ABRIDGED ENGLISH REGENTS SURVIVAL GUIDE

This guide highlights most of the key points to remember when taking the NYS
English Regents Exam, including the general formats for each task, major tips for
essay writing, etc. Keep in mind, though, that this is a shorthand guide. The
bottom line is that you know your stuff already; use this to jog your memory if
you get stuck. And above all, relax. Youll do fine.

Exam Schedule
The exam takes place over the course of a single three-hour period. The reading
of the Task 1 listening passage by the proctor will take approximately 35-40
minutes; you will then need to complete all 25 multiple choice and all essays on
the exam in the time remaining (there is no set time for completing each
individual task per se).

Exam Format
- 25 multiple choice questions worth 55% of the overall exam grade
- 3 essays, graded out of a total of 10 points, worth 45% of the overall exam
grade
General Guidelines All Tasks

READ THE DIRECTIONS, particularly the sections for the essays labeled Your
Task. If all else fails, reading and understanding the directions which are
usually very simply written and easy to understand will set you straight 100%
of the time.
Dont introduce outside information when writing your essays. Remember, the
Regents exam doesnt care what you know (outside of your knowledge of
literary techniques and elements for Tasks 3 and 4 and the novels you will use
for Task 4) or what you think (unless you phrase your opinions as arguments). If
you need to write an essay on the evolution of the guitar and the listening or
reading passage doesnt mention Guns n Roses, dont talk about Guns n Roses
in your essay.
Whenever possible, avoid both referring to yourself (i.e.: using phrases like I
think that we all know that this wouldnt apply to me because etc.)
and addressing the audience directly (i.e.: using phrases like: you know that
you can see how etc.); both make your writing look opinionated and
unprofessional. State your opinions as facts and arguments (i.e.: this is true
because this is valid considering that etc.).

TASK 1: LISTENING COMPREHENSION
Task Format:
- Listening Passage (taking about 35-40 minutes to be read twice by the proctor)
- 8 multiple-choice questions
Task Description:
Regents Task I focuses on your ability to actively listen to what you have heard
and answer multiple choice questions based on what you have heard (there is
no essay for this portion of the test). The proctor will read the listening passage
twice; during the first reading, you should focus on taking notes about the
passage on the scrap paper that will be provided to you. You will be allowed
read the multiple choice questions only during the second reading of the
passage.
Tips and Guidelines for Note-Taking
- Firstly, make sure you are able to discern what in the listening passage
constitutes its main ideas (ideas around which those stories are built or based
and are closely related to (or take the form of) the storys theme*s+), supporting
ideas (facts that help to explain or prove those stories main ideas), and other
important details (themes, mood of the piece, the speakers tone, settings and
people described in the piece, comparisons and contrasts, etc). Secondly, utilize
the following tips as necessary to assist you:
- Use short phrases, not complete sentences.
- Use your own words; it is easier to recall info from notes that you understand
than from those you dont.
- Include only the most important ideas or details from the passage (see Signal
Words, below).
- Dont worry about the neatness of your handwriting (but make sure you can
read your own notes).
- Dont worry about spelling or punctuation.
- Figure out codes to speed things up; abbreviations, initials, asterisks, etc.
Multiple-Choice Question Types:
Specific Details: Questions of this type require you to remember specific facts
about the passage as they were read to you. Your ability to correctly answer
these questions will rely directly upon: 1). Your memory, and/or 2). Your ability
to take good notes. Questions of this type generally begin with phrases like:
According to the speaker, he/she states that; The main reason that the
narrator did *X+ is because; The date *X+ was the year in which etc.
Example: What was the subject of the writers first book?
Drawing Conclusions/Making Inferences: Questions of this type require you, not
only to remember facts from the reading passage, but to understand their
greater significance in a way not explicitly stated by the passage. In other
words, you will be given a piece of information from the text and asked to
explain what it really means or why the author included in the passage.
Questions of this type generally begin with phrases like: The speaker
implies/suggests that; The speaker describes this event in her life in order
to; One can infer that the authors dog made him happy because etc.
Example: From her statement I did not attend my mothers funeral, what may
one infer about the authors relationship with her mother?
Language/Literary Devices: Questions of this type require you to understand the
authors use of specific literary elements and devices and their significance
within the passage. Questions of this type generally begin with phrases like:
The expression *X+ symbolizes; The exposition of the passage serves to;
The speaker uses examples to; The speaker uses rhetorical questions to;
The general mood of the passage can best be described as Example: How
might one best describe the authors tone throughout the passage?

TASK 2: INFORMATION ANALYSIS
Task Format:
- 2 reading passages
- 12 multiple-choice questions
Task Description:
Regents Task II will test your ability to read and comprehend information from
two different sources one in the form of an informative factual report and one
in the form of a fictional/artistic narrative (each of these reading passages will
be about one-and-a-half to two pages in length). You will be required to read
these passages and answer a six-question multiple-choice section for each (total
of 12 questions). Unlike Task 3, the content of the two passages will by totally
unrelated so, deal with each passage and its corresponding question set
individually; do not confuse the information in each passage. For Task II you will
be allowed to look at the multiple choice questions from the beginning and
refer back to the reading passages at any time.
Multiple-Choice Question Types:
Specific Detail questions ask about individual facts in the passages; if you can
find them, you can answer the questions correctly. Very frequently these
questions will take the form of line-reference questions; i.e.: questions that
refer to one or more lines within the passage itself refer to these lines in the
passage only when answering these questions.
Drawing Conclusions/Making Inferences questions require you to make a logical
judgment or assumption about information presented in either passage. Some
of these may take the form of purpose-based questions; in these cases, the
question will ask you to determine why a subject or group of subjects took an
action or series of actions within the passage, or else will ask you to determine
the overall purpose of the passage itself (i.e.: why was it written in the first
place).
Language/Literary Device questions are those that ask you to understand how,
why, or to what end an author uses a particular literary element within a
passage, or else will give you an example from the passage and ask you to
determine what literary element that example represents. The fictional/artistic
passage will be full of these questions, so be prepared!
Guided Reading Techniques:
Understand that you will run out of time if you try to scrutinize every single
sentence while reading each of the two passages; your chances of succeeding on
Task II will improve dramatically if you follow these strategies while reading
each passage.
1). Skim the passage. This will allow you to get a general feeling for what the
passage is about so that you can put the questions about it in context. As you
are doing this, take time to note the presence of signal words and significant or
unfamiliar details.
2). Read each question carefully. This will allow you to refer to specific sections
of the passage instead of reading the entire passage in its entirety and is
particularly useful when answering line-reference questions. In the case of the
latter, try to read the sentences directly before and after the referenced lines in
order to put the information in that line in context.
3). Answer the questions. Review your answers against the facts from the
passage before moving on to the next passage.

TASK 3: THE CONTROLLING IDEA
Task Format:
- 2 reading passages
- 5 multiple-choice questions
- 2 extended single-paragraph essays
Task Description:
Regents Task III will test your ability to not only read and comprehend
information from two different literary documents one in the form of a
fictional/artistic narrative (about one page in length), the other in the form of a
poem, song excerpt, or parable (about twelve lines in length) but to analyze a
major idea common to both. Once you read each of the passages, you will need
to answer the multiple-choice questions related to them; these will always be in
a 3:2 or a 2:2:1 ratio (i.e.: either three questions related to one passage and two
related to the other or two questions relating to each passage individually and
one relating to both). After you answer the multiple-choice questions, you will
need to complete two individual extended-paragraph essays in which you
analyze the controlling idea of each passage, each of which are graded out of
two points.
Task III Essay Guidelines:
The nice thing about the Task III essays is that you do not have to look far to
figure out what theme you need to discuss in common to both passages; the
directions for Task III will flat-out tell you this (i.e.: Explain how both passages
discuss the importance of grandmothers to those passages authors, or
Discuss the value of life lessons as they impacted those passages authors).
Your task is to say how each passage expresses these themes in a similar
manner and to discuss what literary techniques those authors used to express
these themes.
Paragraph 1: Controlling Idea Discussion
1). First, restate the controlling idea of the reading passages as defined by your
task guidelines. For instance, if both passages are about the importance of
grandmothers, say: Both Passage A and Passage B discuss the importance of
grandmothers.
2). Secondly, explain in what ways the author of each passage discusses their
subjects in similar ways. For instance, if you see that the author of each passage
plays up the value of grandmothers as role-models, you might say: In both
passages, the authors demonstrate that grandmothers are important because of
their value as role-models to their children and grandchildren; if, on the other
hand, you see the authors demonstrate grandmothers importance due to the
respect they should receive as providers for their families, you might say
instead: In both passages, the authors show the importance of grandmothers
in the respect they receive from their children and grandchildren for the years
these grandmothers spent providing for their children.
3). Lastly, discuss two or three facts/details from each passage that prove how
each author discusses their subject in a similar manner; if you have decided to
focus on how the author of each passage plays up the value of grandmothers as
role-models, find at least two examples in each passage in which the
grandmothers in those passages act as role-models to their children and
grandchildren and include these examples in your essay.
Note: There is no correct or incorrect manner in which to complete this essay so
long as you can find and adequately use examples from each passage to prove
that the subject of each passage has been portrayed in a similar way by those
passages authors.
Paragraph 2: Literary Element Discussion
1). First, say which literary element you are going to discuss and which of the
two passages you have identified that element as having appeared in. For
instance, using the above example of the importance of grandmothers, you
might say: The author of Passage B uses the literary technique characterization
to demonstrate the importance of grandmothers and their strengths in that
passage, or The author of Passage B uses the literary technique metaphor in
comparing her grandmother in that passage to a Souix Indian chief in order to
demonstrate her grandmothers importance as an authority figure.
2). Secondly, find and analyze at least two examples of the authors use of the
literary element you have identified as it is used in the passage. Using the two
examples above, you might say: The author of Passage B makes evident his
characterization of the grandmothers in the passage as strong individuals when
he discusses their regular participation in farming and cleaning around the
house; were these women not strong, it would be unlikely that they would be
participating in such physically intense activities well into their 70s or 80s, or
In comparing her grandmother to an Indian chief, Passage Bs authors use of
simile clearly demonstrates her grandmothers importance as a respected
authority figure in her eyes.
Note: You only need to discuss one authors use of only one literary technique
in that passage.

TASK 4: THE CRITICAL LENS
Task Format:
- 1 quote, with which you will need to agree or disagree, and about which you
will have to prove is valid or invalid using two works of literature you have read
in the course of your high school English curriculum. This will take the form of a
single 4-5 paragraph essay worth a total of 6 points.
Essay Guidelines:
Intro: 1). Restate the idea of the quote. Note that this does not mean rephrasing
it; explain what the quote really means. 2). Say whether the quote is valid or
invalid in general and why (again, dont say I think the quote is true because
*this makes your argument sound like an opinion+, and never say The quote is
agreeable because, as this makes absolutely no sense. 3). State which two
works of literature you will be using to prove or disprove the validity of the
quote.
Body Paragraphs: 1). Give at least two examples from each novel you have
chosen to discuss that proves or disproves the idea of the critical lens quote as
you have restated it, 2). Explain why the example you have given proves or
disproves the position that the quote is promoting, and 3). Explain how the
author of the novel you are discussing utilizes at least one literary technique to
develop his/her writing in proving or disproving the idea behind that quote. For
instance, if you get a quote that says Greatness lies not in being strong, but in
the right using of strength. and you have agreed with the quote using the
actions of Ralph from the novel The Lord of the Flies as your evidence, you
might say that William Golding (the author of that novel) characterizes Ralph as
a person who, while not particularly muscular, tries to use the strength of his
influence as a leader to do what is morally right for everyone on the island.
Conclusion: Summarize the content of your essay.
Other Tips:
- Using factual evidence from two novels (minimum) to prove or disprove the
idea behind the critical lens quote will get you a 3. That plus your mentioning of
the same literary technique each author uses to develop his/her story in such a
way as to prove/disprove the idea behind the quote will get you a 4. Those two
plus good writing style gets you a 5 or 6, depending on how good your style
actually is and the diversity of literary techniques you discuss with regard to
each authors use of them.
- You will not get higher than a 3 if you do not use more than one novel to
provide evidence for your argument(s).

COMMON REGENTS-LEVEL LITERARY TERMINOLOGY
The following is a list of significant literary terms that may present themselves
on the Regents Examination and which students should be familiar in order to
do well on said exam.
Allegory: An event or story that is supposed to be representative of another
event or story.
Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds in a passage to create a
dramatic effect in that passage.
Allusion: An event or portrayal that constitutes an indirect or subtle reference
to a person, event, thing, or idea.
Antagonist: A character that constitutes the primary opposition to a storys
protagonist.
Anticlimax: When a series of dramatic events in a story are followed by a
particularly non-dramatic one.
Antihero: A protagonist who gains or wields power through nontraditional,
imperfect, or undesirable means. An anti-hero may have imperfections
(physical, emotional, mental, etc), a lack of positive qualities or an abundance
of negative ones, or may simply justify his bad action by saying that he had
good intentions for taking them.
Aside: A side conversation by an actor intended for the audience and not
heard by other characters on stage at the time the aside is given. This is
different from a soliloquy in that the character giving the aside is surrounded by
other characters (while those characters do not hear him/her), whereas a
character giving a soliloquy is completely alone on stage.
Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds in a passage to create a dramatic
effect in that passage.
Catharsis: The release of emotional tension of a character through that
characters (relatively) dramatic action.
Character: A person portrayed within a story.
Characterization: How a character is portrayed by a storys narrator and/or
author.
Comic Relief: A comedic event or character that breaks up the dramatic
tension of a story or, else sets up a comedic event that contrasts the drama of a
story to dramatic effect.
Conflict: The dramatic obstacle that a storys protagonist must overcome.
Context: The set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event,
situation, etc. In order for a reader/audience member to understand what
he/she is reading, he/she must have a context for that play or story.
Contrast: To set in opposition to show difference.
Dialogue: Spoken or unspoken (i.e.: body language) communication between
characters.
Dynamic Character: A character that changes/grows throughout the course of
a story. Such change may be physical, psychological, emotional, and/or spiritual,
but is, in any case, significant to cause a major change in the way the character
interacts with other characters in the story.
Entendre: A figure of speech; specifically, a piece of text that has a double
meaning.
Figure of Speech: An expressive use of language in which words take on more
than their usual meaning.
Foil: In literature, a character or event that prevents a character from
accomplishing a necessary task.
Foreshadowing: An event or character interaction that strongly suggests the
occurrence of another event.
Hyperbole: An exaggerated expression meant to make a point about
something.
Imagery: Descriptive language used to paint a verbal picture of a scene and
set that scenes mood.
Innuendo: An indirect or subtle, usually derogatory implication in expression;
a form of entendre in which the underlying meaning of a piece of text is
gotten by those in on the joke while others only understand that texts
literal meaning and are usually the but of that joke.
In Medias Res: Latin for in the middle of things; refers literally to a literary
technique in which the reader of a story seems to be dropped into the middle of
the action of that story (as if he/she missed the beginning sequence of that
story and started reading it from the middle of the storys action).
Irony: An outcome of an event that is either the opposite of or mocks (makes
fun of) what is appropriate or is expected in the outcome of that event.
Metaphor: A linguistic comparison in which a subject is said to be something
else (i.e.: The video game was a soothing balm for all emotional pain).
Mood: The emotional atmosphere of a story that is recreated in the storys
audience.
Motif: An important reoccurring image or theme in a story.
Onomatopoeia: A figure of speech in which a word sounds like its contextual
meaning (e.g.: Bang: sounds like a short, violent explosion; Gasp sounds like
a short, violent intake of breath, etc.).
Oxymoron: A contradiction in terms usually created by an adjective describing
a noun in an unusual manner (e.g.: jumbo shrimp or brilliant idiot).
Personification: The description of an inanimate object, event, or idea as
using human actions (e.g.: The sea roared as it pounded against the shore).
Perspective/Point-of-View: That viewpoint from which the story is told
(usually the narrator). As such, the events in the story may be colored by the
narrators personal history, beliefs, identity, etc. and may not occur objectively
as the narrator relates them.
Plot: The description or unfolding of events within a story.
Plot Points (within a story)
o Exposition: Where a storys characters and conflict(s) are described.
o Rising Action: The events of a story leading up to its climax.
o Climax: The point in a story in which its protagonist confronts the storys
conflict.
o Turning Point: The decision(s) the storys protagonist makes with regard to the
storys conflict.
o Falling Action: Events in the story that proceed from the decision the
protagonist made at the storys turning point.
o Resolution: Where any loose ends occurring at the storys climax and/or
turning point are tied up and the story comes to its natural end.
Protagonist: The main character of the story to whom we, as audience
members, can relate. The protagonist usually has the most face time in the
story, is the person who confronts the storys conflict, and who comes into
conflict with the storys antagonist.
Reversal: A type of plot twist, reversals reverse the action of the storys plot
(especially with regard to the fortunes of the storys protagonist) and are
unexpected by the storys characters or its audience, yet make sense within the
context of the story when it occurs.
Satire: A form of literature or literary criticism in which an author points out
human flaws or failings by means of humor, sarcasm, or irony.
Setting: The time and/or place in which a story takes place.
Simile: A linguistic comparison using the words like or as (i.e.: The wind
howled like a wolf or The man was as big as a tree).
Soliloquy: A speech given by a solitary character on stage. A soliloquy reveals
that characters mindset to the audience in the same way an aside does, yet is
absent the distraction of other characters on stage.
Static Character: A character that does not change (particularly with regard to
his or her mentality or emotional state) throughout the course of a story.
Storyline Types:
o Circular: The action/events of a story end up much like they begin.
o Linear: The action/events of a story end up very differently from where they
began.
o Gyric: While certain events within a story tend to repeat themselves, the
overall action within the story itself progresses in a distinct, changing fashion.
Stream-of-Consciousness (narrative): Where the events of a story are told
from the perspective of the protagonist in an unedited, direct-from-thinking
fashion, as if the audience was directly within the mind of the protagonist and
can hear his/her thoughts at that point of the story.
Suspense: Where suspected outcomes of a story create dramatic tension
within that story until they occur. This differs from Surprise in that surprise
outcomes are totally unexpected by audience members or characters until they
happen and are usually intended for shock value, rather than dramatic buildup.
Symbolism: The use of particular images to represent specific people, places,
things, events, or ideas. The physical image of the symbol constitutes a concrete
image of whatever abstract concept it is representing or vice versa (i.e.: The
American Flag = Freedom; The X-in-Ball logo represents the Xbox 360 Console,
etc.).
Theme: The main idea, moral, or lesson of a story. Usually can be broken
down into wise sayings such as Cheaters never prosper or Home is where the
heart is.
Tone: The emotional quality of a characters speech within a story.
Tragic Flaw: That which causes a storys protagonists destruction, defeat, or
downfall (usually personality traits such as greed, ambition, arrogance, etc.).
Tragic Hero: A protagonist that is destroyed, defeated, or whose downfall is
caused by his/her tragic flaw.