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2018 MCAS
Grade 8 English Language Arts
Question 8

Idea Development - Score Point 5

The essay presents an insightful central idea and fully develops it throughout the essay. Lincoln and Douglass are described as effective leaders "because of their ability to listen, their understanding [of] other points of view, and their ability to clearly express their concerns over an issue." The essay goes on to expand upon each of these points, noting about Lincoln that "[b]eing able to listen is important to being an effective leader because it helps you understand what issues are currently [a]ffecting your people." Douglass is described as an effective leader because he was able to respect Lincoln's point of view: "The ability to understand other points of view is very important for an effective leader because it allows you to tackle problems in abstract ways that you might've been closed to before." Finally, both men are described as effective leaders for their shared ability to "convey their own concerns and [opinions] efficiently." Both Douglass and Lincoln are shown as capable of voicing unpopular opinions and doing so in a concise and powerful way. The essay demonstrates skillful selection and explanation of details and effective, if somewhat formulaic, organization. Full awareness of the task is evident.

Standard English Conventions - Score Point 3

The essay demonstrates consistent control of grammar, usage, and mechanics. A variety of sentence structures are used for effect and reveal a high level of control: "Douglass is clearly expressing not how impressed he is, but how impacted he is by Mr. Lincoln's honest interest and concern." Advanced vocabulary is spelled correctly and well integrated into the response.
Answer for Idea Development Score Point 5, and Standard English Conventions Score Point 3 Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln were both effective leaders based on the excerpts from "Waiting for Mr. Lincoln" and Life and Times of Frederick Douglass. In "Waiting for Mr. Lincoln", Russell Freedman (the author) describes the thought process of Fredrick Douglass while he is waiting for an audience with the president, Abraham Lincoln. The author tells us that Douglass was uncertain if he would be given an interview, or if he would be told to go home because he was the only African-American in the waiting room. In the excerpt from Life and Times of Frederick Douglass we get a first-person account of the actual interview. Within the excerpt, Douglass' views of the president come forward, and we learn more about the issues in the war. Douglass states his issues, but Lincoln doesn't completely agree. Although unsatisfied, Douglass leaves with a great deal of respect for the president. Both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln were both effective leaders because of their ability to listen, their understanding other points of view, and their abitlity to clearly express their concerns over an issue. Abraham Lincoln was willing to listen and hear out many different people and their concerns. From the excerpt from "Waiting for Mr. Lincoln", we are told that "Lincoln tried to meet with as many callers as he possibly could each day". In addition to his vast amounts of hearings over the course of a day, we clearly see his (Lincoln's) ability to listen in the exerpt from Life and Times of Frederick Douglass, "Mr. Lincoln listened with such patience and silence to all I had to say. He was serious and even troubled by what I had said and by what he himself had evidently before thought upon the same points." Douglass is clearly expressing not how impressed he is, but how impacted he is by Mr. Lincoln's honest interest and concern. In this way, Lincoln has listened to a serious issue. He was also able to relate to what he heard (when he states that he came across the same points). Being able to listen is important to being an effective leader because it helps you understand what issues are currently effecting your people. The listening skills of Abraham Lincoln certaintly made him an effective leader. The skill to understand other points of view is imperative to being an effective leader, and Frederick Douglass did just that. From the excerpt Life and Times of Frederick Douglass, it is made clear that Lincoln's response to Douglass' requests did not satisfy him (Douglass), "Though I was not entirely satisfied with his views, I was so well satisfied with the man and with the educating tendency of the conflict that I determined to go on with the recruiting." It is described to us here the overall effect that the meeting had on Douglass. Although he is clearly unsatisfied, he leaves with respect for Lincoln. The ability to understand other points of view is very important for an effective leader because it allows you to tackle problems in abstract ways that you might've been closed to before. Due to Douglass's ability to do just this, he was definitely an effective leader. Both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass express effective leadership in their ability to convey their own concerns and opions efficiently. First, we see Douglass's ability to do so from the excerpt Life and Times of Frederick Douglass "…but that now it was not easy to induce the colored men to enter the service, because there was a feeling among them that the government did not, in several respects, deal fairly with them. Mr. Lincoln asked me to state particulars. I replied that there were three particulars which I wished ti bring to his attention." Douglass immediately gives his thesis on what he believes is the problem, and then proceeded to state three particular issues that he wished to tell Lincoln of. Douglass's effectiveness in stating his main idea and multiple reasons makes him easy to undertand, which made Douglass an effective leader in that he can express his own opinions and concerns effectively. Abraham Lincoln also showed skill in this field in the excerpt from Life and times of Frederick Douglass, "He thought that the rebels themselves would stop such barbarous warfare; that less evil would be done if retaliation were not resorted to and that he had already recieved information that colored soldiers were being treated as prisoners of war." Although we cannot see a clear topic or reasons in this specific quote, it is still a good skill to be able to present a contradictory opinion to one alreaday stated. Because Lincoln can express his own concerns, although contradictory, he is an effective leader because he can still voice his opinion. Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln were both effective leaders based on the excerpts from "Waiting for Mr. Lincoln" and Life and Times of Douglass Freeman" for their ability to listen, understand, and express their own opinions.



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