The English Exit Exam requires that you write a 750-word essay in which you need to demonstrate your ability to understand and analyze an essay or short story.
Start by clicking the links below to go to the pages where you can download readings with corresponding exercise questions. These exercise questions test your skills on the 12 Comprehension and Insight, Organization of Response, and Expression objectives that markers use to grade essays. These readings have been used in previous exams.
Reading and exercise pages
- "Cranes Fly South" short story by Edward McCourt
- "Powder" short story by Tobias Wolff
- "Dance with a Giraffe" essay by Christine Jurzykowski
- "Seven Wonders" essay by Lewis Thomas
Read as many other short stories and essays as you can to improve your overall reading and comprehension skills. The five extra readings below have also been used in previous English Exit Exams but have no corresponding exercise questions.
Extra readings:
- Act of God"Act of God" short story by Joan Baxter
- Diving into Waters of the Moon"Diving into Waters of the Moon" short story by Kenneth Radu
- Changing the World One Boy at a Time"Changing the World One Boy at a Time" essay by Mark Honigsbaum
- No: No Smoking. No Jaywalking. No Fun?"No: No Smoking. No Jaywalking. No Fun?" essay by Peggy Curran
- Stupid Jobs Are Good to Relax With"Stupid Jobs Are Good to Relax With" essay by Hal Niedzviecki
An interactive Flash lesson with exercises has been developed in conjunction with Vanier College. It takes 30 to 60 minutes to complete. Test it out and give us your feedback.
Interactive lesson - give us your feedback
- Writing Thesis StatementsWriting Thesis Statements
: Lesson with exercises on how to write a thesis statement for "Act of God."
- Give us your feedback by rating and commenting on the exercise.