or is
hopelessly tangled in some manmade object.
7
If that’s the case, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
3
ey are trained and have
permits to care for wildlife. ey can tell you what steps can be taken until help arrives.
Not only that, but if they are truly in need, many animals require expert attention
immediately.
8
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Read this article. Then answer question 43.
____________________
1
manatee: a very large mammal that lives in warm waters along the Atlantic coast
2
disorient: confuse, especially about location
3
rehabilitator: a person who helps bring an animal back to its uninjured state; also
called a rehabber
4
malnourished: lacking enough food or the right food for good health
5
neurological: nerve
at’s what Officer Richard Bare did when he received a call that some baby raccoons
were orphaned aer their mother was hit by a car. He took them to a wildlife
rehabilitation facility.
9
Migratory Bird specialist Bob Murphy did that, too. Last year, while Bob was getting
his canoe ready for a canoe trip, a friend spotted an osprey hanging upside down, tangled
in fishing line, way up in a nearby pine tree.
10
Bob eventually climbed the tree and cut away the fishing line. He then carefully
placed the bird into a backpack, climbed down the tree and took the bird to a rehabber.
e osprey was somewhat dehydrated and malnourished,
4
had a slightly injured toe and
suffered neurological
5
problems from hanging upside down for some time. However, it
recovered and was released.
11
ese are “hands-on” examples of experts providing help when wildlife are in
trouble, and they still both involve wildlife rehabilitators. Wildlife rehab is the answer for
an injured animal. But, in general, the best bet for your safety, and that of the animal
involved, is to leave wildlife alone, whenever possible keeping them truly wild.
12
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Session 2
is question is worth 2 credits.
R
ead this sentence from paragraph 12 of “Excerpt from Keep the ‘Wild’ in Wildlife.”
But, in general, the best bet for your safety, and that of the animal
involved, is to leave wildlife alone, whenever possible keeping them truly
wild.
W
hat does the phrase “keeping them truly wild” suggest about helping wildlife in trouble? Use
t
wo details from the article to support your response.
43
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Stephen R. Swinburne has worked as a park ranger. When heswam alongside a
manatee, he reached out and scratched its belly, and the manatee made clicking sounds.
ey interacted for about a minute before the manatee swam away.
Excerpt from Saving Manatees
by Stephen R. Swinburne
My excitement is tingeith
1
guilt, though. I knohouldn’t touch a manatee. I
believe in the “no touch” polichen it comes tild animals. Wild animals remaild
hen man does not interferith their behavior. e naturalist
2
part of me says, “Don’t
touch,” but to satisfy my human curiosity, I reach out. While I struggith this dilemma
on a personal scale, Floridians are grapplinith just holose humans and manatees
should get.
1
Some groups in Florida believe people should not be alloed to “ith the
manatees” or touch them. And there are others, such as diving and snorkeling companies,
that believe it’s okay to snorkeitild manatees and okay to touch them.
2
I raise the issith the fourth-graders aer our snorkeling triith the manate
es in
Crystal River. Should people be alloed tith manatees? Why ohy not? Many
of the students loved snorkelinith manatees. I hear reactions such as “Way cool!”,
“Aesome!”, “e most amazing trip of my life.” But aer some reection, Kalli speaks up
and says, “Even though is fun for us, I don’t think people should be alloed tim
ith manatees or touch them because it disturbs their peacefulness.”
3
It’s the old idea ohat one does is ne, but if the thousands of people that search for
manatees each yeanted to touch, rather than simply look at manatees, the pressure on
the animalould be too much. “Look, but don’t touch” may be the besy to mind yo
ur
manatee manners. And besides, people actually have the most to gain by remaining at a
distanhen they spot a manatee in thter. By quietly observing manatees, snorkelers
ill get a rare opportunity to see the natural behavior of these unique animals.
4
e one thinimminith thild manatees did for all of us make us
advocates
3
for manatees. But in the end, I agreith Kalli. Who knoaybe some day
people visiting Florida’rter springs and rivers may talk about the good old days
hen people could snorkeith the manatees. Can you imagine that? ey actually got in
thter and touched a manatee. osere the days.
5
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Session 2
Read this article. Then answer questions 44 through 46.
____________________
1
is tinged with: contains a little bit of
2
naturalist: person who studies nature
3
advocates: people who work for or argue for a certain cause
4
susceptible: open to risk
5
inadvertently: without meaning to
Some swimmers don’t understand how touching a manatee can be harmful to the
animal. Save the Manatee Club believes touching manatees can alter their behavior in the
wild, perhaps causing them to leave warm-water areas and making them susceptible
4
to
potential harm. When manatees are in colder water, they expend valuable energy just to
keep warm. is leaves little energy le for other important body functions, such as
digestion. Pursuing a manatee while diving, swimming, or boating may inadvertently
5
separate a mother and her calf.
6
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Session 2
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is question is worth 2 credits.
I
n “Excerpt from Saving Manatees,” how does the author develop his position about people
sw
imming with manatees? Use two details from the article to support your response.
44
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Session 2
is question is worth 2 credits.
H
ow do the ideas developed in paragraph 5 of “Excerpt from Saving Manatees” relate to the
a
uthor’s argument? Use two details from the article to support your response.
45
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Session 2
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Answer
Planning Page
You may PLAN your writing for question 46 here if you wish, but do NOT write
your nal answer on this page. Writing on this Planning Page will NOT count
toward your nal score. Write your nal answer on Pages 21 and 22.
Page 20
GO ON
Session 2
is question is worth 4 credits.
e authors of “Excerpt from Keep the ‘Wild’ in Wildlife” and “Excerpt from Saving Manatees”
h
ave a common goal. What is that common goal? How do the details presented in each article
s
upport this goal? Use details from both articles to support your response.
I
n your response, be sure to
identify a common goal the authors of the articles have
describe how the details presented in each article support the common goal
use details from both articles to support your response
46
Page 21
Session 2
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Page 22
Session 2
STOP
Grade 8
2023
English Language Arts Test
Session 2
April 19–21, 2023
Multiple Choice
Questions
Percentage of Students
Who Answered Correctly
(P-Value)
Average
Points Earned
P-Value
(Average Points Earned ÷
Total Possible Points)
1
Multiple Choice
B
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.2
Reading
0.8033
2
Multiple Choice
D
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.2
Reading
0.7752
3
Multiple Choice
B
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.3
Reading
0.5526
4
Multiple Choice
C
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.3
Reading
0.4690
5
Multiple Choice
D
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.3
Reading
0.4937
6
Multiple Choice
A
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.6
Reading
0.5326
7
Multiple Choice
C
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.9
Reading
0.4493
22
Multiple Choice
C
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.4
Reading
0.6933
23
Multiple Choice
C
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.3
Reading
0.7259
24
Multiple Choice
B
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.2
Reading
0.5813
25
Multiple Choice
B
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.6
Reading
0.5967
26
Multiple Choice
D
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.4
Reading
0.4605
27
Constructed Response
2
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.3
Writing to Sources
0.5813
0.2907
28
Constructed Response
2
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.9
Writing to Sources
0.4796
0.2398
29
Multiple Choice
C
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.4
Reading
0.6441
30
Multiple Choice
B
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.2
Reading
0.5314
31
Multiple Choice
A
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.2
Reading
0.7209
32
Multiple Choice
D
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.3
Reading
0.5687
33
Multiple Choice
A
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.9
Reading
0.5309
34
Multiple Choice
A
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.3
Reading
0.8380
35
Multiple Choice
B
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.2
Reading
0.6982
36
Multiple Choice
B
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.4
Reading
0.7046
37
Multiple Choice
C
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.8
Reading
0.4691
38
Multiple Choice
A
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.6
Reading
0.7005
39
Multiple Choice
C
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.3
Reading
0.4706
40
Multiple Choice
B
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.9
Reading
0.4667
41
Multiple Choice
D
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.3
Reading
0.4840
42
Multiple Choice
C
1
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.2
Reading
0.8018
43
Constructed Response
2
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.4
Writing to Sources
0.8485
0.4243
44
Constructed Response
2
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.6
Writing to Sources
0.7158
0.3579
45
Constructed Response
2
NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.3
Writing to Sources
0.5712
0.2856
46 Constructed Response 4 NGLS.ELA.Content.NY-8.R.3 Writing to Sources 0.4312 0.1078
THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
*This item map is intended to identify the primary analytic skills necessary to successfully answer each question on the 2023 operational ELA test. However,
each constructed-response question measures proficiencies described in multiple standards, including writing and additional reading and language standards.
For example, two-point and four-point constructed-response questions require students to first conduct the analyses described in the mapped standard and
then produce written responses that are rated based on writing standards. To gain greater insight into the measurement focus for constructed-response
questions, please refer to the rubrics shown in the Educator Guides.
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234
2023 English Language Arts Tests Map to the Standards
Grade 8 Released Questions
Question Type Key Points Standard Subscore
Constructed Response Questions
Session 1
Session 2