OSSLT Prep

5

Session B Complete Walkthrough — Every Question Solved

OSSLT.5 — Every Section, Every Question, Full Solutions

OSSLT.5.1 OSSLT.5.2 OSSLT.5.3 OSSLT.5.4 OSSLT.5.5

Unit 5 is the complete, question-by-question walkthrough of OSSLT Session B. The OSSLT is now administered 100% online, and this unit walks you through every section of the online practice test in order, with strategies explained, wrong answers eliminated, and model answers provided. Work through this unit with the actual Session B practice test in front of you, solving each question before reading the explanation.

How to use this unit: Attempt each question on your own first. Then read the walkthrough. The goal is not to memorize answers — it is to internalize the thinking process so you can solve any question the real OSSLT throws at you.

Session B Walkthrough — 5 Sections

Lesson 1  •  OSSLT.5.1

Section G — The Opinion Essay: “Part-Time Jobs” (Full Model)

The highest-value writing task on the entire OSSLT — 100 points, solved step by step

THE FORMULA — Opinion Essay (100 marks, ~500 words)

INTRO (~50 words): Hook → Thesis (clear opinion) → Preview 3 reasons
BODY 1 (~130 words): Topic sentence → Specific example → Explain → Explain → Concluding sentence
BODY 2 (~130 words): Same structure, Reason 2
BODY 3 (~130 words): Same structure, Reason 3
CONCLUSION (~50 words): Restate opinion → Summarize 3 reasons → Call to action

MARKS BREAKDOWN

60 points for Topic Development (Code 10–60) + 40 points for Conventions (Code 10–40) = 100 points total (25% of the entire test). Code 50+ requires SPECIFIC details (names, numbers, statistics) + logical organization + transition words. Code 60 means your details are “thoughtfully chosen” and your ideas show “thoughtful progression.”

The Prompt

“Is it a good idea for high school students to have a part-time job?”

This is THE essay question from the actual Session B practice test. It is worth 100 points — 60 for Topic Development and 40 for Conventions. That makes it roughly 25% of your entire OSSLT score. There is no single question on the test that matters more than this one.

You get approximately 25–30 minutes to plan and write this essay on screen. The OSSLT is 100% online, so you will type your essay into a text box. Here is exactly how to spend that time.

1
READ THE PROMPT (30 seconds)
Before you write a single word, break the prompt apart. What is the topic? Part-time jobs for high school students. What does it ask you? Your opinion — yes or no. What do you need? An opinion, three reasons, and specific examples for each reason. That is it. Do not overthink the prompt. Pick a side and commit.
2
PLAN IN THE ROUGH NOTES AREA (3 minutes)
Use the online rough-notes area provided. Nobody marks this — it is just for you. Jot down your plan quickly. Do not write full sentences here. Just key words.
The Plan:
Opinion: YES, it is a good idea.

Reason 1: Financial responsibility — learn to budget, save for post-secondary, understand the value of money

Reason 2: Time management skills — balance work + school + social life, learn to prioritize

Reason 3: Real-world experience — customer service, resume building, reference letters for college applications

Conclusion idea: Part-time work is not a distraction from education — it IS education, just outside the classroom
Three minutes of planning saves you ten minutes of staring at a blank screen. Students who skip planning are the ones who run out of time or write disorganized essays that score Code 30. Plan first. Always.
3
WRITE THE ESSAY (22–25 minutes)
Now write. Do not stop to delete or rewrite sentences. Get words on the screen. Aim for approximately 480–500 words total (about 80–100 per paragraph). Here is a complete model essay that would score Code 60 for Topic Development and Code 40 for Conventions.

Model Essay — Code 60 / Code 40

Every September, thousands of Ontario high school students face an important decision: should they look for a part-time job, or should they focus entirely on their studies? While some parents and teachers worry that working will distract students from school, I believe that having a part-time job during high school is an excellent idea because it teaches financial responsibility, develops time management skills, and provides valuable real-world experience that no classroom can replicate.

First and most importantly, a part-time job teaches young people how to handle money responsibly. When a student earns their own paycheque, they begin to understand the real cost of the things they want. For example, a student working fifteen hours a week at minimum wage might earn roughly eight hundred dollars a month. Instead of asking their parents for spending money, they learn to budget: setting aside two hundred dollars for savings, one hundred for their phone bill, and keeping the rest for personal expenses. Over the course of high school, this habit builds a foundation of financial literacy that will serve them well when they face the much larger costs of college or university tuition. Students who have never managed their own money often struggle with debt in their first year of post-secondary education, and a part-time job can prevent that.

In addition, balancing a job with schoolwork forces students to develop strong time management skills. A student who works a few shifts per week cannot afford to waste time after school — they have to plan their homework, study sessions, and social activities carefully. According to several studies conducted in Canadian high schools, students who work moderate hours (under twenty hours per week) actually achieve grades that are similar to or even slightly better than those of students who do not work at all. The reason is simple: working students learn to use their time efficiently because they have no choice. They stop procrastinating because they know that Tuesday evening is their only free block before a Wednesday test. This ability to prioritize and manage a busy schedule is exactly the skill that universities and employers look for.

Finally, a part-time job provides real-world experience that prepares students for their future careers. In a classroom, students learn theory; at a job, they learn how to work with difficult customers, follow instructions from a supervisor, and solve problems on the spot. These are skills that cannot be taught through a textbook. Furthermore, every shift a student works adds to their resume and builds a professional network. When it comes time to apply for college programs or scholarships, a student with two years of work experience and a reference letter from their manager has a significant advantage over one who has only academic credentials. The workplace teaches soft skills — punctuality, teamwork, communication — that are essential in every career.

In conclusion, a part-time job during high school is not a distraction from education — it is an extension of it. By learning to manage money, manage time, and navigate the real world, working students graduate with a toolkit of practical skills that their peers may take years to develop. Rather than shielding young people from the responsibilities of adult life, we should encourage them to step into it gradually, starting with a part-time job that gives them the confidence and competence they will need long after high school is over.

4
PROOFREAD (2 minutes)
Read your essay one final time on screen. Check these four things and nothing else:
• Capital letters at the start of every sentence
• Periods, commas, and apostrophes in the right places
• Spelling of common words (their/there/they’re, too/to/two)
• Each paragraph is indented or has a clear line break
Do NOT try to rewrite entire sentences during proofreading. You will run out of time. Proofreading is for catching small mechanical errors, not for restructuring your essay.

Why This Essay Scores Code 60 (Topic Development)

Why This Essay Scores Code 40 (Conventions)

The difference between Code 40 and Code 60 in one sentence: A Code 40 essay says “Firstly, part-time jobs teach responsibility.” A Code 60 essay says “A student working fifteen hours a week at minimum wage might earn roughly eight hundred dollars a month — and learning to budget that money is the first step toward the financial independence they will need in post-secondary.” Specific details and explanations are what separate passing from excellent.

✍️ Practice Questions — Lesson 1

Answers are on the Solutions Page.

Below are two opinion essay prompts. For EACH prompt, write:

Prompt 1

“Should students be allowed to use cell phones in school?”

Write (a) your thesis, (b) your 3 topic sentences, and (c) your concluding sentence.

Prompt 2

“Is it important for young people to learn a second language?”

Write (a) your thesis, (b) your 3 topic sentences, and (c) your concluding sentence.


Lesson 2  •  OSSLT.5.2

Section H — Writing Conventions (4 Questions Solved)

Standalone grammar and sentence-structure multiple choice — every question from the practice test

What Is Section H?

Section H tests your knowledge of English writing conventions — grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, and combining sentences. There are 4 standalone questions on the online test. They are not connected to a reading passage. Each question gives you options and asks you to identify the correct or best-written sentence. These are free marks if you know what to look for.

Conclusion Question 1: Best Concluding Sentence

The question: “Which sentence would be the best to conclude the following paragraph?”

The paragraph is about what YOU should do when emergency vehicles approach — pulling over safely, staying calm, and clearing the road.

D) “Always be prepared to clear the road safely for emergency vehicles.” ✔

A) “Driving an emergency-service vehicle can be challenging.” ✘ — This shifts the topic to the DRIVER of the emergency vehicle. The paragraph is about YOU, the regular driver.

B) “Emergency-service personnel require specialized safety training.” ✘ — Same problem. This is about the emergency workers, not about your actions.

C) “Different emergency vehicles will have different-coloured flashing lights.” ✘ — This is a random fact. It does not wrap up the paragraph’s main idea.

A good concluding sentence matches the TOPIC of the paragraph. Ask yourself: “Who is this paragraph about? What is it telling me to do?” Then pick the answer that stays on that topic. If the paragraph is about YOUR actions, the conclusion should be about YOUR actions.

Grammar Question 2: Correctly Written Sentence

The question: “Choose the sentence that is written correctly.”

F) “Improving your focus starting the day with breakfast.” ✘ — FRAGMENT. There is no main verb. “Improving” and “starting” are both participles, not conjugated verbs. This sentence has no subject doing a complete action.

G) “Regular exercise result in better mental functioning.” ✘ — Subject-verb disagreement. “Exercise” is singular, so the verb must be “results,” not “result.”

H) “Taking frequent breaks can improve focus and concentration.” ✔ — Complete sentence. “Taking frequent breaks” is the subject (a gerund phrase), “can improve” is the verb, and “focus and concentration” is the object. Everything agrees.

J) “Concentrating better with music or television playing in the background.” ✘ — FRAGMENT. Same problem as F. No main verb. “Concentrating” is a participle hanging without a subject-verb pair.

Fragment-Detection Hack: Read the sentence out loud. If it sounds like an unfinished thought — like someone started talking and stopped mid-sentence — it is a fragment. A complete sentence needs a SUBJECT (who/what) + a CONJUGATED VERB (did what). Participles ending in “-ing” by themselves are NOT conjugated verbs.

Combining Question 3: Best Sentence Combination

The question: You are given separate facts: Carl J. Eliason invented a snow machine. It was made using bicycle and car parts and a pair of skis. It was patented in 1927.

A) “Carl J. Eliason’s snow machine invention, patented in 1927, was made using bicycle and car parts and a pair of skis.” ✔

Why A wins: It uses an appositive phrase (“patented in 1927”) set off by commas to tuck the date smoothly into the sentence. All the original information is preserved. The sentence is clear and grammatically correct.

What to look for in “combine” questions: The best answer keeps ALL the original information, is grammatically correct, and reads smoothly without being choppy or run-on. Watch out for answers that lose information or create awkward structures.

Grammar Question 4: Correctly Written Sentence

The question: “Choose the sentence that is written correctly.”

F) “We observe the stars last night.” ✘ — Tense error. “Last night” tells you this happened in the past, so the verb must be “observed,” not “observe.”

G) “Teresa and Sam witnessed the accident.” ✔ — Correct. Plural subject (“Teresa and Sam”) with correct past-tense verb (“witnessed”). Everything agrees.

H) “Aminah and Khalil is going...” ✘ — Subject-verb disagreement. Two people = plural subject, so the verb must be “are going,” not “is going.”

J) “...only Winnie and Omar is going...” ✘ — Same error. Two people = “are,” not “is.”

Section H strategy in three words: subject-verb agreement. Most of these questions test whether the subject and verb match in number (singular vs. plural) and tense (past vs. present). Train your ear to hear the mismatch.

✍️ Practice Questions — Lesson 2

Answers are on the Solutions Page.

1Read the following paragraph, then choose the best concluding sentence.

Community gardens have become increasingly popular in cities across Ontario. Residents come together to plant vegetables, herbs, and flowers in shared spaces. These gardens not only provide fresh produce but also create opportunities for neighbours to meet and collaborate.

a) Community gardens require a lot of water.
b) By transforming unused land into green spaces, community gardens strengthen both the health and the social fabric of urban neighbourhoods.
c) Some people prefer to shop at grocery stores instead.
d) Gardening tools can be expensive to purchase.
2Choose the sentence that is written correctly.

a) Running along the waterfront trail every Saturday morning before sunrise.
b) The school choir performed beautifully at the winter concert last Friday.
c) Having finished the assignment and then walking to the cafeteria for lunch.
d) Hoping to make the basketball team this year after months of training.
3Combine these three sentences into one clear, correct sentence. Choose the best option.

Fatima designed a mobile app. The app helps students track their homework. She won a technology award in 2024.

a) Fatima designed a mobile app that helps students track their homework, winning a technology award in 2024.
b) Fatima designed a mobile app and it helps students track homework and she won an award in 2024.
c) A mobile app was designed by Fatima, she won an award, students track homework.
d) In 2024 Fatima won an award, she designed an app, students track homework with it.
4Choose the sentence that is written correctly.

a) The list of ingredients were posted on the board.
b) Neither the students nor the teacher were aware of the schedule change.
c) Each of the volunteers has signed the attendance sheet.
d) The group of musicians are ready to perform their set.
5Choose the sentence that is written correctly.

a) Yesterday, she walks to the park and sits on a bench.
b) Last summer, the team practised every morning and competed in three tournaments.
c) Tomorrow, he went to the library and will study for his exam.
d) Right now, they completed the entire project and submitted it.
6Which sentence uses punctuation correctly?

a) The coach said “the game starts at noon.”
b) The coach said, “The game starts at noon.”
c) The coach said, “the game starts at noon”.
d) “The coach said the game starts at noon.”
7Which sentence contains an error?

a) Between you and me, the test was easier than expected.
b) The reason I enjoy winter is that I love snowboarding.
c) She did good on her presentation yesterday.
d) They were excited about the upcoming field trip.

Lesson 3  •  OSSLT.5.3

Section I — Real-Life Narrative: “A Stunning Comeback to an Elite Sport”

9 multiple-choice questions about Marie-Eve Chainey, the high jumper who refused to quit

📖 Reading Passage — Section I (Real-Life Narrative)

A Stunning Comeback to an Elite Sport

1The official line on Marie-Eve Chainey in the women’s high jump read “NH”—shorthand for “No Height”—not exactly a fitting designation for an athlete who truly soared.

2For some athletes at the Canadian track and field championships in August 2010, a triumphant return meant posting fast times after a slow season. For Chainey, it meant returning to elite competition after a nine-year battle with kidney disease. Three years ago, she was unable to walk and even lacked the strength to wash her hair.

3As a 14-year-old, Chainey would often travel 820 kilometres from Kapuskasing to Toronto to train under coach Gary Lubin at York University. At 18, Chainey went to Spain to learn the language and continue her high-jump training. While there, she became so dizzy she had to be hospitalized. That’s when she got the news: Her kidneys were no longer working. She hasn’t known life without dialysis since.

4Healthy kidneys filter waste products from the blood. In dialysis treatment, a machine cleans the blood at regular intervals, for example, three times a week. Chainey has been using nocturnal dialysis, which works while she sleeps.

5Since her original diagnosis, Chainey has had to overcome four relapses and countless other obstacles, including going blind for two months. She was told over and over she’d never jump again because her muscles were too damaged. But for Chainey, jumping is like breathing.

6“From when I got sick, the goal that I had was to just be back jumping,” she said. “Jumping was basically my happy place. Even now more so. Because I’m sick and there’s so much going on, when I go to high jump, I don’t think about anything else than just high jump and enjoying it. It is definitely my getaway. I feel normal because I don’t have to think about anything else.”

7So on the eve of the national championships, the 27-year-old was not about to be deterred by a difficult night of dialysis. “I’m very stubborn, I’m very hard-headed … I just had to find a way that I would be able to jump, no matter what.”

8Chainey certainly felt jitters at the championships; her hands wouldn’t stop shaking once the competition began. She didn’t clear the starting height of 1.50 metres, which she had managed to get over in practice. Still, you’d be hard pressed to find a happier last-place finisher anywhere.

9“Just being out there, especially when they lined us up and they introduced us to the crowd, it was a special moment that I’ll always remember,” she said. “I didn’t feel comfortable at first because I didn’t feel I belonged. But although I didn’t get a height, I still feel I belonged there. It felt awesome just to have the opportunity and experience this.”

10Chainey says kidney disease has cured her of her perfectionism. “I’ve always been a straight A student, always done well in sports and piano,” she said. “So when I got sick, my life wasn’t perfect anymore. I had to learn how to live with what you have, that I had limits. That was a very good lesson for me, to know that things aren’t always perfect but you can still make the best of it.”

11Lubin is not surprised by her determination. “She used to come down from Kapuskasing, a 12-hour train ride … in order to train. When I talk to my athletes about dedication, I say, ‘Don’t tell me you came from Burlington. You think that’s far? How about Kapuskasing?’ This is the type of person she is.”

12There are comebacks, and there are comebacks.

Adapted from “A Stunning Comeback to an Elite Sport” by Randy Starkman, Toronto Star, August 2, 2010.

Explicit Q1: Where was Chainey living when she was diagnosed?

A) Spain ✔

Strategy: This is a straight retrieval question. Paragraph 3 states that she went to Spain and was hospitalized there. Her kidneys stopped working while she was in Spain. The answer is stated directly in the text.

B) Kapuskasing ✘ — That is where she grew up, not where she was diagnosed.

C) Toronto ✘ — She trained at York University in Toronto, but the diagnosis happened in Spain.

D) Ottawa ✘ — Not mentioned in connection with the diagnosis.

Explicit Q2: Early on, how did Chainey demonstrate her dedication?

J) She frequently travelled long distances to train at York University ✔

Strategy: Paragraph 3 tells us she travelled 820 km from Kapuskasing to train. Driving 820 km one way to practise high jump is an extreme demonstration of dedication. The key word in the question is “early on” — before her illness.

F) She competed at the national championships ✘ — That was at age 27, not “early on.”

G) She used nocturnal dialysis ✘ — That relates to her illness management, not her early dedication to the sport.

H) She moved to Spain ✘ — Going to Spain led to her diagnosis, not specifically a demonstration of athletic dedication.

Organization Q3: How is the information in paragraphs 1 to 3 organized?

A) Present to past ✔

Strategy: Paragraph 1 describes the current championship event (the present). Paragraphs 2 and 3 go back in time to tell us about her childhood training and the diagnosis at age 18 (the past). This is a reverse chronological opening — the author hooks you with the dramatic present moment, then fills in the backstory.

B) Past to present ✘ — The opposite of what happens. The article starts with the competition (present) and then goes back.

C) Cause and effect ✘ — The opening is not structured as “because X happened, Y resulted.”

D) Problem and solution ✘ — The paragraphs do not present a problem and then solve it in order.

Organization questions are common on the OSSLT. Always ask: “Does the text move forward in time, backward, or is it comparing two things?” Look at the FIRST sentence and LAST sentence of the section in question to see the direction.

Purpose Q4: What is the purpose of the dashes in paragraph 1?

F) To set off an explanation ✔

Strategy: The text reads “NH”—shorthand for “No Height”— and the dashes are used to insert an explanation of what “NH” means. Dashes set off extra information, much like parentheses. The question is testing whether you understand how punctuation works in context.

G) To indicate a pause for dramatic effect ✘ — The dashes here explain a term, not create suspense.

H) To separate items in a list ✘ — Dashes do not function as list separators here.

J) To show a change in topic ✘ — The topic stays the same; the dashes just clarify an abbreviation.

Purpose Q5: Why is paragraph 5 important to the selection?

A) It reveals Chainey’s determination ✔

Strategy: Paragraph 5 is where the worst details pile up: four relapses, going blind for two months, being told she would never jump again. Despite all of this, she kept going. The purpose of including these devastating details is to show how determined she is. Without paragraph 5, the reader would not understand the full scale of what she overcame.

B) It explains how dialysis works ✘ — Dialysis details are mentioned elsewhere, and that is not the paragraph’s main purpose.

C) It describes the national championships ✘ — The championships are in paragraph 1, not paragraph 5.

D) It introduces her coach ✘ — The coach is mentioned in paragraph 3.

Vocabulary Q6: “deterred” as used in paragraph 7

F) Stopped ✔

Strategy: The text says she was “not about to be deterred.” In context, this means she was not about to be stopped or discouraged. Substitute the word: “not about to be stopped” makes perfect sense. “Not about to be encouraged” or “not about to be surprised” does not.

G) Encouraged ✘ — The opposite meaning.

H) Surprised ✘ — “Deterred” has nothing to do with surprise.

J) Entertained ✘ — Completely unrelated.

Vocabulary Question Hack: Always substitute the answer choices back into the original sentence. Read it out loud. The correct answer will make the sentence mean the same thing. The wrong answers will make it sound absurd.

Inference Q7: What impact did kidney disease have on Chainey?

D) She no longer expected to be flawless ✔

Strategy: Paragraph 10 contains the key quote: kidney disease “cured her of her perfectionism.” If you are cured of perfectionism, you no longer expect everything to be perfect — you no longer expect to be flawless. This is an inference question because you have to connect “cured of perfectionism” with “no longer expected to be flawless.”

A) She became a better athlete ✘ — Her athletic performance declined; she could not clear the starting height.

B) She lost interest in high jump ✘ — The entire passage shows she KEPT her interest.

C) She moved to a different city ✘ — Not supported by the text.

Inference Q8: Why was Chainey satisfied with her finish?

J) She had returned to the sport she enjoyed ✔

Strategy: Paragraph 9 provides the evidence. The text conveys that just being out there competing again was a special moment for her. She was not satisfied because she won (she finished last). She was satisfied because, after nine years of kidney disease, she was back on the field doing what she loved.

F) She set a personal record ✘ — She did not clear any height at all.

G) She won the competition ✘ — She finished last with “NH.”

H) Her coach praised her performance ✘ — Not the reason given in the text.

Connecting Ideas Q9: What idea connects the introductory paragraph to the conclusion?

B) Chainey’s last-place finish is a victory ✔

Strategy: The opening describes “NH” (no height, last place) but says she “truly soared.” The conclusion echoes this with the phrase about how there are different kinds of comebacks. Both the beginning and end frame her failure by conventional standards as a triumph by human standards. That is the connecting thread.

A) High jump is a difficult sport ✘ — True but not the connecting idea between intro and conclusion.

C) Kidney disease is a serious illness ✘ — This is background information, not the connecting theme.

D) Athletes should never give up ✘ — Close, but too generic. The specific connecting idea is that her last-place finish IS a victory.

✍️ Practice Questions — Lesson 3

Answers are on the Solutions Page.

Read the following passage, then answer questions 1–7.

When Priya Sharma was fourteen, she built her first solar-powered water filter using scrap materials from her family’s garage in Brampton, Ontario. Her neighbours thought it was a school project, but Priya had a bigger goal: providing clean drinking water to communities without reliable access. Over the next three years, she refined her design, entered engineering competitions across the province, and won a national innovation award at age seventeen. Today, Priya leads a nonprofit that has installed over two hundred filters in rural communities. She says the hardest part was never the engineering — it was convincing adults that a teenager could solve a real-world problem.

1Where did Priya build her first solar-powered water filter?
a) At her school
b) In her family’s garage in Brampton, Ontario
c) At a university laboratory
d) At an engineering competition
2As used in the passage, the word “refined” most closely means:
a) Polished to a shine
b) Improved and perfected through repeated adjustments
c) Sold to a company
d) Abandoned and restarted
3How is the information in this passage organized?
a) Present to past
b) Chronological (past to present)
c) Compare and contrast
d) Problem and solution
4What can you infer about Priya from the sentence “the hardest part was never the engineering — it was convincing adults that a teenager could solve a real-world problem”?
a) Priya is not good at engineering
b) Adults were initially skeptical of her abilities because of her age, and overcoming that doubt required persistence
c) Priya does not like working with adults
d) Engineering is easy for everyone
5What is the purpose of including the detail that Priya used “scrap materials from her family’s garage”?
a) To show that her family is wealthy
b) To emphasize her resourcefulness and the humble beginnings of her invention
c) To explain what a garage is
d) To describe the filter’s appearance
6What idea connects the beginning of the passage to the end?
a) Engineering competitions are important
b) Priya’s early determination as a young teenager grew into a lasting commitment to helping communities
c) Water filters are expensive
d) Brampton is a large city
7Open Response: What does this passage reveal about the qualities that helped Priya succeed? Use specific details from the passage to support your answer. (Aim for 80–100 words.)

Lesson 4  •  OSSLT.5.4

Section J — Dialogue: “A New Start” (Gerry & Hanna)

5 multiple-choice questions + 2 open responses about a father-daughter conversation

📖 Reading Passage — Section J (Dialogue)

1“Is tomorrow the big day?” asked Hanna. Her father was lost in thought. “Dad?”

2“Sorry.” Gerry snapped out of his reverie. “I can’t focus. Nerves, I guess.”

3“Don’t be nervous,” said Hanna. “You’re a fantastic chef!”

4“Thanks. It’s not the cooking that I’m worried about—it’s the pace. ‘Go! Hurry!’ People yelling … getting annoyed.”

5Hanna could see his anxiety. “But we have given you lots of practice dealing with impatient, noisy people,” she said. “You have an advantage over the 20-year-old apprentices! They haven’t been cooking for five kids for 18 years.”

6“True,” acknowledged Gerry. “It’s just scary trying a new career at 44, even with the help from the Second Career program.”

7“Remember the night before I started that lifeguarding job? I was a wreck, and you and Mom gave me great advice.”

8“What?”

9“Take a deep breath,” she replied. “Go for a walk.”

10Gerry exhaled loudly. “That helps. Any other tips?”

11“You distracted me with a funny story—remember your lab partner who used salt instead of sugar?”

12“Poor Steve,” recalled Gerry, chuckling. “Let’s hope I don’t make mistakes like that!”

13“You won’t,” said Hanna reassuringly. “And Mom suggested that I visualize the end of my first day. Picture yourself cleaning your station after your shift and imagine the feeling of accomplishment.”

14Gerry closed his eyes and swished his hands out in front of him, wiping an imaginary counter.

15They burst out laughing. “Feeling of relief, or maybe exhaustion,” added Gerry. “Forget visualization, how about that walk?”

Written for EQAO. © Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

Main Idea Q1: Most appropriate title?

A) “A New Start” ✔

Strategy: Title questions test whether you understand the main idea. The entire dialogue is about Gerry starting fresh in a new career at age 44. “A New Start” captures both the literal new career and the emotional new beginning.

B) “Cooking Disasters” ✘ — The “Poor Steve” story is a humorous aside, not the main topic.

C) “Lifeguarding Tips” ✘ — Hanna’s lifeguarding experience is mentioned briefly as a comparison, not as the focus.

D) “Father Knows Best” ✘ — Ironic because in this dialogue, the DAUGHTER is giving advice. The father is the one who is nervous.

Purpose Q2: What is indicated by the single quotation marks around ‘Go! Hurry!’?

H) Gerry is speaking someone else’s words ✔

Strategy: Single quotation marks inside double quotation marks indicate a quote within a quote. Gerry is already speaking (double quotes), and when he says ‘Go! Hurry!’ he is quoting what someone else said to him. This is a punctuation-purpose question — they are asking what the punctuation DOES, not what the words mean.

F) Gerry is whispering ✘ — Single quotes do not indicate whispering.

G) Gerry is being sarcastic ✘ — Nothing in the context suggests sarcasm.

J) Gerry is thinking silently ✘ — Thoughts are sometimes in italics, but single quotes within dialogue mean quoting someone else.

Inference Q3: What does “I was a wreck” mean?

B) She feared starting a new lifeguarding job ✔

Strategy: Context is everything. Hanna says “I was a wreck” when talking about the night before starting a new job. Being “a wreck” means being extremely nervous or anxious. The context makes it clear she is talking about job-start anxiety, the same thing Gerry is experiencing.

A) She was in a car accident ✘ — “Wreck” is used figuratively here, not literally.

C) She was physically ill ✘ — Being “a wreck” describes emotional state, not physical illness.

D) She was tired from swimming ✘ — Not supported by the context.

Inference Q4: How does Gerry feel when he exhales loudly?

F) He is beginning to relax ✔

Strategy: Hanna tells him to take a deep breath. He does it (“Gerry exhaled loudly”) and then responds with something like “That helps.” The exhale is him physically releasing tension. The follow-up line confirms it is working. This is a body-language inference question.

G) He is frustrated with Hanna ✘ — He thanks her and asks for more tips, which shows appreciation, not frustration.

H) He is bored ✘ — The entire conversation shows he is engaged and anxious.

J) He is about to cry ✘ — Nothing in the text supports this.

Organization Q5: In which paragraph is a general idea supported with specific information?

C) Paragraph 11 ✔

Strategy: Paragraph 11 starts with a general idea (visualize the end of your first day) and then supports it with specific details: picture yourself cleaning your station after your shift, and imagine the feeling of accomplishment. General idea + specific support = the answer.

Other paragraphs either contain only dialogue, only general statements, or only specific details without a general-to-specific structure.

“General idea supported with specific information” questions appear on almost every OSSLT. The pattern is always the same: one sentence states a broad claim, and the next sentences give concrete examples or details. Look for this two-part structure.

THE FORMULA — Open Response (30 marks, ~100 words)

Sentence 1: Topic Sentence — answer the question directly using words from the prompt
Sentences 2–3: “In the text, it states that [quote/paraphrase].” + “This shows that [explanation].”
Sentences 4–5: “The text also indicates that [second evidence].” + “This demonstrates that [explanation].”
Sentence 6: Concluding sentence restating the answer

MARKS BREAKDOWN

Each open response is worth 30 marks. For dialogue passages, your evidence comes from what the speakers SAY and DO. Quote their exact words and explain what those words reveal about the character or relationship. Two open responses in this section = 60 marks total.

Open Response Q6: Does Gerry believe that Hanna’s suggestions will help him?

What the marker is looking for: A clear answer (yes, no, or partially), supported by TWO pieces of evidence from the text, with explanation of how the evidence supports your answer.

Model Answer (92 words)

Gerry partially believes that Hanna’s suggestions will help him manage his nerves about starting his new career as a chef. When Hanna tells him to take a deep breath, the text states that Gerry exhaled loudly and responded positively, showing that the breathing technique worked. He also asks for more tips, indicating he values her advice. However, when Hanna suggests visualization, Gerry tries it but then says something to the effect of forgetting visualization and asking about the walk instead. This shows he finds some strategies more helpful than others.

Open Response Formula: (1) State your answer directly in the first sentence. (2) Give evidence #1 with a text reference. (3) Explain what the evidence proves. (4) Give evidence #2 with a text reference. (5) Explain what the evidence proves. Aim for 80–100 words. Do not exceed 120 words — you will waste time and the marker does not reward length.

Open Response Q7: What does this selection show about Gerry and Hanna’s relationship?

Model Answer (88 words)

This selection shows that Gerry and Hanna have a close, supportive relationship in which they are comfortable reversing traditional roles. Hanna takes on the role of the advisor, confidently offering her father strategies to manage his nervousness, which suggests she feels respected and valued by him. Gerry, in turn, listens to his daughter’s advice and genuinely tries her suggestions, showing that he trusts her judgment. Their shared laughter over a funny memory also reveals a warm, relaxed bond built on years of mutual affection and open communication.

✍️ Practice Questions — Lesson 4

Answers are on the Solutions Page.

Read the following dialogue, then answer questions 1–6.

Mei: “I got into the summer science program at the university. But I don’t think I should go.”

Darius: “Wait — you applied to that program for months. Why wouldn’t you go?”

Mei: “It’s six weeks away from home. I’ve never been away that long. What if I can’t handle it?”

Darius: “Remember when you said the same thing before the math competition in Ottawa? You were convinced you’d freeze up on stage.”

Mei: “That was different. It was only two days.”

Darius: “But you told me afterward that the hardest part was the night before, not the actual event. Once you got there, you loved it.”

Mei: (pausing) “That’s true. I did say that.”

Darius: “Look, being nervous means you care about it. If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t be scared. That’s a good thing.”

Mei: “When did you become so wise?”

Darius: “I learned it from watching you stress about everything and then crush it anyway.”

1Which title best fits this dialogue?
a) “University Life”
b) “Finding the Courage to Go”
c) “Math Competitions”
d) “Darius Gives Orders”
2What can you infer about Mei from this dialogue?
a) She is lazy and does not want to work
b) She is capable and talented but struggles with self-doubt before new challenges
c) She dislikes science
d) She has never been away from home
3Why does Darius bring up the math competition in Ottawa?
a) To change the subject
b) To remind Mei that she has overcome similar fears before and succeeded
c) To brag about his own achievements
d) To convince Mei that math is more important than science
4When Darius says “you stress about everything and then crush it anyway,” the word “crush” most closely means:
a) Destroy something physically
b) Succeed impressively despite her worries
c) Give up
d) Complain loudly
5What does Mei’s response “When did you become so wise?” suggest about how she feels about Darius’s advice?
a) She thinks he is being foolish
b) She is surprised and appreciative — his words are getting through to her
c) She is being sarcastic and dismissive
d) She wants him to stop talking
6Open Response: What does this dialogue reveal about the relationship between Mei and Darius? Use specific details from the dialogue to support your answer. (Aim for 80–100 words.)

Lesson 5  •  OSSLT.5.5

Sections K & L — Short Writing + Graphic Text: “Canada’s Forests”

One short writing task + an infographic with 6 MC questions — the final stretch of Session B

THE FORMULA — Short Writing (~30 marks, ~100 words)

Sentence 1: State your answer directly using words from the prompt
Sentences 2–3: First specific detail with explanation
Sentences 4–5: Second specific detail with explanation
Sentence 6: Concluding thought

MARKS BREAKDOWN — Short Writing

~30 points total. Markers evaluate: (1) topic development — did you develop the topic with specific, concrete details? (2) supporting details — are your examples real and vivid? (3) organization — logical flow. The #1 mistake is being too vague. “I eat healthy food” scores low. “Every morning I eat a bowl of oatmeal with blueberries and almonds” scores high.

Section K — The Short Writing Task

The Prompt: “Identify one action you take in your daily life to be healthy. Use specific details to explain how this action contributes to your health.”

This is NOT the opinion essay. It is a shorter piece (approximately 80–120 words) that you type into a text box on the online test. You do not need five paragraphs. You need ONE clear action, specific details about HOW you do it, and an explanation of WHY it contributes to your health. Think of it as one strong body paragraph.

Model Short Writing Answer (105 words)

One action I take every day to stay healthy is going for a thirty-minute run after school. I put on my running shoes, stretch for five minutes in my driveway, and then jog a three-kilometre loop through my neighbourhood. Running contributes to my physical health by strengthening my heart and lungs, improving my stamina, and helping me maintain a healthy weight. It also benefits my mental health because the exercise releases endorphins, which reduce stress and improve my mood. On days when I feel overwhelmed by schoolwork, a run clears my mind and helps me focus better when I sit down to study afterward.

Why this answer works: It names ONE specific action (running after school). It gives concrete details (thirty minutes, three-kilometre loop, stretching first). It explains HOW it contributes to health (heart, lungs, stamina, weight, endorphins, stress reduction, focus). It connects back to the student’s life (schoolwork). Specific + explained = full marks.
The most common mistake on the short writing task is being too vague. “I eat healthy food” scores low. “Every morning I eat a bowl of oatmeal with blueberries and almonds, which gives me the fibre and antioxidants I need to stay focused through my morning classes” scores high. Details are the difference.

Section L — Graphic Text: “Canada’s Forests”

This section presents an infographic about Canada’s forests on the online test. It includes:

KEY HACK FOR GRAPHIC TEXT: Do NOT try to understand the entire infographic before answering. Read the question first. Find the specific data point the question asks about. Answer that question. Move to the next question. Treat it like a treasure hunt, not a study session. The students who waste time studying every number on the graph are the ones who run out of time.

Vocabulary Q1: “exporter” closest in meaning

C) Distributor ✔

Strategy: An exporter is someone who sends goods to other countries. A distributor is someone who supplies goods to others. In the context of sending lumber to international markets, “distributor” is the closest synonym. Use the substitution strategy: “Canada is the world’s leading distributor of softwood lumber” — that works.

A) Consumer ✘ — A consumer uses goods, not sends them.

B) Importer ✘ — The opposite of exporter.

D) Manufacturer ✘ — A manufacturer makes goods. Exporting is about sending them abroad, not making them.

Purpose Q2: Why is a bar graph appropriate for this data?

J) It shows a comparison of categories ✔

Strategy: Bar graphs are designed to compare quantities across categories. The forest management data compares different metrics (planted, burned, harvested) across different provinces. That is exactly what bar graphs do best. If the data showed changes over time, a line graph would be better. If it showed parts of a whole, a pie chart would be better.

F) It shows changes over time ✘ — That would be a line graph. The bar graph here compares provinces, not years.

G) It shows parts of a whole ✘ — That is a pie chart.

H) It shows a cause-and-effect relationship ✘ — Graphs do not inherently show cause and effect.

Organization Q3: How is the Canada’s Forest Management graph organized?

D) By geographic location ✔

Strategy: Look at the x-axis of the bar graph. The bars are grouped by province (British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, etc.). Provinces are geographic locations. The graph is organized geographically.

A) By date ✘ — No dates on the x-axis.

B) By size ✘ — The provinces are not arranged from largest to smallest.

C) By importance ✘ — No ranking of importance is suggested.

Data Reading Q4: What was true about British Columbia’s forest management?

G) More area was burned than planted ✔

Strategy: Go to the BC section of the bar graph. Compare the bar for “area burned” to the bar for “area planted.” The burned bar is taller. That means more area was burned than planted. Do not guess — read the actual bars.

F) More area was planted than harvested ✘ — Check the bars; this is not supported.

H) No area was burned ✘ — The burned bar is clearly visible.

J) The areas planted, burned, and harvested were equal ✘ — The bars are different heights.

Data Reading Q5: Accurate conclusion from pie charts?

B) Percentages of revenue and wages from major sectors were similar ✔

Strategy: Compare the two pie charts. If the slices for the major sectors (like pulp and paper, or logging) take up roughly similar proportions in both the revenue chart and the wages chart, then B is correct. The key word is “similar” — they do not need to be identical, just close.

A) One sector dominated both revenue and wages ✘ — The charts show multiple sectors with significant shares.

C) Wages were much higher than revenue ✘ — Pie charts show proportions, not total amounts compared to each other.

D) The forest industry provides no wages ✘ — Clearly contradicted by the wages pie chart.

Inference Q6: What conclusion can be supported?

F) Forest management of each region or province is unique ✔

Strategy: Look at the bar graph as a whole. Each province has a different pattern — some burn more than they plant, some harvest more than they burn, and the proportions vary widely. The data shows that no two provinces manage their forests the same way. That supports the conclusion that forest management is unique to each region.

G) All provinces manage forests the same way ✘ — Directly contradicted by the graph.

H) Forest management is unnecessary ✘ — The infographic is about how it IS managed, not arguing it should not be.

J) Only British Columbia has forests ✘ — Multiple provinces are shown.

Graphic text questions are the easiest marks on the OSSLT if you follow the treasure-hunt method. Question first, data second. Never read the whole infographic before looking at the questions. You will save five or more minutes.

✍️ Practice Questions — Lesson 5

Answers are on the Solutions Page.

Short Writing Prompt

“Identify one activity you enjoy doing in your free time. Use specific details to explain why this activity is meaningful to you.”

Write your response in 80–120 words. Name ONE specific activity, give concrete details about how you do it, and explain why it matters to you.

Study the data table below, then answer questions 1–5.

Student Participation in Extracurricular Activities — Greenfield Secondary School (2024–2025)

Activity Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Total
Sports Teams 85 72 60 45 262
Music / Band 40 45 50 48 183
Drama Club 20 25 30 35 110
Robotics Club 15 22 28 30 95
Student Council 10 12 15 18 55
1Which extracurricular activity has the highest total participation across all grades?
a) Music / Band
b) Sports Teams
c) Drama Club
d) Robotics Club
2What trend do you notice in Sports Teams participation from Grade 9 to Grade 12?
a) Participation increases steadily
b) Participation stays the same
c) Participation decreases as students move to higher grades
d) Participation peaks in Grade 11
3Which activity shows a pattern of increasing participation from Grade 9 to Grade 12?
a) Sports Teams
b) Music / Band
c) Drama Club
d) Both Drama Club and Robotics Club
4Based on the data, which conclusion is best supported?
a) All students participate in extracurricular activities
b) Students lose interest in all activities as they get older
c) While sports participation declines in higher grades, participation in arts and technology activities tends to grow
d) Student Council is the most popular activity
5A student claims: “More Grade 12 students participate in Drama Club than in Sports Teams.” Is this claim supported by the data?
a) Yes — 35 Drama Club members versus 45 Sports Team members
b) No — Grade 12 Sports Teams (45) still exceeds Drama Club (35)
c) Yes — Drama Club has more total participants
d) The data does not provide enough information to answer